Douluo Continent: Gourmet Prisoner

The clearings in the core area of ​​the Starry Sky Forest are covered with a thick layer of moss, which feels soft and squishy underfoot, like a natural velvet carpet.

The ancient trees around them blocked out the sun, and sunlight filtered through the gaps in the branches and leaves, casting dappled patterns of light that fell on Tang Ya, who had just been brought there by Shi Yu, as well as on Zhu Lu and Huo Yutong, who had been waiting there.

The moment their eyes met, a subtle electric current seemed to pass through the air.

Tang Ya's eyes held a hint of scrutiny and wariness, Zhu Lu's gaze was sharp yet gentle, while Huo Yutong nodded slightly with a faint smile on her lips.

Is the battle about to begin?

But my friend, you know, people in the food world are generally easygoing.

So the situation became like this.

Shi Yu, seemingly oblivious to the atmosphere, stepped forward and introduced with a smile: "Sister Xiaoya, this is Zhu Lu, Zhu from the Zhu family of the Star Luo Empire. She is an excellent hunter. This is Xiao Yutong, who is also the most skilled chef in the Star Dou Great Forest besides me."

He then turned to Zhu Lu and Huo Yutong, his tone somewhat familiar: "Zhu Lu, Yutong, this is Tang Ya, Sister Xiaoya. According to Shrek Academy's seniority, she is your senior."

After Shi Yu's straightforward words broke the awkward atmosphere, the three of them looked at each other and started talking.

Yes, Shi Yu was completely isolated and stood aside, feeling rather helpless.

"Hello, hello!" Tang Ya waved first, a bright smile on her face, looking like an older brother. "I'm Tang Ya, a third-year student from Shrek Academy's outer courtyard. I'm your older brother! If you have any questions, feel free to ask me, and I'll answer them kindly! Now it's your turn to introduce yourselves, starting with you!"

Of course, this was a scene that Shi Yu imagined.

The truth is, the three of them introduced themselves to each other amicably, without any hint of tension.

After listening to Huo Yutong softly recount her past—being persecuted by the Dai family, becoming homeless, and finally arriving in the Star Dou Great Forest—Tang Ya instantly felt empathy. Her eyes reddened slightly, and she held Huo Yutong's hand, comforting her repeatedly.

But just then, the words that Shi Yu had once told her suddenly echoed in her mind.

"Although you no longer have parents, you still have me. I can completely take your place as your guide, can't I?"

These words struck Tang Ya like a thunderbolt.

She turned her head sharply and glared fiercely at Shi Yu, her eyes filled with resentment that said, "How dare you say that about me back then?"

Shi Yu was bewildered by the sudden glare. He scratched his head, completely unaware of what he had done to offend this woman.

Tang Ya turned her head, reverting to her gentle demeanor, and patted Huo Yutong's shoulder, saying indignantly, "Those Dai family members are truly beasts! I remember there's a guy named Dai Yueheng in Shrek Academy's inner courtyard. Once your little sister Ya enters the inner courtyard, I'll definitely teach him a lesson for you!"

"No need, Sister Xiaoya." Huo Yutong gently shook her head, a resolute glint flashing in her eyes. "I will avenge myself."

Seeing this, Zhu Lu quickly changed the subject, looking at Tang Ya with curiosity in her eyes: "Sister Xiaoya, what's life like at Shrek Academy?"

Upon hearing this question, Tang Ya seemed to open a floodgate of complaints, instantly launching into a torrent of grievances: "Shrek Academy is such a lousy place! The teachers there are a real mixed bag! There are some decent, responsible teachers, but there are also plenty of irresponsible idiots! You know what surprised me the most?"

Tang Ya paused deliberately, successfully piquing the curiosity of Zhu Lu and Huo Yutong. The two of them moved closer, waiting for her to continue.

"You've all experienced Shi Yu's training, right?" Tang Ya asked.

"We've been through it," Zhu Lu and Huo Yutong answered in unison.

"Shiyu's training is brutally inhumane, but it's incredibly effective, right?" Tang Ya slapped her thigh, her tone full of complaints. "But! When school officially started, I discovered that some teachers were still using that running method! I remember that teacher's name was Zhou Yi. She made the students run a hundred laps, with a time limit, and she didn't even offer them a glass of salt water in between!"

"And what's more, we're running every single day! I asked other students, and they said there's no medicinal bath or any food to replenish their bodies after running; they just keep running like that!"

"Isn't this incompetent teaching? Isn't this misleading students?" Zhu Lu's eyes widened in disbelief. "If they keep training like this, their bodies simply can't take it. They'll be ruined sooner or later!"

"Absolutely!" Tang Ya nodded repeatedly. "Students whose physical abilities couldn't keep up were expelled on the spot!"

"Oh my god, this is even worse than Grandma Susan's apple pie next door!" Zhu Lu suddenly clutched her chest, uttering a strange, translated-sounding phrase, "I really want to kiss her ass with my shoes!"

"Can you please stop saying those weird things like Shi Yu!" Tang Ya rolled her eyes and continued to complain, "Of course, there are other ridiculous things too! For example, that huge dormitory doesn't even have a private toilet, so we have to run a long way to use it every time; and the cafeteria doesn't even have a chair, and the food is both ordinary and expensive, it's practically robbery!"

"Oh my god, this is even worse than Grandma Susan's apple pie next door!" This time, it was Huo Yutong who said this, her disgust was palpable.

Tang Ya looked at the two of them, and was immediately at a loss for words: "Hey, why are you two saying things like that? This is even worse than Grandma Susan from the apple pie shop next door!"

"You're complaining about the wrong thing." Shi Yu, who had been ignored all along, finally found an opportunity to interject and corrected him seriously, "It's Grandma Susan's apple pie next door."

"Shi Yu, shut up!" the three shouted in unison, their eyes filled with identical disdain.

Shi Yu reluctantly shut his mouth, touched his nose, but then seemed to remember something, his eyes lit up, and he clapped his hands to attract their attention: "Shutting up is probably not going to work, I have to introduce you to something called the Life Menu."

"A menu for life?" Tang Ya, Zhu Lu, and Huo Yutong were all stunned, repeating in unison, their eyes full of doubt.

Shi Yu nodded, a mysterious smile appearing on his face, and his tone became more serious: "Yes, the life menu. The life menu is divided into eight parts: appetizer, soup, fish dish, meat dish, main course, salad, dessert, and drink. Everyone's life menu is different, and the food on the menu is the most suitable food for that person—regardless of the capture level, only related to compatibility."