Hello, is this a letter addressed to Demon Fortress?

Lin Gui didn't even raise his head, he just waved his hand casually.

A barely perceptible airflow—the Wind-Drawing Technique—is quietly generated.

It defies common sense and forcibly reverses the direction of the smoke and fragrance.

It is directed to the deeper layers of soil in the cave, allowing it to slowly seep and dissipate.

Shia's eyes narrowed slightly, her emerald pupils resembling the most precise instruments.

He carefully observed the reactions of the low-level demons not far away.

For a long time, the demons outside continued to wander aimlessly, completely unaware of the "feast" that was so close at hand.

She let out a long sigh of relief and whispered.

"Looks like... everything's alright."

Elvia also breathed a sigh of relief.

Although she instinctively rejected Shia's half-demon identity.

However, it must be admitted that the opponent's strength and the insight in those eyes were both extraordinary.

Her judgment carries significant weight.

Once they calmed down a bit, the two women could no longer take their eyes off the bubbling iron pot.

The pot contained what Lin Gui had described as "braised pork," cooked according to the recipe from his "hometown."

Its color is a deep reddish-brown and glossy, and its aroma is so strong it's almost outrageous.

Shea had witnessed Lin Gui's culinary skills.

Although I was still tempted by the aroma, I was somewhat prepared.

And Elvia, the princess who had been accustomed to royal delicacies since childhood.

At this moment, however, his eyes were fixed on the trembling, oily chunk of meat.

Saliva involuntarily trickled from the corners of her mouth, and she had to swallow it quietly.

Soon, the braised pork was ready.

Lin Gui then added hand-pulled wheat noodles to the rich broth.

Before long, everyone's bowl was filled to the brim.

Braised pork with noodles, featuring a thick sauce, tender meat chunks, and noodles soaked in the broth.

Holding the steaming bowl, Elvia first carefully blew on it, then tentatively picked up a piece of meat and put it in her mouth.

The next second, her eyes widened in shock!

It was an extreme taste sensation she had never experienced before!

It melts in your mouth, rich but not greasy, lean but not dry.

The savory-sweet sauce has completely permeated every fiber of the meat, bringing unparalleled satisfaction.

She almost couldn't wait to slurp up a mouthful of noodles.

The aroma of wheat blends with the richness of meat juices, simple and straightforward.

It's so delicious that you'd want to swallow your tongue too!

"Ugh...!"

She let out a muffled sound, somewhere between a gasp and a groan.

She no longer cared about princess etiquette.

He started eating heartily, until beads of sweat appeared on his nose.

In contrast, Shia also ate very quickly.

But the movements still retained a touch of elegance unique to elves.

However, her bright eyes and the rapidly disappearing food also betrayed her enjoyment.

Elvia devoured the large bowl of food in a whirlwind.

He licked the sauce from the corner of his mouth, still wanting more.

He stared blankly at the empty bowl.

She muttered to herself, her voice filled with disbelief and a deep sense of betrayal.

"The royal meals I used to eat... compared to this, it's simply... simply pig swill!"

Those elaborately plated, expensive, and meticulously prepared imperial dishes.

Compared to this seemingly rustic stew, it appears so pale and powerless, merely a facade.

Hearing Elvia's complaint, Lin Gui replied speechlessly.

"Pig swill? The stuff you eat that's so thick it can kill you, even pigs wouldn't eat that in my hometown."

Chefs do exist in this world, but...

That cooking skill is so-so, you could say it won't kill anyone.

Aside from the barbecue, which was alright, everything else was just wildly dancing in the Lin Gui's taste-testing minefield.

It was rotten meat, tough bread, overcooked vegetables, and barely edible wine.

Having lived this long, this was the first time Lin Gui had ever used sour grape juice as a condiment.

The bitterness of the coarse salt completely masked the aroma of the roasted meat.

Having been here for so long, I've tried many of the "famous" snacks from various cities.

Beyond the basics of sweet, sour, bitter, and spicy, Lin Gui unlocked flavors such as hard, rough, sour, bland, and cloyingly salty...

After finishing this luxurious meal near the devil's den, Lin Gui took out sleeping bags, divided them up, and made a simple schedule.

"I'll keep watch for the first half of the night, and Shia will keep watch for the second half."

It wasn't that I didn't trust Elvia to keep watch.

Her life was in Lin Gui's hands, and Lin Gui knew all too well how terrifying the "Devil's Poison Kiss" could be when it took effect.

He bet the princess knew better than he did.

Because in the eyes of those power-hungry people, this thing is comparable to a demigod.

The reason we don't let her guard it is simply because she's not capable of it.

Shea, needless to say, is a top-tier ranger with ample experience in the wild.

Lin Gui's own perception was also quite good; he had teetered on the brink of life and death countless times.

If you really run into big trouble, you can use [Night Veil] to hide the whole team.

Elvia?

She's just a knight who's good at head-on combat; her perception is limited, and she really can't do delicate tasks like keeping watch at night.

Shia and Elvia crawled into their sleeping bags.

Perhaps they were too tired during the day, or perhaps the braised pork noodles were too filling and made them sleepy, because the two of them fell asleep soon after.

Elvia even started snoring softly, completely losing her princess-like demeanor.

Lin Gui sat by the entrance of the cave, which was disguised with grass leaves.

[Wind Listening Technique] is on, listening to the sounds outside.

The sounds of the wind, the chirping of insects, and the faint howls of demons in the distance could all be heard clearly.

The night is still long, and keeping watch is quite boring.

As if remembering something, he pulled a handful of letters from a wooden box next to him.

He deftly tore open the sealing wax on the first letter.

privacy?

Come on, he risked his life to deliver a message, crossing the devil's territory, and only received 7 copper coins.

Why not open a few letters to read and relieve some boredom?

He began to look around, using the sliver of moonlight that peeked through the cave entrance.

The first letter was written in crooked and messy handwriting, but with great effort:

[To Sister Mary, who works at the Royal Capital Wharf:]

I'm your little brother Andy, who was only five years old then, um~ now I'm 15.

My parents froze to death a few years ago.

[I'm currently working for the team in Karan, so I'm not starving.]

Sister, it's been ten years. How are you?

Do you still remember the old apple tree in front of your house?

[The fruit ripened last year, and it's incredibly sour, tasting exactly like the ones you stole back then.]

[Well, I'm writing this to tell you that I'm not dead... and I hope you're alive too.]

Please reply to me! I'll keep waiting.

Lin Gui's gaze lingered on the words "ten years" for a moment.

I put down the letter and opened the second one. The handwriting was nicer, but it felt listless.

[Brother: It's been ten years.]

[The day Kalan let the demons surround us, I held the little wooden doll you gave me when you left, thinking I was surely going to die.]

[I was lucky; I survived.]

[It was a knight from the capital who slew the demon.]

I can't believe it.

[And unbelievable things have happened far too often lately.]

The princess became the city lord and enacted many policies that benefited the common people.

I can't believe that someone as lowly as me would ever receive attention from adults.

Karan has changed so much.

[But I am most grateful to the unknown mage who delivered the letter.]

Can you believe how much it cost me to send this letter?

[A full 7 copper coins!! Heavens above, he must be an angel sent from heaven.]

Let us convey our small thoughts of longing to you.

More than sending letters, I long to see you all, to be together forever.

I'm afraid that as time goes by, their appearance will change, and I won't recognize them if we bump into each other again.

Please reply to me; this is my only motivation to live.

The third letter was written heavily and messily:

[Karl! Ten years! You old rascal, do you still remember old Jack from Caran City?]

It feels like just yesterday we were drinking, bragging, and chasing girls together!

I heard you were working as a beef vendor in the capital 10 years ago?

It's a pity I'm still running this run-down blacksmith shop, but my legs are too weak.

This damn world... I suddenly miss the old days.

When can we have another drink? Just one more time!

The fourth letter was a drawing of three little people, with the following text written below:

[To my dad whom I haven't seen in ten years]

Mom said you went to the capital to earn money when I was five.

I'm fifteen this year, and I'm already taller than my mom.

Mom was sick last year and missed you terribly.

When are you coming back? I saved the best maltose for you.

Lin Gui looked at each letter one by one.

Some of these letter papers are rough, while others are fine.

But inside were ten years of separation, worry, longing, and that undying hope.

It was an emotion that even endless demons couldn't completely sever.

ten years.

Enough for a child to grow into an adult, enough for black hair to turn white.

I can't remember many things, but this thought that I've had for ten years is still fresh in my mind.

He didn't say anything, carefully folded the letter he had chosen, and stuffed it back into the envelope.

My fingers traced the words I had written over ten years.

It's almost as if you can feel the writer's trembling hands as they wrote those words.

Outside the cave, the cries of demons drifted on the wind.

Inside the cave, Shia and Elvia were breathing evenly, and were temporarily safe.

Lin Gui put the neatly arranged letter aside and looked back at the dark night outside the cave.

[Wind Listening Technique] is still listening intently to the sounds.

His eyes, which were always expressionless and seemed to be annoyed by everything.

It seems there's something more to it than that.

He sat silently for a while, then reached out and opened the next letter.