Lena Grant, the infamous food critic, sat at her desk, staring at her computer screen with a mixture of excitement and trepidation. She had just received an invitation to review Bistro Inferno, the mysterious new restaurant that was all the rage in the culinary world. Lena's eyes narrowed as she read through the invitation. Something about it didn't feel right. The language was too flowery, the tone too eager. It was almost as if the restaurant was trying to seduce her, to lure her in with promises of culinary delights and exclusivity.Lena's instincts were screaming at her to be cautious. She had been a food critic for over a decade, and she had seen it all. The fake smiles, the over-the-top presentations, the desperate attempts to impress.But there was something about Bistro Inferno that drew her in. Maybe it was the rumors of the restaurant's supernatural cuisine, or maybe it was the enigmatic owner, Kae. Whatever it was, Lena couldn't shake the feeling that this restaurant was going to be different.She picked up the phone and dialed the restaurant's number. "Hello, Bistro Inferno," a smooth voice answered. "How may I assist you?""Lena Grant, food critic for the Daily Gourmet," Lena said, her voice firm and confident. "I'm calling to confirm my reservation for next Saturday night. I understand that it's the grand opening?"There was a pause on the other end of the line, and for a moment, Lena wondered if she had misdialed the number. But then, the smooth voice spoke up again."Ah, yes, Ms. Grant. We're looking forward to welcoming you to Bistro Inferno. We'll make sure to reserve a table for you at 8 PM sharp. And, of course, we'll provide you with our special tasting menu, featuring some of our most... unusual dishes."Lena's eyes narrowed. What did they mean by "unusual dishes"? And what was the real reason they were so eager to impress her?She thanked the voice on the other end of the line and hung up the phone, her mind racing with possibilities. She couldn't wait to see what Bistro Inferno had in store for her, she glee with an excited face. The night of the grand opening arrived, and Bistro Inferno was buzzing with excitement. The guests began to arrive, each one more elegantly dressed than the last. A doorman stood still coated in a black suit welcoming them in with high honor. Rien watched from the kitchen as they mingled and chatted, sipping champagne and admiring the restaurant's décor.Lena Grant, the food critic, arrived fashionably late, her eyes scanning the room as she searched for her table. Rien watched as she was greeted by Kae, who showed her to her seat with a charming smile.Sophie Patel, arrived late, her eyes scanning the room as she searched for Rien. She spotted him in the kitchen and made her way over, her heels clicking on the tile floor."Hey, Rien!" Sophie said, her voice warm and familiar. "I'm so excited to be here tonight. I've heard amazing things about this restaurant."Rien smiled, feeling a sense of relief at seeing Sophie. "I'm glad you could make it," he said. "But be warned, the food here is... unusual."Sophie raised an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued. "Unusual?" she repeated. "What do you mean?"But before Rien could answer, Kae took the stage, a microphone in hand, and welcomed everyone to Bistro Inferno."Tonight, we invite you to experience the culinary journey of a lifetime," he said, his voice dripping with charisma. "Our chefs have prepared a special tasting menu, featuring some of the most exquisite and unusual dishes you've ever had the pleasure of trying."The guests applauded, and the kitchen staff began to emerge with the first course of their dinner.The movement of how the chefs walked to each guest's seat was quite magnificent, orderly, and beautiful, Lena Grant admired it. "that meal serves as dessert for the main dinner, pls enjoy" he said with a calm face but a wide smile on his face.Rien watched as the guests took their first bites, their faces lighting up with delight and surprise.But as the night wore on, other dishes were served simultaneously in their order.Rien began to notice that something was off. He noticed when he directed Chef Elise to directly drop a portion of food on the table. Just then as he was about thinking he was delusional about it. One of the guests, a middle-aged man with a loud laugh, suddenly clutched his chest and fell to the floor.At first, everyone thought it was just a prank, but as the man's face turned blue and he began to convulse, it became clear that something was seriously wrong.The guests were in a state of panic, screaming and crying as they tried to get away from the dying man. Rien watched in horror as Kae calmly walked over to the man and knelt beside him.Lena Grant, the food critic, was the first to speak up. "Oh my god, what's happening?" she exclaimed, her voice trembling with fear. As the guests continued to panic and scream, Sophie grabbed Rien's arm, her eyes wide with fear."What's going on, Rien?" she whispered. "This is insane!", "I'm afraid our guest has had a bit of a... reaction," Kae said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "But don't worry, we'll take care of him. In the meantime, let's continue with the meal, shall we?"The guests were stunned, unsure of how to react. But as they looked around at each other, they seemed to come to a collective decision. They would continue with the meal, no matter what."It tasted so elite"And so, the night wore on, with the guests eating and drinking as if nothing had happened. But Rien knew that something was wrong. And he was determined to find out what it was.Rien, who had been watching the scene unfold from the kitchen, felt a wave of nausea wash over him. He had never seen anyone die before, and the sight of the lifeless body was making him feel sick. As the guests began to murmur and panic, Kae stood up and addressed the room. "Ladies and gentlemen, please don't worry. This is just a minor... setback. We'll take care of our guestsseemed and make sure that everyone else has a wonderful evening."But as Kae spoke, Rien noticed something strange. The body on the floor seemed to be... changing. Its skin was turning a strange shade of green. Just then before anyone else could view that, the body was already wrapped up by the doormen. Rien felt a chill run down his spine as he realized that something was very wrong. This wasn't just a normal death - something supernatural was at play."I think it's time for the Main course," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
"CHEFS!" He exclaimed with a loud voice which seemed to shake everybody off their seat, fear was in the atmosphere already. The guests looked at each other in confusion, unsure of what to do next. But as they looked back at Kae, they seemed to come under some sort of spell. They began to applaud, their faces fixed in a strange, trance-like smile. "Bravo," they chorused, their voices echoing through the room. "Bravo, Kae."
As Rien watched the scene unfold, he felt a wave of fear wash over him. What was going on here? And what did Kae plan for the rest of the evening?