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He Xi Qian Yu let out a deep sigh, as if to expel all the accumulated fatigue and resentment from his chest.
Forget it, since he was already here.
He habitually called up the extremely low-presence system interface in his mind.
The system's sign-in rewards were ridiculously random, and he no longer held much hope for them; he purely treated daily sign-ins as a kind of… well, gacha entertainment.
It was hard to imagine that, apart from the very first time, the most valuable item he had ever signed in to receive was actually a Hua Zi cigarette.
"System, sign in," he silently recited in his mind.
A familiar yet emotionless faint light flowed through his consciousness, and a virtual interface, visible only to him, quietly emerged.
The new sign-in reward lay there silently.
[Item: Hannibal Lecter's Art of Being Human]
[Description: As an ultimate gourmet and connoisseur, Hannibal Lecter dedicated his life to the perfect interpretation of "humanity." His lifelong essence and profound understanding of how to select, process, cook, and ultimately elegantly present "ingredients" are all recorded here. After studying this, you will surely gain unprecedented insight into "mastering the art of being human."]
[Note: System product, direct use will instantly absorb all relevant knowledge and experience.]
He Xi Qian Yu's gaze lingered on the item name and description for a moment.
What kind of stunt was the system pulling on him now?
Hannibal Lecter? Uncle Ba? That elegant cannibal?
He wasn't resistant to the "art of being human" that the system referred to; after experiencing symbiosis with Slaughter, his psychological threshold had already been raised extremely high. Hannibal's methods, while bloody and twisted, were merely another form of knowledge in He Xi Qian Yu's eyes now.
The key was the system note: "directly absorb all knowledge and experience."
"The art of being human…" he murmured, repeating the black humor-laden pun.
Setting aside the uncomfortable metaphor, purely in terms of culinary skill, Hannibal Lecter was indeed a figure at the pinnacle.
This experience truly held considerable value. Putting everything else aside, it could at least add some new ideas to Anteiku Coffee Shop's menu.
With a slight thought, he chose to use it.
There was no dazzling light or tearing pain, only a massive data stream that instantly poured into his consciousness—not dry text, but an "experience pack" infused with countless sensory memories.
He not only felt how Hannibal meticulously evaluated the texture and freshness of ingredients but also experienced the near-perfect control of temperature and force his hands exerted when handling different parts.
At the same time, he also understood how to maximize the flavor and texture of ingredients through subtle changes in heat, mastering the focus and ritual that elevated the cooking process itself into an elegant art.
He Xi Qian Yu calmly absorbed the essence of the culinary techniques themselves—how to precisely control heat, handle ingredients, and ultimately present delicious food.
A few seconds later, the torrent subsided. He Xi Qian Yu's gaze seemed a bit more focused; he subconsciously made a loose fist, as if he could feel the subtle feedback of a knife cutting through ingredient textures and the critical temperature points for controlling heat.
This pure culinary experience… was very solid.
An urge to practice immediately welled up in his heart, but he quickly suppressed it.
…
The signing table remained empty. Jin Mu was still trying to stand on tiptoes to look, and Hinami was nervously clutching his sleeve. But He Xi Qian Yu was much calmer than before; the irritability caused by lack of sleep seemed to have been settled by the knowledge he had just absorbed.
He turned to look at the still-empty signing table, then at the two expectant book fans beside him, merely raising an eyebrow faintly.
Life was always full of surprises. He had given up precious sleep, been woken by birds, called by knocking, pushed through surging crowds, and finally signed in to receive a cannibal's cooking secret manual.
Perhaps… it wasn't so bad after all?
…
"Jin Mu," his voice returned to its usual calm, "are you sure the announcement didn't say canceled or delayed?"
Hearing this, Jin Mu immediately pulled out his phone to check the announcement, nodding vigorously as he looked: "No, Qianyu Ge, it's today, starting at ten o'clock, the location is correct, the announcement didn't say canceled." His tone was full of confusion.
Just then, a commotion and exclamations suddenly erupted from the outer edge of the crowd.
"They're here! They're here!"
"It's Teacher Takatsuki!"
He Xi Qian Yu looked in the direction of the sound. He saw a petite green figure at the entrance of the staff passage on the side of the library building, saying something to the surrounding security guards and staff while quickly walking towards the signing table.
"I'm so sorry," her signature green hair was a bit disheveled, and her face held a hint of hurriedness and apology, "I… overslept."
As her gaze swept over the moving heads, passing over their location, her eyes seemed to pause for an extremely brief moment.
[…This familiar scent…] Slaughter's voice carried a hint of inquiry, […What is her relationship with that old man?…]
"Father and daughter," He Xi Qian Yu calmly replied in his mind, "but she doesn't acknowledge him."
[…She's even stronger than that old man…] Slaughter's voice took on a playful tone, […Hehe… a writer…]
[…An extraordinary writer…]
…
Takatsuki Izumi hurriedly took her seat at the signing table, reassuring the anxious readers with great affability, and quickly began the signing session.
The signing event proceeded in an orderly fashion, and as the readers at the front of the line left satisfied, it was finally their turn.
Hinami was the first to step forward, her small face flushed, nervously yet excitedly handing over a brand-new "black goat's egg," her voice trembling slightly: "T-Teacher Takatsuki! Please… please sign this for me!"
"Of course, my dear little reader." Takatsuki Izumi's smile instantly became softer and warmer. She took the book, carefully observed Hinami, and asked in a gentle tone while smoothly signing her name on the flyleaf: "Do you like my book?"
"Very much!" Hinami nodded vigorously, her eyes sparkling, "Your stories… are very, very captivating!"
"Thank you for your liking," Takatsuki Izumi's smile deepened, and she even drew a small heart next to her signature, "Always keep your love for reading." She handed the signed book back to Hinami.
Hinami clutched the book tightly, her small face flushed with excitement, bowing repeatedly: "Thank you, Teacher! Thank you, Teacher!"
Next was Kaneki Ken. He took a deep breath, trying to calm his excited heart, and presented a copy of "black goat's egg" that had clearly been read many times, with slightly curled corners, holding it with both hands. His voice was filled with suppressed excitement: "Teacher Takatsuki, I am your loyal reader! Your works have had a great impact on me! Could you please sign it?"
"Of course, thank you for your support." Takatsuki Izumi took the book bearing signs of reading, a subtle glint flashing in her eyes.
She carefully signed her name and wrote, "To the knowledge-thirsty Jin Mu-kun," then looked up at Kaneki Ken with her green eyes that seemed to see into people's hearts, "To move a reader is an author's greatest honor. I hope my words can continue to accompany you in exploring those… profound corners." Her words carried a deeply meaningful encouragement.
Kaneki Ken took the book, looking at the inscription, his fingers trembling slightly with excitement. He bowed deeply: "Thank you very much!"
Finally, it was He Xi Qian Yu's turn. His expression was calm, even with a hint of un dissipated laziness, as he casually placed an equally new copy of "black goat's egg" on the signing table.
He did not express admiration like the previous two, merely saying faintly: "Please sign it."
Takatsuki Izumi's gaze fell on his face, her eyes still holding a gentle smile.
As she picked up the pen, she casually remarked: "This gentleman… seems to have little interest in my work?"