Chapter Thirty: Where are you going to eat, Captain?

"Why don't we go somewhere else to eat?" Wen Er asked, watching Lu Meng across from him, who was covering her face and looking visibly uncomfortable.

Lu Meng waved her hand dismissively. "No, no, it's fine. Let's just eat here."

But why was everyone around them staring? It was so awkward! As someone with severe social anxiety, she was truly terrified.

As a few sentinels walked into the cafeteria, the people nearby reacted as if they had discovered a new continent.

"Hey, look, is that the Captain?"

Adi froze, followed his gaze, and nearly popped his eyes out in shock. "Holy crap! It really is!"

The Captain had said he was on a mission these past few days. Was the mission just to accompany someone for lunch? He immediately skulked behind a dining table, crouching down, and the others followed suit.

"Who’s that sitting across from him?"

"Don't know. The Captain is blocking the view; it's hard to see."

"Adi, is that the guide you were talking about the other day, the one who was chatting with the Captain?"

Adi stretched his neck as far as it would go. Every time he moved, the Captain shifted too, keeping the person across from him completely shielded. "I don't know! Stop crowding me, you guys, I can't see anything anymore!"

Just as he spoke, he suddenly met Wen Er’s gaze as he turned his head—the look was ice-cold.

*Damn, I’ve been spotted.*

He’d forgotten how keen the Captain’s senses were; even with mental shielding, he would still be discovered. Adi immediately stood up and sternly scolded the others.

"Alright, we're here to eat, what are you all doing? Such gossips! Don't you dare tell anyone you're sentinels from Team W!" He wore an expression of someone desperately trying to distance himself from them.

The others: "..." Was his brain fried?

Adi signaled them with his eyes, and they understood instantly, shutting their mouths and scurrying off to get their food.

Lu Meng didn't notice any of this. She only realized that the sentinels nearby seemed to have suddenly stopped sensing their presence entirely, as not a single glance was cast their way anymore. Though she didn't know why, she felt much more at ease.

Seeing the girl across from him visibly relax, Wen Er felt his own heart settle.

"The food here is actually quite good!" Lu Meng tasted a piece of meat and couldn't help but exclaim.

The corners of Wen Er’s mouth curved upward. "If it's good, eat more."

"Mm-hmm."

...

Kasi carried his tray over and sat down. Hal gestured for him to sit closer, but Kasi glanced cautiously at Ace and didn't move.

Ace lifted his eyelids slightly. "What are you playing dead for? Sit over here and eat."

Hal was delighted and quickly looked at Kasi. Hearing these words, Kasi was stunned for a moment, then, as if receiving a pardon, quickly moved his tray over.

He didn't dare to speak, and Ace ate in silence. The air was deathly quiet. Desperate to break the suffocating stalemate, Hal racked his brain for a topic. Just as he was trying to think of something to ease the awkward atmosphere, he suddenly noticed something.

"Hey, isn't that Major General Wen Er? Who is that across from him? Looks like a girl..."

Kasi immediately looked over. "Where? Where?"

He squinted, then added, "Oh, it really is him! The iron tree has finally bloomed. I have to say, that girl is really pretty!"

"Captain, look!"

Ace didn't care who that dead dog Wen Er was eating with. Seeing that he was indifferent, Hal didn't push it, but suddenly, a thought struck him.

"She looks a bit familiar. I feel like I've seen her somewhere before."

"Seen her? Have you gone crazy from missing guides?" Kasi teased him.

"Get lost!" Hal rolled his eyes at him.

He really did feel she was familiar. After thinking for a moment, it clicked. "I remember now! Is that the guide Team W rescued from Lotu-9? I saw her from afar at the hospital window last time! She was wearing a white patient gown back then!"

When he said this, Kasi also had a sudden flash of recognition. "I think that's her. She even caused a mental beast riot back then because of her; those mental beasts seemed to really like her!"

Just as the two were talking, the person beside them suddenly picked up his tray and stood up.

"Hey, Captain, where are you going to eat?"