Chapter 54 — ILK Chapter 54

Medicinal Chicken Hot Pot (2)

The pot shimmered with the distinct yellow hue of chicken fat, a different but equally inviting lure compared to lard. The Three-Yellow chickens were only two to three months old—the pinnacle of tenderness. Once sliced into slender strips and dropped into the boiling broth, the cooking process took a mere five minutes.

Two chickens went in first; they would finish those before adding more to prevent the meat from becoming overcooked and tough. Then, in went the shiitake mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, slices of ham and red sausage, pork belly, and beef balls, all bobbing together in the aromatic steam.

Before the feast truly began, Du Yuan served everyone a bowl of pure chicken soup. Adding a dash of sweet vinegar made the texture silkier, removing any trace of gaminess and leaving only the wonderful blend of richness and sweet-tart zest.

A few minutes later, the pot reached a rolling boil. The chicken was at its peak; dipped into the sweet vinegar and sent into the mouth, it practically melted without needing much chewing. The vegetables were equally fresh, plucked straight from the fields with the morning dew of the dimension still clinging to them.

This meal clearly suited Lin Changli’s palate. He sat far away from Sireno, maintaining an air of blatant aloofness, but his bowl was filled to the brim with sweet vinegar. The chicken in the pot vanished at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Sireno, tasting "real food" for the first time, remained elegant despite his amazement. He showered Sang Ye with poetic praise, as if she had served him nectar of the gods. His voice was melodious and his compliments perfectly timed, leaving Sang Ye smiling and chatting with him animatedly. Even through the rising steam, Sireno’s beautiful face and flowery smile were strikingly clear—lovelier than even Du Yuan’s spiritual flowers.

Lin Changli had initially found the food delicious, but now he felt he couldn't swallow another bite. He frowned, staring at the bubbling ingredients, his expression calm but notably unhappy.

…

Du Yuan had sliced up a good amount of Feifei Corn, a treasure from her private collection. Originating from the "Feifei Mountain," these grains were soaked in the optimistic and sweet aura of the mythical beasts that lived there, resulting in a texture that was both exceptionally sweet and sticky.

She observed the group. Wu Jianing sat in her high chair, seriously gnawing on a chicken claw, her bowl filled with wings and drumsticks. It was an instinctual human trait to leave the best, tenderest parts for the children.

Rong Cheng, the "simpleton" of the group, was completely oblivious to the shifting atmosphere at the table. She downed a bowl of chicken soup with the gusto of someone drinking hard liquor and happily continued scooping up food. Meanwhile, Lin Changli sat beside her, radiating a faint gloom.

On the other side, Sang Ye and Sireno had moved on to discussing the customs of the Tide Sea. The Tide Sea tribe built their kingdom around Amoli, the largest natural island in the sea. The island served as their hub for land life and trade, while their cities sprawled beneath the waves.

"The Royal Palace is built within a grove of King Coral," Sireno described. "They grow in massive clusters, each forty to fifty meters long. We've turned the hollow centers into rooms and corridors, separated by iridescent mother-of-pearl. You must come as a guest; don't just stay at the base."

"But how do we breathe underwater?" Sang Ye asked.

Rong Cheng chimed in enthusiastically, "You don't need a suit! Just a 'Water-Resistance Terminal' on your wrist. The King Coral provides incredible amounts of oxygen. The terminal filters the water so it doesn't enter your lungs, letting you swim just like a mermaid!"

As the conversation continued, the conversation turned to why Sireno had sought help. His beautiful face darkened for the first time. It turned out the Tide Sea tribe suffered from mental riots just like the Snow Mountain tribe, but with a twist: their riots resonated with the ocean, triggering "Beast Tides."

Sang Ye was stunned. She hadn't realized there was animal life in the stars beyond spiritual forms. In the deep Tide Sea, minerals and biology had fused into new life forms—armored sea creatures that were powerful, dangerous, and sometimes even intelligent. Since they shared a common origin with the merfolk, they were susceptible to the merfolk's mental fluctuations. A Beast Tide was a chaotic rampage that only ended when the creatures' mental energy was exhausted.

Sireno’s sister, Isabella, the current Queen, had sensed the growing unrest in the deep and sent him to the base for help.

By the end of the meal, the chickens were gone. Sang Ye added Sweet Potato Vermicelli to the remaining broth. The noodles soaked up the soup and were tossed in the sweet vinegar—a perfect, savory finish.

"If I go there, your people will have to come ashore to eat my food," Sang Ye noted. She realized that providing semi-finished products was exhausting; she wanted to teach them some basic cooking so she could just provide the raw materials later.

Thinking of the processing plant, she glanced at Lin Changli. He was meticulously twirling vermicelli—his chopstick skills were improving rapidly. Their eyes met. To be fair, Sang Ye’s impression of him wasn't bad. He was sharp-tongued and eccentric, but he had saved everyone at the Snow Mountain and had been remarkably tolerant of her taking over his home. She just couldn't fathom why he was so hostile toward Sireno.

Before bed, Rong Cheng invited the ladies to the backyard hot spring. Sang Ye prepared a blueberry cake, a pot of hot cocoa, and iced lemon tea for the soak.

She sent a message to Lin Changli: I have cake and cocoa. Want some? Otherwise, I’m taking it all to the backyard.He replied instantly: I'll eat.Sang Ye set aside a portion, expecting to send it up via robot, but Lin Changli appeared at the kitchen door. Sang Ye, assuming he was too lazy to come down, had already changed into a thin, wrap-around bath towel for her trip to the spring.

Both of them froze.

Sang Ye’s cheeks were still flushed from her shower, her fiery hair damp and draped to her waist like seaweed. Her tear-drop mole stood out vividly. Her shoulders and arms, well-toned from her training, showed clear, healthy muscle definition. She looked like a ripe red apple—full of vibrant, overflowing life.

She looked nothing like the "Sang Ye" Lin Changli had seen in the court records. Or rather, they were clearly not the same person at all.