78 4.2 The Land of A Thousand Smiles (2/2)

A short distance away I saw a sidewalk vendor whipping her dish of fried rice on her pushcart. It would normally cost 15 to 30 baht and had complimentary ice-cold water on their water dispenser that was self-service. Their cups, however, were not disposable so... Let us try to eat and drink without getting diarrhoea whilst in this body of Aroon.

So I ordered a plate of steaming spicy fried rice known as ”kaw padd” and seated myself at their makeshift table which was part of their pushcart and a red plastic stool. She quickly turned up the flame over her enormous wok and with the oil simmering, she poured the contents of the main ingredients such as pieces of pork, shrimps, sliced shallots and garlic with a pinch of kaw prikk or chilli padi into it.

Chilli padi is like the tiniest version of the red chilli's but the spiciness is at another hellish level. If it goes awry into the windpipe you can expect the person to convulse from it. Yeah, the person was me when I first tried it to gobble my food down.

Within minutes the scent of the freshly fried rice arrived before me and it was such a glorious mix of seafood and meat amidst the thinly sliced vegetables and garnishing with a sunny side up egg on top of it. I soon dug in and finished it while it's hot. What a simple gastronomical trip after being transmigrated into this body. I soon paid up and walked back to my office building.

There was a pack of soft pack cigarettes in my breast pocket of my shirt. It was Line brand and held 20 sticks that cost around 35-40 baht per pack. Not going to destroy my lungs anyway; so I gave it away to the elderly security guard at the entrance.

”Nah... Here are some cigarettes.”

”Thank you, Aroon. You stopped smoking already?”

”Yeah, I think it's best to stop now. One pack can give me a plate of fried rice anyway... Better to eat rather than smoke, right?”

”Ya... Ya... Sure, I'd smoke for you. If you think if quitting, you can buy cigarettes and pass it to me the next time... Hahahaha”

The security guard laughed and spat on the floor before extending his hand to accept the seemingly full pack of Line brand before I cursed under my breath what a bastard he was asking me to buy him ciggies with the fact of me trying to quit.

I headed back to my little hole of an office behind the rows of tables. I switched off the damn air-conditioning and swung the idling windows wide open; letting a draft of sea breeze into my space and turned the oscillation regular to the maximum for the ceiling fan. Now, things are looking a bit brighter than the initial Transmigration to this body I'm occupying right now.

A few scattered papers were fluttering on my table due to the circulating wind from the ceiling fan and I saw the heading ”Special Paranormal Investigation” or SPI. Things gonna be interesting and as I read the papers on the table, it indicated that a group of paranormal investigators had engaged us to take down documentary pieces of evidence through visual unedited photo and videography.

”Hey...!! Is this a coincidence fact that I had a Third Eye from my 1st series that was awakened by the Old Master from New Hope Village? Wah eh... Powerrrrr..i could make full use of this added advantage!”

I thought to myself that I realised my following Transmigration had something to do with what the path of fate had brought me. Third Eye and my Gathering Chi that I had last upgraded. I wondered if there was any progress in my meditation and gathering of internal powers. Also, this equipped me with the arts of self-defence awareness on the second series.

***Spoiler alert***

I deduced that there won't be any fighting against any villains or the use of internal spiritual strength against similar nemesis too. Plus I don't think the keris that could never kill, just like the Tessaiga that was own by Sesshomaru from Inu Yasha would suddenly reappear anytime in this dimension.

**********

After learning much about the contract by SPI that had been met earlier before, a knock rapped at my closed door and from the tinted glass of the partition, I saw one of my working colleagues was with a young lady aged somewhere in the early '20s.

”HunNaa, the narrator is here... Should I send her in right now or let you finish up what you are doing...”

My office colleague opened the door a crack and his head peeked in as he saw me arranging the papers on the table.

”Send her in immediately... And could you get us 2 bottles of green tea? Don't worry, I'd pay you back after meeting her... Thanks, pheurn.”

I motioned with my hand to let the narrator entered my office as I slowly rise from my chair to welcome her.