Chinese Yam?

The silent forest returned to its original state. If it weren't for the slightly tilted tree and the pool of blood on the ground, it would be hard to tell that a heart-stopping battle had just taken place there.

Ryman lay beneath the tree, watching Nord and Reed pace back and forth in front of him. The recent events had left him exhausted; he simply couldn't compare to the boundless energy of these two youngsters. As long as they didn't stray too far, Ryman wouldn't stop them.

Nord was curious about many things in the forest, like what the wild boar had been digging for. So, Nord took a stick and poked around in the spot where the boar had been foraging.

Reed watched Nord's actions, puzzled. What was he doing, poking the ground with a stick? Curious, he went over to Nord to find out.

"Reed, do you know what the wild boar was eating just now?"

"No idea, Lord Nord. It's my first time seeing a wild boar, especially one so big. It scared me even from a distance like that."

Nord was also a bit startled by what had just happened. No wonder the old saying goes, "First a boar, then a bear, then a tiger." Wild boars really were that dangerous.

As Nord was talking, the stick in his hand seemed to hit something. Nord's heart stirred. Found it. He used the stick to scrape away the soil, revealing what was underneath.

It was dark, some pieces were oval-shaped, others elongated cylinders, all covered in a layer of dirt, making their original form unclear.

Nord nudged Reed and asked, "Do you know what this is?"

"Never seen it. I used to pick wild fruits from trees; I never dug anything out of the ground! Maybe only wild boars eat this stuff; I certainly wouldn't! Let's go ask Old Mor, he's sure to know."

Saying this, Reed, with a look of distaste, picked one up, wiped off the dirt, revealing its original yellowish-brown color and some fine rootlets. The more Nord looked, the more familiar it seemed. Isn't this a potato? But it also looks a bit like a sweet potato.

With questions and a hint of surprise in his heart, Nord and Reed approached Old Mor. Old Mor glanced at them and spoke.

"This thing is called a Mountain Lump. It's poisonous. Only wild boars eat it. Some people used to eat it when they were starving, but they'd soon vomit and have diarrhea, so no one eats it anymore."

Poisonous? Nord frowned. That doesn't make sense. Could it be a different species from my original world? But wild boars can eat it, and vomiting and diarrhea aren't necessarily signs of poisoning; they're more like signs of improper consumption. Nord suddenly understood. He pressed Old Mor.

"How did you eat it?"

"How else? Clean it and eat it raw. That's how all fruits in the forest are eaten, unless they're poisonous."

Nord mentally applauded these people. So hardcore? They don't even cook it? Leaving such a treasure untouched while people outside starve. Nord didn't know what to say. Was it laughable? Or regrettable?

Nord decided to give it a try. He called Reed over to find more Mountain Lumps and gathered some firewood to roast them.

Old Mor watched their actions, opened his mouth, but said nothing. Perhaps he thought it was futile and just let them be.

They cleared the surrounding area, dug a pit in the ground, and finally lit a fire in the pit. All this effort was to avoid a forest fire, because, after all, "a fire on the mountain, and the director falls in love with me..."

The Amon Mountains span a thousand miles, with dense forests. If a fire broke out, the consequences would be unimaginable. It was better to be cautious and safe, to be a civilized person.

Nord skillfully placed the Mountain Lumps around the fire. The outer layer of dirt wasn't completely cleaned off. Nord knew this was fine; the dirt would fall off automatically once roasted, not affecting consumption.

Looking at the scene before him, Nord remembered his childhood in his past life, when a group of friends would sneak into someone's sweet potato patch in the village—perhaps even their own family's. It didn't matter whose it was; what mattered was the process of roasting sweet potatoes, which could entertain them for an entire afternoon. After being discovered by adults, they'd get a good beating, not for the sweet potatoes, but because the adults worried about the children playing with fire. But everyone was still happy; the joy of childhood was that simple.

As Nord reminisced, the Mountain Lumps gradually cooked. Reed, following Nord's instructions, carefully and slowly flipped them over to prevent burning.

As Reed flipped one over, the roasted Mountain Lump emitted an enticing aroma. Reed swallowed hard, looked at the still-dazed Nord, suppressed his appetite, and continued his work.

Ryman and the others resting nearby also smelled the aroma. They stood up and found the source of the scent was Nord. Their faces looked bewildered, but their feet unconsciously moved towards Nord and Reed.

When Nord came to his senses, he saw this scene: four or five people gathered around the fire, staring intently at the food before them. Nord found it somewhat amusing; this scene reminded him so much of his friends from his past life.

He looked at the Mountain Lumps. Their skins were roasted golden by the flames, some even charred black, likely due to being flipped too slowly, but it didn't affect their edibility. He gestured for everyone to eat.

Everyone exchanged glances. Although the aroma was enticing, when it came to actually eating, they hesitated. After all, they had never eaten anything like this before.

Reed swallowed, then carefully asked Nord, his eyes showing doubt, yet also a glimmer of hope for Nord's affirmation.

"Lord Nord, can this really be eaten? This is what wild boars eat, and it's poisonous. Can we really eat it?"

Nord didn't answer. He simply reached out and took a Mountain Lump. It was a bit hot. He carefully broke it open, and a richer aroma immediately wafted out. Reed and another hunter no longer hesitated. They quickly reached out, picked up Mountain Lumps, and began to eat.

"So delicious!"

Reed mumbled, ignoring the heat of the Mountain Lump, hastily stuffing it into his mouth. After finishing, he couldn't help but praise it.

Ryman and Old Mor exchanged glances. The food indeed smelled delicious, but they weren't sure it was truly edible. Vomiting and diarrhea, while not fatal, could incapacitate someone in battle. As experienced hunters, Ryman and Old Mor wouldn't make such a mistake, even though they smelled truly delicious.

Ryman and Old Mor suppressed their appetites, observing Nord and the others for any adverse reactions, ready to intervene if necessary.

Meanwhile, Reed and the other person were eating without restraint, devouring the Mountain Lumps with no signs of poisoning. Reed even asked Nord, "Lord Nord, how did you know Mountain Lumps could be eaten? They're too delicious!"

"This is very similar to a food from my hometown, and it's not called a Mountain Lump."

"Not a Mountain Lump? Then what is it called?"

Nord took another bite of the food in front of him. It tasted like sweet potato, and its texture was like potato. Overall, it was a combination of the two, with an even more delicious taste and texture. So, its name was...

"Let's call it Yam. This is a miracle medicine bestowed upon you by the great mountain."

Reed was a bit confused as to why such delicious food was called medicine. He didn't dwell on it. Whatever Lord Nord says it is, it is. He continued to wolf down the remaining food.

Yesterday, there were twenty-eight recommendation votes. Thank you all for your support! However, there were only eight saves, which is even worse than before signing the contract. This is quite awkward. I'm not good at promotion, and there's not much traffic this week, so I'll just have to wait for the list to update next week. For these two days, I won't pay attention to the save count. I hope those who have already saved will cast their recommendation votes for me to get through these difficult days. Let's charge ahead next week!