The morning sky was gloomy, making people worry if another heavy snowfall might suddenly descend.
The Greenwood Camp remained bustling as soldiers busied themselves with various post-battle tasks. The snow-white ground was soon littered with ssy footprints and wheel tracks.
The kitchen was especially lively, with cooking utensils moved to the open space. Fresh vegetables and ingredients were continuously hauled in by carts, all in a fervent preparation for making dumplings.
The arrival of a certain figure made everyone pause their work and greet him loudly.
Li Mo, still not fully recovered, had arrived with Huang Donglai using a combined technique.
"Isn't the Hidden Dragon Ranking about to be updated again?"
"Counting the days, it really is. Young Master Li was practically like a god descending this ti. A warrior who can take on ten thousand at his age—what other young hero could achieve such a feat?"
"I’d say even our Crown Prince might not be able to claim the title of the top prodigy in front of Young Master Li."
"Honestly, true. After all, the Crown Prince’s status is what it is. If the Yantian Sect didn’t rank him first, His Majesty’s face would be hard to save. Hard to say if there’s any foul play involved."
"Why do you think Young Master Huang carries Young Master Li so skillfully?"
"Because he’s... kind?"
Before long, Li Mo and Huang Donglai arrived at the kitchen, where the bustling figures were all high-ranking officers, equally energetic.
Wu Lang was wielding his thick-backed golden-ringed saber to chop vegetables, while the garrison commander beside him, who had clearly trained in redirecting force, was kneading dough with practiced ease.
The most unassuming was the white-haired Commander Qu Sheng, who was mixing dumpling filling.
"Uncle Qu, aren’t you planning to dye your hair back?" Li Mo asked casually after deactivating the combined technique.
The graying hair gave Qu Sheng’s deep and steady deanor a more down-to-earth touch, reminiscent of a middle-aged family breadwinner worn down by life’s toils.
"I’m done fussing with it," Qu Sheng replied earnestly, squinting as his hands kept working. "I’m researching sothing very important."
"Oh?" Li Mo imdiately straightened up. The word "important" rarely left Qu Sheng’s mouth.
"Moreover, I’ve already used my signature martial arts—the Hanging Cloud Palm and the Golden Silk Cloud-Slicing Saber—but I still can’t conquer it."
"Conquer what?"
"The dumpling filling."
Qu Sheng presented a plate of dumpling filling.
Li Mo: "..."
The pork had endured far more than it deserved.
"Too much cabbage, and the pork is too fatty. The best filling uses a mix of lean and fatty at, finely minced..."
Though unable to cook himself now, Chef Li still offered expert guidance.
"It’s quite a skill, and it takes effort too. Why did you decide to mix the filling yourself today, Commander?"
"When I left ho, my family had pork and scallion dumplings at a town eatery. I’ve had many since, but never that sa taste again. Never."
Qu Sheng reminisced about the flavor of those dumplings.
But after three or four decades away, he could hardly recall their shape, let alone the taste.
"How about trying this? It’s a secret family recipe—I don’t share it with just anyone."
"Oh?"
Qu Sheng took the recipe Li Mo handed him and studied it eagerly, as if it were so profound martial arts manual.
anwhile, a notification chid in Li Mo’s mind:
[Congratulations, Host. You have successfully invested in Qu Sheng, aiding his search for the taste of ho.]
[Investnt Reward: Heartbound Arrow.]
[Heartbound Arrow]: "Write a na on the arrow’s tail, and it will reach the person you desire—provided they still live."
Li Mo was stunned.
Commander Qu could clearly provide normal investnt feedback.
So why hadn’t he received any after defending Greenwood City?
Activating his Heavenly Eye, Li Mo observed Qu Sheng, who was now engrossed in the dumpling filling recipe.
[Na: Qu Sheng]
[Age: 52]
[Bone Structure: Golden Beam and Jade Bones (acquired later)]
[Realm: Outer Scenery, Third Heaven.]
[Destiny: Black]
[Evaluation: Born with an ordinary physique, diocre talent, a life of toil and hardship. Born in adversity, but fortunate to die in peace.]
[Recent Events: Burning his lifespan, exhausting his Outer Scenery, left with only a longing for ho. Hopes to hold out until the Southern Suppressing King returns, then resign and return to his roots.]
Li Mo suddenly understood why he hadn’t received feedback.
He hadn’t changed Qu Sheng’s fate.
Qu Sheng would still die in the defense of Greenwood City—whether sooner or later. And it was clear he wouldn’t live to see the Southern Suppressing King’s return, destined to perish far from ho.
"Young Master Li, does this look right?"
A freshly prepared bowl of dumpling filling was placed before him.
"Yes."
Li Mo’s furrowed brow relaxed as he nodded.
After a mont’s thought, the young genius suggested:
"Dumplings aren’t complete without a little surprise inside. Let’s hide sothing in them."
"Sure, for good luck. What should we use?"
"How about money?"
Huang Donglai eagerly pointed at his missing front tooth. He’d only eaten dumplings once before, and in his excitent, he’d bitten down so hard his tooth chipped on a copper coin.
He’d been cautious ever since.
"Sounds good."
Li Mo had been thinking the sa.
Thud—
Several wooden chests landed heavily on the ground. Li Mo hadn’t bothered counting the investnt rewards, so he’d just stuffed them into chests—about fifty or sixty of them.
"What’s this?"
"Banknotes."
"?"
The kitchen fell silent. Wu Lang picked up one—it was clearly marked "1,000 taels."
Three chests, all full. He wouldn’t even dare burn this much as offerings to his ancestors.
Huang Donglai, however, was used to it. Shaking his head, he said:
"Brother Li, you can’t boil banknotes in a pot. We should use copper coins or silver bits instead."
"Good point."
"Also, there are tens of thousands of people. With so many dumplings, even this many banknotes might not be enough..."
"That’s not necessarily true."
"??"
Soon, thumb-sized golden pellets were crafted and wrapped into the dumplings.
"Cough—Donglai, help with sothing."
"What is it?"
Huang Donglai, unsure why he was being summoned again, set down his work and approached.
Young Li glanced at Qu Sheng, who had taken the wrapped dumplings outside to cool in the snow, before pulling sothing from his sleeve.
"Wrap this in a dumpling. Mark it so it doesn’t get lost in the boil."
"What is it?"
"A supre-grade treasure pill."
"Gah—!"
Huang Donglai nearly stumbled backward.
A supre-grade treasure pill—this priceless treasure—was being used as dumpling filling?
Damn, that’s insane.
"I’m making these dumplings specifically for this pill."
Li Mo patted his shoulder, signaling for steady Brother Donglai to keep quiet.
Then he moved to other cooks, bringing out his special "Soul Sauce" for barbecue.
Today’s winter solstice victory feast would feature barbecue and dumplings.
While sharing his recipe, footsteps approached from outside—though the noise made it hard to distinguish.
"Young Master Li, look." A cook nudged his chin.
"Why are you suddenly making faces—?"
Confused, Li Mo turned instinctively.
"......"
It was a figure erging from the icy snow—a frozen block of ice.
She was about to step into the kitchen!
Little Li's face instantly paled with horror!!
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