Chapter 282: A Dungeon Full of Ingredients

"I mean, it is great that you are happy, but what is that?"

"It is soy sauce. A seasoning, like miso."

Yes, the soy sauce Qiong Xing had been wanting for so long had somehow come out of a dungeon treasure chest.

While he was delighted at the thought of making all kinds of delicious food with it, Albe and the others, who did not know what soy sauce was, only wondered what he would even use it for.

"We also got tofu and fried tofu, so Lian will surely be happy."

Inside the bag he patted were many other ingredients Qiong Xing had wanted.

All of them had come from treasure chests in the dungeon, and he felt nothing but gratitude.

Although they had entered the dungeon for training, they had been told that any ingredients found along the way were free for them to take.

Even if he wanted meat, there was no point in taking things like magic stones, fangs, or pelts that could be used for weapons or armor, so when Qiong Xing said he did not need them, he was told that if something he wanted came out of a treasure chest, he could take it.

He gratefully accepted that offer.

For some reason, almost every treasure chest Qiong Xing opened contained ingredients, and many of them were things he had been unable to obtain and had struggled to find.

When soy sauce, tofu, fried tofu, vinegar, mirin, and thick sauce appeared, he was genuinely overjoyed.

Although he was the only one.

Seeing a treasure chest packed full of tofu and fried tofu did make him feel a bit conflicted, however.

He was also happy that he had found ingredients for miso soup that he had talked about before, making it a perfect souvenir for Lian.

With these seasonings, he would also be able to cook various dishes for Leander and the others.

"...You are probably the only one who could be this happy in a dungeon, Qiong Xing."

"That is not true. I got so many things, so I will make delicious food."

"I will look forward to it."

Once they understood how good this was, Rohen and the others would surely not be able to stop themselves from searching as well.

Qiong Xing felt sincere gratitude, thinking that dungeons were truly wonderful places.

"Then we will rest here for today. Qiong Xing and the others will help prepare the meal, and the squad should not neglect keeping watch."

Qiong Xing who is happy that it was time to eat immediately took out the soy sauce he had received from the treasure chest.

He thought he would start by making some soup and leave the meat to the soldiers, but...

"...At that size... I do not think it will cook through properly."

The chunks of meat the soldiers had were about the size of large clenched fists, and cooking them thoroughly all the way through would require considerable skill.

Although Qiong Xing pointed it out, he was told that this was how they always did things, which only made him feel sympathy for the squad’s usual meals.

Still, he did not want to eat undercooked meat and risk an upset stomach, so he had them properly cut the meat into more manageable sizes.

At the same time, he asked them to skewer and grill the mushrooms they had gathered at the dungeon entrance.

"...Hey, weren’t you told no hot pot?"

Albe looked exasperated as Qiong Xing confidently took a pot out of his bag.

"It is fine. I will not use it for hot pot."

"Is that really the issue?"

Insisting that this was soup and not hot pot, Qiong Xing went ahead with his logic and made a hearty soup filled with plenty of vegetables and meat for the soldiers, who were likely to eat a lot.

"There is plenty of soup, grilled meat, the bread we brought, and mushrooms, so please eat as much as you like."

"...Um, these mushrooms were not seasoned though..."

The soldier spoke nervously, but Qiong Xing simply chuckled.

He poured a small amount of soy sauce over the freshly grilled, fragrant mushrooms and added a bit of butter on top.

"Here you go."

Drawn in by the aroma, the soldier took a bite of the thick mushroom while Qiong Xing watched with a gentle smile.

"This is amazing! It is incredibly good!"

Glad that they enjoyed it, Qiong Xing prepared enough for everyone, and they all happily ate.

"This is impressive. I never thought those mushrooms could be eaten. The meat is cooked all the way through and tastes great, and I never imagined we could have soup inside a dungeon."

Whether traveling or exploring a dungeon, one of the biggest challenges was always water.

Everyone wanted to reduce their luggage as much as possible, and naturally they wanted to conserve their precious water.

However, for Qiong Xing who had come along this time that was not an issue.

For the sake of the soldiers and himself, he used magic to produce water.

"It is precisely at times like this that we need to eat plenty of good food and prepare ourselves. Physical discomfort also becomes a burden on the mind."

Fatigue of the body would also wear down the mind.

When the mind grew unstable, unnecessary conflicts could arise, so it was important to stay as fulfilled as possible.

This was even more true for those who worked for their country and for others.

"That is true. I am really glad Qiong Xing came with us this time."

"I am glad I came as well. I was able to prepare souvenirs for the children, and I also obtained ingredients I have wanted for a long time."

"What is that? That is not something you usually say after coming to a dungeon."

What did he mean by that?

With all the things he had wanted coming to him one after another, Qiong Xing felt nothing but happiness.

In his mind, he firmly concluded that a dungeon was a very good place.