NOVEL NEXT Chapter 66 Soup
Chapter 66 Soup
Raze certainly wanted to join the special event that would happen soon.
The idea of meeting other survivors from the same region intrigued her a lot. Furthermore, they would be able to see each other's set of equipment!
In that gathering, they would all know which Survivor had high-tier weapons and equipment! It would be an indicator of the real rankers in this Zombie Apocalypse!
She couldn't help but wait to see those high-level Survivors. She was curious whether they would have Tier 4 or Tier 5 set already…
Anyway, at this time, Raze still had to collect more Zombie Cores.
She was sure that the auction would use Zombie Cores as a type of currency. There was also a chance of it being Zombie Blood, but the chances are too low…
With this in mind, she had to work harder and find more Zombies to loot!
Rooarrr!
Roan, meanwhile, was busing using its claws and jaws to bite and tear through the zombies that they had attracted. This baby Dragon was small but fierce!
It also started breathing a weak fire trail, but it was certainly enough to burn the zombies. Well, it wasn't sufficient to burn them to ashes, but it could stop the zombies from their advancement. Then, after the baby dragon weakened the zombies with its fire breath, it started moving with agility and grace as its dragon nature showed through.
Rooaar!
Together, Raze and Roan fought with courage and confidence and defeated the low-tier zombies. They left behind a trail of corpses and flames, a testament to their current strength. At this time, Raze and Roan were no longer weaklings who needed to hide from the zombies in the sewers. Currently, they have gained control over a few areas in the sewers, and it has become their excellent source of Zombie Cores.
After looting all the zombies, Raze looted them one by one, and luckily enough, she was able to get a Zombie Core in one out of three Zombies.
"So this is the three points in Luck working, huh…" Raze muttered as she felt that her luck had truly increased this time. Anyway, Raze gained more experience and loot with her visit to the Secret Chamber.
She had also learned some secrets or bits of information about the start of the Zombie Outbreak, including the involvement of the World Government.
She couldn't help but feel that she was on the right track to ensuring her place in the Top 1,000 Survivors.
'I should start looking for more information about the origin of the Zombie Virus…' Raze thought as she was already aware of the benefits she could get.
After all, she had just obtained a title and various items in the secret chamber! If there were other secret chambers around the world, then she must do her best to find them!
Lastly, she couldn't share this with anyone in the Chat!
"Kyuuu?" Roan then tilted its head while looking at Raze curiously…
"I think it's time to leave the sewers, Roan…" Raze softly said as she decided to finally go out of her comfort zone… She believed that staying here any longer would no longer benefit her.
***
Springriver Manor.
After Shane's time was spent delving into the chamber's secrets, he felt the need to step outside, to clear his mind with the crisp air of the outdoors. 'Now… What should I do with the ten ampules? Is it fine to use them for the next intruders?' Shane mused as he couldn't help but hesitate a bit on this idea.
'I guess if they deserve it, I wouldn't feel too guilty using it…' He mused. After some time, while he was patrolling the estate, he finally saw Gene and Anna returning from their foraging trip, their arms laden with various natural finds from the forest behind the manor.
'Ohhh… They really succeeded, huh…' Shane nodded, feeling satisfied with their trip. It was great that Anna had Level 10 Herbalism Skill!
As Shane approached them, he was able to see that the two had signs of a skirmish with zombies. There was no doubt about it after seeing some scratches and bite marks on Gene's armor.
Nonetheless, Gene and Anna were thankfully unscathed, albeit visibly fatigued from their excursion.
'Some rest should do it…'
Shane's interest was then immediately drawn to the botanical bounty they had collected, particularly the mushrooms that seemed to be a staple in their current diet.
Of course, there were also some mystical herbs that caught Shane's attention as Anna and Gene took out all the herbs they had gathered and placed them on the table inside the church.
"What are these unusual-looking herbs?" Shane's curiosity was piqued after seeing all of them. Particularly, the Ghost Fern, Red Root, Blue Sage, and Nightshade Plants were unlike anything found on Earth, they were surely unique to the Fiend Continent's rich and mysterious flora.
Once again, Anna emphasized the Ghost Fern as a plant known for its ability to conceal one's presence once consumed and its value for stealthy maneuvers.
"The Red Root, on the other hand, is a powerful herb we can use to increase stamina and energy… I can make tonics with these roots. You can look forward to that." She explained with a hint of eagerness in her voice before turning to the next one.
"This is probably the most important herb we got for today. This Blue Sage is known for its healing properties and ability to soothe pain… I can make some pain relievers and medicines with this!" Anna explained enthusiastically.
Shane nodded in agreement as he also felt quite excited. These medicines she'd make would be helpful for them!
Then Anna explained that the Nightshade Plant could then be used to create poisons or even antidotes with the right ingredients.
After introducing the unusual herbs and plants, Anna finally continued with the most important part, some edible food they could use to replace their bread!
"These are Brown Cap mushrooms…" Anna explained, holding up one of the earthy fungi. "They're quite common around the part where we started looking for herbs, and they're a good source of protein."
"Let me just clean myself a bit, and I'll cook for everyone. Right, I don't have Cooking Skills, so you can't expect too much from me. I might also fail during the process." Anna said.
"It's fine… I'll go ahead and prepare all the things you need for cooking…" Shane said as he prepared the fire, pots, knives, and various things like ladles, spoons, bowls, and others.
After some time, Anna returned and was ready to cook for them! Well, she was the only one with a decent experience when it came to cooking, so she had no choice but to take the job. Shane then watched as Anna began the methodical process of preparing their meal. She carefully selected a handful of the Brown Cap mushrooms, cleaning them with a cloth before slicing them into even pieces. The wooden utensils they had crafted were laid out neatly beside a pot, which she placed over a small fire that Shane had started.
"Hu~ I'm getting a bit nervous. It's been a while since I've cooked." Anna muttered to herself, but Shane could only encourage her.
The flames licked at the sides of the pot as Anna added water from their supply. Once it reached a gentle boil, she added the mushrooms, along with a few sprigs of wild thyme and some coltsfoot leaves, which Anna explained would be their replacement for salt.
As the soup simmered, the simple yet savory aroma wafted through the air, drawing the group closer. Anna stirred the pot with a wooden spoon, the contents bubbling softly. She then prepared the wooden bowls, each one bearing unique grain patterns and a testament to the resourcefulness of their little community.
'What a strange feeling… Just a simple soup meal felt really great.' Shane thought for a moment. Although he hadn't tasted the soup yet, he couldn't help but smile as this was some sort of achievement for them.
Of course, they already tasted some hot noodles since they appeared in the Survivor Store from time to time. The bread would also taste better when it was eaten with the noodles.
However, the one they would be eating now was completely different. It was food that they made from the resources they found here!
Shane couldn't help but think that this was the start of their journey into being self-sufficient!
Perhaps, one day, they would no longer require the help of the Survivor Store to get some good food!
"Here…"
As the soup was ready, Anna served it, the steam rising invitingly from each bowl. Everyone in the estate gathered around the makeshift table, a moment of normalcy amidst the chaos of their world. It didn't feel like there were zombies lurking somewhere around at all.
The soup was hearty and warming, each spoonful a reminder of the comforts of home… at least, this was what Anna had felt.
The group then enjoyed their meal with some light conversation. Thankfully, the mood was lifted by the simple pleasure of a well-cooked soup.