CHAPTER 515: CHAPTER 506: GREAT LEADER 24

Shuangshuang’s eyes lit up as she ate; it was absolutely delicious! This stuff was even spicier than chili and packed a punch, though it was a bit too hot!

Shuangshuang chewed on the meat jerky with a face flushed red from the spiciness, her tongue tingling with heat. She had been careful, having seen the warning about how spicy it was, but she still underestimated its heat.

However, the spice was thrilling and very fragrant. It seemed to enhance the flavor of the jerky, making it even more delicious. Just imagining brushing some of this on roasted meat and grilling the flavor into it was mouthwatering!

Good things are meant to be shared, and since it was rare to come across such a good seasoning, Shuangshuang wanted everyone to have a taste.

Since catching fish didn’t require her help, Shuangshuang rummaged through her pocket for meat jerky, preparing enough for everyone, with a bit of chili bean juice smeared on each piece. She had just named the plant chili beans.

She couldn’t help but think about how she had just scoffed at the primitive naming methods and then abruptly plagiarized Earth’s chili, feeling less guilty knowing no one here knew what chili was.

After she had smeared chili bean juice on all the meat jerky, the Hunting Team had already filled their backpacks with piranhas in that short time. The piranhas’ sharp teeth were quite frightening to look at, so the hunters had knocked them out with sticks before putting them in their backpacks to avoid being bitten.

Shuangshuang handed out one piece of meat jerky to each person, saying that she had found a delicious seasoning and asking them to try it. Since she often mentioned seasoning, the Hunting Team knew what Shuangshuang meant by that.

The result was that the Hunting Team, trusting Shuangshuang, popped the jerky right into their mouths, and soon enough, she witnessed a group of red-faced Guan Gongs sprouting before her!

Watching the crowd’s faces turn beet red with spice, Shuangshuang couldn’t help but chuckle from the side. She admitted that she hadn’t warned everyone on purpose, with a hint of mischief in mind.

To Shuangshuang’s surprise, she thought there would be people who wouldn’t like spicy food, but it turned out that even though the hunters were spinning in circles from the heat, they swallowed the jerky with their eyes shining in admiration.

Among the team, a female hunter, Feicao, showed a particular fondness for the taste of chili beans. Though usually very strong in combat, she was shy and rarely spoke. Feicao took the initiative to approach Shuangshuang.

With bright eyes and her face still rosy after the heat faded, she asked Shuangshuang, "Shuangshuang, what did you put on the meat jerky? It’s delicious!"

Shuangshuang opened her palm to reveal a string of purple chili beans, smiling at Feicao’s sparkling eyes. "This is a type of edible seasoning I just found, called chili beans. They’re extremely spicy. I only brushed a little juice on the jerky, and it was this hot!"

The tribe didn’t really understand spiciness, thinking of it as a fiery taste. Ben, nearby, remarked, "It is very fiery, and it warms you up after eating. Eating this in winter could improve cold resistance. Shuangshuang, where did you find these chili beans? Go gather more."

Ben, as the chief, bore the responsibility for the entire tribe, thinking first about the benefits of the chili beans rather than just their taste. Chilis do have the property of warming the body, so a hot, spicy soup in winter would be perfect for warding off the cold.

There were quite a few chili beans, and they were easy to recognize. Everyone bent down, poking around the grass to pick a bunch, wrapping the chili beans in large leaves. Once dried, they could be stored long-term, easily ground into powder for use when needed.

With plenty of piranhas caught, the group ended the hunt early, each picking several large packets of chili beans, almost clearing out the nearby area before stopping.

Thanks to Shuangshuang’s concern about finding edible plants and not being able to bring them back, the Hunting Team got into the habit of always carrying baskets. Otherwise, so many piranhas and chili beans would have been difficult to carry back.

Since Shuangshuang joined the Hunting Team, they’ve been returning with full loads every few days. Those staying behind were accustomed to seeing the Hunting Team return early. This time was no different; upon seeing them return, everyone except those going to notify Witch Doctor Yu came out to greet them.

Seeing the loads of piranhas everyone had weighing down their baskets, shocked expressions appeared. Fish were a rare treat in the tribe, and the chance to eat the good quality meat of piranhas even rarer.

With everyone gathering around in curiosity, they helped the Hunting Team count the piranhas in their baskets, puzzling over how they caught such fiercely strong Biting Fish.

The members of the Hunting Team animatedly recounted their fishing experience, eyes shining as the others listened. Meanwhile, Shuangshuang and the suddenly enthusiastic female hunter, Feicao, prepared fish for dinner.

Because piranhas were relatively easy to catch, Shuangshuang decided to let everyone have their fill that evening. Despite having some reserves and the White Stone Fruit Forest as a granary, the fruits were maturing slowly, and the tribe mostly relied on prey from before the hot season.

A hearty meal wasn’t a rarity anymore, but eating meat until full was still a luxury. Being able to feast on roasted fish was exciting, and the tribe’s two children hovered around Shuangshuang and Feicao, watching greedily as they handled the fish.

They cleaned fish, removing scales, gills, and viscera, then skewered them on branches. Flaming Grass, ground chili beans, and salt were spread on the fish to marinate them. They used charcoal collected from daily firewood to roast them slowly. The unique spicy aroma filled the cavern, making everyone’s mouths water.

Feicao was usually quiet and didn’t say much, almost invisible at times. Shuangshuang had somewhat overlooked this fellow female Hunting Team member.