"Are you listening to yourself? It's the apocalypse, and you're talking about prime cuts?"
"Ridiculous! There's no prime meat in the apocalypse. The Ox Spirit talent is rare as hell—if you've ever had real prime cuts, I'll take your last name!"
Everyone stared at Zhou Xun like he'd lost his mind. He'd always been quiet—why was he acting so strange now that the National Fortune Game had begun? Nonsense kept tripping out of his mouth.
A Yao hesitated, then reached up. "Zhou Xun, if you're lying… give me back the biscuits in your pocket."
Chen Xiao smiled. "Since everyone's full, I'll start eating." With that he pulled a massive table out of the Mountain and River Map—so big it spanned from one treetop to another. It landed with a definitive clang that shut the forest down.
They gaped. Camel nearly choked: "You're carrying a table this big?!" In Camel's experience, space talents were limited—storage was tiny, time flow inside was unstable—so where did a table like that even come from?
"Is he a space talent too?" someone murmured.
"No—didn't he awaken as a spider? His talent should be Space Reforging."
"Maybe he's had dual talents all along."
"Clearly he's got some storage skill—no wonder Chief An favors him."
The realization spread: Zhou Xun had another trick up his sleeve.
A Yao's eyes lit. "So you've been hiding this! Nicely done, Zhou Xun."
Chen Xiao grinned and produced a frying pan, bottles of seasoning—and even a gas tank. Then, impossibly, he withdrew a fresh, bloody filet mignon. The collective intake of breath was audible. Even Cao Linxuan sat up straighter, eyes fixed on the steak.
The cut's freshness came from the Mountain and River Map. Chen Xiao had discovered its special property: time inside the map was static. Put an animal in, and it wouldn't age. He'd tested it with a watch—no time passed. That let him carry delicacies no one could otherwise keep.
Sizzle—sizzle—sizzle.
As the steak hit the pan, fragrant steam curled into the night air. Everyone swallowed; the aroma overwhelmed them.
A Yao stood and leaned on the table. "Zhou Xun, the biscuits can stay… but this steak—"
Chen Xiao chuckled. "Don't rush. They're full—we can have our fill."
A Yao beamed and pressed his arm. "Yes!"
"Damn… beef jerky suddenly tastes awful."
"I regret eating so much! I haven't had steak since the apocalypse!"
"Stop daydreaming—you mocked Zhou Xun earlier. Do you think he'll fry you a steak?"
"Of course he will! We're Huaxia—mates in the game…"
A cold voice cut in: "No. Don't even think about it."
Chen Xiao's bluntness irked them. Refusing was one thing, saying it outright was another. They wondered how he'd survive—did he really believe clinging to A Yao would keep him safe? They tried to ignore the scent, but the occasional waft made mouths water despite full bellies.
Chen Xiao cooked two large steaks, sharing one with A Yao. They ate with obvious relish. A Yao praised him: "Zhou Xun, you're a genius!"
Chen Xiao blinked. "Hmm? Why that?"
A Yao leaned in, whispering, "Waiting until they were full before frying steak was brilliant! Otherwise they'd demand some, and we wouldn't have enough."
Chen Xiao laughed. "You misunderstand. I have plenty of steak—I just don't want to share."
Everyone: "…"
A Yao hadn't expected him to be so blunt—especially since she'd been whispering. He'd spoken loudly for all to hear. Was he always this tactless?
"Captain Cao, this—"
"Enough. Sleep."
Cao Linxuan pretended to close his eyes and meditate, though his heart raced. He tried not to sniff the air, but the steak was too fragrant.
The night passed quietly.
They set off at first light. By morning, a glint sparked in the distance.
"Holy—look! There's a flash over there!"
"Looks like an opportunity! Captain Cao, check it out?"
"Our strength can handle any trap—let's go."
"But what if it's a rule trap?"
They saw a bright white flash between the trees. Cao Linxuan ground his teeth. "Let's go see. With our strength, we'll have the advantage either way." A streak of lightning flashed as he moved, Yan Zhiyuan and Duan Nanyang close behind. The rest exchanged looks and hurried after them—now with a target, their pace quickened. Chen Xiao and A Yao, however, lingered at the rear, unhurried.
At the flash they found a glowing figure with twelve people standing neatly beside him.
"Maple Leaf Camp…"
"The one with the hat next to the glow—that's Morde!"