Reward March 7th with Plenty of White Liquid

Qingque had no idea what Jing Yuan and Fu Xuan thought.

No idea at all.

At that very moment, she was racing off to find Jiang Yao with the trio she had been eagerly waiting for.

As for the Marshal?

Heh, what does the Marshal being in Aurum Alley have to do with me?

The Lord Diviner never said I had to entertain the Marshal, anyway.

If she didn't say it, then there's nothing to do~

Besides, am I even qualified?

Qingque had a very clear understanding of herself.

She knew her own limits perfectly well.

The main thing was...

She didn't have any grand ambitions.

Even taking the exam for a secure government job had been her family's wish.

Being a slacker was pretty nice, anyway.

She could even stir herself once in a while.

Still...

Qingque found something a little odd.

"Um, are you sure Jiang Yao is here?"

The farther they went, the more people there were.

That clearly wasn't normal.

Qingque knew what Aurum Alley was usually like.

When had it ever been this crowded?

The only possibility was that the Marshal's fanboys and fangirls had come to chase their idol.

"Uh, probably?"

March 7th scratched her head awkwardly.

"Aren't you the one leading us?"

Stelle nearly screamed that at Qingque.

They had only just arrived on the Luofu. How could they possibly know their way around?

Jiang Yao had only said he was beside Delicious Supreme.

They were relying entirely on Qingque to guide them.

She didn't even dare imagine what would happen if they went the wrong way.

The first amber era of missing Jiang Yao's cooking.

I'm already starving for it!

"I suddenly have a bad feeling about this."

Welt adjusted his glasses.

How should he put it?

When they had arrived on the Luofu and just gotten off the Starskiff...

Welt had heard Qingque say that Marshal Hua of the Xianzhou might be in Aurum Alley.

He hadn't thought much of it at the time.

Then Qingque had gone on about how Marshal Hua was supposedly sampling snacks, mingling with the people, sharing good food, and improving the Luofu's street food.

That had set Welt wondering.

Sampling snacks was perfectly normal. Even an Emanator had to eat, right?

Mingling with the people was perfectly normal, too. The Xianzhou Marshal's personal charisma was beyond question.

But improving the Luofu's street food...

Uh, isn't this scenario getting a little too Honkai?

Pah!

That damned Honkai is still chasing me!

Considering that Himeko, the Express's navigator, also had a habit of brewing and drinking coffee...

Welt had reluctantly accepted it.

Mostly because he really didn't want to acknowledge that terrifying possibility.

Good grief.

When our Astral Express Crew first arrived on the Luofu, a little mishap already had the Helmsman and the general playing a double act against us.

We finally managed to prove our innocence.

Please don't let us get saddled with disrespecting the Xianzhou Marshal now.

Judging by the current situation...

It wasn't merely a strong possibility.

It was exactly what had happened.

All this talk of the Xianzhou Marshal coming to Aurum Alley to sample delicacies and improve street food...

If that isn't Jiang Yao, I'll eat it right here!

Mature, levelheaded Welt hoped things wouldn't get too far out of hand.

And...

Welt was actually a little worried about Dan Heng.

Dan Heng was quiet and sparing with his words, but he was a good person.

Yet ever since he had set foot on the Luofu and guided them to the Sky-Faring Commission...

There had been no word from him.

Welt had no idea what he was doing or how he was.

With apprehension weighing on his heart...

Welt followed Qingque, March 7th, and Stelle to Delicious Supreme.

Then his heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally died.

The moment he arrived, he heard someone ask, "Are you the Marshal?"

Then Jiang Yao replied, "I can be!"

Fine, fine, fine!

Our Astral Express is truly blessed to have you aboard!

Such a little train, and yet it actually has the Marshal of the Xianzhou Alliance.

What an honor. What an incredible honor!

Welt nearly choked on his own breath. He honestly wanted to take everyone and flee overnight.

It would be one thing if you'd said it quietly.

Didn't you see someone livestreaming?

Qingque was different.

She had never met Jiang Yao.

But she had never met the Marshal, either!

So for a moment, she genuinely thought Jiang Yao was some important figure!

Until...

"Master!!! Your disciple missed you so much!!!"

Stelle adjusted her form of address on the fly, running toward Jiang Yao and waving.

"Jiang Yao!!!"

March 7th nearly cried with joy.

Don't you know even a pretty girl can have a huge appetite?

But ever since tasting what Jiang Yao had to offer...

Nothing else had tasted like anything.

It was tasteless to eat, but a shame to throw away!

But now, the light was right before her eyes!

Everyone, charge with me!

Charge, my ass!

The onlookers glared at the two pretty girls.

In fact, March 7th and Stelle were still some distance from Jiang Yao.

A crowd had already packed the area beside Auntie Gao's stall.

Though they didn't know why they were lining up, either.

But if so many people are lining up, we might as well join them!

The Marshal? What Marshal?

Besides, that aroma coming from over there is seriously tempting!

So naturally, the onlookers weren't happy with the two girls trying to cut in line.

Guinaifen had earned the master's approval.

Yan Cui was delivering ingredients to the master.

Who are you two, and what standing do you have? Do you really think you can get away with it just by looking cute?

We're a long-life species. What kind of beautiful woman haven't we seen, huh?!

"Eek!"

Bailu heard the voices and grew alert.

Of course she knew Jiang Yao's companions had arrived.

If not for Stelle, she wouldn't even have discovered the treasure that was Jiang Yao!

But coming at a time like this...

What about my meals?

You're here to snatch food right out of a dragon's mouth!

Especially...

Bailu immediately locked onto Qingque, who stood shoulder to shoulder with Welt, looking utterly bewildered.

She's a formidable rival!

Yesterday, she and I ate more than anyone else!

"Huh?"

Jiang Yao's eyes lit up the instant he heard their calls.

March 7th, your timing couldn't be better!

Jiang Yao had never forgotten.

What he was making was Iced Floating Mutton Milk!

Iced Floating Mutton Milk, Iced Floating Mutton Milk—of course it had to be iced!

Heating it was only to blend the flavors. It was still far from its final form!

Waiting for the Iced Floating Mutton Milk to cool naturally would take far too long.

But he wasn't comfortable asking Auntie Gao to take it away and freeze it, either, for fear it would pick up other flavors.

March 7th's arrival was like snow delivered in the middle of a heat wave!

"Come here, come here!"

Jiang Yao waved to Stelle and March 7th.

Oh, they're friends of the master, too. Then it's all good~

The onlookers considerately opened a path for March 7th and Stelle.

"Master, your disciple is about to starve to death. QAQ"

Stelle gazed pitifully at Jiang Yao.

"Same here!"

March 7th looked equally pitiful.

"I know, I know. Little March, quick! Freeze this for me!"

Jiang Yao directed March 7th to freeze the improved Hot Floating Mutton Milk.

"Huh? Oh! Okay~"

At first, March 7th hadn't quite caught on.

Since when was she qualified to help out in the kitchen?

Maybe when Stelle was cooking. After all, what the Galaxy Bat Hero was best at cooking was trash cans...

At the thought that something extraordinarily delicious was about to be born from her own hands...

March 7th grew tremendously excited.

"What temperature?"

"Do you need precise control?"

"This girl can do anything!"

March 7th rattled off a whole string of questions, looking eager to give it a try.

"Zero degrees!"

Jiang Yao gave his instructions calmly.

He licked his lips.

He would definitely have to reward March 7th with extra white liquid later.

Yes, that meant Iced Floating Mutton Milk.

Thanks to her, he could get his hands on Iced Floating Mutton Milk sooner!

Now that the Iced Floating Mutton Milk was ready,

that meant the improved tapir membrane rolls,

otherwise known as clothed Snow Skin Mochi,

could finally be made!

Jiang Yao, now fully absorbed in his work, failed to notice.

At the entrance to Delicious Supreme,

Welt looked a little unsteady on his feet.

Qingque had also abandoned her relaxed posture, looking like a timid little quail.

Because.

Jing Yuan and Fu Xuan had arrived on the battlefield!