Chapter 298: "Smells Amazing!"
Compared to Paide, who was completely captivated by the taste of the Mo Wu Tuan, Darn remained much calmer. After the initial shock of the pungent smell, his expression quickly returned to normal.
This baffled Paide, who was still reeling from the overwhelming aroma.
"You… how are you so calm?"
"Heh." Darn merely chuckled coldly in response, but Paide could sense something unusual in his tone.
"You actually sealed your nasal passages with spirit power?" Paide asked in frustration. "Are you seriously cheating?"
Darn rolled his eyes, too lazy to respond.
Just catching a whiff of the Mo Wu Tuan was enough for him to judge that it was even more extreme than the Exploding Honey Badger Intestine dish.
At least the peculiar scent in the Exploding Honey Badger Intestine was somewhat masked by a rich, savory aroma. But this Mo Wu Tuan…
It didn't even try to hide.
It was blatantly declaring:
"Yeah, I stink. You gonna eat me or not?"
Without hesitation, Darn chose to seal off his sense of smell.
After scolding Darn for his "cheating," Paide couldn't resist taking another deep breath of the dumpling's aroma.
"Damn, not gonna lie, it reeks."
But… it was strangely addictive.
"Here is your Mo Wu Tuan," Ye Lingqing said, placing a portion in front of Paide.
As Paide leaned in to examine the dish—a completely black, seasoning-coated dumpling—a wave of even stronger stench hit him, making his breath catch.
"Who can even handle this?"
Fortunately, Paide had a strong stomach. Having just eaten the Exploding Honey Badger Intestine, he had already built some mental resistance. Without much hesitation, he picked up his chopsticks and stabbed the dumpling.
With a crisp sound, the dumpling's crispy outer layer cracked, revealing a soft, yellowish interior. Paide lifted a large chunk with his chopsticks, bringing both the skin and filling into his mouth.
Darn, who had his nasal passages sealed, twitched visibly at the sight.
"Damn!"
He seriously considered putting some distance between himself and his fearless friend.
As Paide chewed, his initial expression of intense focus gradually eased.
"Interesting."
The first thing that hit his palate was the overwhelming stench—identical to the smell that had been lingering in the air, but somehow even more intense.
But with the stink came an unexpected wave of umami, carried by the dumpling's rich broth.
This burst of flavor triggered his taste buds, urging him to continue chewing.
As he did, something magical happened.
The foul odor began to fade, giving way to a deep, pure bean fragrance that had been previously masked by the stench.
This fermented soybean aroma grew stronger with each bite, eventually overpowering the stink completely. It merged with the savory broth, while the crispy shell and the soft, tofu-like interior blended together to create a uniquely delightful texture.
'A dish this fascinating actually exists?'
Paide closed his eyes in satisfaction, utterly amazed.
Unlike the Exploding Honey Badger Intestine, which derived its pungent smell from the ingredients themselves, the Mo Wu Tuan's odor came from fermented brine.
In other words, it was deliberately added rather than naturally occurring.
So, while the two dishes had similarities, they were fundamentally different.
And Paide was absolutely loving this new experience.
Seeing the contented look on Paide's face, Darn grew restless.
"How does it taste?"
Unconsciously leaning forward, he couldn't hold back his curiosity any longer.
"Hmm, the taste…" Paide savored the aftertaste, glancing at Darn, whose face was inching closer. A mischievous glint flashed in his eyes.
With lightning speed, he picked up a piece of Mo Wu Tuan and shoved it into Darn's mouth.
"You can try it yourself!"
Darn's expression changed instantly. Caught off guard while focusing on his question, he—despite being an agility-type spirit master—failed to dodge Paide's sneak attack.
The Mo Wu Tuan landed in his mouth.
His first instinct was to spit it out, but before he could, Paide's voice rang out in a haunting tone:
"No wasting food~"
Years of discipline in the Han Shi had ingrained the habit of never wasting food in Darn. Upon hearing Paide's words, he reflexively shut his mouth.
Even though he had sealed his nasal passages, it wasn't a complete block—more like pinching his nose shut.
And the flavor of the food in his mouth?
There was no escaping it.
And the moment it entered his mouth was when the Mo Wu Tuan's stench was at its peak.
With a sense of smell far keener than the average person, Darn instantly felt like he was experiencing a fate worse than death.
"This smell—"
Wait.
Why do I… want to smell it again?
By now, he had realized—this wasn't the Han Shi. There were no strict rules against wasting food here.
He could spit it out.
But that addictive sensation made him hesitate.
And in that split second of hesitation, a burst of umami from the dumpling's broth spread across his tongue. Instinctively, Darn chewed twice.
His expression grew even stranger.
'Why does it… kinda taste good?'
Another two chews.
'Wait… it's getting even better?'
Because of his heightened sense of smell, Darn could clearly distinguish the hidden fragrance buried beneath the stench.
That fragrance was so enticing that, in an instant, he felt a wave of comfort wash over him.
As he continued chewing, the fragrance intensified, completely overpowering the stink. His expression transformed—from initial agony to unexpected delight.
"Hahaha!"
Paide, who had been watching Darn intently, finally relaxed and burst into laughter.
"So? How does it taste?"
Darn finished chewing and swallowed, feeling a bit reluctant to let go of the lingering flavor. Smacking his lips as if savoring the aftertaste, he couldn't help but murmur in admiration—
"Damn— it's delicious!"
"Hey, kid! One more order of Mo Wu Tuan for me!"
Darn waved at Ye Lingqing, then turned to glare fiercely at Paide.
"You're paying!"
"Of course!" Paide grinned, feeling a deep sense of accomplishment at successfully dragging Darn into the abyss with him.
It didn't take long for Ye Lingqing to bring over Darn's second serving.
And something strange happened.
The first time he smelled it, he thought it was unbearably foul.
But now, after unlocking his sealed nasal passages and taking a deep breath—
All he could smell was fragrance.
It was the same faint hint of aroma that had previously been buried beneath the stench, but to Darn's heightened senses, it now seemed a hundred times more potent than the smell itself.
'How can this be the same Mo Wu Tuan? Why does it feel so different?'
Darn was utterly baffled.
This time, he hesitated for barely a second before picking up his chopsticks and digging in.
As he enjoyed the Mo Wu Tuan, a sudden thought popped into his head.
The Mo Wu Tuan and Exploding Honey Badger Intestine were alike—they both smelled bizarre but tasted incredible.
So… could it be possible—just maybe—that he might actually like the Exploding Honey Badger Intestine, too?
The thought alone made Darn shudder.
No way.
Better take another bite of Mo Wu Tuan to calm down.
Stuffing another dumpling into his mouth, Darn silently told himself—
'Impossible!'
'Exploding Honey Badger Intestine will always be evil!'
'I, Darn, will never fall!'
<+>
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