Ultraman: It turns out this is the easy mode.

"Not bad." Cui Ming turned off the screen and walked towards the temporary kitchen that the base had specially set up. Unlike the usual war reserve storage room, the refrigerators here contained A5 Wagyu beef that had just been airlifted from Hokkaido, and the food containers held matsutake mushrooms picked that morning. Even the soy sauce used for seasoning was a special supply from a century-old shop. He rolled up his sleeves, cut the Wagyu beef into thick slices, laid the sliced ​​matsutake mushrooms at the bottom of the casserole, poured in broth, and simmered it. Before long, the rich aroma of meat mixed with the freshness of mushrooms filled the air.

Taro and Tregear had just returned, covered in smoke, when the aroma wafting from the kitchen made their mouths water. Seeing the two bowls of matsutake and Wagyu beef hot pot that Choi Myung had brought out, they both froze—the Wagyu beef glistened enticingly in the casserole, the matsutake mushrooms floated gently in the broth, and even the scallions sprinkled on top were neatly arranged. Taro was the first to rush over, taking the casserole with both hands: "Wow! Wagyu! Choi Myung, you're so generous!" Tregear raised an eyebrow, his fingertips touching the warm rim of the casserole, his teasing tone softening: "This victory celebration is quite grand, isn't it? Looks like our performance just now certainly caught your eye."

Cui Ming leaned against the doorframe, watching Taro engrossed in his meal, soup dripping from his lips. He glanced at Tregear, who was sipping soup with a spoon, his eyes unconsciously shining. He said calmly, "Next time, Taro, don't self-destruct twice so you can save your energy for more meat. Tregear, don't just stand there watching; the Wagyu beef in the pot won't just jump into your bowl by itself." Taro, his mouth full of Wagyu beef, mumbled, "Okay." Tregear chuckled, picked up a piece of Wagyu beef, and put it in his mouth. The barely perceptible warmth in his eyes was more obvious than the steam rising from the pot. The smell of gunpowder in the base hadn't dissipated, but the aroma of this pot of matsutake and Wagyu beef gave it a rare touch of warmth and comfort.

"Alright, you guys eat first. I still need to go back and cook for my family." Cui Ming wiped his hands and turned to leave.

“About this, Old Cui, I have to tell you something.” Torregia put down his spoon, looked at Cui Ming’s back, and said hesitantly, “Your family members are all…” He swallowed his words, his hesitant expression clearly indicating that he wanted to say that Cui Ming’s family members were not quite normal.

Cui Ming didn't stop walking, but glanced back at him, his tone as indifferent as if he were talking about someone else's business: "I know, but there's nothing I can do, the experiences are there." How could he not know the situation of those in his family? Having reincarnated for so long, he had seen far more bizarre and outrageous things than this, and had long since become capable of being his own psychologist.

With a mouthful of Wagyu beef still in his mouth, Taro asked slurredly, "Is there a problem with your family?"

Cui Ming didn't answer directly, but looked at the night sky outside the base, a hint of gentleness flashing in his eyes: "They all have their own hurdles to overcome, but it's okay." He paused, his voice softening, "I will take good care of them, just like you protect the Kingdom of Light, it's my responsibility."

Toregia raised an eyebrow, but didn't press the matter further. He simply picked up the spoon again, looked at the remaining Wagyu beef in the casserole, and suddenly smiled: "Alright, after all, they're your family. So you'll just have to do your best. But if you need any help, remember to call us for a hand. We can't expect you to be both the cook and the babysitter."

Cui Ming waved his hand, pushed open the door and walked out of the base. In the night, his figure quickly disappeared around the corner, leaving only the gradually cooling casserole in the kitchen and the casual chatter of Taro and Tregear.

Actually, compared to the family members who each had their own troubles, the ones who really troubled him were Frederick and Musashi.

These two are undeniably powerful fighters, capable of taking on a hundred men on the battlefield, and even cosmic monsters would retreat when their naval guns fire in unison. But in private, their clinginess is enough to make Cui Ming's scalp tingle. They're either pestering him to tell him interesting stories from the battlefield or dragging him to inspect the newly tuned main gun's firepower, wishing they could be by his side at all times.

What frustrated Cui Ming even more was their peculiar little habit—they always wanted him to call them "Mom".

Every time he heard this, Cui Ming couldn't help but think to himself, "Am I that kind of person?"

But often, the thought of complaining would barely cross his mind before he'd see the expectant yet slightly aggrieved looks in their eyes, and he'd always be unable to resist, whispering those two words. "Okay, I am!" Cui Ming sighed inwardly and quickened his pace home. He could almost picture Frederick and Musashi greeting him from either side as he opened the door, and that familiar question, "What should you call us?"

Shaking his head, Cui Ming couldn't help but smile faintly. Oh well, they're one of his own.

When Cui Ming pushed open the door, the first thing he saw was Camilla sitting on the sofa, engrossed in a book. Sunlight streamed through the window, casting a soft glow on her.

To be honest, if her former underlings saw this, they would go crazy—after all, in their minds, Camilla had always been irritable and aggressive, never before had she been seen reading so quietly.

"That Taro is truly terrifying, with that self-destruct technique." Camilla looked up, closed the book, and spoke with a touch of感慨 (gan3kai3, a feeling of deep emotion or reflection).

"Yeah, who knew they could train someone to have this kind of ability?" Cui Ming replied, taking off his coat and casually placing it on a hanger before heading towards the kitchen. "Miyuki, prepare this beef. I'll go cook later."

“Okay, Choi Myung-nii.” Aiba Miyuki’s voice came from the kitchen, crisp and efficient. She quickly took the beef to the counter and began to process it skillfully. After a while, as if she remembered something, she looked up at Choi Myung-nii: “By the way, Choi Myung-nii, the matter of those space kidnappers has been thoroughly investigated.”

"Okay, we'll pass the word down and prepare for the interplanetary capture." Cui Ming nodded. He had always remembered to help Bei Dao solve this problem, after all, she was Bei Dao's missing childhood sweetheart, and he couldn't let the cosmic kidnapper get away with it.

At that moment, Saeko Busujima came over and quietly helped prepare the seasonings at the counter. Her movements were precise and efficient, and she neatly arranged the various seasonings by category. It must be said that Saeko Busujima was a good woman. Apart from being a bit bloodthirsty on the battlefield, she was almost perfect in every other aspect, especially in this kind of home setting, where she always managed to keep everything in perfect order.

What a good woman!
compare to
"Miri, I was thinking of tidying up the bottles."

"Alright! Hehe! Cui! Want some snacks to go with your drinks?"

"Okay, eat later, save some room in your stomach."

"Oh, okay, I smell beef!" (End of Chapter)