222: Deer Meat Porridge and the Decision of Staying or Going

The moment the last portion of “Hundred Flavor Nectar” was poured into the pot, perfectly fusing with all the ingredients, a burst of hot steam swelled and erupted.

Buzz!

Lu Chuan’s vision blurred; he seemed to see a column of light, crimson with swirling moon-white halos and earthy yellow hues, rising from the pot, only to vanish in an instant.

Just as he thought he had imagined it, an indescribably complex aroma exploded forth!

The scent was incredibly domineering, filled with the fiery vitality of a volcano, yet strangely imbued with the tranquility of moonlight and the steadfastness of the earth, further balanced by a hint of the sweet Hundred Flavor Nectar, perfectly unifying all the contradictory tastes into an ultimate deliciousness that made one’s soul tremble!

At this moment, the few people waiting in the front hall also caught a whiff of this peculiar aroma.

Even the seemingly indifferent and emotionless Shadow couldn't help but swallow, a gulp audible as he instinctively gulped.

Not to mention Ding Xinyang, who was already passionately pressed against the door, trying to see everything inside through the crack.

Hu Xuan, on the other hand, appeared much calmer, but the creaking sound of his clenched fists behind his back revealed how unsettled he was inside.

“It’s ready!”

Lu Chuan quickly scooped the final product from the pot—a bowl of venison porridge that seemed to flow with a galaxy of lava and emitted a dreamy glow—into a thick ceramic bowl.

Creak—

The old kitchen door opened with a teeth-grating sound.

Lu Chuan carried the venison porridge and walked quickly out of the kitchen, coming to He Jingrui’s side.

At this moment, the moisture on He Jingrui’s body was growing denser, and his body temperature was frighteningly low.

A puddle of water had already spread beneath him.

“Help me pry open his mouth!”

Hu Xuan, suppressing the restless stirrings of his Gourmet Cellss, immediately stepped forward and skillfully pinched open He Jingrui’s jaw.

Lu Chuan carefully used a spoon to feed the hot venison porridge, which contained gentle and nourishing energy, into He Jingrui’s mouth.

After a few spoonfuls, a miracle occurred!

He Jingrui’s icy body trembled violently, and his previously pale skin began to show a hint of luster.

“It’s working!”

Lu Chuan breathed a sigh of relief and continued to feed him.

Meanwhile, Hu Xuan, who was assisting, could no longer hide the astonishment on his face.

Lu Chuan’s Gourmet Cells awakening rate was still low, so he couldn’t see much.

But Hu Xuan’s awakening rate was not low; he had already developed new abilities and could automatically activate a strange vision at will.

At this moment, from Hu Xuan’s perspective—

With each spoonful of porridge, it was as if a bonfire was lit within He Jingrui’s body; surging, intensely masculine energy violently flushed through his meridians, clashing fiercely with the cold, sinister curse power rooted in all his cells.

Meanwhile, the calming power of the Moonlight Rice and the stabilizing power of the Earth Vein Roots continuously soothed He Jingrui’s Gourmet Cellss, which were raging due to the energy conflict, and repaired the damage.

The Hundred Flavor Nectar, acting as a perfect harmonizer, prevented these energies of vastly different attributes from tearing He Jingrui’s body apart as a battlefield.

When the large bowl of porridge was finished, Lu Chuan placed the bowl on the ground and immediately performed his “Gourmet Cell Diagnosis” ability again.

In the blood-red world, individual Gourmet Cellss seemed to transform into neon lights, with three colors of light flashing alternately.

But it was clear that the eerie, ghostly green was being jointly suppressed by the golden, representing the awakening rate, and the red, representing vitality.

Seeing this, Lu Chuan withdrew with satisfaction.

At this point, He Jingrui also began to show unusual symptoms.

His body became burning hot, like fire; large amounts of sweat and foul-smelling dark green liquid were forced out of his pores, only to be rapidly evaporated by his scorching body temperature, forming swirling white and green mists that enveloped him.

This process lasted for nearly five minutes.

Five minutes later, He Jingrui suddenly opened his eyes and began to gasp for air as if he had had a nightmare.

After a long while, he finally seemed to awaken from a dream, and after a moment of daze, he regained his senses, looking at Lu Chuan in front of him with surprise and uncertainty.

“A Chuan, you, I… why am I here…”

Lu Chuan was surprised, but soon laughed out loud, about to point aside and say:

“Because Old…”

But before he could finish, he realized that Hu Xuan and Shadow had vanished without a trace sometime earlier.

Lu Chuan’s mouth opened and closed, the smile on his face gradually turning into helplessness.

“It’s nothing, I brought you back.”

Hearing this, He Jingrui said “Oh” and didn't show any suspicion at all; instead, he quickly accepted the explanation.

After returning to Lu Chuan’s side, the restless killing intent and cold demeanor he had developed due to the stimulation from the Little devils gene warriors disappeared, and his silly, simple-mindedness returned.

He scratched his head, looking at his tattered clothes, a bit distressed.

“My good clothes are torn again. I should have brought an extra set.”

Speaking of which, Lu Chuan was also curious.

“How did you get so badly injured? Were there many opponents?”

He Jingrui nodded and described the previous battle scene.

Lu Chuan listened with exclamations of wonder, and just as He Jingrui finished his disjointed account and Lu Chuan was about to speak, Ding Xinyang, who had been listening quietly, suddenly interjected with an amazed expression:

“More than thirty monsters attacked you at once?! And you still managed to counter-kill them, Old He, you’re too amazing!!!”

He Jingrui immediately rubbed the back of his head, embarrassed, but his eyes curved into crescent moons as he smiled, revealing a mouthful of white teeth.

“No, no, hahaha…”

Ding Xinyang was about to say something else when Lu Chuan, who was beside him, suddenly patted his shoulder.

Ding Xinyang quickly looked over, puzzled.

Lu Chuan smiled:

“Old Ding, after tonight, we’ll be leaving Modu first thing tomorrow morning. Once we’re out of Modu, let’s all go our separate ways.”

Upon hearing this, Ding Xinyang immediately said in surprise:

“Why? Didn’t you say you were afraid I’d leak your secrets, so you needed to keep a close eye on me?”

Hearing this, Lu Chuan showed a hint of embarrassment, but then quickly laughed heartily:

“Ah, I was being a small-minded person judging a gentleman’s heart, I apologize! When those few monsters surrounded me earlier, you told me to leave alone, which showed me you are a kind-hearted person.”

This made Ding Xinyang a bit embarrassed too. Just as he was about to say something, he heard Lu Chuan show a helpless expression and continue:

“Moreover, He Jingrui has already been exposed. Although he disguised his voice at the time, the authorities aren’t fools. From the blood samples he dripped, and by de-faking and comparing voiceprints, or at the very least, tracing back through roadside surveillance cameras, they’ll quickly figure out He Jingrui’s true identity. Then, following the clues, I won’t be able to escape either.”

This made He Jingrui, who was beside him, a bit dumbfounded.

(What? My flawless disguise was actually full of flaws?!)

Lu Chuan patted He Jingrui’s shoulder, who was deep in self-reproach, and comforted him:

“It’s okay, it’s not your fault! After what happened tonight, I’ve thought things through.”