After hunting the giant black sheep, Lin Feng was not in a hurry to go back.
He led his team back to the same place, arriving at the outskirts of Crystal Corner Plains.
With the experience from last time, and with the help of Li Xiangbin and the wolf pack, they didn't have to exert much effort to successfully hunt down two lone Crystal Horned Snow Yaks.
These two small mountains of spoils are enough to fill the shelter's meat reserves once again.
After processing his prey and waiting for the wolves to transport the spoils to the valley where Blue Horse lived in batches, Lin Feng began another plan—to find new seasonings.
Although the shelter had no shortage of food, the cooking methods were very limited, consisting mainly of grilling and boiling, with only the most basic seasoning: salt.
If you keep eating like this, even the most delicious meat will become tiresome. Good food is an essential part of improving your quality of life.
Based on the information compiled by Su Wanqing, he found a peculiar plant under a sheltered cliff.
The vines of this plant bear clusters of small, bright red fruits that closely resemble chili peppers on Earth.
Lin Feng picked one, licked it with the tip of his tongue, and an explosive, spicy sensation with a hint of kiwi fruit flavor instantly swept over his taste buds.
"This is it, the Flaming Pepper." Lin Feng was overjoyed.
Later, in a damp woodland, he discovered a black mushroom that emitted a strong aroma, which he named "Dark Fragrant Mushroom".
His greatest discovery came from the ruins of a dried-up salt lake. There he found a huge, translucent salt crystal with a pale pink luster.
This was no ordinary rock salt. When Lin Feng scraped off some powder with a knife to taste it, he was surprised to find that in addition to its saltiness, this salt also had an indescribable umami flavor that could make even the most ordinary dried meat taste amazing.
"Divine Crystal Salt..." Lin Feng murmured to himself, gazing at the enormous salt mine. The value of this thing was probably no less than that of a yak king!
He carefully directed several horned wolves to dig out the entire block of salt, which weighed over a hundred pounds, and prepared to take it back.
Looking at the mountain of prey, the herds of blue horses, and the various rare spices, Lin Feng felt an unprecedented sense of satisfaction.
The gains from this expedition far exceeded his expectations.
"Brother, we've really struck it rich!" Li Xiangbin couldn't stop grinning as he looked at his haul.
"Yes." Lin Feng nodded. "Let's go, it's time to go back."
He mounted the white moonlight, preparing to order the return journey.
However, at that moment, something unexpected happened!
Survivors in dire straits and unexpected ecstasy
"Help! Is anyone there?"
A hoarse, shrill cry, filled with despair and ecstasy, came without warning from behind a small snow-covered hill not far away.
The sudden sound made Lin Feng and Li Xiangbin tense up instantly.
"Who goes there?" A cold glint flashed in Lin Feng's eyes, and he instantly went into battle mode.
Wangcai and the wolf pack reacted immediately. They lowered their bodies, growling menacingly, and formed a fan shape to protect Lin Feng and Li Xiangbin in the center.
The Wind Chaser and Moon Chaser in the sky also let out a warning cry and began to circle in the air.
"Big brother, is...is that human speech?"
Li Xiangbin said in shock.
Having been on this planet for so long, this was the first time he had heard the voices of other humans, apart from those in the sanctuary.
Lin Feng was equally shocked, but he maintained absolute composure on the surface.
He raised his hand, signaling Li Xiangbin to calm down, then shouted in that direction in a deep voice, "Who goes there? Come out!"
His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable authority and traveled clearly.
The voices behind the snowdrift paused for a moment, as if startled, but soon the cries grew louder, accompanied by the sound of staggering footsteps.
"Don't shoot! I'm a person! I'm alive!"
A moment later, a figure tumbled and crawled out from behind the snow hill.
It was a man. A fat man.
He was wrapped in tattered, unrecognizable cloth and animal hides, his face and hands were covered in filth and frostbite, and his hair and beard were a mess like a bird's nest. He looked extremely disheveled.
He ran while wailing and crying, his face covered in tears and snot.
When he saw the scene before him, he was completely stunned.
He saw the white warhorse, which resembled a divine beast; the majestic pack of wolves; the prey, which resembled small mountains; and Lin Feng, who rode on horseback like a god descending to earth, and Li Xiangbin, who was equally imposing beside him.
The fat man froze for a few seconds, then burst into even louder sobs.
His legs buckled, and he collapsed to his knees in the snow with a thud. He kowtowed and cried out incoherently, "Gods! Gods! I've finally seen a living person! Waaah... I thought I was going to die here..."
Lin Feng's gaze was sharp as a knife, sweeping over the fat man inch by inch. He confirmed that the man had no weapons, and was just an ordinary, starving...human.
A man.
A storm raged within Lin Feng, but he did not show it.
He slowly spurred his horse forward, looking down at the fat man kneeling on the ground, weeping bitterly, and coldly asked:
Who are you? Why are you here?
Upon hearing the question, the fat man stopped crying. He looked up at Lin Feng with awe and stammered, "I...I'm called Pang Dahai...I...I don't know how I got here...I was clearly preparing tomorrow's menu in my kitchen, and then my vision blurred, and...and I ended up in this godforsaken place..."
"The kitchen? What do you do?" Lin Feng keenly grasped the key words.
"Chef! I'm a chef!"
Pang Dahai hurriedly replied, puffing out his chest as if afraid the other party wouldn't believe him, even though he was starving: "I... when I was on Earth, I was the head chef of a Michelin three-star restaurant! No! I was the executive chef of a five-star diamond restaurant rated by China itself! The dishes I made were..."
When talking about his profession, Pang Dahai regained a bit of confidence, but when he saw Lin Feng's unmoving eyes, his voice became softer again.
A chef? A five-star chef?
Lin Feng's pupils contracted sharply in that instant.
The ecstasy in his heart erupted like a volcano, instantly shattering all his previous composure and vigilance!
My God! What incredible luck!
He was worrying about how to improve the food at the shelter, how to turn these top-quality alien ingredients into real gourmet food, when suddenly a five-star chef fell from the sky?!
This was even more exciting for him than finding ten king yaks!
Talent! That's the most valuable resource in the world!
A good chef can not only greatly improve everyone's quality of life and happiness, but also maximize the value of food.
Lin Feng forcibly suppressed his overwhelming joy; he needed further confirmation.
"You say you're a chef, but do you have proof?" His voice remained icy.
Pang Dahai was stunned for a moment, then said with a bitter face, "God...sir...where am I supposed to find proof for you in this godforsaken place? My chef's certificate, medals, trophies...all of them are on Blue Star."
"However...if you don't believe me, you can test me! Whether it flies in the sky, runs on the ground, or swims in the water, as long as it's edible, there's nothing I, Pang Dahai, can't cook! Frying, stir-frying, cooking, deep-frying, braising, simmering, stewing...I'm proficient in all eight major cuisines, Western food, and Japanese food!"
To save his life, Pang Dahai revealed almost all of his skills.
He struggled alone in this icy wasteland for an unknown amount of time, barely surviving by eating snow, gnawing on tree bark, and occasionally finding the frozen carcasses of wild animals. His mind and body were already on the verge of collapse.
Today, he finally saw people, saw hope, and he had to cling to this lifeline.
Looking at his pitiful yet anxious appearance, Lin Feng was already seven or eight parts convinced.
He no longer hesitated.
"Get up," Lin Feng's voice softened.
"Thank... thank you, God! Thank you, sir!" Pang Dahai felt as if he had been granted a pardon and shakily got up from the snow.
Lin Feng took out a piece of smoked black giant mutton jerky from the bag next to the saddle and threw it over.
"Eat it."
Pang Dahai hurriedly caught the piece of jerky, which was as big as two of his palms, and his eyes widened instantly.
He hadn't seen such a large, well-prepared piece of meat in ages. Before he could even thank him, he opened his mouth and took a big bite.
"Mmm...delicious! It's so delicious!"
The tough jerky tasted like a supreme delicacy to him.
He wolfed down his food, eating so fast that he choked and his eyes rolled back. Li Xiangbin couldn't bear to watch and tossed him a water bag.
Pang Dahai gulped down several mouthfuls of water to catch his breath before continuing to work diligently.
Seeing his ravenous eating habits, Lin Feng was completely relieved.
He turned his head and winked at Li Xiangbin, who also looked shocked and curious.
"Xiang Bin, our shelter is about to welcome a new member."
Li Xiangbin was stunned for a moment, then a simple and honest smile appeared on his face: "Great, big brother! We have another partner!"
Lin Feng nodded, then, facing the still struggling Pang Dahai with the dried meat, announced in an unquestionable tone:
"Pang Dahai, from today onwards, you belong to me."
"Your mission is to make the best food in the world... no, in the entire universe, for me and for my sanctuary."
"In return, I will give you safety, warmth, and... an endless supply of the finest ingredients on this planet."
Lin Feng pointed with his riding whip at the small hill-like crystal horned snow yak and black giant sheep on the ground, then at the crystal salt that shimmered with a mesmerizing luster, and finally at the Radiant Winged Ice Falcon in the sky.
"My name is Lin Feng, and I am the owner of this place."
"Welcome to my kingdom."
Pang Dahai stopped chewing and stared blankly at everything in front of him. Looking into Lin Feng's deep eyes and listening to his domineering yet seductive declaration, an unprecedented and immense sense of happiness and security instantly overwhelmed him.
He threw away the half-eaten jerky in his hand and knelt down heavily again. This time, his eyes were no longer filled with tears of despair, but with excitement and fervor.
He kowtowed deeply to Lin Feng with all his might.
"Boss! From today onwards, my life belongs to you! If you tell me to go east, I will never go west! If you ask me to cook, I will definitely make it taste like heaven!"
Lin Feng looked at him and finally revealed a genuine, satisfied smile.
"Everyone, return to base!"
At Lin Feng's command, the massive procession turned around. The mighty wolf pack, the newly tamed blue horse herd, the mountain of spoils, and the chubby cook filled with boundless hope for the future, followed two magnificent white warhorses, embarking on their journey home towards that sanctuary of steel and hope.
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