Chapter 357: Party? (2)
Chapter 355
With the strength of the cohort, it didn’t take long for them to hunt down two wolves and gather the necessary materials for a fire.
They were swift and efficient, with everybody being delegated specific tasks to accomplish.
Ray didn’t join in the hunt for reasons best known to him, volunteering instead to look for wild plants that could be used as seasoning.
Those who weren’t participating in the front-line hunting were sent to gather dry twigs or even discarded bones that could be used to sustain their cooking fire.
Also, before setting out, the group had collectively dug out a space in the back of the cave where they buried the skeletal remains of the last survivor, showing respect to the fallen before beginning their feast.
While on his foraging journey, Ray kept his hands in his pockets, scanning each and every one of the plants he passed with the use of his Inspect skill.
Due to the strict warning he had given the celestial, Elyon refused to say a single word and just decided to observe everything silently from within Ray’s mindspace.
Scanning the local flora, Ray picked a few specific leaves and roots after making sure to read their system information properly.
Then, a sudden notification popped up.
[DING]
[Inspect Skill has leveled up to (LV 2)]
’Oh? Continuous use helps level up passive skills? Nice,’ Ray noted mentally.
[System Note: The skill can now extract deeper informational properties and hidden attributes from targeted items.]
’Okay.’
He dismissed the screen and continued his work, entirely calm and undisturbed.
Each plant he picked put a deeper frown on Elyon’s face, but as requested, the celestial remained silent.
Since the boy had promised everything would be revealed the next day, Elyon would wait.
It was just a matter of hours now.
....
Hours passed, and the group finally gathered back together inside the cavern walls.
The fire was lit in the exact same fireplace the previous expedition had carved out.
The wolf meat was dressed and set above the crackling flames, roasting slowly.
Ray had already crushed and mixed some of the plants he collected into a sort of seasoned juice, which he stored in a makeshift container created by Trisha using her ice ability.
Moving meticulously, he gently sprinkled the mixture onto the meat, recalling the precise way his mother used to cook and garnish food back home.
Soon, a rich, savory aroma filled the cave.
The scent was absolutely tantalizing, and everyone found themselves nearly drooling at the wafting smell.
By the time the preparation was complete, night had fully fallen outside.
The others who went out on the hunt had spent the better half of the day defeating wolves—not only to secure the meat but to harvest the advanced cores for their energy reserves.
Currently, Nebula had placed an eighth stone seat in the midst of the previous seven stone arrangements, where she sat comfortably with the group.
Same fireplace.
Almost the exact same sitting arrangement as the previous ill-fated cohort, but now, there was an eighth person added to the circle.
The meat was finally ready.
Everyone received a generous portion and began eating, the tension in the room melting away as they began exchanging different stories with one another.
Trisha quietly ate her portion, her eyes casting subtle glances at Chloe more times than she could count.
Her roommate was currently checking on Nebula almost every single second, making absolute sure the blue-haired girl was comfortable and well-fed.
Van kept asking Nebula questions, leaning in closer and trying to engage her in conversation at every opportunity.
Ray remained quiet as the others chatted happily, silently eating his meat while inwardly praising his own culinary skills.
Though he wasn’t the one who prepped the meat, he was still the one who seasoned it and made the meat more bearable than before.
Through his perception, he could feel Nebula occasionally glance his way, but he didn’t mind it.
"Mhm. Mhm. Mhm. This is the best meat I have eaten in a while," Chloe exclaimed as she bit into another piece.
Then, she suddenly let out a sharp cough.
Ray wasted no time in summoning his Infinite Spring bottle and handing it over to her.
The girl greedily drank while Ray carried on eating.
"Over here," Felix called out, and he was also handed the container, drinking as quickly as he could.
Before the bottle could even reach Caster, the water had completely refilled itself, and he also drank his fill.
That was how the bottle was passed around, eventually making its way to Nebula as everyone quenched their thirst.
Placing it in the middle of the group, Ray continued eating, staring at the bottle for a few seconds before lifting his gaze to the crowd.
"So tell me guys, I hope your minds have been steeled for tomorrow?"
"..."
Crunch—!
"Mhm. We shall see."
’Sure. We shall.’
Trisha lifted her head to look at the Tribrid for several seconds, different thoughts racing through her mind.
But quickly shaking her head, she silently went back to eating.
"By the way, Nebula," Ray called out, licking his fingers as the girl looked up at him.
"You keep staring at me. Is there an issue? Or have you never seen a handsome guy before? Hahaha!"
Trisha rolled her eyes at the display, while Nebula blushed.
"No, it’s just... I’m still in awe that I’m sitting amongst werewolves."
"Oh?! Haha! Then you shouldn’t be in awe. Get used to it," Felix chuckled, eating contentedly.
Ray grinned, his eyes narrowing slightly.
"And also, don’t worry. Fairy tales aren’t like real life. As long as you don’t do anything crazy, I won’t have to devour you. Hahaha."
A flicker of an emotion—unseen by the others but caught instantly by Ray’s enhanced perception—flashed through the girl’s crimson eyes for a fraction of a second.
Her brows creased for the slightest moment before her expression perfectly smoothed over.
"Oh my. What a good joke. You are really funny," the girl laughed, concentrating back on her meat.
"By the way, Kai," Van called out mid-chew. "Shall I tell you a secret?"
The handsome legacy lifted a brow while everyone else kept eating.
"Do you know that Ray is jealous of how handsome you are? He keeps being bitter and annoyed about it."
"...."
The whole cave fell completely silent before Ray went into a sudden coughing fit, shooting his best friend a glare.
"No, I’m not jealous of that bastard. I’m perfectly good-looking myself, right guys?"
Chloe looked at him for a moment, then back at Kai before chuckling. "I don’t know about that."
"I don’t swing that way, but if I had to pick, man, I’d go with Kai. He’s too dreamy," Felix declared shamelessly.
Ray stared at them all with wide eyes before looking over at Trisha. "You too?"
The Ice Queen froze for a moment.
Then, without looking directly at Ray, she quietly took a bite of her food.
"I think you aren’t bad-looking. You might give Kai a run for his money," she murmured quietly.
"Thank y— wait. Was that a joke?"
Trisha’s grin widened subtly. "I don’t know..."
"Curse you all! Tch! Goodnight. We all need to rest for tomorrow’s journey," Ray scoffed, dropping his remaining meat and taking a quick swig from his bottle before sending it straight back into his inventory.
He rose up and walked away to his corner.
The others burst into loud laughter at his dramatic exit.
"Come on, bro! You don’t have to be so bitter that you take the whole bottle with you. Do you want us all to choke to death?" Kai cried out mockingly.
"You can all go to hell for all I care!"
— Hahahaha!
____
[A/N: I’m so sorry for the late upload. I woke up extremely late today and was in a hurry to write. When I finished writing, I went to sleep again 😅 I totally forgot that I hadn’t upload today. I’m just waking up to webnovel’s notification that I haven’t uploaded. I’m so sorry guys. That’s unprofessional on my part. I’m sorry 😔]
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