Chapter Ten: Returning to the Mountains

Not long after Hector left, Momo woke up as well.

After quickly steaming a few dumplings for breakfast, Chi Sui picked up the sourdough starter she had prepared yesterday. Upon opening it, she caught a whiff of sourness, and the dough had more than doubled in size—it was ready to use.

Chi Sui then opened a bag of flour to begin a new round of cooking; she needed something to offer the Green-Bud Python.

She kneaded the dough, let it rise, rolled it out, and minced the wild scallions and wild garlic.

When Chi Sui finally lifted the lid of the steamer, the room was instantly filled with a rich, savory aroma of scallions.

"Alright, Momo, let's head up the mountain today."

The deadline for her promise to the Green-Bud Python was only one day away. Given the current scarcity of ingredients, these two scallion and garlic-based vegetarian dishes were all she could manage to make.

Carrying the food box, Chi Sui followed Momo as they walked briskly through the mountains. She no longer felt tired walking these trails; she had previously attributed it to the cumulative effect of her recent exercise, but after listening to Aunt Bertha, she realized it was the bonus from the star-rated dishes. On the Sky Island, a star-rated dish was comparable to Popeye’s spinach.

Having visited recently and with a specialized beast leading the way, they soon reached the spot where they had previously gathered wild scallions.

Deep in the forest, Chi Sui didn't dare to call out loudly, so she asked, "Momo, is the Green-Bud Python here? Your nose is very sharp, can you smell it?"

"Of course. It’s right here."

Chi Sui looked around, confused. "Where? I don't see it."

Just then, Momo scurried behind a distant rock, showing only half of its head. "Look up."

...

Recalling the last encounter, Chi Sui felt speechless. Why did this Green-Bud Python love appearing above people’s heads so much? It was a real test of one’s nerves. Sighing, she resignedly looked up.

As expected, a massive snake head greeted her, topped with a single, newly sprouted tender leaf.

Even with some mental preparation, she had to admit the sight was still hair-raising. Chi Sui quickly stepped back and held up the food box.

"I’ve brought the dishes. Are you hungry? Come down and have a taste."

Seeing that Chi Sui wasn't scared, the Green-Bud Python’s indifferent snake face revealed a hint of disappointment. Even its answering hiss sounded listless.

Ignoring the python’s little temper, Chi Sui opened the food box and began to introduce the items one by one. "I made two kinds this time. One is this scallion roll, made with the wild scallions and flour gathered here; you can tell just by the smell how strong the scallion flavor is."

"This is a garlic pancake, pan-fried with the wild garlic you gave me and some flour. I used a little bit of lard when frying it, though. If you don't like it, I'll make something else once I collect other ingredients next time."

The scallion rolls were rated two stars, and the garlic pancakes were two and a half stars—the highest-rated dishes Chi Sui had made so far. The system's evaluation not only praised her skills but also noted that the quality of the garlic was excellent, indicating it had been carefully nurtured during its growth. The half-star boost was largely due to the quality of the raw materials.

This solidified her determination to lure the Green-Bud Python back to farm for her. Her book of contracts would definitely have a spot for it.

As the box opened, the distinct aroma of scallions and garlic wafted out. The Green-Bud Python's tail had already perked up during her introduction. As soon as she finished speaking, it lunged at the food box, leaving Chi Sui with nothing but a view of its back and a constantly twitching tail.

Chi Sui, nearly knocked over, quickly scrambled away.

Only after swallowing all the food did the Green-Bud Python raise its head, looking thoroughly satisfied.

At that moment, Chi Sui finally saw the small text above its head:

【Affinity: 53%, Non-contractible】

Although she had anticipated that contracting the Green-Bud Python would be harder than Momo—especially since its description mentioned it avoided people—the inability to contract it in the short term still left her a bit disappointed.

"Hiss~"

"It's delicious. The scallion roll is good, and the garlic pancake is good too," Momo translated faithfully from behind the rock.

"Hiss~! Hiss~"

"Can you bring more next time? It can trade other ingredients for them."

Hearing the word "ingredients," Chi Sui, who had been disappointed, instantly perked up. "There are other ingredients? Which ones?"

The Green-Bud Python flicked its head, signaling her to follow.

After walking a few steps, Chi Sui discovered a neat vegetable patch nearby. Scallions and garlic were planted in orderly rows, and even the wild ferns that usually grew sporadically on the mountain were neatly arranged here. It was clearly well-tended. To her delight, a few clusters of wild mountain peppers grew at the edge, their red and green colors looking quite pleasing.

The Green-Bud Python was truly a seasoning-collection expert; the lack of condiments she had been worrying about was largely solved right here.

"Can I take these?"

Chi Sui pointed to the wild mountain peppers. With these, she could try more dishes, and more importantly, she would finally be able to eat spicy food.

The Green-Bud Python nodded, pointed its tail at the vegetable patch, and slammed it downward.

In an instant, Chi Sui watched as a pile of scallions, garlic, and two wild mountain pepper plants "popped" right out of the soil. It wasn't that her powers of description were lacking; the scene of one stalk of scallion after another rising into the air and falling into a small mountain on the ground gave her a lesson in magic. She had truly never seen such a convenient ability.

Setting aside her amazement, Chi Sui and Momo began to sort and pack the produce. These could all be planted on the ranch. With the Green-Bud Python’s permission, Chi Sui also picked a handful of ferns to take back for a stir-fry with meat.

When they left, the large bag she had brought was stuffed to the brim.

Although she hadn't managed to bring the Green-Bud Python back, she had returned with a full haul.

After walking a distance, Chi Sui started chatting with Momo. "Momo, didn't you mention a magical creature that can help keep food fresh? Is it easy to talk to? Can you take me to see it?"

Having witnessed the wonders of the Green-Bud Python, she was now determined to max out her favorability with all the surrounding magical creatures, striving to make her ranch the number one destination on every creature’s "most wanted to visit" list.

Because Chi Sui was carrying a heavy load, Momo was leading the way instead of sitting on her shoulder. It didn't turn back, but whispered:

"There is one, in a cave not far from here. I only found it when I accidentally stumbled in. That cave is freezing, filled with nothing but ice crystals. I really can't understand why any creature would live in there."

"As for its temper, it didn't chase me out when I broke in, but it didn't respond when I tried to talk to it either. I suppose... it's probably alright."

Chi Sui analyzed two key points from Momo's words: it lived in a cave full of ice crystals and had a cold personality—which fit perfectly with her stereotypical impression of an ice-attribute creature.

After thinking for a long while, she asked, "Momo, how many magical creatures live on this mountain, anyway?"

"I'm not sure. The forest is deep, and there are many places I don't dare go. Just the ones I've seen number over a dozen."

Over a dozen? Chi Sui’s mind started calculating immediately.

Wild, terrifying magical creatures in the forest ×

Ranch laborers who could use all sorts of magical powers just for room and board √

Chi Sui cleared her throat and said seriously, "Momo, let's go check out that cave you mentioned first. Once we've prepared enough food in a few days, we'll go visit all those other magical friends you talked about one by one!"