Douluo Continent: Gourmet Prisoner

"What do you mean, 'put it back where you picked it up'? Uncle Di Tian!" Shi Yu jumped up and down in a panic, desperately protecting Tang Ya behind him.

"It means exactly what it says." Di Tian crossed his arms, his tone icy.

"I found this! What I found is mine! How can I throw my own things away?" Shi Yu retorted stubbornly.

"Then you'll raise it yourself?" Di Tian raised an eyebrow.

"We'll raise them! It's not like we can't afford it!" Shi Yu patted his chest, looking very confident.

"She is human," Di Tian emphasized.

"I'm human too!"

"You are different."

"What's different about me?"

"You hatched from an egg."

Shi Yu was speechless for a moment, and after a long pause, he managed to stammer, "Well... well, it is indeed different."

Seeing the two arguing again, Tang Ya carefully moved aside and asked softly, "Um... hello, may I leave now?"

"Hurry up and go!" Di Tian immediately waved his hand to shoo them away.

"You can't leave!" Shi Yu said at the same time.

"Why can't I leave?" Tang Ya asked, puzzled. "You really want to keep her here?" Di Tian's tone was incredulous.

"Of course you can't leave!" Shi Yu turned to Di Tian. "Uncle Di Tian, ​​I can guess the plot with my eyes closed! It's definitely a massacre, and she's the only girl left to escape—a melodramatic story! Letting her go alone like this is like sending a lamb to the slaughter!"

"How do you know what happened to me?" Tang Ya suddenly looked up, her eyes full of vigilance.

"See! I told you so!" Shi Yu looked at Di Tian triumphantly.

Di Tian's lips twitched, revealing a complex expression reminiscent of an "old person using a cell phone on the subway," and he remained silent.

"Don't change the subject!" Tang Ya stepped forward, glaring fiercely at Shi Yu. "How do you know about me? Are you an accomplice of those murderers?"

"I'm good at pinyin!" Shi Yu said in a serious tone, spouting nonsense.

"Huh?" Tang Ya was completely dumbfounded.

Shi Yu quickly changed the subject: "Hey, what's your name again? I haven't asked yet."

"My name is Tang Ya."

Upon hearing the name, Shi Yu's eyes widened instantly, his expression mirroring that of Di Tian just moments before—a perfect real-life version of "an elderly man on the subway looking at his phone."

"Miss Tang Ya," Shi Yu cleared his throat, regaining his composure, "do you have anywhere else to go?"

Tang Ya's eyes dimmed instantly, and her eyes reddened: "They're gone... Dad, Mom, and everyone in the sect, they're all dead."

"Oh, don't be sad!" Shi Yu patted her shoulder. "Even though you've lost your parents and your sect, you still have me! I can definitely be your guide in life, what do you say?"

"You bastard! What are you saying!" Tang Ya, who was just heartbroken, was instantly enraged and raised her hand to hit him.

"See! Now you're not sad anymore, are you?" Shi Yu nimbly dodged, "Quickly thank me!"

"Thank you my foot!" Tang Ya stomped her feet in anger.

"Alright, enough joking around." Shi Yu's smile faded, and he said seriously, "You have nowhere to go right now, why don't you come with me? I can get Uncle Di Tian to help you get revenge."

"No need! I'll take my own revenge!" Tang Ya's eyes were firm.

"You?" Shi Yu looked her up and down, scrutinizing her frail figure. "What will you rely on for revenge? With your small frame, or with your burning passion?"

"I...I'll go to Shrek Academy and Haotian Sect! They'll definitely help me!" Tang Ya said through gritted teeth.

"Oh? Shrek Academy and the Clear Sky Sect." Shi Yu shook his head. "Putting aside the fact that the Clear Sky Sect has been in seclusion for ten thousand years, would they really come out of seclusion for a Tang Sect that has nothing to do with them? As for Shrek Academy, they don't even care about their own outer court students. Why would they help you, an outsider?"

These words were like a bucket of cold water, extinguishing the last glimmer of light in Tang Ya's eyes.

She staggered back a step, tears welling up in her eyes: "Then what should I do? How can I avenge everyone?"

"Didn't I tell you? You still have me!" Shi Yu spoke again. "I'll be your life guide and help you become stronger."

"You bastard!" Tang Ya cursed, but her tone had lost its previous anger and was filled with despair and helplessness.

"Okay, seriously, how about coming with me?" Shi Yu looked at her earnestly.

"Why are you helping me? We're complete strangers," Tang Ya asked, puzzled.

"Because I picked you up! What I picked up is mine!" Shi Yu returned to his previous argument.

Tang Ya turned to look at Di Tian and asked softly, "Uncle, has he always been like this?"

"Don't ask me, I don't know him." Di Tian turned his head to the side, as if he wanted to avoid seeing him altogether.

Tang Ya's grief was repeatedly interrupted by Shi Yu, which actually calmed her down.

She pondered Shi Yu's words carefully, and after a long while, looked up and asked, "Then what do I need to give in return?"

"Give me what?" Shi Yu's eyes darted around, deliberately teasing her, "You'll have to give me everything! Work for me your whole life, and I'll only provide food, lodging, and cultivation resources, not a single penny of salary!"

"Now that you've covered the advantages, what about the disadvantages?" Tang Ya pressed.

"Isn't this bad enough? No salary!" Shi Yu exclaimed incredulously.

Tang Ya thought about it seriously: "But you provide room and board and cultivation resources, which are worth much more than a salary, right?"

"Huh?" Shi Yu was stunned. He didn't expect Tang Ya to say that.

"So, the only requirement is to work for someone for the rest of your life?" Tang Ya asked again to confirm.

"Yes...yes." Shi Yu stammered.

"Alright, I agree," Tang Ya said decisively. "Take me to your territory."

"Huh? Okay...okay." Before Shi Yu could react, Tang Ya pushed her out.

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go!" Tang Ya opened the door and walked out first, leaving Shi Yu and Di Tian looking at each other in bewilderment.

A few seconds later, the door was pushed open again, and Tang Ya poked her head in, urging the two of them, "What are you waiting for? Hurry up and leave!"

"Okay! Okay!" the two responded in unison and quickly followed.

They sped along and soon arrived at the Starry Sky Forest.

After being transformed by the Gourmet Cells, the scenery in the forest became even more fantastical: fragrant roasted meat grew on the white bone branches of the Great Bone and Flesh Tree, emitting an enticing aroma; by the distant lake, a group of roasted whole pigs strolled leisurely, their fat reflecting the sunlight; occasionally, a few five-tailed eagles flew overhead, their wings flapping and dropping a few feathers with a nutty scent.

Tang Ya, however, had no interest in appreciating the strange scenery. Looking at the towering ancient trees around her and the faint roars of beasts, she felt completely numb.

"This is the home you were talking about?" Tang Ya's voice trembled slightly.

"Yes! Isn't the Star Dou Great Forest beautiful?" Shi Yu said proudly.

"It's beautiful." Tang Ya's mind flashed back to the conversation between Shi Yu and Di Tian about "soul beasts" and "star formations" at the inn. Despairing tears welled up instantly. "I'm sorry, Mom and Dad, and everyone in the sect... I can't avenge you."

"Look, you're crying again!" Shi Yu quickly handed over a tissue. "Are you so moved by the beauty of the stars that you want to cry? I know it's beautiful, but there's no need to get so emotional!"

Tang Ya abruptly wiped away her tears, her eyes hardening with resolve. She shouted at Shi Yu and Di Tian, ​​"Kill me or do whatever you want! You evil soul beasts, you dare to come to the human world and kidnap children!"

"How dare you slander me like this!" Shi Yu jumped up and down in a panic. "Why are you suddenly disqualifying me from being human again?!" He argued as he hopped around, "It wasn't my choice to be born from an egg! I can awaken a martial spirit! That proves I'm human!"

Seeing Shi Yu frantically running around like a clown, Tang Ya calmed down instead.

She observed Shi Yu carefully and found that although his tone was excited, his eyes were clear, and he did not seem to be lying.

"So, I didn't tell you my home is in the Star Dou Great Forest?" Shi Yu stopped jumping around and asked in confusion.

"No." Tang Ya shook her head.

"Didn't I tell you that Uncle Di Tian is the Beast God Di Tian of the Star Dou Great Forest?"

"You mean... Uncle is the Beast God of the Star Dou Great Forest?" Tang Ya's eyes widened as she looked at Di Tian beside her, her eyes filled with shock.

"Judging from your reaction, I really didn't say that." Shi Yu touched his nose.

"Hey! How many things are you still hiding from me?!" Tang Ya exclaimed in frustration.

It took Shi Yu a lot of effort to calm Tang Ya down, who was about to explode again.

He pointed to the surrounding spirit beasts and said earnestly, "Look, although there are many spirit beasts in the Star Dou Great Forest, there are also humans like me!"

Upon hearing this, Tang Ya's nerves, which had just relaxed, tensed up again. She looked at him warily: "Don't lie to me, you're a soul beast too, aren't you!"

"What do you mean I'm a soul beast too?! I can awaken a martial soul! Being able to awaken a martial soul means I'm human!" Shi Yu was almost in tears.

"Even a 100,000-year-old soul beast can awaken a martial soul after transforming into human form!" Tang Ya retorted.

"I am a human being! I really am a human being!"

"Can you provide any proof other than proof of your martial soul awakening?"

Shi Yu opened his mouth, but couldn't say a word, because he really couldn't prove it.

Seeing Shi Yu speechless, Tang Ya became even more certain of her guess, her eyes filled with knowing "I knew it".

Shi Yu was on the verge of tears: What can I do to save you, my human status!