The bard fantasized again.

Chapter 232 Dinner and Rewards: The Mist Walker (4k views, please subscribe and vote)
"Why do you call me Sister Chenxi instead of Brother Tangqi? Do you think I can't handle these wild beasts?"

After Chenxi quickly dealt with the eight snake-chicken beasts, Tang Qi couldn't help but ask.

Once infused with energy, the [Arctic Power Armor] is practically a wall of steel; there's no need to deliberately dodge, the snake-chicken beast's teeth can't even scratch the armor.

For Chenxi, this was hardly a challenge.

"Otherwise—ah, of course not! Ambly just felt that if her brother wanted to help, he would definitely come over the moment he noticed the problem. No, he was just... um, testing Ambly!"

But Sister Chenxi is a paladin. Even if she knows my brother is testing me, she will definitely be unable to resist helping others when they ask for help!

After all, she was a girl who grew up around Catherine. Although she was usually a bit straightforward, she could still find a reason to defend Tang Qi.

So she didn't say anything like, "Anyway, in the end, it was Sister Chenxi who helped."

After all, Brother Tang Qi had said he would personally prepare the food from today's hunt, and Anbi didn't want to end up like 'the only person not invited to the party'—

While everyone else was happily enjoying their food, I was all alone, chewing on dry bread.

But Tang Qi couldn't help but tap the little girl's forehead with his knuckles:
"If you can't lie, then don't lie!"

"Woo!"

Who says they've already said everything from the truth before they remember to make amends?
Although he admitted that if he were facing eight snake-chicken beasts, he would definitely pat Chenxi on the shoulder and say something like "this is a challenge of one against a group" and continue to be the 'hands-off fat boss'.

So what are we having for dinner tonight?

The little girl rubbed her flushed forehead, still looking forward to the night—

Although Mr. Kru would season the wolf meat and rye bread, the dry, astringent taste remained unchanged.

Before setting off on her adventure, Catherine never skimped on her meals, so much so that she longed for the taste of home.

but……

Does Tang Qi really know how to cook?

Thinking back to the tavern in Xingmei Town, when they first met, he was so hungry that his legs were weak and he was kicked hard in the butt.

As if hearing her thoughts, Tang Qi proudly took out the 'treasure book' he had prepared earlier:
"After all, this is an ingredient you can't find in the Dawn and Dusk Forest. Let me see how to prepare it..."

He flipped through the pages of "The Sandalwood Forest Wilderness Cookbook," a gift from the mustachioed member of the Sandalwood Forest squad back in Deep Well.
"Sandalwood Forest Wild Game Stewed Chicken, that's it!"

"That sounds amazing!"

The little girl clapped her hands.
"Is there anything I can do to help, Amby?"

"If you know exactly where the venom sac of the snake-chicken beast is located, you can first drain its blood and then remove the venom sac."

Kuru, first set up the campfire, grill, and pot, then find some skilled helpers to process the chicken.

Iu, Iu, wake up! Go and rinse the green mushrooms that Anbi has collected these past few days, then soak them in a basin. Don't throw away the mushroom water—

What do you mean by not having hands? Can't you control the gravity around you? This isn't difficult for you. Don't be lazy!

And the dawn…

Chenxi immediately stood at attention, looking ready to show off his skills:
"I'm ready for the challenge of preparing a culinary feast!"

Although she doesn't even have a head and can't even eat, it doesn't diminish her enthusiasm for taking on challenges.

But Tang Qi quickly waved his hand:

“You’re a corpse, I wouldn’t dare let you touch the food—not even through the armor.”

But I need you to move those two idiots back inside, so they don't get left out to dry and accidentally break.

He pointed to the two stone sculptures, Shyvana and Hulker.

For snake-chickens, the greatest threat is the venom secreted from their venom glands—if you are unlucky enough to be caught by their long beak, then congratulations, you will receive 24 hours of petrification.

Who knows, maybe someone might like it? After all, for some people, only when they're petrified can they truly be considered hard.

Under Tang Qi's direction, preparations for a lavish banquet to commemorate 'leaving the forest' began in an orderly fashion.

The little girl accurately located the venom glands and, in less than half an hour, had processed the eight nearly two-meter-tall snake-chickens into chicken meat.

After Kuru lit the campfire and set up the equipment using his magical tricks, he found a goblin butcher who was good at chopping meat, and several goblin women.

After removing inedible parts and keeping each piece of meat as intact as possible, the women would then insert wooden skewers into the four corners of the meat pieces to secure the skin and meat.

Tang Qi would mix chopped mushrooms with tree sap collected from the forest, powdered rock oak, and butter he was reluctant to use, stirring it into a paste. He would then spread this paste between the skin and meat, place it on a grill, and bake it for the first round.

The skin of the snake-chicken beast is tough, and the temperature of an ordinary campfire is not enough to roast it thoroughly. Therefore, it needs to be heated with the [Colorful Ball], which is composed of Kuru flames.

During the smoking process, a pungent, peppery smell wafted over.

At the same time, pour the mushroom water soaked in Io, Xingmei wine, and water into an iron pot as a soup base, bring it to a boil, and then sprinkle a ring of rye flour on top.

Next, put the yellowish meat pieces into the pot, cover it, and cook for a second time. Every 20 minutes, use a wooden spoon to scoop out the brown scum.

On the third time, along with the potato-like rootstock and bell peppers that were dug up along the way, they were placed into the iron pot and cooked for about 30 minutes. Once all the vegetables had softened, fern leaves were added while stirring.

Finally, Tang Qi ladled the stewed meat out of the pot, turning it into a bowl of thick, fragrant wild game stew.

It had a slightly damp, earthy aroma and a rich, fruity fragrance.

"It looks and smells pretty good."

Tang Qi held the wooden bowl and was about to take a sip of the soup.
"It must taste good too."

He didn't actually follow the recipe strictly; it contained some of his own creations.

For example, if you have the ingredients, you can also add beef broth, onions, or similar ingredients.

Or perhaps potatoes and Sandalwood Gold wine should be added, instead of the crisper long thorn potatoes and Star plum wine.

However, these are all minor modifications. The cookbook clearly states that you can adapt to local conditions, and different ingredients will also reflect different regional flavors.

So he confidently put the broth and chicken into his mouth.

"How about it?"

Every helper who had done the work blinked their curious eyes and asked what the delicious-looking stew tasted like.

"tasty!"

Tang Qi's eyes lit up. He could see the man's cheeks bulging as he chewed chicken, his expression one of utter ecstasy, almost exaggerated.
"The first taste is a rich mushroom aroma, followed by a refreshing fruity flavor that is sweet but not cloying."

The meat of the snake-chicken beast is guaranteed to be juicy; the moment you bite into it, the juices seem to burst onto your tongue, carrying a slightly earthy, fishy taste, which ironically gives it a savory, pheasant-like flavor—”

He wiped away the tears from the corners of his eyes, forcing back a sob, and said...
"Damn it, the thought of having to eat bread and wolf meat again tomorrow after tonight makes me want to cry."

"Is it really that delicious!?"

Everyone eagerly served themselves stewed meat, their mouths agape with anticipation for the delicious meal, each one like an adventurer who had just emerged from a dungeon and was heading into a brothel seeking release—

"puff!!!"

They spat out the food in their mouths as if they had discovered that the women in the brothel were actually hairy, dwarf ladies.
"What is this smell!?"

The goblin butcher wanted to curse, but considering that the person in front of him was their tribe's prophet, he ultimately restrained himself from the impulse.

But long ago, he thought that humans were the race in the world that knew how to enjoy food the most.

Now, he only thinks that humans have pica.

In this seemingly appealing broth, there's a strong earthy taste, a pungent spiciness, the bitterness of fermented fruit wine, and chicken splattering with juices that look like a mixture of vomit...

It's like a piece of dog poop that embodies the most extreme flaws of all the ingredients.

Just one bite is enough to experience the deliciousness of rye bread and dried wolf meat.

Everyone turned their questioning gazes to Tang Qi, and seeing that he could no longer continue his act, he quickly spat out the food in his mouth, his eyes reddening with disgust.

They all asked in surprise:
"Don't you also think it tastes bad?!"

Tang Qi gagged while giving them a thumbs-up:
"Damn it, I can't be the only one eating this shit."

"Brother Tang Qi!"

"Rua!"

"My Lord Prophet!"

They tried to vent their frustrations through words, and Anbi even couldn't help but raise her little fist to slap Tang Qi's waist and abdomen.

But all the dissatisfaction ultimately turned into a unanimous "Ugh!" at the sight of the disgusting chicken.

Tang Qi finally recovered and flipped through the cookbook:
"So... if every step is correct and the ingredients can be clearly substituted, where exactly did things go wrong?"

He didn't think it was a problem with the recipes; after all, the food cooked by the Sandalwood Forest team in Deep Well was quite delicious.

"If it's not a problem with the recipe, then it must be a problem with the people involved?"

Tang Qi found it hard not to blame himself for everything.

"Let Ambi give it a try..."

The little girl raised her hand to volunteer.
“Ambi often works at the tavern, and Ambi can cook—definitely better than Brother Tang Qi!”

I never imagined that one day I would be criticized by the little girl who idolizes me the most.

But Tang Qi had no rebuttal and could only sigh:

"Shall we give Anbi a try?"

"Ambition can definitely do it!"

The little girl patted her chest and assured him,
"I guarantee this with my sister's reputation!"

Let's try a different dish this time, using the ingredients we have on hand: "Sandalwood Forest Wild Game Roasted Chicken"!

Two hours later...

"vomit--"

"Waaaaah, sister, I'm so sorry, Anbi will never lie again..."

Chenxi looked at the group of people who were vomiting incessantly while lying on the ground.

For the first time, I realized that not having a brain and being unable to eat might actually be a good trait.

Even Shyvana and Hound's petrification has become a good thing at the moment.

'With the right approach, blue cheese can sell like hotcakes,' right?

After vomiting again, Tang Qi finally succumbed to the stomach acid and gasped weakly for breath.

"Let's give up on 'The Sandalwood Forest Cookbook'..."

"Brother Tang Qi, what should we do with these vegetables?"

"We can't let it go to waste. Kuru, use [Magic Trick] to add some flavor."

"The seasoning is delicious!"

"My Lord Prophet, is this also a miracle bestowed by you?"

"I want another head."

"and many more."

Tang Qi suddenly pointed to the iron pot and began to give instructions.
"I've set aside two portions of stewed meat and roasted chicken; I'm going to put them in my dimensional bag to keep them fresh."

"Brother, you don't really have pica, do you...?"

"Do not."

Tang Qi kicked the two stone statues beside him.

"We can't be the only ones to taste this dog shit. Neither of these two idiots can escape it."

"..."

Looking at Tang Qi's upturned lips, the others felt that he resembled a devil with ram's horns on his forehead...

Wasn't the passage to the Nine Hells already closed?

From which crack did my master emerge?
Chenxi couldn't help but think.

Um? etc……

The passage to the Nine Hells?

As dawn approached and Tang Qi hesitated, he had already begun recording the details of this failed banquet.

He knew very well that this was just an unexpected interlude.

Neither resentment nor laughter can hinder the team's progress.

And so, after the tribe's cheers and rest, after the two stone statues began to vomit, after the "whooshing" sound of the horns...

The fog in front of us is gradually showing signs of thinning.

Despite the many setbacks along the way, they continued southward.

After traversing this vast and sprawling forest, we finally arrived at the boundary between the forest and the wilderness.

You lead your team through this forest and mist that has troubled people for thousands of years.

It is seen as a danger, an opportunity, and the embodiment of all mystery and enigma.

But in your eyes, it is a buried history, an eternal prison, a truth unearthed from the damp earth.

Yes, you have seen through the fog, you have understood the fog.

Now, you can become the mist.

You have acquired the feat 'Mistwalker':
You can always discern the nature, source, and direction of the fog.

You can cast the spell 'Ethereal Step' once without needing a spell slot, and you can only cast it again after you have fully rested.

If you have a spell slot of level 2 or higher, you can use that spell slot to cast the spell.

In a foggy environment, your "Stealth Step" will allow you to blend into the fog.

The fog effect lasts until it dissipates. During this time, you cannot attack, speak, cast spells, or take any damage.

Note: I'm out now, I'm in now, I'm out again, I'm in again!

As Tang Qi examined the words appearing in the log, he couldn't help but turn around to look—

The fir trees, taller than the watchtower, were still shrouded in mist, and the sunlight could not penetrate even a fraction of the gray-white fog.

For a moment, he felt as if he had changed something.

But that didn't change everything.

In that instant, he seemed to vaguely realize the responsibility that this journal had placed upon him—

The truth is just the truth.

Everything we see in the past and future may be forgotten as time goes by, but it will not disappear because of anyone's discovery.

He was a participant, but even more so, a recorder.

Perhaps it was precisely because his choice was so aligned with this responsibility that the decision was ultimately made to hand over the pen to him?

With these feelings in mind, Tang Qi finally turned around and faced the long-awaited sunlight—

November 3, 1000 of the Lost Calendar, Wild Wasteland, Sunny.

The first day after leaving the Dusk Forest.

The mystery of the 'snake-chicken beast' remains an unsolved enigma.

I could only add it to my 'to-do list' and hope that once I arrived in the sandalwood forest, I could ask the locals what the problem was.

However, failure itself can also be considered a novel experience.

Just as the sweetness of cream is certainly delicious and refreshing, the bitterness of dark chocolate has its own unique flavor.

Isn't that what travel is all about?

Everything we experience is part of the scenery along the way.

I'll accept it all, good or bad.

(End of this chapter)