Chapter 59

Aolang and Sha Ji once again followed behind the Fatty Insect Glaive User, breaking into a light jog; according to him, they were now heading to the shop of Meow Chef.

From the name alone, it was clear that Meow Chef was an Elu.

Elu possess a more sensitive sense of smell and taste than humans, making them natural chefs; in fact, many Elu work in the food industry, and it's said that all the chefs at the Gathering Hall Tavern are Elu.

Many Hunters have the habit of feasting on a large spread of delicacies before setting out on a hunt to replenish their nutrition.

Some Hunting Cats even learn cooking techniques in addition to their hunting skills, so they can prepare meals on the spot in the wild or at campsites.

Thus, this pre-hunt feast is often called "Cat Meal" by Hunters.

Unlike ordinary meals prepared merely to satisfy the palate, Cat Meal requires careful preparation.

Flavor and satiety are basic requirements; it must provide the high-calorie energy needed for intense combat, and more refined versions include special ingredients and medicinal herbs to further enhance the Hunter's physical functions.

In some regions, due to local dietary customs, special drinks or glutinous rice balls are used instead of Cat Meal—something widely condemned by Hunters as heretical...

Of course, such things never happen in Barubare; according to the Fatty Insect Glaive User, Meow Chef himself is a master of Cat Meal.

Before setting out on a hunt, dining at Meow Chef's shop has become a shared habit among many Barubare Hunters; in contrast, the Gathering Hall Tavern has grown noticeably less prominent.

By the time they arrived at Meow Chef's shop, night had already fallen.

All the tables and chairs outside the shop were occupied; they waited a long while before finally securing a table after a group of customers finished and left.

Aolang and Sha Ji, having eaten nothing nearly all day, had passed the point of hunger and now felt less hungry.

Aolang and Sha Ji were told to sit and hold the table, while the Fatty Insect Glaive User darted off to the stove, whispering urgently to the Elu chef, whose attire was highly distinctive.

Upon seeing the small bag of spices in the Fatty Insect Glaive User's hand, the chef's expression turned noticeably serious.

Wiping his drool, the Fatty Insect Glaive User returned to the table and grinned, "All set—Meow Chef will take good care of us. Just wait for the feast!"

"Hmm, I haven't even asked your name yet..."

Aolang hesitated, glancing at the overly familiar Fatty, their relationship having been nothing more than casual chatter while waiting in line—no need to exchange names then.

But now they were sitting together to eat; not even knowing his name felt inappropriate.

"Ah, sorry, sorry! I've been going on and on about food without introducing myself." The Fatty Insect Glaive User wiped his face. "I'm Jiala, as you can see, an Insect Glaive User."

"By the way, little brother, you're Hunters too, right?"

"Yes, I'm Aolang, from Luokelake." Aolang extended his hand and shook Jiala's.

"I'm Sha Ji Meow," Sha Ji added simply. "But how did you know we're Hunters Meow? Neither the boss nor I ever mentioned being Hunters Meow, and we're wearing ordinary clothes Meow."

"Your steps! Your steps!" Jiala laughed. "Ordinary people can't keep up with my pace.

I only realized later to slow down, then turned back and saw you hadn't fallen behind—I guessed right away."

"So that's how." Aolang nodded slowly. "By the way, isn't Meow Chef from somewhere outside Barubare?"

Aolang glanced around. "From the dishes, the cookware, to its own clothing style—it doesn't seem like it's from the Desert?"

"Yes, Meow Chef comes from a very distant land." Jiala fanned himself with his broad, fat palm. "See that huge iron wok in its hands?

It specializes in a cooking method called 'stir-fry,' and loves using high-temperature steam to cook food—I've only ever seen these techniques from it.

Oh, the steamed buns—called 'baozi'—are absolutely delicious. I can't wait! I'll go order two baskets first, let's fill our stomachs a bit!"

Jiala, having just sat down for two minutes, dashed off again, making Aolang wonder inwardly: with this guy's hyperactive, energetic nature, how much food must he have eaten to get this fat?

"Hm?"

As Aolang's thoughts drifted, a tall, slender figure walking down the lit street caught his attention.

Wasn't that Mudi?

She clearly wasn't in good shape—limping slightly, one arm suspended, a bandage tied around her forehead, her cheeks swollen; she looked pitiful and absurd.

Her destination was also Meow Chef's stall; seeing it already full, her bruised face showed unmistakable disappointment.

She hesitated—whether to endure the curious stares and stand and wait, or just find another stall and settle for something else—when someone called her name.

"Hey! Mudi!" Aolang stood up from the table and waved.

But Mudi's first reaction upon seeing him wasn't to approach—she covered her face with her hands and instinctively turned away, trying to hide.

Aolang's head sprouted a question mark.

Mudi wasn't the only one drawn by his call; Meow Chef, busy cooking, also looked up—and immediately shrieked, dropping the iron wok and ladle, then sprinting around the stove toward her.

"Meow! How did you end up like this Meow?" Meow Chef rushed to Mudi's side, hopping excitedly, as if wanting to examine her injuries.

Seeing more and more eyes fixed on her, Mudi looked like she was about to cry. "I'm fine, really, I'm fine..."

"Why not sit down first?" Aolang pointed to their square table. "There's still one seat."

With nowhere left to hide, Mudi reluctantly came over and sat beside them.

"I'll get the medicine box Meow!"

Mudi quickly grabbed Meow Chef's tail. "I'm really fine, Meow Uncle—please go back to your stove, your food's about to burn!"

"Meow—!" Meow Chef shrieked again, tossed a remark to Aolang: "Little brother, watch over her for me Meow, I'll add free dishes for you Meow!"—then hurried back to the stove.

At that moment, Jiala returned, arms full of two steamer baskets; seeing Mudi, bruised and swollen, head bowed beside the table, he turned to Aolang: "Your friend? Looks rough."

Sha Ji also looked curiously at him—how did Aolang have a friend in Barubare?

Facing their questions, Aolang gave a brief explanation: "The Long Sword User who helped us during the Sand Dragon incident was her."

As for why Mudi looked like this, he had his suspicions.

There wasn't enough time for her to return to town and take another mission—she must have chased after the Sand Dragon alone after parting from us.

If I'm right, the Sand Dragon was her target all along, which explains why she happened to appear near that swamp.

But isn't she a Two-Star Hunter? How did she get assigned a Three-Star Danger Level Sand Dragon hunt?

It can't be poaching...

Still, they'd fought side by side; even if she truly was poaching, Aolang had no intention of exposing her publicly.

So he changed his question: "Did you get attacked by that Sand Dragon again?"

Bruised and swollen, Mudi looked meek and honest—but her mind was sharp; she quickly understood Aolang's thoughts and concerns.

"Sorry!"

She stood up and bowed deeply, as if about to smash the table with her forehead. "I didn't tell the truth back then. Actually, my Hunter rank is Three-Star, and that Mud Dragon was indeed my mission target..."

Hearing this, Aolang breathed a sigh of relief; at least she wasn't poaching.

Now the situation was clear: Mudi must have taken the Mud Dragon hunting mission first, but by the time she arrived at the hunting ground, it was already dark. For safety, she rested at the Camp, planning to hunt at dawn.

During the night, she was startled by the Mud Dragon's roar and the sounds of battle, so she ran over to check the situation. Upon discovering that I was already fighting the Mud Dragon, she joined the fight.

After we drove the Mud Dragon back together, we parted ways. I returned to the Camp to guard the Caravan, while she continued to pursue the injured Mud Dragon, and then... she crashed.

As for the fact that she is a Three-Star Hunter, it didn't surprise him much; with that swordsmanship as a foundation, advancing to Three-Star was normal.

As for why she wanted to hide her true Hunter rank...

In the wild, is it strange to hide something from a strange person of the opposite sex upon first meeting?

Given the experience of that previous cooperation, Aolang wasn't surprised, but Jiala, standing nearby, widened her eyes.

"Wait, how old are you to already be a Three-Star?!"

"Seventeen," Mudi muttered softly. "But I'm just a half-baked Three-Star, so I was too embarrassed to say..."