Chapter 5: Ingredients Everywhere

Su Muyao's expression shifted as she heard the words from the Space System.

Sweet potatoes!

With sweet potatoes, there would be food to eat today.

Sweet potatoes were wonderful things; they could be used to make all sorts of delicacies. Moreover, they had a high yield, so if she were to farm, she could plant sweet potatoes.

"System, you are truly amazing. With sweet potatoes, we won't have to go hungry today."

Su Muyao wasn't counting on those two beast husbands to hunt for food for her.

The Space System said excitedly, "Host, if you walk a bit further ahead, I can help detect food in the surrounding area. I can scout within a hundred-mile radius of the Host."

Su Muyao smiled and said, "Alright. But first, let's dig up the sweet potatoes."

Su Muyao went to the place indicated by the Space System, pushed aside some grass, and saw sweet potato leaves. She quickly harvested some of them.

Wen Nanxi did not wander off into the distance; instead, he stayed by Su Muyao's side to protect her. Watching her pick some grass from the ground, he was momentarily stunned.

"What are these?"

Su Muyao explained, "These are sweet potato leaves. They can be used to make many kinds of food." After a pause, remembering the limited knowledge of food in this world, she added, "Trust me, these aren't just grass."

According to her predecessor's memories, no one in this Beast World continent knew about sweet potatoes as a food source. Even in the Beast Imperial City, the most prosperous and flourishing place, people didn't know that food could grow underground. Almost everyone ate food that grew above the ground.

Pausing, Su Muyao looked at Wen Nanxi with clear, soft, and adorable eyes. "Wen Nanxi, could you help me dig under this ground?"

Meeting her soft gaze and hearing her gentle tone, Wen Nanxi's expression flickered. In the past, she had always commanded them to do things and never spoke to them with such kindness, let alone used such a softened tone.

Wen Nanxi said softly, "Alright."

He then channeled his ability into the bone knife in his hand and began digging straight down. With one forceful thrust, a large vortex-like pit appeared on the ground. Some sweet potatoes were revealed, but several were crushed by the sheer force of his movement.

Su Muyao hurriedly said, "Don't! Don't use so much force. There is food down there."

Wen Nanxi's movements paused. The red chunks beneath the ground were food? In their understanding, food always grew above the ground. Seeing Su Muyao's serious expression, he lightened his strength and carefully dug through the soil, pulling the food out one by one.

Looking at the sweet potatoes, Su Muyao's eyes brightened, curving into crescents filled with smiles. Watching Wen Nanxi dig them up, clean off the dirt, and place them in a basket, she said softly, "Thank you!"

Wen Nanxi froze. He had truly never heard her say those two words before. He gave her a focused look and let out a dry laugh. "This is simply what I should do."

One back basket and one basket were nowhere near enough to hold all this food. Fortunately, Su Muyao had her Space; she directly stored the sweet potatoes into it.

Wen Nanxi watched as many items on the ground vanished into thin air. As if realizing something, even a man as calm and composed as he was couldn't help but show an expression of extreme disbelief.

Wen Nanxi murmured in a low voice, "Space?"

Su Muyao nodded. "Yes, I also have Space ability."

To live well in the exiled tribe, having a Space was very important. When traveling, hunting, or gathering, she could use the Space to store things. It was very convenient. Therefore, she had no intention of hiding such an ability. Furthermore, demonstrating her power would give her beast husbands something to consider and fear, preventing them from constantly thinking about how to kill her in revenge.

Hearing Su Muyao's affirmation, a storm of shock surged in Wen Nanxi's heart. Not only did she have healing abilities, but she also possessed Space ability?

Space could store food and items, yet very few beastmen in the Beast World continent could awaken Space ability. Healing ability was even rarer. He had never even heard of someone possessing dual-type abilities.

"Mistress is indeed different from before." At this moment, she seemed to be shrouded in layers of mystery; every time one layer was peeled back, another appeared.

"I told you, I want to turn over a new leaf and live a good life. In three months, I will set you all free." *So don't be in a hurry to deal with me or kill me; you'll be free in three months.*

Wen Nanxi did not say anything further.

Su Muyao loaded many sweet potatoes into her Space. "There are also mushrooms and wood ear fungi nearby. Let's pick some to take back."

"Those are poisonous."

In the Beast Imperial City, it was common knowledge that mushrooms and wood ear fungi were poisonous.

Su Muyao explained, "Some mushrooms are poisonous, and some are not. And if wood ear fungi are prepared correctly, they aren't poisonous." Anyway, if they didn't believe her and wouldn't eat them, she would just eat them herself.

Regardless of what Wen Nanxi thought, Su Muyao continued picking mushrooms and wood ear fungi.

After walking a while, the Space System spoke again: "Host, there are ginger and scallions one hundred meters to the left."

Su Muyao hurried to dig them up. With scallions and ginger, she could make many dishes and use them to remove fishy smells. With these ingredients, they wouldn't have to go hungry for at least the next few days.

Perhaps because they had killed a beast earlier, there were no wild animals in the immediate vicinity for the time being. Seeing that it was getting late, they prepared to head back.

On the way back, Wen Nanxi transformed into his snake form again. Su Muyao sat properly on him, not daring to move erratically, let alone hug him. However, Wen Nanxi sped along so rapidly that the wind whipped past her ears. Su Muyao couldn't even sit steady and nearly fell off.

Wen Nanxi used his tail to gently support her and said, "Mistress can hold onto me tightly!"

Hold... hold tightly? Didn't he dislike her getting close or hugging him? At noon, she still remembered the moment she hugged him; his snake body had gone stiff, as if he wanted to shake her off. Though it was subtle, she could feel it.

"No..."

Just as Su Muyao was about to refuse, the Space System screamed, "Host, hurry and hold him! Hold him tight! Even if it's just a hug, if you do it long enough, the Space will drop a little bit of authority!"

Accepting her fate, Su Muyao hugged Wen Nanxi. The moment she held him, his speed seemed to slow down slightly.

Now, Su Muyao could look down at the scenery of the mountains and forests. She happened to see a river in a valley with clear flowing water, and she even saw fish inside. Those fish were quite large—many were five or six pounds, and some were even around ten pounds. By comparison, the two or three-pound fish seemed small.

"Wen Nanxi, let's go to the river and catch some fish!"

Wen Nanxi landed by the riverbank. This time, he transformed into human form, gently embraced Su Muyao, and then placed her softly on the ground. Su Muyao felt that his attitude toward her had changed slightly.

"Does Mistress want to catch fish for fun?"

"No, I want to eat fish meat."

Wen Nanxi gave an elegant smile. "Alright."

In the past, she had disliked eating fish because of the fishy smell. Moreover, they were full of bones. Previously, someone in the tribe had been so hungry they tried to catch fish to eat, only to die because a bone got stuck in their throat. Thus, people in the tribe rarely ate fish.

Wen Nanxi used his Wind ability to sweep across the water's surface, and over a dozen fish landed on the shore. He then picked some grass and skewered each fish. Even while doing these things, his movements were elegant and noble.

Su Muyao thought that if there was too much fish to eat, she could make fish balls.

As they prepared to head back, Su Muyao discovered river snails and river shrimp in the grass by the river. Her eyes lit up. The Beast World continent was so much better than the apocalypse; the resources were so abundant, and ingredients were everywhere.