At the foot of small Tangshan, Fenxi River winds around the mountain.
Although its name contains “creek,” Fenxi River is actually a wide river that spans over ten meters.
The river flows slowly, is crystal clear, and is formed by the convergence of mountain springs. The fish in the river are particularly fresh with firm and delicious flesh.
As evening approached, the sunset hung on the edge of the sky, making the clouds as red as fire.
Near a bend in Fenxi River, faint wisps of blue smoke drifted upward.
Chen Mu sat on a low bamboo stool, pondering over a medical book.
In front of him was a large, irregular stone with a rectangular groove scooped out in the middle.
A wire mesh covered the top of the groove. The breeze from the river made the charcoal inside flicker with scarlet light, and wispy blue smoke escaped from the mesh, drifting toward the sky.
“It’s about time,” Chen Mu turned his head to look at the river bend not far away.
Innumerable fish with their white bellies up floated on the water surface, occasionally flipping twice, resembling drunken revelers.
The next moment, billowing black smoke wafted, and the fish suddenly vanished from sight.
The inside of the Five Ghosts Bag was immediately filled to half with fish tossed inside in the straight pit.
Chen Mu picked and chose, selecting eight fish with black backs and white lines.
This type of fish was a specialty of Fenxi River known as Silver Thread Fish. Commonly called Wu Libai by locals, they had few bones, tender flesh, and a remarkably delicious taste.
The other fish were all fed into the Five Ghosts Bag.
The following moment, two billows of black smoke appeared, one above the other, floating in front of him.
Chen Mu reached out and grabbed, and a Silver Thread Fish fell into the palm of his left hand.
A flash of dark light briefly appeared and was gone.
Sleeve Sword Technique!
Hisss!
Bright fish scales showered down, disappearing into the black smoke below.
The dark light flashed again.
Snap!
A cluster of bright red innards followed the scales into the black smoke.
On the river surface not far away, black smoke churned as scales and innards plopped into the water and scattered.
Immediately after, clear river water poured from the black smoke above, washing over the Silver Thread Fish, taking the bloody water with it into the black smoke below.
In less than twenty breaths, a Silver Thread Fish was completely cleaned, and the ground beneath was not contaminated at all.
Chen Mu proceeded in the same manner, and the eight Silver Thread Fish were quickly processed.
“Using the Five Ghosts Bag this way really fills one with happiness,” Chen Mu said with a proud smile.
Following the Five Ghosts Bag brand cleaning machine, range hood, and dishwasher.
Chen Mu had now developed a self-operating tap water system and kitchen waste bin.
“Five Ghosts Moving Mountain devours humans, Medicine Cultivator sacrifices Ghosts?”
“Tsk tsk… look at these local natives.”
“Their malice is too heavy!”
“Unlike me, a good person who’s keen on life, not easy to find!”
…
Sizzling…
With the meaty fragrance and white smoke rising, the honey glaze for roasted fish was sprinkled on, and the aroma suddenly spread.
“Let’s eat!”
The fresh and slightly salty flesh of the fish melted in the mouth, causing saliva to be secreted frantically.
“So satisfied!” Chen Mu’s eyes narrowed slightly, a look of enjoyment on his face.
His Third Rank culinary skills, after a month and a half, did not disappoint him.
Since he escaped the ordeal with the Iron Ring and successfully blended into the Laborer Camp, his daily life was regular but monotonous.
Wash vegetables, chop vegetables, eat lunch;
Wash vegetables, chop vegetables, eat dinner.
Day after day.
Chen Mu quickly adapted.
As long as it didn’t affect his Proficiency grinding, he could easily get through the day doing whatever.
“It’s just Uncle Seven’s cooking skills,” Chen Mu sighed.
The food in the Laborer Camp was described in two words: filling up.
But the taste… could only be said to have flavor.
Chen Mu couldn’t stand it after seven days: “I must start cooking my own meals!”
“It’s hard to adapt to frugality after experiencing luxury,” Chen Mu sighed. His palate had been spoiled by Third Rank culinary skills.
For this meal of roasted fish, he had been preparing for three consecutive days.
The wire mesh, charcoal, stone oven, and even the location he was in now had all been chosen with great care.
Heading east, he would be too far from the encampment to return in time.
Heading west, he would be too close to the encampment, which could easily lead to being discovered.
Chen Mu smiled proudly: “This place is neither too far nor too close, just perfect!”
He looked around and saw nothing but lush forests.
Only to the northwest, through gaps in the trees, could a glimpse of grey and white tents be discerned.
Paired with a little paper figure drifting above the trees, he would be able to sense any significant movement in the encampment in time.
If someone came along, they would be able to detect them at the first moment.
“It’s really not easy just for a bite to eat,” Chen Mu sighed.
“The only downside of a military camp is that everything has to follow rules.”
“You can’t just run around. Even setting up a private stove has to be done in secret.”
“Fortunately, I’ve found this secret treasure spot!” Chen Mu chuckled self-satisfiedly, “Safe now!”
“Young man, can we have two of your fish?”
“Pay up.”
A crisp voice suddenly rang out beside his ear.
Chen Mu: “…”
Why the heck am I so unlucky?!
He wished he could slap himself twice.
You can’t plant the flag!
Chen Mu turned stiffly and caught sight of a towering figure over two meters tall. Continue reading at M-V-L
The person was dressed in black, muscles bulging on his arms, thick and robust, comparable to the thighs of an average man!
The moment Chen Mu saw that valiant face, he was certain; this woman was more of a man than any man could be.
“Cui Cui?!” Chen Mu was filled with astonishment.
The maid of Miss Bai from the Bai Family?
The companion from Qingshan County on the way to Nanyang Prefecture?
Only then did he notice, standing beside her was a girl who should have been conspicuous but wasn’t.
Dressed in a green cross-collared short-sleeved dress, petite and exquisite, it was indeed the Miss Bai Miaojin he had met before.
Unlike her former composed and polite demeanor, her eyes now twinkled playfully and mischievously.
How could these two appear in the Tangshan Army camp?
Without time to think further, Chen Mu immediately put on a panicked expression of being caught red-handed and was quivering, too scared to speak.
“Young man, don’t be afraid, we’re not from the Tangshan Army,” Bai Miaojin teased with a look of playful revelation, smiling brightly, “Can you sell us two fish?”
Chen Mu tensed his muscles, letting his face turn red, then with a flicker in his eyes, he put on the shy look of a country boy who had just seen a beautiful girl: “No… No need for money.”
“Hehe…” Her crisp laughter echoed at the edge of the woods.
…
An hour later, Chen Mu tidied up the leftovers, grabbed his bamboo stool and iron net, wooden chopsticks and plate, and turned to run.
“Sun Dawang from the Logistics Army in Dingyou Camp, don’t forget to come for grilled fish tomorrow,” the crisp voice called out from behind, making Chen Mu run even faster.
“Hehe…” The bell-like laughter filled the woods again.
Chen Mu’s face darkened, and he felt utterly dejected.
All I wanted was to cook a special meal.
I was already so cautious to hide here, how could I still be discovered?
Being discovered is one thing, but how the heck did I get tangled up with them?!
After leaving the woods, Chen Mu put away the little paper figure.
“I was careless!”
He had only been keeping an eye on the camp’s direction, but forgot about Tangshan.
Bai Miaojin and Cui Cui had come down from the mountain.
“These two seem to be no ordinary people either,” Chen Mu narrowed his eyes.
Having practiced Shape Cultivation seven times, his physical condition was extraordinary, and his senses extremely sharp.
Yet, he had only detected them when they spoke, which spoke volumes about their strength.
At least their movement technique was extremely formidable.
Thinking of the robust body of the maid Cui Cui, Chen Mu’s heart skipped a beat.
Such a strong body combined with great movement technique? Wouldn’t that be like a high-speed iron ball?
A simple collision could kill a person!
“Trouble!”
Run? The thought jumped into Chen Mu’s head.
But then he shook his head: “It’s impossible to run now.”
After narrowly escaping the Iron Ring calamity and successfully infiltrating the Tangshan Army,
He hadn’t even moved north with the army yet, how could he run?
“Forget it, it’s just a couple more mooching a meal.”
It wasn’t the first time he had had his meal sponged off.
…
“Cui Cui, is there anything special about him?” the two-meter-tall muscular figure asked in an androgynous voice, devoid of emotion.
“He’s not annoying,” the petite and lovely girl grinned.
The muscular figure frowned slightly, “He’s wearing an iron ring.”
The petite and lovely girl still smiled, “He’s not annoying.”
The muscular figure turned away indifferently to look toward the woods at the figure stumbling in flight, seeming just like a naive country boy who hadn’t seen the world.
“Hmph, playing the pig to catch the tiger, acting pretty well!”
“Fun, right? Hehe…”