Chapter 494: [ Allen's Disappearance ]
“Well, I had spent a long time alone—if I don’t know how to cook myself, I would starve a long time ago. No options left, I forced myself to learn things by myself…” Allen shrugged and answer half-heartedly. "Everything~"
“Just how old are you, exactly…?” Si Mulan suddenly asked the question that was bugging her all this time. “You look like you’re not older than me, though…”
"... ..."
“I’m not good at inspecting bone age so, I’m really curious…”
“Don’t you know that it’s a taboo to talk about age? You’re really rude…” Allen grinned.
“Don’t talk as if you’re a woman! That’s kinda disgusting!”
“Ha ha ha, well, physically, my age is indeed less than 20-I’m probably 18, 19 something, I had already forgotten. Not that I’m interested in remembering it~”
“18? Are you joking…? How is it possible to acquire that kind of power…? Are all people from the God Clans that strong…?” Si Mulan frowned. Was the difference that big...?
“Who knows… I guess I’m just special~” As he talks, Allen stabbed the dagger into the beast’s belly. His movements soft and precise while making sure to be extremely careful not to cut too deep as he carved open the beast’s stomach.
This was done in order to extract its organs.
Allen’s movements seemed nonchalant and carefree but he was actually quite careful as to not cut the large intestines, gall, and bladder which had a horrible stench. If the stench from these organs got onto the meat, it would render the bloodletting he had done a while ago meaningless.
After a few moments, he finally managed to extract all the organs inside the beast’s body.
As bloodletting was done and the organs were extracted, the next step would, of course—skinning. For Allen, it wasn’t that difficult and managed to easily do it for only a couple of minutes. Then, he sliced a piece of meat and started his bout of cooking.
Withdrawing several varieties of spices from the storage ring, Allen started chopping them. The moment Si Mulan saw the Storage Rings on Allen’s fingers, she couldn’t help but show jealousy on her expression.
Storage rings are much better than Storage Pouches… they are easy to bring and quite fashionable…
She once asked Allen to give her one of the two rings in exchange for anything he wanted but sadly, Allen didn’t agree, saying it came from a precious friend, he wasn’t in the position to give it away or trade it…
After a series of rejection, she could only give up.
However, she still couldn’t help but feel envious of it.
As Allen started his cooking session, all kinds of equipment appeared from the storage ring and were then brought out in front of him: smokeless cooking pots, stainless steel knives, cutting boards, exhaust hood, and many more...
Up until now, due to his injury, Allen felt as if he had returned to his previous life where he would not think of anything else and instead, let time passed by leisurely—cooking, playing, sleeping and other simple works, helping him somewhat relax and calm down from the blood-colored world of his, like some sort of a vacation.
The Dashing Long-tongue Boar has strong and muscular thighs that taste terrible. However, the meat around the area of its spine is not only fresh and tender but is filled with spiritual energy as well.
From Allen’s inspection, the quality of its meat was quite excellent.
“Well then, it’s decided,” At this moment, finishing his inspection, Allen finally decided to what kind of dish he will be making. Since he would be using its spine, Allen planned on making a Sweet ’n’ Sour Ribs for tonight’s dinner.
He took out some of the main ingredients needed to cook the Sweet 'n' Sour Ribs from his Storage Rings: spices, vegetables and such, some starch, and the sauce used for seasoning. Of course, it wasn’t him who had prepared it beforehand—he didn’t have such Godly insight to expect that he would become a cooking chef one day.
It was the things that had been stored in the summoning grimoire and was then moved into the Storage Rings as a play pretends for the Storage rings. Although he didn’t say anything about it, people back on earth would never forget about constantly storing any kind of food, cooked or raw ingredients. Thus, he would only need to inspect it and take it out…
Si Mulan was dumbfounded as she watched Allen take out the assorted items. She was at a loss on how to react.
At this point, Si Mulan started to be confused, was Allen an adventurer—or was he a traveling chef?
Furthermore, it seemed like he came here for a vacation...
What kind of an adventurer would fill his storage rings with seasonings, fruits, and vegetables instead of healing medicine and elixirs?
Si Mulan was really at a loss…
Allen placed the prime ribs on the chopping board. As he waved his hand, mana surge through his body and in an instant, a kitchen knife materializes—glimmering with sharpness, twirling in his hand. After twirling the knife in his hands a few times, Allen rapidly smacked the prime ribs with the back of the kitchen knife.
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The meat was easier to chop once he loosened the meat by smacking it. As the kitchen knife firmly chopped into the prime ribs, only an afterimage could be seen. This was all done without a problem and Allen’s movements even appeared dramatic~
Once he chopped the prime ribs, that were filled with spiritual energy, into pieces, he placed them into the starch paste that had just been prepared and ensured that each piece was coated.
Filling half of the wok with oil, he waited until the hot air rising up was hot enough to scald his hand and placed each piece of meat into the wok.
Pssst!
As the pieces of meat rolled within the oil, a fragrance was drifting out.
As Allen was leisurely moving his skillful hands on the chopping board, Si Mulan felt bored from lack of any action. Thus, took out some of her monster energy crystal or monster cores. Then, with her own cultivation method, she began to rotate the Houtian Qi in her dantian and began to slowly absorb the energy from the crystal core in her hand.
As she practiced the circulation and absorption according to her Cultivation Method, immediately, a majestic boundless energy began to bubble forth from the crystal core in her hands and continuously passed through her meridians under the guidance of her consciousness.
Allen busied himself in cooking while Si Mulan continued to absorb spiritual energy from the crystal cores throughout the span of time.
First core, second, third, fourth, fifth…..until the twelve crystal core, only after consecutively absorbing all the crystal cores she had did she wake up from her state of cultivation.
… As they passed their time like this, three weeks had passed since the start of the Disciple Examination…
*** ***
In the mortal world...
"What? Do you have to leave the country again? For how long?"
Surprisingly enough, Mia didn’t seem too shocked by the news of Layla disappearing again. Perhaps she was used to it.
At least this time, Layla told her her plan and didn’t just disappear on her without any warning. The last time, Mia had been so afraid that she almost called the entire force thinking she got into an accident.
"Hmm, I had heard about the ruins in the UA from mom. I’ll be back in a week."
"Layla, I know you are worried about Allen but, you should just believe in him. Nothing would come out in doing something as reckless as challenging ruins—who knows what is inside…!” Mia sighed resignedly.
He will be back...
Mia still firmly believed that.
“I know,” Layla smiled bitterly. “…still, I need to do this to ease my mind.”
Mia looked at her—how could she not know what she was feeling?
She was also feeling the same. The sudden disappearance of every clone of Allen in this world had caused the woman’s heart to be torn apart in anxiousness and worry.
However, she wasn’t an inexperienced woman who will panic in every sudden strange event.
She believed in her feelings that Allen is surely alright—her man would never succumb to anything.
Call it a woman’s intuition but as a veteran warrior who had lived through many turbulent times in a despairing world, she believed in her intuition!
But just what could happen…?
Agathi had told her that Allen was calling her and disappeared.
However, even now, she was still yet to return. The worrying thing was that every clone of Allen had apparently disappeared into thin air after a day of her departure…
When this happened, all of the people including Mia panicked. Allen's disappearance caused not a small disturbance in the entire world--for example, a certain kingdom had apparently declared a martial law and almost caused a war, thinking that Allen's clone was attacked.
Mia and the entire Bianchi family called out their entire force and ordered to search through every corner of the world in search of information as to what had happened...
Fortunately, apart from Agathi, there were still several Tamed Beasts Allen had left in this world. The Arachne; Raya Idoria the new leader of the Black Widow Tribe and twin Fox sisters in China. According to them, they can still feel the connection with him, but probably due to world apart, it was a bit faint and weak—still, this was a good a sign—Allen was alive and nothing bad should have happened to him!
Truthfully, they were the last resort Allen had made if something were to happened to him and the clones would disappear in the mortal world. They would be his connection to the world--though it wasn't as convenient as his clones, after all, they would just be used as a reassurance that he was still alive. They can't call out the Grimoire or talk to him and can only confirm that he was still living through their connection...
Still, Allen never hopes that it would really happen...
In additional information, the day when all the clones simultaneously vanished, all of them said that they felt a gloomy and painful sensation—in other words, something must have happened to him that day.
Mia was full of anxiety but she couldn’t show it on the outside as she knows that she wasn’t the only one. She can’t show weakness, especially in this kind of time!
In the US—one of the few countries that had managed to react fast and miraculously holds its stance from the changing world—the Villaflores Family which had created a large influence there using the Bianchi Family’s connection, fortified their rising status. However, only one night the entire family shook and was filled with gloom—the infamous young master of the family was missing!
Aemie Villaflores forget about everything and hurriedly went towards Italica to acquire information as to why Allen’s clone had suddenly disappeared. Her face pale and was filled with undisguised panic and anxiety, fearing the worst had happened!
Not just in US or Italica, several parts of the world was shaken to its core as the Bianchi Family and other people were flipping the world upside down to find a clue!
It has almost been a week since Allen’s clones’ disappearance and this caused almost all of the people to panic…!
The world that had managed yet to recover from the Lich King and the resurrected Vampire Lord’s terror was once again been disturbed by several groups and forces.
… And the only clue they had thought was—The Ruins…!!
The Dungeons and Labyrinths!
Thus, most forces affiliated with the Bianchi Family was busy, no desperately trying to conquer Ruins, Dungeons, and Labyrinths, one after another just to find some clue related to the Celestial Realm. And one of them was...Layla.
Layla sighed, as she grasped Mia’s hands. Her pale hands slightly trembling. “I believe in my brother, that no matter what happens, he would be alive and come back—but, even if this was the case, a part of me can still not feel unconcern…!”
“… …”
“I need to do something, that’s what my mind was telling me… that’s what my heart dictates! If I need to go and chase him to this Celestial Realm then—I would do it even if plunged into hell!” Layla stated with firm conviction. Her eyes moist and tears started rolling down her cheeks.