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

Chapter 305 Braised Pork Bamboo Shoots with Oil and an Extremely Crispy Texture

Koprulu Sector, Planet Char, Underground Level 2 - Deep Blue Outpost.

The Deep Blue Squad and the Tyrann Miners, laden with their spoils, returned to their underground camp in a grand procession.

The two wrecked vulture vehicles were piled high with shimmering blue crystal ore. Meanwhile, the massive mechanical bucket of the SCV (Chef Type) was filled with a full shovel of thick, white, ivory-like Lurker spines.

"Ouch... be gentle, be gentle."

Nezha sat on Er Gou's back, still clutching his calf. Although the wound had scabbed over thanks to the self-healing ability of his lotus incarnation, the psychological trauma of being stabbed right through him remained.

"Those cunning old bastards from underground."

Nezha stared at the severed spines, gritting his teeth.

"It's even harder than my Fire-Tipped Spear."

"Just you wait, I'm going to chew you all up!"

……

Food preparation: An upgraded version of the needle-removing method.

In the center of the camp, a giant Zaun chopping board was already in place.

Jiang Li stood in front of the chopping board, holding a two-meter-long lurking spine with a large piece of muscle tissue still attached to its end.

"Class is starting, everyone."

Jiang Li spoke to the onlookers (especially Swann and Tex, who were responsible for assisting him).

"Lurkers, as a higher evolution of Hydralisks, have a very special spine structure."

"When we used to eat spiny snake skewers, we used the 'needle-pulling method' to pull out the small bones from the meat."

"But this time..."

Jiang Li tapped the thick spine, which made a crisp "clang" sound.

"It's the other way around."

"The flesh... is inside the bones."

……

[Knife Skill: Butcher Ding's Skill in Dissecting Bamboo Shoots.]

Jiang Li twirled the Occam's razor in his hand.

Instead of making a direct horizontal cut, he followed the side of the spine and found an extremely fine bone suture.

"This is its growth line."

"Just like the husk of a bamboo shoot."

"open!"

Insert the tip of the knife and pry it open gently.

"Crack!"

A crisp cracking sound.

That incredibly hard outer layer of calcified bone, which even a Gauss rifle couldn't penetrate, actually cracked open like peeling a banana.

Jiang Li grabbed both sides of the crack with both hands and tore it open with force.

"Sizzle—"

Accompanied by the sound of a layer of white fascia being torn apart.

The thick outer shell was completely peeled off.

It revealed the inside... a crystal-clear, milky-white core tissue that was still trembling slightly.

It looks like both a giant white asparagus and a pulled-out dragon tendon.

The surface is covered with a thin layer of mucus, emitting a fragrance that blends seafood and minerals.

……

"This is called...meat bamboo shoots."

Jiang Li cut off a small piece and handed it to Swan.

"Want to try some? It's raw."

Swan took it with some skepticism and put it in his mouth.

"Crunch."

The bearded dwarf's eyes widened instantly.

"Oh, my God!"

"This is so crispy!"

"It's like chewing... a mixture of cartilage and pear!"

"And it's so juicy! This water...tastes salty?"

"That's right."

Jiang Li explained.

"The lurkers lie in wait underground for a long time. This fleshy bamboo shoot is responsible for sensing the vibrations of the ground, so it has an extremely rich nerve supply and a very crisp texture."

"At the same time, they absorb underground minerals and have their own natural salt content."

"It's simply...a gift from nature."

……

SCV's debut: Braised pork with bamboo shoots.

After peeling a large pile of "bamboo shoots".

Jiang Li turned his gaze to the newly modified SCV (chef type) – [Wok Flipper No. 1].

"Alice, are you ready?"

"Always be prepared, boss."

Although there was no one in the cockpit of the SCV, the lights on the instrument panel were flashing wildly, and the huge mechanical shovel was already poised to strike above the two-meter-diameter iron pot.

"This dish is all about... high heat, plenty of oil, and vigorous stir-frying."

Jiang Li gave the order.

"Take it off the heat! Heat the oil!"

……

[Deep Blue: Heavy Industrial Cooking - Launch]

Step 1: Persuade them to give up easily.

Jiang Li went all out this time, pouring in a whole barrel of refined springtail fat oil.

SCV's welding torch in his left hand emitted a high-temperature blue flame, instantly turning the iron pot red-hot.

Oil fumes rose.

Step 2: Oiling (to lock in moisture).

"Pick the bamboo shoots!"

Jiang Li poured all the bamboo shoots, cut into chunks (each piece as big as a brick), into the oil pan.

"Splash—!!!"

A tremendous explosion echoed through the cave.

SCV's mechanical shovel began to flip things over wildly.

"Zzzzzzzzz—"

The bamboo shoots quickly caramelize on the surface in the hot oil, forming a golden-brown crispy crust that locks in the internal moisture.

Thirty seconds later.

"fish out!"

With a flick of the SCV robotic arm, the bamboo shoots flew precisely into the oil filter.

……

Step 3: Caramelize the sugar (the soul of the process).

Leave some oil at the bottom of the pot.

Add a handful of [Abyss Rock Candy] (Jiang Li's stock).

Simmer over low heat until the sugar turns a deep reddish-brown color.

"Introduce the ingredients!"

Scallions, ginger, garlic, star anise, and cinnamon (although these are substitutes, they are made from a certain dried fungus and spice minerals).

Sauté until fragrant.

Step 4: Braise in oil.

Pour the fried pork and bamboo shoots back into the pot.

Add [Terran Military Soy Sauce] (scavenged from the Hercules' mess hall).

Add a spoonful of [Exploding Insect Strong Sour and Spicy Sauce] (to enhance the flavor).

Finally, pour in a bucket of purified acid lake water (enough to cover the ingredients).

"Put the lid on!"

"Simmer for ten minutes!"

The SCV actually extended a huge metal cover from behind (it was a tank hatch), which fit perfectly over the pot.

……

The agony of waiting.

Those ten minutes felt like an eternity to the onlookers.

As the broth in the pot thickens.

An intensely rich, savory aroma began to waft out from the gaps in the pot lid.

It's a flavor that's... the richness of braised pork, mixed with the sweetness of seafood and the fresh aroma of bamboo shoots.

"Gurgle..."

Er Gou's drool was practically flowing like a river.

"Woof! Boss, are you done yet?"

"I heard the meat in the pot calling to me!"

Nezha, ignoring his leg pain, lay on the table, staring longingly at the large pot.

"This tastes... even better than dragon tendon!"

Even the god-race hidden blade Mohanda couldn't help but reveal himself, standing in the corner, his two nerve bundles swinging wildly.

"This energy... is so... tempting."

……

Remove from the pot and taste.

Reduce the sauce!

"Open the lid!"

"boom!"

With Jiang Li's command.

SCV lifted the lid of the pot.

A column of white steam shot into the sky, heading straight for the cave's dome.

In the pot.

The originally white bamboo shoots have now turned into an enticing bright red color (soy sauce color).

Each piece was coated in a thick, glistening broth.

"Out of the pot!"

SCV swung its shovel.

A huge plate (really as big as a washbasin) of braised pork and bamboo shoots was placed on the table.

……

[Dish Name: CharStar - Braised Insect and Bamboo Shoot in Oil]

[Level: Heavy Industry Private Kitchen]

[Taste: The first bite is a rich, savory sauce, followed by a satisfying crunch when you bite into the crispy skin. The meat inside is tender and juicy, like the tenderest bamboo shoots, yet with the satisfying flavor of meat.]

[Benefits: High in calcium and protein, helps repair bones (Nezha is overjoyed).]

……

"Time for revenge!"

Nezha was the first to rush forward.

Pick up the largest piece of bamboo shoot.

"I'll teach you to stab me!"

He took a vicious bite.

"Snap!"

The crisp sound resounded throughout the venue.

"Ugh!!!"

Nezha's expression instantly changed from anger to... ecstasy.

"crisp!"

"It's so crispy!"

"And this sauce...it's perfectly balanced between salty and sweet! It completely masks that earthy taste!"

"It's so delicious I could cry!"

While shedding tears of emotion, Nezha frantically stuffed food into his mouth.

……

A wild celebration among the crowd.

Sun Wukong didn't hold back and grabbed directly.

"Hey, this thing is even crisper than the peaches from my Flower Fruit Mountain!"

"It's salty! A perfect match for drinks!"

Unfortunately, there was no wine, so we could only have sour soup.

Tex and his Marines ate without even looking up.

"Sir! This is ten thousand times better than the Federation's synthetic steak!"

"I'd be willing to mine ten more tons of ore just for this one taste!"

Mohanda also got a plate.

Although he had no mouth, he placed his hand on the bamboo shoot.

"This...structure...is so perfect."

"The ultimate transformation of carbon-based life."

A green light flashed, and he absorbed all the energy in the plate.

……

Tickets for the ruins.

They ate and drank their fill.

Everyone's physical strength (and mood) have reached their peak.

Jiang Li wiped his mouth.

Looking at Mohanda, who was sitting in the corner, still savoring the "bamboo shoot energy".

"Master Mohanda".

"I've finished eating."

"Let's get down to business."

Jiang Li pointed to the metal cavity that had been created by the earthquake in the mining area, leading underground.

"You're saying that's... the land of prophecy?"

"Yes."

Mohanda stood up, his figure becoming faintly visible again.

"That's a temple left behind by Xel'Naga."

"My mentor Zeratu prophesied that the key fragments to end this war were hidden there."

"but……"

Mohanda hesitated for a moment.

"That entrance... is sealed by the gods."

"Only those with pure spiritual energy can open it."

"Pure psionic energy?"

Jiang Li was stunned for a moment.

He glanced at Wukong (demonic power), Nezha (celestial power), Tyx (stimulants), and Ergou (chaotic power).

It seems like none of them are related to "pure".

"Then what about me?"

Mohanda shook his head.

"My psionic energy is void energy, which is incompatible with that seal."

"Forcing it open will cause an explosion."

……

An unexpected key.

Just when everyone was in a dilemma.

Alice (the AI projection), who had been quietly eating on the sidelines, suddenly spoke.

"Boss."

"Based on the component analysis of that 'bamboo shoot' just now by SCV."

"The core of the Infiltrator's spine contains a special... crystalline structure."

"This structure is 99% similar to the Protoss's Khaydarin Crystal."

"What?"

Mohanda suddenly turned around and stared intently at the remaining piece of bamboo shoot on the table.

"Kedarin Crystal?"

"Could it be...?"

"These insects... evolved these spines because they absorbed leaked energy from above the temple over a long period of time?"

……

Jiang Li's eyes lit up.

He picked up the last piece of braised pork with bamboo shoots.

"In other words..."

"This bamboo shoot... braised in oil and coated in sauce..."

"Could it be... the key to open the temple?"

……

Verification time.

The group returned to the hollow in the center of the mining area.

Jiang Li held the piece of bamboo shoot.

Standing before that metal gate engraved with divine runes.

"Open Sesame?"

no response.

"Alice, serve the food!"

Jiang Li stuffed the piece of bamboo shoot directly into a groove on the door (the groove was originally for crystals, and it was just the right size to fit a piece of bamboo shoot).

"Sizzle sizzle..."

The sauce on the bamboo shoots seeped into the runes.

Followed by.

That piece of bamboo shoot actually... glowed.

The blue light pierced through the bright reddish-brown color of soy sauce.

"Buzz—"

The heavy metal door slowly opened with a loud bang.

It revealed the inside... a deep, dark passage shimmering with starlight.

……

The entire room fell silent.

Tex's mouth dropped open.

"My God..."