Chapter 47 — ILK Chapter 47

Tomato Beef Brisket Soup and Scrambled Eggs with Crab Stick & Shrimp

The sphere of woven branches rolled rapidly through the Parasol Tree forest. Inside, vines extended to wrap around the four women, securing their waists and padding the backs of their heads with thick layers of soft flowers, providing both shock absorption and fall resistance.

Generated by the spiritual forms of Sang Ye and Du Yuan, the sphere overflowed with a continuous supply of mental energy. Asu Ment, the most severely injured, saw her breathing gradually stabilize. It was fortunate that S-rank Sentinels possessed such formidable physical constitutions; otherwise, that puncture wound would have been fatal on the spot. However, the healing was painfully slow, especially for the abdominal wound. Although the radiation source was gone, its lingering effects remained. Luckily, the Gu-Eagle had been retracted in time, so her life was not in immediate danger.

Due to her damaged combat suit, the wound had frozen, which slowed the bleeding but caused her lips to turn a bruised indigo from hypothermia in a short amount of time.

Once the sphere rolled to a flat area and unraveled, Sang Ye peered through the gaps and observed that the massive upheaval behind them had vanished. They were surrounded by a vast, white void. Sang Ye, unfamiliar with the Snow Mountain, had no idea where they were. Looking at the shivering Asu Ment, she focused her mind; parasol trees erupted from the ground once more, weaving together to block out the wind from all sides, leaving only enough holes for ventilation.

A temporary treehouse was formed. In the enclosed space, the temperature began to rise, but it was far from enough. Sang Ye rummaged through her storage ring and finally found what she was looking for: Phoenix Wood. This was the companion tree of the Phoenix clan; it burned at an extremely high temperature and could warm the entire treehouse in minutes. She used a torch from her combat pack to ignite it, and heat finally began to fill the space. She carefully contained the fire to prevent it from burning down their shelter.

Keliu helped Asu Ment into a new combat suit to regain lost body heat. Du Yuan sat nearby, gently beginning a mental channeling; countless Duo-Ruo flowers bloomed in the snow around her. Since Du Yuan was an A-rank close to S-rank, she should have had no trouble channeling an S-rank Sentinel, but Asu Ment refused to let her in. Her eyes held a deep-seated alertness, a defensive wall built over many years.

Du Yuan sighed helplessly. "General, let me in to channel you. You will recover much faster."

Asu Ment remained unmoved. Recalling what Su Mo had told her about Asu Ment’s past when she first arrived, Sang Ye could guess why. Even at the Snow Mountain base, Asu had refused mental channeling from her own biological mother.

Keliu, feeling helpless, could only feed Asu some mental recovery agents, hoping her spiritual form would recover on its own. However, Asu did not reject the spiritual food. This method of energy infusion did not require entry into her mental landscape, making her feel safe.

…

Sang Ye always carried portable cookware and ingredients for emergencies. It wasn't the time for gourmet cooking, but she didn't hesitate to use the high broth she had stored—the kind saturated with Shifang Grotto’s spiritual energy.

She diced tomatoes, onions, and potatoes. After greasing the pot with lard, she sautéed the tomatoes until they became a thick, pulpy paste. She added the high broth and heated it until the entire pot turned a deep, viscous red, radiating a tart aroma.

The tomatoes she used were a synthesis from a Senior Sister’s dimension—a place that was effectively a giant crop laboratory. This variety was a mango-tomato hybrid; it was as large as a mango and carried a faint mango fragrance. It was sweeter than a normal tomato, requiring no extra paste for flavor, yet lacked the overwhelming cloying sweetness of a pure mango. It was perfect for Tomato Beef Brisket Soup.

She added the blanched beef brisket and let it simmer. Keliu, who had seen many supplies come through the base, was still amazed by the sight. With the broth and tomato juice providing all the seasoning, the only thing left to add was a handful of cilantro and chopped scallions at the end. Beef and lamb were "strong meats" capable of rapidly boosting mental energy and blood circulation. While they were considered "inflammatory" foods in traditional medicine, Sang Ye knew the constitution of a Sentinel could handle it.

For the staple, she made Scrambled Eggs with Crab Stick and Shrimp over Rice. The crab sticks were semi-finished products she had made at the base. Though they had “crab" in the name, they were actually made of cod meat processed to mimic the firm, bouncy texture of crab.

She used low heat and lard to melt a small chunk in the pan. The secret to "sliding eggs" was the movement; the moment the egg mixture bubbled and began to set in the center, she slid the edges toward the middle. This produced eggs that were tenderer than usual, almost like a soft-boiled yolk. She added the shredded crab sticks and large shrimp, which only needed a quick sear.

Sang Ye’s skill was so refined that the scrambled eggs formed a single, silky sheet, which she draped over the fragrant white rice. Topped with black sesame and black pepper, it was incredibly savory.

…

While Sang Ye cooked, Du Yuan had managed to pull Keliu over for a channeling session. "Oh, your mental landscape is a mess—it’s like an eight-treasure porridge," Du Yuan complained like a mother while tidying up the items within Keliu's mind.

Keliu’s face flushed with embarrassment. "Don't look too closely."

The Sentinels on Black Tower were generally respectful toward Guides, but most Guides were equally aloof. While Sentinels couldn't choose their assigned Guides, they were incredibly lucky to have someone as warm as Du Yuan.

The effects of the mental grooming and spiritual food were immediate. Keliu’s wounds healed at a visible speed, and the side effects of the radiation were washed away. Du Yuan proudly showed off her results to Asu Ment, but the General simply looked away, choosing to let her wounds bleed rather than accept the help.

Keliu took out a signal flare, peered cautiously through the thick vines, and fired it ten times into the sky. The red flashes exploded above the snow with sharp cracks. This could bring rescue—or the enemy. They couldn't stay here forever; they had to gamble. As long as Asu Ment recovered somewhat, they could stand a chance even if Brian caught up. This decision was a silent agreement between the two veteran soldiers.

As Sang Ye announced that dinner was ready, Asu Ment looked visibly relieved. They sat on the ground around the pot.

"Wow! Sangsang, your cooking has improved again!" Du Yuan praised.

The Tomato Beef Brisket was divine. The beef was tender enough to melt in the mouth, perfectly fused with the sweet and sour tomato juice, while the tendons provided a satisfying chew. The Scrambled Eggs with shrimp and crab sticks exploded with umami in the mouth. Mixing the beef broth into the rice created a perfect, comforting meal.

By the end of the meal, everyone was radiating heat. Sang Ye’s mental energy had seeped into Asu Ment through the food, repairing her wounds and driving out the radiation. The Gu-Eagle calmed down. Asu’s puncture wound closed rapidly. As she rolled up her sleeves, Sang Ye noticed that her wrist had nearly been severed earlier, hanging only by a thin layer of flesh—yet it had regrown entirely. S-rank strength wasn't just about the volume of energy, but the precision of its use.

Suddenly, a faint sound of footsteps came from outside—so soft that a careless person would have missed them. Asu Ment and Keliu instantly tensed, their bodies coiled for combat.

Outside the treehouse, two small hands gently parted the vines. A small, red-frozen face appeared in the gap. It was a little girl, roughly the same age as Wu Jianing.