https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-322-What-You-Want-to-Eat-Until-You-re-Stuffed-/13536867/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-324-Delicious-Enough-to-Make-You-Cry/13536869/
Chapter 323: Empty Ear
Chapter 323: Empty Ear
Ju Geng turned her head and saw Kuro peeking over, with Navy behind him. Deng Shi was startled, instantly grabbing the Great Bow from the floor as she stood up, quickly nocking an arrow with a grim expression.
"Ju Geng, sister!"
Suddenly, three children burst in.
"Stop! They’re good people! Navy saved Xiao Lin and even gave us food!"
Su Zhan thrust the bundle of food in his arms forward, shouting.
Ju Geng’s face hardened, her bowstring drawn taut like a full moon. With a whistle, an Arrow shot out.
The Arrow flew fast, its force and speed formidable.
"Huh?!"
Kuro dodged swiftly, catching the arrow mid-air with one hand. "You nuts? Can’t you hear straight?!" he barked.
"Man-eating demons like you? What good could there be?!" Ju Geng snapped coldly. "Using Xiao Lin as appetizer, you’d devour us all! I’d rather die than let you succeed!"
"…"
Kuro blinked, momentarily speechless.
This woman…
"Ju Geng, sister!" Su Zhan shouted again. "It’s not appetizer—it’s that Navy saved Xiao Lin! Saved him, saved him!!"
Ju Geng froze, turning to the three children holding food. They nodded frantically.
Her cheeks flushed crimson as she hurriedly lowered her bow, bowing repeatedly. "Sorry, my hearing isn’t great. I often misunderstand things."
"We noticed."
Kuro tossed the arrow aside, waving a hand. "Your prey dropped. I’m returning it. Now, we’re outta here. If we stick around till CP3 wakes up, things’ll get messy."
"Huh?! Are you demanding I hand myself over?!"
Ju Geng inhaled deeply, resolve hardening. She stepped forward. "I’m the poacher. Arrest me, I won’t resist. Just spare these kids. They were starving—I had no choice."
"Ju Geng, sister!"
One child clung to her leg, tears gushing as he screamed at Kuro, "She didn’t do anything! You can’t take her!"
"I won’t let you take Ju Geng, sister!"
The children shielded her, frail bodies trembling with defiance as they spread their arms wide.
"I—"
Kuro’s forehead vein throbbed. This woman’s ears had serious issues!
Confirmed: She wasn’t the same person from his past life—same name, same face, nothing else.
Not surprising. He himself looked like the Captain, after all.
After the children’s frantic explanations, Ju Geng finally understood, bowing again to Kuro.
"Whatever. You do you. I’m out."
Kuro waved off, done talking to the woman.
"Navy uncle, stay! Ju Geng’s sister’s cooking is amazing!" Su Zhan pleaded.
"Please stay as my apology", Ju Geng added. "If you’re not disgusted, I’ll prepare that deer. Barbecue should work."
A confident smile lit her face. "Though my craftsmanship isn’t perfect, I’ll make sure you enjoy it."
"Kuro, I’m hungry", Lida tugged his sleeve, eyeing the dead deer.
"Fine, I’m starved too."
Kuro glanced at the kids. "Klah, hunt a few more. One deer won’t cut it."
"Aye, sir." Klah nodded, leading Navy’s men into the woods.
"Thank you, Navy officer", Ushida bowed, then hesitated. "But… for you, Navy officer…"
"People gotta eat! Land’s big, hunger’s bigger! If I starve, how’ll I catch the Revolutionary Army?!" Kuro scoffed, though inwardly, he’d already decided to shoulder this too.
So what if they hunted a few deer? The Martial Arts Grand Tournament was already ruined—adding one more complaint wouldn’t hurt. The more complaints, the better.
"Taste her cooking first. Let’s barbecue this deer." Kuro glanced at Ju Geng.
"Huh? You want me to escape with you?!"
Ju Geng stiffened, shaking her head. "No! I must care for these children!"
"Barbecue! Barbecue! Barbecue!!"
Kuro gritted his teeth. "Why would I want you to escape?! I’m Navy!"
"Escaping together brings happiness?" Ju Geng tilted her head, puzzled. "Why?"
Kuro groaned, feeling drained. "Forget it. Think what you want."
As Kuro strode back, Ju Geng lingered in confusion but stepped forward, preparing the deer. The children cheered, splitting the three kids’ food stash but not eating—hoarding it carefully instead—before rushing out to help.
Fire lit, skinning, organs removed.
Ju Geng’s movements were fluid, rinsing the venison by a nearby creek.
Kuro plopped onto a boulder, calming his temper.
Nope. Talking to this woman? Stressful.
"Navy officer, forgive her", Ushida approached, smiling sheepishly. "Ju Geng’s like this. She suffered an injury as a child. Since then, her hearing’s been poor. When Insect Country recruited for the Insect Army, she wasn’t chosen. Stuck here."
He gazed at Ju Geng, eyes softening. "Thank goodness she’s here. Else, an old man like me couldn’t care for so many children."
"Tch", Kuro exhaled smoke, eyeing Ju Geng cleaning the deer.
Insect Country’s environment—if civilians lacked rights to harvest nature, villages like this one had Ju Gengs, defying destruction rules. Others without such luck? Worse off.
No wonder the Revolutionary Army appeared.
But if Ju Geng was caught… Insect Country’s nobility wouldn’t let her slip away.
Kuro spat, crushing his cigar.
"Damn stupid!"
"By the way, old man", he nodded at the barren field. "If harvesting nature’s banned, what about farming? Even kids can work. Why not plant? No seeds?"
"Not quite", Ushida sighed. "We can farm. But Insect Country has this beast—‘Nature’s Zephyr.’ Mountain Boar. Every season, it rampages across our lands, trampling crops. We can’t hunt it, so it keeps running wild. Once, with more people, we’d lure it elsewhere. Now, fewer hands—we can’t stop it. No matter how we sow, it’s futile."
"But—" His eyes brightened. "I won’t give up! I’ll sow, and whenever that Mountain Boar comes, I’ll stop it. I believe the seeds in this field will grow!"
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
