Although there was a little incident, it didn't cause much delay in my cooking process. Soon, I removed the heads of the woodworms, cleaned them, and Li Lin had boiled the water. I dumped all those worms into the helmet pot and started boiling them. During the process, I focused on observing the heat, making sure they were cooked but not overcooked.
In the end, I scooped out those golden and crispy worm strips, poured out the water from the pot, and then took out the bamboo tube oil we stored. This oil was refined from some fatty meat, not ideal for frying, but it was the best we could do. As for vegetable oil, it was impossible to obtain.
Soon, golden-fried worm strips were ready. The texture was somewhat like crab sticks, tender but without the fishy smell. The taste was surprisingly good! In such cold weather, taking a bite of hot, delicious, and high-protein food was truly an indescribable enjoyment.
Black Spice Girl, who was initially hesitant, brightened up after tasting a bite and eagerly joined the feast. She looked at me with newfound respect, giving me a thumbs up.
"When I was with that scoundrel Du Feng before, although we didn't lack food, their cooking skills were truly speechless. It was like eating crap every day. The current days are like heaven!" Black Spice Girl took the opportunity to flatter me.
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However, her words gained agreement from the other girls. Our culinary skills were indeed satisfying. Li Lin and I each had our specialties, taking turns to produce many delicacies. Everyone sat around the bonfire, chatting and laughing, creating a harmonious atmosphere. Unconsciously, we seemed to forget about the raging snowstorm outside the cave.
This day, due to the abundant harvest, we didn't notice the impending crisis. Everyone was in high spirits, as if on vacation on this deserted island. After dinner, although the temperature dropped sharply, we didn't immediately go to sleep. The current insulation measures were not enough to deal with the severe cold, so we came up with a new plan.
In the afternoon, I gathered many stones and placed them in several bonfires to heat. After the stones were heated, we dug them out, laid them on the ground, and then covered them with mud. Finally, we covered them with dry straw and animal skins. This way, the heated stones could act as electric blankets, keeping us warm throughout the night.
When lying outdoors, most of the body heat dissipates to the ground. Without proper insulation, there could be a risk to life. With the heated stones, our nights became much more comfortable. On a bitterly cold night, having such a warm bed made everyone fall asleep contentedly. In the darkness, I heard their steady breathing, and my heart suddenly raced.