Beast Taming: I Can Add Points

[Shao Ya]: How’s the Common Defense Alliance museum over there in Hundred Rivers? Any new discoveries?

As he read the two lines on the screen, Su Zhi’s playful smirk instantly froze, his face becoming as still as a funeral portrait.

Shen Chuqing quickly grew curious. "What’s up?"

"You have the nerve to ask? This is all your fault!"

Su Zhi buried his face in his hands, exasperated. "You dragged me here to spar, and it made me forget what I was actually supposed to do! I was planning on going to the museum!"

Shen Chuqing waved her hand dismissively. "I thought it was something serious. Relax. Even if I hadn’t dragged you here to spar, you wouldn’t have found the museum on your own. The result would’ve been the same, ya know."

"What the..." Su Zhi was speechless for a moment.

In truth, it was only a little after ten o’clock when they finished sparring, so it wasn’t that late.

Shen Chuqing said she wanted to rest for a bit, so they started wandering aimlessly through the commercial district around the Battle Hall. Su Zhi thought, ’Well, I’m already here, and it’s still early,’ so he went along with her.

And so, the two loafers ended up wandering around until noon without even realizing it...

Later, Shen Chuqing got hungry and wanted to get lunch. It only seemed natural for Su Zhi to join her. He didn’t remember his actual task until Shao Ya’s message reminded him.

’Damn it! Women really do slow down the speed of my sword draw!’

"There’s not much to see in that museum anyway. Besides, you’re only going to look at stuff related to your Yu Bao. A quick trip won’t take up much of your time."

Seeing Su Zhi’s sulking expression, Shen Chuqing gave a lazy yawn.

As she spoke, a dish of Water-Boiled Meat was served. Shen Chuqing didn’t hold back, immediately picking up a few slices and starting to eat. She crossed her slender right leg over her left, her foot swinging back and forth in time with the rhythm of her chewing.

"I saw Alliance Leader Luo’s schedule for you. Just one trip to the museum for the whole morning. That’s pretty relaxed, okay? No need to rush like you’re late for school."

Shen Chuqing pulled out a pair of chopsticks and stuffed them into Su Zhi’s hand.

"Just eat, relax. You think I’d actually hold you up?"

Su Zhi asked curiously, "But even if it doesn’t take long inside, we still need time to get there, right?"

Shen Chuqing nodded. "Yeah, it’ll probably take a whole thirty seconds to go downstairs."

"???" Su Zhi seemed to realize something. "Don’t tell me the museum is..."

"That’s right. The Battle Hall was built on top of the museum."

"..." Su Zhi opened his mouth but couldn’t find any words.

Come to think of it, when he was lost this morning, the coordinates had overlapped. He’d been near a breakfast shop at the time.

The breakfast shop was built on top of the Battle Hall, and the Battle Hall was built on top of the museum. Of course the coordinates would overlap. So that was how it was...

"Not eating? If you’re not gonna eat, I’ll eat it for you."

"I’m eating!"

’My worries have vanished. How could I pass up a good meal?’

Su Zhi immediately picked up a slice of the water-boiled meat and put it in his mouth. Before he could even chew, he felt an intense heat and spiciness, and he quickly spat it out onto his plate.

Shen Chuqing watched the clueless out-of-towner with a grin. "How’s the Sichuan cuisine?"

Su Zhi’s gaze toward the Water-Boiled Meat was now filled with a new kind of reverence.

"Isn’t this a little too much? It looks nothing like it tastes..."

Shen Chuqing picked up a piece of meat and explained leisurely, "You see this layer of oil on top? It’s pressed from Lava Beans, a First-Level Fire Element resource. Not only does it perfectly complement the flavor of the Water-Boiled Meat, but it’s also highly heat-resistant. Even with boiling hot soup underneath, adding Lava Bean oil on top prevents even a wisp of steam from escaping. It’s super useful.

"And this meat comes from select free-range chickens from Snow Ridge Slope. They’re a type of Intermediate Extraordinary Fire Element Pet Beast, which makes them equivalent to a Quasi-First Level Fire Element resource. They have a natural spiciness, so you just need to add a few spices to remove the gaminess, and they become incredibly delicious.

"The spicy soup for the Water-Boiled Meat uses Celestial Small Round Peppers—the same base plant used to cultivate Lala. After its fruit ripens, it’s equivalent to a Second-Level Fire Element resource..."

"Okay, Sis, please stop."

Su Zhi’s gaze toward the Water-Boiled Meat turned to one of fear. ’Holy cow, three different Fire Element resources in a single dish? Is that even okay?’

"Are you sure this dish won’t kill someone?"

"Nope. We’ve been eating it since we were kids. Hundred Rivers is a very humid place, so eating spicy food helps replenish your body’s warmth and maintain good health."

Shen Chuqing nonchalantly picked up another piece and popped it into her mouth. "The first bite is definitely rough, but you’ll get used to it right away. Trust me, you’re going to love this flavor."

"Really?" Su Zhi tentatively picked up another piece.

He was mentally prepared this time. While it was still intensely spicy and hot, it wasn’t unbearable.

Not only that, but once the searing, overwhelming spiciness faded, the unique, lingering, savory flavor of the meat filled his mouth, revealing a whole different kind of taste.

Su Zhi went for one piece after another, and before he knew it, he had eaten nearly half the bowl.

"Slow down, no one’s gonna steal it from you," Shen Chuqing chuckled. "Actually, Alliance Leader Luo specifically asked me to order this dish."

"?" Su Zhi suddenly didn’t dare to eat anymore.

"Relax, it won’t kill you."

Shen Chuqing shifted her gaze to Yu Bao. "This dish uses many Fire Element resources. Since it’s food that goes deep into the body, it can create a resonance with a Fire Attribute Pet Beast that ordinary resources can’t. That was the same reason I had Lala spar with you earlier—to increase its exposure to the Fire Attribute as much as possible."

"Is that so... In that case, Yu Bao, you want one?"

Su Zhi picked up a slice of meat.

Yu Bao waited for Su Zhi to toss the meat onto the floor before gobbling it up in one bite.

Unlike Su Zhi’s initial grimace, Yu Bao seemed to relish it from the very first bite. His tail wagged so hard it looked like a propeller.

"How do you feel?"

"Woof!" Yu Bao was a little surprised himself. He could feel the Fire Element Energy inside him swelling to an unprecedented level. In terms of sheer quantity, the dish didn’t actually contain that many Fire Element resources. But as it entered his stomach with the food, it produced a unique feedback loop, completely different from just absorbing resources directly!

"That’s normal. Yu Dian Farm Dogs inherently have the Fire Element," Shen Chuqing said, her eyes narrowing slightly.