Chapter Thirty-Four: The Crimson Lotus Wild Boar

"Brother, aren't you feeling hot?"

As the group traversed the searing terrain of Blazing Balaka, the once enchanting twilight beauty had long vanished, reduced to the semblance of a disaster zone. At this moment, Zhao Shen found himself deep in thought, fixated on the Fire Spirit Cat in his hands. Its hairless, fatless body was a natural delicacy, requiring no preparation to consume.

Only then did he glance up.

"I'm not hot," he replied.

The four men gaped at him as if he were an oddity. Sweat was streaming down their faces, and any additional movement would surely send droplets cascading down. Yet, this novice had somehow managed to remain completely dry since entering the dungeon—an unfathomable phenomenon! Could it be that this level five novice possessed an extraordinary resistance to fire?

...

The four companions did not connect the dots between the heat and Zhao Shen's appetite; they assumed his rapid consumption of the Ice Silkworm Dumpling was due to a lack of satiety. Perhaps only Zhao Shen would so recklessly squander a delectable dish!

In his heart, Zhao Shen entertained a simple thought: "With money in hand, I shall not deprive myself; it is a bit warm today."

After enduring hardship for over twenty years, he felt it was time to consider his own pleasure. A few dumplings were hardly a burden for him. If it weren't for his desire to personally evaluate the quality of the meat, he wouldn't have bothered with this venture; experience and gold held no allure for him—nothing thrilled a chef more than the pursuit of rare ingredients.

Gazing at the meat from the cat, Zhao Shen shook his head. The flesh was too soft and greasy for his purposes, unsuitable as a supplementary ingredient for his sauces, as it would overshadow the flavor of the noodles. He placed it in his backpack and continued onward.

"Why aren't you eating? Don't you want ingredients? The monsters here are all edible; their bodies are effectively roasted," the priest in the group remarked, falling in step beside Zhao Shen. Typically, rewards of this nature would be handed to him, so he was curious as to why Zhao Shen had stored the meat instead of consuming it. Wasn't that superior to the dumplings?

...

Blazing Balaka represented a unique benefit for newbies; the monsters yielded fully cooked meat that required no preparation, albeit lacking in flavor. Thus, it became a dungeon favored by many beginners. This was Zhao Shen's first encounter with such peculiar "creatures."

His thoughts drifted solely to culinary possibilities: formed, cooked meat eliminated the need for sautéing; it could be quickly thickened, preserving the tenderness of the meat. This excursion had not been in vain; after all, how often does one encounter a creature that grows fully cooked meat in reality?

Before long, the five adventurers arrived at the boss's lair, situated at the base of a mountain. In front of them lay five caverns, the largest of which towered three meters high. Upon entering combat mode, the boss, the Crimson Lotus Wild Boar, would emerge from within, while the other four entrances would continuously summon minions that charged recklessly into battle. The minions had extremely low defense but boasted high attack power; they needed to be dispatched immediately, or one of the players could easily be eliminated, triggering a cascade of chaos.

The scene of the boss summoning its minions was humorously dubbed the "Five Heroes of Langya Mountain" by many players.

As they journeyed, Bai Yue had reiterated the dungeon strategy to Zhao Shen several times, anxious that he might err during this critical phase, specifically urging him to prioritize the elimination of the boar's minions.

...

The method of luring out the boss was straightforward, albeit somewhat unrefined. Bai Yue picked up a rock and hurled it into the largest cave entrance, then swiftly returned to his position, assuming a defensive stance. The five formed a line, blocking the five cave openings.

Soon, the earth trembled, and two blood-red eyes appeared within the cavern, followed by a wild boar adorned with red patterns that resembled a suit of crimson lotus armor. When Zhao Shen laid eyes on the Crimson Lotus Wild Boar, he momentarily froze; was this not the very ingredient he had longed for? What could possibly complement his noodles better than this vividly colored creature?

"Hey, what are you waiting for? The minions are about to emerge! I'll hold the boss; you all watch the boar minions closely."

The air was thick with an enticing meaty aroma, dry and appetizing. Even before tasting it, Zhao Shen could sense a unique braised meat fragrance wafting through the air. The visual impact was striking; never should one conflate the Crimson Lotus Wild Boar with the ordinary pigs seen in everyday life. This was an exquisitely enhanced culinary gem.

The boar bore no pale pink skin or hair; instead, its surface resembled roasted meat with irregular patterns shimmering across it. Upon closer inspection, Zhao Shen realized these were natural streaks of red oil! It seemed this distinctive red oil had replaced the need for pig blood, providing nourishment to the Crimson Lotus Wild Boar's body.

With its fiery red oil, body arranged in chunks resembling roasted meat, and an adorably plump head, Zhao Shen couldn't help but wonder: could this exquisite ingredient possibly run away? The boar displayed no trembling fat; rather, it appeared lean and fit. Zhao Shen couldn't help but fantasize about how this creature had developed such a physique, as if it had undergone rigorous training to convert all its mass into lean meat, completely bypassing the fattening process.

...

With a clang, Zhao Shen grabbed his frying pan, determination surging within him! Faced with such a prime ingredient, even a culinary god must engage in battle!

"Crap, this isn't good; the wild boar is charging! Why haven't you finished off the minions yet?"

Despite being a chef, Zhao Shen wielded his frying pan and chef's knife with an elegance akin to an artist at work.

He brought the pan down upon a wild boar minion, sending it reeling as stars danced before its eyes. Simultaneously, he skillfully sliced through the creature's neck with his chef's knife. With swift precision, he dispatched its limbs, tossing them into the pan, and a complete roast piglette materialized before him.

Hearing Bai Yue's warning, Zhao Shen looked up just in time to see the cute, animated Crimson Lotus Wild Boar barreling towards him like an out-of-control locomotive, stirring up gusts of warm air and the tantalizing scent of meat, enticing him to take a bite.

Meanwhile, Bai Yue, who had previously called out, wore a sly grin, watching as Zhao Shen was about to be trampled by the wild boar. This was the boss's sole skill; despite its formidable appearance, the boss was essentially a mere decoration, possessing only the ability to summon minions and perform a reckless charge—its offensive capabilities were low, but its defenses were high, resembling a charming pig's head.

However, one should not underestimate that singular charge; it was a terrifying skill, capable of obliterating a level six player with its sheer force and momentum, provided the boss did not become immobilized.

...

Bai Yue intentionally allowed the boss to unleash this skill. With his prowess, he could easily keep the boss at bay for the duration, but he wanted to ensure that this level five novice would meet his demise!