Chapter 1007 - 26: Lunch

Everyone quickly smelled the aroma of meat upon returning to the camp.

Fred and Roland, the two with the highest energy expenditure, quickly gathered around the earthen stove, watching the roast rabbit with stars in their eyes.

Roland was okay, but Fred couldn’t stop drooling at the rabbit meat.

He was really hungry!

Gaston sat next to him, smiling as he asked Adam about the day’s harvest.

Hua Yun finished cutting a piece of meat and sat beside Chen Wen, demurely, but she was also eyeing the roast rabbit.

Seeing everyone gathered around, Chen Wen chuckled and said, "No rush, no rush, there’s enough for everyone!"

"Today’s lunch: Salt-roasted rabbit, each person will get half, and there’s also boiled bear meat, each person should get about 500 grams without any issues."

After a pause, Chen Wen continued, "The broth from the bear meat can actually be drunk, although it might not taste great. Of course, I skimmed the blood scum before cooking it. Those interested in trying can give it a shot, and there’s also pine needle water here."

Two dishes and two soups, no staple food.

Normally, to this group of fairly affluent people, that would be considered quite average.

But out in the wilderness, this level of food and style instantly elevates.

Gaston couldn’t help but complain: "Holy crab! When I’m surviving on my own, I’ve never eaten more than two dishes at a meal!"

Upon hearing that, Chen Wen laughed and said, "In our team, don’t mention just two dishes, when resources are abundant, three or four dishes in a meal are basic!"

Gaston was drooling at the thought.

The roast rabbit was almost ready.

Chen Wen split each rabbit in half, giving each person a portion, then let Roland and Fred lend a hand as they lifted the pot from the stove and placed it in the middle of the camp.

Chen Wen mimicked a fly rubbing its hands, then lifted the lid.

The rich aroma of meat mingled with a raw scent wafted out.

However, everyone instinctively ignored the raw scent and happily gazed at the pot-full of meat and broth, Fred’s eyes were about to pop out.

Chen Wen didn’t hold back and said, "Dig in!"

After speaking, he started eating the rabbit meat while it was hot.

The rabbits caught by Eagle and Wolf Mink weren’t ordinary rabbits but were wild rabbits commonly found around Lake Baikal, known locally as mountain rabbits.

The meat quality was decent, rabbit meat is generally lean with very little fat, and tends to be a bit tough.

Roasting enhances the toughness of the rabbit meat even more, Chen Wen took a bite and his neck nearly stretched out two miles.

Chen Wen hurriedly drank a sip of bear meat soup, though it was a bit raw, his neck was fortunately saved.

"Hard as a rock!"

Chen Wen couldn’t help but say, "Feels almost like dried yak meat."

Upon hearing this, Hua Yun nodded in agreement, "Next time we catch a rabbit, let’s cook it. Roasting it makes it excessively tough."

However, Hua Yun noticed the other people’s reactions at that moment.

Compared to the two who found it somewhat unpalatable, the other four were wolfing it down.

Chen Wen grimaced: These guys are certainly appreciative!

No, they must be genuinely hungry!

After all, before surviving alongside Chen Wen, none of them here didn’t start off starving, sometimes going hungry until they were eliminated or survival ended.

So they never nitpicked when it came to food.

Especially Gaston, as long as he could swallow it, that was enough!

Gaston felt his masseter muscles getting sore, yet he still enjoyed it.

"United States Iron Mouth Spotted Hyena."

Chen Wen suddenly said in Chinese.

Hua Yun looked puzzled, but as Chen Wen motioned her to look at Gaston, Hua Yun couldn’t help but burst out laughing, thankfully not while eating.

Adam, who also understood Chinese, choked on the bear meat soup due to that sentence, the faint raw taste lingering in his nostrils.

Adam couldn’t help but say, "Be serious!"

Gaston looked up bewildered, but when he saw Chen Wen and the others stifling laughter, he didn’t think much of it and continued gnawing on the rabbit leg.

His expression was as ferocious as could be.

Chen Wen chuckled and said, "No worries, even if Gaston understood, he wouldn’t care."

After a joking remark, everyone continued eating.

Chen Wen also took the opportunity to glance at the entry.

The entry for this mountain rabbit was unexpectedly quite good.

Two positives and a negative, but the two positives were incomparable, one gold and one white.

Although Chen Wen could now choose suitable entries, the gap between gold and white was simply too vast!

[Cold Mountain Hermit (Gold): Enhanced cold resistance when surviving in cold, high altitudes. You will be better at finding warmer refuges. When actively using this entry, you can sense the warmest place nearby. ps: Active entry, after each use, requires a full day of recovery]

This entry would’ve been great before the Cold Pole challenge.

Chen Wen couldn’t help but think.

Having this entry in Qiangtang would definitely make survival easier.

However, it could also be used for the upcoming Cold Pole challenge.

After all, Antarctica’s average altitude is 2,350 meters, making it the continent with the highest average elevation.

Chen Wen opened his eyes and saw everyone had almost finished eating the mountain rabbit, so he began serving soup and meat to the others.

The bear meat didn’t require much allocation, Chen Wen had cooked enough meat to fill everyone, even for dinner later.

Fred used a knife to spear a chunk of bear meat, about half a pound, and exuberantly grabbed it with his other hand, intending to gnaw directly.

Chen Wen couldn’t help but ask, "Not too hot to hold?"

Fred grinned, "No, this is top-notch meat!"

Despite his words, Fred obediently placed the meat into an enamel bowl.

Indeed, it was somewhat hot!

Chen Wen said, "Don’t be so rough, and pay attention to hygiene. Illness comes from the mouth, being cautious with food is wise."

Upon hearing this, Fred nodded.

After finishing his words, Chen Wen also scooped out a piece of meat for himself.

After sniffing the aroma, Chen Wen shook his head slightly.

The meat smelled rich but was too raw!

The old bear’s meat was like that, more vigorous, wilder flavor even stronger, requiring longer cooking to handle.

Though Chen Wen removed the blood scum, it was still lacking.

At this moment, Adam curiously asked, "How do you think the texture of the meat is? Why does it look a bit like beef?"

Roland said, "I think it won’t taste bad, this is autumn bear meat!"

Everyone nodded in agreement.

Autumn is the prime season for hunting bears.

To prepare for hibernation, bears binge-eat, accumulating large amounts of high-quality fat.

Bear meat during this time is tender and juicy, with the richest flavors, its wild taste is relatively mild, even slightly sweet.

Gaston wasn’t so particular, he simply said, "Whatever it tastes like, you’ll know once you try it!"

As he spoke, Gaston bit down, tearing off a chunk of bear meat.

Soon, his expression froze.