"It's edible," Mu Qingyun explained calmly when she noticed the shocked expressions on the two men's faces.
"Just close your eyes and eat. Once in a while, it's necessary to change up the menu. You cannot expect to eat fish forever." She gave them a sidelong glance, her tone leaving no room for argument.
"How bossy," Yi Beixuan murmured under his breath as he lowered his gaze.
Su, standing beside him, sighed helplessly. Of course she was bossy—she had even forced him to practice martial arts. If that wasn't controlling, he did not know what was.
As soon as the seasonings hit the pan, a savory aroma wafted through the cave.
The scent was so inviting that both Xiong Ruoyou and Fan Xuanye opened their eyes at nearly the same time. Once they sat up, they realized there was a stranger in the cave.
"Who's that?" Xiong Ruoyou frowned, narrowing her eyes in suspicion as she stared at Yi Beixuan.
"He's Su's friend. Got separated from his team and is staying with us for the time being," Mu Qingyun replied softly as she continued cooking.
"Oh, I see. Hello." Xiong Ruoyou immediately greeted him upon hearing her explanation. Fan Xuanye nodded politely in acknowledgment as well.
"Time to eat." Fortunately, Yi Beixuan had his own set of eating utensils. Mu Qingyun distributed the food, and the group began to eat.
"This meat… I've never had it before," Xiong Ruoyou said between bites, clearly enjoying herself. "But it's really good."
"Insectoid." Mu Qingyun responded matter-of-factly.
Her words froze both Xiong Ruoyou and Fan Xuanye mid-chew. Their faces twisted in horror.
"What did you say this was?" Fan Xuanye's mouth was still full. He did not know whether to swallow or spit it out. He looked up at her, hoping—praying—he had misheard.
Mu Qingyun crushed that hope without a second thought. "It's insectoid meat. Specifically, from their outer shell."
Xiong Ruoyou was the first to react. She immediately started coughing and spat everything in her mouth back out.
Tsk. What a waste.
Mu Qingyun had not even managed to comment before Fan Xuanye followed suit, expelling the meat from his mouth as though it were poison.
"It is edible," Mu Qingyun said with an arched brow. It had been no easy task to kill that insectoid and slice through its hide while enduring the stench. These two were being incredibly ungrateful.
"You just said it tasted good," she added, observing their expressions that now looked like they had eaten dirt. "You both seemed to enjoy it before you knew what it was. If I had known you'd react like this, I would not have told you."
[Livestream Comments]
[Pfft, I can't stop laughing! Mu-ge's expression is priceless.]
[To be fair, they really were enjoying it a moment ago.]
[Seriously, that meat looked so good. I almost wanted to try it myself.]
[But eating something unknowingly and knowing exactly what you're eating are two completely different experiences.]
[Exactly. Once you know it's insectoid, your mind automatically conjures up the creature's image… It ruins the whole thing.]
[Stop, I'm getting vivid flashbacks. Just picturing an insectoid is making my scalp tingle.]
"I cannot do it. I feel sick." Fan Xuanye frowned as he gently set his bowl on the ground. The gleaming, oily white meat in the bowl glared back at him, stirring nausea.
"Same here. I'm sorry, Mu-ge, but I just cannot eat this. The moment I picture the insectoid's form, I want to gag." Xiong Ruoyou shook her head apologetically. She grabbed a nearby item to cover her bowl and block the sight of the meat.
"It's fine. If you cannot eat it, that's that. I'll catch some fish for you later tonight," Mu Qingyun said, lifting her gaze to glance at them both. Her voice was calm.
Hearing that, both Xiong Ruoyou and Fan Xuanye felt a twinge of guilt.
They had done nothing to hunt or cook, yet they were rejecting the food she had painstakingly prepared. They were starting to feel like freeloaders.
"Um… How about we help you catch fish tonight instead? You should rest." Xiong Ruoyou bit her lip and watched Mu Qingyun carefully for any sign of displeasure.
Mu Qingyun had no objections. She was not the type to take on unnecessary burdens. If someone else offered help, she was more than willing to accept it. "Fine. The two of you can go tonight. I will stay here and keep watch."
"Alright."
As dusk settled, the four left the cave. They split into two teams at the entrance—Su and Yi Beixuan went to fish, while Xiong Ruoyou and Fan Xuanye set out to hunt rabbits and birds.
"Turn off your livestream," Su said as he deactivated his own and glanced toward Yi Beixuan.
"Sending you to fish feels like such a waste of talent," Yi Beixuan remarked, shutting off his livestream device while playfully mocking Su.
Su shook his head. "It's not. This is simply using resources efficiently."
"Alright, fine. Efficient use of talent, then." Yi Beixuan turned his gaze to the sea. Electricity flickered in his right hand before he suddenly unleashed a bolt of lightning toward the water.
The immense electrical surge struck the shallow sea, instantly scorching the small fish into crispy husks.
Su stared blankly. "Are you out of your mind?"
"I thought I could just cook them with the lightning. Save you the trouble of grilling them later," Yi Beixuan replied sheepishly as he looked at the few burnt fish floating on the surface.
"You do realize those are charcoal now, right? Who's going to eat that?" Su glared, fists clenched. If he could, he would punch some sense into this so-called gentleman.
He always looked so refined—how could he be so irrational?
"Forget it." Su inhaled deeply. With a flick of his hand, his water abilities surged. Water from the seabed churned violently, hurling fish and lobsters into the air toward them.
"Gather them quickly and let's go." He frowned in annoyance and walked ahead a few steps. Suddenly remembering something, he turned back and said, "On the way back, hold onto me. I need to act weak and sickly."
"You need me to help you act? You were doing fine on your own before." Yi Beixuan picked up the fish and lobsters, carefully placing them in the corner of his storage pouch to keep them separate from his own belongings.
"Stop wasting time. Hurry up." Su gave him a cold, warning look.
Yi Beixuan rolled his eyes in frustration but did not argue further. After all, he had chosen to get involved.
Back at the cave, Mu Qingyun—now alone—also deactivated her livestream. She recalled the plant traces she had found previously.
That day, Bai Feifei had dug through a thick layer of dust and inadvertently exposed the roots of a deeply buried plant.
Mu Qingyun raised her left hand, which began to glow with green light. She pressed her palm gently to the ground, trying to awaken the traces of the plant beneath.
It was no use. Her energy was too weak.
Frowning, she began guiding her internal energy into her left hand, concentrating harder.
Just as she was about to release a stronger surge—
A soft rustling sound came from outside the cave.
Mu Qingyun's eyes snapped open. Her entire body tensed, and she stared warily at the entrance.
"Mu Qingyun? Are you in there?"