Chapter 8: It Smells Really Good
The appearance of the earth vein crystal temporarily gave Lu Cheng a target.
Unfortunately, no other earth vein crystals were found inside this church.
The investigation didn’t take long, and Lu Cheng chose to return to the building’s hall to have lunch.
During this time, Lu Cheng began sorting the materials he found in the church.
“What’s this?”
Lu Cheng held a crimson crystal and asked Noyes.
This crimson crystal was found in the church’s study.
Under Noyes’ guidance, Lu Cheng had searched every well-preserved room in the building, taking useful books and some unusual items.
‘Fire Stone,’ Noyes wrote repeatedly in her notebook with a water-based pen. ‘By injecting magical power, it can produce flames. A very precious earth vein crystal derivative.’
“A magical version of a flint stone? Though it’s a bit different.”
Lu Cheng didn’t dwell on it, simply packing it into an evidence bag, noting its use, and preparing to send it back to Earth via the portal.
Now, Lu Cheng’s task was to collect more magical items from this world; research would be handled by the Earth base.
Lu Cheng placed this crystal and other packaged magical items together.
Among these magical items were a withered arm, a jar containing an eyeball, and a branch with a crystal embedded in it. Lu Cheng guessed that this might be a staff.
As for the first two items, which looked like human specimens preserved in formaldehyde from a biology classroom, Lu Cheng didn’t want to ask about their purpose.
Just as Lu Cheng finished sorting the scattered magical items, Kite couldn’t help but sit next to him.
“Captain, I keep feeling that she’s staring at me,” Kite said softly to Lu Cheng.
“Is she staring at the can in your hand?”
Lu Cheng glanced at Kite, who was enjoying his dinner, a can of beef.
Noyes had obviously caught the aroma of the can and was intently eyeing the beef can in Kite’s hand, barely able to resist.
However, the girl’s self-control was beyond Lu Cheng’s expectations; despite being hungry for days, she managed to resist the temptation of food, which wasn’t something ordinary people could do.
“Captain, can’t we give her a can? She looks quite pitiful.”
Kite moved the can of beef up and down, and sure enough, Noyes’ little head followed the can’s movement.
“The poster said her body is too weak, and she needs to drink porridge to soothe her stomach first.”
Lu Cheng glanced at the distance where the poster and Iron Ring were checking the health of the natives in the hall.
The idea of helping these natives came from the poster, with Iron Ring as the guard to prevent any harm to the poster during the treatment.
“Porridge?”
Kite looked around.
This place had turned completely into a heap of ruins. Kite was sitting on wood scraps to have dinner; there wasn’t even a usable pot, let alone porridge… In such a desperate environment, having anything to eat was already a blessing, let alone worrying about health.
But… this was only the case for the natives.
“It’s about time.”
Lu Cheng glanced at his watch and then opened a portal to the Earth research base with his left hand.
Lu Cheng then sequentially sent the crimson crystal, the withered arm, the jar with the eyeball, the staff, and several books from this world through the portal.
‘Is this offering a tribute to the God of Technology?’
Noyes wrote this small segment in her notebook as she watched the scene.
The reason she was staring at Kite eating the beef can was because Lu Cheng had previously told her that “better food will come after a while.”
Noyes thought that this place had been completely destroyed by the blood crystal beasts for some time, and finding any food was impossible.
So, she could only hope for the blessing of the so-called God of Technology.
“Uh, actually, this portal is…”
As Lu Cheng was about to explain to Noyes that the glowing circular ring was a portal and not a divine miracle, a bowl of aromatic preserved egg and lean meat congee slowly appeared through the glowing ring, along with a large bag of fresh meat buns.
At this moment, Noyes’ eyes lit up completely, and in her view, this must be the blessing given by the God of Technology after offering the tribute.
“There’s really hot congee? And preserved egg and lean meat congee… and fresh meat buns!” Kite couldn’t believe he could eat hot food on the battlefield.
“Stop marveling; it’s not for you.”
Lu Cheng took the container of preserved egg and lean meat congee and the bag of fresh meat buns. The container was a three-tiered one: the first layer had preserved egg and lean meat congee, the second layer had four white steamed buns, and the third layer had some sliced apples.
This container of congee was for Noyes, and the fresh meat buns were humanitarian food for the seven refugees.
The fresh meat buns numbered twenty-eight, and the energy required for the portal was not too much.
After writing a note about Noyes’ condition and sending it to the research base, everyone unanimously decided to let Lu Cheng take good care of the girl.
“Eat up; the congee is no longer hot. Do you know how to use a spoon?”
Lu Cheng handed the container and utensils to Noyes.
‘God of Technology’s blessing?’
Noyes seemed to seriously believe that the deity Lu Cheng mentioned was real.
“You… can think of it that way.”
It was difficult for Lu Cheng to explain anything further to Noyes at this point, and in such a desperate situation, people need some spiritual support to persevere.
After receiving Lu Cheng’s affirmation, Noyes suddenly raised her thumbs up and placed them in front of her ears… This gesture looked a bit like a bunny’s cute pose.
But Lu Cheng was sure that the girl was praying.
The gesture of praying to gods in this world… was quite odd.
After praying to the God of Technology, Noyes carefully picked up the container of preserved egg and lean meat congee.
She knew how to use a spoon; Lu Cheng had found a similar tool in the church, though it was wooden.
Noyes tasted a spoonful of preserved egg and lean meat congee, and once again, a look of delight appeared on her face.
At that moment, Lu Cheng felt like he saw this girl’s life experience updating, from experiencing the “best food in the world” which was previously white rabbit candy to preserved egg and lean meat congee in the blink of an eye.
“Captain, can I swap with her?”
Kite glanced at the steaming bowl of preserved egg and lean meat congee and then at his own can, whispering to Lu Cheng.
“Do you have any complaints about our ration?”
Lu Cheng looked at Kite.
“Report, Captain! None!”
Kite stood up and shouted this.
“Good.”
Lu Cheng opened a can himself, preparing to finish his dinner.
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