Though new challenges loomed on the horizon, the restaurant's business tonight was thriving beyond expectation, bolstered by the overwhelming support of many guests.
In fact, it wasn't until nearly 10 PM that the satisfied customers began to pay their bills and leave. Some even made promises to return the next day, bringing along friends to further enjoy the fare.
Of course, a significant factor in this success was the undeniable allure of Chen Mo's culinary skills, which had kept the customers' spirits high throughout the evening.
Nevertheless, after calculating the day's earnings for the third time, Ye Rong's smile grew so wide it could hardly be contained. Her eyes even sparkled with a golden gleam. In light of this, she generously handed out overtime bonuses to each of her staff, even turning down Chen Mo's offer to stay behind and assist.
"Will you be able to pay the down payment first thing tomorrow morning?" Ye Rong's gentle reminder made Chen Mo realize he hadn't yet withdrawn the money. Still, he found it curious that Ye Rong, who had once been fired up with frustration after a confrontation with Jiali, had suddenly turned so gentle and composed.
"Because I've thought it over carefully!" Ye Rong said, resting her chin on her hand as she recalculated the earnings. "A few days ago, I was too blinded by that Greek woman's antics, but after much reflection, I've decided…"
"Decided what?" Chen Mo asked, eyeing her suspiciously, awaiting her next words. Ye Rong glanced up at him, her gaze as bright as a clear spring day. "I've decided to raise your salary by 50% next month! And if any more of those fools come around, you're to chase them off with whatever means necessary!"
"Ah, could this be the legendary 'break down and rebuild'?" Chen Mo shuddered, realizing with a jolt that the familiar and terrifying Ye Rong had returned. She wasn't as frightening in her mild-mannered moments, but in her vengeful moods, she was truly a force to be reckoned with.
"Think about it—so many of those fools have met their end beneath her stilettos, it's the best proof of her 'methods'," Chen Mo muttered, shaking his head in admiration. Glancing at the clock, he dashed out the door to find a nearby ATM, his cards securely in hand, ready for a quick withdrawal.
In fact, with the protection of several bodyguards like Nono, Chen Mo always carried his valuables close—after all, what was safer than having these skilled 'monsters' with him?
Within five minutes, he had successfully withdrawn thirty thousand yuan. However, after a moment's hesitation, he refrained from using Ye Rong's card.
Carefully placing the cash into his bag, he lit a cigarette, then slowly pushed open the glass door of the ATM.
At that moment, several figures cloaked in large hoods brushed past him, and their muffled voices, carried by the night wind, reached his ears: "Boss, we checked the forum post, the restaurant is nearby, for sure!"
Hearing this, a smile crept across Chen Mo's face. He thought to himself that the promotion on the forum was indeed effective; even this late, they were still attracting customers.
But only seconds later, he paused, his brows knitting in confusion. "Boss? That term sounds so odd… Nono, can you hear what they're talking about?"
"Got it!" Nono sprang from his pocket, opening her lid, and the headset extended like a snake, curling out a few meters before settling into place.
After just a few seconds of silence, the voices of the cloaked figures were as clear as if they were standing next to Chen Mo.
A particularly deep voice ordered, "See, I told you the internet's a good thing! Stay sharp, remember that woman's photo on the post? The one with the jade necklace—if you see her, grab it, don't hesitate!"
The casual tone of the orders sent a chill through Chen Mo.
Proving his concern was well-founded, Nono added in a whisper, "Boss, I took a few photos of Ye Rong earlier, and I had Benben post them online... Wait a minute, one of the photos really shows the broken jade necklace!"
"Dammit! Save her!" Chen Mo swore, tossing his cigarette aside, and dashed towards the restaurant.
But after running only a few dozen meters, he suddenly veered off, crashing into a nearby transformer box. With a sharp tug, several electric cables were ripped free, and the entire neighborhood was plunged into darkness, chaos echoing in the streets.
As the bluish glow of the severed cables flickered ominously, Chen Mo hesitated for a moment, eyeing his hands. Yes, he could absorb electrical energy, but this was high-voltage power… Was he really going to try?
"Risk it!" He turned his gaze back towards the restaurant, gritted his teeth, and extended his left hand, thrusting it into the exposed cables.
A sizzling sound rang out as blue light surged violently from the cables, making his body shake uncontrollably. Smoke began rising from his head as the electric surge coursed through him.
For about two minutes, the strange scene continued before the cables finally snapped, and Chen Mo stumbled back, collapsing against a wall.
His loyal companions, Guoguo and the others, hurried to his side, absorbing the excess energy from his body to prevent a crisis.
"I'm fine, let's go!" After catching his breath, Chen Mo jumped to his feet, heading towards the restaurant with quick strides.
When he arrived, the restaurant was dark, and Ye Rong's frightened scream rang out, only to suddenly cut off as if something had happened unexpectedly.
Chen Mo's heart skipped a beat, and he increased his pace, only to be confronted by several bull demons leaping from the shadows, charging towards him with their horns lowered.
"Out of the way! Want to become steak?" Chen Mo roared, his fists clenched tightly.
In an instant, two bolts of lightning shot forth, searing through the air and blasting the demons back. They shrieked in agony, their bodies turning to charred remains.
Without pausing, Chen Mo leapt over the threshold, only to be met with an ominous sense of foreboding. Instinctively, he rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding the brutal charge of a massive bull demon that crashed through the wall, creating a gaping hole.
In the dim light, the golden horns of the bull demon glowed menacingly, and its blood-red eyes gleamed with fury. Draped over its shoulder was a woman's limp body—whether unconscious or already lifeless, it was unclear.
"Leave her!" Chen Mo shouted in rage, launching himself into the air, reaching for Ye Rong.
The bull demon dodged his grab with surprising agility and swung a heavy iron fist down upon him.
In that split second, Chen Mo's electric energy surged again, and he struck the demon's chest, releasing a violent burst of power. The bull demon shook violently, but it was far more resilient than its lesser kin. It swung its massive arm with tremendous force, sending Chen Mo flying back as though struck by a hammer.
Worse still, Chen Mo's bag was caught in the attack, sending his hard-earned money scattering into the air like confetti, only for the demon's dark energy to shred it into pieces.
"Dammit, my house!" Chen Mo growled in disbelief, watching the shredded bills fall to the ground in defeat.
Grabbing Benben, he hurled it forward, and with a surge of energy, it expanded into a massive steel plate that crashed into the demon, sending dust flying into the air.
Without missing a beat, Cheche started the engine and charged forward, knocking the demon several steps back.
But the bull demon quickly recovered, its eyes narrowed, and it unleashed a powerful blast from its mouth.
"My—My!" Guoguo squealed, leaping up to catch the projectile with its lid, clearly indulging its strange obsession with collecting oddities.
The bull demon froze, surprised, before charging forward again. But at that very moment, Nono screamed in alarm and rolled across the ground, causing the demon to trip over her and crash to the floor.
"Benben!" Chen Mo cheered, giving Nono a thumbs up.
"Received!" The sound barely left his lips before Benben shot into the air, compressing down onto the demon with a resounding thud.
Chen Mo jumped to his feet and rushed toward the door to save Ye Rong. Just as he prepared to unleash another attack, Nono suddenly froze in alarm.
"Boss, watch out from behind—"
"Shit!" Chen Mo turned instinctively, his heart sinking.
Almost simultaneously, the wall that had been breached by the demon collapsed entirely, crushing him beneath its weight.
For a moment, all Chen Mo could feel was sheer disbelief. His bad luck seemed to compound itself—the house was gone, and now this wall had to fall right on top of him.
And as the strange scene unfolded, the bull demon paused, slightly stunned, before snatching Ye Rong and punching Chen Mo, who was trapped beneath the rubble.
Just then, a brilliant golden beam descended from the heavens, enveloping Chen Mo in a protective aura, halting the demon's blow just as it made contact.
The light flared with searing heat, and with a final roar of pain, the bull demon leaped backward, fleeing with Ye Rong in tow.
The golden beam contracted and destroyed the fallen wall, scattering it into fragments. Without missing a beat, Jiali descended from the shadows, his staff glowing with power, striking the demon's shoulder.
The bull demon staggered but continued to retreat, leaving only a