Chapter 10

Chapter 10

The Command Unit's analysis was correct; not only had Ji Xinghai made such a judgment, but many official cadets had similar thoughts as well.

But their lives were not just their own; they were tied to countless people back home, so they dared not act rashly. Even with these thoughts in mind, many, after much deliberation, still suppressed them—on the scale of life, the interests of the country ultimately outweighed their own.

Of course, there would still be some who decided to take the risk, each with their own reasons.

But regardless of their thoughts, it wasn't suitable to immediately descend the mountain at this moment; they had to wait until nightfall. This period could be used for preparations. Such as finding food and water, setting traps, crafting weapons...

The cadets began preparing food, and many cooking fires rose on the mountain, white tendrils piercing through the dense forest towards the sky, like coordinates marking their locations.

The rice was cooked, a little hot, so Ji Xinghai set it aside to cool. He cleaned the iron pot, got up to pick green onions and dig out garlic from the small nursery outside, then fetched vegetable oil and clean mountain spring water, ready to stew a mixed mushroom soup.

Heat the pot, pour in oil, sauté slices of garlic and green onion until fragrant, then add sliced mushrooms and stir-fry before adding water to stew.

Mushrooms of this season were the most delicious, requiring just a pinch of salt to taste great. If there were chickens, cooking a pot of mixed mushroom chicken stew would also allow one to savor the taste of the season.

Gurgle, gurgle, bubbles emerged from the pot of mixed mushroom soup, slices of Gyromitra esculenta, Hericium erinaceus, matsutake... all rising and falling with the boiling water, steam misting his distinct eyelashes, hanging a string of tiny droplets.

Ji Xinghai watched the pot without blinking, judging the best time to remove it from the heat. His expression was more serious than when he chose the location of the treasure chest.

Those watching couldn't help but touch their stomachs, unsure if they were hungry or craving the food.

"At this late hour, I didn't expect to be watching 'A Bite of JiuZhou' in the scenario world. This must be the special gourmet edition."

"...It really looks delicious."

Although the people of JiuZhou under the planned economy could satisfy their basic needs, if they wanted to indulge in mixed mushrooms like Ji Xinghai, they could only move to the southwestern region, and it had to be a lightly polluted area. Otherwise, it wouldn't be 'A Bite of JiuZhou,' but 'Under the Coffin Lid of JiuZhou.'

After simmering for over half an hour, the mixed mushroom soup was removed from the heat. Ji Xinghai washed the iron pot, cracked two eggs to set aside, waiting for the pot to heat up before pouring in oil. Once the oil was hot, he poured in the beaten egg mixture, added green onion segments, and fried until done before removing it from the heat.

Next, he stir-fried the threads of dry-bark mushroom, a complex aroma akin to cured beef becoming richer during the stir-frying. When it felt right, he added the previously stir-fried eggs and rice, frying until the grains separated, each coated with eggs and dry-bark mushroom. Only then was the fried rice considered complete.

The golden fried rice was overturned onto a large bowl, speckled with brown dry-bark mushrooms. Inhaling deeply, it was as if he could smell the fragrance wafting from the deep forest of autumn.

It wasn't the scent of grass and trees, but the rich and complex aroma produced by the gathering of numerous ingredients.

In the smoky flavor of cured meats, a faint hint of mushroom fragrance lingered, irresistible and hard to resist.

"Is he really thinking about eating anomalous creatures?" The staff of the Command Unit, who had started working overtime, clicked their tongues at the video.

Due to the cadet's reckless actions, they had no choice but to simultaneously provide two backup plans. One, if Ji Xinghai was fine, everyone would be safe. Two, if Ji Xinghai was poisoned near death or even died directly, they would have to soothe public sentiment.

JiuZhou still had several unused exemptions, so they didn't have to worry about this anomalous disaster, but afterward, Ji Xinghai would certainly become a controversial contestant.

Foreign forces might take the opportunity to intervene, inciting public emotions. They had to consider all these possibilities.

Sigh, the workload was enormous.

"Hasn't Ji Xinghai's information been updated yet?"

"No, previously, everyone suspected that during those nine years, he hadn't been in a coma but underwent secret training. But from the surveillance footage sent and the family doctor's follow-up records, the possibility is low. He was indeed unconscious for nine years, which can also be seen from his physical condition."

The minister nodded. "Investigate further."

"It's not edible! No... but it looks so fragrant... it's an anomalous creature, an anomalous creature."

Inside the examination hall, a culinary show was still unfolding, leaving the pitiful audience jumping between 'the food is poisonous' and 'it looks really delicious.' They rationally knew that this thing couldn't be eaten, but it looked too appetizing.

The soup and fried rice were already on the table, and Ji Xinghai casually placed a few washed sweet potatoes and potatoes in the hearth to roast with the remaining firewood, sitting down on a small stool.

Picking up a ball of fried rice with chopsticks made from pine branches and putting it in his mouth, the audience had already covered their eyes in fright.

Hm?

Ji Xinghai revealed a rare look of surprise.

Delicious.

The aroma of dry-bark mushrooms was originally incredibly wonderful, the king of wild mushrooms in the hearts of Y-province residents. Yet, the dry-bark mushrooms in his mouth surpassed their original flavor. Ji Xinghai almost doubted that the oil he used to fry the rice wasn't ordinary peanut oil, but rather chicken oil after frying matsutake mushrooms.

Too fragrant, the soul-penetrating deliciousness brought him stimulation that ordinary food couldn't provide.

Ji Xinghai lowered his head and took a large bite, cherishing the bounty bestowed by nature.

Suddenly, with the food entering his intestines, wisps of strange power surged out from the food. It warmed his somewhat cold body like sunlight, alleviating the pain in his forehead.

His soul was vast and complex, squeezing his body as if it were a castle built of sand on the beach, collapsing at the first wave. However, after this strange power entered his body, this fragile shell seemed to gain a hint of resilience, allowing him to wield a bit more strength.

His head didn't hurt as much anymore.

Not a painkiller, but a treasure that could directly enhance his body and solve his short-lived predicament?

If there were more foods like this...

The figure of the masked man flashed through his mind, accompanied by a strong and uncontrollable appetite, as well as a stirring hunting instinct.

'That person, would he be even better to eat?'

Ji Xinghai's pupils dilated, making his eyes appear particularly dark.

The hunting dog at the door sensed something; it suddenly crouched on the ground, covering its head tightly.

"Did he eat it? Did he really eat it?" The timid viewers peeked through a gap between their fingers, wanting to know if Ji Xinghai had actually eaten it.

"He really ate it." Others told them this cruel fact—the young cadet who had just brought them joy had truly courted death and might soon perish.

"Why isn't he moving? Has the poison taken effect?"

Ji Xinghai lowered his head again, his bangs hanging down to conceal eyes filled with a beastly, cold desire. Mechanically, he opened his mouth, bit down, and ate mouthful after mouthful of the delicious fried rice that brought him warmth.

His memories from multiple lifetimes had turned him into a madman, robbing him of sleep at night and peace during the day. His body felt as if it was squeezing several souls, and when he closed his eyes, he could hear the sound of his shell cracking.

He didn't know when this body would break down completely, just like the last one.

"Not of our kind, their hearts must be different. Demons and monsters, what's there not to eat?"

"This is just your excuse, an excuse for self-indulgence. A person controlled by desires is nothing more than a beast."

"In this world, it's either you eat me or I eat you. If people don't act in their own interest, they'll be condemned by heaven."

"Uncontrolled desires are like a great flood, capable of destroying everything. You can't even control your appetite and murderous instincts, so how can you overcome this poison?"

Ji Xinghai's eating pace quickened, and by the time he finished the last bite, all arguments ceased. The empty bowl was gently placed down, and the chopsticks were neatly laid across it in a ritualistic manner.

A gentle smile covered his swelling desires; he had elegantly donned the guise of humanity: he wanted to live, to live long, and there was nothing outside of humanity that he couldn't consume.

Inside the examination hall, a bolt of thunder struck on a clear day. The abnormal examiners who had exited the hall peered out from different dimensions, looking at the map of the examination hall, but found nothing.

"I smell something special."

"Huhuhu... Suddenly, I have an exceptionally dangerous feeling, how exciting."

"The consumption of abnormal beings, seizing their energy for one's own use. Jiuzhou student Ji Xinghai awakens a special talent - Taotie, and obtains the talent's byproduct, the 'Taotie Food Canon.'

"Delicious things are ingredients, unpalatable ones are medicines, and those that can't be eaten are building materials. But I, eat everything." A strange male voice appeared out of nowhere. This voice was peculiar, low and hoarse, as if laughing but not quite.

"?" Ji Xinghai stood up.

He was surprised that the voice appeared without a trace. As for the name and this special talent, he had been called by this name through several lifetimes, as if these three characters were connected to countless mysterious worlds. And in each lifetime he had crossed over to, he possessed an uncontrollable, bizarre eating fetish.

The voice continued:

"All abnormal beings consumed by students will be recorded in the 'Taotie Food Canon.' Students can summon abnormal beings from the canon three times a day and command them, with each summon lasting no more than thirty minutes.

"Due to the special nature of his talent awakening, the 'Taotie Food Canon' has been additionally judged as a 'resource,' which can be shared with Jiuzhou."

"People of Jiuzhou share the supplementary volume of the 'Taotie Food Canon,' able to summon an abnormal being once a day, but it only appears as material without combat capabilities. If the material is unused, it automatically disappears after 24 hours.

"Items crafted using abnormal beings can enhance certain physical attributes, with the effects lasting thirty minutes, followed by a cooldown period of 24 hours."

In just a few sentences, too much information was revealed.

For example, the existence of 'Jiuzhou' outside, and the meaning of students being here: to obtain 'resources' that are shared with the nation.

Additionally...

A deep understanding flashed in Ji Xinghai's eyes.

'Special nature,' 'additionally,' he and his abilities were unexpected.

All 'accidents' enjoyed by the dominated are controllable from the perspective of the controllers. Following the principle that less trouble is better, that existence could have chosen not to let this accident happen, so why did it allow it?

This accident had no impact on this inner world; its influence was solely on the outer world. This influence bound his interests deeper with those of the outer Jiuzhou. Was this its purpose?

What did it want?

Whose interests were aligned with its own?

In the real world, Federation.

With a rustling sound, documents scattered across the floor. The Minister of the Federal Command, raging like a bull, pointed at the screen: "This is the lunatic you spoke of, the lunatic you said wasn't a threat? You're treating us like fools!"

The psychologist, drenched in saliva, silently lowered his head.

"What for? What does Jiuzhou deserve?!"

Roars almost echoed in the command centers of countless countries, except for the Jiuzhou command center.

The minister of the Jiuzhou command center used a slightly trembling hand to flick open a lighter. The flame wavered, taking several attempts before finally igniting the cigarette.

He took a deep breath, pretending to be calm.

Yes, he was very... calm!

"Help me make a call, yes, straight to headquarters."