Chapter 34: Gratitude and the Mission

"Danbao, use Freshness Overflow!"

Qin Lang gestured toward the beef on the cutting board, his eyes filled with anticipation.

"Gulu!"

Danbao hopped forward and blew gently onto the beef.

The beef, which had been frozen for a day and had just thawed, instantly became incredibly tender and vibrant red, as if it had just been freshly carved from the cow. Touching the surface, Qin Lang could even feel the meat contracting slightly, which made his eyes light up. He had never seen beef this fresh in his previous life!

This culinary skill was truly miraculous!

"We’ll make stir-fried beef with green peppers tonight!"

Having made his decision, Qin Lang sliced off about 400 grams of beef and returned the rest to the refrigerator. With Danbao using Freshness Overflow once a day, he would be able to eat the freshest beef every single day—it was perfect!

He quickly sliced the beef into strips the thickness of chopsticks and placed them in a basin, adding water to draw out the blood. While waiting, Qin Lang methodically prepared the other ingredients. He halved the green and red peppers and sliced the ginger and garlic.

By the time the aromatics were ready, the water soaking the beef had turned a pale, murky red. He lifted the beef from the water, squeezed it dry repeatedly, and then added egg whites, a pinch of baking soda, scallion-ginger cooking wine, white pepper, and light soy sauce. He mixed it by hand until it felt sticky, then added cornstarch, mixed it again, and finally added a spoonful of oil to prevent sticking.

The preparation was complete.

Beside him, Danbao watched Qin Lang’s every move with eager eyes. Although the wok wasn't even on the stove yet, it seemed to be anticipating the coming aroma.

"Gulu?"

"This dish cooks quickly; it won't take long," Qin Lang said, glancing at the rice he had already cooked. "Once it's done, we can eat."

"Gulu!" Danbao cheered excitedly. Qin Lang started the wok, heated the oil, and added the marinated beef, stir-frying rapidly. As the heat took effect, the beef released a rich, savory aroma that grew more intense by the second, making one's mouth water just by smelling it.

There was no need to overcook it. Once the beef changed color, he set it aside. He added ginger and garlic to the wok, sautéed them until fragrant, then added oyster sauce and dark soy sauce. He returned the beef to the wok, tossed it evenly, and added the pre-cut green and red peppers. A splash of water and a dash of MSG were added to enhance the flavor.

With a swift, skillful flick of the wrist, he tossed the wok, and the colorful, appetizing stir-fried beef with green peppers landed perfectly onto the waiting plate.

Seeing Danbao drooling, Qin Lang smiled, picked up a piece with his chopsticks to feed it, then served two bowls of rice and brought the meal to the table.

"Time to eat."

As the succulent, savory beef hit his tongue, filling his mouth with its rich flavor, Qin Lang’s eyes lit up. The slight heat from the peppers not only accented the flavor of the beef but made it even more satisfying with rice. He couldn't help but shovel in a mouthful of rice.

He continued to eat, alternating between rice and beef. Danbao was even less composed, its head practically buried in its rice bowl.

"Right," Qin Lang suddenly remembered something. He set down his bowl and chopsticks, pulled out his phone, and scanned Danbao.

"Beep—"

[Experience Value: 5/100]

Seeing Danbao’s soaring experience value, Qin Lang was pleasantly surprised. Danbao had only been born a day ago, and it already had 5 points?

A moment later, he shook his head with a wry smile. Although only a day had passed, it had been quite eventful—not only had they battled Zhao Qian’s spirit, but they had also helped Song Hui recover her stolen flowers, not to mention all the delicious food they had enjoyed. It was normal for the experience value to rise this much in such a short time.

After the meal, Qin Lang tidied up and returned to his room with Danbao.

"Now, we have two very important things to do," Qin Lang said seriously. Seeing his solemn expression, Danbao’s little face also became quite grave.

"First, we need to make money," Qin Lang paused. "I had planned to find a job today after becoming an official Spirit Chef, but a series of events got in the way. We’re broke now, so we need to earn money as soon as possible..."

"Ding-dong—"

A text message interrupted him. He picked up his phone, glanced at it, and his hand shook so hard he nearly dropped the device.

The message began: "Your bank account ending in xxxx has received a transfer of 1,000,000 yuan..."

One million!

Was this a scam?

Just as suspicion crossed his mind, Cao Dongdong called.

"Qin Lang, did you get my transfer?"

Qin Lang: "..."

"That one million..." Qin Lang said with some difficulty, "You transferred it to me?!"

"Yeah!" Cao Dongdong laughed. "Strictly speaking, my dad asked me to transfer it to you. I’ve successfully condensed a Spirit from the egg yolk pastry; I’m a Spirit Chef now! My dad said it was all thanks to you, so you have to accept the money."

...Fair enough.

"If you have any questions about cooking, just ask me," Qin Lang said, hanging up the phone with a bemused expression. He looked at the bewildered Danbao. "Now, we only have one important thing left."

"That is to enter Xiaxi Mountain and find that Crimson Land Lotus." Qin Lang opened his hand-drawn landscape map, excitement flashing in his eyes. If he could find another Star-Clear Stone like the last one, Danbao would likely reach Level 10 and evolve into a one-star Spirit!

Since they had money now, there was no time to lose. They would set off tomorrow!

...

"Xiao Pi, we finally have money!"

In a secluded cabin, Liu Chuang looked at the organization bonus that had just arrived and hugged his Spirit, his eyes reddening. "Although it’s just some flower seeds and the bonus is much less than expected, it’s enough for us to buy some good ingredients. Let's go buy food and make something delicious!"

"Skree!" Xiao Pi cheered excitedly. As the two stepped out of the cabin, their expressions shifted instantly. Standing outside was a burly, middle-aged man.

Recognizing him, Liu Chuang immediately looked respectful. "My lord, why are you here?"

"There is a mission," the man said in a deep voice. "A Rare Spirit has been sighted within Dongxia City."

"A Rare Spirit?!" Liu Chuang was shocked. In such a backwater place, how could something like that exist?

"Your new mission is to assist me in capturing that Rare Spirit," the man paused. "If you succeed, I will activate your second Star Vessel."

Liu Chuang’s breathing turned ragged.

"Yes!!!"