"Put it on my tab." Wang Xiyi said while digging in, not picky about food, as evidenced by the stack of empty plates beside her, "I just remembered all the city restaurants are closed... The cafeteria isn't bad, plus it saves you commuting time, it's a win-win!"

Sun Hang picked up a piece of meat and chewed it twice... It looked like pure lean meat, but upon biting, he realized it was synthetic meat, with a natural meat texture only on the surface, while inside it was a mushy mixture of ground meat, collagen, chopped tendons, and starch. Other than the strong seasoning, there was no taste left.

"I'm doomed, my taste buds have been spoiled by that little girl Zhong Ling... To me, these aren't food fit for human consumption anymore..." Sun Hang lamented.

"She's quite clever." Wang Xiyi suddenly remarked during a break in her eating.

"Clever? I'd say it's more talent," Sun Hang said, "There are many who can cook, but few who reach her level, right?"

"I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about the effort she expends on you." Wang Xiyi gave Sun Hang an annoyed glare, "Haven't you heard the saying, 'To capture a man's heart, you must first capture his stomach'?"

"Uh..."

"I can see it clearly, this girl probably won't marry anyone but you." Wang Xiyi used her elbow with dragon scales to cut open a can, dumping its contents on the rice, "Such dreams are too impactful for a girl inexperienced with the world like her... You making her forget you is almost impossible."

"Aren't you jealous?" Sun Hang carefully watched Wang Xiyi's expression and asked.

"I'm not that petty to compete with a flat-chested, skinny girl." Wang Xiyi's cheeks were stuffed with food, making her speech a bit unclear, "Besides, weren't you thinking of having a harem for a while now... Now a pretty girl is virtually being offered to you, and you're motionless?"

"...Would you believe me if I said it was a joke?"

"Not a chance."

"That girl has quite a background."

"So you're worried about her dad coming to settle accounts, huh? Not daring to make a move?" Wang Xiyi flashed a sly smile, "I thought you were a gentleman?"

"Am I not?"

"Go ask others, if anyone says you are, I'll owe you a meal; if all say you're not, you owe me a hundred meals, dare or not?" Wang Xiyi said, "And to be clear, the meals you owe are based on my appetite."

"Pass." Sun Hang leaned back against the chair.

"Can't handle pre-packaged food? Try this." Wang Xiyi pulled out a snack that looked like a Snickers bar from her pocket and tossed it to Sun Hang.

"What's this? Energy bar?" Sun Hang looked at the package, which had no brand, images, or mandatory food ingredient and nutrition labels.

"Yeah, they've improved the flavor, I find it decent, give it a try." Wang Xiyi nodded.

Sun Hang skeptically tore open the package and took a small bite.

Too greasy and sweet, like a concoction of super-concentrated chocolate, butter, and syrup... Compared to this, the pre-packaged food on the table seemed quite pleasant.

"You call this decent?" Sun Hang widened his eyes, "Mr. Wang, your taste system might be broken?"

"Better than the previous soap-flavored version." Wang Xiyi said, "Only downside is it's extremely thirst-inducing, you have to keep drinking water."

"I'm now convinced, dragons really do have different taste buds from humans." Sun Hang nodded vehemently, "I'd rather chew soap."

As Wang Xiyi finished her fifteenth plate, Yang Qi burst into the cafeteria, glanced at the two in surprise, then shouted at the first window, "Experiment division, Yang Qi, is my order ready from ten minutes ago?"

"Ready, ready." The cafeteria lady handed a bag of boxed meals through the window.

Yang Qi took the boxed meals but didn't approach Sun Hang and Wang Xiyi, simply dropping, "Nine o'clock, building one, eleventh floor, don't be late!" before hurrying out.

Sun Hang glanced at Yang Qi's back, wandered over to the pick-up window, and asked the cafeteria lady, "Auntie, what dishes did Mr. Yang order just now?"

"Potato braised beef brisket, simmered eggplant, twice-cooked pork." The cafeteria lady listed off like treasures, "Oh, and a whiting fish."

"All... pre-packaged meals?" Sun Hang asked.

The cafeteria lady chuckled awkwardly, "Special times, resources scarce, many aid materials are these foil-packaged meal kits... The old director said fresh supplies prioritize frontline personnel, employees can only make do. The kitchen staff enjoy the downtime, just a boil in hot water to serve, much faster than cooking from scratch."

"True..." Sun Hang could only agree, "Besides the taste and texture being a bit off... No major issues."

"Speaking of, the girl with you, is she a Hunter?" The cafeteria lady suddenly lowered her voice and asked.

Although Mr. Wang was a registered Hunter in Sky Empire City, she rarely dined at the employee cafeteria, so it was unsurprising the cafeteria lady didn't recognize her.

"Yes, yes." Sun Hang nodded, the noticeable dragon horns and tail, even if denied, the lady probably wouldn't believe.

"No wonder, that girl's appetite is truly astonishing!" The cafeteria lady marveled, "I hear Hunters get supply allocations, but I reckon a month's worth wouldn't cover her meal... No wonder you brought her to the cafeteria."

"Eating more means more strength to fight creatures!" Sun Hang replied.

"Absolutely, absolutely!" The cafeteria lady laughed and nodded, "Let her eat more, not enough, I'll get the kitchen to fetch more; you all on the frontline shedding blood, can't have you go hungry! Eat well, fuel up, punch this eternal night thing back home!"

"Sun Hang!" Wang Xiyi shouted from afar, "Get me five more single meals!"

...

...

At 8:58 sharp, Research Institute Building One, Eleventh Floor.

A crowd in white coats had gathered in the surgical hallway, several carts loaded with medical instruments lined the corridor, two nurses in full protective gear were busily preparing various reagents required for the surgery.

Sun Hang had just stepped out of the elevator when Yang Qi came rushing, saying, "Hurry up to the sterile room to change, everyone's waiting for you."

"Huh? Change clothes? Is this much hassle necessary?" Sun Hang was stunned, "I just create an organ with the Taishou mycelium and replace her cancerous one. Didn't I do this for Song Yarong in a car last time, no sterile environment needed."

"Just change when told, why all the fuss!" Yang Qi positioned herself behind Sun Hang and nudged him forward, "As the surgery is done in the institute, everyone must follow the standard procedures. We'll also record the whole surgery process... It's an unprecedented attempt for the medical field."

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