Famine 77: Marinated Seafood

[Mist World—Day Nine / 10:30 a.m. / Forest Hot Spring Inn / Current Farm Completion: 51%]
[Six days until the coming of the Main God’s Eye]

——

After a whirlwind of chaos, Zhong Manwen finally set foot in the hot spring area.

Wrapped in a bathrobe, carrying a wicker basket from her guestroom, and wearing wooden clogs, the elderly lady walked along the forest path.

Two young men trailed behind her, one on either side, clearing away branches that blocked her way.

“It wasn’t easy,” Tang Qinghuai laughed, brushing a leaf off his temple. “The moment I heard the news, I set out at once, but still couldn’t get a spot. If Mom hadn’t gotten us the room Commander Nie set aside, we wouldn’t have made it into the springs at all.”

“What’s the use of your skills if it still comes down to Auntie Zhong?” Li Shize teased, helping carry her basket and bumping his shoulder against Tang Qinghuai. “Time to wean off, young master.”

Tang Qinghuai protested, “Hey! Senior, Mom got the room, I got the milk bath tickets, and as for one of our members not lifting a finger, who might that be?”

Li Shize instantly retorted, and the two began their back-and-forth, trading barbs with laughter. After all these years, the routine was second nature.

Zhong Manwen, smiling, listened as the two young men bantered behind her.

The hot spring area was a fair distance from the lodgings, reached by winding stone paths through a forest oxygen bar. Deep in the woods, everything was tranquil and beautiful. The sound of running water mingled with the rhythmic clack of wooden clogs on stone, clearing her mind and refreshing her spirit.

At the entrance to the bathing area, a staff member in tails bowed, checked their wristbands, and pointed to a wooden sign.

[Forest Hot Spring Inn Rules v1.0]
[1. Guests who have eaten tomato hotpot within the past 24 hours are not allowed in the milk pool.]

For the moment, that was the only rule inscribed on the sign.

Zhong Manwen asked, “Is this the rule mentioned in the announcement?”

The staffer smiled and nodded. “Yes, madam. At this stage of the trial opening, this is the sole rule. Please make sure to observe it.”

Though rather odd, Zhong Manwen said nothing more and simply agreed politely. The Farm Master and his people were unfathomable but principled—listening to them was unlikely to do harm.

There were an abundance of pools in the bathing area, each separated by foliage for privacy. The crisscrossing paths made it feel like a maze, new pools springing up at every turn, each corner promising a fresh delight.

Soon enough, the two young men were lured away by a bubbling pool—joining a group already making a frothy mess with a pair of little girls and several attendants in tow. Suds filled the air, spilling from the pool and nearly flooding the path.

After a few cheerful admonitions, Zhong Manwen left them to their fun and wandered off on her own.

Circling around, she chose a small pool set in a secluded corner.

The bottom shimmered gold and green, with water as bright and clear as crystal, gently scented with tea and perfectly warm. Light glimmered in the water, dappled among the overlapping boughs—surreally beautiful.

Most importantly, she had it all to herself.

The forest air was keenly fresh. Birds called from the canopy, while stray beams of morning sunlight shone through the leaves, painting the ground with scattered patches of light, illuminating tiny water droplets dancing in the air.

It was tropical rain forest perfection—a stunning Tyndall effect.

Age brought its own taste; sometimes, she simply liked being alone.
Soaking in the steamy spring, Zhong Manwen drank in the beauty; every pore relaxed, her cheeks turning rosy in the heat, comfort washing over her, blissful beyond words.

Days of fatigue were completely washed away.

After a while, distant shouts echoed through the woods—immediately recognizable as Captain Sha Tong’s boisterous voice:
“My defense went up! It really is 15%! A whole 15%!!”
“And there are no side effects! None at all! My god, seriously—no side effects!! Hell!! Can we get annual passes for this?!”

“Commander Nie! Commander Nie, look at this!!”

Even his squad couldn’t take it. “Captain, keep your voice down—you’ll shout all the water out of the pool…”

There was no need to look to know: Nie Du must be grinning nearby.

Zhong Manwen smiled quietly, shaking her head.
Captain Sha was just the same as always, brimming with energy.

The pools threaded through the forest, small branches dangling over the water and swaying with the ripples. Feeling playful, Zhong Manwen plucked a twig and began weaving it into a little grass animal for her son—just as she’d done when Qinghuai was small. The familiar motion brought a smile as her gentle eyes reflected the shimmering light.

It felt like a distant memory—before the apocalypse.

What she cherished most was doing what she was good at: earning a little money and gaining recognition. Work gave her a sense of achievement, and leisure, even greater anticipation. When she craved company, she could call friends or family; when she wanted solitude, there was a place to go.

Liveliness for the lively, tranquillity for the tranquil. What an ideal place this was.

…………
……

After her soak, a quick shower—

Off in the distance, she spotted Li Shize waving to them.

The dining area at the forest inn was unique—a semi-open restaurant built on a massive wooden platform high in the trees. Sunlight drifted through the lush green around them, the whole place brimming with life.

A few squirrels peeked their fuzzy heads from the undergrowth, peering curiously at the guests.

Her group’s table was right at the edge of the platform, boasting the best view.

“Pretty good spot, right, Aunt Zhong?” Li Shize grinned. “Worth getting here half an hour early to grab it.”

Tang Qinghuai said, “Senior, are you still hung up on what I said about you doing nothing back there?”

“Enough talk. Didn’t I tell you?” Li Shize shooed him. “Go get the food.”

Tang Qinghuai pulled out a chair for Zhong Manwen, then trotted off to the order window.

With admissions limited, there wasn’t any crowding or waiting in line. Still, many players lingered around the window in clumps, chatting idly without ordering.

Tang Qinghuai eyed them curiously as he stepped forward.

The menu stretched long and full of new dishes, many featuring forest ingredients. Tang scanned up and down, dazzled by the selections, unable to decide.

While he was still hesitating, a fresh citrus aroma suddenly wafted out.

Inside the window, Li Xuan hefted in a heavy iron box. “Make way, make way—fresh stock!”

Tang Qinghuai peeked inside. Whoa!

Hundreds of little marinated squid, tender and plump with delicate red tips, floated in fragrant, translucent brown sauce—so fresh they gleamed. There were also plump oysters and golden, rich scallops steeped in marinade. Tiny chili and white sesame seeds bobbed in the mix, sprinkled with cilantro and a few slices of lemon.

Just looking at it made mouths water.

The surrounding players surged forward—they’d obviously been waiting for this.

Tang Qinghuai’s luck held: he ordered exactly as the tray was set out, right at the front. His saliva was about to drip, so he quickly took a platter. “Brother Li, one of everything!”

He ordered marinated squid, oysters, scallops, plus a sunny-side egg steak spaghetti set, lamb noodle soup, pulled slow-roasted wild boar with crisp bread, and osmanthus sweet tofu pudding.

Fighting his way back through the crowd, he set everything down at the table.

“Oh!” Zhong Manwen’s eyes lit up. “What did you bring this time?”
Li Shize was delighted, too. “I told you! Last time they served marinated seafood, it was gone in a flash. You never know when more’s coming, and I never bother fighting the crowd—I can’t believe you caught it!”

Tang Qinghuai joked, “Mom, I know seafood is your favorite. See? I am a bit more useful than barbecued pork.”

Zhong Manwen laughed, “So glib, you.”

For all her teasing, Zhong Manwen was genuinely tempted. She snapped apart her chopsticks, picked up a little marinated squid, and popped it in her mouth.

After a morning of soaking, waterlogged and hungry, her stomach was hot and empty, craving something flavorful.

However long the squid had marinated, it was both soaked through and yet kept its crisp, springy texture—each bite a burst of tenderness, as if it would bounce between teeth and lips. When the squidlet burst beneath her tongue, lemony, spicy juices filled her mouth and rushed up her nose.

There was no fishiness at all, only the most delicate flavor and toothsome texture, with a sauce both sour and spicy that set her tongue awash with saliva and urged one mouthful after another, to the point she nearly wanted to eat her chopsticks as well.

“So fresh!” Li Shize mumbled around a bite. “Before the game started, I’d never had squid this tasty. This is amazing.”

“The oysters…” Tang Qinghuai cradled his face in bliss, feeling like he might float away. “They must be freshly shucked, so fat and full, almost dripping with juice… The marinade is perfectly tangy and spicy, so refreshing, so delicious—Brother Li Xuan’s skills are just superb.”

Zhong Manwen gave a small “hmm” of surprise. “Years ago, I worked at sea and never tasted a variety this good. Just what kind of squid is this?”

Hmm…

Off in the distance, Si Zhiyan balanced a bowl of sweet tofu pudding while seated on a branch, quietly looking away.

[Nursery No. 9 – Marinated Mini-Kthulu (mini edition)] As everyone knows, the Sea Monster’s Domain belongs to Kthulu, a perilous territory full of sunken treasure—or so it’s said.
Investigators once ventured there, only to discover—

Yes, it’s K*thulu’s territory, but that zone has other purposes. In fact… it’s the nursery!

Who said all Cthulhu realms have to be packed with treasure? Who buries loot at a daycare?

But at least they found something else.

For example…
The freshest marinated seafood around.

[Special effect: After consumption, gain 60 minutes of underwater breathing and aquatic adaptation.]

“This is so good,” Tang Qinghuai muttered between mouthfuls. “Do you think squirrels eat seafood, Senior?”

“Go on, get up there and eat it with the squirrels,” Li Shize replied. “There’s a barrier—don’t try feeding your little animals.”

“Who said I couldn’t?” Far from going away, Tang Qinghuai proudly produced a delicate grass-leaf bunny from his pocket and held it up for Li Shize to see. “Mom made this for me!”

“Ah,” Li Shize was genuinely distracted, setting down his chopsticks. He studied the grass bunny, turning it over and over, his voice growing softer. “It’s really beautiful…”

So many envied Tang Qinghuai.
Seven years into the famine game, and his elderly mother was alive and by his side.
As long as she was there, he would always have a home, would always be a child. If she was gone, there’d be nowhere left in this world for an adult to be pampered.

Never mind how cruel the game or how heavy the burdens. Who knew how many players envied this weight, envied it so much their eyes turned red.

A son wants to care, but the parents are no longer there.

While Li Shize was lost in emotion, Tang Qinghuai suddenly patted his shoulder.

Another grass animal appeared, thrust gently into his hands.

It was a grass-leaf puppy. The curved blades formed perky ears, a twig marked the nose, and the little tail curled high, the whole creature radiating joy.

Li Shize looked up to meet Zhong Manwen’s gentle gaze as she reached over to softly pat his hand.
The old lady’s hand was dry and warm, tree shadows dappled over them, bathing everything in a gentle light.

“Why would I make one just for the little son?” Zhong Manwen’s voice held the special, soft chiding of age. “I’m not that biased.”

Tang Qinghuai giggled at her side.

Li Shize’s eyes abruptly grew misty.

He quickly turned away, pressing the back of his hand to his eyes. Just as he was about to speak, a shrill cry rang out from not far off:

“Why can’t you sell me the tomato hotpot?!”

Everyone turned, momentarily startled.

At the order window, a red-haired mercenary with a buzz cut and magical runes etched on her face jabbed a finger at Li Xuan, shouting furiously:

“I can see it back there with my own eyes!”