Daily Life of Being Turned Gay by the Male Lead After Transmigrating into an Apocalypse – CH96

Chapter 96: Give It to Little Bai Later

Chu Yang chuckled softly, his fingers digging into the shattered skull of the zombie for a brief moment before finally grazing a hard, crystalline surface.

Pulling his hand free, he held the object up against the pale moonlight to inspect it. The stone was slightly larger than an ordinary Tier 2 core, colored a deep, rich forest-green. Delicate emerald veins seemed to flow slowly beneath the smooth surface, pulsing with a faint, soothing aura of vitality.

“Whoa, it really is green!” Chu Yang exclaimed, rubbing the smooth facets with his thumb. He could distinctly feel the vibrant energy humming within. “This frequency is remarkably distinct—it feels completely different from anything we’ve harvested so far.”

Tucking the stone away into his spatial pocket, Chu Yang stood up and brushed the grime from his palms. Faint memories from the web novels he had read before the apocalypse began surfacing in his mind.

In many classic tropes, the Wood element was intimately tied to life force, healing, and biological growth.

Though individual paths might diverge—some leaning toward offensive vine attacks while others focused on supportive buffs—the fundamental nature of the energy shared a core affinity with pure Healing abilities. Both were rooted in gentle vitality and cellular repair.

Their team had no Wood-element fighter; only Su Mubai possessed a pure Healing ability.

If this emerald core were given to Su Mubai to absorb, wouldn’t the efficiency be far superior to using neutral, colorless cores or incompatible offensive types?

The energy loss during absorption would likely be minimal.

After all, looking at it through elemental compatibility, the two affinities were remarkably close cousins.

The more Chu Yang turned the idea over in his mind, the more logical it seemed.

Jiang Jue listened quietly to the pair’s playful banter, a faint, subtle curve touching the corner of his lips, though his sharp eyes never stopped scanning the murky perimeter.

“That’s enough for tonight. It’s time to head back,” Jiang Jue reminded them in a low voice. The night was deepening, and lingering out in the open was an unnecessary risk.

“Understood! Time to wrap it up and head home for dinner!” Chu Yang answered eagerly. Just thinking about the feast Wang Li might be preparing made his empty stomach rumble loudly. “I wonder what kind of delicious spread Sister Wang is putting together. That fight burned through all my calories; I desperately need to refuel!”

“Let’s go, let’s go! I’m easily putting down three massive bowls tonight!” Lin Xiao cheered, jogging forward.

Carrying their impressive haul from the hunt, the trio retraced their steps with swift, silent vigilance, heading straight back to the hotel.

Inside the hotel kitchen.

When Su Mubai, Wang Qiang, Li Yu, Jiang Lin, and the others had first secured the building, they had run into a handful of straggler zombies roaming the hallways and stairwells. With careful coordination and solid teamwork, however, they had eliminated the threats without breaking a sweat.

They ultimately selected a spacious suite on a middle floor—one that offered commanding vantage points over the surrounding streets—as their forward base for the night.

Fortunately, the commercial hotel featured its own private dining service. Though a thin layer of dust blanketed the kitchen counters, the commercial burners, stainless steel cookware, and basic seasoning racks were completely intact.

Wang Qiang had cautiously turned the valve on a commercial gas canister tucked in the corner. To their delight, plenty of fuel remained; the burners sparked to life instantly, roaring with steady blue flames.

Stepping into the professional kitchen, Wang Li looked over the familiar prep stations and intact cookware, an unbidden, genuine smile lighting up her tired face.

These working conditions were leagues beyond what she had envisioned—far better than cooking over a crude campfire in the wilderness. It felt almost like stepping back into the kitchen of her old restaurant.

“Sister Wang, we’re all counting on you to show off your culinary magic tonight!” Li Yu said cheerfully, grabbing a clean rag to wipe down the prep tables, her eyes shining with anticipation.

“Oh, of course, leave it to me!” Wang Li replied, taking a steadying breath to calm the fluttering excitement and long-dormant professional pride surging in her chest.

Rolling up her sleeves, she quickly took stock of the available utensils and spices, mapping out a full menu in her head within seconds.

Once the counters were spotless, Li Yu scrubbed the oversized woks and spatulas. Seeing Wang Li begin trimming the marbled pork, she asked eagerly, “Sister Wang, what else needs doing? Just tell me how I can help.”

Wang Li looked up, noticing the light sheen of sweat on the younger girl’s brow, and felt a twinge of concern. “Don’t worry about it, Little Yu. You’ve been out running on the front lines all day and must be exhausted. Go rest in the living room; I’ll call you as soon as the dishes are ready.”

Just then, Su Mubai stepped through the doorway. Hearing the exchange, he spoke up in a warm, polite tone: “Sister Wang, please don’t stand on ceremony with us. None of us are tired. If we all pitch in, we can get a hot meal on the table that much faster. Put us to work—washing or chopping, whatever you need.” His expression was earnest, clearly wanting to pull his weight.

Seeing their persistence, Wang Li didn’t push back any further, a pleasant warmth blooming in her chest.

“Then… I’ll trouble you both for a hand,” she said, assigning tasks with practiced efficiency. “Little Bai, you look steady with a blade; could you help me slice this pork belly and chop the ribs into uniform pieces? Little Yu, please rinse the ginger and scallions we found over there, then slice the ginger and cut the scallions into neat sections.”

“Consider it done!” Su Mubai took the chef’s knife, his cuts swift, steady, and remarkably precise, every piece of meat turning out perfectly even.

Li Yu nodded brightly and set to work on the aromatics.

Jiang Lin lingered by the kitchen entrance for a moment. Watching the lively, harmonious teamwork inside, she quietly stepped over to a corner, picked up a large stainless steel washbasin, and began filling it with clean water using her ability.

Even young Little Yu found a role; Li Yu had handed him a whole bulb of garlic, and the boy sat obediently on a low plastic stool, carefully peeling each clove with a serious look on his face.

Gradually, the cold, sterile hotel kitchen filled with the comforting, lively rhythm of domestic life.

As she chopped scallions, Li Yu casually asked Wang Li about interesting moments from her days running the restaurant.

Without missing a beat in her prep work, Wang Li shared a few lighthearted, funny anecdotes about eccentric regulars and kitchen mishaps, drawing easy laughs from Li Yu and occasional chuckles from Su Mubai.

Even Jiang Lin, listening to the ordinary, human stories of life before the fall, felt the lingering tension in her shoulders melt away, chiming in with a comment here and there.

Wang Qiang, meanwhile, hovered outside like a restless golden retriever, sticking his head through the doorway every few minutes to stare hungrily at the dishes sizzling in the pans. Each time, Li Yu would laughingly shoo him away: “Out, out! Stop crowding the doorway and go keep a proper lookout!”

An hour later, an intoxicating, rich aroma wafted through the gaps of the kitchen door, rapidly drifting across the entire suite and down the corridor, driving everyone’s appetite wild.

The dining table was packed with an unbelievable feast:

In the center sat a deep basin of glistening, reddish-brown braised pork belly—the layers of fat translucent, the lean meat tender and melt-in-your-mouth soft, all coated in a rich, gleaming glaze.

Beside it rested a matching platter of golden-red braised ribs, deeply caramelized and practically falling off the bone.

Several large plates held rows of freshly steamed river crabs, their shells bright vermilion and brimming with sweet richness, paired with a dipping sauce of minced ginger and aged vinegar.

A massive bowl of fiery, stir-fried garlic shrimp was piled high like a small mountain, swimming in fragrant red chili oil infused with crushed Sichuan peppercorns, the plump, curled prawns bursting with flavor.

Finally, an enormous pot of steaming, fluffy white rice stood beside the mains, every single grain distinct and fragrant.

Against the grim, starving reality of the apocalypse, such an extravagant, mouth-watering spread felt nothing short of a dream.

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