Universe Infinite Canteen
Chapter 788 - 788 Relax

Ma Lu opened the suitcase and rummaged through it, quickly finding an ancient mirror with intricate carved patterns.

——Mirror of the Sage.

This was a second-hand high-dimensional artifact he previously picked up from Yan Wu. Its purpose was to summon a departed sage to help answer questions, essentially a spectral study guide.

Previously, it was missing a corner, which made the summoning process unstable. However, Number 6 had since repaired it.

Ma Lu wrote a name on the back of the mirror, then turned it around and asked his question.

"What kind of dish can defeat those Skulders?"

A moment later, the mirror emitted a dazzling white light.

The silhouette of a man with a scruffy beard and black-framed glasses appeared in the mirror.

Although Ma Lu widened his eyes, he still couldn't make out the man's face, as his entire body was enveloped in a gentle glow.

"Food is not meant for killing."

The man in the mirror said, his voice low and magnetic.

"I know, I know. But this time it's special. If we don't eliminate those Skulders, the entire multiverse will be destroyed. You're the greatest chef in history, a man standing at the pinnacle of culinary arts—there must be a way.

Please, I beg you to guide me. I promise this will be the last time. Also, I'll burn offerings for you every year during Qingming Festival—however much you want."

But the man in the mirror acted as if he didn't hear Ma Lu. He simply repeated, "Food is not meant for killing," then disappeared.

Ma Lu was stunned.

Yes, the person he had just summoned with the Mirror of the Sage was the legendary ψ Chef.

Ma Lu had made a calculated move, thinking he could ask the teacher for answers to a difficult question like a proper student. But he didn't expect the teacher to be preoccupied with philosophical lecturing, without offering any solutions.

Just then, a knock came at the door.

"Are you there?"

Ma Lu put away the Mirror of the Sage and opened the door, finding Angie standing outside.

"What's up?"

"Boss Yan asked me to tell you that we're about two and a half hours away from arriving at Plane 8287. But he doesn't know exactly where Great Curtain City is.

He plans to have the spaceship circle the planet twice for scans, then generate a 3D map, which he'll send to you for location confirmation."

"Alright."

After Ma Lu responded, he noticed Angie hadn't left. "What is it? Do you have something else to say?"

"I still can't quite believe everything I've seen these past few days. So the universe truly has so many planes, strange races, and cities… It feels like at any moment, I'll wake up and discover it was all just a dream."

"I wish it were."

"But I haven't woken up, so it's not a dream, huh? It's a pity—such an interesting universe is about to be destroyed."

"Yeah, I'll do my best to save it," Ma Lu said in agreement.

"No, what I really mean to say is that you shouldn't put so much pressure on yourself," Angie said. "I understand what it feels like to have so many people pin their hopes on you. That kind of expectation can sometimes give you motivation but can also wear you out.

"And if you're too exhausted, you won't be able to face the upcoming battles properly."

"What you're saying makes sense, but I've truly let everyone down," Ma Lu replied dejectedly. "If only I had spent less time playing games the past few days, I would've had more time to dedicate to cooking. Maybe then I could've come up with a better solution."

"You need to stop blaming yourself," Angie said. "What's done is done. Reflecting on the past won't change anything; what matters now is the present."

"The present... but I feel like there's nothing left I can do in the present," Ma Lu sighed. "In a few hours, not only will we reach the journey's end—perhaps the multiverse itself will be at its doom. It's already too late."

"Then let's welcome the end together."

Angie took Ma Lu's hand. "Saving the world was never your responsibility. You're just a restaurant owner. Your duty is to provide guests with satisfying dishes and let genuine smiles light up their faces."

"..."

"What? Why aren't you saying anything again?"

Seeing Ma Lu's furrowed brow and persistent silence, Angie bit her lip and resorted to her ultimate tactic.

"Um, I lied earlier when I said I threw away all my Hanfu. Actually, I kept one set. Would you… like to cosplay before the apocalypse? I'll be the concubine, and you can play the young guard secretly having an affair with me."

"..."

Seeing Ma Lu still unresponsive, Angie hesitantly added, "Or… do you want to cosplay as a eunuch?"

"I want to be Emperor Han Wu, choosing your card from the imperial deck—but not now!" Ma Lu said, grabbing Angie's arm. "Thank you for the enlightenment just now; it's given me a new idea.

Ma Lu continued as he lowered his gaze to the Traveler's Bracelet on his wrist. "There are only a few hours left. I plan to go to the kitchen and experiment with a final dish."

"Uh, okay." Though confused, Angie expressed her support.

Right now, Ma Lu resembled a college student on the night before final exams, standing in the dorm hallway intent on cramming from scratch.

At least he looked much more determined.

Ma Lu went into the kitchen, put on his apron, and equipped mini Old Wang on his right hand to begin another round of culinary creation.

But before that, he spent half an hour carefully rewatching the footage of the Ares Warriors' first encounter with the Skulders—three times, without skipping.

This made the vague idea in his mind increasingly clear.

Once he finalized the theme, Ma Lu dove headfirst into experimentation. However, he quickly ran into difficulties, and by the time Yan Wu sent him the map, he had only created two dishes.

Neither dish achieved his expectations.

Ma Lu temporarily set aside the Chef's Knife and began studying the 3D map, hoping to clear his mind and take a brief break.

From the map, he identified six cities. Comparing their surrounding terrain, he finally narrowed down two potential locations for the Giant Curtain.

Yan Wu piloted the Pink Whale Ship toward one of the cities. About 30 kilometers away, they were spotted by an air transport returning to the city.

The transport likely sent a signal to the city, and when Ma Lu and his team arrived overhead, they found its hunters and guards armed to the teeth, ready for battle.

The massive steel dome of the city had already been sealed, and anti-aircraft machine guns were raised along its perimeter.

Seeing this, Ma Lu didn't take any risks and had the hardware store owner land outside the city ahead of time.