Gourmet Hunter - Chapter 356 (Patreon)

Chapter 356: First Test Location

Luo's absence from the Fighting Olympics disappointed most spectators, but the event continued as usual without him.

Far away in Linne's study, Luo was engrossed in his studies, unaware that Elly had become a VIP spectator at the Fighting Olympics. Even the wavy-haired hot girl, who once hitched a ride with him, was also a VIP spectator.

Elly endured the opening ceremony with difficulty and immediately dialed Luo's number as soon as she exited, but she couldn't get through.

She had planned to surprise Luo secretly, but not only did she not see him, she couldn't reach him by phone either, making her worry for him.

The Fighting Olympics usually lasts ten days, and by the end, Luo's phone still couldn't be reached, deepening Elly's concern.

On the private ship back to La Xiang City, Elly asked Kenda to check Luo's whereabouts.

Kenda used the spending record of the black card he had given Luo, which showed that Luo's last transaction was forty-two days ago in a city of the Hunter Association.

When Kenda relayed this information to Elly, she couldn't put her mind at ease and asked Kenda to commission a Hunter to find Luo's whereabouts.

Time flew by, and months passed. The calendar turned to a new chapter.

Every January 1st, Hunter test candidates begin to gather, and each year's test starts on January 7th.

At Santa Yama Mary Square, people wrapped in winter clothes came and went. The giant fountain in the center tirelessly created water patterns, with several children playing by the cold water.

A group of entirely white winter pigeons waddled in specific areas, occasionally being fed by passersby.

It was deep winter, and the temperature was quite low. Everyone in the square was bundled up in thick clothing.

A boy with short black hair arrived at the square, wearing only a thin black long-sleeve shirt and black cropped pants, making him stand out in the crowd.

Everyone who saw the boy stared at him in astonishment, wondering if he wasn't cold in such light clothing.

This black-haired boy was Luo. He was here to participate in the Hunter exam.

He had spent five months in Linne's study, dedicating almost all his free time to reading and training.

Each day was monotonous and dull but also fulfilling.

In five months, his Nen abilities had been unsealed ahead of schedule, but he had only finished reading less than half of the books. To thoroughly understand all the books in the study, he estimated it would take another six or seven months.

Last year, he missed the Hunter exam due to training. This year, he mentioned it to Linne and came to join the excitement, thinking the number of books read should increase.

"Locker 265, it should be in that direction."

Luo held a piece of paper with instructions, obtained after some effort. It directed him to this square, to locker number 265, to get the location of this year's Hunter test.

The Santa Yama Mary Square is always bustling with people. For convenience, coin-operated lockers are placed in various corners, allowing visitors to store their cumbersome items and enjoy themselves.

Following the instructions, Luo arrived at one of the locker areas and found locker 265.

He entered the password on the simple keypad, and with a click, the locker door opened, and a coin slid out, resting in the slot beneath the keypad.

Luo habitually folded the paper and glanced inside the locker, finding only a smaller, thinner piece of paper. He reached in, took it out, and read the concise content: an address and a sentence.

"Bring the coin and arrive at Santa Yama Mary Restaurant by 4 PM today."

"Santa Yama Mary Restaurant..."

Luo knew this restaurant because one of Linne's books was a guide to famous restaurants worldwide, and Linne had visited all of them.

Santa Yama Mary Restaurant is the largest restaurant in the area, and the square is the most famous local attraction, rich in historical atmosphere. The restaurant shares its name with the square, indicating its significance.

In fact, the Hunter Association holds some shares in this restaurant, and the owner is a retired gourmet hunter, which earned the restaurant its prestigious name.

Typically, gourmet hunters discover rare ingredients, often venturing into dangerous places. Few professional gourmet hunters open restaurants.

If a gourmet hunter chooses to open a restaurant, it’s almost impossible for it to fail, especially since the Hunter Association is one of the shareholders, ensuring a steady supply of ingredients.

Luo took the coin, closed the locker, and decided to head straight to the restaurant as it was already 2:10 PM, leaving him some time before 4 PM.

As he was about to leave, two men with ill intentions blocked his way.

"10,000 Jenny, leave the paper and the coin," the scar-faced man among them demanded harshly.

"Are you candidates?" Luo looked at the two men.

Seeing Luo's hesitation, the scar-faced man's expression darkened, intending to rob Luo directly, unaware that his offer was as good as robbery.

These two were brothers, both registered for this year's test. The taller scar-faced man had passed the basic test and obtained the information, but his younger brother hadn't, so they intended to rob a spot.

Every year, numerous candidates register, and the Association conducts a large screening before the first test. Luo having the coin meant he had a spot for the exam, which could be traded.

Some people specifically trade these spots for money.

The brothers could afford to buy a spot but preferred to rob one to save money.

However, they were about to hit a hard wall.

As the scar-faced man was about to make a move, Luo smiled at them.

One moment they saw Luo smiling, the next moment he disappeared. Before they could react, they felt pain in their necks and lost consciousness.

Luo passed by the two, casually knocking them out with a backhand strike. They wouldn't wake up for another four or five hours.

This meant they were effectively out of this year's test.

Luo ignored the unconscious brothers and the prying eyes around him, heading straight for Santa Yama Mary Restaurant.

After he left, dozens of people rushed out of the crowd towards the fallen brothers.

They knew the scar-faced man had a coin, a ticket to this year's test.

Before the first test even began, the candidates followed the Association's expectations, fighting for the limited spots.

The brawl ended quickly, with someone sneaking away with the coin, and the others continuing to wait for another opportunity.

When Luo arrived at Santa Yama Mary Restaurant, it was already 2:30 PM.

The restaurant was large and deserted.

Standing at the entrance, Luo glanced around and saw only a few dozen people.

These people weren't customers but this year's candidates. The restaurant had a "closed" sign outside, so no customers would come.

Noticing a new candidate, everyone inside looked over.

Amidst the gazes, Luo spotted an old acquaintance, who, upon seeing Luo, couldn't hide his fear.

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