Eating Hearty!!

The sounds of the day's fighting had died away completely. The guards had changed shifts, and the townspeople whose homes had been destroyed had gathered their belongings and been settled by Mrs. Xiersen in hastily erected tents.

Cooking smoke curled up from the chimneys, carrying the scent of wheat and meat broth on the breeze. Mrs. Xiersen and the maids had made a thick soup and baked wheat cakes as they waited for everyone to return.

"I'm so glad you're all right, so glad." Mrs. Xiersen looked at the wounds on her husband and daughter with concern, then turned to the knights who had returned with them. "The food and guest rooms are ready. I've arranged for guards to stand watch, so you can all get a good rest tonight."

Xilaier was starving. He chattered nonstop as he wolfed down his wheat cake, going from how tough the Rock-Armored Beast's scales had been to how cleanly Ajiasi had struck with his blade. Spittle nearly flew into his soup bowl before a look from Shen Que finally made him rein himself in a little.

Ajiasi sat in the farthest corner, his hood mostly pushed back to reveal his pale profile and the wisps of black hair over his forehead. He ate quickly but steadily, without saying a word the entire time. His black dagger lay beside him, and his fingertips brushed its sheath now and then.

Yuqing sipped her soup, her thoughts already back on the ice-element crystal core. She had a hard time restraining herself until the meal was over, then hurried back to her room. She shut the door tightly, drew the curtains, brought up the game panel, opened her player inventory, and took out the crystal core the size of a pigeon's egg.

The pale blue crystal glowed softly in the dim room. It was icy to the touch, and up close, she could feel the pure ice-element energy churning within it.

"System bro, how do I use this thing?" Yuqing tried to refine the exotic beast using the same method she used for zombie crystal cores, but it didn't work very well.

[The energy in an exotic beast crystal core is much more overbearing than in a zombie crystal core. Do as I say...]

Yuqing sat cross-legged on the bed, holding the crystal core in her palm. Concentrating, she summoned her water-element ability to envelop the crystal. Icy energy surged through the meridians in her palm and into her body. Wrapped in water-element energy, the immensely powerful ice-element ability passed through her meridians, leaving them feeling wonderfully comfortable after the intense pain. The mental power she had exhausted in the day's fighting recovered at a visible rate, and her sea of consciousness became clear.

[Host, you've got the basics!]

The system's voice rang out in her mind. Yuqing's fingertip moved slightly, and a tiny ice spike formed on it. Though she couldn't continue condensing it into a larger icicle, she was a healer who had finally taken her first step toward becoming an attacker!

"It's getting late. It's time to eat." Yuqing opened the game pop-up and left satisfied.

Inside the game pod, Yuqing removed her holographic helmet and let out a breath. "Phew..."

Her mental power flowed more smoothly now. This felt pretty good.

"Ers, I'm hungry! What's on the cafeteria menu today?" Yuqing had had an exciting day and barely eaten anything all day. Her stomach was already protesting.

"The medical department had someone prepare a nutritional meal especially for you. It's already been delivered." A small robot stood beside Ers. When it saw Yuqing, its face displayed ~~~///(^v^)\~~~, then it opened its 'belly,' revealing food that had been kept warm and fresh.

The sight of the green leaves and plain vegetable cakes made Yuqing feel even hungrier. Meat. She wanted meat!

"I'm going to eat at the cafeteria." Yuqing started drooling at the thought of that plate of guobaorou from last time.

Sensing the guide's disdain, the little robot's expression turned pitiful (╥﹏╥).

"All right, but you can't eat too much. Your stomach won't be able to handle it." Remembering how little of her nutritional meal she had eaten at lunch, Ers had guessed that the guide didn't like it. He couldn't let her go hungry, after all.

At six o'clock sharp that evening, the rich aroma of meat filled the military district cafeteria. Warm white ceiling lights shone on gleaming metal tables, where sentinels fresh from training sat in twos and threes, their caps tossed casually onto the tables. Much of the cold, hard edge they carried during the day had faded. The clatter of trays and sounds of laughter mingled with the steam rising from the food, filling the vast cafeteria with bustle and warmth. It was the most relaxed time of day.

"Uncle Zhao, you keep serving the same few dishes. When are we going to get a change of flavor?" a sentinel in line teased with a grin.

"Yeah, Uncle Zhao, your meat stew's salty enough to make us choke. Go easy on the energy crystals next time."

"What do you brats know?!" Uncle Zhao waved his ladle, sending a few drops of oil flying. There was pride in his voice as he said, "Would you be able to handle a full day of high-intensity training if I didn't put in plenty of energy crystals? Don't complain when you're getting the benefits. I'm not bragging, but with my cooking, even a guide would polish off three bowls of rice! And you're being picky?"

"Keep bragging, Uncle Zhao. How could a guide be used to eating the food we cook in these big pots?"

"Yeah, you don't even think before you brag." The young men laughed and bantered, making Uncle Zhao bristle with anger. He raised a hand to flick the forehead of the cheekiest one, but just then, a soft, clear voice came from the cafeteria entrance.

"Ers, what's on the menu today? Help me have a look. I can't see."

Yuqing stood at the very back of the line, standing on tiptoe to look toward the serving window. Interstellar sentinels averaged over 1.95 meters tall, and the line was packed tight. Standing among them, she found her view completely blocked by broad backs; she couldn't even make out the edge of the menu board.

She shifted anxiously and reached out to tug gently at the cuff of the person beside her.

"Today there's guobaorou, pot-braised beef, pork and potato stew, chicken in tomato sauce, crispy chicken legs, charcoal-grilled meat skewers, and sea-salt-flavored nutrient solution."

While he listed the dishes, the sentinels in line ahead and behind them turned around one after another. When they recognized Yuqing, the line fell silent for an instant, then erupted.

"Miss Guide... you don't need to wait in line. Please go ahead of me."

"How could I do that?" Yuqing quickly waved her hands.

"He's right! Take my place. I'm not in a hurry!"

"Me neither!"

Before she knew it, everyone in Yuqing's line had stepped aside.

A hint of amusement flashed in Ers's eyes. "It's all right. Go get your food, or no one will get to eat today," he said softly.

"Thank you, everyone!" Yuqing walked over to the serving window and discovered that the cook there was an old acquaintance who had helped welcome her the other day. "Uncle Zhao, it's you!"

"Oh, Miss Guide?" Uncle Zhao froze, thinking his eyes were playing tricks on him. He hurriedly set his ladle on the rim of the pot. "What brings you to the cafeteria?"

"I've been craving your guobaorou and chicken stewed with mushrooms, Uncle Zhao." Yuqing actually wanted to eat everything.

"I didn't make the mushroom stew today, but I made some other hearty dishes. Try them all!"

Uncle Zhao grinned from ear to ear. His hand, which had never shaken to begin with, grew even steadier as he heaped a ladleful of guobaorou onto her tray. The golden slices of meat, coated in a glossy sweet-and-sour sauce, piled up like a little mountain.

"Uncle Zhao, that's too much." Yuqing was about to stop him, but Ers spoke first. "A-Qing can't eat too much. She had indigestion last time and felt uncomfortable for half the night. A little of each dish and half a bowl of rice will be enough."

The name "A-Qing" fell lightly on their ears, and the sentinels in line nearby instantly exchanged glances. Envious gazes all turned to Ers.

It had only been a few days, and he was already calling her by name?!

"All right, we'll do as you say. Just a little. Come back for more if it's not enough. I'll always save some for you."

Yuqing carried her tray to a seat by the window. As soon as she picked up her chopsticks, she put a piece of guobaorou into her mouth. Uncle Zhao's cooking was as reliably good as ever. Her eyes immediately curved, and her cheeks moved gently as she ate with focus and satisfaction, like a little squirrel with a stash of food.

Uncle Zhao kept sneaking glances at her from the serving window. Seeing how much she enjoyed her food, he straightened his back a little, then nudged the sentinels who had joked with him earlier. He tilted his chin toward Yuqing, unable to hide the pride in his voice.

"See that? See that? I told you my cooking couldn't be beat! Look how much Miss Guide's enjoying it! And you brats were turning your noses up at it. Are you more precious than a guide?"

"Yes, yes, Uncle Zhao, your cooking is the best in the world." Though that was what the sentinel said, he was mostly puzzled. However tasty it was, it was still food cooked in a big pot. The guide was eating such big mouthfuls, as though she had been hungry for a long time. Had Uncle Zhao outdone himself today?