Chapter 187
The night was deep.
In front of the majestic gates of Jun Tian Prison, yellow-green lanterns flickered weakly, unable to light up the cold, endless night. In such a desolate moment, the smell of hot, marinated food… was almost unbearable.
But in this barren wasteland, where could the scent of marinated food possibly come from? Not just Jun Tian Prison, but even if they searched the entire Upper Realm, they wouldn’t find a place selling such food!
This was the very reason why many immortals would disguise themselves and descend to the mortal realm for a bite to eat.
Thus, the two guards, smelling the aroma, naturally assumed it was just a hallucination.
It’s a long shift, after all!
And when you’ve been working for 10,000 days without a break, a few hallucinations are perfectly normal. They’d even once hallucinated that they weren’t standing guard at Jun Tian Prison, but were instead lying in a warm bed.
The new guard wrinkled his nose. “Big Brother, this illusion feels way too real.”
“Little Brother, I’ve seen my fair share of these illusions,” the old guard replied confidently. “Just ignore it, and in a while, it will vanish.”
However, as time passed, the scent only grew stronger, not weaker!
The new guard couldn’t help but salivate. He swallowed several times, but the saliva just kept coming.
The old guard, though also affected, had more experience and immediately held his breath, trying to reassure the new guard, “It’s just an illusion, a mental trick! Don’t think about it, and it’ll fade away…”
Before he could finish speaking.
Suddenly, they heard the sound of squeaky wheels rolling along the ground.
Both guards immediately opened their eyes wide and looked toward the source of the sound—
A small food cart was wobbling toward them, accompanied by the sound of jingling bells. The cart had a small nightlight hanging from it, with a sign that read “Simple Marinated Snacks.”
On the stove, a pot of dark marinated broth was gently heating, glowing softly with a warm shine. The steam rising from the pot carried the strong aroma of the marinated food, filling the cold night air. Under the warm yellow light, through the glass windows, they could see the food cart was full of various marinated delights neatly arranged:
The marinated beef was sliced thick, showing a beautiful reddish-brown color, with tender bits of tendon at the edges soaked in marinade, releasing a fragrant meat smell.
The braised pig’s trotters in the middle were shiny with oil, a translucent amber color, and seemed full of collagen, as if one bite would reveal their tender, bouncy texture.
The chicken wings and chicken feet were half-dipped in the old marinade, glistening and rich in color, making it look as though they would effortlessly pull off the bone with a gentle tug.
Not to mention the marinated eggs, cut open to reveal golden yolks, and the white part soaked in the marinade, turning a brownish color.
There was also dried tofu, seaweed, potatoes, and ribs…
“Welcome to Simple Marinated Snacks!” The handsome young man at the cart, wearing a floral apron, greeted them with a warm smile. His sleeves were rolled up as he held a large spoon, looking like any reliable food stall owner from a mortal marketplace.
“We have marinated beef, marinated pig’s trotters, and marinated eggs. They’re so fragrant! If it’s not delicious, you don’t have to pay! Would you like to try some, guests?”
Silence.
Dead silence.
It wasn’t that the guards didn’t want to buy; it was that…
The two of them just stared, wide-eyed, at the marinated food behind the glass window. They couldn’t tear their eyes away from the marinated beef, the marinated chicken wings, and they wished their gaze could turn into a tongue to devour all the food they saw in a storm of consumption!
If they hadn’t known it was just an illusion, they would have already rushed over, pressed their faces against the glass, and stared as long as they could.
Their souls were completely captivated. The two guards’ lips trembled, their minds and reason shattered by the sight before them.
For a long while, only the sound of saliva being swallowed echoed in the quiet air in front of the gates of Jun Tian Prison.
After some time, the new guard finally rubbed his eyes and couldn’t help but speak.
“Woah… woah, what the hell…”
“…This illusion is way too real!!! Who can stand this!!!”
“Is this really just an illusion?”
The old guard also began to feel a sense of doubt creeping into his heart.
How could this illusion be so real?
The two guards exchanged a glance and, without a word, activated their Heavenly Eyes. The Heavenly Eye was an ability that allowed one to see through all illusions and specters, only reflecting real, tangible things.
Through the vision of the Heavenly Eye, the “Simple Marinated Snacks” stall not only hadn’t disappeared, but it had become even more vivid. The heat, the aroma, and the irresistible appeal of the food were all intensified!
“…” The two guards first wiped the saliva from their mouths, and then…
Their pupils shook!
“Is-is this real?!”
The new guard gasped. “Oh my god, how could someone actually set up a stall in this remote corner? Can this even be profitable?”
“Boss, I’ll take one of everything, especially the marinated beef, give me more of that, it smells so good…” The old guard couldn’t resist the temptation and walked forward, pointing at the marinated goods behind the glass. After so many years of navigating the workplace, he had concluded that life should be enjoyed to the fullest when given the chance.
Jian Yunlan quickly started packaging the food. “Alright!”
Soon, Jian Yunlan had wrapped up the various marinated items in oil paper and handed them over. “Here are your marinated treats.”
“Thank you, boss.”
The old guard handed over some silver, his eyes gleaming. He swallowed hard and couldn’t wait to take the food.
The entire scene seemed so natural and normal.
If this were a bustling night market in the mortal realm, no one would question what was happening. But…
This was the cold and eerie front gate of the Upper Realm’s largest prison!
The new guard suddenly recalled the rules he had learned during his onboarding training, waved his hands, and urgently called out:
“Wait, hold on! You can’t set up a stall in front of Jun Tian Prison! That’s illegal!!!”
“According to the 17,985th regulation of Jun Tian Prison,” the new guard quickly put on his glasses and, not knowing where he pulled it from, retrieved a ‘New Guard Training Manual’ to read aloud:
“‘Anyone caught illegally setting up a stall in front of Jun Tian Prison must be immediately taken away and dealt with by the prison warden.’…”
As soon as he said this, the movements of the two people at the food stall came to a complete stop.
Both of them looked at the new guard.
The old guard’s gaze was full of dissatisfaction and reproach! This kid really didn’t understand human affairs. Even if he wanted to report something, couldn’t he wait until after they bought the food? Newcomers always mess things up.
The food stall owner, on the other hand, had a surprised look on his face… with a hint of admiration and… happiness?
The new guard shook his head in confusion, thinking he had misinterpreted.
Who would be so happy to hear they were about to be taken away? That’s impossible, impossible.
The new guard pulled out his shackles and stepped forward to detain the stall owner.
But as he took a step forward, the smell of the marinated food hit him like a wave, so strong that it seemed to soften even his iron will… The new guard stopped dead in his tracks, his expression filled with confusion and inner conflict.
Meanwhile, the old guard seized the opportunity to pull out a cigarette from his pocket, offering it to Jian Yunlan with a flattering smile, whispering, “He’s new, doesn’t really know the rules, boss, please don’t take it to heart!”
Jian Yunlan hesitated, not taking the cigarette, and seemed about to retract the oil paper-wrapped food. “But he just said that those who illegally set up stalls will be taken to the warden…”
Seeing the food slipping away, the old guard immediately began to sweat, his eyes red with urgency as he quickly spoke:
“Look, rules are dead, people are alive. You sell me this food, heaven knows, earth knows, you know, I know, and the warden doesn’t need to know!”
Jian Yunlan raised an eyebrow, half-skeptical. “Are you saying that you won’t take me to the warden?”
The old guard saw hope and immediately swore on the heavens, “I swear! Of course not! I swear by my divine status, if I break this oath, I’ll fall to the mortal realm and become a beast!”
It was a deadly oath.
Hearing this, the new guard’s eyes widened.
…He’s willing to risk everything for food!
Although the old guard wasn’t a golden immortal who ascended like those in the spiritual realm, he was still a small god who lived in harmony with the heavens. The fact that he was willing to swear such an oath showed that he was serious.
The old guard thought that the food stall owner was reluctant to hand over the food due to fear of the warden. But since he had sworn, the boss shouldn’t be afraid anymore, right?
He would hand the food over now, right?
However, unexpectedly, Jian Yunlan, holding the oil paper package, started pulling it back!
Watching the marinated goods grow further away, the old guard’s tears were almost about to fall. He nearly knelt down in front of Jian Yunlan, saying, “Boss, my good boss, what do you want from me? What must I do to have a taste of the marinated snacks?”
Under the old guard’s eager and pleading gaze, Jian Yunlan thought for a moment and then seriously said, “I only have one very simple requirement if you want me to sell you the marinated goods…”
The new guard also perked up his ears to listen.
What could it be? Wealth and status, or rare treasures?
“…If you agree to escort me to see the warden, I’ll sell you the marinated goods.” Jian Yunlan finished the second half of his sentence, his smile radiant as he emphasized, “I want to go to prison!”
The old guard: “…?”
The new guard: “…???”
What kind of strange fetish is this?
“…”
One incense stick later.
The old and new guards each carefully opened the oil-paper-wrapped marinated goods they had bought, and the rich aroma hit them once again!
Both could no longer contain their excitement, and without bothering to grab chopsticks, they each grabbed a slice of marinated beef with their hands and stuffed it into their mouths…
“!!!”
The moment they took a bite, the exhaustion and numbness in the eyes of both guards instantly disappeared, leaving only pure joy.
—The marinated beef was sliced thick, and with one bite, the first sensation was the hot and firm texture of the meat. As their teeth broke through, the beef peeled apart along its fibers, and the rich marinade seeped out, filling their mouths with a deep, savory flavor.
What was even more surprising was the texture of the tendons between the beef slices. Soft yet chewy, soaked in the marinade, they were not tough at all, but incredibly tender, becoming more flavorful with each bite!
After spending over three thousand days on duty in the cold night, the most mundane and hungry moments—having a bite of such marinated beef, perhaps with a little drink—who could understand the feeling?
Their bodies grew warmer, and the two guards, no longer holding back, quickly grabbed the long-desired marinated eggs, marinated chicken wings, marinated tofu…
*
Finally, after finishing off the two oil-paper packages, licking even the last drops of sauce, the two guards were fully satisfied.
“…Are we almost done eating?”
“Almost, let’s head out then.”
The old guard patted the dust off his clothes and looked at Jian Yunlan, “Well then, as agreed, to thank the boss for the marinated goods…”
Click, click.
Two crisp locking sounds rang out.
A pair of silver handcuffs appeared on Jian Yunlan’s wrists.
