48 Hours a Day

Chapter 924: Catching Up

After returning to shore, Zhang Heng did some tests on his new abilities. The test included how long he could breathe underwater, his ability to move underwater, his limitation, the limits of manipulating water flow, and so on.

Still, Zhang Heng could not find a clear answer to those questions. After taking off his breathing equipment in that underwater palace, he stayed there for at least seven to eight hours, and he did not feel any discomfort.

Upon returning, Zhang Heng found a swimming pool and tried to stay in it for 24 hours. He found out that his newfound ability did not only apply to the sea. He could also breathe unrestrictedly under the dead water in the swimming pool. Therefore, Zhang Heng now knew that there were no restrictions to his underwater breathing ability.

In other words, he could no longer drown. Other than that, Zhang Heng also found out that the resistance in the water was way smaller than before, probably one-fifth of the initial resistance he experienced. He was now a lot more flexible underwater. However, it could not be compared with how he moved on land; what he could do had already gone beyond the limits of a human being.

After returning to the world where time flowed normally, Zhang Heng went to the market to buy a few fishes and let them loose in the swimming pool. After they swam for less than five minutes, they were caught by him again.

If Zhang Heng had this ability when he entered the novice dungeon, he wouldn't have to work so hard to look for food. If he was hungry, he could just jump right into the sea and grab whatever marine creatures he desired. The entire sea would become his personal seafood stall that was open 24 hours a day.

However, when it came to manipulating currents, his most powerful skill was controlling ocean currents. He did try to shape the current into a certain shape, such as a water arrow. Unfortunately, the attempt failed. The most he could do was to make the ocean current extremely thin. It would not cause any damage, and at most, give the target a tingling sensation.

Zhang Heng gave up after several attempts. He figured that a dagger coupled with his body's flexibility should suffice in defeating all kinds of underwater opponents easily.

Zhang Heng had also figured out how to stir his coffee without a spoon how to use the least amount of water while bathing.

Despite all of that, however, he still found it difficult to be happy.

It was because he did not know if he was even considered human. As the game progressed, he became more and more unfamiliar with himself. Such an unfamiliarity did not limit his external strength growth, but he also noticed some internal changes.

Zhang Heng instinctively sensed that something was not right about it.

…

On the other hand, the bartender lady had finished her night shift at the game checkpoint and was taking a break at the maid cafe. She ignored the manager's whinny gaze. In one of his hands was a mobile phone playing a soap opera, and her other was messing with something. She grabbed a pepper bottle on the side and sprinkled some of it into her passion fruit drink, before adding a spoonful of oil and vinegar after she stirred the drink.

The waitress on the side then fetched this freshly made hellish drink to a fat customer at a table. The latter was taken aback after seeing the drink he ordered. After holding back for some time, he finally asked, "What's wrong? I… I remember the drink I ordered the last time wasn't this color."

"I'm sorry, master. Let me ask the bartender."

The maid looked very considerate. She returned to the customer in less than half a minute. And she repeated what the negligent bartender lady told her to the customer. It was some kind of nonsense that the waitress did not believe in. "Our bartender said that this is a special secret drink. Not everyone can earn the right to have it. Only our regular customers have the opportunity to have a taste."

As for the second part of what the bartender lady said, about her poking a straw into the customer's skull and forcing him to drink his own brain juice if he kept interrupting her drama, it was excluded by the waitress out of her kindness.

"Is that so?" the fat customer showed a hint of joy on his face when he heard what the maid said. He then eagerly picked up the drink in front of him. Before the waitress could warm him, he was choked by the layer of pepper that was floating above the drink. He sneezed, and when he had a taste of the oily vinegar, his whole face turned green.

Just when he wanted to question the maid angrily, his eyes suddenly lit up.

That was because he saw a cute lady who he thought could only be seen in the anime stepping into the maid coffee shop. The appearance of the girl looked like a classic, beautiful anime female character.

She was 1.5 meters tall. She had silver hair, a pair of cute eyes that looked like she just woke up, and an anti-gravity bang on her head. It swayed from left to right as she walked. And the fat customer almost shouted "I'm going to die" out loud.

When the girl smiled at him, he felt as if something hit his heart hard. He had to gulp down several mouthfuls of the special secret drink to make his heart start working again.

A maid then greeted her and asked enthusiastically, "What can I do for you, master?"

"No. I'm here to look for someone." The beautiful Japanese girl pointed at the bartender lady watching soap operas behind the bar.

"Oh. Make yourself at home." The maid seemed to feel regret for not being able to serve such a cute girl, but she still put on a smile.

After that, the beautiful Japanese girl walked towards the bartender and greeted her. "Hi, long time no see."

The bartender lady did not look up. Instead, she said lazily, "Before I finish watching this episode of "The Great Master," you better get away from me."

However, the beautiful Japanese lady sat down on the tall stool in front of the bar as if she had not heard what the bartender lady said. She then commented, "You're still as bad-tempered as ever. Have you parted ways with the good-tempered side of yours?"

The bartender's eyelids twitched. A ferocious gaze flashed across her eyes, and she finally lifted up her head and looked at the girl in front of her.

"Are you looking for a fight?"

"No. I'm just a messenger." The Japanese beauty shook her head and continued, "If possible, I prefer not to resort to violence."

"That's because you can't beat me." the bartender lady sneered, "Are you running errands for your master again? Your master is probably not as powerful as you are now, right? There are only a handful of people remember its name now."

"Good communication starts from showing politeness." The Japanese beauty blinked, "No matter how weak it is now. It is still the entity that created us, including your master. To me, it is my father."