The midday sun was pleasantly warm, and a gentle breeze through the woods swept away the summer heat. Smoke curled up from the clearing in front of the cabin, lending the scene a peaceful, leisurely air.
Li Xiang crouched in front of the stone cutting board, deftly preparing the snake they had caught.
Her movements were quick and clean. She stripped off the skin in one piece, removed the bones and connective tissue, and carefully cleaned away every impurity, eliminating the gamey smell entirely.
To make the meat easier to grill and ensure an even flavor, she deliberately cut it into thin strips of uniform size and arranged them neatly on the stone slab.
Looking at the firm grain and distinct strips of snake meat on the cutting board, Li Xiang found herself momentarily distracted.
The shape, the texture-at first glance, it actually looked a little like duck neck.
She muttered inwardly, her thoughts wandering despite herself.
I really want duck neck. I really want duck neck. I really want duck neck. I really want duck neck.
Still, snake and duck meat were worlds apart in texture. Their mouthfeel, chewiness, and flavor were completely different; the resemblance was only superficial.
Coming back to her senses, Li Xiang stopped daydreaming and set up the charcoal grill she had prepared earlier.
She laid the strips of snake meat on the grill one by one and slowly roasted them over the flames, carefully controlling the heat. The meat sizzled over the coals as tiny beads of fat gradually rendered out, trickling down along the grain and sending up little sparks when they hit the charcoal.
A faint aroma of roasting meat began to spread, completely masking the meat's original gamey smell. It grew richer as the meat cooked, whetting their appetites.
Before long, the charcoal-grilled snake was ready, lightly browned on the outside and tender and flavorful within.
Lunch was plated, with the usual wild fruit, grilled fish, and wild vegetable soup the three of them ate every day set out on the table.
The only addition was a plate of enticingly browned charcoal-grilled snake in the center, its unfamiliar appearance looking both odd and distinctive.
After sitting down, Taiju instinctively averted his gaze, not daring to look at the plate of snake at all. Just thinking of the long snake writhing around that morning made him shudder, and he could not suppress his aversion.
Li Xiang, by contrast, had no qualms whatsoever. She calmly picked up a piece of grilled snake and popped it into her mouth.
The meat was firm and springy, with the distinctive smoky char of charcoal grilling. It had plenty of bite, and its savory flavor deepened with every chew.
It was neither dry and tough like ordinary game meat nor soft and yielding like poultry. Its chewiness was just right, giving it a truly distinctive texture.
Li Xiang chewed, swallowed, and turned toward Taiju, whose face was still full of reluctance.
"Taiju, you really should try it. It tastes amazing, and there's no weird flavor at all. Trust me."
At her words, Senku reached over, calmly picked up a piece of snake, and tasted it carefully before giving a slight nod.
"Pretty good. Firm meat, high protein content, and cooked just right."
With both of them giving their approval, Taiju's resistance quietly began to weaken.
He stared at the snake meat on the plate for a long time, repeatedly psyching himself up. Finally, he gritted his teeth, worked up his courage, picked up a small piece, and cautiously put it into his mouth with his eyes shut.
The moment he began to chew, rich juices burst across his tongue. The smoky char mingled with the pure, savory flavor of the meat, creating an astonishingly delicious mouthful.
It was a flavor he had never experienced since waking from petrification.
Taiju's eyes flew open, brimming with delighted surprise.
All his accumulated fear and aversion vanished in an instant, and every concern was swept from his mind.
Having overcome his mental block, he let his appetite loose and began taking hearty bites.
The grilled snake he had been avoiding moments earlier had now become the most sought-after dish.
As the three chatted, they polished off the entire plate of charcoal-grilled snake, leaving not even the smallest scrap behind.
Taiju rubbed his stomach, looking as though he wished there were more. He clearly had not had enough.
Seeing his greedy expression, Li Xiang could not help laughing and teasing him.
"Well? I wasn't lying, was I?"
"A lot of things in this world only look scary. In reality, they're rare delicacies. When you're surviving in the wilderness, anything can be an ingredient. You have to learn to accept that if you want to live well in this world."
With everyone full and satisfied, a relaxed atmosphere settled over them. Suddenly struck by a thought, Li Xiang spoke casually.
"Come to think of it, are there potatoes in this world? I suddenly really want fries."
"Ah, probably not around here. We'd have to go somewhere else if you wanted them."
"Oh, come on... How long would we have to wait for that?"
Once the joking was over, Taiju's smile faded. His gaze turned serious as he looked at Senku and asked a question.
"By the way, Senku, shouldn't we keep reviving other people next?"
Senku scratched inside his ear at the question, his expression casual but his tone utterly certain.
"Of course. I planned that out ages ago. I've already decided who we're reviving next."
Taiju's eyes instantly lit up, and excitement surged through him. "It's Yuzuriha, right? It has to be Yuzuriha, Senku!"
The person who had always occupied his thoughts was that gentle, lovely girl, Yuzuriha.
Senku lifted his gaze slightly and gave a quiet answer.
"Yeah. Yuzuriha."
With that confirmation, Taiju was instantly fired up, so excited that he did not know what to do with himself.
After a brief rest, the three set off at once, following the route they remembered and hurrying toward the place where Yuzuriha had been petrified.
Beyond the dense layers of lush trees, a stone statue stood quietly among the woods, wrapped in vines and branches.
Countless branches tangled and intertwined, enclosing the girl's body in a natural protective barrier. For more than three thousand years, she had stood quietly in this desolate wilderness, never moving.
Looking at the girl he loved, sealed in stone and silent for millennia, Taiju grew solemn.
He walked slowly forward and gazed steadily at the statue, his eyes filled with guilt and self-reproach. His voice was low and gentle, brimming with sincerity.
"Yuzuriha, I'm sorry."
"You've been trapped here all alone, suffering, because I couldn't protect you."
"Just wait a little longer. Once you wake up, I'll do everything I can to protect you. I'll never leave you alone again."
His heartfelt confession remained tucked away in his heart.
Watching the sincerity in his eyes, Li Xiang quietly turned toward Senku.
"Senku, Taiju definitely likes Yuzuriha, doesn't he?"
Senku glanced at the excited Taiju out of the corner of his eye, tacitly agreeing with her while his expression remained calm.
Taiju, sensitive to their conversation, caught every word of their quiet exchange. His ears instantly turned red, and he turned around awkwardly, stumbling over his explanation.
"L-Li Xiang! I... I really do like Yuzuriha, but I haven't had a chance to tell her yet. I'm not just fooling around..."
Seeing the boy's flustered, bashful expression, Li Xiang could not help smiling. She stepped forward, gently patted his shoulder, and reassured him in a soft voice.
"I understand. Don't be nervous."
"A guy as kind, sincere, responsible, physically capable, dependable, and hardworking as you would've been incredibly hard to find even in the twenty-first century. You're practically an endangered species."
"Sincerity is always what moves people most. You care about her so genuinely. I'm sure Yuzuriha will feel that, and I'm sure she'll like you too. Don't worry."
Her gentle reassurance soothed Taiju's unease, and the tension in the boy's face gradually eased.
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