Chapter 19 — ILK Chapter 19

Water Spinach (Hollow Heart Vegetable)

When the adjutant arrived at the scheduled time to collect the goods, Sang Ye had already prepared 1,500 portions of instant noodles and three large bags of frozen concentrated sauce. The cabbage Wu Jianing had torn wasn't wasted either; Sang Ye had dried it all into dehydrated vegetables and packed a separate bag specifically for Wu Huansheng, complete with a note.

Additionally, she prepared 500 eggs soaking in brine, sent along with the stockpot itself. She had also continuously braised a large quantity of chicken feet and drumsticks. After the first batch of beef and chicken came out, a layer of meat oil floated on the surface of the brine—essence that hadn't yet fully dissolved into the liquid. Sang Ye seized the chance to drop another two hundred eggs into it. The items from this second batch were noticeably darker in color and more mellow in flavor. These were all sent along as side dishes.

Considering that braised food tastes best when hot, Sang Ye found several heating pots in the storage room, and even a device from a previous era called a "microwave." After some hesitation, she packed a pot of brine and ten spare spice bags, attaching detailed instructions. She urged the people at the Snow Mountain Base to boil it twice daily and replace part of the base spices every seven days.

She packed everything securely for the adjutant to take away. The adjutant drove a transport vehicle to the door; up close, one could see the hull was coated in a rough-textured paint designed to block radiation and signal interference. It worked in most areas of Black Tower, though the Snow Mountain District remained a unique challenge.

Wu Jianing hopped off the vehicle, followed by her slow-moving robot. "Sister, we're here!" While the robots helped load and secure the supplies, Sang Ye served a pot of tender, braised beef, chicken feet, and drumsticks for Jianing to snack on.

Jianing tried a bit of everything but eventually focused her sights on the chicken feet. This little snack was fun to eat. With a snap, the five claws and the foot bone separated cleanly; the meat on the "palm" of the foot was thick and crisp, making a savory crunch with every chew. There wasn't much meat on the feet, but the process of gnawing through each section and removing the bone made it exceptionally entertaining.

Once the vehicle was loaded, Sang Ye invited the adjutant inside to taste the braised snacks. The adjutant had been curious for a long time but had been too busy; today was her first real chance. Sang Ye was full of energy, having baked dozens of butter rolls early that morning. The kitchen was filled with the caramelized scent of butter and sugar, making one feel warm and cozy just by standing there. Freshly baked bread always brings a sense of happiness, filling one with satisfaction even before the first bite.

Sang Ye had organized a small dining corner in the kitchen. The table was made of light brown Parasol Wood, two meters long and eighty centimeters wide, still showing the natural growth rings of the tree. The carpenter hadn't sanded them away, only smoothing them over with tung oil for protection. It felt warm to the touch, with spiritual energy flowing through it. The table was set with light linen mats to insulate against hot dishes. Above hung a uniquely shaped lamp Sang Ye had fashioned from large round light beads and a pale green glaze-colored shade. Four matching chairs were tucked neatly under the table, and a folding screen separated this cozy nook from the oily smoke and cold metal of the rest of the kitchen.

This warm, inviting aesthetic was completely at odds with the rest of the cold, gray, combat-minimalist kitchen. It provided a sense of inner peace, a place where one could truly relax and enjoy a meal.

Sang Ye picked a plate’s worth of Water Spinach, trimmed the hollow stalks, and rinsed them. She stir-fried them over a high flame with minced garlic and salt. The leaves wilted quickly and were plated—oily, vibrant green, and crisp. After warming up some rice, she sat down across from the adjutant and Wu Jianing.

Amidst the simple food, a sense of warm, domestic familiarity settled over the three unrelated people.

"I want to eat like this with Mommy and Daddy," Wu Jianing blurted out suddenly. Children are sensitive to atmosphere. Jianing was used to her parents disappearing for months at a time, only returning to accompany her during surgeries. She knew that during those times, her father was always sad, and her mother was both sad and angry. Even so, she cherished the time with them, even if it meant enduring painful operations. But now that her legs didn't hurt and she could walk, she desperately wanted to eat with them in a warm setting like this.

Both the adjutant and Sang Ye were taken aback. The adjutant toyed with the rice in her bowl. "Ningning, if your mother’s mental state stabilizes, she’ll be able to take you, your father, and me away from here."

"Leave here? Where would we go?" Jianing asked, confused.

"To Planet Mingyang," the adjutant replied. "The planet where the Wu family has served as Executive Officers for generations. Your family’s base of operations is there."

Had the accident not happened, Jianing would be on Mingyang receiving her education as an heir. Black Tower had nothing and was no place for a child to grow up. But the adjutant didn't say that if Wu Huansheng didn't recover, the girl’s grandmother—the iron-hearted Old Marshal Wu—would certainly not allow Jianing to stay by her side. Mother and daughter would be separated. Thinking of the Old Marshal, the adjutant shivered and lowered her head to eat in silence.

Sang Ye listened quietly. She knew Wu Huansheng came from a high-ranking family, but she hadn't expected them to "possess" an entire planet.

"By the way, Colonel Sang Ye," the adjutant remembered, "the base hospital wants to purchase a batch of instant noodles for the Sentinels there." Before Sang Ye could respond, she added, "The base can provide funding for this as well. There are about 166 Sentinels currently being treated, plus about 220 staff in total. It's fewer people than at the garrison stations."

Sang Ye felt a bit discouraged. "Even if they give me the money, I can't do anything with it. It gets deducted within a minute of hitting the account."

The adjutant considered this. "You don't really need cash while on the base, so paying it back isn't a bad thing. However... I can see if I can open an Operating Account for you."

"What’s that?"

"An operating account is an independent bank account used specifically for business expenses—like a corporate account. Your personal account is private. The court only deducts from your personal account, so funds in the operating account might be preserved. However, there is a risk: if the victims' families request a full audit of your assets, the operating account will be linked to the compensation account, and the funds could be seized all at once."

In other words, until the debt was paid, no account was truly safe.

"Or you could establish a Joint Account in someone else’s name. The court can track it but has no authority to control the funds; the downside is the other person could also withdraw the money," the adjutant suggested. "You can set up both to spread the risk. You can wait for the General to return and set up the joint account with her; she would never touch your money."

Sang Ye decided to take the advice. It wasn't that she wanted to dodge the debt, but she knew that "base pay" and "subsidies" would never clear it. She had to accumulate capital to eventually open her own restaurants and keep the money moving.

"I'm almost finished~" Wu Jianing pointed at the remaining water spinach and asked the adults if they wanted more. Getting a no, she happily dumped the rest into her bowl and mixed it with her rice. Sang Ye could hear the crisp crunch as she chewed.

"Can I come to eat every day!?" Jianing asked with wide, watery eyes.

"Ningning—" the adjutant began to protest.

"Sure," Sang Ye agreed immediately. "I’ll be in the backyard planting, tilling, and fertilizing. Do you want to come play?" With Jianing and her Dangkang around, the spices in the backyard would likely be ready in no time.

A week had passed by the time the new supplies reached the Snow Mountain Base. The Sentinels there knew communication was difficult, but that didn't stop them from waiting with bated breath.

The base had only cleared the collapsed ruins. Wu Huansheng was waiting for the snow to re-bury the foundations so they could rebuild the public facilities. But the snow had stopped for nearly half a month now—Lin Changli’s influence was too strong. As soon as the transport vehicle came into view, the soldiers swarmed it with excitement.

"General, this is for you." The baby-faced Sentinel from before held a large bag of dried vegetables out to the approaching Wu Huansheng.

"For me?" Wu Huansheng was stunned. Supply runs rarely included designated items unless they were from family. On that bag, "Wu Huansheng" was written in wobbly, childish handwriting, with a small note from Sang Ye explaining that these were cabbages torn by Wu Jianing’s own hands. Wu Huansheng actually laughed out loud.

"How do we use these?" the Sentinels asked, gathered around the cookware. Sang Ye had been prepared; she had the robot record a "User Manual" video with her own voiceover, explaining the use of each utensil. "Even a domestic robot can learn this; I believe you can too," Sang Ye’s voice said as the video ended.

The Sentinels scrambled to learn. The baby-faced soldier stared at the screen, listening to the voice. "General Wu, the Guide who made this food for us... what is her name?"

"Sang Ye," Wu Huansheng replied.

"Does she have red hair?" The girl’s eyes lit up as she crowded closer.

"Yes," Wu Huansheng said, confused. "Do you know her, Rong Cheng?"

Rong Cheng, having received her confirmation, gave a heartfelt smile but masked her words. "No, I’ve... I’ve just heard of her."

Rotations were common, and Sang Ye’s case was infamous; it wasn't impossible for Rong Cheng to have heard of her. Wu Huansheng didn't think much of the exchange.

"I'll do it." Rong Cheng took the bag of brine. Without using any mechanical power source, she conjured a small flame beneath the pot. The frozen brine slowly melted. When it began to bubble, she took some braised meats and tossed them in. The flame flared up, and the liquid rapidly heated the food.

While the other Sentinels were peacefully making noodles, a series of sharp pops and explosions came from a corner. Everyone turned to see a Sentinel staring blankly at a microwave that was crackling.

"What did you do?" someone asked.

"I didn't do anything!" the male Sentinel said innocently. "The video said the microwave can heat things, so I put those 'Tea Eggs' in."

"The tea eggs exploded?!" the nearest Sentinel yelled. Since he had heard the Guide was Sang Ye, he had immediately associated her with the "Sentinel-killer." Hearing that the eggs exploded, he feared the worst. He immediately began sensationalizing the stories he knew to everyone present.

Almost all the Sentinels stopped their work, afraid to touch the food.

"But... the noodles the General brought last time were very effective," a girl countered.

The shouting Sentinel wasn't convinced. "That was last time! Maybe that was just to gain our trust so she could take us all out at once!"

Thwack! A pebble struck him hard in the head.

"Who did that!" he turned, enraged.

Rong Cheng walked toward him with a sneer. "If you've got the guts, don't you dare take a single bite of the food."

She ignored him and walked to the crackling microwave. She pulled it open, cutting the power. Inside was a mess. Shells, whites, and yolks were splattered across the walls like a grenade had gone off. But the aroma of the tea eggs wafted out. With one sniff, Rong Cheng knew it was the scent of Thousand-Floating Mountain Emerald—a heavy, unforgettable fragrance.

"See! Look!" the male Sentinel shouted triumphantly.

Rong Cheng ignored him and popped a large piece of yolk into her mouth. The egg was perfectly braised, the tea and brine harmonizing in every bite. Every person in Shifang Grotto made brine differently; some liked it spicy, some sweet, but Sang Ye loved hers thick and savory. She would tirelessly use high broth to build the flavor, even for a simple egg.

With one bite, Rong Cheng knew this was Sang Ye’s handiwork. She took several more pieces of the "exploded" eggs and then a whole cold egg, peeling and eating it while staring provocatively at the male Sentinel.

Nothing happened. Only the room was filled with fragrance.

As she walked past him, Rong Cheng dropped a line: "Remember, don't you dare touch a bite." The man’s face turned red, then pale.

They only learned later why the eggs exploded: the yolks heat up faster than the whites, and the internal pressure causes an explosion. Tea eggs and boiled eggs can only be safely reheated by placing them in the warm liquid.

Wu Huansheng watched the farce in silence, looking thoughtfully at Rong Cheng.

Rong Cheng took all the remaining tea eggs, placed some in a gauze bag, and soaked them in the brine to heat up. The other Sentinels watched nervously, but after ten minutes with no issues, they relaxed and resumed their work.

The spices Sang Ye used for the brine were all from her dimension and the mountain behind Shifang Grotto. Rong Cheng opened one of the replacement spice bags, saw the familiar-looking ingredients, and smiled faintly. She decided that during the next rotation, she would apply to return to the base.

Rong Cheng was one of the outer-sect disciples of Shifang Grotto—though in reality, there was little difference between outer and inner disciples except for her specific circumstances. After wandering in this Interstellar era for so long, she had finally found her family.