Exhausted, Xu Feng was promptly forced to take a detour temporarily to indulge Zhao Kai in his foodie life.
Despite wanting to advance further and be up ahead, he decided it was not bad to take some time to rest.
Maybe if it wasn't for Zhao Kai's insistence, he would have continued his old habit of constantly working.
'I might have changed slightly, but I still tend to overwork myself.' He smiled bitterly.
The competitiveness in the Divine World during his time as an upper echelon of the Reaver Guild was intense. Even just taking a small break could have resulted in deadly consequences.
However, the current moment was still in the early stages, and the competition was relatively mild.
Not to mention, with Zhao Kai's coy acting giving him goosebumps, Xu Feng would rather feed him full than receive that kind of disgusting behavior again.
"Don't ever try to act coy again, or you're not getting any food." Xu Feng warned sternly.
"Rest assured, you won't see that persona ever again." Zhao Kai attempted to show a solemn expression but somehow made it comical looking with how hard he was trying.
"I've heard that the Redwood Inn here has some great specialty, so we need to go there specifically." He added, seemingly turning into a food expert.
'So you did research, but only on food?' Xu Feng was baffled.
He couldn't fathom why Zhao Kai would waste his energy and time on mundane stuff that doesn't really improve one's stat and progress.
As the two walked on the street, it slowly transitioned to Zhao Kai leading the way, his eyes wandering around seamlessly.
He looked no different than a country bumpkin who had just gotten to a big city.
"Why are you acting like this?" Xu Feng mumbled, using his hand to cover part of his face, trying to avoid being seen.
As Xu Feng quietly followed behind the enthusiastic Zhao Kai, they finally arrived at Redwood Inn.
Before even entering inside, Xu Feng could hear numerous chattering and laughter echoing from the interior.
"Come on, Brother Feng. Let's head inside." Zhao Kai shouted once he realized Xu Feng was distracted slightly. To ensure his stomach was filled, he proceeded to grab his arm and began dragging him along.
"Don't forget that you punched me in the face earlier, so now I'll call it even if you pay for the food." He then whispered softly, reminding Xu Feng of his earlier action.
Startled, Xu Feng chuckled softly as he shook his head. "And here I thought you had forgotten about it. Whatever then, eat to your heart's content."
Although it was a pity to waste money on food, Xu Feng was going to purchase the best out of it. After all, food in the Divine World can provide a buff to players as well, but they are on the more expensive side.
Since it provided them with a good buff and a way to make it up to Zhao Kai, he decided to bleed a little of his money.
As they entered the Redwood Inn, they were greeted by the dim lighting which cast a warm glow over the rustic wooden furniture, creating a cozy ambiance.
Players and NPCs clustered around tables, engaged in animated discussions, or huddled over cards and dice games.
Waitstaff bustled about, weaving skillfully through the bustling crowd, delivering trays of steaming food and frothy drinks with practiced ease.
'These players really have no future.' Xu Feng thought to himself, wondering why these players even bothered playing games if they were just going to waste their time here.
Alas, he could only swallow those thoughts because he was now part of these players due to being dragged by Zhao Kai.
"Hello, how many people?" One of the staff greeted them.
Zhao Kai flashed two of his fingers out, and with a cheeky smile, he said, "Two people, and make sure to bring out your best beverage. My brother is rich and will treat me generously."
"Alrighty then, right this way please." The staff smiled and guided them to a table closer to the window side. Given the center zone was pretty much occupied, the table near the window side was a quieter zone.
Once they were seated, the menu was promptly given to the two of them.
"Woah, look at the pictures of these foods, Feng. It's like we're in a real inn and not just some game." Zhao Kai exclaimed in joy, his eyes glistening at the sight of the food picture that was tempting.
"What happened to Brother Feng, Shadow Blade?" Xu Feng twitched his mouth, seemingly speechless at how fast his tone and attitude changed once he swindled him into the inn.
"Tsk, I'll call you that when we're outside." Zhao Kai waved his hand, his eyes never leaving the menu selection.
"But for now, let's order these dishes. The spaghetti bolognese, Caesar salad, fish and chips, and some BBQ ribs." Drools began dripping down from his mouth as he mentioned those dishes' names.
Meanwhile, Xu Feng was rendered speechless completely. Not only were the dishes he ordered expensive, but they are also food that gives good buffs.
'Fuck, he's been playing the pig all along but was actually a tiger.' Xu Feng cursed silently, having realized he was played by Zhao Kai.
What naivety?
What innocence?
Could he be called a brainless foodie who only had food in his mind when he made such meticulous calculations?
"The meal altogether would cost around 1 Silver Coin, Kai. You really think highly of me." Xu Feng glared at him and said, not even bothering to use his alias.
Zhao Kai shrugged his shoulders and flashed a smug smile.
"Hehe, with my understanding of you, there's no way you wouldn't have a few Silver Coins by now. Also, this is a good place to listen in on these players talking about recent events. It's much better than browsing through the Game Forum and having to filter the information ourselves." He subsequently said, pointing at another group of tables filled with players.