Chapter 142: The Water on Shore is Too Deep, I’m Going Back to the Sea
Chapter 142: Chapter 142: The Water on Shore is Too Deep, I’m Going Back to the Sea
Lu Wu noticed the change in Long Zhang’s expression. After waiting so long for a customer, she wasn’t about to let him get away.
She quickly finished up the last of the garnishes and put on a smiling face.
"Sir, your river snail noodles and crab roe burger are ready. Please enjoy, and be careful, it’s hot."
Lu Wu had a strong sense of customer service, and Long Zhang had heard a saying from the Human Clan: you don’t hit a smiling face.
"Your Highness, why don’t you let me do it?"
The Turtle Minister stepped forward, steeled with the resolve of a man marching to his death, ready to help his highness face this terrifying human conspiracy.
’If I eat this stinky stuff, I’m afraid I’ll be returning to the embrace of Mother Ocean.’
"No need. I’ll do it myself."
As a prince, Long Zhang had to set a good example.
For this stall, Lu Wu had also prepared a number of tables and chairs, arranging them around the booth.
Long Zhang chose a spot and sat down.
River snail noodles in one hand, a burger in the other. One smelled fragrant, the other stinky.
Under the assault of two extreme smells, Long Zhang’s head started to feel a little dizzy.
’Oh no, it’s a poison gas attack from the humans!’
’I can’t lose!’
With that thought, Long Zhang picked up his chopsticks, lifted a bundle of rice noodles to his mouth, and his tragic expression moved some of the Sea Clan members to tears.
’SOB SOB, His Highness is doing this all for us.’
’Your Highness, have a safe journey.’
’We’ll miss you.’
Amidst the sincere blessings of the Sea Clan, Long Zhang finally experienced the full-frontal assault of the river snail noodles.
He froze.
The remaining noodles on his chopsticks slid back into the bowl with a PLOP, splashing broth onto Long Zhang’s handsome face.
He looked a little foolish.
"Oh no, something’s happened to His Highness!"
"Doctor Shark, quickly, take a look at His Highness!"
The Turtle Minister shouted anxiously. A shark-like member of the Sea Clan stepped out from the crowd, grabbed Long Zhang’s wrist, and began his diagnosis.
After taking his pulse, Doctor Shark was shocked.
He detected that His Highness’s heart was beating very fast, and his blood was flowing rapidly. All of this indicated that His Highness... had absolutely nothing wrong with him.
Poison? None.
Drugs? Also none.
His Highness’s system was clean. In fact, his body’s reaction told him that His Highness was in a very good mood.
"Ahem, I’m fine."
Long Zhang had snapped out of it.
Having never eaten human delicacies before, and starting with a heavily flavored dish like river snail noodles, the impact on the inexperienced Long Zhang was truly immense.
Sour, spicy, and slippery.
A flavor he had never before experienced swelled in his mouth. It was complex but not chaotic; instead, the flavors blended perfectly, whetting his appetite.
He had just been lost in the flavor of the river snail noodles, a little dazed.
Long Zhang couldn’t resist and took another bite.
His grip on the chopsticks wasn’t perfect, and noodles flicked up, hitting his face, but Long Zhang didn’t care.
He bit into a fried egg.
The fried egg’s originally crispy exterior had been softened by the broth, stained a brilliant red from the soup.
It was soft and flavorful.
’It’s just a little spicy. For a member of the Sea Clan who’s just come ashore, I’ll need more practice to get used to it,’ Long Zhang mused, rubbing his eyes, which were red from the spice.
"Your Highness, you don’t have to do this."
The Turtle Minister, unaware of the truth, watched with tears in his eyes.
’My prince was born to be a proud son of heaven, so why must he be so humbled?’
’It’s all because of the humans.’
’Humans, I’ll make you...’
Before the Turtle Minister’s killing intent could even rise, he saw his prince pick up the crab roe burger.
Long Zhang was thinking, ’If the stinky river snail noodles taste this good, then what kind of flavor will this delicious-looking crab roe burger have?’
Long Zhang’s question was soon answered.
He bit off a piece of the bun, which was slightly crispy on the outside and soft within, and his teeth met the patty below.
Beneath the rich, creamy aroma of the cheese, the juices of the meat patty were squeezed out, dancing lightly in his mouth.
Long Zhang was very familiar with the savory-saltiness of the crab roe; it was the taste of the sea. The ginger and garlic were ground so finely they were almost unnoticeable in the roe, yet they perfectly eliminated any trace of fishiness.
The grains of crab roe pressed against his tongue before sliding smoothly down his throat as he swallowed.
The crisp sweetness of the tomato balanced the richness of the meat.
Savory and rich, with a varied texture.
This was Long Zhang’s most direct experience of the crab roe burger.
"Wooooo..."
Long Zhang was once again blown away.
He shoved the crab roe burger into his mouth, chewing with big bites, his eyes welling up with hot tears.
"Your Highness, stop eating! That’s enough, enough!"
The Turtle Minister was also shedding tears in the wind, his heart aching at the prince’s sacrifice.
’Our prince, so wise and mighty, is making such a great sacrifice just so the humans won’t look down on us.’
’Look, His Highness is crying from eating it.’
’It must taste so awful.’
The pain.
It’s heart-wrenching!
"Your Highness, this old servant..."
The Turtle Minister, who had watched Long Zhang grow up, couldn’t bear to see him suffer any longer. He wanted to persuade him to give up on this mission.
’At worst, we of the Sea Clan will just stay at the bottom of the sea from now on and never interact with the outside world again.’
’For the owner of a small stall to go to such lengths... the humans truly are terrifying.’
’The waters on shore run too deep. I want to go back to the ocean.’
The Turtle Minister hadn’t even had a chance to voice his thoughts when a small corner of the crab roe burger was shoved into his mouth.
The truth was, Long Zhang felt the Turtle Minister’s funereal expression was ruining his meal.
With his mouth full, the Turtle Minister couldn’t speak.
His tongue was pinned down. The small piece of bread felt incredibly heavy. The Turtle Minister finally squeezed his eyes shut.
He closed his mouth, preparing to share in his highness’s suffering.
’Your Highness, this old servant is here to join you.’
’On the road to the underworld, we shall continue our bond.’
The two of them, a picture of tragic heroism.
But to the people of Yuanhai City watching from a distance, this scene inspired a completely different feeling.
"Boss Lu is a total badass."
"Facing the Sea Clan all alone and easily suppressing them... Boss Lu is truly a divine being."
"Look, they’re crying! I never knew Boss Lu’s food could be used like that."
A chorus of admiration rose from the crowd.
They had planned to observe the Sea Clan’s reaction before deciding on a response, but who knew that after coming ashore, the Sea Clan would head straight for Boss Lu’s stall.
Just as they were starting to worry, they saw Boss Lu bully the Sea Clan to tears.
If word of this battle record got out, who wouldn’t call it legendary?
"Wait, something’s happening! Everyone, look!"
The sharp-eyed Qin Zhan noticed the Turtle Minister angrily striding toward Lu Wu.
"Oh no, they’re going to make a move! We have to go protect Boss Lu!"
"Protect Boss Lu! Charge!"
"Brothers, it’s time to prove ourselves! Boss Lu, we’re coming!"
Dan Ji hadn’t even given the order, but her cannon fodder was already leading the charge.
WHOOSH.
Only Dan Ji was left standing on the cliff, her eye twitching.
’Why do I get the feeling that Boss Lu has more authority than me, the Lord City Lord?’
"You get used to it."
Cang He Guang emerged from the shadows and patted Dan Ji’s shoulder.
This same scene had played out long ago in Hong’an City.
Boss Lu’s charm is irresistible.
"I’m heading out first."
After offering a single, insincere word of comfort, Cang He Guang also followed the group.
’Are you kidding me? At a time like this, how could he—Boss Lu’s second-strongest guardian and number-four tool—possibly be absent?’