Chapter 278: Universal Planting System (17)

The next morning, Xie Yang and Xiya Ma each brought their cubs and set off for the Zone 1 Garbage Dump at the agreed-upon time.

When the administrator Al saw Xie Yang, his expression was indescribably complex.

Yesterday, Lao Luofu had contacted him, saying he knew why Xiao Xie had been picking up so much livestock waste—it was to make food! He even said that since Xiao Xie could turn the livestock waste discarded by the Habitable Star into something so fresh and fragrant, she must be a Cooking Master.

As Al listened to Lao Luofu's chatter, he couldn't help but dry-heave.

What!!!

That pile of livestock waste she picked up was made into food by her?

You've got to be kidding!

How could that stuff be edible?

Even with all the safe flavoring additives added by Nutrient Solution manufacturers, they couldn't completely mask that strange odor; how could she actually swallow it when made directly into food? And still want more?

Lao Luofu must have lost his mind!

It got to the point where Lao Luofu patted his chest and guaranteed to him that if Xiao Xie came to pick up livestock waste again, he should just give it to her; she wouldn't waste it, and what she made would be a thousand or ten thousand times better than ordinary Nutrient Solution.

"... Even Advanced Nutrient Solution can't compare to a bowl of soup stewed by Xiao Xie, though the most expensive one I've ever had was only a three-digit Nutrient Solution; I can't afford anything pricier."

Al: "..."

You haven't even had it, so why are you bragging!

Consequently, seeing Xie Yang right now, he didn't know what to say.

If even Lao Luofu could tell lies for the livestock waste she cooked, this woman was perhaps a bit eerie.

It would be better if he didn't talk to her, just in case...

"Hello, Mr. Al. Thank you for helping me save those seeds last time. This is a little food I made myself; it tastes quite good, and I hope you like it!"

Before his internal grumbling had even ended, Al was shoved a Metal Lunch Box by Xie Yang.

Because it wasn't as airtight as an Express Box, the overbearing fragrance wafting from the gaps in the lunch box made it very hard for him to firmly say no.

At this moment, Xie Ting, who was being held in Xie Yang's arms with one hand, waved at Al: "Uncle, what my mommy makes is so delicious! You must try it!"

"That's right! My mommy said Tingting Ma is a Cooking Master! Everything she makes is delicious!"

Xiya stared longingly at the Metal Lunch Box in Al's hand and slurped his saliva, "If you really don't like it, Uncle, you can give it to me... Mmph!"

He had his mouth covered by his mother, Xiya Ma, who looked helpless.

You brat!

Begging for food all the way to Zone 1!

Xiya Ma gave a dry laugh, picked up her troublesome son, and hurried toward the waste sorting area, terrified that if she were a step slower, her son would run off to snatch the lunch box from Al's hand.

Xie Yang suppressed a laugh, nodded politely at Al, and followed along while holding her own cub.

Al: "..."

He looked down, staring at the lunch box in his hand.

Fragrant!

It really is fragrant!

No wonder Lao Luofu would praise the food Xiao Xie made to the skies.

But the moment he thought about how this food was made from the livestock scraps discarded by the Breeding Star, he... he didn't dare to open the lid.

Just then, his partner Lao En, who had been napping in the breakroom, walked over.

He walked while sniffing hard at something.

"Al, do you smell that? There's a really, really good scent; it smells so good it makes one want to down two tubes of Nutrient Solution..."

As he spoke, he sniffed his way right up to Al.

"Hey! Why does it seem like the smell is coming from what's in your hand... What is this? Why is it so fragrant!"

"..."

Does this guy have a dog's nose!

But that's fine; he was at a loss with this thing in his hand anyway.

So he handed the lunch box to his colleague: "If you want to eat it, eat it; if you don't... just throw it into the livestock workshop to be ground up."

"Throw it away?" The other man glanced at Al in surprise, "I say, brother, did you win the top prize in the Star Universe lottery?"

As he spoke, he opened the lunch box in his hand, "Wow! Which Cooking Master is this masterpiece from? Not only is it fragrant, but the color is also so beautiful! Well brother, I won't be polite! Next time I have something good, I'll treat you too!"

Saying this, he began to feast on the contents of the lunch box.

"What ingredients is this made of? It's so chewy! Delicious, delicious!"

"Ah! The soup is so fresh too!"

"Wuu wuu! To eat such a delicacy in this lifetime, I am so happy!"

Al: "..."

He couldn't help but take a look at the ingredients in the lunch box.

Once he looked, he couldn't pull his eyes away.

Is this really made from livestock scraps?

Why is it so appetizing!

Is this the legendary natural gourmet food that is "perfect in color, aroma, and taste"?

Did Lao Luofu really not exaggerate? Does Xiao Xie truly have Master-level culinary skills that can turn livestock scraps into a delicacy?

Thinking of this, his hands moved faster than his brain to snatch the lunch box.

"Al, what are you doing?"

"... This is mine!"

"I know! But didn't you just give it to me to eat?"

"I... I only asked you to taste two bites, not for you to eat it all."

"... Aha! That was my misunderstanding! Then give me two more bites to taste; I didn't get the flavor just now..."

Upon hearing this, Al thought: What? Still tasting?

A whole box is almost finished by you, and you still haven't tasted the flavor?

Hand it over!

"Mommy, Mommy, why are those two uncles fighting?"

Unlike Xie Ting, who would earnestly squat in front of a pile of discarded seeds to look for plump and beautiful ones as soon as they arrived at the garbage sorting area, Xiya, seeing the ecological garbage sorting area which was completely different from the District 31 garbage dump, looked around excitedly and, catching sight of this scene, shouted in surprise.

Seeing this, Al twitched the corner of his mouth and hurriedly hugged the lunch box and went back to his own lounge.

His partner followed behind, still wanting more: "Al! Brother! Wait for me! I promise not to snatch it! But can you tell me where you bought it? How many Star Coins does a portion like this cost? Let me calculate my savings to see if it's enough to buy one..."

"..."

Xiya Ma twisted her son's ear and pulled him in front of the garbage pile: "Tingting Ma and I have important things to attend to. You be good and sift for seeds here with Tingting, do you hear me?"

"I hear you, I hear you."

Xiya agreed hurriedly.

Tingting Ma said that as long as he looked after Tingting, she would give him something very delicious to eat when they went back.

I wonder how delicious it will be? Will it be even more delicious than what he tasted before?

Slurp!

He couldn't wait!

"Tingting, what are you looking for? I'll help you look."

"Okay! I want to help my mommy find lots and lots of these beautiful seeds."

The two little ones buried their heads and started rummaging through the pile of discarded seeds in front of them.

Xie Yang and Xiya Ma exchanged a smile and seized the time to go to the machine room to "stock up."

Xiya Ma was responsible for the hooves and bones, and Xie Yang was responsible for the offal.

Xiya Ma, entering the machine room for the first time, found it hard to believe that the delicacies she had eaten before were actually made from these stinky meat-livestock scraps.

If she hadn't tasted it herself and seen it with her own eyes, it would be really hard to connect the two.

Is this the strength of a Cooking Master?

Xiya Ma felt quite emotional inside, but her hands were not slow at all, nimbly assisting Xie Yang in packing and bagging, and then moving them to the Flying Vehicle trip by trip.

Until the cargo holds of the two Flying Vehicles were stuffed full, this "zero-cost shopping" trip came to an end.

After half a day of sifting and picking, the two little ones had found a total of twenty-something seeds with slight vitality.

Xie Yang praised the two little ones heavily and promised to make them something delicious when they got back.

"Let's go, time to go home!"

"Yay! Going home to eat something delicious!"

Al, watching them leave, wanted to say something but hesitated.

He had tasted it, and it was indeed as Lao Luofu had said—so delicious that one would be addicted to it and simply couldn't stop!

He, Lao Luofu, and his colleagues all felt that this craftsmanship couldn't be done by anyone who wasn't a Cooking Master!

So, is Xiao Xie a Cooking Master?

But how could a Cooking Master be exiled to a Garbage Star?

Forget it, that's not the point.

The point is, how can he ask Xiao Xie for another portion of the delicacy... Ahhh! The Flying Vehicle has driven away! Wuwu...