301-305

"Chapter 301: The Clingy Couple" 

Ever since being surrounded by the horde of international students last time, Cody had truly felt the terror of human wave tactics. 

No matter where he was in Central City, if one international student spotted him, it would only take three minutes for a large number of other students to start appearing around him. 

And that tide of people was like an endless mode of Plants vs. Zombies, wave after wave, never-ending. Their enthusiasm reminded him of the glorious years in school when he used to fight for food in the cafeteria with other grades. 

Cody truly hadn't expected to experience the feeling of being "drowned in the vast ocean of the masses" while in Central City. He also hadn't expected the international students' net to spread across the entire city. The most outrageous part was that, for a bite to eat, international students from neighboring cities seemed to be coming to find him. To prevent his plans from being disrupted, he had to implement a purchase limit strategy—and even joined their group chat for this purpose. 

"I'll give you 90% every day. Each of your groups can send one person to pick up, pay, and get the food," he said in the group chat. "Get it and leave. Don't come and block the road every day, or in a couple of days, the Central City Police Department will be calling me in for a chat." 

"Why not 100%?" 

"Don't ask. Just consider it promoting food culture, going global." 

"I protest!" 

"Protest invalid. Go eat your buns—in short, don't make a fuss or come to buy from my stall when you see it in the city. Your share has already been given to you. Be frugal when you distribute it; don't eat it every meal." 

"Oh." 

It turned out Cody's approach worked quite well. Master-level culinary skills not only enhanced the taste of the food but also greatly improved cooking efficiency. From ingredients to processing to cooking techniques, every part could be sped up. Now, he only needed to spend one day cooking to barely meet the international students' needs for the next day—at least everyone could get a meal once every two days. 

The remaining time was mostly spent by him riding his three-wheeled cart all over the city. 

"Let me check my asset points... Three hundred thousand?" 

Cody sighed with emotion. Ten times the asset points really made money fast. After deducting expenses for cooking, buying ingredients, preparing materials, and purchasing skills, his net profit reached three hundred thousand in the first three weeks. By the time Barry woke up, he felt his asset points might reach several million. 

"I have a question," Cody asked the system. "If something goes wrong during this smuggling mission, like being taken out by a boss, can I try again?" 

[System prompt: If you are not recognized as part of this world's timeline during your first smuggling attempt, the probability of being caught will sharply increase during a second attempt at the same world; and if caught and repatriated, that world can no longer be smuggled into.] 

"Got it. Basically, try not to get wiped out." 

Cody casually bought an Immortal Totem—although, according to his memory, there wouldn't be any overly powerful disasters or villains in Central City before Barry woke up, he wasn't going to gamble. Life-saving items had to be bought sooner or later, so he might as well buy them in advance. 

"Then I have fifty thousand left—I'll save it for now." 

Just as Cody was calculating in his head, a slender middle-aged man walked up to the three-wheeled food stall, arm-in-arm with a woman. 

"Elizabeth, you know, I still have so much work today that I haven't..." 

"I know, I know." The woman stuck out her tongue at him. "The great Mr. Denton always has so much work unfinished. His research concerns the future of all humanity, the tomorrow and hope of this nation, the breakthrough progress in human medical history—so, Mr. Denton, when will your research concern your lovely wife?" 

Denton sighed. Clearly, he couldn't withstand such an offensive. 

"Alright, Elizabeth," he said. "I know I don't usually take you out often, I'm sorry." 

"Hmph, I forgive you—as long as you buy me this!" 

Cody watched expressionlessly as the couple approached his three-wheeled cart, suddenly feeling an urge to turn and walk away. 

I'm here to sell food, not to look for food. You two randomly picked a lucky audience member and started with the public display of affection. Isn't this indiscriminate attack a bit much? 

Denton spoke first: "Hello, sir—what are these?" 

"Food." 

"...Uh, I mean, I know these are food, but what kind of food are they?" 

"Dim sum." 

"Electric torture?" 

In the past, Cody would probably have given an answer like "Chinese handmade traditional dessert" or "Chinese handmade royal dessert," but he was currently a bit full from all the PDA and didn't feel like bothering with this overly affectionate couple. 

But clearly, Elizabeth was very interested in these unusually shaped foods. 

"I know, I know!" She raised her hand. "I've heard that word, it's a Chinese term." 

Cody raised an eyebrow. 

"We call them dim sum, but if you put it your way, they're desserts," he replied. "Although they're from a street food cart, the prices aren't cheap." 

"How much?" 

"The savory and sweet beef tongue pastry and Yunnan ham mooncakes are five dollars a piece; the sweet Dingsheng cake and walnut cookies are also five dollars a piece," Cody said. "Cost of ingredients aside, the taste truly has no superior or inferior, so the pricing is simply the same. But for eating, it depends on your preference. If you like savory, buy the first two; if you like sweet, buy the latter two." 

"It doesn't sound particularly expensive, actually." 

"Five dollars a piece, that's already expensive here. Where I'm from, walnut cookies and the like are much cheaper than this," Cody pouted. "Food for the common people, who could afford it if it's too expensive?" 

Denton seemed interested. He said to Cody, "We'll take two of each. We want to try them first." 

It turned out that Master-level culinary skills truly justified their price of one hundred twenty thousand asset points—the couple first spent forty dollars tasting the pastries, then another two hundred dollars to buy ten of each. 

"Uh, do you accept card payments here?" Denton asked, chewing a piece of Dingsheng cake. 

The soft, sticky Dingsheng cake released a subtle osmanthus fragrance in his mouth, along with the sweet taste of red bean paste. This batch was made with osmanthus and red bean paste, giving it a beautiful, elegant yellow color. 

It was clear Denton had no resistance to this pastry. 

He lowered his head, rummaging through his wallet: "I don't have that much cash on me. I want to buy more..." 

"Sorry, it's a small business, no card payments," Cody shrugged. "It's already quite unexpected that you're carrying this much cash. If you want more, buy it next time you see me." 

Chapter 302: First Meeting 

Cody had quite a few customers today. 

It wasn't just the married couple, Denton and Elizabeth; many others on the street were also interested in the four types of pastries on his cart. Although the aroma couldn't waft through the display case, the dingsheng gao (victory cake) and walnut shortbread looked novel and quite beautiful. 

However, among the customers drawn to buy pastries, a considerable number also liked the ox-tongue pastry and Yunnan ham mooncakes. Generally, after one taste, these two less flamboyant pastries would gain a new fan. 

Cody couldn't help but smile as he watched his money bag grow steadily fatter. 

Meanwhile, at Star Labs, Francisco Ramon had walked into the main hall as usual, ready for another workday. 

"Cisco, good morning." 

"Ah, good morning, Caitlin." 

Cisco casually returned his colleague's greeting and smiled at her. 

But his forced cheerfulness couldn't hide the stark emptiness of the lab. 

"So... it's just the two of us again today?" 

"Yes." 

Caitlin replied quietly, her face expressionless. "At this point, no one else will be coming to Star Labs." 

This wasn't due to funding issues; in fact, Dr. Wells, relying on past scientific patents and collaborative projects, was still quite wealthy. Even after paying off the accident's compensation and fines, he could still afford the entire lab's salaries. The main reason for the departure of numerous researchers was that the lab's reputation was completely ruined. 

Since the particle accelerator's massive explosion, the Central City government and its citizens had relentlessly demanded accountability. Star Labs was classified as a Level 4 hazardous location and ceased operations. For the sake of their careers, no scientific researcher would willingly stay in a non-operational lab that was also widely criticized by the public. 

As one of the world's leading scientists, Harrison Wells was once like an idol on a pedestal. Most of the researchers at Star Labs were his devoted followers. Many had come because of Wells's aura, believing that following this scientist would undoubtedly lead to a bright future. 

But Wells failed in that night's experiment. He was no longer an omnipotent idol, no longer a god of science. On the contrary, he became the target of public condemnation, the one bearing the greatest responsibility for the scientific accident. 

After his fall from grace, his followers naturally wouldn't remain. 

Life had to go on. Star Labs had no future. Even if Harrison remained a top scholar, his disgraced reputation made a comeback nearly impossible, so everyone realistically pursued their own paths. 

Wells seemed unconcerned. In his world, he was always indifferent to those without talent. Of course, this might be precisely why only Francisco and Caitlin remained in the lab. Wells had never paid much attention to others in the lab, but he had a special regard for these two geniuses, providing them with much guidance and encouragement in their academic pursuits. 

Cisco was an undisputed triple-threat genius in physics, mechanics, and computer science, as well as an inventor. Whether a male engineering student's love for superheroes and gaming is a stereotype or not, he certainly adored them: classic movies, superhero comics, games... Aside from not being a recluse, Cisco essentially possessed all the hobbies of a tech enthusiast, even having a humorous personality. 

Caitlin, on the other hand, was the lab's bioengineering expert. She naturally possessed medical knowledge. Compared to Cisco, her original personality and hobbies more closely matched the public's image of a genius scientist. However, since her fiancé, Ronald Raymond, died in that explosion three weeks ago, she hadn't smiled once, becoming quiet and cold, like a block of ice. 

After the lab was sealed, Cisco and Caitlin remained steadfastly at Star Labs. At this point, they and Professor Wells were the only three researchers left at Star Labs. 

"Listen, it's not just the three of us, actually..." Cisco tried hard to break the dull and rigid atmosphere in the lab. "After all, the Doctor brought someone in yesterday. So, if you count it that way, we actually have one more person." 

Caitlin turned and glanced at him, still expressionless. "Yes, if you don't consider that he could die in Star Labs at any moment, then we definitely have one more person." 

Cisco awkwardly fell silent. 

"Barry Allen didn't die the night of the explosion, and he won't die in Star Labs either." 

Dr. Wells's voice suddenly echoed from the doorway. He sat in his wheelchair, calmly responding to Caitlin's remark. 

"Doctor..." 

"Caitlin, Cisco," Wells completely disregarded their slight nervousness and went straight to the point. "What are Barry Allen's test results?" 

"I can't be entirely sure," Caitlin replied. "But his body is indeed different from a normal person's. I mean, he was directly struck by lightning, and when he was brought in last night, he even had fractured ribs from CPR compressions. But now, his test results are indistinguishable from a normal person's; those fractures are gone." 

"And his heart rate?" 

"It was over a thousand last night when we tested it, but this morning it's 120." 

The Doctor nodded, then looked at Cisco. 

"Hmm... The situation is as you predicted." Cisco quickly replied. "I investigated the hospital's power situation that night. Each intermittent power outage occurred when Barry's heart stopped—the ECG couldn't record his heartbeat. His heart was indeed beating too fast, not stopping." 

"In that case," the Doctor nodded. "We probably don't need to worry about Mr. Allen dying suddenly in the lab. We just need to stabilize his condition and try to wake him up." 

He paused, then added, "As I said, something very strange is happening in his body, something that goes against our common sense. We need to understand his condition further—Caitlin?" 

"Yes?" 

"Do a cell test on him. Let's figure out exactly what's happening to him." 

"No problem." 

"Cisco?" 

"Yes?" 

"I don't intend to control your eating habits—but isn't your breakfast a bit too simple?" 

"Oh, this?" Cisco looked at the ox-tongue pastry in his hand. "This isn't breakfast; it's a snack I bought on the way here. Want a piece?" 

Wells shook his head. "No, thank you. I have other matters to attend to. I'll be going now—remember to keep an eye on Mr. Allen." 

"No problem." 

Chapter 303: Guess I Gotta Buy It Now 

The folks at S.T.A.R. Labs spent a few days getting Barry Allen's bed and medical equipment all set up. 

"Seriously, are we really just gonna leave him out in the open like this?" Cisco's fingers flew across the keyboard, but his gaze kept drifting to the center of the lab. Barry Allen was still out cold on the bed, surrounded by a mountain of electronic medical gear. They could both see all his vitals at a glance. 

"It's the safest way," Caitlin replied calmly. "We're not sure what other crazy changes Barry's body might go through. Keeping him close means we can monitor him easily and make sure nothing goes sideways." 

"Fine, fine…" Cisco grumbled. "I just ain't used to staring at a naked guy all the time…" 

"He's under a blanket," Caitlin said, completely unfazed. "And for a doctor, there's no difference between male and female. The patient's problem is what matters most." 

Cisco sighed. 

"How are his cell tests looking?" 

"Really abnormal. They're in this weird state of chronic cellular regeneration. I've never seen anything like it, and I can't explain it." 

"So that's why his broken ribs healed overnight?" 

"Possibly, but we can't be sure." 

"Alright, so what else can we do?" 

"Nothing. Honestly, there's nothing to do." 

Caitlin threw her hands up. "His cell regeneration seems to be constantly burning energy, which is why his body kept having those strange reactions at the hospital. Since he can't eat, I'm giving him my special nutrient solution intravenously." 

"Alright then…" Cisco pulled his gaze away and started tapping on his keyboard again. "Guess I'll just keep designing my new firefighting suit." 

Just five minutes later, Cisco's mouth felt strangely empty. He snagged another piece of "ox-tongue pastry" from a nearby plate, staring at it with intense deliberation. 

"No, no, gotta save it," he muttered to himself. "Didn't buy much this time. If I finish it in a day, who knows when I'll find it again." 

Caitlin happened to walk by, saw him looking so serious about his cookie, and, intrigued, took one from the plate and bit into it. 

No meat in this "ox-tongue pastry"—just pepper, salt, sesame seeds, and a crispy crust, with a touch of sugar and honey inside. The sweet and savory combo was pure genius. 

In short, it was delicious. 

"Oh!" Caitlin's usually stoic face lit up as the food hit her tongue. Her eyes widened. "This cookie is really good." 

"Hey! That's my snack!" 

Caitlin, seeing Cisco's sudden outrage, instinctively asked, "Snack?" 

"Yeah, the Chinese guy with the food cart called it that. He said it means 'dessert'." 

"You've been eating these before, haven't you? Have you been buying snacks from him every day?" 

"No, not exactly. I only managed to get some of his snacks a few days ago. After that, I couldn't find him anywhere. I looked for days, and today I finally ran into him on the street again, so I just went ahead and bought two hundred dollars' worth." 

Caitlin froze. 

"How much?!" 

"Two hundred bucks, at five dollars a piece," Cisco replied. "I was specifically carrying cash, looking for him on the street." 

"Cisco, I think you might be a little…" 

"I don't know, a little strange?" Caitlin chose her words carefully. "How about this, give me a piece of that snack, and I'll run some tests on it." 

"Are you actually suspicious he put something in the snack, or do you just want another one?" 

"A bit of both, I guess," Caitlin answered, taking another bite. "Mmm, I really shouldn't eat anymore. It's probably safer to test it first." 

She said that, but she couldn't resist taking another bite, and by the time she finished her sentence, the snack was gone. 

Cisco: (speechless) 

"I'll grab another piece for testing," Caitlin reached for the plate next to Cisco. "I'll be right back." 

But Cisco clearly saw her pick up a Cloud Leg Mooncake this time. 

It was obvious Caitlin wanted to try a new flavor, and that mooncake was probably never coming back. 

"Maybe I should just buy more next time…" 

Money Talks 

"So expensive…" 

Cody scrolled through the store's list, sighing. 

Today was another relatively peaceful day. A month and a half had passed since the Particle Accelerator exploded in Central City. 

During this time, Cody's asset points had skyrocketed, he'd become much more familiar with the ins and outs of Central City, and, more importantly, he'd met a lot of people. 

First, of course, were the constantly hungry students scattered across Central City. Their orders saved Cody a lot of hawking time. While being nagged for food every day was a bit annoying, Cody was getting used to it. 

Next were some of Central City's ordinary citizens, like the lovey-dovey old couple, Denton and Elizabeth. If he ran into them on the street, they'd always come buy something, and they were also Cody's best cover for his city-wide movements. 

And finally, there were some truly significant figures from his original world. 

Leonard Snart, the future Captain Cold; his sister, Lisa Snart; Francisco Ramon… 

And recently, even Caitlin Snow joined the list. 

He wasn't worried about these people coming after him; he was just a regular street vendor, with nothing worth coveting. Most of Central City's high-end criminals had bigger fish to fry and wouldn't bother with the small change in his pocket. 

What he was worried about was that too much interaction with important figures would increase his chances of being noticed by the shadowy forces at play. Given that he'd found some incredibly discreet, untraceable, high-tech hidden surveillance cameras in various parts of the city, he had reason to suspect that the Reverse-Flash had set up a city-wide surveillance network. 

Coincidentally, after all this time selling, he'd managed to save up 400,000 asset points. So, he decided to arm himself a bit more. 

"Buy a Master-level Computer Proficiency to counter surveillance…" 

Asset Points -150,000. 

"Buy a Master-level Hand-to-Hand Combat Proficiency to avoid getting into close-quarters fights…" 

Asset Points -100,000. 

"Buy a… huh? What's this thing?" 

Scrolling through, Cody's eyes nearly popped out at an option in the system store. 

*[Dumb Cat Price: One Million Dollar Asset Points. Note: Boss, if some bad woman tries to beat you down and drag you away to be her *, I'll definitely pull you back in a little cart, meow!]* 

Chapter 304: Shop 'Til You Drop 

"Honestly, if some bad woman really wanted to knock me out and turn me into ***, you wouldn't have to rush to save me—unless she wasn't good-looking." 

Cody couldn't help but complain to the Palico in the shop list: "One million for one Palico—you can't tell it'd be this expensive in the game!" 

Palico comes with a Palico Cart: Once daily, brings any target from a near-death state back to a safe area, always successful, ignoring enemy interception. 

Palico comes with Honey Scent: Summons a Vespoid when you're injured, restoring a moderate fixed amount of health during combat. Unlimited uses, with a half-minute cooldown. The Honey Scent has a proficiency trait: when maxed out, it can provide healing when you take a fatal blow, restoring a certain amount of health. 

Palico comes with Guardian Shield: Taunts enemies, drawing their attention. Also has a proficiency trait: the higher the proficiency, the stronger the defense and taunt ability. 

Palico comes with Felyne Kitchen skill: When you're hungry, it can cook you a couple of dishes. Depending on the ingredients, the Felyne meal provides attribute bonuses; rarer ingredients result in higher bonuses. 

Palico comes with combat skills: Engages enemies with Palico weapons and armor, and attacks. Its attack power is weak, but it won't truly die after taking damage; it will only enter a downed state, at which point it will completely conceal its presence and begin self-healing. 

Other Palico items, armor, and skills need to be purchased separately. 

"Alright, alright, no need to keep pitching it," Cody waved his hand. "It's all about mechanics and power; its utility is already unbeatable—even if I really went to the New World, the Palicos there couldn't possibly be this outrageous. What's the difference between a million-dollar Palico and one that's 'hacked'?" 

Complaining aside, he still needed the Palico. After a busy day, Cody took a sip of wine and got back to work. 

There was always work to be done; it felt like endless busy-ness. 

At the Central City Police Department, Joe was flipping through files. 

"There don't seem to be any particularly urgent cases lately..." 

Joe snapped the file shut and turned to look at Eddie, who was holding a green qingtuan (a traditional Chinese dessert) and chewing on another, intently focused on a case file. 

He was getting his work done, but he looked a little odd. 

"If Captain Singh sees you eating that, you'll get lectured," Joe warned. "And what is that? Dough?" 

"It's qingtuan, and it's pretty good," Eddie replied. "It has a slight herbal fragrance, very soft and sticky, and it's sweet." 

He looked at Joe. His partner's temper had improved a lot lately, his tired eyes were gradually regaining some sparkle, and his gaunt face had filled out again, giving him a renewed sense of vigor. 

A proactive warning and interaction like this, even, was their first somewhat friendly exchange. 

"Don't worry about Captain Singh," he said. "He seems to like these qingtuan too. In fact, there's a portion on your desk." 

"Oh? Who bought them?" 

"Jimmy. He's Chinese-American, so he really likes these pastries. He bought a lot and treated us." 

Joe looked at his desk and, sure enough, there were qingtuan. He picked one up and put it in his mouth—it was just as Eddie described: delicate, soft, and chewy. The glutinous rice flour, mugwort juice, and red bean paste all played their part, and the overall taste wasn't overly sweet, with a lingering, delicate fragrance. 

"It feels like tea and cake were made into one dessert," Joe commented subconsciously. "It's really strange, though. Even though it's not too sweet, this thing is inexplicably delicious." 

He instinctively recalled a food truck he'd seen on the street when he came in. The owner of that food truck also seemed to be Asian, he wasn't sure if they were Chinese, but it was parked very close, right across the street from the police station. 

At the time, he hadn't thought about buying anything; instead, he'd wanted to go over and give them a ticket—no particular reason, he just felt there were too many people around the truck, making the sidewalk a bit too narrow, which he disliked. 

But now... 

"Never mind, never mind." Joe picked up another qingtuan and tossed it into his mouth. "Having a food truck like this isn't bad. When I get off work, I'll just go warn them." 

"And buy a few more qingtuan." 

Joe thought this to himself, then continued to flip through documents at the police station until closing time. 

However, as everyone knows, plans always change. 

"Dad." 

Iris's voice suddenly came from behind him. Hearing it, Joe and Eddie both instinctively turned around. The difference was that Eddie's eyes lit up a bit. 

Joe didn't notice Eddie's unusual expression; he just asked, "Iris, why are you here?" 

"Uh, it's about Barry." 

"Ah, Barry..." 

Joe sighed. Ever since he had entrusted Barry to Dr. Wells, Iris's worry about Barry had grown daily. She didn't oppose the decision, but S.T.A.R. Labs and Wells' reputation were both poor right now, and they were a cutting-edge physics lab, not a dedicated medical lab—this made Iris even more uneasy. After all, everyone has their specialties; could the greatest physicist truly surpass medical professionals in the field of medicine? 

Although neither of them had explicitly said so, Joe actually shared these concerns. Iris was a student nearing graduation, so she had a lot of time and often went to S.T.A.R. Labs to see Barry. Joe, however, didn't have as much free time; he could usually only go after work. 

By his count, it had been a full three months since the accident. If it weren't for the fact that Barry's condition seemed to be slowly stabilizing, Joe's mental state would never have gradually improved. 

"Dad, I want to go see Barry again today." 

"Alright, I'll go with you," Joe replied, putting on his coat. "I haven't seen him in two days either. I wonder if he's any better." 

"Wells said he might wake up. Do you think it's true?" 

"I don't know, but I hope it is." 

Joe patted Iris's shoulder. "If you didn't believe him, you wouldn't go to the lab every day to see Barry." 

"Yeah... I just hope Wells is right." 

As Joe headed towards the police station exit, Iris subtly exchanged a glance with Eddie, then followed Joe out of the station. 

"Huh? Where's the food truck at the entrance?" 

After Joe exited the police station, his first glance went to the street across the way, but the food truck he had seen that morning was now nowhere to be found. 

Iris noticed the clear disappointment on Joe's face and became curious. "Dad, what's wrong?" 

"Nothing, nothing... Let's go see Barry." 

Chapter 305: To Call That a Cat Would Be Too Silly 

"I don't know if you've noticed it too, but I feel like Central City has been under the shadow of a strange, powerful hand lately." 

Caitlin looked at Cisco, confused, wondering what kind of fit he was throwing now. 

"What are you talking about?" 

"Haven't you noticed?" Cisco remained serious. "Just lately, in the downtown area of Central City, don't you feel like everyone has something extra in their hands?" 

"What something?" 

Caitlin asked casually, taking a bite of the osmanthus cake in her hand. 

It seemed that good food really did comfort the soul. Ever since Cisco started bringing pastries to the lab, Caitlin wasn't as cold and indifferent as she had been initially. In a way, she was slowly emerging from the gloom of her life. 

Cisco: "...The snacks! The snacks!" 

"Snacks? What snacks?" 

Joe's voice suddenly echoed from the doorway. He and Iris walked into the lab's main hall, one after the other. 

Joe was holding a green mochi in his hand. 

"That's the one in your hand—hey! Did you see that food truck today?" Francisco's eyes lit up. "Where did you see it?" 

"Right outside the police station, but he's already gone," Joe replied. "Are the 'snacks' you two have also from that food truck?" 

"Dad, what are you talking about?" Iris frowned. She walked straight to the gurney in the center of the hall. "Did you forget? We came to see Barry." 

"Right, you're right." 

Joe nodded in agreement. "I just heard something about a 'mastermind' and got a little sensitive, occupational hazard, don't mind me." 

Caitlin shrugged and suggested to Cisco, "How about this, you give me the plate, and I'll go do some more—" 

"Hey, hey!" 

Cisco quickly pulled the snack plate away. "Last time, the test results for that ham mooncake were 'more, please,' I'm not falling for that trick again." 

Caitlin pouted. 

"Back to serious business." Joe walked over to Barry, looking at him still peacefully asleep, and the stable numbers on the medical instruments. He couldn't help but sigh. He asked Cisco and Caitlin, "Is Barry still showing no signs of waking up?" 

"No," Caitlin replied. "But his brain scans look fine. Medically speaking, he's very healthy right now and could wake up at any moment." 

Hearing this, Iris couldn't help but reach out and touch Barry's face. "But he hasn't woken up..." 

Cisco and Caitlin watched Iris's natural gesture, and a thought simultaneously popped into their minds: She must really like Barry, they'd make a great couple. 

One was a beautiful, blue-eyed blonde girl, the other a handsome, tall, sunny young man. They weren't far apart in age and seemed very close. According to Joe, they even grew up under the same roof. In that environment, it would be perfectly normal for them to develop feelings for each other. 

In fact, not just Cisco and Caitlin, but Joe and many others could see that Barry liked Iris, and Iris was very affectionate towards Barry. 

In their daily lives, they often had habits and small details they'd picked up since childhood. Iris would naturally touch Barry's face; they'd habitually link arms when going out; their toothbrushes were together, their shoes were together. They had lived together for so long that to outsiders, they seemed like a natural unit, not just siblings. 

But Iris didn't seem to realize this yet. To her, Barry was a younger brother she had lived with for over a decade. They were too familiar with each other, which ironically kept her from developing those kinds of thoughts. 

The Boss and the… Cat? 

"Back where I'm from, a couple like that would be called a 'Golden Boy and Jade Girl,'" Cody murmured, watching the S.T.A.R. Labs main hall on his monitor. "From this angle, they really do look well-matched." 

He had to use the skills he'd bought, of course. Cody knew where the heart of Central City's events lay. He used his high-tech computer to discreetly hack into S.T.A.R. Labs, the Central City Police Department, Mercury Labs, and even the military network. Basically, if anything big was going to happen in Central City, the news would inevitably pass through these places. 

At the same time, he followed the digital trail, using the lab's network to find hidden cameras in the police station, Joe West's house, and S.T.A.R. Labs, among other places. It was clear these cameras were the Reverse-Flash's way of spying on Barry's daily life. 

He'd also found another hidden AI in S.T.A.R. Labs, but he hadn't dared to touch it through the network. Firstly, there was no real need, and secondly, he was afraid of being detected by the Reverse-Flash. 

"Boss, boss, it's time for you to cook me two dishes, meow." 

A high-pitched voice, not loud, and quite cute, echoed beside him, but Cody's face immediately darkened. 

He closed his laptop and saw a cat-like creature standing at his feet, looking up at him. 

To call that a cat would be too silly. It had rounded limbs like Doraemon, soft purple fur covering its head and upper body, two round, black, slightly crossed eyes, and a strange, nose-like mouth on its face. 

It was clear, abstract, goofy, and utterly adorable in a silly way—straight out of a comic, not a normal cat by any means. 

"Would you dare to repeat what you just said?" 

"Boss, boss, it's time for you to cook me two—" 

The silly cat tried to use its crossed eyes to soften Cody, but seeing his face grow darker and darker, it immediately changed its tune: "Boss, boss, I'll go cook you two dishes, meow." 

"I really don't understand," Cody couldn't help but pick it up from the floor, watching its round limbs flail uselessly in the air. "I spent a month and a half, finally saving up enough asset points to get you out." 

"You were so well-behaved at first, knew to cook me two dishes when it was mealtime, tidied up the room when there was nothing else to do, you could even be cuddled when I slept without shedding fur, and you were always cute and goofy. Really quite adorable." 

"Look at yourself now, just look!" He clutched the silly cat's belly in exasperation. "It's only been this long, how much weight have you gained? How much lazier have you gotten? Huh? Why has it come to the point where I have to cook two dishes specifically for you? Answer me!" 

He twisted the silly cat's head back from where it had turned away, staring directly into its beady eyes. "Look me in the eye! Tell me! Why?!" 

"Tell me, how many snacks did you steal today?!"