Infinite Puzzle City

Chapter 635 The Mysterious Diner
The locust plague army set off a great fire, burning not only Chang'an City, but also the last bit of fortune of the entire dynasty.

When the various military governors arrived in Chang'an, they found that the once beautiful and prosperous city, where all nations paid tribute, had become a scorched earth and a living hell filled with corpses.

The emperor died, and Chang'an was destroyed.

Now no one could control these military governors, so the military governors in various places began to support the local vassal kings. To call it support was an understatement; it was more like using the emperor to command the vassal kings.

Now the world was in complete chaos. He said his Prince Rui was the emperor, and you said you supported Prince Zhao as emperor. In the end, one family had one emperor, and the world was torn apart in an instant.

"We don't know the situation in Ruzhou either. We only know that Ruzhou is now well-equipped with troops. We originally wanted to go to Ruzhou, but the Locust Plague Army was active outside Ruzhou. We were almost captured and ended up hiding here to survive."

"Back then, the Sword Review was a time of great prosperity, but after the Sword Review, the emperor died, the sun and moon lost their light, and in less than three years, the world collapsed."

The old beggar couldn't help but cry again as he spoke.

This time, it wasn't just the old beggar who cried; everyone else joined in the wailing.

Once upon a time, they were also ordinary people in this prosperous era. Although their families could not be called wealthy, they were at least living a peaceful and carefree life.

Who would have thought that in just three short years, the prosperous era would turn into a decline, and they would be reduced to the point of starvation, even resorting to exchanging children for food.

After gaining a general understanding of the current state of the world, Xiao Ran sighed with emotion.

This was both an inevitable outcome and also due to the efforts of Xiao Ran and his team.

"I see. You can use these rations to take refuge here for the time being. However, there isn't much food, so you must not tell anyone, or there will be bloodshed."

Xiao Ran gave some instructions to the old beggar and the others, and then pointed to the children in the steamer: "Don't send these children back. Keep them with you. It's a way to continue the family line. After this winter, you can set off for Ruzhou. I believe that once you get to Ruzhou, you will be given a place to settle down. Suffering will eventually pass. As long as you live, there is hope."

The world outside is now more chaotic than it was before. Although Xiao Ran and his group are capable, it is quite inconvenient for them to lead such a group of refugees.

As long as they survive the winter here, the locust plague army outside Ruzhou will probably be leaving soon. After all, Huang Zai's army will be short of clothes and food all winter long. Even if they don't starve to death, most of them will probably freeze to death. It is expected that Huang Chao will be unable to enter Ruzhou and will have to move to other places.

As for the other disaster victims...

Xiao Ran didn't care about anything else. As the saying goes, human strength is limited, and she could only save the person in front of her. She couldn't do anything more than that.

After saying goodbye to the old beggar and the others, Xiao Ran made the skinny tiger reveal its true form.

Although the skinny tiger was thin, it was still an evil spirit, and its physique was stronger than that of a calf. However, Xiao Ran had no interest in riding it and instead let the golden toad sit on it.

After all, among the group, he was neither a beginner nor a corpse slave like the Old Demon Qinghai, so he needed a means of transportation.

Jin Chanzi naturally sat down with a smile and patted the skinny tiger's head; "Amitabha, good deeds are rewarded and evil deeds are punished. You are fortunate to be my mount."

"Ow!"

The skinny tiger didn't know the origin of the golden toad, but upon hearing this, he couldn't help but let out a tiger's roar.

"Three years. I didn't expect so much time to have passed since we left. I'm afraid when you go back this time, your sister-in-law will make you kneel on a washboard."

On the way, Wu Man joked with Xiao Ran.

Xiao Ran rolled her eyes at Wu Man, but it would be a lie to say she wasn't nervous.

When I left, I said that the time of my departure was uncertain, but I didn't expect it to take so long.

"Yes, three years. Brother Lu probably already has a child by now."

Xiao Ran sighed, but Gao Yuting wasn't her biggest worry.

This girl has high aspirations; she's not some hothouse flower, nor is she a spoiled little princess. In this era, it's not uncommon for her husband to go on a long trip and return after three years.

During the last sword critique, she had already touched upon the realm of profound understanding.

In three years, her swordsmanship skills should have reached a new level.

So Xiao Ran wasn't worried about him; on the contrary, it was someone else who made her feel a little uneasy.

Seemingly sensing what Xiao Ran was thinking, Wu Man frowned and asked, "Are you afraid of Huang Chao?"

"Ah."

Xiao Ran nodded, and said solemnly, "If nothing unexpected happens, this guy is probably going to become a celestial being."

Huang Chao had already changed a lot during the last sword review.

He was originally a scholar who failed the imperial examination. His failure was not due to a lack of talent, but because the imperial examination had long been monopolized by powerful families.

When Huang Chao, looking dejected and in a daze, walked to the gates of Chang'an, that seed was planted in his heart.

"Since we can't get into Chang'an through the exams, we'll just take our swords and fight our way in."

Now that his wish has been fulfilled and he has the blessing of destiny, becoming a celestial being is a natural outcome.

God!

This is equivalent to the professional skill level of an A-level professional. Although their combat power may not reach that of an A-level professional, it is definitely far superior to their own.

After all, his own swordsmanship was only at the Entry-level, two levels below, so how could Xiao Ran not be worried?

"What's there to be afraid of? We'll deal with whatever comes our way. If all else fails, I'll go." Wu Man proudly raised his head. He was really looking forward to having a good fight with Huang Chao.

"Ha, no need for that. If I really encounter him, I have my own way of killing him."

Xiao Ran had already made up her mind that if she really encountered Huang Chao, who had entered the realm of the Celestials, she would immediately ask Plum Blossom Taoist to kill him.

Even if it means wasting the last chance to persuade Plum Blossom Taoist, Xiao Ran will definitely not give Huang Chao any more chances to make a move.

Xiao Ran and her companions traveled for three days, stopping frequently, before finally reaching a village.

But nobody intended to go in.

You can smell the stench of death in the village from afar.

Xiao Ran didn't care, but Wu Man and the others disliked the taste, so they decided to stop and rest temporarily at the mortuary outside the village.

Despite being called a mortuary, there were no corpses inside.

This also indirectly confirms that everyone in the village is probably dead, so there's no need to go in anymore.

Dai Long took the initiative to gather firewood to start a fire, while the task of cooking was naturally left to Wu Man, the cook.

Wu Man's culinary skills never disappoint.

Flames licked the chipped iron pot as Wu Man took out a fresh rabbit from her spatial storage. Using a stone slab as a cutting board, she slapped the rabbit meat on it and quickly scraped off the fur.

The blade was already moving along the bone, and when the flesh and bone separated, it made a fine rustling sound, like a silkworm gnawing on a mulberry leaf.

The iron pot was glowing slightly red from the heat. Wu Man casually picked two dried lotus leaves from the pond outside.

Slide the lotus leaf pieces into the pot along with the rabbit meat, keeping them close to the side. The oil sizzles as it hits the hot surface of the fruit.

As the aroma of caramelized vegetables mingled with the fragrance of lotus leaves, I suddenly tossed the radish strips into the pot.

The wild scallions that Dai Long had just picked up were still covered in mud. Wu Man picked up the scallion roots and rinsed them twice in the broken pottery jar, then easily peeled off the scallion skin with a flick of her fingers.

Just as the blade was about to chop, he suddenly turned it sideways and smashed the garlic with the flat side of the blade. The resounding muffled sound startled Skinny Tiger, who perked up his ears. The minced garlic mixed with chopped scallions was sprinkled into the pot, just as the radish was releasing its first pool of clear broth.

A dish of pan-fried rabbit meat was quickly served on the table.

The meat was reddish and translucent, with a refreshing lotus leaf fragrance. This dish immediately caught the eye of Jin Chanzi and his companions, making their mouths water just by looking at it.

I knew Wu Man was a chef, but I never imagined her culinary skills were at such a high level.

"Amitabha Buddha, it is a year of great calamity outside, and we can still enjoy such delicacies. It is truly... a sin."

Jin Chanzi kept saying he was guilty, but his chopsticks never stopped.

Stuff a piece of rabbit meat into your mouth. The outer layer is crispy and slightly charred, while the inside retains a tender texture similar to young chicken. Most importantly, the meat is fragrant, crisp, and refreshing. After eating it, you'll feel a refreshing lotus leaf aroma, which makes you feel non-greasy at all. On the contrary, you can't stop eating it.

Besides this rabbit dish, there's also Meteorite Beef.

The beef was aged beef that Wu Man had prepared long ago. Why is it named Meteor? Naturally, it's because this beef is wrapped in an outer shell.

The crispy texture, combined with the aroma of the beef inside, creates a taste experience that transcends the ordinary.

Unfortunately, Jin Chanzi and Dai Long were unable to enjoy this dish, as neither of the two Taoist priests could eat beef.

Naturally, all they could do was watch Xiao Ran and Qinghai the Old Demon feast, and even the skinny tiger got a share.

"What is this outer shell?" While eating, the old demon Qinghai curiously examined the outer shell covering the beef. The outer shell had a crispy texture and a soft, fluffy texture like bread, which naturally aroused the old demon Qinghai's curiosity.

He swore it was the best beef he had ever eaten.

"The baking crust is made by mixing bamboo charcoal powder, tonka bean powder, squid ink, and edible gold leaf."

Wu Man said without turning her head.

Apart from tonka bean powder, none of these ingredients, taken individually, would be used in a single dish.

Everyone ate with gusto, their mouths greasy and they couldn't put it down.

Then two more dishes were served, giving everyone a true feast for the senses.

Seeing everyone eating so heartily, Wu Man's smile deepened. Just as she was about to sit down and rest, she suddenly noticed an old man standing by the stove.

The old man stared intently at the piece of beef in the pot, his mouth watering. Without any hesitation, he picked up a piece and stuffed it into his mouth.

This startled Xiao Ran and the others, as they were all highly skilled experts.

They didn't realize when the old man had appeared there.

Surprised, the old man had already stuffed a large piece of beef into his mouth, saying as he ate, "Not bad, not bad, this beef tastes really good, but..."

The old man paused for a moment, then glanced sideways at Wu Man: "Your cooking skills, buddy, are still not up to par..."

(End of this chapter)