C23 The Wool Is on the Goat's Body!

"Faang Wei, this is pretty good, isn't it?"

"Here we go! Lamb chops!"

"And this—beef steak! I roasted it with mushroom sauce!"

"How's it taste? How's it taste?"

"Spot on!"

Faang Wei gave a thumbs up, expertly wielding a knife in his left hand and chopsticks in his right. Han Dongchuan struggled to keep up, yet Faang Wei didn't miss a beat as he directed,

"Try that one—how's that? I heard it's like a burst of flavor, right?"

Han Dongchuan, upon seeing Faang Wei point at a skewer of beef eyes, wore a puzzled expression and couldn't help but murmur,

"Dude, got a taste for the exotic, huh?"

"Not worried about nightmares?"

"What's there to be scared of? It's all in good fun, right?"

Faang Wei looked unimpressed, while Han Dongchuan was dead serious,

"It's all in good fun!"

"Ah, come on!"

Faang Wei rubbed his head, feeling a bit ridiculed.

Nonchalantly, he grabbed the skewer of beef eyes and added two skewers of lamb kidneys, ready to indulge.

The meat was almost done—cumin sprinkled, chili powder dashed on, and the aroma hit them instantly. With a 'pop', an eyeball burst open, causing Faang Wei to lament the loss.

He took a bite, and the eyeball burst in his mouth, a sensation no less delightful than the juiciest of meatballs.

Only those who try will know!

"Can I have a taste?"

Jumpy looked on, salivating. Since leveling up, he'd become less fussy about food.

It seemed Jumpy had bypassed the raw food phase altogether, which was a relief; the thought of daily gore was too much for Faang Wei.

"Hey, do you guys do this often?"

Armed with a heap of meat roasted by other classmates, Faang Wei, under Xiaoxiao's scornful eye, boldly led Jumpy to an opposite tree stump for a private feast.

"Not too often, actually,"

Jumpy said, gnawing on a lamb kidney and looking up with a face smeared in seasoning.

"The cost is pretty steep, so we usually use class funds. Sometimes our classmates invent something cool and earn copyright income. We also make a bit from small competitions. Basically, we all chip in. It's not like the school's paying or other classes have a say in it."

After finishing his statement, Jumpy got back to his diligent work. Faang Wei, on the other hand, thought the approach was rather effective.

Considering the vast number of people at Everdawn Academy, it wouldn't be sustainable for the school to foot the bill every time. The academy simply couldn't afford it—literally!

So, letting the cost fall to those who benefit while also fostering a sense of unity was a pretty smart move.

Faang Zhengyi really had a good head on his shoulders.

Faang Wei had to admit, when it came to making and saving money, his dad was sharp as a tack. As for other areas, well, he preferred to withhold judgment.

"Fa... Faang Wei, may I sit with you?"

While Faang Wei was eating, a timid voice reached him. He looked up to see a fresh-faced young man and casually offered him a skewer of lamb kidneys.

"Here, try this! It's rich in nutrients!"

"This..."

Jin Ziyan hesitated but eventually accepted the skewer. He nibbled tentatively, finding the flavor to his liking, though he was clearly perplexed.

"Um, Faang Wei, considering you've replaced your body with an artificial limb, do you really need this... No, no... I apologize, I shouldn't have mentioned that, sorry..."

Watching Faang Wei's expression shift, Jin Ziyan bolted, leaving behind a rather amused observer who was sorely tempted to reclaim the lamb kidneys, given the unintended offense.

It was like a stab to the heart!

Seeing Jumpy contentedly munching away, Faang Wei could only think how oblivious he was to the scorn he'd just encountered.

With a sigh, he picked up another skewer, chewing with a vengeance as if it were Jin Ziyan's own bones.

Having nearly finished his meal, Faang Wei was about to opt for some vegetarian skewers when he sensed something at the edge of his perception. His Divine Sense brushed against it, prompting a chuckle. With a subtle lift of his hand, he simply walked off.

"Huh?"

From her hidden spot in the underbrush, Hou Chanying stared at her detector's screen in confusion—it had inexplicably gone dark.

She was using the latest model of the Golden Cicada Detector, enhanced with a stealth charm. It should have been undetectable to anyone below the Pure Heart level.

The teacher leading the expedition was merely at the eighth level of Pure Heart, and not even within the expected range. Could it be that someone was secretly protecting him?

She was visibly puzzled, truly baffled by the situation. Surely, she hadn't purchased a counterfeit product!

That was out of the question. Sidney's brand was top-notch; the possibility of it being a fake was slim. If nothing else, there must be a master accompanying him.

I knew it; there's no way I'd let him roam around here by himself. They must have assigned someone to protect him.

Still, I need to give them a heads up. I can't have my plans disrupted. If they fail to bring him back and blame me, I won't be held responsible.

After fiddling with the detector once more, he confirmed it was indeed broken. With a grimace and without a word, he grumbled to himself—

"I'll get reimbursed when I return. After all, I paid for it myself..."

He decided not to retrieve the detector; it was too close to the target and could easily give him away. He hadn't figured out how to approach the situation yet. He needed a well-thought-out plan.

Creating an impression of a voyeur from the start would ruin any chance of friendly interaction in the future, not to mention achieving his grand ambitions.

Unacceptable!

He was determined to uphold the standard of a mysterious and beautiful girl, where intelligence and beauty go hand in hand!

"Mm-hmm."

Hou Chanying nodded emphatically and was about to head back when, just as she stood up, she was suddenly overwhelmed by a pungent, foul odor.

Instinctively, she turned to her right—

In the pitch-black night, the air itself seemed to be steeped in darkness, but within that darkness loomed a massive silhouette, towering at two and a half meters tall. She could see his chilling teeth gleaming white, and his eyes, like two blood-red lanterns, were utterly terrifying.

Crushed by the weight of the oppressive presence, Hou Chanying had only one reaction—

"Ah!!!"

—

A piercing scream cut through the night, jolting everyone in Profound Class One awake. Most of the boys instinctively looked towards the girls, but Faang Wei's first reaction was to glance at Jin Ziyan.

Jin Ziyan caught Faang Wei's gaze and thought, "Meow, meow, meow?"

Why are you looking at me?

Even if I were in trouble, I certainly couldn't produce such a high-pitched female scream.

Before he could finish his complaint, Tung Peirong approached from not too far away and scanned the surroundings.

"Is everyone from the same table here?"

"Yes!"

"Here, here!"

"Right here!"

"She's with me!"

"Who's with you?"

"And who are you with?"

"Enough bickering!"

Tung Xiaoxiao chastised. Was this really the time for an argument? Clearly, someone was in trouble.

Though Beddingtou Hills wasn't known for harboring any large demonic beasts, accidents could still occur. Perhaps an independent cultivator had run into some difficulty.

If... If it were someone from Lumenarc Academy, that would be ideal. Saving her could serve as an extra pass for me to gain entry into Lumenarc Academy.

If she were still alive... If she were alive and well...

Maybe it could work...

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