Previous Chapter | Project Page | Next Chapter
Book 3 Chapter 13: Jin Da Pang’s Calculations
This meal made everyone happy. Jin Da Pang was indeed a glutton, he spoke with extreme profoundness when it came to the various methods of eating. Although XinFeng had eaten countless delicacies in his past life, towards Jin Da Pang’s various food creations, he only had respect. This was indeed a man who knew how to enjoy.
Especially Xinyao, the poor girl had always cared about quantity, not quality, suddenly tasting these delicious food, her stomach was quickly filled, causing her to burp for quite a while. Afterwards, she crooned while hugging her stomach, praising the food nonstop.
Jin Da Pang ate until oil started to leak from his mouth, continuously praising the wonderful taste of the Big-Horned Bulls, this was followed continuously with lamenting about the finished bulls, saying how hard it was to find such good meat again.
Wei Zheng Long brought a few soldiers to clean up, seeing him, Jin Da Pang instructed him to brew some Ink Flower tea. This Ink Flower tea was the speciality of this place, it aided digestion and was also helpful in dispelling heat in the body. It especially helped digestion, speeding up the process, and this was Jin Da Pang’s favorite attribute of the tea.
(Puttty: as far as I know, there’s no flower like that in our world, so I made its name a literal translation, 墨花茶, unless you want the pinyin.)
XinFeng tasted it, this Ink Flower tea was indeed good. Although the taste was slightly bitter, the aftertaste was sweet and refreshing. He specially asked for some Ink Flower tea from Jin Da Pang. It was a sun-dried flower, it’s color black, kneaded into a small ball. Upon coming into contact with boiling water, it would immediately bloom. It was a very interesting drink.
Xinyao drank it and the fullness in her belly quickly disappeared.
The crowd chatted for a bit and purchased a bit of dried food. As for meat, they had brought a lot of it from Hong Tong, enough for them to eat for a few months.
The place the old man Lei Bao wanted to go wasn’t the Capital of Xi Rong Nation, but was a place called Stellar Night fortress. It wasn’t a city but was a place for practitioners. It was extremely famous in Xi Rong Nation, as this place was mostly filled with practitioners. It was a place the officials of Xi Rong Nation avoided, this place was in limbo.
(Puttty: Uuuuu, I like the name~ 泰朗夜寨, 泰朗 = Stellar, 夜 = Night and 寨 = fortress/camp/stronghold. I figured fortress would be the best in terms of meaning? But I could be wrong.)
Qi Xuan said, pleased, “Jin Da Pang, have you gone to Stellar Night Fortress before?”
Jin Da Pang immediately felt relieved and said, “Stellar Night Fortress huh, this place is very messy, those who hadn’t reached Thousand Lun Master better not go, hehe, of course it wouldn’t be a problem for the all of you.”
The old man said, “How far is this place from Stellar Night Fortress?”
Jin Da Pang said, “Not far….but not close either, it depends on which road you all walk, if it is a shortcut, it will take 7-8 days, if it was according to the normal route, then it’ll take 20-30 days. There’s a problem with the shortcuts, that is, you will have to walk a part of a Barbarian-controlled area, this road isn’t a good one to walk, most people would choose to walk the normal way, but you have to circle around to reach.”
The old man LeiBao said, “En, let’s take the shortcut, do you have a map?”
The old man said continuously, “Have, have, Zheng Long, take a map!”
Wei Zheng Long took a military map, a very detailed skin-made map. Recorded on this map was the Tribal gathering areas of the Sand Barbarians, it was all the edges of oases and the desert, and they had to cross a large Sand Barbarian tribe.
XinFeng checked the map and said, “You are here at Mojin city to protect it from this barbarian tribe, right?”
Jin Da Pang said, laughing, “That’s right, this is a tribe that has at least 700-800 Barbarian warriors. Actually, no matter young or old, barbarians are all scary, luckily, there’s some understanding between them and Mojin city, they won’t attack us and we rarely have to go and wipe them out, it is mutual peace. Of course, if someone took the initiative to go to their controlled areas, they will have the right to attack, we won’t go and rescue you, not that we can rescue you.”
Qi Xuan said, “Wu, you unreliable fatty, you want us to weaken these barbarians.”
Jin Da Pang said, “I dare not have such ideas, I was only pointing out the two roads that can reach Stellar Night Fortress, hehe.” This was a typical scheme, it was placed out for one to choose. If one walked the shortcut, one would clash with the barbarians. If one walked the long route, they would not suffer any losses, either way.
The old man Lei Bao nodded, “This little guy is pretty smart.”
Jin Da Pang had an honest expression, accompanied by a pair of innocent eyes as he said, “I am only a gourmet, how am I smart, ai, I also hope for myself to become smarter, so as to not always be suffering losses.”
The crowd could not help but laugh. This fellow indeed looked to be honest, but no one believed in his honesty. His shrewdness was gathered in his fats, if one wasn’t careful enough, one might be sold off by him.
The old man Lei Bao said, “We’ll take the shortcut.” He did not care about the barbarians, if they dared to block them, then they would only have to kill. In the meantime, they could also train XinFeng’s battle skills.
Jin Da Pang was instantly elated, he had wipeout duties every year, it wasn’t to wipe them out, but just to weaken their numbers. This time, he could finally skimp while reducing the soldiers’ casualties, this kind of luck was not something he would let go of. He laughed, “This road is actually very easy to take, comfortably flat and also has many ponds alongside the road, enough for you to fill your water supplies.”
At this moment, Jin Da Pang had incomparable enthusiasm as he detailedly explained everything he knew.
Qi Xuan laughed, “Not bad, you know quite a lot.”
Jin Da Pang said, while slightly flaunting, “Of course, although I haven’t been here for a long time, but as for the situation here, I know it very clearly, this road, I’ve checked three times, I can say….even with closed eyes, I’m able to walk it!”
The old man Lei Bao said, “If it’s like that…..”
Jin Da Pang still had doubts, he silently pondered, “What’s like that?”
The old man continued, “If it’s like that, be our guide.”
“Ga, what?”
The old man Lei Bao said indifferently, “Be our guide, what’s strange about it?”
Jin Da Pang became flustered, “This, that….master, it’s not that I’m not willing, but….”
The old man Lei Bao did not wait for him to finish, and cut in, “It’s not that you’re not willing….that means you’re willing! That’s great, then we’ll invite you as our guide. You won’t refuse, right?” A surge of his strong imposing manner charged towards Jin Da Pang.
Just as Jin Da Pang was about to decline and excuse himself, that enormous pressure oppressed him, making him incapable of speaking, his whole body became stiff. Only then did he know that the old man LeiBao’s strength was reaching the point of terrifying. When that surge suddenly disappeared, he almost fell to the ground. He said, flustered, “I-I’m willing, of course I’m willing…..keke, e, I am……willing…” He was almost crying.
XinFeng tried to not laugh, this fellow had an expression similar to “You’ve harmed me and you want my thanks”, he was unlucky now.
Jin Da Pang wanted to say he could not leave the barracks, but how could he reason with the old man Lei Bao? That would be stupid. Although he was a glutton, he wasn’t dumb, he knew he couldn’t refuse and could only smile bitterly, “Master, you’re really tyrannical.”
The old man said, “You’re not willing?”
Would Jin Da Pang dare say no? Definitely not. He said “I’m willing!” His tone full of resentment.
The old man Lei Bao said, “You’re willing by choice, I didn’t force you, how was I tyrannical?”
Jin Da Pang was angered, he spoke with a face with a smile uglier than a frown, “Yes, yes, yes, master is the best, not tyrannical in the slightest, kind instead, I was willing by my own choice, my own choice…”
It made the old man Lei Bao laugh out loud.
Jin Da Pang shouted, “Wei Zheng Long!”
Wei Zheng Long came from outside and asked, “Sir, what’s wrong?”
Jin Da Pang said, none too kindly, “You, follow me, let’s go to Stellar Night Fortress, through the shortcut.”
Wei Zheng Long instantly became dizzy, he said, “Sir, that’s the territory of the barbarians, we’ll be attacked upon entering!”
Jin Da Pang said, “Rubbish, of course I know that, we’re there as guides, as for the Barbarians, there’s so many experts, we won’t have to fight!”
Wei Zheng Long said, “But what about the matters of the Barracks.”
Jin Da Pang said “I let you follow me, what’s with all the bullshit, go prepare food…for the journey, bring a lot, and prepare 10 Sand Luo beasts, bring all the needed supplies, remember, don’t let me starve on the journey!”
The crowd looked, shocked at Jin Da Pang. They were a group of a dozen or so people and only had 5 Sand Luo Beasts, this fellow wanted 10 of them while he also had his own Lunchang space. Was he there as a guide or there to eat and play.
Jin Da Pang actually apologized, “Pardon, I cannot not have good food, if I don’t have food, then it’ll be horrible, hehe, don’t worry, I have promised to bring everyone to go there, so I’ll make sure that you’ll go in comfort.”
XinFeng had a weird feeling, he said, “Why don’t I feel right…..”
The old man Lei Bao asked, “What’s not right?”
XinFeng shook his head, “I can’t put my finger on it, anyway it’s weird.”
Wei Zheng Long walked out of the tent to organize the supplies, but he heard Jin Da Pang shout, “Bring my copper stove, and right, also some firewood, so as to roast some meat.”
The crowd was stupefied, does this fellow intend on moving the whole kitchen.
The happiest one about Jin Da Pang accompanying was Xinyao, she applauded, “If Da Pang uncle goes…..I’ll have delicious food!” She had never eaten such delicious food before, which was why she was slightly petty. To her, Jin Da Pang was a portable treasure house, when he was with her, she would definitely have good food.
XinFeng smiled bitterly, “Yaoyao, I’ll roast delicious food for you.”
Xinyao said softly, “Brother, are you silly, you have free food, why roast yourself.”
XinFeng did not know what to say, this child actually had such thoughts. But he quickly cheered up, a small miser can take advantages but not disadvantages. He said softly, “Okay, we’ll eat fatty’s, hehe.”
Xinyao laughed, pleased.
