237: Roasted Rabbit Meat, the Beast Wants It, the Beast Gets It
As they ventured deeper into the forest...
The lively sounds of people gradually thinned out.
Not everyone could make it to the depths.
The dangers of the Gloomy Forest cannot be felt at the entrance.
Only when you truly step into its heart will you understand why this place is listed as one of the dangerous areas of the Northlands.
The first wave of attacks occurred at a fork in the road.
A swarm of Giant Jaw Ants, each the size of a calf, surged from underground.
A dense black mass, enough to make one's scalp tingle.
Their mandibles were serrated, capable of easily snapping steel, and their carapaces were so hard that normal attacks couldn't pierce them.
Several weaker Beast Tamers were startled.
Su Ningyu and Xu Jingyu didn't run.
Lucky Frog's [Evil Chihuahua] talent kicked in just as those Giant Jaw Ants swarmed close; they began to dry heave frantically and collapsed one after another onto the ground.
Coal Ball wove through the ant colony.
With every sweep of its two tails, it sent the struggling Giant Jaw Ants flying one by one.
Using its tails allowed Coal Ball to comprehend skills related to them.
This was also why Su Ningyu had it use its tails to attack more often.
On the other side, Xu Jingyu's two Dancing Peacocks provided support from the rear.
Dancing Peacocks can fly briefly.
Once the peacocks spread their wings, their feathers shot into the ants' vital points with the precision of needles.
Ten minutes later, the ant colony retreated, leaving the ground covered in insect carcasses.
Xu Jingyu wiped the sweat from his forehead, a hint of seriousness entering his gaze as he looked at Su Ningyu: "Your beast is very strong."
Su Ningyu took Lucky Frog off his head, checked its condition to confirm it wasn't injured, and placed it back. "Yours isn't weak either."
...
The campfire danced in the night, the orange-red light casting long shadows of the two men.
Night in the Gloomy Forest was even more dangerous than the day.
Hunters that sleep by day and come out at night were waking up in the darkness, pairs of eerie green eyes flickering amidst the tree shadows.
Roars rose and fell in the distance; some sounded as close as if they were in one's ear, while others seemed as far as the horizon.
"Let's find a place to rest."
Xu Jingyu stopped and scanned the surroundings warily. "Continuing at night is too dangerous; the Gloomy Forest at night is no joke."
Su Ningyu nodded.
He was hungry too; having walked all day, his dry rations had long since been digested.
Before long, the two followed a small stream to a relatively open clearing.
Beside the clearing was a small lake, its surface shimmering silver-white under the Moonlight, as calm as a mirror.
There were no thickets nearby, providing an open view that made it difficult to be ambushed.
"Let's stay here." Su Ningyu set down his backpack and pulled out several items.
A small pot, a few bottles of seasoning, a short knife, and a small bottle that Xu Jingyu didn't recognize.
Xu Jingyu was stunned for a moment: "You even brought these?"
"In wilderness survival, eating is a big deal."
Su Ningyu said without changing his expression.
He was too embarrassed to say that these things were actually hidden in Vivien Leigh's Mirror World, and the backpack was just a cover.
"Alright, I'll go get some food."
Xu Jingyu turned and walked into the woods, returning shortly after carrying a plump Horned Rabbit.
The rabbit was grayish-brown all over, with a pair of small horns on its head. It was twice the size of a normal rabbit, weighing at least ten pounds or so.
Beast: Big-Horned Rabbit.
Xu Jingyu skillfully prepared the Big-Horned Rabbit.
He looked up at Su Ningyu: "Su Ningyu, you're still a student, right? I feel like I've heard your name somewhere. Which school in the Northlands are you from?"
"I'm a high school student, and I'm not from around here. I'm from East County."
"East County?"
Xu Jingyu's movements paused for a moment, then he shook his head and sighed, "To dare to come to the Gloomy Forest in the Northlands alone while still in high school... you're really brave."
"When I was in high school, I didn't even dare enter the Northlands."
Su Ningyu smiled and didn't respond.
He was brave not because he didn't know the danger, but because he had the confidence.
Once the Big-Horned Rabbit was prepared, Su Ningyu took it and began roasting it over the fire.
As he turned the skewers of meat, he pulled the small bottle from his backpack, uncorked it, and sprinkled some pale gold powder onto the meat.
That wasn't any special Materials, just a Seasoning Magic Potion.
The recipe was found in the magic potion codex; it didn't improve strength at all, but in the gourmet food Domain—it could turn the mundane into the miraculous.
Instantly, a rich aroma exploded.
This aroma was multifaceted, the kind that made salivary glands secrete frantically.
The scent of meat, the scent of spices, and a hint of something indefinable.
A wonderful scent that brought to mind sunshine and fields of flowers.
The aromas intertwined and spread through the night breeze.
Xu Jingyu's nose twitched violently, and his eyes widened: "Heavens, it smells this good?"
Su Ningyu split the roasted rabbit meat in half and handed one half over.
Xu Jingyu took it, and without worrying about the heat, took a large bite.
"Mmm—"
His eyes lit up instantly, and with his cheeks bulging, he said indistinctly, "Salty, savory, and refreshing; crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with an indescribable fresh sweetness... It's delicious!"
Su Ningyu also took a bite and nodded in satisfaction.
The effect of the Seasoning Magic Potion was even better than expected.
Su Ningyu called out Lucky Frog and Coal Ball and gave them some as well.
Lucky Frog swallowed it in one gulp, its amber eyes narrowing into slits as its whole body went limp, letting out a satisfied 'Croak, croak.'
Lucky Frog: I'm dazed by the aroma!
Coal Ball ate in small bites.
Its tails swayed gently behind it.
After finishing a piece, it looked up, its amber vertical pupils staring at Su Ningyu.
Coal Ball: "Meow, meow~" (Not enough! Not enough! I want more!).
Before Su Ningyu could even speak,
Coal Ball's figure had already vanished from the spot.
Seconds later, several short rabbit cries came from deep in the forest, followed by a few more.
When Coal Ball returned, it had two Horned Rabbits in its mouth.
Behind it, three more were curled in its tails.
Five plump Horned Rabbits were piled neatly in front of Su Ningyu.
Coal Ball crouched beside them, looking at Su Ningyu with longing.
The expression clearly said: Master, Master, please, roast them.
Su Ningyu:...
What could he say?
He could only continue preparing the rabbits.
The beast wants it, the beast gets it.
What else could he do?
Lucky Frog crouched next to Coal Ball and croaked twice, as if saying, 'Good brother, well done.'
Coal Ball glanced at it, flicked its tail, and said nothing.
Another batch of roasted rabbits came out, the aroma even richer than before.
Several beasts buried their heads in their food; even the usually reserved Coal Ball was eating with great joy.
By the campfire, there were only sounds of chewing and satisfied purring, as harmonious as a painting.
Xu Jingyu watched from the side, dumbfounded, and couldn't help but give Coal Ball a thumbs-up.
Coal Ball looked at him and then looked away expressionlessly.
Xu Jingyu:... I was just looked down upon by a cat.
As the night deepened, the fire by the lake grew brighter.
Su Ningyu occasionally brushed a layer of Seasoning Magic Potion onto the roasting meat; with every brush, the aroma intensified.
Xu Jingyu's two Dancing Peacocks were also drawn by the scent; they flew down from the branches and landed by the fire, their necks stretching long as they peered toward the roasted meat, completely losing their previous elegant and haughty demeanor.
Xu Jingyu looked at his two 'fallen' Dancing Peacocks and sighed helplessly, just about to say something.
Suddenly, voices came from the woods across the lake.