owlsbooks Chapter 5 Greenhead Fish: "Can I have a refill?"
Chapter 5 Greenhead Fish: "Can I have a refill?"
He glanced into his uniform pocket; the rule slip was still there, stiff and untouched.
Yellow sponges are reliable but come at a price; starfish need hamburgers to plug their mouths; the rogue boss needs to be on guard; and... there's also the need to protect the coins and keep the dream alive.
Every sentence was strange.
Before he could think about it further, it seemed that business hours had arrived.
Without any ringing or announcements, the restaurant's large door, painted with a cartoon crab, suddenly and silently slid open to both sides.
Outside the door lay the deathly silent streets of Bikini Bottom.
Immediately afterwards, figures entered from outside the door.
Their shapes vaguely resemble various marine creatures.
Some were carrying fish heads, some were carrying seashells, and some were waving shrimp claws.
They walked in silently, each found a place to sit, without talking or looking around, just sitting quietly, facing the cashier or the kitchen.
The empty, staring eyes added an even more stiff and lifeless atmosphere to the already eerie restaurant.
The customer has arrived.
In live streams around the world, the scenarios faced by all the chosen ones are updated simultaneously.
The old-fashioned order bell on the cashier's counter rang once, not crisply, but rather somewhat dullly.
The test has officially begun.
The chosen ones from various countries immediately perked up and prepared to respond in accordance with Rule 2, "Meet the needs of the customers."
The first customer was a creature that looked like a catfish, but with an unhealthy grayish-green skin, which moved to Jiang Xiu's cashier.
It didn't look at the menu, it just spoke in a muffled voice.
"One crab...croaker burger..."
Jiang Xiu mimicked the impatient yet compelled-to-work tone of Squidward from his memory, pressing buttons on the cash register with his tentacles.
"One crab roe burger. Thank you for your kind offer."
He noticed the difference in currency units.
The gray-green catfish silently pushed over a few dull coins with crab patterns printed on them.
The transaction went exceptionally smoothly without any setbacks.
Jiang Xiu tossed the order through the small window into the kitchen and then continued to wait.
Contestants from other countries also went through a similar ordering process.
It appears normal, but this eerie calm is unsettling.
Soon, the first customer who ordered received his Krabby Patty—packaged in a simple cardboard box and handed out from the kitchen window.
It took it, sat down, and began to eat slowly, bite by bite, still silently.
A few minutes later, the customer moved the gray-green catfish back to the cashier.
Its voice was still muffled, but this time it carried a hint of stubbornness:
"Can I get a refill of my drink?"
Refill?
Those two simple words made all the experts and viewers watching the live stream tense up!
Rule number two: Meet the needs of customers that fall within the scope of the restaurant's services.
Refills are available at many fast food restaurants, but does this fall within the scope of service at the odd Krusty Krab?
Will fulfilling this requirement trigger anything else?
Different chosen ones made different choices.
The chosen one from India, enduring the lingering pain and fear, nodded hastily, adhering to the principles of "service first, satisfy as much as possible" and the explicit requirements of Rule Two.
"Of course, dear customer, we offer free refills. Please wait a moment."
He turned around to operate the beverage machine.
The chosen one from Maple Leaf Country, with a gentle and cautious nature, hesitated for a moment, then, feeling that a refill seemed like a reasonable request, nodded: "Okay, please give me the cup."
However, some chose to refuse or hesitate.
The chosen ones of the Cherry Blossom Kingdom, recalling the lesson of being punished for apologizing, felt intense fear and suspicion towards any action that would satisfy their needs.
He stared into the customer's empty eyes, his heart pounding. He instinctively pretended not to have heard clearly, and looked down at the cash register, trying to bluff his way out of it.
The chosen one from the Russian Bear Kingdom was more direct. He sensed something was wrong and said in a muffled voice.
"Refills? It's not on the menu. No."
Just as the chosen ones from India and Canada were preparing or beginning to refill customers' cups, the chosen ones from Japan were feigning ignorance, and the chosen ones from Russia were explicitly refusing—
Another anomaly has struck!
For those who agree to a refill:
The moment they agreed to refills and even touched the beverage machine, the lights in the entire Krusty Krab restaurant suddenly went out!
The vibrant decorative paintings on the wall seemed to come alive, and the fish and shrimp in them began to writhe and struggle, emitting silent screams.
All the seated customers, in unison and with a completely synchronized, stiff posture, turned their heads and stared intently at the chosen one behind the cashier with their empty eyes!
The mixed smell of fried food and seawater in the air suddenly became extremely strong and nauseating, as if it had turned into a viscous grease that clung to people's mouths and noses.
The door to the crab boss's office was kicked open with a bang!
It didn't leave, but appeared next to the cashier as if it had teleported.
The crab boss at this moment is even more terrifying than when he punished the distracted person before!
His body seemed to have swelled up, and twisted gold coin patterns appeared on his carapace. His eyes burned with greedy dark golden flames.
He completely ignored the customer who asked for a refill, and with a piercing shriek as the pliers tore through the air, he swung them directly at the chosen ones from India and Canada!
"Refills?! Free refills?! Who gave that permission?!"
His voice was like the clashing of countless shattered coins, sending shivers down one's spine.
"Every drop of this beverage represents cost! Every penny of cost is my gold! How dare you make decisions on your own and waste my property! Theft! This is blatant theft!!"
"Sizzle—snap!!"
Another teeth-grinding, cracking sound!
The other intact tentacle of each of the chosen ones from India and Maple Leaf Country was instantly charred, broken, and turned to ashes under the crab boss's gripping grip, which contained strange rules!
An even more intense, agonizing sense of emptiness swept over them!
After punishing the customers, the crab boss roared as his dark, fiery eyes swept over the motionless customers.
"What are you looking at?! No refills allowed! Trying to get a free drink? No way!"
The customers, as if in fear, slowly turned their heads back.
The eerie lighting and smells in the restaurant have returned to normal somewhat, but the oppressive atmosphere is even stronger.
For those who refuse or ignore:
The moment the chosen one from the Sakura Kingdom pretended to be deaf and dumb, and the chosen one from the Bear Kingdom clearly refused, the gray-green catfish customer who asked for a refill suddenly had two needle-like scarlet lights shining in his previously empty eyes!
"No...refill?"
Its voice was no longer muffled, but became sharp and hoarse, filled with insatiable hunger and resentment.
Instead of pursuing the Chosen One, it suddenly opened its mouth—the mouth ripped open at an incredible angle, revealing a terrifying, spiral-shaped mouthpart covered with fine barbs!
Then, it let out a silent shriek!
The other seated customers, as if receiving a command, suddenly sprang to their feet!
Their previously blurry figures became much clearer in an instant, but they also became more twisted and ferocious, displaying the most predatory characteristics of various marine creatures as they frantically pounced on the Chosen Ones behind the cashier!