Chapter 548: Chapter 548: You're Disrespecting Me
Wei Xian Restaurant
"Lin Fan, food for private room number three."
Dishes, each a feast for the eyes and nose, emerged from the kitchen, ready to nourish the hungry patrons.
"Coming!"
Lin Fan believed in dedicating himself fully to any job he undertook. Being a waiter was hard work, but he approached it with unwavering enthusiasm. The restaurant owner was kind, and his colleagues were friendly. He fondly remembered how, on his first day, several older waitresses had warmly welcomed him, asking him all sorts of questions and making him feel right at home. Who would bother asking such things if they didn't consider him one of their own?
The waitresses often stole glances at Lin Fan as they worked. The handsome young man, with his charmingly innocent air, was a favorite among them. Some were quite forward, making it clear that if he accepted their advances, they'd be sharing a bed that very night.
Unfortunately… the young man seemed oblivious to their affections.
Carrying a tray laden with dishes, Lin Fan arrived at private room number three. Inside, it looked like a family gathering, with several children present. He was fond of children. Though they could be mischievous at times, their innocence and kindness were qualities that adults often lacked.
A group of children were playing a game about "Warriors of Light," their voices echoing loudly in the room.
The adults, growing irritated by the noise, told the youngsters to quiet down. But to the children, anyone who tried to stop them was a monster, and as Warriors of Light, they had to use their ultimate moves to fight back.
This defiance only further angered the parents, who finally declared, "There are no Warriors of Light! You watch too many cartoons; you're obsessed!"
The adults then reminisced about their own childhoods, recalling how they too had believed in such things, only to realize later how naive they had been.
Though spoken casually, these words had a profound impact on the children. Their lively energy dissipated, replaced by a quiet dejection. Heads bowed, they trudged towards the exit.
As Lin Fan finished serving the dishes and passed by the doorway, he whispered, "Believe in the light, and miracles will happen. The Warriors of Light exist."
The children looked at him, their expressions shifting slightly, though not significantly. In their hearts, they knew it wasn't real, but they still clung to the fantasy.
"How can you prove they exist?" a chubby boy asked.
"I'll show you, okay?" Lin Fan wanted these children to hold onto their beliefs, to continue believing in the light.
The children exchanged glances.
"Okay…"
Besides the main entrance, the private room had tea preparation areas on either side, concealed by corners. If no one passed by, what happened there would remain unseen.
"Look," Lin Fan crouched down, spreading his fingers. A brilliant white light emanated from his palm, a warm glow illuminating the children's faces and making their eyes sparkle.
"Wow!"
"Wow!"
"That's the light of the Warriors of Light!"
The children were ecstatic, their eyes shining with excitement. They gazed at Lin Fan as if he were their idol.
"Now look at this," Lin Fan smiled, whispering, "Holy Light Sword, appear!"
He grasped his left palm with his right hand, and a sword hilt slowly emerged from the light. The children gasped, their eyes wide, speechless. This moment would surely be etched in their memories forever.
"Wow! It's the Holy Light Sword of the Warriors of Light! It's so powerful! I have one at home!"
"Me too!"
"I don't. I'll ask my dad to buy me one."
"I'll ask my grandpa."
Click!
Lin Fan closed his fingers, the light vanishing. He stood up and said, "Now, do you believe the light exists?"
The children nodded vigorously, wholeheartedly agreeing.
"I believe!"
"Me too!"
Lin Fan left the private room and continued his work elsewhere.
The children ran back to their families, excitedly shouting, "We saw a Warrior of Light!"
"Really! He was so cool!"
"Wow! The Warriors of Light exist!"
"We really saw him with our own eyes!"
The adults, busy eating and drinking, paused at their children's words, then burst into laughter. They couldn't take the children's stories seriously, especially such outlandish claims.
"Alright, alright, settle down. Go play, but don't wander off too far." The adults waved them away.
Normally, the children would have been disheartened, but now, they felt no disappointment. You don't believe us? Fine. We saw it with our own eyes. It can't be fake.
Back in the dining area, Lin Fan carried plates with a smile, a group of children trailing behind him.
"Warrior of Light, wait for us!"
"Can I talk to you? I really like you!"
"Warrior of Light, will you be my dad? I'll let you have my mom."
As Lin Fan worked, surrounded by the children, the other diners stared in astonishment. Even the restaurant owner was dumbfounded. The waitresses, who had been admiring Lin Fan's physique, now thought, He'll definitely be a good father someday.
Lin Fan smiled at the children, who seemed like little angels. Other families dining in the hall noticed the group of children gathered around Lin Fan and brought their own kids over. The children who had witnessed Lin Fan's display of light earnestly recounted the event to their newly arrived peers.
A Warrior of Light? They really exist?
This news shocked the newcomers. They trusted the words of their peers. Even if they had doubts, with so many witnesses, it couldn't be a lie.
And so, a rare scene unfolded. A group of children followed Lin Fan as if he were their leader, a gaggle of devoted followers. Many parents watched in amazement.
The owner, always keen to identify his employees' strengths, recognized Lin Fan's remarkable rapport with children. This could be a valuable asset. One of the biggest headaches for parents dining out was children getting restless before the meal was over. This problem could now be solved, guaranteeing repeat business. This was a service that needed to be developed; it could increase the restaurant's returning customers by at least thirty percent.
Half a month later… Special Warfare Academy
"Is Brother Lin here?"
Cheng Zhi had returned to visit his parents and decided to stop by and see Lin Fan. He was starting to realize something: perhaps it was Brother Lin's sparring sessions that had made him so skilled.
He was no longer in logistics. He was now a front-line combatant.
He used to think combat was arduous and dangerous. Now, he understood it was much simpler than he'd imagined.
Block!
Block!
Then Xiao Hong and the others would finish the job.
It had always been this way. He even felt a sense of pride when a senior member told him, "I feel so safe with you. Fighting monsters has never been this easy."
That compliment made Cheng Zhi feel elated, but more than that, he felt the joy and pride of being acknowledged by his colleagues.
"Who?" The old man in the guardhouse, cigarette dangling from his lips, looked up from his newspaper.
"Lin Fan, Brother Lin," Cheng Zhi replied.
"Don't know him. Never heard of him." The old man shook his head, rustling his newspaper.
Seeing the old man's dismissive attitude, Cheng Zhi slammed his hands on the desk. "I'm asking you, where's the previous security guard?"
Startled, the old man's hand trembled, and he stammered, "W-what do you mean? Causing trouble here?"
"I asked you where the previous security guard is." Cheng Zhi repeated.
"Oh, you mean the one before? The old guy had a heart attack, you know, with a… lady of the night. Bad for the academy's image. So they hired us, a professional security company. As for the guy you're asking about, he was probably fired." The old man's demeanor suddenly became more conciliatory.
Cheng Zhi had intimidated him. Such a hot-headed youngster, trying to scare an old man like me. If it weren't for my relative… no, the director telling us to be professional, I'd whack him with this newspaper.
"Fired?" Cheng Zhi was stunned. He hadn't expected Lin Fan to be fired. It hadn't even crossed his mind.
"Where did he go?"
"How would I know? I don't know him. And he has his own legs; where he goes is none of my business."
Cheng Zhi turned and left.
The old man watched him go, muttering curses under his breath. Crazy kid. Lucky for you, you left quickly.
Cheng Zhi felt a pang of regret. He didn't have Lin Fan's number.
It wasn't that he hadn't wanted it. Back then, hardly anyone befriended him, and carrying a phone was more of an embarrassment than anything else. It was also a waste of the signal tower's resources. He could top up his phone with a hundred credits, and the phone company would likely deduct it all before he even made a single call.
Night…
Ding!
A message notification sounded.
Lin Fan, just arriving at his dorm and preparing to shower and sleep, picked up his phone. It was a text from Tang Nayi.
Get cash red envelopes for reading books! Follow WeChat public account [Book Friends Base Camp], cash/coins are waiting for you!
Tang Nayi: Uncle, I'm screwed!!!!
Lin Fan texted back: What happened? Are you in trouble?
Tang Nayi: Yeah, I think I'm not coming back.
Send me your location.
Tang Nayi: Uncle, don't joke. I'm texting you to say, you know, during Qingming Festival or whatever, burn some paper money for me. Wouldn't want my three months of buying you breakfast to go to waste.
Lin Fan knew Tang Nayi was in serious trouble.
He remembered Tang Nayi's scent. Closing his eyes, he extended his senses across the world, searching for her location. The world's will felt disrespected, as if someone had barged into its home without permission, snooping around without an invitation, completely disregarding its authority.
Found her…
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone