Urged on by Meow-Da, the man and the cat quickly arrived at the kitchen.
The next moment, Andrew took a complete Diablos leg directly out of his Item Pouch and placed it straight onto the cutting board.
Under the illumination of the lights, textures resembling snowflakes were evenly distributed across the bright red leg meat.
It made this leg of meat look as perfect as marble.
It was so perfect that upon seeing it, Meow-Da couldn't stop his excitement. He leaned in and subconsciously patted it good and hard with his paw pads. After confirming with his pads that this was indeed real meat, he finally looked up at Andrew and said excitedly:
"Big Boss! This... the quality of this meat is so high! We've seemingly never even seen this in the New World, meow!"
After circling it twice to observe, Meow-Da's original excitement gradually began to turn into a bit of confusion.
"It looks a bit... like Diablos leg meat? But the white fat distribution in Diablos leg meat isn't this even... instead, most of it should be completely red, right? What kind of meat is this exactly, meow?"
He scratched his head in a bit of puzzlement, then couldn't help but look toward Andrew, who had taken this meat out.
"Big Boss, is this really Diablos meat, meow? Or is it some new species, meow?"
Regarding Meow-Da's confusion, Andrew crossed his arms across his chest. With a proud expression that said 'finally, there's someone who can understand', he said:
"This is indeed Diablos meat, no mistake. But to have this kind of meat quality, it's no ordinary Diablos."
Andrew patted the leg meat in front of him, which could almost be said to be complete, and continued:
"This is a Diablos that had already thoroughly embarked on the path of the 'Deviant' Diablos described in the Guild Field Guide. Its strength was much greater than a common Diablos."
Andrew didn't need to explain too much of the rest.
After all, as someone who had also been a Hunter for many years and studied which parts of a dragon could be eaten with Andrew every day, Meow-Da roughly guessed the reason based on his previous experience.
Actually, when it came down to it, it was related to strength.
After all, in nature, the situation had always been that the stronger the individual, the larger the territory.
And as the territory became larger, what closely followed was that the range and resources available for feeding became broader and richer. At the same time, the amount of daily exercise for foraging and patrolling the territory would also increase accordingly.
At this time, even if other monsters invaded the territory, or other Diablos came to seize it, it could drive the opponent away relying on its stronger physical constitution.
One could say this was a common virtuous cycle in nature.
Under these circumstances, the food source, which had always been extremely abundant over a long period, allowed fat to accumulate in its body. Added to this was the equally significant amount of exercise.
Ultimately, it created this perfect meat quality that could be described as muscle wrapped in fat.
Although the steak Andrew made yesterday was a strip cut from this, even so, the remaining amount of this meat was still extremely considerable.
After a round of explanation, Meow-Da immediately clapped his small paws in support, making a patta-patta sound.
"To think we could encounter such perfect ingredients even here, Big Boss, you're amazing, meow!"
Then, he volunteered by raising his small paw high, saying:
"Big Boss, Big Boss! Leave this meat to me! I will definitely process it well using the Meowscular Chef's secret technique, meow!"
Seeing his eager appearance, Andrew nodded directly and agreed:
"Okay! Then I'll leave it to you!"
Thus, having received approval, Meow-Da didn't say another word.
He immediately pulled out his treasured Felyne Secret Spices, which he had ground and seasoned himself, from his backpack. Without being stingy in the slightest, he began to sprinkle them evenly around that leg meat.
For a moment, Andrew didn't quite react.
After all, this was a treasure Meow-Da had painstakingly collected during the Iceborne era of the New World, carefully grinding it after meticulously adjusting the ratios.
Previously in the Forbidden Lands, it wasn't until after hunting the Incandescent Dragon and solving the problem of the Dragon Lamp that Meow-Da could bear to take some out as a celebration.
The result was that Solitary Bird, who was like a starving ghost reincarnated, frantically stuffed herself all night. Afterwards, for quite a long time, she thought about this flavor every single day.
Watching this scene, Andrew couldn't help but voice his surprise:
"Meow-Da, are you actually investing so much capital this time?!"
However, Meow-Da said as if it were a matter of course:
"Such good meat naturally has to be paired with good seasoning, meow! Moreover, the people eating this time are also different from before, meow."
As his voice fell, Meow-Da put on an expression that said 'Big Boss, I've seen through everything, you can't fool me' and continued:
"Big Boss! Back in the living room, the scent belonging to you radiating from those three women who arrived later was really thick, meow. It's thicker than the scent on Big Sis Solitary Bird back then, meow!"
Subsequently, the more Meow-Da spoke, the more suspicious he became.
"To be thick to this degree, plus the fact that Big Boss, your body also has a very thick scent belonging to the three of them..."
Finally, Meow-Da nodded directly and said with certainty:
"So they must be Big Boss's mates, right! Since it's for Big Boss's mates to eat, then I feel even less like it would be a waste, meow~"
"Cough! Cough cough cough..."
Completely expecting Meow-Da to say such things, caught off guard, Andrew choked directly on his own saliva.
After coughing several times in a row before catching his breath, Andrew immediately turned his head and asked in disbelief:
"Wh... why would you think all three of them are my mates, Meow-Da!"
"How could it not be?"
Hearing this, Meow-Da immediately turned his head with a bit of confusion and asked in puzzlement:
"Are they not? Then what exactly is your relationship with them, Big Boss, meow?"
"Uh..."
Hearing Meow-Da ask so suddenly, for a moment, Andrew also began to not know how to calculate it.
Now that he was already so intimate with Astra Yao and Evelyn, could he possibly say they were friends?
Who was he trying to fool?
Even Meow-Da wouldn't believe such words!
After hesitating again and again, Andrew spoke truthfully:
"Currently only Belle is my girlfriend, while Astra Yao and Evelyn should be... the relationship hasn't been defined yet."
Saying this, Andrew couldn't help but pick up the water cup on the side and take a sip to conceal his guilty conscience.
Meanwhile, hearing this, Meow-Da scratched his chin with a cat claw.
After pondering for a moment, he blurted out directly:
"Could it be that Big Boss, you are actually the legendary 'scumbag', meow?"
"Pfft!"
Hearing this, the water Andrew had just drunk halfway was instantly sprayed out subconsciously. Following closely, he looked at Meow-Da with a bit of disbelief.
Yet Meow-Da continued very certainly, as if he hadn't noticed:
"And this rhetoric of yours, Big Boss, isn't it exactly the same as that animal Big Sis Solitary Bird talked about before, the kind called a 'scumbag' that leaves a mark but doesn't take responsibility, meow!"
"Big Boss, you absolutely must not become like that, meow!"
Although he wasn't clear exactly what creature it was, Meow-Da had still memorized this habit.
After all, for Meow-Da who maintained the habits of a cat, scent was the most important sign of marking a mate.
Because generally speaking, this was a situation that would only appear after both sides had long been intimate to a certain degree.
So Meow-Da's memory of this habit was fresh.
Hearing Meow-Da's words, Andrew was also instantly left somewhat speechless.
Although Meow-Da might have a slightly subtle misunderstanding.
But saying it was the truth wasn't wrong either.
After all, in the final analysis, it was caused by his own hesitation.
Recalling the actions that were already so intimate with Astra Yao and Evelyn back in the studio, plus if Belle hadn't come in to interrupt...
According to his reaction at the time, what would have happened afterwards was simply self-evident.
Under these circumstances.
Still saying he only treated the other party as friends would be too ridiculous.
Things having reached this point.
Because of Meow-Da's unintentional words, Andrew instantly made a decision.
Since Astra Yao and Evelyn had already actively walked the previous ninety-nine steps, then this last step naturally had to be taken by him.
He couldn't always let the other party take the initiative; that would be no different from a scumbag.
It was just that Belle would have to suffer a little grievance later.
He would definitely have to compensate her properly when he had time later.
Thinking of this, Andrew reached out his hand again to rub Meow-Da's head and said solemnly:
"Rest assured, your Big Boss isn't a scumbag. I will take responsibility and let them become my mates, unlike those scumbags who just pat their butts and leave without taking responsibility."
Hearing Andrew say this, Meow-Da nodded without hesitation and said with certainty:
"Since Big Boss says so, then you definitely aren't, meow. I believe in Big Boss, meow!"
Nodding with satisfaction, Meow-Da continued to sprinkle the secret spices without any heartache.
After all, since the Big Boss said they would become mates, then they definitely were!
After all, this was his Big Boss, meow!
Taking a deep breath and gathering his thoughts.
Andrew then turned his head and began to process another item that would serve as the main ingredient for the upcoming Felyne Meal.
That was a complete Diablos heart.
Compared to yesterday's fresh state, inside the Diablos heart that had sat for a day, the fresh blood which originally didn't affect things had already coagulated into clots internally.
He needed to cut open the heart and clean out the blood clots inside so that a fishy smell wouldn't appear to affect the taste.
And doing this work on a big hulk like a Diablos heart became extremely troublesome.
The Hunter's Knife quickly dissected the heart, and at the same time, directly cut off that section of the heart tube at the very top of the heart.
And this part, which belonged to the 'yellow throat' aorta on a cow, was equally superb when used to scald in hotpot.
Putting this portion of the aorta aside, Andrew directly divided and cut open the four chambers of the Diablos heart along the texture.
Then he began to wash out the blood inside, which was about to completely coagulate, bit by bit until it was completely clean.
Subsequently, Andrew directly divided it into long strips of similar size.
The heart, which beat from birth until death, was composed entirely of muscle.
But because it was an internal organ.
This muscle did not have the dryness and hardness of ordinary muscle.
Most importantly, it did not contain the most significant cause that made muscle taste bad—the accumulation of lactic acid.
As long as the residual blood was washed clean.
The heart was generally always one of the most delicious parts on any animal.
Subsequently, Andrew placed the divided heart directly into water to soak, quietly waiting for the very last traces of blood to be soaked out by the moisture.
As the saying goes, fresh ingredients don't need excessive processing.
After adding salt and black pepper for the most basic seasoning, the Diablos heart was put aside to marinate quietly.
And Meow-Da on the side had also already begun further processing the Diablos leg meat.
It was just that because New Eridu didn't have such a gigantic oven.
In the end, Meow-Da could only reluctantly give up roasting it whole, and instead also began to perform a certain degree of division.
And even though it was raw meat, the fragrance belonging to the secret spices had already wafted into Andrew's nose.
To be honest.
Having also not eaten it for a long time after coming to New Eridu, Andrew had long missed this taste quite a bit.
While the two had a clear division of labor, when one person started having difficulty handling something, without needing to speak, the other side would understandingly extend a helping hand.
The massive dragon meat was rapidly divided and marinated under the processing of the two.
Andrew even had time to shred the aorta and slice some Diablos brisket meat, preparing to use them for scalding in hotpot.
And afterwards was the further production.
Compared to Meow-Da who was putting the leg meat into the oven to roast on the side, Andrew instead chose another method here.
That was taking out food-grade vacuum seal bags one by one, loading all the meat into them separately, and expelling the air.
Of course, before having a machine to extract it, Andrew would use another method.
That was to submerge the part of the bag holding the meat directly into water.
At this time, the pressure would automatically help you expel the air in the plastic bag cleanly.
Subsequently, it was immersing all the Diablos hearts into water to start heating.
This was actually a very troublesome thing when in the world of Monster Hunter.
After all, one had to continuously adjust the fire or turn it off directly; only in this way could one ensure the water temperature remained at a suitable temperature.
Which is the so-called 'low-temperature slow cooking' (sous vide).
But in New Eridu, it was no longer needed.
The sous vide machine would automatically complete all subsequent adjustments.
Under the progress of technology, the things that could be saved were simply too many.
And after the slow cooking ended, Andrew placed them directly onto the iron plate for searing.
The Diablos heart, matured under low-temperature slow cooking, maintained the tenderness and juiciness belonging to internal organs. After searing on the iron plate, a burnt fragrance belonging to the Maillard reaction was added.
Searing some extra Blue Mushrooms as a side dish, a portion of pan-seared ox heart—simple yet not lacking in deliciousness—was already completed.
And during the free time saved in between.
Andrew also made a portion of hotpot soup base for the aorta, brisket meat, and various vegetable soup bases.
And Meow-Da, who was roasting meat, also didn't stay idle.
While paying attention to the condition of the Diablos leg meat in the oven at all times, Meow-Da also made some extra snacks, as well as a pot full to the brim of Diablos meat fried rice.
He even cut and packaged many after-meal fruits.
Following the tradition that work is not tiring when humans and cats are paired together.
Clearly it was dinner for twenty people—counting Andrew's appetite it should actually count as thirty—yet the time Andrew used this time was even a little shorter than usual when there weren't so many people.
However, since it was already made, naturally it was best to eat it while hot.
Coming to the living room.
Andrew was just about to call this big family to eat.
Just then, the sound of a door pushing open interrupted Andrew's movement.
____
New Story: Bleach: Dominating Soul Society in One Sting
✅ Jump 40 chapters ahead of the public release!
✅ Get access to special perks and news!
Help smash these goals:
🎯 100 Powerstones = +1 Bonus Chapter (for everyone)
🚀 140 MEMBERS = +5 extra chapters (for all stories)!
👻 P - Walnutchan