Apocalyptic Era: Starting from picking up a Bishoujo
Chapter 393 - 366 Mazao’s parents 1

Chapter 393: 366 Mazao’s parents 1

Perhaps in certain places during the Doomsday Era, there’s still the ability to make such exquisite desserts.

For instance, the Evangelical Institute that Mazao mentioned before, which is reportedly the only organization during the Doomsday Era considered a major force, and Mazao used to be a member of it. Maybe there, compared to other barren places, there are richer resources and techniques, making it relatively easy to gather ingredients like eggs, milk, flour, and sugar.

There’s also another possibility that Mazao’s knowledge of making custard is not from the Doomsday Era, but from the "original Mazao"—the original owner of the body Mazao is currently using.

Or if Mazao’s soul traveled from the modern world to the Doomsday Era and then returned, such knowledge might come from "Mazao before crossing over to the Doomsday Era," in which case Mazao and the original owner of the body are the same person to begin with.

I discussed a few words with Mazao, trying to analyze, but under the condition that Mazao remembers nothing of the past, it’s indeed hard to delve deeply.

So as not to let the custard cool, I had to focus on the tasting first. Mazao watched me anxiously, seemingly afraid I would give bad feedback.

Under her nervous gaze, I put a small piece of the cake into my mouth. It’s the texture of a freshly baked, warm cake, though I hadn’t specifically eaten custard before, this should be a successful product. It’s soft, sweet, melts in the mouth, and has a rich milk aroma.

Perhaps because this cake was personally made by Mazao for me, it scored extra in my mind. The chefs responsible for the three meals at this sanatorium are the top level, and the dishes they make are delicious in addition to being nutritious, yet the meals I’ve had in the last three days couldn’t compare to what I’m tasting now.

I wanted to immediately praise Mazao, but seeing her eagerly watching my expression, I couldn’t help but slow down my chewing, deliberately chewing slowly while watching her nervous appearance for a while, then slowly swallowed and gave my evaluation seriously.

"It’s very delicious." I said.

She let out a long breath and then smiled.

"Then I’ll make it for you again in the future!" she said happily.

"I look forward to it."

Responding, I took another bite of the cake.

She couldn’t contain her joy, jumping off her chair and walking around the room, frequently glancing back at me eating the cake. Seeing her like this, I called her to the bedside and used a fork to offer a small piece of cake to her.

Understanding my intention, her face turned slightly red, but she didn’t resist. She propped herself on the edge of the bed with both hands, leaned over like a small animal receiving feeding, and nipped the small piece of cake with her lips into her mouth.

After chewing carefully, she swallowed it and sat back on the chair, her face showing an expression of drifting thoughts, as if imagining something.

"...If only we could let Little Bowl taste it too," she said.

"Little Bowl hasn’t eaten cake before?" I asked.

"There’s not even any sugar to be found over there," she said.

"Well then, let’s first give it to Zhu Shi to eat, she’s just coming over to us now," I said.

For safety, I had recently set thermal energy markers in Zhu Shi and Mr. Zhu, and even in Lu Chan’s body. Even though Ming Zhuo has promised not to target people around me again, and I have the means to sanction Ming Zhuo, it’s necessary to remain vigilant. Especially when at the Luoshan Headquarters, where the physical distance with Ming Zhuo is quite close, such safety measures should be properly taken.

So once Zhu Shi enters the sanatorium, I can notice it immediately. Just as I finished speaking, Zhu Shi came in with a yellow folder, smiling, and said, "I think I heard you all talking about me just now?"

"Mazao made some custard, do you want to try?" I asked.

Zhu Shi glanced at the plate in my hand, and exclaimed in surprise, "Huh? Mazao actually knows how to make custard? Girls like Mazao who survived the Doomsday won’t they at most just know how to boil vegetables or roast meat over a fire? Even I don’t know how to make such delicate snacks!"

I remembered that Changan might have mentioned some conversations about Zhu Shi cooking when chatting with me before, so I deliberately explored this topic: "So what are you good at cooking? By the way, I can cook all kinds of home-cooked dishes."

"I... well..." Zhu Shi laughed awkwardly, "Well, you know, there’s that saying that a woman’s worth shouldn’t be limited to housework and the kitchen..."

"You can’t do housework either?" I asked.

"Oh right, right, I came here to tell you about the results of my grandpa over the past three days..." Zhu Shi seemed to want to change the subject.

"Lu Chan already reported that to me," I said, pointing at the documents on my bedside table.

Zhu Shi grumbled, "Lu Chan!"

I didn’t really want to tease her, so I voluntarily shifted the topic in another direction and told her about the serious stuff I discussed previously with Fa Zheng. Mainly about my agreement with Fa Zheng to stand alongside Governance Ideology in the future and the plan to team up with Fa Zheng soon to attack the Human Bureau. These matters were meant to be discussed with Zhu Shi and the others, and I also asked Zhu Shi to pass on the message to Mr. Zhu and Lu Chan.

Knowing that I joined the Governance Ideology, Zhu Shi showed a happy expression. Although she doesn’t favor political topics much, the ideology of Governance Ideology aligns well with her kind and righteous nature, she must also hope I stand on the same line with her. Previously, no matter how many times I promised to assist her during a crisis, it was merely from an outsider’s perspective, but now it’s quite different.

"I also want to participate in the attack on the Human Bureau," Zhu Shi said, "In three more days, I should be able to elevate my strength to the Great Success Rank... though it’s not that I’ve really grown stronger to that rank, it’s merely opening the Great Success Rank’s power of the Yama Sword."

"Compared to three days ago, you should be able to unlock more of the Yama Sword’s power, right?" I asked, "Do you have the control over the power now?"

Currently, since I’m studying how to enhance the density of my own power, I’m particularly concerned about the manipulation of power.

Thinking carefully, even if Zhu Shi uses the Yama Sword to unlock the Power of Great Impermanence, after all, it’s not her own, controlling it must be quite difficult. If at the time she barely manages to grasp the Power of Great Impermanence, yet can’t smoothly control it like me, it’s also tough to "compete on the same stage" with other great powers.

"Problems, of course, there are," Zhu Shi said, "To put it strictly, it’s not me manipulating the Yama Sword’s power, but the Yama Sword itself. In a way, this sword is much like a remote with a lot of buttons, as long as you press the corresponding button, the movement, compression, changes of power are all completed automatically under the sword’s features, I merely direct the general direction."

"But no matter how convenient a remote is, the number of buttons and combinations are always limited. Even if I do unlock the Power of Great Impermanence in the future, I cannot be capricious and omnipotent like a true Great Impermanence. For the most obvious point, I cannot wield the Power of Heaven and Earth like you and exercise the Power of Word Spirit to command nature.

"At most, my combat power can match a Great Impermanence, but due to a lack of variability, I don’t possess the versatility most Great Impermanences have in battle. However, as the Yama Sword possesses the Western White Tiger’s power of gold and slaughter, at least in terms of direct lethality, it shouldn’t lag behind anyone," Zhu Shi said.

She paused to consider, then concluded, "To put it simply, it’s like this: many battle comics have characters on both sides using all sorts of spells and special abilities, but the main character only knows Moon Fang Heaven Piercer, relying on the Yama Sword, in the future, all it can do is keep relying on Moon Fang Heaven Piercer."

Now I understood.

"But, even in three days, with the most being Great Success Rank combat power, it’s better not to take part in the Human Bureau’s base siege," I said, "There might be at least two enemies possessing Great Impermanence Level combat power."

Zhu Shi was shocked.

"Since when did the Human Bureau have Great Impermanence Level combat power? Two of them? At least?" she quipped, "When did Great Impermanence Level power become so numerous? Wow, the power level inflation..."

"You’ll become a Great Impermanence Level force soon as well," I reminded her.

She was taken aback, and once again sighed, "Wow, the power level inflation..."

Mazao sat on the chair eavesdropping on our conversation. Perhaps associating it with herself, she became a bit dejected.

She had expressed more than once the regret of not being able to fight alongside me on the frontline. Even though I hope Mazao can always stay safely in the rear, I can’t help but have fantasies about fighting side by side, entrusting each other with our lives.

I want to single-handedly protect her, keeping all dangers outside, but I also desire to venture into battles with her, sharing weal and woe, brainstorming together to overcome death scenes. Although to some traditional, conservative thinkers this might be incomprehensible, the latter option holds a certain romantic allure to me as well.

But attaining Great Impermanence Level power is definitely not easy. Zhu Shi has the family heirloom Yama Sword passed down since the generation of Zhu Yi, what does Mazao have? Great Impermanence Level power won’t casually appear, and certainly won’t appear out of thin air.

Zhu Shi seemed to have noticed Mazao’s low mood too, so she shifted the topic and I cooperated.

After a few exchanges, Zhu Shi glanced at Mazao again, then looked at the yellow folder in her hand and suddenly said, "Zhuang Cheng, there’s something I need to tell you... privately."

"Privately?"

I repeated, and Mazao also had a puzzled expression.

After Zhu Shi nodded, I looked at Mazao, and she obediently nodded, got off the chair, and then temporarily left the room.

"So... what are you planning to tell me? Having to send Mazao away especially..." I asked curiously, "Is it a topic even Mazao can’t hear about?"

"It’s precisely because it’s about Mazao that I’m not sure if she should hear it," Zhu Shi said.

"What’s so mysterious?" I asked.

Zhu Shi paused slightly, then said, "It’s about Mazao’s parents."