Chapter 15 Coffee Shop in the Fifteenth Street

Feng Bujue was quite good at finding his way around. The Universal Superheroes League wasn't a maze, so he quickly arrived at the coffee shop on Fifteenth Street in the living area.

To be honest, if it weren't for the words "Coffee Shop" on the sign (written in Universal Language, with system-provided translation), Brother Jue would never have guessed what kind of business this place was.

Clearly, the coffee shops in the Universal Superheroes League were very different from the "quiet and comfortable" places Earthlings imagined...

When Brother Jue pushed open the door, the first thing that caught his eye was a bar that was dozens of meters long and shaped like a ring. The bar itself was a fixed tabletop, and next to the tabletop was a conveyor belt. The conveyor belt carried various snacks and drinks, and customers sitting at the bar could take whatever they wanted.

"What's going on? Rotating sushi?" Feng Bujue had never seen coffee sold in this way before.

In fact, not only was the sales method unlike a coffee shop, but the atmosphere inside was as noisy as a vegetable market... Everyone was chatting loudly and smoking (there were tens of thousands of different legal tobacco products circulating in this universe, and smokers from different planets got high on different things due to their different physiological structures). Some aliens made incredibly loud noises when they ate (not on purpose).

"Hey! Poker Man!" Just as Brother Jue was stunned, Tin Foil Man, sitting seven or eight meters away, waved at him and shouted, "Over here! I saved you a seat!"

"Ah... coming." Feng Bujue followed the sound, saw the other party, and walked over.

Tin Foil Man was still the same, wearing a terribly shabby tin foil armor. In terms of appearance... the main difference between "Mud People" and humans was that their eye sockets were particularly large, but other features were very similar.

"Uh... your coffee shops here are very different from the ones I know..." Feng Bujue couldn't help but say as soon as he sat down.

"Haha... a lot of Earth heroes say that when they first come here," Tin Foil Man smiled. "But most of them quickly grow to like this 'universal' way of doing business."

As he said this, a charred corpse passed by elegantly on the conveyor belt in front of them...

Although Feng Bujue knew it wasn't polite to look around when talking to someone, he still couldn't help but follow the corpse with his eyes...

"Uh..." Brother Jue's mouth twitched as he said, "Was there something strange that just passed by?"

"Oh, that's a snack for the Eco-People," Tin Foil Man explained. "Don't worry, it's all pollution-free."

"Eco-People..." As soon as Feng Bujue heard these four words, he started to feel a headache. "Are they the ones with the super long names who look like zombies..."

"Yeah, that's right," Tin Foil Man replied. "Have you met any Eco-People before?"

"Not really met... just saw one when I was doing the hero level test..." Feng Bujue replied. "I remember he was called... [The front wheels don't turn, the back wheels turn, eats brains super fast, forgot to bring a spoon, awkward spicy chicken shreds, Hanlin, that's not what you said in bed last night, you added a lot of special effects, life is so short, why bother with love, love, emotion, moving animals, physics, science students, ABBA can revive, hiss hiss hiss hiss hiss hiss hiss hiss brain-eating man]..."

Brother Jue himself didn't know why he remembered this name so clearly and completely...

"Oh, for an Eco-Person, that's a really short and powerful name," Tin Foil Man commented after hearing it.

"Heh... hehe..." Brother Jue chuckled dryly, deciding it was better to change the subject. "Speaking of that hero level test..."

"You don't need to say anything," Tin Foil Man interrupted him. "I know what you're going to say." He smiled. "Hehe... rest assured, the people in our Highest Committee know your true strength." He paused. "Putting you in 'City Level'... was Toad Man's idea, it's kind of an extra test for you."

"Oh~" When Feng Bujue heard the three words "Toad Man", he deliberately put on a "suddenly enlightened" expression.

In fact, Brother Jue had already guessed that he would be assigned to "City Level" because someone was interfering as soon as the test was completed. And the person with the biggest suspicion in this matter... was naturally Toad Man.

However, when Tin Foil Man brought this up, Feng Bujue still chose to play dumb... he wanted to hear what the other party would say next.

"This matter... isn't entirely his idea," Tin Foil Man continued after two seconds. "Actually... I'm also involved."

"Oh," Feng Bujue responded with the same word and a completely different tone.

"I hope you don't develop any prejudice against Toad Man because of this, I understand him very well..." Tin Foil Man continued. "He's always been like this, taking a pessimistic attitude towards everything, he doesn't intentionally target anyone."

"Yeah, I understand," Feng Bujue said. "I'm also that kind of person." He shrugged. "If I were in his position... I wouldn't easily let a person from another universe with an unknown origin immediately occupy a high position in the Universal Superheroes League either."

"Haha, that's good," Tin Foil Man laughed. "In short, now that you've proven yourself by passing a Class B Crisis, our committee unanimously believes that you should at least be promoted to the level of 'Galaxy Level Hero', otherwise... it would be too much of a waste of talent." As he said this, he picked up a plate of food from the conveyor belt in front of him and put it in front of Brother Jue. "Oh, look! This is what I told you about in the email, a new product."

Feng Bujue stared at the spiral poop-shaped substance in front of him for a few seconds, and then sniffed it...

He smelled a very subtle smell...

"This..." Brother Jue's gaze remained on the "snack", and he recited without looking up, "...what is it made of?"

"It's made of fruit from your planet," Tin Foil Man had a long lifespan and a good memory, so he knew a lot. "It's the one known as the 'King of Fruits'..."

"Durian?" Feng Bujue interjected.

"Yes, yes, durian," Tin Foil Man said. "Recently, durian-flavored foods have become very popular in various galaxies. Many planetary governments have begun to try to grow them locally, and many interstellar celebrity chefs have begun to use this ingredient to develop dishes." As he said this, he leaned forward and took a deep breath of the thing. "This unprecedented contrast in smell and taste experience... is simply irresistible."

"I understand the principle..." Brother Jue replied with narrowed eyes, "But what's with the shape?"

"Hmm? What's wrong with the shape?" Tin Foil Man asked suspiciously. "Isn't this the classic 'ice cream shape'?"

"I see..." Feng Bujue muttered, and then, he actually picked up the thing and took a bite.

"How is it? I didn't lie to you, right?" Tin Foil Man immediately asked, "Super awesome, right?"

Feng Bujue didn't answer immediately, his expression... became very complicated.

Because at this moment, he felt that some of his perceptions were being subverted...

"A foul smell, a poop-like shape, and yet..." Brother Jue thought to himself, "The taste is actually so good..."

A moment later, Feng Bujue swallowed the food in his mouth and looked at Tin Foil Man with a very serious expression. "Are the snacks here... very expensive?"

"It's okay, it's not considered expensive, even with the income of a City Level Hero," Tin Foil Man replied.

"Income?" Feng Bujue seemed to have heard an incredible word. "What? So the heroes of our Universal Superheroes League are actually paid?"

"Yes," Tin Foil Man replied in a matter-of-fact tone. After saying that, his expression changed slightly, and he continued, "Oh... right, you haven't been in the Universal Superheroes League for three universal years yet, so you don't know." As he spoke, he picked up another plate of strange snacks and a drink that looked like magma from the conveyor belt and placed them in front of him. "Our Universal Superheroes League settles 'hero points' on a regular basis, with a settlement cycle of every one hundred and sixty-eight universal weeks (approximately equal to one week of Earth time). In addition to the 'base points' for your hero level, you can also earn corresponding 'mission points' for each mission released by the league that you solve."

"So what are these points used for?" Feng Bujue interjected, seizing the opportunity while stuffing durian-flavored snacks into his mouth.

"Hero points can be used as currency in the Universal Superheroes League headquarters and all its branches," Tin Foil Man explained patiently. "After all, we heroes have to eat too... Although our medical care and accommodation here are free, and communication and transportation only cost a very small fee, it's impossible to completely abolish currency. There are still some places where you have to pay, otherwise it will cause a lot of problems."

"Then... are the points useless outside the Universal Superheroes League and its affiliated organizations?" Brother Jue asked again.

"Not entirely..." Tin Foil Man replied. "Many City Level or Planet Level Heroes who are stationed on their own planets have real financial difficulties. For these heroes, the league usually arranges a 'job to cover their identity' and converts the points into currency that can be circulated on their planet according to their needs." He took a sip of an unknown drink and continued, "As for heroes like you, who are stationed at the Universal Superheroes League headquarters or branches... you can definitely live a carefree life with the points. If one day you want to retire and leave the Universal Superheroes League for some reason... mostly because you want to get married and start a family or because you are old and frail... we will convert all your remaining points into the currency you need and give it to you."

"Oh... I see," Feng Bujue responded, having already finished his plate of snacks.

He didn't take anything else from the conveyor belt because he wasn't sure which things he "could eat", or rather... which things his "Earthling" body could digest.

"Of course, in the end... being a hero isn't a lucrative profession, and the point system is just a basic living guarantee provided by the league," Tin Foil Man continued. "In fact, at the beginning of the Universal Superheroes League, we didn't have the concept of 'rewards' at all, and we didn't divide 'hero levels' and 'crisis levels'. These systems... were gradually improved during the development and growth of the league."

"I can imagine... you and Toad Man must have faced and solved countless problems and contradictions over the years," Feng Bujue interjected.

"Yeah..." Tin Foil Man replied absentmindedly, chewing on a snack. "Many people envy us on the 'Highest Committee' for not having to go out and run around, but they don't understand..."

"Working in the field is much easier than dealing with internal affairs," Brother Jue interrupted him, directly saying what Tin Foil Man wanted to say.

"Hehe... you are indeed a smart person and a reasonable person," Tin Foil Man laughed. "Poker Man, I have high hopes for you. Maybe one day you will occupy a seat on the Highest Committee."

Ordinary heroes would be a little excited to hear such words.

But Feng Bujue seemed unfazed, and only replied politely in a weak tone: "Ah... thank you for your kind words."

…………

Feng Bujue and Tin Foil Man chatted in that "coffee shop" for an hour.

In this hour, Brother Jue also learned a lot of information about the Universal Superheroes League and tentatively tasted a few more plates of strange snacks.

Before they parted, Kertas (Tin Foil Man's name) said that he would immediately promote Brother Jue's level from "City Level" to "Galaxy Level".

And Feng Bujue said—"I don't care about levels and points, I just want to deal with a few Class A or Class B crises as soon as possible."

Afterwards, they went their separate ways...

Tin Foil Man went back to work on his official duties, and Feng Bujue returned to the hero dormitory.

"Phew..." After returning to room z250 and closing the door, Brother Jue let out a long sigh and muttered, "When I first heard the words 'points', I thought I had discovered some kind of accumulative tangible reward, but... isn't this just a high-level 'ration coupon'?" He sighed and thought to himself, "Alas... it would be better to just give me money..."

Indeed, if Feng Bujue had enough funds (enough here means a lot... or rather, a huge amount), then he would definitely be able to create a career in this universe (such as building his own evil research institute).

Unfortunately, this assumption is not valid for the time being; and Brother Jue doesn't plan to join the villainous side to earn rewards... because, so far, the villainous characters he has encountered in this universe are either fools or weaklings... It feels like suicide to join them.

"There's no way around it, I still have to try to deal with more high-level 'crisis events' as much as possible, so that I can get in touch with higher-level things..." Feng Bujue thought as he returned to the computer and inserted his ID card. "Let me see... what can a Galaxy Level Hero do..."