Chapter 55

A pot of clear soup, with a chicken inside, was what everyone saw. However, it didn't make sense; even a chicken should have its own aroma, how could it not emit any scent at all?

Lin Xiao quickly solved the mystery. Holding the chopsticks, he carefully removed the thread sewn on the chicken's belly. A faint aroma began to seep through the fine cracks, and everyone sniffed it carefully. It was a mixed aroma of chicken and shiitake mushrooms, dominating everyone's sense of smell.

Finally, Lin Xiao removed all the threads. Instantly, the aroma of the mushroom-stewed chicken covered all other scents on the dining table. Everyone swallowed their saliva, no longer paying attention to Lin Xiao, and their chopsticks flew in unison. The chicken and mushrooms disappeared at a visible speed, and everyone was in a frenzy. After a moment, only a chicken head remained, lonely and alone in the pot.

Ye Ding saw the chicken head and, noticing Lin Xiao about to pick it up, quickly extended his chopsticks and snatched the chicken head, putting it in his mouth. He then gave Lin Xiao a smug look.

Lin Xiao couldn't help but laugh. As the chef, he felt very proud that his dish was so popular. Although he didn't get to eat it, the satisfaction in his heart was sweeter than honey.

Lin Xiao was also self-aware. His cooking wasn't as good before, and the key was the water from the space. It seemed there were still many aspects of the space water that hadn't been discovered, and this unexpected discovery was also a gain.

An hour later, all the dishes on the table were finished. The three women were all hugging their bellies, groaning. Wu Zuoli was still complaining to Lin Xiao, asking why he made the food so delicious, making her eat too much. If she gained weight, she would never forgive Lin Xiao.

The men were still drinking and chatting, but the fourth one, who was a bit of a lightweight, was already lying under the table, unable to handle just six bottles of beer. It was really embarrassing.

Suddenly, Lin Xiao thought of something and said to Ye Ding and the others, "Right, you guys are resting these few days. I have something planned, so don't leave yet."

"Oh~ Little brother has plans? Tell us about it," Ye Ding said, raising an eyebrow.

"Sure. Now is the best time for hunting, so I found a hunter in the village. How about we go into the mountains to hunt?" Lin Xiao said with a smile.

"That sounds great. Shall we go now?" Ye Ding said eagerly.

Even the three women, who were still resting, were attracted by this topic. Their eyes sparkled. For city dwellers, hunting was something they rarely experienced, only reading about it in books, never in real life.

"We should wait for the fourth one to wake up first. The sun is too strong now, not suitable for travel. We also need to prepare other things. We might spend the night in the mountains, so we need to bring tents and other essentials," Lin Xiao explained.

"Also, inform your families so they don't worry," Lin Xiao said to Luo Qingya.

Luo Qingya nodded, indicating she understood, and went to make a call.

"Hey, little brother, you don't care about me. I know we came out to play today, but you left your son with my mom," Wu Zuoli suddenly said. We could only silently mourn for Wu Zuoli's son, wondering if having such a mother was a blessing or a curse. Amen.

Seeing Lin Xiao roll his eyes, Wu Zuoli laughed and went back to chat with Wang Weiwei and the others.

"Little brother, give me a list of what we need, and I'll call someone to bring it over," Ye Ding said to Lin Xiao.

Lin Xiao listed the items needed for outdoor survival, and Ye Ding prepared them according to what Lin Xiao said, generously providing all the equipment for everyone.

Ye Ding went to call someone to prepare the items, and Lin Xiao didn't idle. He started to clear the table, but as soon as he touched the plates,

"Go away, this is our women's job. You go rest. After such a delicious lunch, leave the dishes to us," Wu Zuoli said, pushing Lin Xiao away.

Luo Qingya and Wang Weiwei had the same expression as Wu Zuoli, determined to prevent Lin Xiao from touching the plates.

Lin Xiao had no choice but to leave, feeling uneasy under their watchful eyes, and went downstairs to watch TV.

Soon, Ye Ding's assistant arrived in a pickup truck, loaded with all the equipment for the trip, six sets in total, each weighing several kilograms.

Lin Xiao came out to check, and Ye Ding's arrangement was quite reasonable. However, Luo Qingya might not be able to carry such a weight for long, so Lin Xiao made some adjustments. He decided that each man would carry a backpack, and Luo Qingya's items would be distributed. Lin Xiao would carry the tent, and the others wouldn't bring anything extra. Since there were five sets, it was enough. Ye Ding agreed, so Lin Xiao's backpack also had an extra tent.

Of course, when Wu Zuoli heard this, she looked at Luo Qingya and Lin Xiao with a strange expression, her lips curling into a smile that made people uneasy.

The fourth one was also woken up by Lin Xiao, who gave him some space water. After drinking it, the fourth one instantly became清醒.

Lin Xiao told him about the plan to go hunting in the mountains, "Really? That's great! Are there wolves in the mountains? Eagles? Leopards?" The fourth one, Li Shu, started asking questions as soon as he heard about the hunting.

"Stop dreaming. Wolves, eagles, and leopards? Just hope you don't run into them, or you'll be left there to feed the wolves," Lin Xiao said, speechless at the fourth one's questions. Why did he only think of dangerous animals?

Around three in the afternoon, Lin Xiao brought Dazhuang from the village. It was Dazhuang's first time entering Lin Xiao's villa. Seeing the advanced facilities and luxurious decorations, he looked nervous, his eyes fixed on the marble floor, which reflected his image.

Seeing Dazhuang's nervous and hesitant steps, Lin Xiao understood his feelings. He turned and patiently said to Dazhuang, "Dazhuang, don't worry. It's just a house. It won't suffocate you. Don't be so hesitant. You are the hunter leading the group into the mountains."

Although Dazhuang understood, his expression didn't change. Lin Xiao couldn't do anything to persuade him.

Inside the villa, Lin Xiao introduced Dazhuang to everyone. Seeing the nervous but strong and dark-skinned Dazhuang, everyone smiled, confident in the hunter Lin Xiao had found. Although he looked nervous, it also showed that he was honest.

After checking the items again and confirming that everything was ready, everyone followed Dazhuang into the mountains.

The route Dazhuang chose had already been discussed with Lin Xiao and the others. The mountains here were part of the Taihang Mountains, with many fierce animals deep inside. Therefore, this time they would only hunt on the outer mountains.

Ye Ding also specially gave Dazhuang a custom-made special forces knife, which he could only get with his status. The knife was 30 centimeters long and could cut through steel like butter, a military-grade product that Ye Ding had managed to obtain with great difficulty.