The Peace of Kru Town Was Broken...

Coke's cooperation gave Ye Chuqi a new idea. Once she trained one, or even more, companions who could make

delicious food,

wouldn't she be able to enjoy more of it without lifting a finger?

Of course she would!

So Ye Chuqi welcomed Coke with both hands and feet raised. As for the other things he said she needed, spices were no longer the main concern. Ingredients were the bigger limitation; most of what she had collected was meat. Vegetables and fruit were hard to preserve and provided little energy, so adventurers and mercenary groups preferred meat that kept well and gave them enough strength.

Groups like the Red Wind Mercenary Group, who could have fresh fruit, mushroom soup, and delicious roast meat wherever they went, were still rare.

Ye Chuqi knew none of this, of course. In all the days since she had arrived, the Red Wind Mercenary Group was the only one she had encountered.

Dinner arrived the next day amid everyone's eager anticipation. Ye Chuqi sat back and let Coke handle everything. He already had a gift for cooking; with a little verbal guidance from her, he could take one example and work out three more. His hands were even surer than hers.

Ye Chuqi's eyes shone as she watched him.

Besides the braised pork Coke made for his first attempt, Ye Chuqi suggested a better way to roast the meat. It meant slicing and marinating it beforehand, adding so many steps that it would hardly be practical on a mission. But Coke was so happy his eyebrows nearly took flight, and Jun Ruofeng did not stop him.

Red Beard certainly would not stop him either. He got a share of anything tasty they made, so why would he? Only someone like Jun Ruofeng, who always liked to put on airs, would complain that roast meat was unclean and braised pork too greasy.

So fussy.

Ye Chuqi thought she understood: Jun Ruofeng was probably so thin because he was a picky eater. His slight frame looked as though a gust of wind could carry him off, nothing like the others in the group. But she had also learned that fighting was not his role in the mercenary group. He was good at making money and skilled in alchemy, and apparently had some family connection to Red Beard. His standing in the group was exceptional.

Remembering that the pouch of gold coins in her possession had come from Jun Ruofeng, Ye Chuqi decided she could be a little nicer to him when she had the chance. For the money's sake.

Chapter 11: The Peace of Kru Town Was Broken...

At noon on the third day, Kru Town came into view, rising from the verdant land.

Its blue-black walls loomed like a towering shadow, silently watching them draw near. As they got closer, Ye Chuqi could make out dark shapes darting past that shadow. They were flying Magic Beasts.

She could never have seen such a sight in the Ashen Wasteland. Forget flying Magic Beasts; there had not even been a bird feather in sight.

Ye Chuqi stroked Xiao Nuo on her shoulder. After days of recuperation, the feathers on the little Lion Owl's wings had finally grown back, though the youngster still flew clumsily. He looked adorably fluffy, especially his great, downy head, which made him look every bit as imposing as a lion cub.

They had also put away their Starhorn Horses before approaching Kru Town.

Coke explained with great enthusiasm, "There's actually a place outside town where you can board beast companions. Pay a little, and they'll be well looked after." A person might acquire a beast companion through a lucky encounter, but a Beast-Taming Cage could only be bought. It cost far more than an ordinary beast companion, and there was no guarantee one would even be available.

On their way into town, they passed the boarding place: a neat row of little houses, each one carefully tended. Even from a distance, they could hear all sorts of creatures roaring, as if none were happy about being shut in such cramped quarters.

The cries came in every pitch. Ye Chuqi could not understand them, and no dialogue bubbles had appeared, but her experience gave her a fair idea of the resentment and bad temper behind most of them.

Ye Chuqi could not help laughing.

Xiao Nuo had no idea what she found funny. With a curious gurgle, he rubbed his head against her cheek. Ever since he had learned she could make delicious food, the little fellow had barely left her shoulder. Every so often, he nuzzled her in the hope of a tasty morsel.

Entering Kru Town required a fee and registration, but Ye Chuqi went in with the Red Wind Mercenary Group and skipped both.

Coke said proudly, "That's a privilege reserved for the top ten mercenary groups. We don't even have to pay taxes in the Imperial Capital!"

Well, well. That was quite a perk. Jun Ruofeng must love it.

Only after passing through the gate did Ye Chuqi realize how small her idea of a "town" had been. This place bore little resemblance to what she had imagined. The towering walls should have warned her, yet the sight before her still left her stunned.

People streamed along a road wide enough for eight lanes. Handsome buildings of varying heights lined both sides in orderly rows. Voices mingled around her: vendors hawking their wares, customers bargaining, people gossiping and arguing. Life was everywhere.

It had been so long.

Pointing to the carriages beside the road, Coke told Ye Chuqi, "The Adventurers' Guild provides those. You can hire one to get around. The town's pretty big, after all, and they'll provide a guide too if you want one."

Ye Chuqi clicked her tongue. The carriages were drawn by ordinary horses, though, nothing like beast companions. And since the Adventurers' Guild bred and trained them all, it had the market cornered.

Red Beard and Jun Ruofeng took a few people to the Adventurers' Guild to turn in their mission. Everyone else scattered to find their own amusement. They had the day to themselves and would meet again the next morning to continue their work.

"Would you like to look around the shops?" Xiya asked Ye Chuqi gently.

Coke nodded eagerly. "With the Adventurers' Guild supporting it, Kru Town has plenty of ingredients. We could try some other dishes!"