CFSMS -Chapter 114 The Gourmet Squad Assembles

With no one disturbing her, Lu Wu enjoyed a full night’s sleep.

The moment she opened the door, she saw three heads huddled together outside, whispering among themselves.

They belonged to Tool Person No. 1, Tool Person No. 2, and Old Li from next door.

The three were so engrossed in their conversation that they didn’t even notice Lu Wu’s appearance.

“Don’t worry. I’ve already mobilized members of the sect to come to Yuanhai City. There definitely won’t be any problems.”

So the disciples of the Holy Sword Sect are coming to carry out a mission?

“What about Boss Lu’s side? The followers still aren’t ready yet.”

Not ready?

Are they planning to help out?

“What can I do?” Lu Wu asked.

Since she believed in reciprocity, she was perfectly willing to lend a hand.

She squatted down as well, pressing her head together with theirs in a little circle.

Hearing her voice, all three abruptly turned around.

After staring at each other for a moment, Lou Xiaotian covered his face and laughed awkwardly.

“For now, there’s nothing you need to do.”

As the Cult Leader, all she had to do was sit on her throne and wait for her followers to pay homage.

“Alright then.”

That made sense. If even a major sect like the Holy Sword Sect couldn’t handle something, there was no way a small fry like her could.

“By the way, why are you covering your face?”

Seeing Lou Xiaotian hiding half his face and sporting hair that looked like a bird’s nest, Lu Wu wondered if he was doing some kind of cosplay.

“Yeah, why are you covering your face?” Qin Zhan added with a merciless question.

To be fair, the success rate of an offline assassination was one hundred percent.

That jianbing had been delicious.

“I accidentally fell and scraped my face.”

Lou Xiaotian sheepishly lowered his hand.

The bruises at the corner of his mouth and the scratches on his face made Lu Wu seriously suspect he’d been caught sneaking around with someone else’s partner.

To preserve her tool person’s dignity, she chose not to ask further.

“Grandpa Li, where are you staying these days?”

Even as she asked, her gaze drifted toward the neighboring courtyard.

Sure enough, Grandpa Li nodded.

Compared to being Old Wang next door who stole people’s spouses, he much preferred being Old Li next door who climbed over walls.

Knock knock knock!

Someone knocked on the courtyard gate.

Dog Aotian wagged his tail and trotted over to open it.

As the weakest member present, Dog Aotian knew his place very well. He never relied on favor and affection to act spoiled.

There was still a long road ahead before he ascended the imperial throne.

As the future Dog Emperor, he had to remain humble and diligent, starting with serving his master properly.

The gate opened.

Outside stood two familiar faces.

Jiang Yunhe and Zhang Yue.

There were only eight major sects in the Southern Region, yet three of the younger generation’s top disciples had gathered here.

Why does this look like the setup for a chosen-one protagonist story?

Looking at the now-complete Gourmet Squad, Lu Wu clapped her hands and headed toward the kitchen.

Time to change the genre.

Grandpa Li was practically rubbing his stomach in obvious anticipation.

Lu Wu decided to make a simple bowl of sour soup noodles.

The recipe wasn’t complicated.

The key lay in preparing the soup base properly.

The kitchen was packed with people.

To avoid being chased out by Lu Wu, the tool people enthusiastically took over tasks like washing vegetables.

Even the two little beasts weren’t willing to fall behind.

Da Huang picked up scraps from the floor.

Huohuo breathed fire beneath the stove and even flapped her wings to control the heat.

The fully automated workflow earned a five-star review from Lu Wu.

Finely chopped scallions, ginger, and garlic were placed into an empty bowl.

She added chili powder and white sesame seeds.

Once hot oil was poured over them, the fragrance immediately burst forth.

Then came soy sauce, aged vinegar, pepper powder, and other seasonings.

After mixing everything thoroughly, she set it aside.

Lean pork was sliced into strips and stir-fried together with pickled mustard greens as a topping.

Once the water in the pot boiled, the noodles were added.

Cooking noodles required skill.

Too long, and they’d turn mushy.

Too short, and they’d remain undercooked.

For a technical task like that, none of the tool people dared interfere.

Carefully timing everything, Lu Wu poured the noodle broth into bowls.

The sour and spicy soup base was complete.

After lifting the noodles from the boiling water, she rinsed them in cold water.

That way, the noodles wouldn’t stick together and would gain a satisfyingly chewy texture.

Finally, she spread the pork-and-pickled-vegetable topping over the noodles.

The steaming bowls of sour soup noodles were finished.

The aroma was irresistible.

Everyone got a bowl.

Watching Grandpa Li’s practiced posture of squatting outside the kitchen while eating, the tool people copied him without hesitation.

On a cold winter day, a bowl of sour soup noodles was both warming and appetite-stimulating.

The sour broth seeped into every strand.

A pair of chopsticks lifted a mouthful.

The moment it entered the mouth, the sourness ignited the taste buds first.

The spiciness followed close behind.

Nobody wanted to stop slurping.

The noodles were springy and resilient.

When bitten into, they released a rich wheat fragrance.

The pork strips, cooked in plenty of oil, remained wonderfully tender.

The pickled vegetables were crisp and pleasantly tangy.

All of those ingredients were wrapped tightly in the net-like embrace of the noodles.

A few bites in, flavors bloomed one after another, leaving the entire body feeling refreshed and satisfied.

The tool people entered full absorption mode.

Slurp, slurp, slurp.

The sounds never ceased.

Their heads nearly disappeared into their bowls.

Experiencing such delicious food for the first time, Zhang Yue’s expressionless face somehow managed to perfectly convey her amazement.

Beside her, Da Huang licked his bowl clean.

Huohuo pecked daintily at first.

Apparently finding that unsatisfying, spiritual energy suddenly flashed around her body and she instantly grew larger.

Using spiritual power, she lifted noodles and broth into the air and swallowed them whole.

Chirp chirp!

Delicious!

Bird loves it!

Following Little Wu Wu and abandoning that skeletal former master in the secret realm had definitely been the right choice.

After the simple dinner, everyone lay sprawled around the courtyard, full and content.

Winter winds, frost, snow, and rain posed little threat to cultivators.

“Do you think those followers would gang up on us if they found out Boss Lu treats us this well?”

Lou Xiaotian asked sincerely while rubbing his four-month-old-looking belly.

“Then don’t let them find out.”

Qin Zhan glanced at his communication device.

Earlier, he had sent his master a video of the meal.

It had immediately earned him a flood of heartfelt messages.

The love from his master was simply too overwhelming.

As a filial disciple, Qin Zhan decided to lighten his master’s burden.

He promptly blocked the old man.

He could always unblock him in a few days.

“What followers?”

The newest tool person, Zhang Yue, asked.

Qin Zhan and Lou Xiaotian exchanged glances.

As inner disciples, they began introducing her to the sect while simultaneously painting a very attractive picture.

“You know how random Boss Lu’s stall appearances are. If you join the Bun Cult, you’ll always know where she is.”

“That’s right. Sometimes there are even surprise rewards from Boss Lu herself, like today’s bowl of noodles.”

“Join us and you’ll never suffer a loss.”

“You don’t seem particularly busy anyway. Why not join the Bun Cult? Though you’ll have to start as an outer disciple. We’re very fair and equal in the Bun Cult.”

Under their enthusiastic sales pitch, Zhang Yue officially became a proud member of the Bun Cult.

“What do you mean by fair and equal?”

Lu Wu happened to catch part of the conversation as she walked out of the kitchen carrying a cup of health tea.

“Oh, we’re teaching Fellow Daoist Zhang how to enjoy the benefits provided by a sect.”

Was there anything wrong with that explanation?

Not at all.

However, Lu Wu’s thoughts immediately drifted toward the Ghost Sect’s notoriously poor finances.

She nodded.

“That’s right. When it’s time to fleece the sheep, don’t hold back. And when it’s time to squeeze out resources, squeeze hard.”

“No matter how poor they are, if you squeeze enough, something will come out.”

Having unknowingly dug a pit for herself, Lu Wu failed to notice the collective sparkle that appeared in all the tool people’s eyes.

Boss Lu is teaching us how to fleece her!

Boss Lu is such a good person!

A sudden chill ran down Lu Wu’s spine.

She raised her teacup and sipped the sweet health tea while looking around suspiciously.

She couldn’t shake the feeling that some villain was plotting against her.

Must be my imagination.

Definitely my imagination.