Chapter 135 - 133: Peppercorns, Peppercorns, Peppercorns!

While processing the dried meat, Sev Steele’s mind was already brainstorming various delicacies she could make with wheat flour.

She wasn’t a professional chef. Many of the dishes she knew were things she had only scrolled past in videos, and she couldn’t remember the exact recipes. However, after watching so many, she could synthesize the information, piece together similar recipes, and rely on her intuition to add a bit of innovation during the cooking process. Naturally, the final dishes wouldn’t taste bad.

Soon, she had finalized a recipe—Green Radish and Walnut Patties.

First, she prepared the initial ingredients: shredded mutated green radishes. The ant eggs, shredded radish, and crushed walnuts needed to be blanched, drained, and set aside. Next, she would add flour and mutant bird eggs, mixing everything into a thick batter.

Adding animal fat to the pan, she would use a soup ladle to scoop out the prepared batter, frying it over low heat until both sides were golden brown. Just like that, a delicacy crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, filled with the nutty aroma of walnuts and the crisp sweetness of radishes, would be ready to serve.

Sev had just plated a fresh batch when she heard a soft, gentle voice behind her. "It smells so good! You’re making me drool so early in the morning. I’m definitely going to miss you after I leave!"

Sev turned around and saw a sleep-tousled, delicate beauty. She only lamented that she wasn’t a man; she could only admire purely, unable to take a bite. It was just like the delicacies she had made with her own hands in front of her—she was just the cook, unqualified to taste them.

"Good morning, Ms. Sawyer! Thank you for the compliment. Having people love the food I make is the greatest encouragement for a cook!" Sev laughed. "However, I was only able to make something this delicious because of the rich variety of ingredients and seasonings you prepared. Otherwise, no matter how much creativity I had, even the best chef can’t cook without ingredients!"

"You’re praising the wrong person for that. Silas Lynn was the one who prepared all of this.

"He turned the storeroom upside down last night just to scrounge up those pre-nuclear war seasonings. Let me tell you a secret: that guy has a tough shell but a soft heart. Don’t be fooled by his cold and rigid exterior; he’s actually very kind.

"Back when I was gathering plant seeds in the wilderness, I happened to run into him when he was driven to a dead end by a Mutant Pine Marten. I saw his unyielding tenacity in the face of danger, refusing to give up even if it meant death, so I brought him back and raised him. I originally thought he would become a bit more lively as he grew up, but who knew he’d turn into such a grumpy killjoy?"

Artie Sawyer was likely in a good mood from the smell of the food, chatting away and sharing gossip with Sev.

Sev really didn’t want to hear about this kind of history. If Silas ended up holding a grudge, he could crush a nobody like her in minutes. However, she had a purpose in keeping Artie company. Finally, when Artie started tasting the food, Sev casually asked, "Ms. Sawyer, where did you get these seasonings?"

"I brought these back ages ago when I went into the high-radiation zone with a friend. I’m naturally terrible at cooking, so I just tossed them in the storeroom to collect dust. If we hadn’t hired you to come help, they would never have seen the light of day."

"The high-radiation zone? Doesn’t going in there cause genetic collapse?" Sev asked curiously.

"That friend of mine is an Earth Element. He’s the best at digging tunnels, hehe! I just followed him into those deeply buried underground buildings to scavenge for bargains!

"But I pulled my weight, too. I can communicate with underground Mutated plants, and they pointed out the optimal routes. That greatly increased the speed of gathering supplies."

When Artie spoke about this, her expression was filled with joy and excitement, as if she had turned into a lively and cheerful young girl.

Sev thought, "This must be her true self. How nice!"

Amidst her sentimentality, she certainly didn’t forget her main goal. "Ms. Sawyer, could I shamelessly ask you for a few pieces of these seasonings to keep as a collection?

"To someone who loves cooking, these are incredibly precious. It’s just like people who love antique furniture—they cherish vintage Arhat Beds and vanity tables. Even if they aren’t wealthy, they still want to keep them by their side."

Sev was being half-truthful when she said this. The truth was the passion that antique collectors had for antiques, and food lovers had for seasonings. The lie was that she was neither an antique enthusiast nor a real chef.

She simply felt that scoring precious antiques at rock-bottom prices was a huge bargain. Moreover, if she took these seasoning granules home, she might be able to cultivate them with the help of her Rose.

She thought Artie would sell them to her at a high price. Instead, Artie casually grabbed a small handful from each seasoning jar, tossed them into a vacuum-sealed container with compartments, and shoved the box into her hands.

"Isn’t this... a bit too much?" Sev was both thrilled and ashamed. She had only come to help make some food; she didn’t deserve such precious seasonings at all.

"Not at all. It’s a waste to leave them with me. I’d rather give them to you; maybe you can bring out their true potential," Artie said casually.

Seeing her apprehension, Artie comforted her, "Don’t worry. I’m a High Tier Wood Element. If I ever need these in the future, people will naturally deliver them right to my door."

"Alright, I’ll accept them then. Thank you!" Sev’s gratitude this time couldn’t be more sincere.

"No need to thank me! You came over early in the morning to make me so much delicious food. I should be the one thanking you!

"So, let’s stop thanking each other. From now on, we’re friends. I’ll bring you high-quality ingredients and seasonings, and you’ll turn them into delicacies for me to enjoy. It’s a win-win!" Artie said straightforwardly.

"But you’re leaving soon. Will we be able to see each other again?" Sev asked reluctantly.

"As long as it’s meant to be, we’ll definitely meet again." Artie playfully winked at her, acting mysterious.

"Alright then. I’ll do my best to create even more novel dishes and guarantee your taste buds get the ultimate experience!" Sev laughed.

While the two chatted, the freshly baked pork jerky and Green Radish and Walnut Patties had cooled to a warm temperature.

Artie tasted the warm jerky, then casually picked up a cracked radish patty and stuffed it into Sev’s mouth. "This one’s broken, so it’s hard to store. You can have it!"

Then, pointing at the jerky in her hand, she added, "Too bad you’re a normal person. This is the meat of a Third Tier Green Wood Bull. You’d explode from the energy if you ate it, and even a tiny bite is a no-go!"

Her expression when she said that was really a bit... punchable!

Frustrated, Sev opened her mouth wide, bit down on the radish patty Artie handed her, and chewed fiercely.

This display highly amused Artie, who clutched her stomach and laughed until she doubled over. Sev couldn’t help but laugh as well. As they laughed, the barrier between them seemed to vanish.

Sev felt like she had gained another female friend. It was a nice feeling!

While Artie was devouring the jerky, Sev had already started preparing the ingredients for the next dish. This time, she was making potato glass noodles.

She had had this idea since the day she dug up those Mutated potatoes. However, without seasonings, the potato noodles would lack a soul, and the taste would be severely lacking. Furthermore, she still had four cubs to raise, so she couldn’t bear to waste the potatoes on making noodles.

But here with Artie, there weren’t so many concerns.

First, Artie wasn’t short on money; she could buy as many potatoes as she wanted. Second, she had the most crucial seasoning here—Peppercorns. With Peppercorns, Sev could make a soup base that would last a long time.

Most importantly, the shelf life of potato glass noodles could be up to a year. When it was time to eat, one only needed to soak them in water and pair them with the soup base. Making the noodles was also quite simple. In the countryside, there was hardly a farming family that didn’t know how to do it.