10. Delicacies

After understanding the setup of the underground, and since there were no monsters, Ruka relaxed her guard a little. “Nikolai. Since you’re my savior, just call me Ruka. No need to be so formal.”

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Nikolai beamed when he learned his crush had accepted him, and immediately asked, “Then, Ruka. You just woke up. What does your body’s memory tell you you want to do most?”

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“Huh?” Ruka could not help but suspect this was a test. Impossible. It should simply be out of concern, wanting to accompany her somewhere she most wanted to go. But she knew nothing about Heaven. If she said too much, she would easily give herself away. So Ruka decided to give the most ordinary answer. “I just got up. A little hungry…” Any living creature had to eat. This answer could not be wrong.

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“I was thinking the same. Let’s go eat something good.” Nikolai kept smiling, then set off with Ruka in an automated car.

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Inside the car, perhaps wanting the newly awakened Ruka to feel Heaven and recover her memories, Nikolai did not converse with her.

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Observing carefully, Ruka noticed along the way that although there were automated trains running through Heaven, most residents used automated cars to get around. Not only that, but many facilities in the city were automated and intelligent. She barely saw any citizens working.

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So she quietly communicated with Casey. “Casey, can you connect to the network here, or find any relevant information?”

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“Don’t ask me. I’m completely offline. This place is unfamiliar to me too. But from my observations, the level of automation here is even higher than ours. Yet there are no AI assistants to be seen.” Casey had already guessed what Ruka was paying attention to and was exploring this strange city with her.

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Before long, the two stopped in front of a plainly decorated three-story restaurant. Most buildings in Heaven were similar. Their design and technology even looked older than Paradise’s.

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But stepping into the restaurant immediately changed Ruka’s impression. Although the interior was simple, the seats were laden with all kinds of ingredients, even more luxurious than Paradise’s exclusive dining hall. This was also cooked before the diners. Ruka wondered if Nikolai had used his once-a-month reservation for her.

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“Why are you spacing out? Have you forgotten that most restaurants in Heaven are like this? We eat like this every day.” Nikolai’s question stopped Ruka’s daze and answered her doubt. In Heaven, this quality was merely an ordinary canteen?

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Ruka of course did not press further. She silently suppressed her astonishment. She had not expected that underground, even just in terms of food, the quality was better than the surface. Was this what they had traded for sacrificing natural sunlight? Probably more than that.

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“Come. To celebrate your rebirth. Cheers.” Before she had even seen the menu, Nikolai handed her a drink prepared by the waiter.

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Ruka, suspecting nothing, took a light sip. An unprecedentedly strong impact rushed from her tongue to her nasal cavity, followed immediately by a sweet fruity aroma. She swallowed. The texture slid smoothly from the root of her tongue down her throat. The lingering aftertaste turned from sweetness into a faint umami. This was a drink Ruka had never tasted in her life.

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“What exactly is this?” Ruka could not help but blurt out. She immediately became anxious, as if on a hot pan, afraid of exposing her identity. But she quickly pretended to enjoy it and forced herself to continue tasting the unknown liquid before her.

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Seeing how satisfied Ruka was, Nikolai signaled the clerk to bring the bottle and introduce it to Ruka. It turned out this was a beverage called “alcohol,” which had never existed in Paradise. There were many different types and brands. Fortunately, Nikolai thought she wanted to know which kind of alcohol it was and did not discover her true meaning. At the same time, the chef brought out various appetizers to accompany the drinks, almost all things she had never seen before, opening Ruka’s eyes.

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After all, Ruka had come underground after work and gone through a series of events. Her body and mind were exhausted. Now she could finally settle down and fill her stomach first.

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Fine wine and delicious food gave Ruka an unprecedented physical satisfaction. Yet she had never forgotten why she had come down. Since the murderer who killed David was not Them, it must be the Paradise Government.

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Ruka devised a plan and discussed it with Casey. “Do you think we can use Heaven’s power to overthrow Paradise’s lies and let both sides coexist?”

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“You’re too naive, Ruka. I think we need to understand this place first. Don’t jump to conclusions so quickly. Besides, Heaven may not become an ally.” Although intelligent, Casey was more冷静 in its analysis because it was artificial intelligence. It directly woke Ruka up.

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Ruka took another few sips from her glass and muttered, “Tsk. What a downer. We finally see a glimmer of hope. We can’t let David and the other residents die for nothing.”

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“Never mind that for now. Watch your blood alcohol level. It’s starting to rise.”

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