"Duck neck?"
Lin Feng glanced at the tray.
It was clearly a bunch of rats with their necks twisted.
Seven or eight dead rats were neatly arranged on a white porcelain plate, their fur intact, tails still stiff.
Next to it was a pot of stewed meat, the chunks an unnatural grayish-white, with a layer of oil floating on top, and a few plump white maggots happily squirming between the pieces.
The third plate held fried cockroaches, each the size of a thumb, glistening with oil, their legs still in a struggling pose.
Finally, there was a bowl of soup, a thick dark red liquid with a few unidentifiable organs and tissues floating in it.
Even as a Soul-Reaper, Lin Feng found this presentation a bit too... realistic.
But he wasn't focused on the appearance.
He saw something deeper—
Rich, pure, almost tangible Yin Energy!
Each dish was emanating enticing waves of Yin Energy, and the Yin Energy Concentration of that stewed meat even reached the standard of some high-grade Underworld ingredients!
"This... this is a feast of Yin Energy!"
Lin Feng's entire soul was cheering.
As a low-level civil servant in the Underworld, his Yin Energy supply depended entirely on his meager monthly salary.
30 Merit points, not even enough to cover food expenses each month.
Although he didn't need to eat as a Soul-Reaper, he still needed to regularly intake enough Yin Energy.
The last time he replenished his Yin Energy was three days ago when Sister Meng Po rewarded him with a bowl of expired Meng Po Soup after he helped her move a soup barrel.
The taste... was truly indescribable.
And now, these three dishes and one soup...
They were all condensed from high-purity Yin Energy.
His hands were trembling with excitement.
Not from fear, but from excitement.
In the live stream, however, the audience saw a different scene.
[Comment: The newbie leaned in to smell it! He's actually smelling it!]
[Comment: Impressive mental fortitude, didn't puke on the spot.]
[Comment: Keep pretending, let's see how he acts when he eats.]
[Comment: Bets are on! How many bites before he pukes? I bet on the first bite!]
[Comment: The cooking at Warm Home is famously "shocking", the last player went mentally broke after three bites.]
Lin Feng quickly composed himself, suppressing the fluctuations of his soul.
"Can't reveal, can't reveal..."
He silently chanted in his mind, while trying to force a more "natural" smile on his face.
"Child, sit down."
Mom placed the tray on the dining table with a dull thud.
The table was solid wood, but its surface was covered in dark brown stains, with some areas showing scratch marks from fingernails.
She pulled out a chair, the legs scraping against the floor with a screeching sound.
"Mom's been busy all afternoon, just to make this meal for you."
She sat across from Lin Feng, her hands folded on the table, her mouth stretched to her ears in a fixed arc, those pupil-less gray mist eyes staring intently at Lin Feng.
"You must... finish it all."
Her voice was so gentle it was chilling.
Rule number one: You must finish the meal Mom made, no wasting.
Lin Feng didn't need to think to know that breaking the rule wouldn't be a pleasant experience.
But for him, this wasn't a punishment, it was a reward!
"Thank you, Mom!"
Lin Feng's voice was filled with genuine gratitude.
He pulled out a chair and sat down, his movements as natural as if he were back in his own home.
Though this home was a bit... special.
Mom was taken aback.
For the first time, the stiff smile on her face showed a fluctuation, and the rotation speed of her gray mist eyes visibly slowed.
This reaction was off.
In the past, those "children" either screamed, vomited, or tried to escape upon seeing this food.
The calmest one still turned pale and couldn't hold the chopsticks with trembling hands.
But this newcomer...
He was smiling?
And why did that smile have a hint of... anticipation?
This script seemed off!
The live stream exploded.
[Comment: ???]
[Comment: He thanked Mom?]
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[Comment: No way, he actually sat down? And so properly?]
[Comment: Is there something wrong with this newbie's brain?]
[Comment: Warm Home cures all defiance, waiting to see him eat his words.]
Lin Feng's attention was entirely on the food now.
"Which one to start with..."
He rubbed his hands together, like a gourmet facing a lavish banquet.
At this moment, these dishes seemed to him as grand as a state banquet.
Proofreader: Peter Pan