Chapter 9: Dinner

Many thoughts drifted through Ying Li’s mind as he quickly fell asleep.

Going outside the city to hunt was incredibly grueling for Sentinels. They not only had to exhaust every method to hunt Mutant Beasts, but also stay constantly vigilant against dangers that could appear at any moment.

In the dangerous, unpredictable environment of the wilds, it was very difficult for Sentinels to get proper rest. Over the past few days, although Ying Li had sought out relatively safe spots to sleep, he hadn’t dared to fall into a deep slumber, only allowing himself to doze lightly.

Right now, he was genuinely exhausted.

Ying Li slept very deeply this time. When he woke up, he realized he had been asleep for six hours.

He had gone to bed at two in the afternoon, and it was now eight in the evening.

Feeling well-rested and completely refreshed, Ying Li once again felt that breaking up with Wu Nian was a great decision.

If he were living with Wu Nian, Wu Nian, having been apart from him for several days, would definitely cling to him and chatter nonstop, preventing him from sleeping properly.

Opening his door and walking out, Ying Li saw the cooked food arranged on the table, while Xiang Ye was sprawled on the floor, doing something unknown.

“What are you doing?” Ying Li asked curiously.

“I was cleaning the wall cracks,” Xiang Ye hurriedly scrambled up from the floor, pulling off his work gloves.

After Ying Li had fallen asleep, Xiang Ye had first taken a shower to clean himself up, then cooked a meal for Ying Li.

After that, he had nothing left to do!

After all, the apartment was already very clean; it didn’t even need to be swept.

Wandering around, he noticed some of the wall cracks were a bit dirty, so he set about cleaning those as well.

Ying Li said, “I haven’t been renting this place for long. I had someone come to clean thoroughly and even disinfect it when I moved in. You don’t need to worry about those wall cracks.”

Xiang Ye was far too thin and small. Ying Li almost felt bad making him do any work.

“Alright,” Xiang Ye agreed, though privately thinking that eventually, he’d still have to clean those wall cracks.

The Underground City had been built five hundred years ago. The cracks in those walls really were rather filthy.

Mostly, if he didn’t do this, he’d have absolutely nothing to do!

Thinking this, Xiang Ye spoke again. “Mr. Ying, you should eat quickly. I followed an online recipe for the dishes. I’m not sure if they taste good.”

Ying Li was indeed hungry. He sat down at the table and looked at the thermal pot placed in the center.

He hadn’t bought any expensive ingredients. What he got was a piece of pork and a bunch of cheap mushrooms.

These ingredients wouldn’t yield anything fancy; essentially, it would all be stewed together in one pot. Plus, Xiang Ye had never cooked before, so Ying Li wasn’t expecting much from this meal.

However, as soon as he lifted the lid, an enticing aroma wafted into Ying Li’s nose.

He picked up a slice of mushroom to taste it and found its flavor was exceptionally savory and delicious.

Ying Li asked Xiang Ye curiously, “How did you make this? I’ve made pork and mushroom soup before, but it never tasted this good.”

This pot of mushroom and pork soup wasn’t some peerless delicacy, but its taste was comparable to the mushroom soup served in outside restaurants. It was much better than what he could make, though perhaps a little light on salt.

Seeing Ying Li’s appreciation, Xiang Ye was overjoyed. “I searched online for how to handle each type of mushroom, then followed the instructions… I didn’t taste it beforehand, so I used a little less salt. Mr. Ying, you can add salt according to your own preference.”

Xiang Ye had never cooked before, and the foods he had eaten were also extremely limited—every single day, nothing but Nutrient Paste, day in and day out.

He had never handled raw ingredients or used the kitchen appliances in Ying Li’s kitchen before. So initially, he was utterly clueless about how to cook.

But Ying Li had given him a shelter. He absolutely had to prove his worth.

He used his Communication Terminal to scan the appliances and ingredients, learning about each one bit by bit, then processed them one at a time.

For example, there was one type of mushroom that needed blanching to taste good, otherwise it would have an off-flavor—so he blanched it.

Another type of mushroom tasted best when lightly roasted first to bring out its fragrance—so he roasted it.

He also followed online cooking tips, rendering lard from the fatty pork, then pan-frying a type of mushroom that was particularly suited for frying…

But he didn’t dare touch these precious ingredients carelessly, so he hadn’t tasted anything along the way and didn’t know if it was any good.

After he finished speaking, Xiang Ye took two kinds of oil-fried mushrooms out from the nearby oven and placed them in front of Ying Li.

Ying Li said, “The soup really does need a bit more salt. And by the way, tasting food while cooking is hardly a big deal. You don’t need to be so cautious.”

After speaking, he used his chopsticks to pick up a piece of the fried mushroom and ate it.

The fried mushroom was also a little under-salted, but incredibly fragrant.

In the past, when Ying Li made this kind of mushroom for himself, he would just boil it in water. It was the first time he realized this mushroom could taste so wonderful when fried!

Xiang Ye had real talent in the kitchen. He’d truly struck gold!

“I’m glad you like it, Mr. Ying,” Xiang Ye said happily, while carefully watching the amount of salt Ying Li was adding to the soup.

He had memorized the amount of salt he’d originally added. Now, by remembering how much more salt Ying Li was putting in, he’d know exactly how much salt to use for soup in the future.

As for tasting the food while cooking… such good food wasn’t something a housekeeper should be eating!

Xiang Ye had eaten four boxes of Nutrient Paste earlier in one go, but six hours had since passed. He was already starving!

However, in the Upper City District, “covering food” generally meant giving someone three boxes of Nutrient Paste per day. He had already eaten his full day’s quota. He wouldn’t be getting any more food for the rest of the day.

The delicious aroma of the food kept drifting into his nose. Xiang Ye swallowed hard, then picked up his cup and took a drink of the water inside.

This cup was one of his very few personal possessions. And the water inside the cup? It was the leftover water from blanching the mushrooms.

Water resources were scarce in the Underground City. The price of water wasn’t cheap for ordinary people—a five-hundred-milliliter bottle of water cost two Credit Points.

In the past, Xiang Ye had never been able to drink water as freely as he wanted.

As for showering… because of the water shortage, people in the Underground City showered very differently compared to before the Great Cataclysm. They used specialized Cleanser along with a minimal amount of water to wash themselves.

Although Ying Li was generous, Xiang Ye was used to conserving water, so he was reluctant to waste a single drop.

Ying Li didn’t notice anything unusual about the water Xiang Ye was drinking.

A Sentinel’s senses were highly acute. But if they kept their senses fully open, constantly absorbing the surrounding environment’s information, they would quickly become exhausted.

On top of that, the overall smell of the Underground City was quite unpleasant.

Because of this, whenever he was back in the Underground City, Ying Li would use his mental power to create a barrier around himself, dialing his sense of smell and hearing down to roughly the level of an ordinary person.

Right now, after trying the dishes Xiang Ye had made, Ying Li took out the six boxes of Nutrient Paste and separated three of them, handing them to Xiang Ye. “I slept for quite a while. You’re probably hungry too, right? Sit down and eat with me. I’ll tell you a few things while we eat.”

“Eat together?” Xiang Ye looked at the Nutrient Paste being offered to him, hardly believing his eyes.

The Nutrient Paste in front of him was twenty Credit Points per box—twice the price of the stuff he normally ate.

Ying Li wasn’t just giving him three boxes all at once, but telling him to eat them together?

“That’s right, eat together,” Ying Li said with a smile. “Sit down and eat.”

Looking at Ying Li’s smile, Xiang Ye felt a bit dazed and didn’t dare reach out to take the three boxes of Nutrient Paste.

Ying Li could guess what Xiang Ye was thinking. He simply opened one box and placed it in front of Xiang Ye. Then, he ladled out a bowl of the soup, generously filled with its solid contents, and put it before him. “Have a taste of your own cooking.”

Xiang Ye opened his mouth, but it was a long moment before he managed to ask, “Why are you so good to me?”

Ying Li considered for a moment before speaking. “I think you might be able to awaken as a Sentinel or a Guide.”

He had originally planned to just brush it off as a random act of kindness, but after some thought, he decided it would be better to be straightforward.

“What?” Xiang Ye froze. He could awaken as a Sentinel or a Guide? How was that possible!

When he was little, he had held onto that desperate hope, but he was already an adult now!

Ying Li explained, “At first, I gave you a few boxes of Nutrient Paste just because I felt sorry for you. But then you ate four boxes in one sitting. An appetite like that isn’t something an ordinary person has. I think you might have the potential to awaken.”

“And what if I can’t awaken?” Xiang Ye asked.

“Then you don’t. It’s not like I’m short on this little bit of food,” Ying Li said with a laugh.

Xiang Ye didn’t know whether Ying Li was telling the truth or not, but he could feel the genuine goodwill radiating from him. “Mr. Ying, if I can ever awaken as a Sentinel, I’m willing to become your Follower!”

In Starlight City, some high-ranking Sentinels had lower-ranking Sentinels serving as their Followers.

So-called Followers were essentially subordinates. They swore loyalty to the person they followed. If a Follower betrayed their master, their credit rating would plummet to the lowest level, and they would never be able to find work again.

Xiang Ye thought that if he really did awaken as a Sentinel, he could become Ying Li’s Follower.

And if he managed to awaken as a Guide… he wanted to become Ying Li’s Guide.

But Ying Li might not be willing. After all, he was so ugly and so weak.

Generally, the earlier a Sentinel or Guide awakened, the stronger they were. And Xiang Ye was already an adult.

He felt that even if he did awaken, he would be very weak.

He didn’t even believe he could awaken as a Guide, so he only mentioned what he would do if he awakened as a Sentinel.

“Alright.” Ying Li agreed.

In any case, Xiang Ye wasn’t going to awaken as a Sentinel; he would awaken as a Guide.

But given Xiang Ye’s situation… if he truly awakened, it would be best for him to keep it hidden, or he might become a target.

An adult awakener becoming a high-rank Guide was simply too conspicuous an event!

Of course, the most important thing right now was eating.

Ying Li had been hungry for a while and started eating in large mouthfuls. Xiang Ye took a deep breath and also began eating the Nutrient Paste in front of him.

But he barely touched the dishes he had cooked himself. He was too embarrassed.

Ying Li didn’t push him much on it. They had only just met; Xiang Ye was still very shy and restrained, so this was perfectly normal.

However, there were some things he needed to tell Xiang Ye. “Xiang Ye, I have some old clothes. I’ll bring them to you later to wear. Also, since I said I’d cover your food, starting tomorrow, I’ll give you nine boxes of mid-Rank Nutrient Paste every day. In addition, you can use the things in the house freely…”

The Nutrient Paste costing twenty Credit Points per box was called mid-Rank Nutrient Paste. It offered very high cost-effectiveness and decent nutrition.

When Ying Li was studying at the Sentinel Academy, the food the academy provided them had been this exact type of Nutrient Paste, along with a mushroom soup.

Occasionally, they even got to eat some food produced in the Ecological Zone.

Hearing Ying Li’s words, Xiang Ye felt as if he were lost in a dream.

In the blink of an eye, he had gone from hell to heaven!

How could there be someone in this world as good as Ying Li!

Looking at Xiang Ye in front of him, Ying Li, however, couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.

He actually had very high defenses and didn’t trust others easily.

The reason he had indulged Wu Nian so much was because Wu Nian had never had any intention of harming him. To put it frankly, their breakup was simply a matter of incompatible values and personalities; they just didn’t suit each other.

What about Xiang Ye? They hadn’t known each other for long, but Xiang Ye already trusted him completely.

No wonder the Shen Family’s Sentinel had been able to deceive him in his last life!

From now on, he would need to keep an eye on Xiang Ye. And also… he absolutely could not let Wu Nian see Xiang Ye.

Wu Nian knew of Xiang Ye. In Wu Nian’s eyes, Xiang Ye was a heinous criminal, a ruthless Wanted Criminal. If Wu Nian saw Xiang Ye here with him, he might cause trouble.

Suddenly struck by his own oversight, Ying Li figured the timing was right since he had already finished explaining the household matters. He said, “Xiang Ye, I have a personal enemy. It’s possible he might be watching me… Try to go out as little as possible from now on. If you absolutely must go out, make sure to wear a mask and don’t let him spot you.”

Xiang Ye nodded seriously.

Ying Li smiled at this. “It’s getting late. Go to bed. I’m going to sleep too.”

Although he had already slept for six hours, he was still a little tired and needed more sleep to fully recover.

Ying Li returned to his room and continued sleeping.

On the other side, Xiang Ye, holding the old clothes Ying Li had given him, also entered his room.

He didn’t mind that these clothes were second-hand. Kids at his orphanage had always worn hand-me-downs.

Regarding the fact that he had a few more pieces of clothing to his name, he felt nothing but pure joy!

And this room, belonging solely to him, sent joy bubbling up from the very bottom of his heart.

At this moment, he was almost afraid to fall asleep, terrified that when he woke up the next day, he would discover this was all just a dream.

But over the past few days, Xiang Ye had been living very harshly. He was just as exhausted as Ying Li, so before long, he, too, fell asleep, and slept incredibly soundly.

Both Ying Li and Xiang Ye slept very well.

On the other side of things, Wu Nian couldn’t sleep.

Ever since his rebirth, he hadn’t had a single good night’s sleep.

Whenever he fell asleep, he would dream of the moments before his death. Those Mutant Beasts were far too terrifying, and he would wake up with a start.

Once awake, he couldn’t fall back asleep.

Tonight was no different. He had barely fallen asleep when he was jolted awake by nightmares.

A surge of hatred towards Ying Li rose in Wu Nian’s heart. After all, if it hadn’t been for Ying Li, he wouldn’t have had to die. He could have escaped with the Yu Family members.

In the moments before his death, he had felt boundless regret.

He should never have agreed to Ying Li’s confession, and he definitely shouldn’t have been with Ying Li.

Ying Li was simply not a qualified partner. He couldn’t give him a good life, couldn’t even give him companionship.

Out of every month, Ying Li spent at least twenty days outside the city. And when he did finally return, he was unwilling to spend time with him.

Just as Yu Mingwei had said, Ying Li didn’t love him. He only saw him as a tool for Mental Combing.

Only Yu Mingwei truly liked him.

What a pity that in their last life, by the time they met, he already had Ying Li as his Guardian.

And back then, he had been so blindly in love, wholeheartedly devoted to Ying Li, which hurt Yu Mingwei’s feelings.

Thankfully, he had been reborn and had rejected Ying Li in time!

In this life, he would be with Yu Mingwei properly.

Wu Nian was confident he would live a very happy life in this lifetime. But at this very moment, he was also a bit anxious.

His money was gone. He was about to run out of food.