Chapter 656: What Kind of Meat Is This? Out of Sight, Out of Mind!

Twenty minutes later.

"Time to eat!"

Su Yang carried two serving trays into the dining hall and handed them respectively to the Countess and the Coachman.

"Thank you," the Countess replied politely.

"Don't thank me so soon; this is my first time cooking, and the flavor may not be to everyone's liking," Su Yang waved his hand.

"Look at this color..." the Coachman picked up the Knife and Fork to examine it, and saw that the meat steak in front of him was brown with black streaks, clearly nine‑ten degrees of doneness!

"You didn't poison it, did you?" Tang Youning asked.

"Heh... then don't eat it; I have an extra piece I can toss outside to feed the horse," Su Yang said softly.

"A distinguished Mr. Su cooking himself—how could I, as an old friend, refuse a taste? My earlier question was merely a joke; you wouldn't be so stingy as to be unable to joke, would you?" Tang Youning said with a hidden meaning.

"I don't think it was a joke," Su Yang turned to stare at his face, a curve forming at the corner of his mouth, "I truly intend to poison you."

Tang Youning's gaze hardened, emitting a fierce light.

Su Yang ignored his reaction and lamented, "It's a pity the rules are limited; how nice it would be if I could alter them."

"If you possessed such skill, it would be an honor for me, Tang, to die at your hands!" Tang Youning whispered.

"Is that so?" Su Yang smiled, "It's just a shame you won't live to see that day."

As he spoke, he fetched another cooked meat steak from the kitchen and handed it out to the others in turn.

When he reached Tang Youning, he deliberately flicked it toward him.

"Snap!"

Black pepper sauce splattered everywhere, with a few drops even landing on his face and clothing.

Su Yang immediately gave an apologetic look, "Sorry, the plate was too slippery, I didn't hold it steady."

Tang Youning's gaze remained unchanged, but his clenched hand plainly revealed his current thoughts.

The atmosphere suddenly grew solemn; the other participants did not start eating, instead using their peripheral vision to observe the situation.

A moment later, Tang Youning fetched a napkin, dabbed it, and said lightly, "No problem; people slip, horses stumble; just be careful next time."

"Brother Tang truly is magnanimous; I feel quite ashamed," Su Yang sighed.

"After all, you went to the trouble of cooking for us; it was merely a single mistake. Even with my worst temper, I can't berate the Cook, can I?" Tang Youning took the Knife in his left hand, the Fork in his right, and began slicing the meat.

The others, seeing this, also began to partake in the first lunch since the game started.

Having gone nearly twenty hours without rice, their physical condition improved, and their appetite grew considerably.

Stomachs that usually needed one or two bowls of rice now required at least four or five bowls to feel full.

Su Yang's meat steak was about the size of two palms, accompanied by cherry tomatoes and broccoli, barely enough for a half‑full stomach.

And judging by its appearance...

Even at ninety‑percent doneness, it still possessed a unique flavor.

Liang Kaiji cut forcefully, veins popping in his palm.

Su Yang glanced over, smiling inwardly.

"If it really doesn't work, just grab it and gnaw; we're all just a temporary gathering, and after it's over we each go home, knowing no one," Su Yang said 'considerately'.

Liang Kaiji paused, slowly set down the Knife and Fork, and immediately grabbed the meat steak with his hand and began gnawing.

Seeing this, Su Yang's smile deepened, he shoved a piece into his mouth, chewed, feeling the firm texture, and asked, "Everyone, how does it taste?"

"The black pepper sauce with the meat steak is indeed wonderful; it enhances aroma and color without masking the original flavor," Li Zhenhua praised.

"My piece is crisp on the outside and tender inside; the cooking heat control was slightly off, but it has its own charm," Zhai Sixin said while eating.

"I must say, Mr. Su possesses an innate talent in this area; even on his first try he satisfied the picky eaters, and with time he might become a renowned chef," the Coachman said.

If it were Lin Yang hearing these praises, he would already be floating arrogantly, proud to the point of not knowing what the sun is.

But Su Yang was not impressed by this.

On the contrary, he thought these flattery words might conceal a trap!

No one flatters without reason.

Su Yang being a Cook does not mean he must shoulder the cooking duty.

The role in this game... is merely a role.

"As long as you all like it, that's fine; I cooked it this well also for fear that someone wouldn't like it undercooked."

Tang Youning chewed slowly, displaying gentlemanly manners, "By the way, what's the origin of this meat? I don't think I've ever tasted this flavor before."

Upon hearing that, everyone's chewing slowed a bit, their eyes showing a hint of contemplation.

Indeed, this meat steak...

It looks neither like pork nor beef.

It lacks the gamy smell of lamb and the fragrance of chicken.

Then what is it...

Su Yang licked the black pepper sauce from his lip and calmly said, "The Count loves hunting, so these meats are most likely Beast meat."

Before the others could breathe a sigh of relief, Su Yang added, "Of course, there's a small chance they're human flesh."

"Hm?!"

The others lowered their heads, glanced at the half‑eaten meat steak, and their faces instantly turned green.

Thinking they were tasting parts of a human body made their stomachs churn uncontrollably.

Li Zhenhua suddenly covered his mouth, his pupils wildly dilating.

"Just a joke; Brother Tang just said it, and we're all people who can take jokes, so this shouldn't bother anyone," Su Yang chuckled lightly.

"That joke isn't funny at all!" the Countess said, her complexion extremely poor.

Su Yang restrained his smile and said calmly, "But the possibility of human flesh isn't zero; think about it... as Sikeite wrote in his letter, the Count is a man with a wife and daughter."

And Diana and the Count clearly have no blood relation; given the identities of the eight of us present, everyone must share the same doubt—

The Count's daughter, where did she go?

As soon as the words fell, everyone furrowed their brow.

Indeed, they also noticed this, but have not mentioned it yet.

From the standpoint of the game's integrity, the Letter's content would never be aimless.

However, none of the present players' identities include a "daughter" role.

Likewise, the Photo Frame in the Master Room does not contain a third person.

Then the result is sufficiently intriguing…

A character who should have appeared vanished without a trace, leaving only one possibility—

She is dead!

The death was extremely sudden, or perhaps without a sound.

Otherwise Sikeite would not have brushed it over.

Considering this, Su Yang said, "The hunting rifle appearing in the Cellar is already suspicious; judging from its placement and the surplus Bullet, it certainly wasn't stolen by Diana."

"Most likely, the Count placed it there himself."

"A person who loves hunting would never hand a weapon that can easily take a life to a mistress."

"There must be an unspeakable secret here, or perhaps it is his way of avoidance."

"After all… out of sight, out of mind!"