Chapter 172: Chapter 172: Your Hungry Group Order Has Been Delivered

The new delivery order was for a raw coconut latte.

Lu Wu had found coffee beans while sourcing ingredients. However, the people of the Green Origin Realm used them as a material for alchemy; no one had yet discovered the method of grinding them into a powder to brew coffee.

"Aren’t those ’little black beans’? How can you make milk tea with them?"

A customer in the crowd who knew alchemy was curious. Though their form had changed, the unique aroma allowed her to recognize the beans.

She had the spirit of Shennong, who tasted a hundred herbs, and had once eaten these "little black beans" herself.

One bite, and the bitter taste had nearly made her curse aloud.

Watching Boss Lu dissolve the powder in water, a familiar bitter scent wafted through the air. The Alchemist felt a great deal of sympathy for the customer who had placed the order.

’This must be one of Boss Lu’s twisted jokes.’

Despite the customers’ skepticism, Lu Wu methodically went about her work preparing the milk tea.

Making a raw coconut latte was simple enough for anyone to learn. First, she filled the bottom of the cup with plenty of ice, then poured in the concentrated coffee and thick coconut milk.

A few shakes, and it was ready.

The coconut milk diluted the coffee to a milky brown, but the aroma didn’t fade. In fact, it became even more pronounced as it blended with the creamy scent, making customers involuntarily lean in for a sniff.

"You should brace yourself."

The Alchemist offered the warning, convinced the drink probably wouldn’t taste very good.

The customer nodded and took a sip.

She drank it delicately.

The first taste was the slight bitterness of the coffee. The customer, unable to handle bitter flavors, twitched her brow. The watching Alchemist wore an I-told-you-so expression.

But soon, the cool coconut milk cut through the bitterness. Its rich sweetness washed away the lingering unpleasantness on her tongue.

The rich coconut flavor was enveloped by the coffee, the two constantly colliding and merging in her mouth.

She gave the cup a few stirs, letting them blend more completely. The coffee’s bitterness was neutralized, leaving behind its mellow aroma and the sweet aftertaste of the coconut milk.

It was a drink that seemed simple, yet clearly required skill.

The ratio of the two ingredients had to be precisely controlled to create the perfect raw coconut latte.

The taste was a pleasure words couldn’t quite convey.

After a few more sips, savoring the flavor, the customer flashed a smile at the Alchemist.

"You were right."

’I was braced for it, so the deliciousness didn’t completely overwhelm me. Otherwise, I might have screamed out loud.’

"Glad I could help."

The Alchemist chuckled.

The two were talking completely past each other, yet their conversation flowed smoothly.

"Waaah!"

Another customer was stamping his feet. He cupped his face in a delicate, feminine pose, completely ignoring the astonished stares of the onlookers.

"What are you looking at? Hmph!"

He gave a haughty nod, then made a delicate gesture toward Lu Wu. "Boss Lu, your milk tea is so delicious! I just have to learn how to make it."

He turned his best side to Lu Wu, hoping to win her favor.

And yet...

After waiting for a long time with no response, he looked again. Lu Wu was completely absorbed in her work, oblivious to the world around her, focused solely on mashing mango puree.

"Hmph, you meanie."

After a coy huff, the customer sashayed away to slowly enjoy his milk tea.

Lu Wu watched him go out of the corner of her eye and silently breathed a sigh of relief.

’That was terrifying.’

’Men and women are all trying to hit on me, and now some middleman shows up wanting to take a cut.’

’I’m not falling for it!’

"Next!"

Lu Wu called out, and the three brothers who had been waiting for so long finally reached the front of the stall.

They were still a bit dazed after witnessing the other customers’ reactions.

’Which of these personas is her real one? With a disguise this good, she could totally be working alone.’

The customers’ reactions had even sparked a sense of anticipation for the milk tea in the three brothers.

A drink they’d never had before was bound to be a novel experience, so they decided to order one for themselves.

"I’ll have a Peach Oolong."

The eldest brother placed the order, carefully observing Lu Wu’s expression and movements, determined not to miss it when she passed him the message.

"Alright, one moment."

After those three words, Lu Wu lowered her head and got back to work.

She diced a fresh peach. The tender, pink flesh looked exceptionally juicy and sweet, and after being cooked, it became even more translucent.

The aroma of the ripe peach captivated the three brothers’ senses, and her skillful knife work made them take notice.

’Perhaps this is how she’s passing the message.’ The thought was plain in all three of their eyes, and they watched with even greater focus.

The green tea base remained fragrant, and the thick peach jam had a translucent, amber hue.

The peach pulp and bits were layered at the bottom, and pouring in the tea base created a subtle layered effect.

It was a tender pink, like a spring blossom.

Lu Wu’s movements were fluid, possessing a unique, rhythmic grace.

The three were mesmerized. The eldest brother only snapped out of it when the drink was handed to him. He took it, then stared at her face again, trying to find the hidden message.

’Nothing. Still nothing!’

Second Brother also shook his head slightly; he hadn’t noticed anything either.

"Don’t tell me... it’s hidden inside?"

Third whispered, looking at the cup. Hiding something inside wouldn’t be a bad method at all.

The three exchanged glances. Perhaps because they had already accepted Lu Wu as their contact, their communication wasn’t subtle, and of course, Lu Wu saw it.

"Drink it slowly,"

she said.

’Don’t drink it too fast. I’m getting overwhelmed, and my arms are sore from all the shaking. If they drink slowly, it’ll buy me some time to recover.’

’Another day of missing my assistant.’

"Right."

The eldest brother shot Lu Wu a knowing glance. He was certain this was a warning from his contact.

’There’s something wrong with this milk tea!’

He carried the cup to the side, and Second Brother and Third followed in perfect sync.

The fact that the three of them had only bought one cup earned them gazes of respect from many customers, as if they were watching brave warriors.

"Definitely newbies."

"Yep. Some people only learn their lesson the hard way."

"Let’s watch the show."

The customers’ murmurs were too quiet for the three brothers to hear, but the strange looks they were getting put them on high alert.

"Why is everyone staring at us? They haven’t spotted a flaw in our cover, have they?"

Third voiced his doubt, but his two older brothers had no answer.

Thinking back, everything had been fine. They had only attracted this much attention after leaving the stall, which could only mean one thing: this cup of milk tea was crucial.

With this thought, the eldest brother gave the other two a meaningful look.

This time, it was up to him to uncover the secret.

The three of them huddled together, blocking the view of any onlookers. The eldest brother stared at the fruit tea in the cup, but he couldn’t see anything unusual with the naked eye.

The Green Origin Realm was full of all sorts of secret arts; he would have to taste it himself to find out.

He took a sip and froze.

’The boss must be receiving the hidden message,’ Second Brother thought.

To keep his brother from dropping the cup, he reached out to support it.

But as soon as his hand touched the cup, the eldest brother violently snatched it back. The force of the movement nearly sent his elbow into Third’s side.

"Eldest Brother?"

Second Brother looked at him, confused, unable to understand such a strong reaction.

"I-It’s nothing."

The eldest brother chuckled awkwardly, his fingers clutching the cup tightly.

He appeared calm on the surface, but a tempest was raging within him. Out of a guilty conscience, his eyes kept darting about.

’This milk tea... is too damn good.’

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