Chapter 174 There is no food in hell
Facts have proved that Luo Yan should not have any expectations for the "food" in the underground world.
Even in a place like the Magic City, he can count the food he can accept on one hand.
No matter what kind of food culture the elves living in the isolated utopia have, for the night elves of the Gray Wind tribe, that was already more than a thousand years ago.
The banquet was held in a huge tree house, and all the furniture here seemed to grow out of the tree trunks. Whether it’s tables, chairs, or lamps wrapped with vines.
Vegetarian food was like a firefly. The spirit of the elements fluttered its wings and flew in from the window. Accompanied by melodious music, it brought plates of strange-shaped food to the long and uneven table.
Looking at the various "delicious things" blooming on the plate, Luo Yan didn't know where to start for a moment, and could only look at Tyrell sitting next to him for help.
The latter seemed to notice the embarrassment of Lord Demon King, and immediately reached out to pick up a caterpillar about the size of a thumb, which was still sitting and doing sit-ups. He dipped it in an unknown sauce and stuffed it into his mouth. He chewed it exaggeratedly and showed a satisfied expression.
For a moment, Luo Yan suddenly felt that he had eaten tomorrow's dinner in advance, and he couldn't be fuller.
Seeing Tyrell looking at him expectantly, he could only reach out and pick up a berry and threw it into his mouth.
His intuition told him that if he didn't eat something, the other party might show him the action just now.
It’s so sour!
Luo Yan bit into the pulp and felt a lemon-like sour taste that instantly covered his taste buds, causing him to salivate like crazy and almost falling out of the berries in his mouth.
But it didn’t take long for the lemon-like sourness to turn into a mellow sweetness.
Luo Yan had an unexpected expression on his face.
Perhaps because he had lowered his expectations, he found that the taste of the berries was unexpectedly good.
「What is this?」
As soon as he finished speaking, Shirley, who was sitting on one side of the long table, greeted him and answered with a showy look on his face.
"This is a new variety that I cultivated by grafting Thunder County grapes onto the Hidden Vine! It doesn't have a name yet! Lord Demon King, can you please give it a name?"
Luo Yan looked at Shirley in surprise. He didn't expect this little girl to have such an ability.
Yin continued, "Not only can it whet one's appetite, but the wine made is also very delicious!"
While speaking, she looked at Luo Yan expectantly, and encouraged him to taste the wine in the silver pot beside her with her eyes.
Luo Yan took a bite as she wished.
The sweet and mellow fruit wine flavor really caught his eye and made him want to take a second sip.
"Not bad."
Luo Yan, who put down his wine glass, praised it. After thinking for a long time, he spoke.
"The first taste reminded me of my hometown, and the second bite reminded me of moonlight... Just in time for the light to return to the misty forest, I called it moonlight brew. As for the berry, how about calling it moonlight fruit?"
He is not very good at naming, and he does not think that the name he came up with is more literary than the night elves here.
However, after hearing the name he thought of, Shirley's face showed an expression of joy, and her red face was filled with happiness.
Unlike her sister, Helen had a confused expression on her face.
"Do all demons have moonlight?"
Luo Yan coughed lightly.
"There is an amethyst dome there... It is more exaggerated than the one here. It is said that it was snatched from the dwarves."
Helen nodded suddenly.
"I see..."
Thinking about it carefully, the dome on the fourth floor of the maze seems to be built imitating the dome of the Magic City. In order to repair the dome, the Demon King even made a special trip to the Magic City.
She almost forgot about it.
…
As delicious dishes were served one after another on the table, the melodious music pushed the banquet atmosphere to its peak.
Looking at the variety of food, Luo Yan's eyes were completely opened.
He, the master of the maze, never expected that there would be so many edible things in his maze.
What he didn't expect even more was that there were so many magical arrangements and combinations of these strange-shaped ingredients.
For example, a famous dish called Moonlight Salad, the main ingredients are silver leaf grass and leaf oil, flower petals and fluorescent mushrooms.
This is nothing.
Hum It just so happens that the caviar-like particles that dot the dinner plate like stars are actually the eggs of the shadow fireflies.
Another example is Starlight Stew. The dark blue soup is mixed with suspended matter that looks like fluorescent powder, which reminded him of Van Gogh's paintings. If he wasn't proficient in potions, he wouldn't have even recognized it. It was made from a mixture of pollen from Chlorophytum and the shell of a grouper snail.
Luo Yan admitted that these foods are indeed beautiful and creative.
If he does not need to eat it in his mouth, but simply treats it as a work of art, he may not be willing to spend a lot of money to buy it.
Of course, the premise is to use Hades coins.
Luo Yan tried to taste the most harmless-looking jelly. The smooth texture and sweet taste were unexpectedly good, a bit like iced mango.
Thinking it was some kind of jam, he couldn't help but curiously asked.
"This thing tastes pretty good. What is it made of?" Shirley, who was sitting not far away, saw the thing in his hand, her eyes suddenly lit up, and she said excitedly.
"Oh! Lord Demon King is very discerning! It is shellac extracted from the secretion of purple moonworms. One kilogram of purple moonworm larvae can only be purified into a mouthful of weight!"
She opened her chatterbox and wanted to say something else, but Helen, who was sitting next to her, pulled her sleeve and stopped her with her eyes.
Sulley looked at her sister in confusion, wondering why she didn't let herself continue.
However, it was still too late.
If Helen had stopped her earlier, Luo Yan might have been able to pretend he didn't know anything and finish the food in his hand.
But now, he could only put down the bowl silently.
Sitting aside, Tyrell was even more embarrassed than Luo Yan, so he quickly ordered the chef to make a plate of grilled ribs and bring it up.
The Gray Wind Tribe actually has ingredients such as pork, mutton, and beef. They mainly buy them from the nearby Mist Town, and the prices are not very expensive.
It's just that Tyrell always felt that it was too insincere to entertain the devil with those cheap things. Moreover, the chefs in the tribe had just come into contact with those ingredients and had not yet fully mastered the essentials of cooking. No one was sure that they could cook those things in a unique way.
However, looking at the reaction of the Demon King, it seems that they used a little too much force...
…
The banquet finally came to an end.
Except the Demon King, everyone was very full.
Faced with Tyrell's enthusiastic invitation to stay overnight, Luo Yan thought twice and finally declined politely. After being bid farewell by a group of hospitable night elves, he left this quiet town deep in the jungle.
Although Luo Yan said that he could go back alone, Helen and Shirley insisted on sending him to the palace on the first floor of the maze because of their status as guards.
On the way back, Luo Yan recalled what happened at the banquet and couldn't help but sigh.
"In the days before I came here... you were wronged."
He said this from the standpoint of the Magic City.
However, Shirley tilted her head and didn't understand why the Demon King said that.
Helen understood the subtext hidden in Lord Demon King's words, and couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed on her face.
… I'm really sorry, it's all our fault for not understanding your taste in advance and arranging those things on our own."
Luo Yan's intention was just to express his concern in a joking tone, but he didn't expect Helen to take it seriously, so he quickly said in a comforting tone.
"Please don't say that, it's not your fault, it's just that my own taste is more finicky."
In fact, in hell, insects are the source of protein for most demons and low-level demons. After all, there are only a few people who can eat Minotaur beef every day.
These night elves have already brought out the most precious delicacies in their eyes, and it would be stingy if they were too fussy about it.
And aside from those foods that are high in insect content, fruits and barbecue are actually quite good.
The fruit wine they brew is also very fragrant, even to the point that it can be used as a specialty of the necropolis.
He asked for some from Tyrell and put them in his storage ring.
When he returns to Magic City next time, he can share it with his friends in Magic City.
"But..." Helen's face still looked a little regretful, she wanted to make up for it but didn't know what to do.
Unlike her sister who is burdened with idols, Shirley does not have so much psychological burden. Instead, she stands on Luo Yan's side and acts as the latter's mouthpiece.
"Actually, I also think the food in the tribe is not delicious. The sticky ones have no taste, but the barbecue is more fragrant! The lamb chops baked with spices are simply amazing! And it's not just barbecue! I have seen a snow-like food in Mist Town before. It tastes sweet and delicious!"
As she spoke, she even picked up her fingers and began to count the delicacies she had seen in the necropolis.
Looking at Shirley who was talking endlessly, Luo Yan coughed lightly and stopped her with a majestic tone.
"Okay, stop talking. Some things are a matter of taste and have nothing to do with whether they taste good or not."
Although he was a little unconscionable, he still tried to help the Gray Wind Tribe’s delicacies regain some respect.
After all, someone really cares about this matter.
If this guy continued to talk without restraint, he felt like Helen would almost find a crack in the ground and crawl in.
Shirley, who was talking enthusiastically, was suddenly interrupted, and her mouth suddenly opened in grievance.
She didn't dare to disobey the Demon King, but she still couldn't help but complain softly.
"What I'm telling you is the truth! There is nothing in our tribe..."
Luo Yan said in an incomprehensible tone.
"Even if it's the truth, don't tell it."
If he continued to speak, he felt that Helen would shed tears...
…
After returning from the Gray Wind Tribe, Luo Yan asked Missy, who was stationed in the necropolis, to send a few bottles of wine he had received from Tyrell to Queen Sissi of the Nightmare Land, and then took the time to deal with the accumulated official duties.
For example, the battle report sent from the outpost fortress on the planet Kaa.
Frontline commander Sano Blackhand mentioned in the battle report that the Chaos Legion has intensified its siege on the outpost fortress in recent days, and even three battles broke out in just one day yesterday.
Although these three battles ended in victory for the Necropolis, the latter also suffered a lot of casualties.
Those troops composed of Kaos have no fear of death at all, and even regard death as a kind of glory. In every battle, they charge towards the barrage of the magic crystal cannon in an almost suicidal manner, not caring about the casualties at all.
Fortunately, the players in the Necropolis were also the same. In one round of offensive after another, they also broke out with a fierce and fearless momentum, and only then blocked the Chaos army.
Sano specifically mentioned in the report that thanks to the heroic fighting performance of these players, he inspired the mercenaries under his command.
Otherwise, facing the endless Chaos army, their morale may collapse before the defense line.
Another thing that is fortunate is that the terrain of the outpost fortress is difficult and it is far away from the settlement of the Khaos.
In the previous attacks, most of the Kaor warriors who appeared were light infantry. Not only did they lack combat experience, but their equipment was also patchwork.
As for the chosen ones and elite troops, they still have not appeared so far.
Sano is worried that the Kaos are planning a big wave, such as using cannon fodder to paralyze them, and then concentrate all their strength to swamp them.
Of course, it is not ruled out that the Kaos themselves are not unified, but fight separately as tribes.
But no matter what, they have to prepare for the worst so that they can be prepared when disaster really strikes.
“…We need more building materials to strengthen the defense line, and more magic crystal cannons!”
"In addition, the soldiers expressed their wish to be rotated, and in my opinion they do need this. No one can persist in that environment forever. I'm worried that over time, even if they are not contaminated by Chaos, they will be overwhelmed by mental pressure."
Luo Yan read the report to the end, thought for a long time, and waved the wand in his hand.
A quill flew out of the pen holder lightly, and he wrote on the paper as he chanted.
…Your requirements will be met, and a new batch of supplies is ready, and will be sent to the front line together with reinforcements the day after tomorrow at the latest.”
“In addition, I have also seriously considered the matter of rotation. I will arrange for my vassals to provide troops for your mercenary group. The next time you come back from the front line, you can hire orcs or demon soldiers from the Blood Blade Clan and Impasse City. As for the rotation cycle, you can base it on Make your own arrangements based on the specific situation on the front line, and just let me know after you decide. "
The orc warriors of the Blood Blade Clan and the demon crossbowmen of the Impasse City are the most suitable for the Kao planet environment, and the numbers are sufficient, so there is no need to worry about the depletion of troops.
After writing the reply to Sano Blackhand, Luo Yan then wrote a letter to his subordinates "Blood Blade Demon General" Grak and "Thorn Demon General" Brancia respectively, explaining the mercenaries and stating that he would visit next month.
Finally finishing the mountain of work, Luo Yan stretched, got up and went to the kitchen to cook himself a bowl of instant noodles.
It is worth mentioning that this is something that players have just come up with recently.
Since Beifeng City has been on the right track, some professional players have copied the pressing process on the earth to this other world, producing a series of vegetable oils such as pumpkin seed oil, linseed oil, soybean oil, etc.
Before this, the cooking oil in Leiming County was mainly olive oil and animal oil, and the oil in the cemetery was basically imported from Leiming City through the channel of Silver Pine Town.
As of now, the cemetery no longer needs to import edible oil, but can directly import cheap raw materials such as soybeans and linseeds.
Since the price of cooking oil has been reduced, the most intuitive impact on the necropolis is that fried foods that were almost non-existent have suddenly become popular.
It’s more than that.
In order to facilitate the provision of feed for NPCs who are working and reduce their commuting time to centralized dining places, some players simply thought about prepared foods, so they came up with instant noodles.
The production process of this thing is simple, there are mature production processes for reference, and it is extremely convenient to cook, saves trouble and does not take up space. The only disadvantage is that it has no nutrition and can only provide calories and carbohydrates.
However, for this world with a relatively backward civilization, the only shortcomings are not shortcomings at all, but can be called advantages.
Especially for poor people who don’t have much fat in their stomachs, this kind of fried dough is much more delicious than sweet potatoes.
Even the players who made instant noodles did not expect that what they made in an effort to save trouble would actually become a delicacy in the eyes of the residents of Beifeng City, which greatly ignited the latter's enthusiasm for work.
In order to eat a bowl of steaming instant noodles, those NPCs are willing to work hard on the construction site all day long!
Not even the ordinary NPCs in Beifeng City, but even their boss, the Demon King, greatly appreciated this "invention" and purchased a batch of reserves for the lord's kitchen with a wave of his hand.
Smelling the tangy aroma, Luo Yan couldn't help but think of his previous life when he was in school on Earth.
I feel quite nostalgic when I think about it.
If it weren't for the necklace left by the senior traveler, and if it weren't for this group of happy little players, he would have almost forgotten the life there.
After filling his stomach that was not filled at the banquet, Luo Yan put on his cloak on a whim and went to inspect the outside of Beifeng Mine.
Compared with a month ago, the scale of Beifeng City seems to have expanded a lot. Rows of houses stand in the white snow, like winter bamboo shoots buried in the snow.
Some houses have even been built outside the fence wall, and the land surrounded by the fence that was empty until a month ago has become crowded unconsciously.
Luo Yan walked through the snow-covered path to the temple in Beifeng City and found the acolyte working there.
According to the palace-guarding acolyte, refugees continued to move in during this period, and the registered population was approaching the one thousand mark.
Looking at the Demon King who was flipping through the statistics book, the acolyte in robe reported in a hoarse voice.
"...I heard from the believers who prayed that the nearby human lords seemed to be intending to drive them to us. At first, only one village did this, but later it developed into all the villages in the entire barony doing this, and even the neighboring baronies were doing this."
Luo Yan turned over a page of the book in his hand and replied casually.
「这件事情我知道。」
甚至别说是知道，最早干这件事儿的人就是他的仆人。
Later, he specifically asked Sheriff Adlai to provide necessary assistance to the refugee team in need, and if conditions permitted, send them as close to the northern mines as possible to prevent them from getting lost halfway.
Although not everyone finally joined Beifeng City, and many devout believers stubbornly turned around and returned to the snow, the vast majority of people still stayed for the safety of themselves and their families.
With the repeated baptisms of the acolytes of the Necropolis and the "words and deeds" of the villagers of Hollyoak Village, most of these new refugees have become his believers.
However, unlike Luo Yan, there was a hint of sadness on the face of the palace-guarding acolyte.
"I'm worried that if this trend continues, we may not be able to accommodate so many people..."
Luo Yan replied.
"Don't worry about this. We can expand our settlement towards the Wanren Mountains. If we can't accommodate it, we can also move some people to the maze. Misty Town can also use them."
"But what about food?" the acolyte whispered, "They are consuming more and more food... Even if they can do some simple tasks, they cannot conjure food out of thin air."
Because of Reggie Dragon, most of the monsters in the maze have an unforgettable fear of hunger.
Simply put, I am scared of being hungry.
Luo Yan can understand the concerns of his subordinates, although he has a completely different view.
“What they do is not simple work. Among them are blacksmiths, carpenters, skilled stoneworkers and craftsmen who are good at various handicrafts... In normal times, we would either spend a lot of money or a lot of time to have them, but now we only need to pay a little bit. A small price can buy their loyalty. There is no more cost-effective investment in the world, and it can even be said that this is an opportunity given to us by the devil."
Returning the finished pamphlet to the acolyte's hands, Luo Yan said in a gentle yet dignified tone.
"As for food... we have night elves and fertilizers, and we can import them from next door if necessary, so those are the least things we need to worry about."
"And since I said I won't let you endure the pain of hunger anymore, I won't let you go hungry. There are only two things you need to do, one is to believe every word I say, and the other is to do as I tell you."
The acolyte lowered his head in fear and said in a voice with a hint of repentance.
"Yes, Lord Demon King."
Hearing this answer, Luo Yan nodded approvingly.
"Stand back."