The rest station between Floors Four and Five smelled of eggs, jerky, and clean water.
Pug lay behind the counter in a striped apron. His left head watched the warming trays. His center head watched the customers. His right head slept.
Wu Nian stopped the line. “Check the food first.”
Ling Yue examined an egg and the cold bottles. “Warm food, safe water, and a place to sit. Exactly what the group needs.”
Guang Ming looked at the menu. “The demon feeds his victims before the end.”
“Or the operator runs a snack bar,” Ling Yue said. She paid for her disciples.
Pug’s center head pushed the eggs across the counter. His left head served water. The right head woke when someone offered jerky.
Wu Nian insisted that the youngest and most tired fighters eat first. He watched them recover some color and allowed himself to sit.
