Chapter: Stir-Fried Blood
By the stream, Cheng Yu used dragon blood to make a stir-fried blood and a blood vermicelli soup.
The method of stir-fried blood was similar to Mapo tofu—thickened with water starch and sprinkled with pepper powder and chopped green onions on the surface. It tasted fresh, spicy, and savory.
However, Cheng Yu didn't use cooking wine when processing the blood. The stir-fried blood had a strong smell of blood.
Humans might not be able to accept this bloody smell, but it was just right for vampires.
Aphra walked to the table, picked up a spoon, and tasted the blood fried by Cheng Yu. This dish retained the bloody smell of fresh blood, plus the taste of seasonings such as green onions, ginger, and garlic. The saltiness was just right, and there was MSG to enhance the umami taste.
"Oh, this is so delicious!"
With bright red eyes, Aphra showed a surprised expression.
Though this way of eating blood wasn't as refreshing as simply sucking blood, it was many times more delicious than fresh blood.
"People in the Black Sun Empire don't eat blood. How can you come up with such an ingenious method?"
"Haha, it's all the wisdom of the lower-class working people of our great China."
In ancient times, rich people didn't eat animal organs and animal blood. The lower-class poor people thought it was a pity to throw these things away, so they tried every means to make the hard-to-swallow animal organs delicious.
Aphra picked up the plate of stir-fried blood and ate it in big mouthfuls. "Actually, when I came to the Black Sun Empire, I originally planned to go to Bailu Town to find a chef named Cheng Yu and try the buns he made, but I got lost."
When Aphra first entered the Black Sun Empire, she couldn't tell the direction and was indeed lost.
But later, she found getting lost was pretty good, so she made the best of it and started to wander around and slack off.
Cheng Yu was shocked. Good guy, this beauty came for me.
However, Cheng Yu was a bit confused. "That's not right. How do you know about food like steamed buns?"
"When humans and demons were fighting, I picked up a few steamed buns from the body of a human cavalryman. They were very fragrant and delicious, so I used soul-calling magic to summon the soul of the dead cavalryman and asked him."
"Soul-calling magic? Does this work?"
"Of course."
After eating the steamed buns, Aphra kept thinking about them.
After the wall of the Northern Fortress was breached, she sneaked into the Black Sun Empire.
On one hand, she wanted to eat the steamed buns made by Cheng Yu. On the other hand, she didn't want to be sent by the Demon King.
"That... Actually... I am Cheng Yu, the one who makes steamed buns in Bailu Town."
"What? You're Cheng Yu?"
Aphra was even more surprised.
I originally planned to go to Bailu Town to find Cheng Yu, but I met him here. It really is fate.
"I can not only make steamed buns and stir-fried blood but also many other delicacies. Do you want to go back to Bailu Town with me?"
What bad intentions could Cheng Yu have? He just wants to kidnap a demon cadre and contribute to the national defense of the Black Sun Empire. Full of patriotic feelings.
"Okay!"
Follow Cheng Yu and eat delicious stir-fried blood every day.
Aphra readily agreed to Cheng Yu's invitation.
Worth kidnapping a demon cadre with stir-fried blood.
[Host and Aphra Favorability +5]
Cheng Yu was slightly stunned. Aphra actually has 5 points of favorability toward me.
Cheng Yu and Mina and Ivennie's favorability had reached 100 points. He'd obtained their talents and skills.
I don't know what talents and skills I can get if I have 100 points of favorability with Aphra.
"Someone is bullying you? Tell me. I'll help you..."
Aphra stopped talking halfway. "Seeing you just used light magic to kill the Black Claw Red Dragon, such powerful light power—you shouldn't need my help."
"If you don't help, are you going to follow me and eat and drink for free?"
Cheng Yu asked back.
"If you need my help, just ask."
Aphra didn't care much about the Demon King's grand cause, but she cared a lot about eating, drinking, and having fun.
After eating the plate of stir-fried blood, Aphra drank the blood vermicelli soup. She was in a good mood.
The two left the mountain.
Red blood pupils, dark red long hair, and that bright long dress.
In human society, Aphra's dress was easily recognizable.
"Change your clothes. This one is too conspicuous," Cheng Yu suggested.
Aphra's beautiful red eyes blinked and turned black like humans. Her bright long hair gradually turned black. Her bright red dress turned white.
Aphra was now less weird than before.
In a white dress, she looked like a beautiful and pure human girl.
"Do you think this is okay?"
"Yes."
Aphra's appearance was quite stunning—not inferior to Mina and Ivennie at all.
"When you arrive in human society, I definitely can't call you Aphra. What should I call you?" Cheng Yu asked.
"The name is just a code. You can call it anything you want."
"Really? Then in the future, I'll call you Er Gouzi."
"..."
Aphra stared at Cheng Yu with a fierce look on her pretty face, without saying a word.
Cheng Yu felt uneasy when Aphra stared at him. He smiled. "Hehe, I'll call you Xiao Fu."
"That's better."
Aphra put away her murderous eyes.
The two walked down the mountain.
A large number of Black Stone City residents were rushing out of the city, with fanaticism flashing in their eyes.
"The Goddess of Light has appeared!"
"Goddess of Light, bless me to pass the second-tier mage test in one go!"
"I am blind! Please bless me to see the light again, Goddess of Light!"
Most people in the Black Sun Empire believed in the Goddess of Light.
Just now, Cheng Yu had put on the Goddess of Light's suspender bra and released powerful force of light.
The residents of Black Stone City thought the Goddess of Light had descended to earth. They rushed to worship her.
Seeing the huge crowds of people, Cheng Yu was shocked. The influence of the Goddess of Light in the Black Sun Empire is so exaggerated.
If I put on the Goddess of Light's underwear and pretended to be the Goddess of Light as a charlatan, I'd definitely gain a large number of believers. The priests of the Church of Light wouldn't be able to help.
The two went against the flow of people into Black Stone City.
The usually bustling Black Stone City had now become empty. Almost everyone had gone to worship the Goddess of Light.
"What gods do you demons believe in?" Cheng Yu asked curiously.
"The war faction headed by the Demon King believes in the God of War," Aphra said.
"What about you? What god do you believe in?" Cheng Yu asked again.
"I don't believe in any god. If I have to choose a god to believe in, I might choose the God of Freedom."
"Your lazy and slack personality is indeed quite free."
The two walked along the streets of Black Stone City into the city.
Generally speaking, shops selling magic materials were located near the Magic Association.
There was a fat old man sitting on a chair on the street ahead, with a big dog lying next to him.
Cheng Yu walked over and asked, "Uncle, how do I get to the Black Stone City Magic Association?"
The fat old man: "Black Stone City Magic what?"
Cheng Yu shouted, "Magic Association!"
"What association?"
"Magic what association?"
"Uncle, cool down for a while."
This old man was a bit hard of hearing. Cheng Yu was too lazy to waste words with him, so he went to ask other people for directions.