Hunting Party

The midday sun was high in the sky as Shen Yuan knelt on the soft earth, his hands deftly pulling at a bunch of wild herbs. His fingers carefully worked through the roots, extracting them from the ground without damaging the delicate plants. He had been at it for some time now, gathering anything that looked remotely edible or useful for cooking. His mind was focused, his thoughts running over ways to make the meager meals they had a little better.

Suddenly, a voice called out from behind him.

"Shen Yuan! What on earth are you doing?"

Shen Yuan looked over his shoulder and saw five familiar figures approaching through the trees. His two uncles, Shen Qingge and Shen Qingfang, led the way, their long strides confident as they made their way down the forest path. Behind them were his three brothers—Shen Jiuyuan, Shen Tianzhu, and Shen Zhi—all looking slightly amused as they saw their little brother on his hands and knees in the dirt.

Shen Qingge, the older of the two uncles, frowned in confusion as he came closer. "Are you pulling weeds?" His voice carried a mix of disbelief and exasperation. "Those aren't edible, you know."

Shen Yuan grinned up at him, brushing dirt off his hands. "Who says I'm pulling weeds for eating?"

Shen Qingge crossed his arms, his brow furrowing. "Then what are you doing?"

Before Shen Yuan could answer, his other uncle, Shen Qingfang, who was gentler in nature, stepped forward with a soft smile. "Yuan, we've just hunted a deer," he said, his voice calm and soothing. "There's no need to pull weeds. We'll be full tonight."

The mention of the deer hunt caused Shen Jiuyuan and Shen Tianzhu, the eldest brothers, to chuckle quietly, though neither of them said a word. They stood beside their uncles, both tall and strong, clearly worn from their hunt but satisfied with their success.

Shen Yuan laughed softly as he stood up, wiping his hands on his trousers. "Uncle Qingge, Uncle Qingfang, I'm not pulling these for food. Well, not exactly."

Shen Qingge raised an eyebrow. "Not exactly?"

"These aren't weeds. They're oregano and wild leeks," Shen Yuan explained. "They'll make the deer taste a whole lot better. Think of them as condiments."

Shen Qingge blinked, and then his face twisted in confusion. "Condiments? What, like the seasonings you used to work with in the cities?"

Shen Yuan nodded enthusiastically. "Exactly. If we use these, we can add some real flavor to the meat. Otherwise, it'll just be plain, and after all the effort you put into hunting, that's no way to treat a good deer."

For a moment, Shen Qingge looked as if he didn't know what to say. The concept of using herbs to enhance the flavor of food was still somewhat foreign in their rough lifestyle. They were more used to eating whatever they could get their hands on without much thought to how it tasted.

Shen Qingfang, however, smiled warmly. "I think that's a good idea. It would be nice to have something different for a change. You always were a clever one, Yuan."

Shen Yuan gave his uncle a grateful smile.

Meanwhile, Shen Jiuyuan, the eldest of the siblings, stepped forward and crouched down beside his younger brother. "Well, if it'll make the food taste better, I'll help you pull some more."

Shen Tianzhu, not wanting to be left out, gave a small grunt of approval. "Me too. Besides, we're already done with the hunt. No harm in getting our hands dirty again."

Shen Yuan chuckled as his brothers knelt beside him and began pulling the wild herbs.

Shen Zhi, the youngest of the group and younger brother of Shen Yuan, stood back with a grin on his face. "Brother Yuan, are you trying to become a chef now?" he teased, watching his siblings work with amusement.

Shen Yuan shot him a playful glare. "Who knows, maybe I am. If I'm good at it, I might just open a restaurant one day."

The others laughed at the thought, though the idea of Shen Yuan running a restaurant seemed ridiculous in their current situation. After all, they lived on the fringes of society, banished from their home village and struggling to survive in the wilderness. But Shen Yuan's mind was already racing with possibilities. Why not open a restaurant? They had been forced into this no-man's land, but if they built something worthwhile here, they could change their fate.

"If anyone can do it, it's you," Shen Jiuyuan said, his tone half-joking, half-serious.

Shen Yuan smirked. "We'll see."

As they finished gathering the herbs, Shen Yuan leaned back, looking at the small bundle in his hands. The green leaves smelled fresh, a sharp, earthy scent that made his stomach growl. His brothers, despite their teasing, had been supportive, and his uncles didn't seem to mind his unusual methods.

Shen Qingge, though still slightly skeptical, finally shrugged and said, "Well, if it works, I'll admit I was wrong. But I'd better not find out you've made our dinner inedible."

Shen Yuan grinned. "Trust me, Uncle. It'll be the best meal you've had in weeks."

By the time they returned to camp, the sun was beginning to dip low on the horizon, casting long shadows across the ground. The air was cooler now, and the smell of burning wood from the fire pit mixed with the scent of raw meat. The deer, freshly skinned and cleaned, lay on a large wooden slab near the fire.

Shen Mingxiu was still at the cooking area, tending to the fire with quiet diligence. When she saw them approach with the herbs and meat, her tired face lit up with surprise.

"You brought so much," she said, her voice filled with relief. "We'll be able to feed everyone."

"Not just feed," Shen Yuan corrected with a grin, "we're going to feast."

Shen Mingxiu blinked, confused. "Feast?"

"Yuan found some herbs to use as seasoning," Shen Qingfang explained as he set down the deer meat near the fire. "He says it'll make the food taste better."

Shen Mingxiu's eyebrows rose slightly, though she didn't question her younger brother's judgment. She trusted him implicitly. "Alright. I'll do my best."

Together, they worked to prepare the meal, with Shen Yuan showing his sister how to mix the oregano and leeks into the stew. The fragrant herbs filled the air with a fresh, almost intoxicating scent, something Shen Yuan had missed for a long time. The apocalypse had left him without any luxury, but here, in this world, even the simple act of cooking could be a small victory.

As the pot simmered and the deer meat began to cook, Shen Zhi wandered over and nudged Shen Yuan playfully. "Maybe there's something to this whole chef thing after all."

Shen Yuan chuckled, stirring the pot with a wooden spoon. "You'll see. I'm not trying to be a chef, but I wouldn't mind making sure we don't have to eat bland food for the rest of our lives."

Shen Zhi grinned, shaking his head. "You're always thinking ahead."

Shen Yuan didn't respond immediately. He stared into the bubbling stew, his mind wandering. In his old life, food had been a luxury. It wasn't just about survival—it was about making life worth living. And now that the immediate threat of the apocalypse was gone, why shouldn't they strive for something better here? Why couldn't they turn this exile into an opportunity?

An empire. The system's words echoed in the back of his mind again.

A restaurant could be a start, but why stop there? If they could build something from the ground up, maybe they could carve out a life here that was better than the one they had been forced to leave behind. It was a wild idea, but then again, Shen Yuan had always been full of those.

Shen Jiuyuan's voice broke through his thoughts. "Alright, let's see if this stew is as good as you claim, Yuan."

Shen Yuan smiled and handed him a bowl. "Tell me what you think."

His brothers and uncles gathered around the fire, each of them taking a portion of the stew. Shen Yuan watched as they tasted the food, waiting for their reactions.

Shen Jiuyuan was the first to speak, his eyes widening in surprise. "This… this is really good."

Shen Tianzhu nodded in agreement, swallowing a mouthful of the tender meat. "It's not just good. It's amazing. How did you—"

Shen Yuan shrugged casually. "Just a few herbs. Told you it would be better."