Arknights: The Life Inside-Chapter 100

"Don't miss it if you're passing by, let's have a long-lost BBQ."

Ifrit wore an apron and stood cheerfully behind the barbecue stove set at the entrance, calling out happily to the street.

Two tables stood outside and a couple more inside the cozy room. Snowsant had carefully arranged the tableware, adding a small flower to each table, her attention to detail bringing a gentle charm to the atmosphere.

Nancy peeked out from her cubicle and shouted toward the door.

"Ifrit, how much is the kebab?"

"One yuan per skewer!"

"And the grilled eggplant?"

"Five bucks each!"

"Have you calculated the costs?"

"Ugh, that's too much trouble. You do the math! I'm just here to grill."

A jeep rumbled to a stop in front, and ACE stepped out, carrying two bulging bags of ingredients.

"Whoa, already grilling?"

"Of course!"

"But... there aren't any customers yet. Who are you grilling for?"

"."

Yoren had originally refused Ifrit's idea of opening a BBQ shop. The reason was simple: it looked easy, but in reality, it was anything but. He never doubted Ifrit's passion for grilling, but that passion seemed limited to the act of roasting itself. It was perfect for a beach party or a family gathering, but running a business day in and day out, sweating in front of the flames for profit? Yoren feared she would quickly burn out.

So why did he agree in the end?

Sigh... It was that expectant look in her eyes. He couldn't say no. Worse still, she shamelessly dragged Snowsant along to beg with her.

Thinking back, it wasn't such a wild idea. Hemer had entrusted him with more than just keeping Ifrit safe. He wanted her to grow, to experience life beyond Rhine Lab. And she had grown, quite a bit.

Maybe, since she first began to remember, Ifrit never really had wishes. She had no birthdays, no celebrations. Every small gift from Hemer left her giddy with joy for days. Yoren remembered back at the experimental base, Ifrit once told him her biggest wish was to hold her very own BBQ party.

Back then, he had foolishly promised to take her to find the "Barbecue Kingdom."

Now, standing here, watching her laugh and flip skewers, he figured: this was as close as it gets.

She handed him a pair of steaming grilled chicken wings, her face glowing.

"Yo-yo, come on, try it!"

Yoren took a bite, eyes lighting up.

"Crispy outside, tender inside. So fragrant it's unforgettable. In two words: absolutely delicious!"

Ifrit beamed with pride.

"Awesome! I'll go grill the next batch. You're losing more hair again, eat more meat, okay?"

Kicking off her slippers, she happily returned to the stove.

Yoren polished off the chicken wings in two bites, then wiped his mouth.

Honestly? The wings weren't as amazing as he said. A little burned on the outside, still a bit raw inside, spices uneven. But her joy? That deserved all the praise in the world.

Besides, if she didn't have something to do, she'd be buying barbecue grills every time she played soccer with Ergou.

Yoren stood and walked to Nancy's cubicle.

"Nancy, how much money do we have left?"

"2,423.3 yuan."

He had expected their funds to be insufficient, but surprisingly, they'd managed.

The main costs were the grill setup, a hand-painted sign, a refrigerator, and a small cash register—all secondhand, totaling just under ten thousand yuan. Tables and chairs were borrowed from Aina's warehouse. Dishes and ingredients were also accounted for. Most of their funds were gone.

Labor was free. Snowsant and Ifrit didn't ask for a cent. They were more interested in the food than the job. ACE refused payment too—for now, anyway. Yoren had no money to give even if he wanted to. If he ever got rich, he'd pay ACE properly, no question.

Only Nancy drew a salary—a humble 1,500 yuan a month. She didn't mind being the cashier. Found it fun, even. So the BBQ restaurant's goal became simple:

Just earn enough in one month to pay Nancy.

If not? No big deal. Yoren had bigger plans in motion.

"Little girl, do you have grilled kidneys?"

"Sure do!"

"I'll take two skewers."

"Got it! Come sit inside."

Just before noon, their first customer walked in. Yoren squinted and recognized him—Captain Roger, white beard and all.

Soon enough, two sizzling grilled kidneys were served.

Turtle gently slid the plate in front of him.

"Grandpa, your order."

"Thank you, dear."

Captain Roger also ordered a glass of wine and a plate of edamame. A fine meal for a seasoned man.

A bold voice echoed from the door.

"Yoren, you opened a restaurant and didn't tell me? Black Feather BBQ—great name! If I'd known, I would've sent flower baskets!"

It was the bald, loud Aguang, arm in a sling.

Yoren replied from behind his modest boss's desk.

"Didn't expect to open so fast."

"Seriously, if I hadn't walked by this morning, I'd have missed it. Alright boys, we're here to support our friend!"

With that, seven or eight burly men charged in.

Yoren looked overwhelmed.

"You guys wanna eat?"

"Of course!"

"Then sit outside. It's cooler!"

That noon, apart from Captain Roger's skewers, it was just Aguang's group. But still, Ifrit sweated buckets. First day, no experience.

Aguang's men could eat, though. They ordered almost everything. When it came time to pay, the total was 875 yuan, including drinks. Since they were friends, Yoren told Nancy to charge 800.

Once the crowd dispersed, Yoren pulled Aguang aside into the backyard.

"Yoren, what's up?"

"Nothing serious. Just wanna ask you something. By the way... didn't wanna ask in front of the others, but why'd you shave your head?"

Yoren lowered his voice.

"Don't worry about it. I need to know—do you have any idea where the Frido Chamber of Commerce's stronghold is in this city?"

"Frido? Why ask about them?"

"Just want to talk business. Shouldn't be a secret. Just tell me."

"Alright then. The Frido Chamber of Commerce isn't headquartered here, but they run most of the nightlife in the main city. If you're looking for their local base, it's the Golden Buddha Casino."

"Golden Buddha Casino?"

"Yeah. Directly run by Frido. The honorary head of the casino is a core Frido member—goes by Rich. He's basically the king of the night in Happy City."

Yoren nodded slowly.

"Got it. You free tonight? Come with me to the casino."

Evening fell over the barbecue shop.

Old Captain Roger returned for another meal. In addition to his favorite roasted kidneys, he added a plate of grilled leeks this time. It seemed the old man still had dreams to chase.

Since it was the shop's opening day, Yoren had invited Aina and Ergou from next door to come over for a meal. To liven things up, he also had Ergou call over Lily's family from across the way.

Ergou, with a mouthful of chicken wings, shouted toward the girl manning the stove.

"Ifrit! Your roast is really something else."

"Of course," Ifrit beamed proudly. "I'm a professional."

Aina turned and said to Yoren, "It's not easy opening a shop, and you're already spending money on the first day."

Yoren waved it off.

"It's no big deal. It's mostly for convenience. We're neighbors, right? Come by whenever you want to eat. Lily, that goes for you too. Order whatever you want. Your big bro's treating."

"Thank you, Brother Yoren!" ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm

Screech!

A sudden tire scrape echoed from outside.

Aguang pulled up on his motorcycle, tossing his helmet aside.

"Brother Yoren, let's go!"

Yoren wrapped the scarf he'd prepared around his neck and nodded.

"Alright."

He'd already let ACE know that he'd be heading out on his own tonight. They had discussed the plan in detail, and while ACE had insisted on coming along, Yoren had ultimately declined. Someone had to stay behind and watch over the place. Ifrit and Snowsant weren't exactly the responsible types, and Turtle was too kind to refuse anything.

Yoren hadn't told the others where he was going—just that he'd be away for a while.

As he passed Snowsant, he gently ruffled her hair.

"Big Windmill, are you leaving?" she asked, tilting her head up.

"Yeah."

"Will it be dangerous?"

"Nah, no one in the world can hurt me."

"Alright then, I believe you. Come back soon."

"No problem. Hold down the fort for me."

Walking to the front door, Yoren glanced at Ifrit, who was busy with the grill.

"Ifrit, I'm heading out."

"Okay! Be careful out there."

"The shop's in your hands—don't screw it up."

"I got this!" she shouted, flipping a skewer.

Yoren climbed onto the back of Aguang's motorcycle. The engine roared, and they sped off into the night.

Nancy sipped her herbal tea and watched them disappear into the street.

"Where's the boss off to this time?"

Beside her, ACE let out a long sigh.

"Probably out there working hard—for your salary and internship certificate."

—

The motorcycle tore through the northern road, leaving the Kilt neighborhood behind. Aguang shouted over the wind.

"Yoren, want a helmet? There's a spare in the trunk."

"No need. I trust your driving. Besides, I've got a pretty thick skull."

After nearly an hour, they arrived in the northern district of Hapi City. Compared to the Kilt neighborhood, this place was a different world—bright roads, elegant buildings, neon signs flashing against the skyline. Parks, malls, clubs—all bustling with life.

Aguang slowed down.

"Your first time in the main city, Yoren?"

"Yeah... Too many people."

"Get used to it! It only gets crazier from here."

The city was more prosperous than Yoren had imagined. It couldn't compare to Bra City in Columbia, of course, but it was leagues beyond Chernobog. The architectural style here had that distinct Ursus flair—bold, imposing, and strangely beautiful.

After weaving through traffic and sipping on milk tea, Aguang eventually parked the bike in a corner. The two of them walked toward a golden-lit building gleaming in the night.

The Golden Buddha Casino.

Ten stories tall, covered in gold-painted stone bricks, the place practically screamed money and power.

As they stepped inside, a doorman greeted them with hot towels and led them to the chip exchange counter. Aguang pulled 200 yuan from his pocket.

"My treat tonight, Yoren."

"No need," Yoren replied. "You've got it tough too."

He took the 500 yuan Nancy had given him earlier and handed over 200. The staff's eyes said it all—only 200? Poor guy.

With 100 chips each, they entered the first floor.

The games were simple, the stakes low. Yoren didn't know the rules, so he dabbled, and quickly lost 50 chips.

He found Aguang at a long table.

"Aguang," he said, tapping his shoulder. "There's a second floor, right?"

"Yep. Floors one through three are the same kind of stuff. Fourth floor is for VIPs, and the fifth is for the high rollers."

"Can you get me up to the fourth?"

"You wanna go up? Alright, I'll try."

They headed for the staircase. Two men in black suits blocked their path.

"VIP cards, please."

Aguang lit up with a grin, pulling out a cigarette.

"Brother Qiang! It's me, Bald Aguang from Kiln District—you remember?"

The guard took off his sunglasses.

"Oh, it's you. What happened to your arm?"

"Ah, nothing. This here's my buddy, first time in a big place like this. Thought I'd show him around. Can we head up just for a bit?"

Brother Qiang considered, then took the smoke.

"Alright, but don't make a mess. Keep it short."

"You got it! Thanks, Brother Qiang."

Up on the fourth floor, the decor was even more extravagant. Yoren took it all in—rich carpets, elegant lighting, games he'd never seen before. He nodded in quiet approval.

He turned to Aguang and said softly, "You head back."

"What?"

"Go back. I've got business."

Back downstairs, Yoren stood before Brother Qiang.

"Are you the one in charge here?"

Qiang looked confused, then annoyed.

"I'm here to maintain order. You don't even have a VIP card—what are you asking me for?"

"Are you with the Frido Chamber of Commerce?"

"What's it to you?"

"I want to join. Can I talk to someone about that?"

Qiang scoffed. "Go make an appointment with Boss Rich. Don't waste my time."

"No," Yoren said firmly. "I'm not here to talk business. I want to apply—to be a thug."

Qiang burst out laughing. "You? Fight? What a joke."

One minute later, Brother Qiang lay face-down on the floor, blood pooling beneath him, the granite cracked beneath his smashed-in face.

His partner stared in horror.

"W-What do you want? This is Frido's turf! Are you insane?!"

Yoren calmly adjusted his scarf

"I said—I want to join the Frido Chamber of Commerce. Now hurry up. Call Boss Rich for my interview. And bring all your strongest guys.

Yoren smiled.

"I'm proving myself tonight."