Chapter 65: A Culinary Quest in the Wilderness

Bear Grylls and Ed Stafford, renowned wilderness survival experts, once stated that in the wild, one must first prioritize a series of issues: food, water, shelter, and fire.

Although this was merely a practical training exercise organized by the academy, it perfectly simulated a genuine wilderness survival environment.

After all, for a mage, if they couldn’t secure an ‘iron rice bowl’ (TL Note: A Chinese idiom referring to a secure, stable job with guaranteed income and benefits) position as a civilian instructor in an academy or similar institution in the future, they would very likely choose dangerous professions such as joining the military or becoming an adventurer.

In such cases, confronting a wilderness infested with demonic beasts would be inevitable.

Once outside the safe zones, a survival crisis could strike at any moment.

Mu Wanqing and Ye Xingchen retrieved their combat rations from their spatial rings.

They meticulously rummaged through them, searching for anything palatable.

Meanwhile, Su Liyue curled up languidly in Ye Xingchen’s arms.

Her eyes closed, she waited to be fed.

Her delicate, charming appearance was utterly akin to a lazy cat.

Gazing at the dark green ration packaging before him, Ye Xingchen couldn’t help but recall the military combat rations he had seen on Earth.

Compressed biscuits paired with canned luncheon meat, along with side dishes like shredded kelp.

They even came with complimentary instant fruit juice, though those were all older models.

He longed more for the newer self-heating fried rice.

These were vacuum-compressed rice dishes.

By utilizing the principle of quicklime heating up upon contact with water, one only needed to seal them and wait a moment to enjoy steaming hot fried rice, with various flavors such as shrimp, corn, and beef available for selection.

But this packet of rations before him… was far too meager.

Upon opening it, there was only a single compressed biscuit and a few sachets of suspicious-looking sauce.

Not even a hint of minced meat or vegetable bits could be seen.

It was even more perfunctory than the old-fashioned military rations from Earth.

“This… this is the ‘KFC Deluxe Meal’ the academy prepared?”

His lips twitching slightly, he tore open the packaging.

A grayish-green compressed biscuit tumbled into his palm.

Beside it lay two peculiar sachets of sauce: one was a chilling purple, the other a murky brownish-yellow.

Mu Wanqing, her curiosity piqued, poked the purple sauce sachet with her fingertip.

The packaging immediately swelled, forming a suspicious bubble.

Su Liyue, still languidly resting her head on Ye Xingchen’s lap, could discern what it was even with her eyes closed, thanks to his shared perception.

She instantly wrinkled her delicate nose in disgust:

“This thing is even more terrifying than the bugs Bear Grylls eats, isn’t it? I remember him saying in his show… the four essential elements of wilderness survival are food, shelter, water, and fire.

We haven’t even passed the first stage.”

Ye Xingchen replied with a wry smile:

“Not only have we not passed, but we’re about to get a premature taste of Ed Stafford’s ‘three days, nine missed meals’ package.

Even the academy’s familiars probably eat better than this.”

He weighed the flimsy ration pouch in his hand, his voice imbued with utter helplessness.

“Yueyue, how about we just eat something light to tide us over for now?”

Mu Wanqing shook the compressed biscuit in her hand.

Her eyes suddenly lit up.

“Oh, that’s right! This season, we should be able to find Moonlight Plums in the wild…”

“Moonlight Plums?”

Su Liyue, still lounging languidly in Ye Xingchen’s embrace, didn’t even want to catch a whiff of the compressed biscuit.

“Yes! They’re fruits that emit a sweet fragrance and a faint glow at night, and… they’re incredibly juicy!”

Mu Wanqing’s spirits suddenly lifted.

She couldn’t help but lick her lips.

‘Mmm…’

Su Liyue’s closed eyes quivered slightly.

Images of translucent, glistening fruit pulp filled her mind.

While the glowing effect and scent were a bit odd, it sounded quite similar to raspberries on Earth.

She just wondered if they would be as tart as cranberries, enough to set her teeth on edge.

“Exactly, it’s already afternoon, and if we don’t eat soon…”

Before Mu Wanqing could finish her sentence, her stomach grumbled loudly in protest.

“Sigh…”

Su Liyue sighed helplessly.

Her current body had truly suffered in this magic world.

It had barely tasted a few decent meals.

Despite her immense reluctance, she still closed her eyes and slightly opened her mouth, much like a kitten waiting to be fed.

Ye Xingchen carefully tore open the packaging and broke off a small piece of biscuit, bringing it to her lips.

Yet the moment the biscuit touched her tongue, Su Liyue’s entire body stiffened.

This bizarre taste, it instantly conjured terrifying memories from her childhood on Earth, of drinking traditional Chinese medicine!

She barely managed to suppress the urge to spit out the biscuit, her delicate face crumpled into a bun-like grimace.

“Help me~ My cheap boyfriend~”

Su Liyue lay sprawled on Ye Xingchen’s lap like a salted fish (TL Note: A Chinese internet slang term referring to someone who has given up and is listless), wailing weakly.

“If you don’t find me something edible soon, you’re going to lose your adorable girlfriend…”

Ye Xingchen grimaced, squeezing the dry biscuit in his hand.

Through the taste-sharing granted by Su Liyue’s female body, he had truly experienced just how awful this stuff tasted.

It was even more unpalatable than the military compressed biscuits he had consumed in his previous life on Earth.

Beyond barely staving off hunger, it was utterly useless.

“It seems this world’s culinary culture truly needs improvement… Is it because everyone is so busy dealing with demonic beasts that they have no time to research gourmet food?”

Ye Xingchen remarked helplessly, glancing at the ingredient list.

The sheer sensation of its taste, perceptible even without eating it, was truly something else.

The mere thought of having to subsist on such ‘dark cuisine’ for the next few days made Ye Xingchen’s stomach begin to churn in what felt like a synchronized protest.

He lowered his gaze to the ‘little ancestor’ (TL Note: A term of endearment, often humorous, for someone pampered or demanding, implying they are treated like a revered elder) feigning death in his arms.

Then he looked towards the lush, verdant forest in the distance.

Suddenly, he stood up and began to ‘direct and perform’ a little act for himself:

“Let’s go! We’ll find Moonlight Plums! It’s better than starving to death!”

Upon hearing this, Su Liyue immediately perked up, playing along.

She sprang up like a cat catching the scent of fish:

“Really? What are we waiting for then!”

She tugged at Ye Xingchen’s sleeve, ready to rush into the forest.

Not a trace of her previous lifeless demeanor remained.

Mu Wanqing, watching from the side, could only shake her head:

“Yueyue, didn’t you just say you didn’t even want to move…”

“That was just now!”

Su Liyue retorted with righteous indignation.

“Now that gourmet food is calling out to me, this young lady has fully revived!”

A glint of cunning flickered in Su Liyue’s eyes.

She had long been unable to suppress her urge to showcase her culinary skills.

For the past three years, she had been engrossed in studying magic.

She hadn’t even had a chance to touch a spatula.

Now that she was finally in the wilderness, she had even specially prepared various seasonings in her spatial ring.

After all, the ingredients she bought at the night market yesterday weren’t for nothing!

“Let’s set off now!”

She wriggled excitedly in Ye Xingchen’s arms, like an eager kitten.

Since she had her ‘human mount’ to carry her, she was far too lazy to walk on her own.

Mu Wanqing laboriously swallowed the last bite of her biscuit.

She gulped down some water, barely managing to suppress the strange taste, and rubbed her still-protesting stomach:

“Wait for me, you two…”

She mounted her magic broom and caught up with Ye Xingchen, who had already begun walking.

Then, as if a thought had suddenly struck her, she asked:

“Yueyue, you’re not actually thinking of… cooking yourself, are you?”

“Of course~ I’ll show you what true gourmet food really tastes like!”

Su Liyue proudly wiggled her toes.