Chapter 27 — ILK Chapter 27

Lin Changli had been given the best of everything since birth. The most distinguished lineage, the most powerful Guides, the top-tier spiritual form, and a legion of invincible soldiers. But he was destined for a short life. As he grew, his spiritual form became more powerful, but also more prone to violent riots.

Eventually, following a catastrophic, induced riot that Lin Shuangxu and four other S-rank Guides could not soothe, he was suppressed and exiled to Black Tower Planet. His mother continued to send Guides, but it was futile; eventually, he was left to his own devices. Most of those Guides had been scared away; no one wanted to remain after witnessing the sheer horror of a Lin Changli riot.

Yesterday, Lin Changli had intended to scare Sang Ye away using his usual tactics. However, his spiritual form—normally restless and clamoring to break out—had been strangely quiet, crouching in his mental landscape like a frightened chick. This was the first time he sensed Sang Ye’s uniqueness. She simply stood there, not even releasing her mental power, yet she could make him feel calm.

Just as she was doing now.

If one looked closely at the footage of Sang Ye versus the woman standing here, her physical build was the same, but her features had subtly changed since arriving on Black Tower. The old Sang Ye had a softer face, her brow perpetually clouded with gloom—a beautiful but melancholic loner. The current Sang Ye, however, looked more heroic and vibrant, her eyes bright and resolute. When she was stoic, she radiated a cold hardness that warned others not to approach; when she stared, it was like a predator eyeing its prey. Sang Ye herself was very satisfied; the original owner’s powerful, trained physique paired with her own sharp aura made her look like a warrior not to be trifled with.

By last night, Lin Changli had already dug through her lackluster background and even gathered some "insider info" from his old subordinates. When she was sentenced to death, the families of the dead Sentinels were livid, fueling public outrage behind the scenes; they likely had a hand in the jury selection as well. Even then, the final vote for the death penalty had been a "narrow victory" by only a single vote. Guides were too precious; even military Sentinels were reluctant to cast a "death vote." The original Sang Ye truly had been short on luck.

He also learned that most of the base's Sentinels and doctors had already changed their tune regarding her. Humans were shallow creatures; the moment they found something beneficial to them, their attitude shifted instantly. He knew she had healed Wu Jianing’s leg, and it was impossible not to be curious. The Wu family matriarch, Wu Jinyue, was close with the Royal Family and one of the Empire’s five S-rank Guides. Wu Huansheng had served in his legion, and he knew they had sought help from his mother, Lin Shuangxu. Yet even with the combined power of two S-rank Guides, they couldn't touch Zerg toxins that had fully entered the bloodstream.

And yet, a minor B-rank Guide had triggered a limb regeneration. Their brief encounter last night had confirmed her special nature. He hadn't slept at all; through the wall, her room radiated a serene mental power that pulled at his spiritual form, urging him to get closer. It became so loud and annoying that he eventually took it out for a flight, letting the freezing sea wind calm it down.

…

By the time Lin Changli returned to his senses, the chocolate had cooled and set, and Sang Ye was slicing the cake. The chocolate aroma was rich. The cross-section showed the light brown of the sponge, the dark brown of the glaze, and the orange-yellow of the apricot jam. Unlike bread, the cake wasn't fluffy and hot, but the dense, cool texture had its own charm. Sang Ye also prepared some whipped cream to dip it in, neutralizing the richness of the chocolate.

She set the cake on the table, and Lin Changli followed her instinctively. Sang Ye checked the time; Wu Jianing was about to arrive for lunch. Lately, the girl reported for duty three times a day plus snacks, more diligent than anyone. As time passed, the adjutant had relaxed and stopped following her.

Sang Ye had promised Jianing Sweet and Sour Pork Ribs and Hot and Sour Chicken Giblets today. Now that there was an extra mouth to feed, her original portions were clearly insufficient. She didn't bother calculating an adult male's appetite, given these were people who could technically feel full on nutrient solutions.

She served half a cake to Lin Changli and hid the rest in the fridge. She couldn't let Jianing see it, or the girl would clamor for sweets and skip her meal. Just as she finished, a happy little figure appeared at the door with a pitter-patter of footsteps. Since Jianing learned to run, her happy sounds filled the base. The adjutant said Jianing had even run into General Asu’s room while she was sleeping and plucked a feather from the Gu-Eagle; no one stopped her, and the eagle didn't make a sound. In a base devoid of hope, Jianing was the only sapling growing toward the sun.

"I’m here!" Jianing carried a toy—a simulation gun her adjutant had made for her. Recently, they had started teaching her the basics of marksmanship. "Oh! Marshal, you're back! You were gone so long. Where did you go? What are you eating?" After welcoming Lin Changli, she asked the question she cared about most. Then she clung to Sang Ye’s leg like a koala. "I want some too! Just a little bit, just one bite!"

Under Sang Ye’s "I want to kill you" glare, Lin Changli leisurely took a bite. The chocolate was mellow and slightly bitter, which enhanced the overall flavor. The apricot jam was sweet, providing that incomparable satisfaction only sugar can bring. He looked at the jumping Jianing, and for a moment, a trace of darkness flickered in his eyes as if he were remembering something.

Sang Ye helplessly gave Jianing a small piece, and the child happily sat with Lin Changli, her pig-shaped ice cubes floating in a large cup of Pineapple Plum Tea. She looked like a satisfied little pig herself.

…

Sang Ye took out two more slabs of ribs, cutting them into pieces the size of a finger joint. She blanched them with the prepped ribs in cold water with scallions, ginger, and garlic to remove the blood. After draining them, she started the caramelization. Sang Ye preferred using rock sugar for a more "three-dimensional" sweetness. One had to be careful with the heat—too high and it burns, too low and it turns back into crystals.

When the sugar bubbled and turned a deep wine-red, she tossed in the ribs to coat them. Then she used her easy-to-remember formula: 1-2-3-4. One spoon of dark soy sauce, two of light soy sauce, three of sugar, and four of aged vinegar. Simple and foolproof. After the sauce coated every rib, she added water and let it simmer on low heat.

The sweet aroma mixed with the sharp scent of the vinegar filled the air. Behind her, Jianing was chirping away, asking endless questions that Lin Changli answered with surprising patience.

As the ribs simmered, Sang Ye turned to prep the chicken giblets. She found Lin Changli standing right behind her, staring into the pot. Jianing had been hoisted onto the island counter, her legs swinging. Sang Ye looked at him; he didn't look embarrassed at being caught. Instead, he smiled. "Can it be a bit sweeter?"

Sang Ye realized this man’s world revolved around "sweetness" since yesterday. She nodded. "I'll add some pineapple chunks later."

"Pineapple?" Lin Changli looked at his drink, pointing to the fruit at the bottom. "This?"

Jianing’s eyes went wide. "You can use fruit in cooking?"

Fruit in savory cooking was a "heretical" technique Sang Ye had discovered to enrich dish profiles. Pineapple for ribs, apples for beef—the fruit’s acidity neutralized the meat's grease and helped tenderize the tissue.

Sang Ye ignored the two gluttons and sliced the giblets thin. Offal like chicken hearts and gizzards were often dismissed by the elite as "dirty," and required heavy seasoning to be palatable, so few people ate them. She blanched them with ginger and cooking wine until they turned white to remove the "gamey" smell.

When she poured the water out, Jianing pinched her nose. "Eww, stinky!"

Sang Ye laughed. "It'll be delicious soon."

She stir-fried the giblets with ginger until the moisture evaporated, then set them aside. Sang Ye loved spice, and Jianing was just as adventurous, but fearing for a child's stomach, Sang Ye only added two Thai chilies. She added green and red peppers, sour bamboo, and garlic scrounges to the rendered fat to explode the aromatics.

The spicy, pungent aroma rushed out. Jianing sneezed several times and scrambled off the counter to hide behind the folding screen. Lin Changli didn't fare much better; as a "mature adult," he held back the sneezes but also retreated behind the screen to save face.

Hot and Sour Chicken Giblets only needs a few minutes; overcooking makes them rubbery. By the time they were done, the ribs were ready too. The sauce had become thick and syrupy, clinging to the spatula in an amber glaze.

The kitchen was a swirl of aromas: the heat of the giblets, the sweet-and-sour ribs, and the rich chocolate of the Sacher Torte.

Lin Changli, carrying the vertically-challenged Jianing, proactively scooped three bowls of rice. It was the only help they could provide.

As the food hit the table, Jianing shoveled a rib into her mouth. The amber sauce was translucent and sweet. The ribs were so tender that the meat fell away from the bone with a gentle tug. The layers of flavor—rich sauce, sharp vinegar, and savory meat—built upon each other perfectly.

"Wow!" Jianing cheered, devouring four ribs in seconds before targeting the giblets. The gizzards were crunchy, the hearts juicy and soft, and the livers rich with sauce. Paired with a mouthful of rice, the satisfaction was immense. She huffed and puffed from the spice.

When Sang Ye looked at Lin Changli, she noticed he was focused solely on the ribs. He tried one piece of gizzard and didn't touch the spicy dish again.

Sang Ye raised an eyebrow. So, he can't handle spicy food.