Echoes of the Past

Chapter 28 Refreshable Loot

Like swirling mist, a faint, almost imperceptible tremor made Nan'an raise the Rubik's Cube again.

This time, he easily suppressed his impulse and put the Rubik's Cube back into his body.

Realizing that the cat didn't mind being petted, he stroked its fur again before waving away contentedly.

As they ascended on the elevator platform, listening to the "click" sound in their ears, Nan'an's gaze gradually sharpened.

If he hadn't intervened in time, the cat food would likely have suffered irreversible damage.

"Ability specialized against Nightmare Gods?"

After his resurrection, he was in a daze, busy trying to save the life of that stupid deer Suiyue, and didn't have time to think about the Rubik's Cube and the consciousness prison.

At this moment, Nan'an's curiosity was like ants crawling all over his body.

"We need more experimental data. Cat food is something colleagues can't just mess with; we need to find a few smart people to practice on."

Suiyue and Nilar's conversation had just ended.

One was a chatterbox, the other a savage who seemed to have returned to the civilized world. If it weren't for Nilar's routine patrol time, the conversation could have continued to fly and expand.

"What do you mean? You almost ate the cat food?" Suiyue's eyes widened.

After Nan'an explained the situation, she was amazed.

"It means that the giant Rubik's Cube that I cannot see can give birth to smaller Rubik's Cubes that devour and purify the Nightmare God."

"Holding it will naturally generate an 'impulse,' like a beginner's tutorial, or like a urging," Nan'an instructed. "Don't tell anyone about the Rubik's Cube."

"Whatever you say." Suiyue's eyes lit up. "Oh, right, I just thought of a good idea about cat food... Since we can't decipher cat food's language, but it can understand us, why not communicate through writing or drawing?"

Nan'an stared intently, without blinking, at Suiyue's innocent and radiant face, which seemed to say, "Am I not smart? Praise me!"

Suiyue felt uneasy under his gaze and subconsciously swallowed. Just before she was about to say, "Why are you looking at me like that?", Nan'an made a move.

He reached out and took the thick regional manager's handbook that the two of them had studied together that afternoon. He skillfully turned to a certain page, then steadily pushed the open handbook in front of Suiyue, his fingertip pointing to a specific paragraph.

"Come on," Nan An said, her tone as if she was trying to suppress something, "read after me what it says."

"Uh..." Her voice became weak, "'It is not recommended to let the cat eat through writing, drawing, sign language, or other forms of communication'; 'It is strictly forbidden to attempt to establish a mental connection with it using any form of mental magic'..."

Nan'an grabbed Suiyue's last remaining large horn and lifted it up.

"Ouch! Ouch! I know I was wrong! I'll definitely read the manual carefully! I'll definitely look at the book before I speak from now on!" Suiyue begged for mercy, grimacing.

It was clearly an act, but Nan'an still softened.

The fact that it was specifically annotated means that the deer triggered a subtle "reaction" during the exploration process.

In the current environment, we should avoid adding unnecessary variables to the experience accumulated step by step by our predecessors.

The two separated for the time being and checked the inventory of supplies inside the "deep cave" of Kren separately.

The list is long, but the content is highly focused, with more than 80% of it consisting of various ingredients for keeping cat food fresh, ranging from common grains to precious spices.

A small portion consisted of medicinal herbs, while several bottles of healing potions were locked in a dedicated metal cabinet, presumably a stockpile prepared in advance for any emergency.

The verification results made Nan'an laugh in anger.

As the first person directly recruited by the Raven Council, he was promoted upon joining the company and became the youngest manager in charge of the entire Elru "money tree" in the region from Kren to Rostarek.

Nan'an and Suiyue have no money.

Not a single copper coin.

This is by no means an exaggeration.

Throughout the entire Kren Deep Cave, the item regarding monetary resources is listed as "zero" in a very straightforward and meager manner, and this "zero" has never fluctuated during the previous replenishment of food supplies.

Food? Plenty, even plentiful, all from portions of cat food.

besides?

There was nothing there!

Looking to buy a new robe?

Want to get your weapon serviced?

Looking to replenish some personal magical materials?

Looking to recruit outsourced staff and build a team?

I'm sorry, please figure it out yourself.

Recalling what Crazy Raven had jokingly said before, "This base was scraped together from the money I would have spent on cat food and groceries," Nan An couldn't help but raise his hand and rub his temples hard.

He suddenly became curious again: "The area from Kren to Rostarek is vast. Why didn't Ellu appoint a manager to oversee this region before?"

Feeling ashamed but determined to improve, Suiyue, clutching a thick handbook and cramming on common sense, answered without even looking up, in a matter-of-fact tone.

"The entire El Lu, including the two of us, only has 137 people. Just imagine, if you scattered these 137 people all over the whole of Solize, you wouldn't even see a single one."

"Why not just have a managerial title without taking up extra manpower? Like it is now." Nan An still felt there was something illogical about this. "Besides, even if funds are tight, maintaining a minimum small treasury for daily small purchases and emergencies, like a few gold coins in stock, should be achievable, right?"

The current situation in the Kren Cave is very similar to that of a gym owner who realizes he can't keep the business going, runs away with the money, and leaves behind only the gym equipment that he can't move.

Suiyue's mind clearly didn't support her delving deeper into Nan'an's convoluted line of thinking.

She simply tilted her head, her brows furrowed, and struggled for two seconds as if her CPU were overloaded, before suddenly shaking her head so violently that she almost flung her horn off.

Nan'an thought about it for a long time but couldn't figure it out, so he could only assume that the problem came from outside Erlu.

Moreover, he did see traces in some areas of the Kren Cave that suggested someone had lived there.

Given the dangerous nature of Ellu's work, it's possible he died in the line of duty?

If you can't figure it out, just put it aside for now.

Over the next three days, the two focused their main efforts on familiarizing themselves with the various files, operating manuals, and facilities inside the Kren Cave.

Nan'an repeatedly studied all the observation records and interaction rules about "cat food", as well as the handling procedures related to the God Nightmare.

Surprisingly, building a good relationship with the cat food was the easiest step of all.

To fulfill his promise to Suiyue, after moving into the Keren Cave, he made sure her meals were provided by Nan'an.

Suiyue selects the ingredients herself and has Nan'an cook.

On the first day, Suiyue bit her tongue because she ate too fast...

To Nan'an's utter surprise, Suiyue's eyes welled up with tears because of a pot of stewed beef that was only barely passable in his opinion due to the limited seasonings and sauces.

"Waaah... Nan'an..." she mumbled, her voice trembling with sobs, as she chewed on the tender, flavorful beef, "Make this for me every day from now on, I'll make anything!"

While crying, she said some very pathetic things, which made Nan'an's mouth twitch.

When you cook, you'll inevitably smell the food on you.

When Nan'an pushed the cart to deliver the day's fresh ingredients to Maofan again, Maofan, who had been dozing by the fireplace, suddenly sniffed, stood up abruptly, and wobbled against Nan'an.

"Sniff sniff!!"

The scent traveled from her arm down to her collar, and her pair of emerald-green, vertical pupils, like the finest jade, suddenly lit up, sparkling as she stared at Nan'an.

His excitement and joy were palpable.

Then, with a light flick of its long, fluffy tail, the tip deftly hooked onto Nan'an's wrist, and without a doubt, gently pulled him toward the stove.

Cat Food loosened its tail and moved back and forth between the ice pool containing the ingredients.

Use your furry little paws to wash the beef in a sink, put it in a pot of cold water, add a few spice leaves to remove the fishy smell, and a little coarse salt, bring it to a boil, and skim off the foam.

It concentrates intently, its ears perked up, capturing the subtle sounds of the broth boiling. When the blanched beef is taken out and drained...

Cat Food turned around and deftly pushed a small ceramic pot over from a small condiment rack that it had been using for a long time.

When the jar is opened, inside is an unidentified, translucent oil with a reddish color and a rich nutty aroma.

Knowing that Nan'an Suiyue was curious, it thoughtfully placed it under their noses so that they could both smell it.

Heat the pan and add cold oil. The oil melts in the pan, instantly releasing an aroma that fills the entire wooden house.

Why does the way they cook cat food not seem like that of a Nora native?

The basic cooking technique of using a hot pan and cold oil was something only some forest spirits in the northern regions were enthusiastic about when he died.

So much so that when the members of the Red Rat Adventure Team saw this, they subconsciously asked Nan'an what the relationship was between him and the forest spirits.

"It smells so good..." Suiyue was captivated.

With a slight caramel color, the stir-fried beef is then added to the soup pot.

As the simmering sound of the fire began, Cat Food jumped off the stool, walked to the fireplace, and used its tail to curl up a thin stick. With great skill, it adjusted the position of the firewood in the stove, making the flames more stable and even.

Time slowly passed amidst the warm fragrance.

The moment the lid of the cat food is lifted, a rich, complex, and layered aroma bursts forth as if it were tangible.

Nan'an really felt a golden light shooting out from the pot.

Oh no, Little Master was right.

Excellent food truly shines!

He claimed to come from a land of gourmet food, and once conquered the entire Red Rat Adventure Team with simple ingredients and cheap seasonings, making everyone believe that he came from the distant and magnificent Golden Land, and was a lost soul who had made a mistake and been abandoned.

She was not originally Nora, but a chosen one of God who, after enduring hardships, will surely return to Paradise.

Aside from Nora's top-notch chef, Nanan is confident he could give the middle finger to 9% of people when it comes to cooking.

but now……

Cat Fan personally served the soup, and Nan'an dared not neglect it, accepting it with both hands.

It's professional!

Suiyue was already completely captivated by the rich aroma. She reverently picked up the wooden bowl, her restraint limited to a simple "thank you." The next second, she drank like a cow, seemingly oblivious to the heat, and gulped down a large mouthful...

The warm and mellow broth seemed to have a life of its own, sliding down the throat with just the right amount of warmth.

An indescribable sense of satisfaction spread from my abdomen like ripples, instantly reaching every part of my body.

With just one bite, Suiyue's eyes instantly lost focus, becoming hazy and empty.

"Ah~~~~~"

It's hard to imagine that this tomboy Niu Niu could make such delicate and moving moans; it sounds like he's drunk to heaven.

Nan'an wasn't that shameful; she savored the flavor carefully and asked, "May I use some of those seasonings?"

In the storage area, there are seasonings labeled "for cat food only," which Nan'an always uses exclusively by designated personnel.

Without hesitation, the cat food vendor took all the small jars off the shelf and filled the bar counter.

No wonder someone as ruthless as the Crow is so gentle with Cat Meal.

If all Nightmares were like this, the Nora people would probably all defect to the enemy.

"Ah~~~~~"

The neighbor is still ascending to heaven, but that doesn't stop Nan'an and Cat Rice from shaking hands, who appreciate each other's talents.

Cooking is the right thing to do, and you should learn to cook.

"Ah~~~~~"

"Your soul has been sublimated?" Nan An turned his head, about to make a joke, but his eyes widened in astonishment.

Suiyue held the empty bowl, her eyes glazed over, and her cheeks flushed with satisfaction.

Above her head, where only one antler root remained, with a clean break, a delicate, pale golden luster, like a new bud in early spring, was now shimmering.

It wasn't an illusion; the newly sprouted horn tips were only the size of a grain of rice, yet their outlines were clear and their texture was lustrous.

It is growing upwards at a visible speed, extremely slowly, like a bamboo shoot breaking through the soil.

"Cat food, you..."

The cat slurped up its soup, shaking its head and swaying.

It's confirmed; all the people of Erlu have been captivated by cat food.

It actively used the power of the Nightmare God to heal Suiyue's broken horn injury!

Suiyue was slow to react, and it wasn't until Nan'an reached out to grab the recovered horn that she subconsciously reached out to confirm.

"Waaaaah, cat food!"

She excitedly hugged the cat food that was making a CD of her masterpiece. Before she could even thank it, a strange idea suddenly popped into her muddled mind.

"Nan'an, Nan'an!" she cried urgently, "Is there any soup left?"

"There's one more bowl," Nan'an sighed. "I won't take it from you; you can drink it all."

"That's none of our business. Since the cat food helped us... we should make good use of it." Suiyue grinned mischievously. "Hurry up and help me take off both horns, sell them for money, and that way we'll have start-up capital for the Kren Cave!"

"..."

"..."

It can also refresh loot, and Suiyue's big horn is also correct!

Just as they were about to make their move, a buzzing sound from the central magic array resounded throughout the entire Kren Cave, and Nan An Suiyue raised her head almost at the same time.

"Is this an emergency contact signal?" Nan An said, already moving, leaving Sui Yue behind, sipping her soup as she chased after him.

"Kren Deep Cave, can you hear me?"

Familiar voices could be heard. As soon as they reached the central magic array, Nan'an heard the man, who was associated with the tortoise, urgently calling out.

"Consul Pietro, what has happened that requires you to use emergency communications?"

On the other end of the call, Pirion sighed awkwardly.

"A corpse has been found outside Keren City, possibly related to the Living Erosion. As the governor of the Keren region, shouldn't you come over?"

It sounded like the non-stick pan mode had been activated, so Nan'an simply asked.

"How do you determine if it's a live erosion?"

"Half the body was eaten," Pirion said. "The remaining half was covered in teeth marks."

Suiyue, who was drinking soup, suddenly felt nauseous.