I was just fishing, how did I become a Great Old One?

Koprulu Sector, Char Planet, Second Floor of Underground Mine, Acid Lake.

The underground world, though not as scorching as the surface, is filled with a different kind of oppressive danger.

On the enormous cave ceiling, countless luminous fungi grow, illuminating the dark green acid lake below in a sinister and terrifying way.

On the lake shore, several giant cockroaches (Roach) were lying on the shore.

They were enormous, each as large as a main battle tank. Their backs were covered with thick, metallic chitinous armor. Six thick legs, like hydraulic jacks, supported their heavy bodies.

"Gurgle... gurgle..."

They are drinking water (acid).

This liquid, considered highly toxic on the earth's surface, is the best nutrient solution for them.

……

Probing attack.

"What a huge turtle!"

Sun Wukong (shrinks his body and hides behind a rock) looks at the cockroaches and scratches the back of his hand.

"This thing looks much sturdier than the previous springtails."

"I, Old Sun, will go and test its quality."

After saying that, Wukong flashed and transformed into a golden light, rushing out.

"Take this!"

The golden cudgel, carrying immense force, slammed down on the back of the nearest cockroach.

"when!!!"

A loud bang.

It's like striking a giant bronze bell.

The cockroach was hit and sank down, its carapace on its back instantly dented and even cracked open, splattering purple blood.

"hiss--!!!"

The cockroach, in pain, let out a roar.

but.

next second.

A shocking scene unfolded.

At the deep, bone-revealing wound, purple granulation tissue writhed wildly like countless tiny snakes.

"Sizzle sizzle—"

Only three seconds passed.

The wound... has healed.

Even the cracks on its shell have healed, making it shiny and new again.

"Holy crap?"

Wukong's eyes widened.

"This monster... knows magic?"

"That's outrageous! My old Sun's stick can flatten a mountain!"

……

Nezha's attempt.

"regeneration?"

Nezha didn't believe in superstition.

"There are limits to regeneration!"

"Watch me burn it to ashes!"

Nezha rode on his Wind Fire Wheels, flew into the air, and spewed out Samadhi True Fire from his Fire-Tipped Spear.

"call--"

The cockroach was engulfed in flames.

"Hiss hiss hiss!"

The cockroach struggled in the fire, its shell crackling and burning, its exoskeleton charred.

but.

As soon as the fire subsides even slightly.

Its powerful vitality will erupt instantly. The charred skin and flesh will fall off, and new, tender buds will immediately grow.

It burns while it grows.

It's practically like... exploiting a bug.

"No!"

Nezha put out the fire, slightly out of breath.

"This thing consumes too much mana!"

"Unless you instantly reduce it to ashes, it's practically impossible to kill!"

……

Fight back.

Enraged, the cockroaches began to fight back.

They didn't rush in for a melee.

Instead, it opened its mouthparts, which were full of mucus.

"puff--!!!"

Streams of high-pressure acid sprayed out like high-pressure water guns.

"Be careful!"

Tang Sanzang (the cyber monk) activated his Golden Bell Shield to block in front of him.

"Sizzle—"

The acid splashed onto the golden bell shield, producing puffs of white smoke.

"My lord, this acid is even more corrosive than the previous exploding insects!"

"This monk's shield can only last for one minute!"

……

Jiang Li's observations.

Just when everyone was caught in a fierce battle.

Jiang Li remained calmly hidden in the back.

His gluttonous eyes were wide open, staring intently at the regenerating cockroaches.

He was observing.

Observe the mechanism of that regeneration.

"The law of conservation of energy is the cornerstone of the universe."

Jiang Li muttered to himself.

"Regeneration requires energy."

"Their energy source..."

Jiang Li's gaze fell on the acidic lake.

Whenever they are injured, they instinctively stretch their legs or tails into the lake.

"I see."

"This lake... is their wet nurse."

"They absorb the chemical energy from the acid and convert it into regenerative bioenergy."

"As long as we sever their connection to the lake..."

"The regeneration rate will slow down."

……

but……

Jiang Li did not order the water source to be cut off.

in contrast.

A strange, extremely greedy smile appeared on his face.

That smile sent a chill down Er Gou's spine.

"Woof... Boss, the way you're looking at me... it's like you're looking at a buffet!"

"Ergou, you've become smarter."

Jiang Li patted Er Gou's head.

"Isn't this just... a buffet?"

"And also..."

"The kind with unlimited refills."

Jiang Li stood up.

He twirled the Occam's razor in his hand.

"Great Sage! Nezha!"

"Follow my orders!"

"Don't even think about killing them!"

"What a waste to kill him!"

What we need to do...

"Yes... captured."

……

[Deep Blue Live Meat Storage Capture Project Launched]

Step 1: Cut off the escape route.

"Nezha! Use the Universe Ring!"

"Set up a cordon along the lakeshore!"

"Don't let them go into the water!"

"good!"

Although Nezha didn't understand, he did as instructed. The red Hun Tian Ling transformed into a wall of fire, separating the swarm of cockroaches from the lake water.

Step 2: Precision strikes (deweaponization).

"Great Sage!"

"Stop hitting its back! The shell is too hard!"

"Shoot them... at their jet nozzles!"

"It's that gland in the mouth!"

"Smash it! Make sure it can't spray acid anymore!"

"receive!"

Wukong shrunk in size and nimbly crawled under the cockroach's belly.

"Take this!"

The golden cudgel was precisely aimed at the cockroach's lower jaw.

"Snap!"

A crisp sound.

The cockroach's spray glands were shattered.

Although it can regenerate, it has become a dud for at least these few minutes.

……

Step 3: Binding and bleeding.

Take advantage of the moment when the cockroach loses its ability to attack.

Jiang Li rushed forward.

He spotted the largest cockroach (an elite monster).

"It's you."

"My...meat warehouse number one."

A cold glint flashed in Jiang Li's hand.

It didn't hit the vital point.

Instead, it severed the motor nerves of its six legs.

"Thump."

The giant cockroach collapsed to the ground, not dead, but unable to move.

All it could do was howl in anger.

"Stop yelling."

Jiang Li patted its thick shell.

"From now on, you will be a tenured employee of mine."

"I will give you the best treatment (meaning there will be plenty of acid water)."

"As long as you..."

"Deliver the meat on time."

……

Step 4: Verify the hypothesis (infinite meat).

To verify his idea.

Jiang Li conducted an experiment on the spot.

He raised the razor.

Point to the hind legs of this immobile cockroach (where there is the most meat).

"brush!"

One slash.

A thick thigh, covered in purple muscle, was cut off.

It weighs several tens of kilograms.

"hiss--!!!"

The cockroach cried out in pain.

The granulation tissue at the wound site was wriggling wildly.

Just one minute.

A new, slightly thinner leg... has grown.

"Perfect."

Jiang Li picked up the severed leg.

Feeling that heavy weight.

"Although the newly grown leg is a little weaker."

"But as long as the nutrition is adequate."

"This is... an inexhaustible supply of meat."

……

Step 5: Establish a breeding farm.

Under Jiang Li's command.

With everyone working together, they did the same to the remaining cockroaches.

Smash the jet nozzle and sever the motor nerves.

Then they used the Hun Tian Ling (Nezha contributed a section of the ling) to tie it into a rice dumpling.

They were dragged into a natural stone pit.

Jiang Li even dug a small ditch to divert the water from the acid lake into the pit.

"Let them soak."

"Maintain regenerative capacity."

"This is our... [Deep Blue First Breeding Farm]."

……

Food identification: Cockroach leg meat.

The crisis is over.

The breeding farm was established.

Next comes the most sacred moment for a chef—tasting.

Jiang Li held the cockroach leg that had just been cut off.

They walked to the makeshift stove (Nezha was in charge of starting the fire).

"Ergou, come here."

"Woof? You want me to try the food again?"

"This time it's good stuff."

Jiang Li cut open the carapace on the leg.

The flesh inside was exposed.

Unlike the sour and tough meat of springtails.

The meat of a cockroach... has a pinkish color.

It has a fine texture and is elastic.

Moreover, because it has been soaked in acid for a long time, it has a... faint sour smell.

No additional vinegar is needed.

"This kind of meat..."

Jiang Li pressed it.

"It looks a lot like... a bullfrog."

"And it's the kind of bullfrog that's been bodybuilding."

……

Cooking method: Simple boiling.

To test the original flavor.

Jiang Li didn't add too many seasonings.

Slice directly.

Place it in boiling water (previously distilled water).

Blanch for ten seconds.

The meat slices changed color and curled up.

fish out.

Dip it in the [cricket hot and sour sauce] you made earlier.

Put it in your mouth.

"Um……"

Jiang Li closed his eyes and chewed slowly.

"So tender!"

"slip!"

"bomb!"

"There is no unpleasant odor, only a faint... mineral fragrance."

"And because of its rapid regeneration and extremely high cell activity, it tastes...very delicious."

"It's simply... top-notch."

……

"real?"

Wukong also came over and picked up a piece.

"Um?!"

"This stuff...is even more tender than dragon meat?"

"Cook, you're amazing!"

"How can those disgusting insects taste like this?"

"This is called...seeing through the phenomenon to the essence."

Jiang Li said with a smile.

"The uglier a creature is on the outside, the more likely it is to hide its essence inside its body in order to protect itself."

……

Camp construction.

There is a stable water source (underground lake).

With an unlimited supply of meat (cockroach farm).

With a powerful seasoning (crab-infused hot sauce).

This underground mine instantly transformed from hell into... heaven.

Alice.

Jiang Li gave the order.

"Notify the higher-ups."

"Drag the Treant down..."

"The ground is too hot."

"We need to take this place..."

"Build our... [Deep Blue Outpost]."

"and……"

Jiang Li glanced at the cockroaches that were soaking in the puddle and trying to grow their legs.

"Now that we have such good ingredients..."

"Could we consider...?"

"Open a... restaurant?"

Even on this desolate planet.

"I also want to make... the Deep Blue Cafeteria's signboard..."

"Turn it on."