It was a scent they had never experienced before!

It’s not just the aroma of meat, nor the traditional stew flavor of the North, but an extremely rich layer of freshness, spiciness, and saltiness...it makes the glutton in one’s stomach twist wildly!

The soup base is boiling, the red oil is bubbling, and the aroma is everywhere.

While all the dwarves, even Anna and Monica, were distracted by Mark's smooth chopping of vegetables and the aroma of the hot pot soup—

Enzo, the "lava boulder" trapped under the white steam, finally found his chance!

The thick white steam suddenly intensified for a moment, accompanied by an extremely slight "puff" sound of deflation that was perfectly covered by the sound of the wind and waves.

The red light went out instantly.

Not long after, a short and strong figure appeared. He was wearing familiar leather armor but his body was covered with ice chips and snow foam, and he even had a few deliberately black and gray streaks on his face.

He slid out from behind the gradually dissipating steam with great agility, quickly blending into the area behind Mark where the ingredients were placed, and then pretended to tie his shoelaces while mumbling:

"Ahem... This damn place is so cold. I almost froze to death while lying on the ground checking the equipment... Are you okay, Mark? Hurry up and make some dinner! I'm... I'm starving!"

He successfully transformed back into an "ordinary" dwarf, although his skin looked a little dull and dirty due to the temporary weakness after the extreme mutation and the deliberate disguise.

But at least it is not the shocking pure black of lava obsidian, and can barely pass as a dwarf of the "Graybeard Clan" who has experienced the frost and is not very particular.

He even cleverly rubbed his beard with snow, making it gray and gray, further reducing his recognition.

This is not a futile effort on Enzo's part. Back when their dwarven tribe was still active in the central part of the continent, the clans were not very close to each other.

Who knows what the relationship between the clans will be like now that they have moved to the Arctic glaciers.

Most of the dwarves of the Red Beard Clan focused their attention on the pot and the soup that Mark was preparing, which was gradually beginning to emit an aroma.

Only the leading warrior glanced at Enzo and saw that he was a "gray fellow". He just frowned and didn't think much about it. After all, there were many dwarf clans in the north, and it was normal for a few unfamiliar wandering dwarf craftsmen or adventurers to join the human kingdom.

Although they look down on their unproductive fellows, they are not hostile to them.

Mark noticed Enzo's action and smiled as he put a piece of thinly cut dried meat into the soup. In just a few seconds, the meat changed color and curled up. He picked it up, blew on it, and then... handed it to the Red Beard Clan warrior leader who was still pretending to be serious.

"Warrior, please try this ice field's best hot pot."

The dwarf warrior looked at the piece of meat in front of him that was trembling, covered with red oil, and exuding a deadly and tempting aroma, and his Adam's apple rolled violently again.

He hesitated for less than half a second, but his curiosity about the food eventually overcame his last bit of caution.

He took the piece of meat and put it into his mouth carefully.

The next moment, his eyes suddenly widened!

The spicy and fragrant taste explodes in your mouth instantly!

The meat slices were extremely tender and smooth, having absorbed the essence of the soup base. The taste was overbearing and mellow, as if a warm current rushed directly from the throat into the stomach, and then quickly spread to every part of the body, dispelling all the coldness!

“Ugh!!!”

He uttered a vague, exclamation of great satisfaction, and his beard stood on end.

The other dwarves watched their leader's reaction eagerly, their saliva almost turning into icicles.

“Not… not bad!”

The chief tried hard to maintain his dignity, but his shining eyes and his eagerness to get the meat himself completely betrayed him.

"Hahaha! Come on, come on, everyone! Help yourself and eat whatever you want!" Mark laughed, and the atmosphere eased instantly.

Enzo immediately squeezed over, yelling, "Leave some for me! This stuff needs to be paired with liquor! Mark, get me that barrel of Anchor Bay Firehose I hid at your place!"

The wine and food were ready, and soon a wonderful scene appeared in the snow.

A group of dwarves from the Red Beard Clan and Mark's team sat around the steaming hot pot, sweating profusely while eating, slurping and laughing but unable to stop.

From time to time, one could hear exclamations of "Delicious!" "This mushroom is tender!" "The mushrooms have absorbed the soup!" "Wine! Fill it up!"

Liquor opens up conversations, and delicious food eliminates barriers.

The dwarves of the Red Beard Clan were quickly conquered by the sincerity of Mark's team and the novel and delicious food.

After three rounds of wine and five dishes, the leading dwarf warrior, named Barend Redbeard, patted Mark's shoulder vigorously, his face flushed, and his voice like a bell:

"Good! Good boy! I didn't expect the priest from the south to have such a skill! This 'hot pot' is really strong! It tastes even better than the tundra yak beef stewed by my wife! Hahahaha!"

He burped loudly and continued:

"You guys are great! You're much better than those pretentious elves and rigid human nobles! Let's go! Don't stay in this icy snow, come back with us to the Redbeard Clan's base! We must treat you well! Let the clan leader have a taste of this delicacy too! And by the way... hehe, let me learn a few tricks from you!"

…

For a moment, Anna and Monica didn't know how to react. Should they say it or not? This dwarf leader of the Red Beard Clan either had poor eyesight or poor brains...

…

The interior of the Red Beard Clan's Black Iron Fortress is far more magnificent and stunning than what appears from the outside.

Mark's team followed Barende and his group and went deep into the mountain along the wide main corridor.

Warm, dry air replaced the bitter cold outside, and the air was filled with the mixed aroma of coal, smelting metal, ale, and barbecue, full of a reassuring sense of life.

The huge caves on both sides have been opened up into different functional areas.

Sparks flew in the forge room as the dwarf craftsmen, shirtless, shouted slogans as they hammered the red-hot iron.

The brewery is filled with the aroma of malt and huge wooden barrels are stacked like mountains.

The fur of ice beasts was hung on the porch of the residential area, and several dwarf children were chasing and playing around.

Barende was obviously very popular. He greeted his fellow tribesmen loudly along the way and proudly introduced Mark, the "Southern priest friend who brought the magical hot soup."

The dwarves looked at Mark and his group curiously, their gazes especially lingering for a moment on Anna's elf features and Monica's elegant temperament.

But there was more friendliness and enthusiasm, especially when they smelled the lingering spicy aroma on them, which was completely different from the traditional stew of the North, they all burst into good-natured laughter and made sounds of swallowing their saliva.

The dwarves are indeed one of the most hospitable races on the Holy Dragon Continent.

That evening, after hearing Barend's report, the Redbeard Clan warmly held a welcome banquet for the guests from their homeland.