Chapter 55: A Green Dinner

So, not everyone is quite as they seem after all.

Su Chen never imagined he'd live to see the day when he witnessed Xi Bowen taking a dump—from the toilet's point of view, no less. Honestly, it was both disturbing and hilarious.

These past few days had been pretty relaxing. He hadn't gone out to scavenge for food in a while. While his supplies were still fairly stocked, most of them had a short shelf life.

Su Chen took a quick inventory of his storage boxes. A lot of the apples from his earlier haul were on the verge of rotting—not that he was too fond of apples anyway. The bananas were overripe too. He picked one up and took a bite. Overripe, sure, but surprisingly delicious.

Since he had some spare time today, Su Chen made a quick list of his remaining food:

45 slices of meat

5 packs of kebabs

15 apples (nearly spoiled)

8 bananas (overripe)

4.5 bags of rice

17 bags of chips

A big bag of vegetables

183 pieces of candy

A pile of tender grass (Jun Ma's food)

40 packs of dry bread

94 wild berries

2 large fish

5 crabs

10 liters of cola

At a glance, his stock wasn't that impressive—but if he rationed it carefully, it could last at least two more weeks.

He had to admit, ever since getting a fridge, cola had become an essential happiness booster. That fizzy rush of sugar and carbonation? Instant joy.

He still had some leftover seafood in the freezer. Not exactly fresh anymore, but still edible. He'd better finish it today before it spoiled.

Flavor depended a lot on ingredients, sure—but more importantly, it came down to seasoning. With the right spices, even a shoe sole could taste good. That wasn't an exaggeration.

Su Chen had finally realized that his food situation was becoming tight. He'd been slacking these past few days, and tomorrow it was time to get back to work.

Recently, the big crates he'd opened mostly contained tools and weapons. That meant it was probably time to explore underground again.

One thing Su Chen was grateful for was that his indoor greenhouse was still functioning beautifully. The temperature stayed warm, and the seeds had begun sprouting. With any luck, he'd be eating fresh homegrown greens soon. It was something to look forward to.

The global chat was still lively. It had been a week since this whole ordeal began. Many of the familiar names in chat had vanished. Out of the original 7 billion people on Earth... how many were even left?

Since the incident with Wu Luxi, the regional chat had grown more active. People were sharing survival tips, especially about pets. The companionship felt more real now. Everyone was just trying to survive and build their own mobile home.

Su Chen glanced at the time. 1 hour and 12 minutes until nightfall. Not too long, not too short. Just enough to do a few things.

He'd met more people in the last few days than he ever expected. Honestly, he hadn't thought he'd run into so many other survivors.

Time to prep dinner. He'd been eating heavy meals full of meat lately—today, he wanted something lighter. A break from the grease. Balance was important for health.

Tonight's dinner? All greens.

Er Bao and Jun Ma had been off playing on their own lately. They'd been through a lot recently.

Er Bao used to be super clingy, but around strangers, he turned shy and quiet.

But today, for the first time, both Er Bao and Jun Ma joined Su Chen at the dinner table.

Er Bao climbed up excitedly, but his face fell when he saw the table covered with veggies. Instantly, his mood tanked.

Jun Ma was different. A natural herbivore, she was thrilled to see the lack of meat. Her tail swished happily as she munched away.

"We've been eating meat every day. It's good to go light once in a while—too much grease isn't healthy," Su Chen said casually.

But Er Bao wasn't having it. He started whining, wagging his tail pitifully.

"Woo woo woo, Master, I don't like vegetables... I just want a little meat... please? Just one slice of meat and I promise to be on my best behavior. I won't let you down!"

Su Chen chuckled. Dogs were carnivores, horses were herbivores—basic knowledge.

Actually, he'd already noticed Jun Ma secretly nibbling on the tender grass stored in the storage box late at night. That's probably why she liked hanging out in there so much. He always pretended not to notice. The more she ate, the stronger she'd be if something happened. Nothing wrong with that.

Er Bao, on the other hand, was a complete carnivore. At the table, he devoured food like a ravenous wolf. His behavior was like a dainty little lady, but his appetite? Pure macho man energy. Every meat dish usually vanished into his belly.

A true meat lover—legendary in his own right.

Tonight's all-veggie dinner had him devastated. He just sat there, unsure of where to start. Even though he wasn't a picky eater, greens just weren't his thing. After a few bites, he dropped his chopsticks.

Jun Ma, on the other hand, looked like she had been unsealed from some dietary curse. She tore through plate after plate like a beast unleashed.

She munched on greens with gusto, throwing smug looks at Er Bao.

"Mmm~ Stir-fried veggies taste even better. If only they were cooked in pork fat, they'd be divine," she teased.

"Come on, doggo, why aren't you eating? This stuff is delicious!"

Er Bao, eyes brimming with tears, sat silently beside the table. He wasn't that same poor mutt lying on the street waiting for handouts anymore.

"Woo woo woo... I really can't get used to this…"

Turns out, once you've tasted the finest meats, it's hard to go back.

"Don't be sad. I'll get you something later," Su Chen reassured him.

After all, Er Bao was the darling of their little trio. While he and Jun Ma bickered a lot, Jun Ma was usually the one giving in.

Who could resist such an adorable dog? And yes—he was most definitely a boy.

Su Chen had recently discovered something surprising—Jun Ma, the fierce warrior who carried him through all terrains and battles with grace and power, was actually a girl!

Unbelievable.

Riding her through rough terrain? She handled it all effortlessly. Nothing about her demeanor felt like a "dainty girl."

If going by horse years, Jun Ma had just reached adulthood. Su Chen now wondered if naming her Jun Ma—literally "handsome horse"—was even appropriate. But she seemed to like it, so he stuck with it.

Besides, he'd gotten used to it by now. Changing it would just feel... weird.

Ah, blind box survival style! Nice twist. Here's a short and funny Power Stone note that fits that theme, featuring Su Chen, his clever dog, and smart horse:

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Translator's Note:

Su Chen: Just opened today's blind box… got a rubber chicken and half a potato.

Dog: Judges silently

Horse: Kicks box in protest

Su Chen: Maybe tomorrow's box has food. Or a flamethrower. Or toilet paper.

Want better loot? Drop a Power Stone—the more we get, the luckier our boxes might be. Maybe.