Zongman, Rebirth of the Heaven-Defying Kirito

"I'll go!" A loud response suddenly came from the crowd, and a swordsman player stepped out of the group.

His eyes were shining, and there was a clear expectation on his lips; he was obviously a seasoned dessert lover.

Barton patted him on the shoulder: "Okay, you can try it first."

After the taster was chosen, the surrounding team members immediately took two steps back to make room for the swordsman.

Dozens of eyes fell on him simultaneously, some with curiosity, some with anticipation, and a hint of barely perceptible nervousness.

The swordsman strode over to the pile of bread crumbs, bent down, and picked up a piece of bread about the size of a fist.

But that didn't seem enough, so he walked over to a puddle of solidified maple syrup not far away and carefully dipped a piece of bread into it.

She has quite a good appetite.

When the golden maple syrup coats the bread evenly, the ordinary bread crumbs instantly become tempting.

Even without having tasted it, people can imagine the flavor based on their real-life experiences.

It's like a slice of bread freshly toasted in the morning, spread with a thick layer of maple syrup, sweet and warming.

But the people standing by remained anxious, and they began to discuss:

Someone asked with concern, "It looks delicious, but do we really want to eat food picked up from the ground?"

Someone explained: "That's because you don't understand. There's no such thing as 'cleanliness' in SAO."

"That means no matter how long the food has been on the ground, it won't get dirty, and you can pick it up and eat it directly!"

"SAO is really convenient in this respect, it saves a lot of trouble."

While everyone was engaged in a lively discussion, the swordsman player was already completely captivated by the maple bread in his hand.

He brought the bread to his nose and took a deep breath.

The rich aroma of wheat mixed with the sweetness of maple syrup instantly filled his nostrils, making him even more eager for it.

As a dessert lover, he has eaten countless desserts in real life.

High-end cakes, handmade chocolates, limited-edition desserts... This is the first time I've ever tried eating wild desserts like these, which you can 'pick up' in SAO.

Without further hesitation, he brought the maple bread to his mouth and took a small bite.

Then close your eyes and savor the taste in your mouth.

The surrounding team members fell silent instantly, all eyes fixed on him.

"You ate it! You ate it!" one team member exclaimed excitedly. "How are you feeling now? How are you feeling?"

"Yeah, yeah! What does it taste like? Tell us, brothers!"

"If it tastes really good, then we won't have to worry about replenishing stamina when fighting monsters in the future; we can just pick up the food on the ground!"

The swordsman player slowly opened his eyes, a satisfied smile spreading across his face: "Oh! This bread is so soft, and the maple syrup is sweet but not cloying. The combination is even better than the bread from a high-end bakery in real life!"

As he spoke, he took another big bite, his eyes narrowing into crescent moons.

Seeing his expression of enjoyment, everyone couldn't help but swallow hard, their previous concerns vanishing instantly.

"Is it really that delicious? You're not kidding us!" someone asked, still a little uneasy.

"Why would I lie to you!" The swordsman player stopped chewing and said solemnly, "The taste is something you have to experience to know!"

The team members all turned their gazes toward the leader, their eyes filled with anticipation.

Looking at the longing expressions on everyone's faces and smelling the increasingly sweet fragrance in the air, Barton couldn't help but be tempted himself.

He coughed lightly and waved his hand: "Alright, let's put the monster-hunting aside for now, everyone go and have a taste!"

"Great!"

The team members cheered instantly and scattered to pick out their favorites from the food scraps scattered on the ground.

Some people picked up the cookies and took a bite, some dipped bread in chocolate, and others held a small piece and licked it slowly.

The once solemn hunting ground was instantly transformed into a lively 'bread buffet restaurant'.

Everyone took a bite and began to praise it.

The clever girl who had suggested trying the food earlier was even more smug, putting her hands on her hips and saying, "This is all thanks to me. If I hadn't suggested it, who would have known that food on the ground could be so delicious?"

"Okay, okay, you win!" the team members replied perfunctorily, their attention already back on the food.

Just as everyone was about to take their second bite, the swordsman player who had tried it first had only one small piece of maple bread left in his hand.

He put the bread in his mouth, chewed a few times, and suddenly frowned, saying with some surprise, "Wait... this bread seems to have 'filling' in it?"

"The filling?" Everyone's eyes lit up instantly, their already somewhat satisfied appetites were instantly whetted again: "What filling? Is it chocolate or jam?"

"Let me try it first," the swordsman player said, but suddenly frowned and spat out, "Ptooey! Ptooey! Ptooey!"

He suddenly spat out the bread in his mouth, his face instantly turning pale: "What was that! It bit my tongue!"

The team members were taken aback at first, then burst into laughter.

"What do you mean you bit your tongue? Did you bite yourself because you ate too fast?"

"Exactly, I know you're in a hurry, but the food won't run away, can't you eat it slowly?"

"You're not trying to trick us into eating less, are you?"

"I'm not kidding!" the swordsman player quickly retorted, pointing to the bread crumbs he had spat out: "Something really bit my tongue just now! See for yourselves!"

The laughter gradually subsided, and everyone curiously gathered around, looking in the direction he was pointing.

Beneath the chewed breadcrumbs, a small black creature slowly crawled out, its short tentacles twitching slightly, its six barbed legs gripping the breadcrumbs tightly—[G Proliferating].

It's...it's a cockroach!

The team members who surrounded them froze instantly, and the food in their hands fell to the ground with a "thud".

The more excited and satisfied I was just now, the more fearful I am now.

The swordsman player stared at the cockroach, his pupils suddenly contracting, his voice trembling: "No...no way...I just...ate a cockroach?"

Barton's expression changed instantly. He quickly spat out the chocolate in his mouth, his voice urgent: "Pah! Free things are always the biggest traps! Everyone, stop eating! This food is poisoned!"

The team members followed suit, spitting out the food in their mouths. Those who were still holding food in their hands even slammed the food to the ground as if it were a hot potato.

"This isn't food at all! It's a veritable breeding ground for cockroaches!"

"That's disgusting! I think I just ate something hard too, chewed it and swallowed it. Now that I think about it, could that have been..."

Everyone looked at this 'hero' with sympathy.