Proofreader: Sandra

Chapter 160

On Nansha Island, inside the cozy and sweet-looking cake shop, the hanging lights were all on, casting a beautiful glow that decorated the shop like a fairyland.

Yang Ling had already pushed the food cart into the private room. Besides wine, pastries, and snacks, there were also some square boxes, about a dozen of them, neatly arranged on the second and third tiers of the cart.

As soon as the cart was pushed to the front, Amy eagerly approached and picked up one of the square boxes.

The box had some foreign letters printed on it. When opened, it revealed neatly arranged silver bullet-shaped objects, like a box of large silver bullets.

Teacher Su was nowhere to be seen, and only the two female students remained at the table.

Jiang Jiang, who had never seen this before, stared at it in surprise.

Qiu Lan blinked and directly asked, “Amy, what is this?”

Her intuition told her that this might not be a good thing, but Amy’s fascinated gaze at the items made her very curious.

“This is quite ordinary. You students really haven’t seen much,” Amy said with a smile. “These things help people relax and bring joy. They’re very popular abroad.”

“Isn’t this some kind of drug?” Jiang Jiang asked, becoming wary and frowning.

Amy shook her head and showed them the silver bullets, saying, “These are completely different from drugs. Drugs are illegal, but these are just regular items and quite inexpensive.”

At this moment, Chen Zui also stood up. He took one of the items from Amy’s hand and smiled at Qiu Lan, saying, “Do you want to try one, little girl? It’s on me today…”

Qiu Lan, curious, moved closer and reached out to take the item.

Jiang Jiang, seeing her get up, changed her expression and followed suit.

Song Wen, however, stood up, quickly crossed the two girls, and snatched the item from Chen Zui’s hand.

Just as pastry chef Yang Ling had finished placing all the drinks and cakes on the table in the private room, Song Wen grabbed him and questioned, “Do you know that selling this kind of stuff is illegal?”

Yang Ling smiled and replied, “Please don’t get agitated, this is just something I use to make cakes. Some customers have special needs. Moreover, these aren’t for sale; they’re just a complimentary part of the after-dinner pastries and drinks.”

After saying this, he glanced at Chen Zui, seemingly to validate his statement.

Song Wen glanced around and noticed that the table in the private room was also decorated with colorful balloons and tanks, clearly indicating a full setup. It was evident this was not just a complimentary item. He pointed out, “You’re clearly trying to sell this intentionally!”

Qiu Lan was startled by the sudden turn of events and asked tremblingly, “What exactly is this?”

Song Wen held up one of the silver bullets and explained, “This is called nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas. The gas inside is nitrous oxide, a colorless and sweet-smelling gas that can induce hallucinations and euphoria.”

The two girls were stunned by this information. Although they had never seen such things before, they had heard of them. These items were banned in many places, and they hadn’t expected anyone on the island to be selling them.

Chen Zui looked at Song Wen and said, “Oh, don’t be so nervous. This really isn’t a drug.”

Song Wen replied solemnly, “This may not be classified as a drug domestically yet, but it can be addictive and even deadly.”

He had seen cases related to this substance during his work in drug enforcement, so when Lu Siyu pointed it out, he recognized it immediately.

The drug enforcement agencies had even coined a new term for it, calling laughing gas “soft drugs” or “mild drugs.”

Indeed, there are currently no specific laws in the country to ban this substance. Laughing gas is only listed in the “Catalogue of Dangerous Chemicals,” and the general punishment for illegal sales is much less severe compared to other drugs.

However, the dangers of this substance can be even greater than some drugs. Its low price and easy availability make many teenagers think it’s less dangerous than drugs, lowering their guard.

In reality, this substance is not only addictive but also more accessible, often referred to by users as providing a “ten-second high.”

Once someone starts using it, it’s like falling into an abyss, with no way to stop. Mild cases can result in nerve damage, while severe cases can cause organ damage or even death.

It seemed that this shop had a significant amount of laughing gas, indicating it had been sold here for quite some time.

Chen Zui and his group repeatedly visiting the island might have been to indulge in it.

Song Wen hadn’t expected that this seemingly glamorous trendy cake shop was actually a covert spot for selling laughing gas.

Perhaps because there were fewer customers today, the pastry chef was openly providing laughing gas. Not only did he supply it to Chen Zui and Amy, but he also made no effort to stop them from giving it to the little girl.

It’s even possible that they regularly used old customers to bring in new ones, aiming to increase their profits.

Yang Ling, still smiling, said to the two students, “It’s not as serious as this guest makes it out to be. This substance can add bubbles and texture to drinks, and is used in coffee, milk tea, and as a cream foaming agent. It’s really just an ordinary thing, not that dangerous.”

Song Wen looked at him and said, “It’s not surprising to find this stuff in a cake shop, but openly providing it to customers for inhalation is illegal.”

Yang Ling raised his slender eyebrows and looked at Song Wen with a challenging gaze, as if a snake had bared its fangs. He said, “Are you a drug enforcement officer? If you are, I’ll go with you peacefully. If not, I suggest you mind your own business.”

Song Wen sneered and forcefully pushed the pastry chef onto the sofa, saying, “Whether I’m in drug enforcement or not, selling illegal items and being so brazen about it is unacceptable. Don’t you think it’s right for concerned citizens to take action?”

Yang Ling winced in pain and quickly changed his tune, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to cause any trouble. Let’s talk this over…”

As the commotion continued, Lu Siyu approached and stood at the door of the private room, holding a plate of cake, eating while observing the situation.

Given Song Wen’s skills, handling these people was no problem; he didn’t need Lu Siyu’s assistance.

The owner, Yan Min, finally emerged from the back and Lu Siyu stepped aside to let her into the private room.

Yan Min looked around and quickly grasped the situation. She first pulled Song Wen aside, offering a forced smile, “Please don’t be angry. It’s our fault, a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding.”

Then Yan Min pretended to be angry with Yang Ling, “Didn’t I tell you not to give these things to the customers?”

Only then did Song Wen release his grip. Yang Ling rubbed his sore shoulder and pointed to Amy and Chen Zui, saying, “It’s not like I wanted to… they asked for it…”

Amy ignored the argument and eagerly opened a silver laughing gas canister, inhaling it immediately.

In just a few seconds, she slumped onto the sofa. Her lips turned slightly darker, her eyes became hazy, and her expression was stiff for about ten seconds before she returned to her senses.

Amy smiled, looking up at the others and said, “See, it’s not a big deal. It’s really just something to help you relax. I’ve tried it many times before, and I’m perfectly fine.”

Afterward, her eyes narrowed as she glanced at Song Wen with a hazy gaze, “This artist, we know what we’re doing. We’re free to trade as we please. Isn’t it a bit excessive for you to interfere?”

“Yeah, drug use is something that should be controlled, but I’m just using laughing gas. Do you have to meddle?! Even if there are police here, there’s no law saying they can come and arrest us,” Chen Zui added, reclining on the sofa and also inhaling from a canister.

Yan Min hurriedly intervened, explaining to Song Wen and the others, “Well, this isn’t something we regularly sell at the shop. It’s just a special situation. Your meals will be served soon…”

“If there’s nothing else, I need to get back to work. I still have to serve you your dishes later,” the pastry chef said.

At this point, everyone’s attention was focused on Song Wen. He was about to say something…

When Lu Siyu’s cold voice came from behind him, “Song Yu…”

The girls, still inexperienced, couldn’t believe that someone who had been smiling at them just moments ago would now hand them something like this.

Song Wen said, “Don’t be swayed by their sweet talk. That stuff is highly dangerous and should never be touched. Laughing gas is somewhat similar to drugs in that it can cause rapid addiction; once you start, it’s very hard to quit.”

Qiu Lan quickly said, “With my willpower, I can’t even quit gaming. I know my limits and wouldn’t dare try it.”

Jiang Jiang, a bit confused, asked quietly, “Why are they selling this here? Isn’t there any oversight?”

Lu Siyu finished the last of the cake and said with a detached expression, “You can find this stuff online easily. Just search for ‘cream gas canisters’ and you’ll find plenty.”

Jiang Jiang asked, “What happens if they get reported here?”

Lu Siyu replied, “For physical sales of laughing gas, only if the quantity is particularly huge will they be sentenced. In Nancheng, a store sold over 300,000 units of laughing gas, and the main culprit only got a year in prison. Here, using a cake shop as a cover, even if drug enforcement comes to check and finds evidence, they’d just confiscate the goods and fine them at most.”

Jiang Jiang asked, “Can’t they be shut down or forbidden from selling?”

Lu Siyu said, “It’s difficult to crack down on secret sales…”

Jiang Jiang frowned, “Drugs can lead to the death penalty, but selling laughing gas seems so lax. The discrepancy is striking.”

Lu Siyu’s words were very realistic, and Song Wen knew that this was likely the outcome.

Feeling somewhat frustrated, Song Wen wiped his hands with a tissue. Just touching those items made him feel sick.

Then, Song Wen inadvertently looked up and saw the little girl sitting next to the private room, drawing. She was staring at them with her large eyes.

The girl was very close to the private room, and she undoubtedly heard the commotion earlier. Now, she blinked her large eyes, tilting her head, seemingly lost in thought.

At that moment, Song Wen felt a pang of sympathy for the girl. He thought about the drawings she had made, where everyone was happily holding balloons. But after seeing so much of this, she might already know that those colorful balloons aren’t necessarily good things and could hide greed and danger…

At this point, the meals began to be served.

Yan Min acted as though nothing had happened earlier. She placed the dishes down with a smile, saying, “There are fewer people in the shop today, and the oven is still baking cakes. I need to go check on it. If you have any issues, just call me from the back.”

After the recent events, the customers’ impression of the shop had diminished significantly. The fact that they were secretly selling illegal substances and had become a gathering place for enthusiasts was unsettling.

It seemed that the online ratings were likely manipulated by hired reviewers, aimed at deceiving unsuspecting visitors into coming here. Now, looking at the woman’s smiling face, it felt as though her smile concealed a hidden threat.

Once she left, Qiu Lan stirred the food in front of him with a spoon and whispered, “Do you think they might have added something to the food?”

For a moment, the exquisite food on the table seemed like a looming danger.

Jiang Jiang was startled by this and stopped holding her fork, saying, “No way… If these people are really that bold, then they might be selling more than just laughing gas here. Maybe even drugs. If they’re willing to skirt the edges of legality, they might push boundaries.”

There was some truth to this.

Teacher Su pondered and added, “We do have quite a few people here…”

Encouraging each other, they took a few bites. The taste of the food was indeed good, but they no longer felt the same level of anticipation, and it didn’t seem as appealing.

Song Wen, who had just argued with the staff, ate only a few bites.

Among everyone, only Lu Siyu was unaffected, calmly eating his dinner.

At this moment, the little girl who had been drawing packed up her things and left.

As the night deepened, the wind and rain outside intensified.

The meal was nearly over. Song Wen glanced at the time, which was just past six o’clock, and was about to ask the three from the school if they wanted to return to the hotel.

At that moment, the door to the adjacent private room suddenly opened. Amy staggered out, her red hair disheveled, crying out, “Help… Help!”

Everyone hurried over. The door to the private room was wide open, with music still playing inside. The table and floor were in disarray, littered with used silver canisters, densely packed.

Song Wen roughly counted and saw there were already several hundred, indicating that the two people had consumed a lot.

Chen Zui was lying on the ground, convulsing uncontrollably. His eyes were rolled back, and his whole body was in a contorted state.

Song Wen asked, “What happened just now?”

Amy, trembling and slow to react, carefully looked at the people around her before stammering, “I… I don’t know… He was fine just a moment ago.”

Lu Siyu then entered the room, his expression indifferent as he said, “It might be an overdose of laughing gas, causing brain hypoxia, or it could have triggered other medical conditions. Insert a spoon into his mouth to prevent him from biting his tongue, then try to straighten his body and keep him lying flat. As for the rest, it depends on his luck.”

He made a few suggestions but showed no intention of taking action, standing against the wall with a look of distaste.

Whether to save him or not was a dilemma.

Teacher Su rushed in first, bravely checking on Chen Zui’s condition on the floor.

Jiang Jiang, standing nearby, asked, “Teacher… should we help or…”

Teacher Su urgently said, “We need to try. This is a human life! Saving one person is worth more than building a pagoda. This young man is still so young; we can’t just watch him die here…”

Song Wen hesitated for a moment but decided to help. He had seen too much death and didn’t want this person to die in front of him tonight. He looked up at Qiu Lan and said, “Go and call that shop owner!”

Qiu Lan responded and hurriedly ran out to find help.

The so-called cake maker and the woman were nowhere to be found. The large Eden seemed to be left with only a few of them, the tourists.

Seeing the situation, Amy had become completely panicked, standing dumbfounded on the side.

Song Wen shouted, “Turn off the music!”

Amy, trembling, turned off the music, and the room finally fell silent.

Song Wen and Teacher Su held Chen Zui down and inserted a spoon into his mouth.

Jiang Jiang fetched a blanket from the side and covered him. Gradually, Chen Zui’s convulsions eased, though his breathing remained irregular, his complexion growing increasingly pale, and his lips turning purple.

Seeing that he had stopped convulsing, Song Wen removed the spoon from his mouth. Chen Zui reached out and grasped his arm, struggling to focus his eyes, and said in a halting voice, “Help… 120…”

Song Wen shook off his hand, saying, “What are you thinking? It’s a typhoon here, and we’re on an island. There’s no 120!”

The person in front of him probably didn’t even have a clear sense of where he was.