Universe Infinite Canteen

He Xiaoqian arrived early for work the next day and, upon entering, saw Ma Lu changing the surveillance system in the store. She asked curiously,

"Boss, is there a problem with the old surveillance?"

"Nope, the old surveillance is working just fine."

"Then why are you changing it?"

"Because the footage isn't clear enough, and the audio isn't sharp enough."

"But why does the surveillance need to be that clear?"

"To catch spies."

As Ma Lu spoke, he had already installed the new surveillance. However, the resolution of the new surveillance was just so-so. His main reliance for catching spies was still on a top game developer.

The top game developer had turned the restaurant operation into a simulation management game, and as everyone knows, games typically have a built-in camera system that allows for full-angle movement for the convenience of players taking screenshots.

Ma Lu returned to the cashier counter, turned on the computer on top, and saw a new camera icon on the desktop.

He clicked on the icon, and a window immediately popped up showing an overhead view of the entire restaurant, with a resolution as high as 8k.

Ma Lu dragged the mouse, adjusting the angle, and brought the camera right in front of He Xiaoqian's face.

There was no denying that He Xiaoqian was very pretty, even in this type of confrontational, direct-angle shot that most would consider unflattering, she still looked quite good.

Ma Lu then took out a pair of headphones, put them on, and said to He Xiaoqian, "Say something."
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"Ah, what should I say?"

"Anything."

"Well then, thank you, Boss."

"Quieter, just talk as if I were standing right in front of you. Use a normal volume, don't worry about whether I can hear you or not."

"Oh, then... Thank you, Boss." He Xiaoqian lowered her voice.

Yet, Ma Lu could still clearly hear what she had just said through the headphones.

"Is that the only thing you can say?"

"Wow, you could hear that even though I spoke so softly?"

"Yeah, so don't secretly speak ill of me behind my back in the future."

"I've never spoken ill of you, Boss."

"Good, keep it that way."

Ma Lu was satisfied with the test results, and since he had just changed the surveillance, in the future, if anyone asked, he could claim it was captured by the new surveillance.

Now everything was ready; he was just waiting for the spies to come through the door.

Today, Ma Lu was keen to see if anyone would dare to slander him.

At 11 a.m., Universe Infinite Canteen opened punctually for business.

Although there were still quite a few diners waiting outside, eager to taste the delicious food, the line they formed was noticeably shorter than usual.

Ma Lu scanned the first batch of customers who entered with a sharp eye, but he didn't detect anything unusual for the time being.

Even though most people took out their phones after being served, they generally only took a few pictures and then put them away. Those who recorded videos only captured a short segment.

And there wasn't anyone like He Xiaoqian had described, meticulously savoring their food in a refined manner, people who clearly weren't ordinary eaters.

By the time the lunch period had passed, Ma Lu hadn't caught a single food blogger.

Could it be that this round of attacks had already subsided?

Far from feeling relieved, Ma Lu felt even more annoyed. If you were to ask what kind of enemy was the most vexing, it had to be the kind that strikes and runs away.

You've just ignited your fighting spirit, ready for a fierce battle, but when you turn around, you find they've already slipped away.

By the afternoon, Ma Lu was almost dozing off, and he found himself nodding repeatedly at ""Compendium of Zero-Tier Spells"," just when a ruckus began outside the door.

"Wow, isn't that Teacher Tang from Spicy Detective Food Reviews..."

"Right, right, I remember he was on 'Tongue Tip of China' too."

"Didn't he just post a video this afternoon, having water crab porridge in Macau?"

"What do you know, food bloggers' exploration videos are often shot in advance because they need time for post-production editing."

"Wow, I can't believe Teacher Tang has come to explore Universe Infinite Canteen as well, my favorite food blogger and my favorite restaurant are collaborating, I must be dreaming."

"Don't get too excited too soon. Teacher Tang's palate is notoriously tricky and critical. Many popular restaurants and famous old brands have been exposed in their true form under his 'Demon's Tongue.'"

"I have confidence in Universe Infinite Canteen; this is not just the best restaurant in City B, but in the whole country, the entire universe!"

Tang Rijie's arrival caused a sensation at Universe Infinite Canteen, yet Tang himself was already accustomed to such attention.

Years ago, when he first started as a social media personality, he was practically indistinguishable from an ordinary person, walking around unnoticed, able to taste and review food calmly.

As his fame grew, more people recognized him on the streets. He tried to disguise himself with hats and sunglasses, which helped at first, but as his fan base exceeded two million, these disguises lost their effectiveness.

No matter how he disguised himself, in the end, he'd always be recognized, so Tang Rijie simply dropped the act and confidently showed up at restaurants everywhere.

However, this meant that the kitchens might prepare in advance, switching out ingredients or chefs upon recognizing him, giving Tang Rijie a different dining experience than ordinary customers.

Tang Rijie had his strategies, though.

He now had his own team and would sometimes send unfeatured team members to secure a table and order in advance, only making his appearance when the food started to be served.

This was Tang Rijie's tactic for his sudden visit to Universe Infinite Canteen.

But he was overthinking it; Old Wang cooked the same for everyone, and perhaps, because he was silicon-based life, his control over flavors was absurdly precise.

People cannot step into the same river twice, but Old Wang could cook the same dish with only one flavor.

It was the same for everyone who came to eat.

Tang Rijie waved at his fans who greeted him, "Thank you all for the support. As always, let's dine civilly, not disturbing the other customers in the restaurant. Let's all enjoy the food together."

As a content creator with millions of followers, Tang Rijie was now much more cautious in public, since mobile phone cameras were everywhere these days. A misstep could easily be exploited, whether an ungraceful gesture or a phrase taken out of context, leading to a drop in followers or even the complete loss of his painstakingly built account.

The Internet was full of such examples.

Therefore, Tang Rijie was particularly careful with his public image. Sometimes he found this rather tiring; it wasn't as fun as when he first created his account, munching on kebabs while chatting with netizens.

Back then, he would speak his mind in his videos, embracing spontaneity and speaking freely. Now, with more friends, he had to be more considerate with his words.

For instance, this time, after receiving a call from Mike asking him to produce a tough critique video on Universe Infinite Canteen, Tang Rijie didn't really like going into a store visit with a preconceived stance.

But there was no helping it; Mike had greatly assisted him in becoming a self-media success. It could be said that Tang Rijie's rise to fame, his breakout hit was indebted to Mike recommending him to "Tongue Tip of China."

This debt of gratitude, Tang Rijie could not fail to repay.