I've been transported to the orc continent.

After drinking most of a bowl of fish soup, Yue warmed herself by the fire for a while, and her body became completely warm.

"Ling, is there anything I can help you with?" Yue asked as she walked up to Bai Ling.

Bai Ling shook his head: "Yue, you just go out hunting, leave the rest to us." Bai Ling gestured for Yue to sit down, "You can just stay here and watch over things. When it gets dark, we can have a delicious hot pot."

The tribesmen responsible for transporting the fish returned another basket of fish. Two tribesmen responsible for cooking quickly stepped forward to take the basket, then cleaned and scaled the fish. Bai Ling said to the tribesmen who were transporting the fish, "Let them all come back. There are enough fish for us to eat."

The tribesman carried the basket on his back, his tone cheerful: "Well, I'll tell them, but I don't know if they'll be willing to come back now."

"They seem to be addicted, sitting there motionless, only making a move when a fish takes the bait."

Bai Ling smiled and said, "Yes, tell them that I made some delicious fish soup, and if they come back late, they won't be able to drink it."

The tribesman who was transporting the fish said he knew, let out two loud cries, and ran out.

The tribesmen had almost finished chopping the meat. Bai Ling put the largest iron pot on the fire pit and started boiling water to make soup.

Since there are no convenient hot pot bases in this world, Bai Ling has to make his own. However, without chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns, the stir-fried base always seems to lack something. So, Bai Ling simply uses the large bones of the horned beast to simmer a large pot of bone broth, and then uses the bone broth and base to make hot pot.

While Bai Ling was doing these things, Yue sat obediently to the side. He did nothing but quietly follow Bai Ling's figure with his eyes.

Actually, the two of them have always had a lot of time alone, but this quiet, silent observation of Ling is something Yue has never done before.

Yue only now realized that Ling was not actually thin.

Ling was different from other children from a young age. She did not receive the hunting training that every orc child had to learn. She never went out to hunt after growing up, nor did she ever properly gather resources. Even when she went out with me, Ling spent most of her time searching.

Searching is less physically demanding than actual gathering.

Because of Ling's past experiences, I always saw myself as the caregiver when I was with him.

While silently observing Ling's busy work, Yue thought to herself about her impression of Ling: Ling was a smart, enthusiastic but physically weak orc who needed to be taken care of.

But now Yue thought that although Ling could not hunt or gather with his tribe, he could easily swing a hammer to forge iron, lift a pottery pot full of water with both hands, carry a basket full of ore on his back, and run alongside him for most of the day without stopping.

It seems that Ling doesn't need him to take care of her all the time.

Thinking of this, a slight smile finally appeared on Yue's lips.

He raised his eyelids again and glanced at Bai Ling. Several fire pits were lit in the cave, and the temperature was much higher than outside. Bai Ling was busy in front of the fire pits. He took off one robe and then took off the second robe and wrapped it around his waist, which made his broad shoulders and narrow waist look even more beautiful.

Yue seemed to be thinking of something, and a blush rose on his cheeks again. He quickly lowered his head, gently pursed his lips, and stared at a small pebble at his feet, no longer daring to look around.

*

Returning with the tribespeople who had gone fishing were a large group of children and cubs. The children were all wrapped up tightly, wearing hats and gloves, and the cubs were all wearing hats and were being held in the arms of their adults, staring at Bai Ling with their round eyes.

Because they knew that Ling was the best cook in the tribe, and as long as Ling was busy at the pot, there would definitely be something delicious.

Among these children and cubs were also from other tribes, and their adults had come along as well, each carrying a basket on their back.

If they were from the same tribe, that would be one thing, but they're not even from the same tribe of orcs. They just send their children to their door for a meal, so of course they have to bring something with them.

However, Bai Ling refused: "Take all these things back. Consider it our treat to a meal, since the children and cubs can eat as much as they want."

The tribesmen who were with Bai Ling also spoke up, refusing to accept the gifts no matter what. The orcs who had brought gifts had no choice but to carry their baskets back on their backs.

Bai Ling laughed again, "This cave is too cold. You should take the children and cubs back first and wait in the cave where our people live. We'll bring the hot pot over in a little while. It's warm in that cave, so you can eat there."

There are plenty of fish balls and meat balls prepared here, far more than they can eat. We'll have to send a pot to the tribespeople later. It's much warmer in the cave over there, so it's better for the children and cubs to eat there.

The children cheered upon hearing this, but the cubs, not understanding what Bai Ling meant, continued to stare at the pot behind him.

The cubs' owners picked them up without hesitation, exchanged a few more words with Bai Ling, and then left with them.

*

The bone broth in the iron pot was already boiling. Bai Ling used a wooden spoon to scoop out the broth and put it into two large earthenware bowls.

Then he cooked a large pot of bone broth.

The fish balls are ready, the sausages are chopped, the dried vegetables are washed, the blood from the horned beast is chopped and washed, and the meat from the scalloped meat is also chopped. Once the meatballs are ready, we can have hot pot.

Meatballs are easy to make. The tribesmen who had previously squeezed fish balls with Bai Ling gathered around the pot, each holding a wooden spoon, and began squeezing meatballs. Bai Ling, on the other hand, held a strainer and was responsible for scooping out the meatballs that floated to the surface.

They're having hot pot tonight. The meatballs don't need to be fully cooked; they just need to float in the pot. Several people squeezed the meatballs together, and soon Bai Ling had scooped up a whole basin of meatballs.

The tribesmen took the meatballs outside the cave and froze them, just like the fish balls.

It's the coldest time of the year now. The meatballs were still steaming when they were taken out, but they froze in no time.

When all the meatballs and fish balls were ready, the sun was still just a sliver in the sky. Bai Ling carried a basin of meatballs, while the tribesmen behind him carried different basins: some carrying basins of meatballs, some carrying basins of fish balls, some carrying basins of cured and smoked meat, and some carrying basins of dried vegetables. Yue and another strong tribesman carried basins of simmered bone broth.

Bai Ling laughed and said, "Let's go. After we deliver the things, we can come back and have hot pot."

The young beastmen cheered, and even those who weren't carrying anything followed Bai Ling toward the cave where their people lived.

They weren't interested in seeing how much the children and cubs actually liked hot pot; they just wanted to go back over there with them.