Chapter 30
“I’ll make you a non-spicy version then,” Bai Tu said. Whether it was hotpot or barbecue, he already had non-spicy options in mind.
While chili peppers were delicious, not everyone enjoyed them. Even in cities where spicy food was popular, there were still people who couldn’t tolerate it, let alone in these two tribes who had barely eaten it before.
The second hunting team returned a little later, bringing back two wild boars—one large and one small. However, they were in much better condition than the first group.
For beastmen, a short rest was usually enough to recover most of their strength. Generally, adults tried to maintain a decent level of stamina at all times to be prepared for unexpected situations.
Younger wolves in their adolescence, like Lang Ze’s group, could afford to exhaust themselves recklessly because they had the adult wolves as their safety net.
By the time Lang Ze and the others had gone out to hunt, the rest of the group had already started preparing—building fires and boiling water.
Bai Tu set aside a few stone pots to make the hotpot broth. Cooking each pot individually would have been too much trouble, so he decided to prepare all the base ingredients in one batch and divide them among the pots afterward.
With chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns on hand, Bai Tu was able to make a variety of flavors. He prepared three spicy broths: mild, medium, and extra spicy.
The mild version was the most abundant, while the extra spicy pot was the smallest. However, the majority of the hotpot broths were plain, as many of the beastmen had never eaten chili before.
Although Bai Tu personally loved spicy food, he never forced his preferences on others—spicy options made up only a third of the total.
There were plenty of chili peppers, so Bai Tu selected the plumpest ones to save as seeds, while the less perfect ones were chopped up and tossed into the pot. He stir-fried them with green onions, ginger, and fatty pork belly to release their aroma before adding water to create the base for the hotpot broth.
Hotpot was all about cooking as you ate. Thinly sliced pork and beef were freshly prepared, and over a dozen stone pots were arranged in a row. Between every two pots, a flat stone slab for grilling meat was placed, allowing everyone to choose between boiling or grilling their food.
Even during mealtime, about a third of the group stayed on guard duty, watching over the salt and food supplies. The rest gathered eagerly around the campfire. No one cared about the heat anymore—after ten days of being perpetually hungry, they all wished they could devour the entire pot, meat and all, in one gulp.
Lang Ze initially planted himself firmly by the plain broth pot, refusing to leave.
He had never eaten hotpot before, but trusting in Bai Tu’s cooking, he knew it was bound to be delicious. However, he wanted nothing to do with the chili-infused pots—absolutely not.
Even after all these years, he still vividly remembered the traumatic experience of eating fire fruit as a child. It was one of the few significant “blows” he’d endured growing up, and the fiery taste had left a permanent scar on his memory.
To this day, it remained one of the most devastating experiences of his childhood.
That’s what he told himself, but when Bai Tu started stir-frying the hotpot base with various seasonings, Lang Ze suddenly had a bad feeling. Why did the spicy pots smell better than the plain one he was standing by?
Watching Bai Tu drop slices of meat into the vibrant red broth, Lang Ze began to grow nervous. The bubbling, scarlet broth glistened enticingly, releasing an aroma that was impossible to ignore.
Lang Ze swallowed hard. Bai Tu must be doing this on purpose—he’s trying to tempt me!
It was just like those stories the elders in the tribe used to tell about cannibal tribes—how they would lure unsuspecting beastmen into their caves with delicious food before killing and eating them.
Stories of cannibal tribes were the most terrifying tales of any beastman’s childhood. To Lang Ze, the taste of fire fruit ranked just below those horrifying stories. And now, that pot of chili-laden meat had the same terrifying allure—it wasn’t just scary; it was tempting. If you eat fire fruit, you’ll lose your voice;If you eat fire fruit, you’ll lose your voice. If you eat fire fruit, you’ll lose your voice, Lang Ze chanted silently to himself as he reluctantly shuffled his feet and turned his back to Bai Tu. Out of sight, out of mind. Problem solved. I’m a genius!
Meanwhile, Bai Tu used the oversized wooden chopsticks he had made specifically for hotpot to stir the meat in the spicy broth. Seeing that the meat was fully cooked, he scooped it all out and placed it in a nearby bowl.
This was the spiciest pot Bai Tu had prepared, with every slice of meat coated in glistening red chili oil. As the meat was lifted from the pot, the oil dripped back into the broth. Once placed in the wooden bowl, the fiery red meat created a stark contrast with the pale, broth-cooked meat from the plain pot beside it.
Although most beastmen preferred the clear broth, it was undeniable that the spicy pot was the most visually and aromatically enticing. The meat was the same meat, the salt was the same salt, and even the green onions and garlic had all been washed and cooked together. But the addition of chili peppers made the aroma of the spicy pot absolutely irresistible.
Bai Tu didn’t make everyone wait too long.
When he saw that the meat in the bowl had cooled to a manageable temperature, he dipped a slice into the sauce and took a bite.
After days of eating bland, often unsalted food, this spicy, fragrant, salty, and slightly numbing meat was pure heaven.
It instantly skyrocketed to the top of his personal rankings. Enjoying it immensely, he picked up another slice, savoring every bite, and finally said, “It’s ready—everyone can eat now.”
As soon as the words left his mouth, the beastmen sprang into action, with those at the clear broth pot moving the fastest.
Lang Ze picked up a slice of meat from the clear broth pot, dipped it into the sauce Bai Tu had made, and took a bite. It was delicious! As expected, the “uglier” pot was the better one.
The others hesitated a little more. Unlike Lang Ze, who had been scarred by chili peppers as a child and now avoided them like the plague, they simply had no particular fondness for fire fruit.
Everyone knew the stories: fire fruit could blister your mouth, make it burn like fire, and in extreme cases, even make you lose your voice.
Yet Bai Tu was eating with such relish, barely stopping to talk. The scene was enough to make the others exchange glances, silently debating whether or not to try it.
Bai Tu was eating it, so it must be safe. But… what if it hurt afterward? They had all seen beastmen injured from eating fire fruit before, their mouths red and swollen, full of blisters.
Bai An, meanwhile, was focused on monitoring the salt supplies. Bai Qi, having already asked about the flavor of the broth when Bai Tu was preparing it, had wisely determined that he couldn’t handle the spiciest pot.
He and a few other Snow Rabbit Tribe members had already stationed themselves by the mild spicy pot, bowls at the ready. Bai Qi had learned by the third day after Bai Tu woke up that if Bai Tu said something was delicious, there was no need to hesitate—just trust him and eat!
The Snow Rabbit Tribe was happily feasting… while the wolves stood frozen in indecision.
Lang Qi, who had been silent the whole time, finally sat across from Bai Tu. He mimicked Bai Tu, picking up a slice of meat from the spicy pot and putting it in his mouth. His eyes immediately widened in surprise.
“Good, isn’t it?” Bai Tu asked with a grin. Aside from those who absolutely couldn’t handle spice, no one could resist the taste of chili peppers.
Lang Qi nodded, grabbed the plate of sliced meat nearby, and dumped the entire thing into the spicy pot.
Most of the beastmen were gathered around the clear broth pot, leaving the medium spicy pot practically deserted.
No one had touched the pre-sliced meat either. For beastmen, a plate of about half a pound of meat was nothing—Bai Tu could get full after two or three plates, but beastmen needed ten times that amount to feel satisfied.
And so, the two of them huddled by the spicy pot, eating without lifting their heads.
The wolves who had been secretly eyeing the spicy pot while they ate their clear broth and grilled meat exchanged uncertain glances. Their leader was eating it, so shouldn’t they try it too?
After all, they were wolves. If their leader could eat it and not lose his voice, then surely they wouldn’t either. But then again, their leader rarely talked much in the first place—whether or not he lost his voice wouldn’t make much of a difference. The question remained: should they eat it or not?
After a moment of hesitation, one of them finally couldn’t hold back. They could barely get near the crowded clear broth pot, and while grilled meat was good, they’d eaten it countless times. Bai Tu and Lang Qi were eating the spicy pot so happily—why not give it a try?
Lang Zuo was the first to move. He grabbed a piece of meat, skipped the dipping sauce, and threw it into his mouth as if bracing for the worst. His eyes immediately lit up, and without saying a word, he reached for a second piece.
Though he didn’t say anything about the flavor, his reaction spoke volumes. Gradually, more beastmen edged closer to the spicy pot and started eating alongside Lang Zuo.
The spicy flavor was a completely new experience for most of them. Many coughed from the heat, but even as they fanned their mouths, they couldn’t stop eating.
It started with the mild spicy pot, but soon even the medium spicy pot began to attract a crowd. Some were fishing for meat, while others fought over the dipping sauce. The camaraderie of the tribe didn’t stand a chance against the allure of good food—friendships meant nothing in the face of delicious meat.
Lang Ze had eaten two plates of meat from the clear broth pot and was just thinking to himself that it might actually be better than grilled meat when he suddenly heard several wolf howls behind him.
For a wolf like Lang Ze, who was very familiar with wolf howls, this particular sound was instantly recognizable. It was the kind of howl they only let out when something made them extremely happy.
Realizing half the people around his clear broth pot had disappeared, Lang Ze finally noticed why it had been easier to grab meat just now.
Bai Tu must’ve made something better while I wasn’t paying attention! Lang Ze turned around and saw a massive crowd gathered around the stone pots closest to Bai Tu.
It wasn’t just a group of people—it was an entire horde! There were so many beastmen that he couldn’t even see the pots anymore.
“Ze, come eat this!” Lang Zuo and Lang You, true to their status as Lang Ze’s best partners, finally remembered him after eating an entire plate of meat. But even as they spoke, their chopsticks didn’t stop moving—who could afford to pause when the food was disappearing so fast?
Lang Ze squeezed his way through the crowd and saw that everyone was gathered around the fiery red chili pots. He was stunned. “Aren’t you all afraid of going mute?”
“Eat first, worry later. If we all lose our voices, then at least we’ll all be mute together,” Lang Zuo replied casually. One person losing their voice might be scary, but if everyone lost their voice, it wouldn’t be so bad. Right now, the only thing that mattered was eating.
Lang Ze was still terrified of going mute, but the way everyone was devouring the food made it obvious it was delicious. He hesitated, torn between fear and temptation. But before he could make a decision, another beastman pushed past him and claimed the last spot where you could reach the meat.
A moment ago, when he could still grab some, Lang Ze wasn’t sure if he wanted to eat. Now that he couldn’t, he felt like he had to.
He glanced around and realized there was only one pot with few people gathered around it—the one in front of Bai Tu and his brother, Lang Qi! Forgetting his fears about going mute, Lang Ze rushed over and planted himself next to Bai Tu.
Lang Qi, with quick reflexes, scooped up the last two pieces of meat from their pot and divided them between himself and Bai Tu, leaving Lang Ze staring at the bubbling pot of broth with nothing but scraps at the bottom.
Lang Ze froze in place, looking as if he’d just been struck by lightning. He stared at the empty pot in shock.
Bai Tu couldn’t help but laugh at his expression. “You’re still young; you can’t handle this pot.”
Lang Ze, still processing the betrayal, muttered under his breath, “No, I’m young, so I need to eat more.” His frustration with his brother renewed his determination: I’ll defeat him one day. I will!
Feeling sorry for the kid, Bai Tu took the last piece of meat from his own bowl and handed it to Lang Ze. “Here, try this first.”
The pots with more people around them were only getting more crowded. Some beastmen, even after being scalded, refused to leave their spots. Lang Ze probably wouldn’t be able to squeeze in at this point, and since Bai Tu and Lang Qi’s pot had only been stocked with three or four plates of meat, it had already been emptied by the time Lang Ze arrived.
Lang Ze took the slice of meat like it was a grudge against his brother, biting into it viciously. A second later, tears sprang to his eyes—the chili oil from the boiling broth was even spicier than the fire fruit he had tried as a child!
But now that he had tasted it, Lang Ze wasn’t willing to give up. Seeing how much everyone else was enjoying it, Lang Ze refused to admit he couldn’t handle it. He stubbornly took another bite, and his eyes lit up.
It was spicy—unbelievably spicy—but it was also incredibly delicious.
Bai Tu pointed to the nearby mild spicy pot and said, “That one might be better for you.” While the extra spicy broth wasn’t as hot as the dishes Bai Tu used to eat in his previous life, it was still an intense flavor for beastmen who had never experienced chili before.
Lang Ze’s reaction suggested he wasn’t particularly good at handling spice.
What Bai Tu didn’t expect was Lang Ze’s determined response: “No, I’ll eat from this pot!” If my brother can handle it, then I can handle it too! The key, of course, was that it was just too delicious.
Lang Qi swallowed the last piece of meat from his bowl and said calmly, “Go slice more meat.”
Since time was tight earlier, only a portion of the meat had been sliced for the meal. Bai Tu’s intention had been for everyone to eat a little to stave off their hunger before cutting more meat.
But once again, he had underestimated the beastmen’s appetite—or rather, their lack of an upper limit. For beastmen, eating 1 or 2 kilos of meat was nothing more than an appetizer. After ten days of limited food, their hunger was on an entirely different level.
Though Lang Ze wasn’t happy about being sent to slice meat, he knew that if he didn’t do it, he wouldn’t get to eat. Grabbing a large chunk of meat, he began cutting aggressively.
“Cut it thicker. Thin slices don’t taste as good,” Lang Qi remarked. He had already noticed the difference in texture between thin and thick slices.
After giving his advice, Lang Qi shifted into his beast form and went to patrol the area.
While the group usually didn’t need to stay on high alert, the beastmen were clearly in an unusually cheerful mood tonight.
The combination of excitement and delicious food could lower their guard, and even though they were two mountains away from the market, the next mountain, Blackstone Mountain, was less than two days away.
They couldn’t afford to relax until the salt was safely brought back to their tribe.
Bai Tu opened his mouth to say something but stopped himself after a moment of thought.
Lang Ze, watching his brother leave, deliberately cut a thin slice of meat in defiance. No, I’ll cut it thin!
Thin slices were harder to cut, and by the time Lang Ze finished slicing the chunk of meat, he couldn’t help but take it over to Bai Tu. He dumped the slices into the pot and stared at them intently. Meat I cut myself definitely tastes better!
As soon as the meat was cooked, Lang Ze’s chopsticks moved like lightning, grabbing piece after piece and shoving them into his mouth without hesitation. Even when the hot meat burned his mouth, he refused to slow down.
“Eat slower,” Bai Tu reminded him. The hotter the food, the spicier it would feel. Lang Ze’s tolerance for spice wasn’t very high, and eating something both spicy and piping hot for the first time might be a bit much for him.
“I won’t!” Lang Ze said, panting from the heat.
His response came quickly as he continued to eat. His brother would be back soon, and there was no way he was going to let Lang Qi eat his meat!
It was so spicy that Lang Ze was practically breathing fire, but he kept going. After each bite, he gulped down cool water from a bamboo flask before grabbing another piece. He was a textbook example of can’t handle it but can’t stop eating.
Bai Tu: “…”
When Lang Qi returned after patrolling, he saw his foolish younger brother with tears streaming down his face, furiously eating meat.
Lang Qi stopped in his tracks. For the first time in years, the faintest spark of brotherly affection resurfaced in his heart, and he briefly reflected: Maybe I was a little too harsh earlier.
But the thought passed as quickly as it came. As Lang Qi walked closer, he overheard Lang Ze muttering to himself, “I don’t care if it kills me, I’m not letting him have any!”
—
Translator Note:
Hi guys! Thank you for your support till now, I really appreciate it XD
Just a quick announcement, so starting from Chapter 31, the posting schedule will change from everyday posts to Thursday, Friday, and Saturday every week
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Thank you so much for your support and understanding, and I hope you enjoy the journey ahead!
