The Bizarre Detective Agency

Chapter 179: Anna's Third Culinary Experiment and Lu Li's Strange Mood

The back pages of the paper were filled with news from the Allen Peninsula. Given Anna's recent forays into cooking, Lu Li found himself paying particular attention to the reports on food prices.

Vegetable prices remained high, as did beef and mutton. Potatoes had also seen a slight increase, as they were now being used as a substitute for other vegetables.

The price of flour, influenced by certain profiteers, was also trending upward, but timely intervention from the Allen Peninsula's parliament and some members of the nobility had managed to keep it stable.

Rumor had it that in some of the more remote states, the authorities had failed to control the situation, and flour prices had skyrocketed. Without vegetables and unable to afford meat, even bread had become so expensive that people were forced to work over ten hours a day just to get enough to eat. Unrest was already beginning to stir in those countries.

Belfast, a trading city with a seaport, was in a better position than the inland cities, even with the decline in fishing. For now, the situation remained stable.

Lu Li could only hope this stability would last as long as possible, at least until he could figure out the workings of this world and resolve the two problems that weighed on his mind.

Twenty minutes later, just as Lu Li was finishing the newspapers, Anna drifted out of the kitchen, holding a bowl of steaming meat broth.

“Try it this time. Um... I promise, it’s better than before.”

Anna’s voice was hesitant, and she couldn’t quite meet his eyes.

Lu Li didn’t reply. He simply set down the newspaper, took a seat at the table, and waited. Anna readily filled his wooden bowl. Lu Li picked up his spoon and took a sip.“Well?” Sparks of anticipation danced in Anna’s expectant gaze.

After a few seconds of silence, Lu Li scooped up a second spoonful and stated calmly, “Make it again tomorrow.”

Those simple words were a tremendous encouragement for Anna. She covered her mouth to stifle a laugh, her eyes curving into happy crescents. Unable to contain herself, she let out a few quiet giggles, and when Lu Li glanced up at her, she vanished into the kitchen in a flustered haze.

It still leaves a lot to be desired, but at least it’s a savory meat broth, Lu Li thought.

It could hardly be called a delicacy, but it was the first proper meal Lu Li had eaten in a long time. The last had been the bean stew prepared by Mrs. Filin. Speaking of which, he hadn’t heard from Oliver, the one who’d introduced him to that meal, in two weeks. His sister, JoJo, hadn’t contacted him either, though, so he was probably fine.

That adventurous girl, JoJo, was a student at the same music academy as Anna’s friend, Daisy. Perhaps she’d become a bard someday, assuming the world didn’t continue its downward spiral. All the data he’d been gathering suggested the world was becoming increasingly uninhabitable... Although, no.

A few minutes after finishing his meal, Lu Li was sitting on the sofa, lost in thought, when his eyes suddenly narrowed.

His thoughts were becoming... strange.

Is it my Mind Level? No, a low Mind Level wouldn't cause thoughts like these...

Could it be Anna? But I removed everything from the kitchen she could possibly use as an ingredient...

Lu Li felt like an exhausted traveler who hadn’t slept in nights. His thoughts were a tangled mess, his mind conjuring bizarre, dream-like ideas. Forcing himself to maintain a thread of coherent thought, he called out to Anna.

“What did you put in the food?”

“Um... the usual things.”

“Be specific.”

“Water, pieces of meat, potatoes, salt, and a little... spirit...”

It can't be the water, can it? Lu Li’s eyes narrowed for a moment, then softened again, as if against his will.

With some effort, he singled out the one item in the list of five ingredients that didn't belong. “What do you mean, ‘a little spirit’?”

Lu Li’s usually calm gaze had become languid, altering his entire appearance. The mystery about him vanished, and he seemed somehow...

Anna didn't know how to describe it. More approachable? More alive? Whatever it was, Lu Li looked more like an ordinary person right now.

She found herself staring at him, captivated, until he repeated his question. Flustered, Anna quickly looked away.

“Well... it’s... my power...”

Lu Li was sure he hadn't misheard. That's really what she had said.

“How did you do it?”

“I... I just added my power... into it...”

Culinary novices are often prone to experimentation, trying to mix different ingredients to create more delicious dishes.

But that was no reason to add one’s power to the food.

“Why?”

Anna finally realized that Lu Li’s strange condition was likely her fault. She answered timidly, “I... I just thought stirring the broth with a spoon was too much work, so I decided to use my power...”

Lu Li fell silent. Anna hadn’t done it on purpose. It wasn’t how he had imagined it: her scooping out a clump of her essence, dropping it into the broth with a giggle, and stirring until it dissolved...

Against his will, Lu Li’s mind filled with images he would never normally conjure.

Lu Li didn’t drink alcohol, but his current state felt very much like intoxication.

“Are you... going to be okay?” Anna asked, her voice laced with worry.

“It should be temporary,” Lu Li said, leaning his head back against the sofa. He could feel the strange state gradually passing.

It was nearly eleven, and it seemed unlikely that Tesla would be contacting him tonight.

And that was a good thing. Otherwise, Tesla would have encountered a completely different Lu Li: distracted, moody, and talkative.

“Then... then you should rest...”

The culprit, Anna, was still worried. She brought a book from her bedroom and sat down beside Lu Li, glancing at him from time to time.

Where are you... where are you... don’t hide... come to us... where are you...

Listening to the whispers in his head, Lu Li closed his eyes.

He awoke three hours later. When he opened his eyes, he was met by Anna’s clear gaze.

“Is it gone?” Anna asked, floating backward to put some distance between them.

Lu Li considered a few questions; his thoughts were now clear and collected.

“Yes,” he nodded.

Anna fidgeted with the hem of her dress, her head bowed.

“I have no talent for cooking. Maybe you should...”

“You’ll get the hang of it,” Lu Li cut in.

Anna’s head snapped up, her eyes wide with disbelief.

Did Lu Li really just say those encouraging words? Did he... did he say that for her?

Deeply touched, Anna felt tears welling in her eyes. Too flustered to say anything sentimental, she covered her blushing face and fled to her bedroom.

If we have to build a disaster shelter in the future, someone will need to know how to cook, Lu Li thought, his gaze shifting to the door of the detective agency.

On the door, several lips were moving, opening and closing.

...

The next morning.

In the early morning silence, the telephone rang.

Tesla’s voice came through the receiver, informing Lu Li that he was ready for the third trial.