Chapter Four: There Is No Chef in the Freezer

[UNLOCKED: BASIC RULE ANNOTATION. ONCE PER DAY, ADD UP TO FOUR CHINESE CHARACTERS OR FOUR ENGLISH WORDS TO ONE ZONE RULE.] The faceless chef swung again. Zhou Ran added four red words after Rule Four: EXCEPT AFTER YOUR SHIFT. Twelve forty was the freezer chef's quitting time. Its apron fell away. The cleaver struck the floor. The creature crumpled like paper and vanished through the freezer-door seam. The seven missing people regained their faces. Cai Qing opened her eyes. “Dad,” she whispered, “don't let them bring the train here.” Old Cai embraced her and wept until his knees failed. During settlement, the kitchen map illuminated. A freight elevator descending below the restaurant appeared for the first time.