132: Gourmet Cells

Lin Luo's agile figure leaped out from beneath a waterfall deep within the mountain forest, kicking up a spray of clear water. While the crystalline droplets were still shaking off in mid-air, he had already landed steadily on a smooth bluestone by the pond, his movements as fluid as drifting clouds and flowing water, without the slightest hint of sluggishness.

Three days had passed, and he had preliminary adapted to this strange world of "Gourmet." Here, all things could be made into food; plants and living creatures alike were walking delicacies. Sweet springs were flowing nectar, fruits were condensed honey-dew, and even the air was permeated with a faint, enticing aroma. However, this ubiquitous deliciousness also hid deadly crises—without sufficient strength and means, it would be difficult to stand one's ground for even a moment in this vibrant yet predatory wilderness.

But conversely, if one possessed the power to survive and the wisdom to discern, this world was a supreme paradise prepared specifically for the brave and the diners.

During these three days, he had naturally done more than simple outdoor survival. Through continuous eating, his powerful Divine Sense allowed him to capture the core mystery of this world—gourmet cells. These were peculiar cells that allowed a creature to continuously enhance its deliciousness while also gaining extraordinary power, and they were the very source of the powerful strength of this world's hunters.

Theoretically, as long as one continuously consumed enough delicious food, even the most ordinary Mortal would have the chance to have gourmet cells parasitize their body. However, this "enough" amount was so massive it was despair-inducing.

Through internal inspection, Lin Luo discovered that the energy released during each digestion was essentially the process of foreign gourmet cells being fiercely resisted and eventually decomposed and absorbed by the body's original cells. It was like a weak spark thrown into an icy lake, fleeting and difficult to sustain.

But if one could continuously introduce a large amount of powerful and active gourmet cells, allowing them to form a stable colony and gradually assimilate and replace the original ordinary cells... then an ordinary person would transform, their flesh and blood would be reconstructed, and they would evolve into a "superhuman" who transcended common sense.

Of course, if one had the IGO special gourmet cell injection, they could directly bypass this long accumulation stage. Injecting a tube of liquid into the body was equivalent to directly delivering billions of carefully cultivated gourmet cells—saving the hard work an ordinary person would need to build up over years and through sheer volume of food.

However, this shortcut came with its own price. The Fusion of foreign cells and native cells was never a gentle handshake, but a fierce war occurring in the microscopic world. The old order was broken, and a new system was rebuilt amidst intense pain—this process would definitely not be comfortable.

For the vast majority of people in this world, there seemed to be only two paths: either rely on years of eating to slowly accumulate, or rely on external injections for forced intervention. However, the path Lin Luo was taking was an unprecedented third way.

The cultivation method he had inherited was a path unheard of in this gourmet world. Even if there were people in this world who studied the mysteries of the human body, they ultimately seemed shallow compared to his ancient cultivation wisdom of digging into one's own divine treasures and tempering Origin power.

Using his powerful Divine Soul power as a Foundation, he precisely captured and carefully protected those special gourmet cells during every process of eating and digestion. He didn't need to be an enemy to all the cells in his body; he only needed to skillfully preserve a "small handful" of seeds during each "great cleansing" and build a safe barrier for them with his own power. In this way, these selected cells could continue to proliferate and eventually gather into a colony of considerable scale.

After three days of unremitting effort, a cluster of gourmet cells about one-third the size of a pinky fingernail had been nurtured within his body. However, compared to his tough physique tempered by Spiritual Qi, this newborn power was still weak. Once the protection of his Divine Soul was withdrawn, this hard-won result would likely be swallowed whole by the original "residents" in his body in an instant, and all his efforts would be in vain.

Perhaps because this world particularly favored gourmet cells, Lin Luo found that the cultivation progress of the gourmet cells in his body was faster than expected. Under his deliberate guidance, these selected cells were proliferating and growing with unprecedented efficiency.

He clearly perceived that as long as he kept consuming high-quality delicacies like this, it might only take about a week for this newborn cell colony to accumulate enough power. At that time, they would no longer need the protection of Divine Soul power and would be sufficient to independently resist the rejection of the "residents" in his body, and even begin reverse assimilation.

Therefore, the time for hunting had come.

He passed through a dense thicket of Frosting Bushes, the sweet and greasy fragrance lingering at the tip of his nose. The view ahead suddenly opened up—on a vast plain, herds of Red-Haired Pigs were rooting through the soil with their sharp tusks, searching for plant roots. These fellows looked fierce, but compared to the terrifying impact of a Chocolate Cow, they seemed easier to deal with.

Lin Luo approached a lone Red-Haired Pig cub as silently as a ghost. When the distance was just right, he suddenly lunged! A cold light flashed, and the dagger in his hand accurately pierced the side of the Red-Haired Pig's neck. With a flick of his wrist, the sharp blade instantly severed the trachea and blood vessels. The whole process was clean and efficient, not even giving the prey a chance to let out a wail.

Seeing that the other Red-Haired Pigs had not yet noticed the disappearance of their companion, Lin Luo made a decisive decision, grabbed the still-twitching prey, and quickly retreated toward the edge of the dense forest.

Fortunately, the Red-Haired Pig he had chosen was not very large, and with his body's gradual adaptation over the past few days and the continuous integration of gourmet cells, his strength had significantly increased. Dragging this hundred-plus-pound prey was not easy, but it wasn't a burden either. Using the bushes as cover, he cleared the herd's field of vision in a few leaps, leaving only a rapidly receding trail on the grass.

Lin Luo skewered the most succulent tenderloin of the Red-Haired Pig on a branch and slowly rotated it over the fire. The fat dripped into the fire with a sizzling sound, and a rich meaty aroma rose with the curling smoke, enticing the appetite.

When he took the first bite, he couldn't help but narrow his eyes slightly. The meat was springy and juicy, and the simple roasting perfectly brought out the most primitive deliciousness of the pork. Surprisingly, except for the difficult-to-handle internal organs and the hard pig head, he actually ate the entire Red-Haired Pig clean. This staggering appetite would have been unbelievable in the past, but now he handled it with ease, even feeling like he wanted more after the last bite.

This abnormal appetite was precisely the change brought about by the cluster of gourmet cells in his body. With every piece of pork eaten, the delicious energy contained within was like a stream flowing into the sea, quickly absorbed by the thirsty cell colony. He could clearly perceive that the cell cluster was growing at an amazing speed under the nourishment of the nutrients, like a spark starting a prairie fire, taking root and spreading within his body.

However, this was still far from enough. If he couldn't stabilize the gourmet cells, he would always feel a sense of unease about going to the city.

Just as this thought flashed through his mind, a cold shudder suddenly surged up his spine.

He hadn't even locked onto his next hunting target, yet he had already been locked onto by another even more terrifying existence.

A huge shadow was cast from the sky, accompanied by the ear-grating sound of flapping wings. It was a flying bird that looked like a duck, but its body was a hundred times larger, like a moving mountain range. With just a gentle flap of its wings, it kicked up a chaotic hurricane in the forest, bending trees and sending pebbles tumbling.

Lin Luo's pupils shrank as he looked up at the giant shadow that blotted out the sun, then looked down at the dagger in his hand that had once dealt with the Red-Haired Pig—in front of such a giant beast, it was no different from a child's toy.

The giant duck dived down, the wind pressure it created almost suffocating. Lin Luo's figure retreated rapidly, narrowly avoiding the giant beak that could have snapped him in half at the waist, and used the momentum to kick hard against the duck's beak to flip backward. However, this strike was like an ant trying to shake a tree, unable to cause any substantial damage to such a colossal beast.

The difference in power levels was obvious. But that didn't mean he was helpless.

At this moment, his spirit had fully recovered, and the Divine Sense he could freely deploy was his true trump card. For this world focused on physical enhancement, an attack from the Soul level was no different from a dimensional reduction strike.

"Die!"

Lin Luo's eyes turned cold, and his majestic Divine Sense condensed into substance, turning into an invisible sharp knife that stabbed fiercely into the giant duck's head. He didn't hold back at all, his Divine Sense churning wildly inside its brain, destroying all consciousness and instinct.

In just a moment, the body of the giant beast that blotted out the sky suddenly stiffened, and its fierce eyes instantly glazed over. It began to flap its wings haphazardly, its massive body tilting and crashing into the ground like a drunkard, kicking up dust everywhere—it had already become an empty shell that only struggled mechanically.

Lin Luo's gaze focused, his wrist suddenly exerted force, and his Divine Sense pushed the dagger, which instantly turned into a streak of silver lightning, accurately plunging deep into the giant duck's glazed pupils.

*Puchi—*

The sharp blade pierced the skull with a muffled sound. The dagger was like a hot table knife cutting into butter, instantly leaving a fatal void in the giant beast's brain. The massive body that was still flapping suddenly went rigid, then crashed to the ground, shaking the dust all over.

Looking at the mountain-like trophy before him, Lin Luo didn't hesitate at all. He acted quickly, the dagger dancing at his fingertips, as thick feathers fell like snowflakes. Gutting, dressing, and deboning—every movement was precise and efficient, showing off his impressive wilderness processing skills.

The giant duck's size far exceeded expectations; when the last bit of down was scraped clean, the glistening chunks of meat had piled up into an enticing mountain of meat at his feet. This portion was enough for an ordinary family to enjoy for several months.

He quickly built a fire and chose the most succulent duck breast meat to place over the flames. The fat sizzled under the teasing of the flames, emitting a unique aroma mixed with nuts and berries. Taking a bite, the meat was surprisingly tender, with a marbling texture similar to top-tier Wagyu beef, melting in the mouth. A gentle yet abundant energy then rippled through his teeth and tongue, richer and deeper than the taste of Red-Haired Pig meat.

While he feasted, he deliberately guided the cluster of gourmet cells in his body. This time, the influx of energy was like a rushing stream. The newborn cells divided and proliferated at an unprecedented speed, and the shimmering colony grew and solidified at a rate visible to the naked eye.

Feeling the surging vitality within his body, a sharp light flashed in Lin Luo's eyes. At this rate, he might not need to wait another week at all. The newborn power in his body was roaring and growing, like a dormant beast about to break out of its cage.