Cooking in the Monster Sanctuary - Chapter 2 - Part 2

The newcomer was a boy of fifteen or sixteen years old. He had fair skin, a faint rosy tint on his cheeks, and his fluffy golden hair was slightly tousled in playful curls, with the ends curling up like little hooks.

His curved eyebrows and eyes formed a pleasing arch, while gentle ripples danced at the corners of his eyes and brows, akin to the light ripples on a waxing moonlit night.

When he smiled, dimples on either side of his cheeks emerged as if to play hide and seek, tempting one to poke them.

A bonafide pretty boy, the only unique feature was his sharp, clear, and white pointed ears.

Lin Yu thought, are all supernatural creatures this good-looking? If the shelter ever faces financial difficulties, maybe they can make money by debuting as idols or starting a male escort service.

Okay, she was feeling somewhat smitten, please make her your number one VIP.

She introduced herself briefly and asked if he’d like a cream puff.

His smile deepened upon hearing her words, his eyes sparkling like stars, reminiscent of the first rays of light in the morning. “Hello, Lin Yu. I’m Jiu Jiu, an elf. Elves can only drink morning dew and eating anything else will give us diarrhea.”

The true little fairy only drinks flower dew.

But “Jiu Jiu” was quite a cute name, like a tinkling birdcall. She silently repeated the two syllables in her throat, her tongue slightly curling.

“Dracula, is this your new girlfriend?” Jiu Jiu’s eyes caught sight of the humanoid placard, and he curiously examined it. “Chunzi must be really sad – you bought her figurine just a week ago.”

“Chunzi” was the female lead of a hit anime several months ago. For Dracula, who changed wives every three months, she was probably akin to an ex-wife.

He scoffed at this in confusion, “She’s just a two-dimensional virtual character. How could she possibly be sad?”

Once again, Lin Yu found herself at a loss for words.

At this moment, you’re oddly clear-headed and cold! What a jerk!

Dracula’s playboy act came to a halt, and he sighed heavily. “Unfortunately, even the fifth underground level doesn’t have anything that can traverse dimensions. If I could meet Kesuzi, I’d be willing to become a two-dimensional paper person without excretory organs.”

Although two-dimensional beings indeed lack three-dimensional organs, why are you so fixated on excretion, seriously!

Mr. Dracula, as a mature fan, you should understand that anime and novel characters don’t need to use the restroom. Bathrooms exist solely for handwashing, illicit affairs, and murder.

The fifth underground level apparently houses special items without vital signs, similar to Doraemon’s pocket.

Lin Yu secretly thought that even though she couldn’t use them as casually as Nobita Nobi, she should take the time to have a look.

Jiu Jiu glanced at her.

His speech always carried a hint of a smile, and his eyes were like blue oceans reflecting the sky. “You seem quite interested in the deeper levels.”

Curiosity is a trait of all humans, after all.

“What’s there to enjoy in those places? It’s like being in an iron cage,” Dracula licked his lips, traces of cocoa powder still remaining. 

“And the people in the lower levels aren’t as easy to deal with as us. There are more than ten of us who feed on human blood alone, and none of us are vegetarians.”

Back in the day when he was first brought here, the researchers were astonished—they had never encountered vampires who could sustain themselves on human food, almost a miracle of peace.

Dracula responded with a cold smirk. He used to be a proud young man who refused anything but blood, but life had worn down his sharp edges, leaving him with no choice but to smile and carry on.

To hell with his so-called peaceful miracle. It was clearly the result of poverty.

“Really?” Lin Yu chuckled, “Aside from you, who else can feed on blood?”

“Mutated blood-sucking leeches, an ancient umbrella from the Tang Dynasty, a snake demon…” he listed them one by one. 

And after finishing, he squinted thoughtfully, “Speaking of which, I remember many years ago, I encountered a new boy. He was ruthless, looked just like a normal person, but suddenly broke free during transport and bit a researcher’s neck. He was even more vampiric than I am.”

“I know about that incident,” Lin Xi unusually agreed, “At least five researchers were sacrificed, the hallway was covered in blood, and pieces of torn flesh were scattered all over the floor. Someone was even impaled through the heart.”

A pallor spread across Jiu Jiu’s face, “Stop, stop! Can’t we discuss something light and pleasant, like ‘which is better, dew from New Orleans or Iceland’?”

Oh, my apologies, went a bit beyond my capabilities there.

“Anyway, none of that matters to us,” Dracula lazily held up the placard with both hands and yawned, “I’m heading back home to spend some quality time with Kesuzi, farewell everyone.”

Pausing for a moment, his gaze returned to Lin Yu, “Can I still get desserts in the future?”

Like a golden dog begging for treats.

Amused by this thought, Lin Yu chuckled, tapping her nose to hide her smile, “It’ll be provided every day.”

His eyes sparkled with excitement as he nodded, humming a tune and leaving in high spirits, still using his enchanting male high-pitched singing.

It had a hint of magic, a dash of allure, and it sent shivers down her spine.

Dracula had truly become quite localized.

After Dracula, Jiu Jiu and Ling Xi left one by one for their respective reasons, “materials for the liver club” and “reading books.” Lin Yu sat on the bench, finishing the last pastry absentmindedly. She then took out an employee ID from her canvas bag.

Her registration photo looked overly silly, a failed attempt to appear intimidating with a stern expression. Instead, she resembled someone with wide, round eyes.

Under the “Department” section of the badge, three large, neatly embossed golden characters stood out, not much different from the photo—square, straightforward, and seemingly dull.

It wasn’t a “Life Department” or “Logistics Department.” The cold, bold characters formed the elegant word “Special Operations.”

And below that, it said “Team Leader.”

Not to mention, this badge looked more like a homemade card from a teenage chuuni than anything else, lacking any real sense of authority.

She sighed in frustration, pulling out a mirror from her pocket. She grinned and bared her teeth, attempting to find an expression that made her look less like a good-natured fool.

As expected, she failed. Her appearance just didn’t allow her to look fierce.

The special task force doesn’t seem to be well-received here, often described as a group of seemingly delusional individuals with a penchant for being overly dramatic. 

In reality, they are ordinary office workers who work diligently to make a living and just want a peaceful life. 

Who would willingly give up the comforts of being a contented couch potato in an air-conditioned room to engage in battles with supernatural beings if not compelled by the power of money?

Are regular office workers fearless?

While Lin Yu, as a woman of the nation, lacks grand ambitions, her only two interests are being a homebody and cooking. Though she enjoys the leisure of staying at home, the recipes she develops are only enjoyed by a small group of people. That feeling is less satisfying; it’s like possessing a wondrous treasure that can only be appreciated in solitude.

Before her cover was blown, she decided to joyfully embrace the role of an inconspicuous chef.

As for the current moment, Lin Yu truly wanted to explore the sixth underground level.