Having decided to scam Zhao Kai into doing the manual labor work while he relaxed on the sideline, Xu Feng was ready to implement it.
'Don't blame me, Kai. I'm just a healer at the moment, but I'll make sure to show you why I'm going to become the strongest in the future as compensation.' Xu Feng exclaimed inwardly.
As he carefully approached the unaware Zhao Kai, who was still busy enjoying his food blissfully, he asked, "How's the food?"
"The food's amazing!" Zhao Kai responded joyfully. The food in the Divine World was just far too great. Their culinary skills are definitely more advanced than the real world.
"Heh, then do you want to know how to enhance the flavor even more?" Xu Feng suddenly inquired like a devil would do when wanting to tempt someone.
"We have a lot of monster corpses aside from the required material left. We could sell them for money, or we could cook them and enjoy another form of delicacy." He whispered very softly while revealing that monster corpses could be cooked.
Thump!
Zhao Kai subsequently dropped his utensil when hearing that they could cook the monsters they had killed.
"You mean the monsters are edible?" He asked in a hoarse tone, seemingly finding it very difficult to believe.
"Of course, they are edible!" Xu Feng rolled his eyes.
"Where do you think these people get their ingredients from in the first place? Naturally, it's from these monsters that we kill, albeit not the exact type but a similar kind."
Agitated, Zhao Kai felt like he had just explored another new content that he hadn't. His mouth trembled uncontrollably as his mind began to wonder about all the delicacies that they could cook from the monsters they killed.
Drools started appearing in his mouth as he flashed a silly expression.
Normally, Xu Feng would smack him for such an unsightly appearance, but not this time. This was precisely the reaction he was looking for.
"And do you know what could enhance the flavor further when cooking them?" Xu Feng questioned in a very mild tone.
However, to Zhao Kai, each and every word of his was like a thunderous storm, striking him at every inch.
His eyes lit up as he gazed at Xu Feng as if he was a deity and he was a follower, listening to whatever words he would say.
"Go on, Feng. Tell me what could enhance the flavor?" Zhao Kai pleaded, urging him to reveal the answer.
"Are you sure you want to hear it?" Xu Feng suddenly held a skeptical expression and asked in confirmation.
"Yes, absolutely!" With a firm and determined expression, Zhao Kai nodded his head.
"Hmm, but I don't want to. You're definitely going to be farming them repeatedly without a rest. It'll be bad for your health in that way." He refused adamantly, claiming it was for his well-being.
"Feng, that's not right of you." Zhao Kai stood up and continued, "How can you think that way when you are beside me. Just tell me what to do and remind me when it's time to rest. I'll listen to your command."
'Gotcha!!!' Within his mind, Xu Feng was already laughing like a devil in hell as he could have said to have captured Zhao Kai successfully into his cage.
Meanwhile, on the surface, he kept a reluctant expression on his face as he nodded, seemingly agreeing to his proclamation.
"The Ironwood Treant, which is one of our required materials, is a great source of creating a charcoal flavor in enhancing the food. You know about how wood-fired oven pizza is superior to gas oven pizza, right? It's a similar concept, but even greater." He explained gently.
As Xu Feng finished explaining, he realized Zhao Kai was already on cloud nine.
"Wood-fired oven pizza? Ahh, those pizzas are next level." Zhao Kai exclaimed, lost in his own imaginary world.
In the next seconds though, he snapped out of it and stared at Xu Feng with an enthusiastic look. "We need to find those Ironwood Treants now, Feng!"
"No problem, and it can be considered a training exercise for you as well in searching the enemy's critical flesh."
"Training exercise?"
"Mhmm, the Ironwood Treants are a stationary enemy with no offensive ability, but their defense is very high. It'll take a long time to even kill one of them."
"Hmph, then it's just doing DPS!" Zhao Kai sneered coldly. "And here I thought it was some difficult or ferocious monsters. I'll just shoot them till they die."
Smiling, Xu Feng nodded his head and clapped his hands. "As expected of our mighty Shadow Blade. Nothing can be challenging for him!"
"Of course la," Zhao Kai flicked his hair and made a cool pose, having zero shame of being praised.
Alas, if he knew he was being treated like a fool, who knows what kind of reaction he would have?
It was just a shame that Xu Feng was simply too meticulous and devious to make any slip-up in swindling Zhao Kai.
Zhao Kai could only blame himself and forever remain ignorant for having been played for a fool.
Sometime later, they arrived at the region filled with numerous trees within the Verdant Valley.
The Ironwood Treant looked no different than an ordinary tree, blending seamlessly into the forest.
Its bark was rough and dark, with ironwood veins subtly woven through its trunk. The branches and leaves swayed gently with the wind, making it almost indistinguishable from the surrounding trees.
Zhao Kai was rendered speechless when all he saw were trees.
"Just which one of them is the Ironwood Treant?" He turned to Xu Feng and asked, clearly unable to differentiate them.
"You can't differentiate them with just appearance alone. You're going to need to damage them and see the ripple effect." Xu Feng calmly explained, pointing at one of the trees.
"Shoot that one and you'll see what I mean."
Zhao Kai aimed and fired at the indicated tree.
The bullet struck the bark with a solid thunk, and instead of splintering like a normal tree, the surface rippled as if the tree itself shuddered in response.
Subtle cracks formed around the impact point, and a low, almost imperceptible groan emanated from within.
"Woo, look at this disguising tree pretending to be a regular tree!" Zhao Kai laughed heartily and commented.