Although he wasn't entirely familiar with the plants here, Perry had stumbled upon a few pages in his search for information about the Sleepy Mushroom that detailed various spices. The notes not only described the appearance and color of these spices in great detail but also specifically noted their scents, uses, and precautions for harvesting. Reading these notes sparked Perry's interest in these local plants, especially the spices that could be used for seasoning. The notes mentioned that these spices not only enhanced the flavor of food but could even stimulate appetite or have mild healing effects, which he found to be a fantastic discovery.
He recalled one spice particularly suitable for grilled fish; according to the description, it grew nearby. Looking around, he quickly zeroed in on a patch of grass with small red leaves. Not far from there was a plant known as Lanla Grass.
"I'm going to find some spices. Larkin, do you mind if I use it on the fish?" He first greeted everyone before planning to set off.
Larkin casually waved his hand while checking the fish, "I don't care, as long as it tastes good."
Toto looked at Perry, curious about his search for spices, and asked, "Do you need me to come with you?"
"No, it's really just nearby," Perry said with a smile, pointing toward the nearby thicket, indicating the direction he would take to find the spices. In fact, the patch of grass was not far at all; they could even say it was still within sight.
"Since we're grilling fish, it would be better to wrap it in leaves," Toto volunteered, standing up to look for suitable leaves to wrap the fish, "I'll help out too."
"Alright, you two go ahead," Larkin waved his hand in agreement with their plan.
Perry walked into the patch of grass, carefully pushing aside a few layers of grass, and soon arrived at a field covered with red-leafed grass. These small red grasses were referred to as Lanla Grass in the notes. The leaves were bright red and emitted a faint spicy aroma that was appetizing and refreshing.
He cautiously asked the system, "System, can you analyze these red grasses for me?" To ensure everything was safe, Perry decided to let the system check before he began picking them.
A blue sphere gently touched the grass leaves, immediately popping up a message box:
[Item: Lanla Grass
Grade: E
Attributes: None
Description: Small red leaves with a unique spicy aroma, combining mild freshness and sweetness, reminiscent of a mix of basil and pepper flavors, commonly used to enhance the flavor of various dishes, non-toxic.
Function: Enhances flavor of dishes, boosts appetite.
Warning: Must be used in moderation; excessive use will mask the flavors of other ingredients.]
Perry nodded in satisfaction, preparing to pick a few leaves when he suddenly noticed some larger Lanla Grass plants nearby. They emitted a faint warmth and appeared to be much more mature than the smaller leaves. He had the system analyze them again and discovered different results:
[Item: Lanla Grass
Grade: C
Attributes: Fire
Description: Small red leaves with a unique spicy aroma, combining mild freshness and sweetness, reminiscent of a mix of basil and pepper flavors, commonly used to enhance the flavor of various dishes, non-toxic.
Function: ???
Warning: ???]
"Fire attribute... So, Lanla Grass gains attributes as it matures," Perry murmured softly, feeling a sense of relief for not having recklessly picked those larger leaves, as it could have gotten him into trouble. After all, using unauthorized attribute plants here is illegal, especially fire attribute plants, which could inadvertently violate the ban on 'unauthorized cooking.' In fact, when he got close to those mature Lanla Grass plants, he had sensed their faint warmth, which heightened his alertness.
He carefully picked a few of the smallest Lanla Grass leaves, brought them close to his nose, and took a gentle sniff. The aroma was mild and refreshing, with a hint of spicy stimulation. "This smells really good!" Perry murmured to himself with satisfaction. He placed the picked grass in his palm, admiring it while opening the system to analyze the Lanla Grass, confirming that they were all attribute-free before feeling reassured.
With a hint of pride, he thought that these leaves would undoubtedly be an excellent choice for enhancing the flavor of the grilled fish. To avoid wasting time, he quickly headed back to the campsite, happily anticipating his companions' reactions to the spice.
Upon returning to the campsite, Larkin was intently inspecting the freshly processed fish. Seeing Perry come back, he jokingly remarked, "Your fish handling skills are even more professional than I imagined!"
Perry shrugged and replied casually, "I'll learn some tricks on how to knife fish." He felt somewhat proud, especially since he had managed to cleanly handle the fish with the system's help, prompting Larkin to glance at him a bit longer.
Just then, Toto returned, holding a few wide and thick leaves. Perry couldn't help but ask curiously, "What are these leaves?"
Larkin answered first, "These are Shuo Wei leaves, particularly suitable for grilling food. Their thick leaves are heat-resistant and can lock in moisture and aroma at high temperatures, preventing the fish from burning. Toto, you really know how to find these; the fish will be easy to grill now."
"Really great!" Perry added, "With these leaves, we can easily wrap the fish and put it directly on the fire." His tone carried a hint of admiration since he wasn't very skilled at grilling fish himself.
Feeling a bit shy from the praise, Toto smiled lightly and quickly rinsed the leaves in the river. As he skillfully washed the leaves, he said, "I'll help wrap the fish." He carefully took the fish that Perry handed him and wrapped it layer by layer with the leaves.
Perry cut the fish into small pieces and placed them on the Shuo Wei leaves, making marinating and grilling more convenient. Larkin and Toto were each responsible for tightly wrapping the fish, ensuring no juices would leak out.
Afterward, Perry took out the Lanla Grass he had just picked and excitedly said to them, "This is the spice I just found; I plan to use it to marinate the fish."
Seeing the red grass leaves, Toto's eyes sparkled with curiosity. "Lanla Grass? Do you know a lot about these spices? They won't have any attributes, will they?" he couldn't help but ask.
Perry paused, suddenly feeling nervous. Oh, right, he almost forgot; the rules in this world meant that not just anyone could casually use plants with attributes, especially for cooking food for others. So, he quickly explained, "Lanla Grass is a spice mentioned in the notes. The newly sprouted Lanla Grass is attribute-free; only the mature ones have attributes."
Toto and Larkin exchanged glances, with Larkin flipping through the notes to confirm, "The notes indeed mention it, but here it records that mature Lanla Grass has a fire attribute."
Toto frowned and looked at Perry with a hint of reproach, "You were almost about to break the law."
However, Larkin continued flipping through the notes and pointed to a small line of text to add, "Well... the notes also say that the immature Lanla Grass is indeed attribute-free."
Hearing Larkin say that, Toto finally relaxed and smiled, "I see! I thought… Well, since they have no attributes, I'm actually looking forward to the flavor they'll add to the grilled fish!" As he spoke, he adjusted the twigs in the fire pit, ensuring the flames burned steadily and the temperature was just right.
The fish was divided into five portions, three of which they threw into the fire to roast, while one of it was seasoned with Lanla grass and the other was Rufus's. Larkin chuckled, "As the loser, Rufus has to roast his own portion."
Toto laughed even harder and said, "Yeah, after all, he's quite skilled; he should be able to roast it better."
As the flames flickered, the aroma of the ingredients began to waft through the air. Perry, Toto, and Larkin exchanged smiles, looking forward to their delicious fish feast.
While waiting for the fish to cook, Perry casually brought up the Flame Wolves that had troubled the village before. Unfortunately, Larkin had not been in the village that day and was unfamiliar with the situation. Their conversation gradually shifted to Grandpa Harden's notebook, discussing the peculiar properties of the unique plants documented within it.
After a while, the smell of fish gradually filled the air, and they couldn't help but sniff the enticing aroma, their stomachs beginning to growl. Toto couldn't hold back his laughter, saying, "Looks like we're really hungry!"
"Yeah," Perry nodded, taking a deep breath, "this smell is making my mouth water."
Larkin looked up at the sky, her brow slightly furrowed. "Looks like the weather's about to change; the dark clouds are gathering. I'll go find Rufus; he's been gone for quite a while."
"Rain in the forest is indeed troublesome," Perry said, glancing at the rolling clouds in the distance, his worry evident.
Toto, hearing this, comforted him with a smile, "Don't worry, we'll help you find Mushcat; you won't be going alone."
"Thank you," Perry said gratefully, knowing their kindness stemmed more from their friendship with Henry, but Mushcat's situation was also closely related to him. Just then, Rufus came running back, panting and holding a backpack, looking both smug and somewhat tired.
"Where have you been? You didn't even bring back any fish!" Larkin glared at him disapprovingly. Although she had already "won," Rufus still hadn't fulfilled his wager, which annoyed her a bit.
"I was going to catch something, but I saw some strange things!" Rufus defended himself. "They were running really fast, and I chased them for a long time, but when I got to the edge of the cliff, they disappeared. It must have been Mushcat."
He handed the backpack to Perry and smiled, "I found this; it should be yours, right?"
Perry opened the backpack and saw familiar items: a spellbook, several potions, and Henry's student ID. He felt a wave of emotion wash over him and said gratefully, "Thank you so much, Rufus!" He stared into Rufus's eyes, filled with joy; the contents of this backpack meant a lot to him.
"No need to thank me; it's just a small matter," Rufus waved his hand, a confident smile appearing on his face.
At that moment, Larkin couldn't help but interject, "Did you just find Mushcat? Why were they running to the cliff's edge?"
"I don't know," Rufus replied with a helpless smile. Before he could explain further, the rich aroma of the fish in the air drew his attention. He rubbed his stomach and greedily sniffed the air, "Wow, that smells amazing! Have you started roasting the fish?"
"Yep, I caught it!" Larkin said proudly, raising her eyebrows and pointing to the fish being roasted. "But you still haven't answered my question!"
"Let me eat something first!" Rufus's stomach growled loudly as he looked at Larkin with an innocent expression. "Can I trade information for a little punishment? I'm really starving."
Larkin looked at his pitiful expression and ultimately couldn't help but smile. "Alright, since you look so pitiful, I'll let it slide this time. But if you pull this again next time, I won't let you off so easily!"
"I promise there won't be a next time!" Rufus raised his hand in a mock solemn oath, a teasing smile on his face.
The group gathered around the fire, and Larkin and Rufus eagerly dug into the roasted fish. The fresh taste of the fish combined perfectly with the aroma of the shimmering leaves. Watching them enjoy their meal, Perry nodded in satisfaction, first handing the cooked fish to Toto while leaving the remaining two portions to continue cooking over the fire.
"This is delicious!" Rufus exclaimed, his eyes sparkling with excitement.
"Yeah, the taste is really great!" Larkin agreed, her face full of satisfaction, a smile playing at the corners of her mouth. She took a bite and couldn't help but close her eyes, savoring the fish's deliciousness. The aroma danced on her taste buds, as if every bite brought the freshness of the sea.
Toto couldn't wait any longer and took a bite, the tender texture of the fish immediately filling his mouth. It was delicate and soft, melting away, accompanied by a hint of saltiness and the refreshing scent of the shimmering leaves, making him want to eat more. He exclaimed, "This fish is so good, it could rival the delicacies in a restaurant!"
After finishing his portion, Rufus excitedly began to recount his fish-catching adventure. His eyes sparkled with the thrill of storytelling: "I originally planned to catch fish by the lake, where there were plenty of them, but then I was chased out by the Shadow Crocodile we meet before!"
Perry immediately held his breath upon hearing this and asked, "So how did you escape?"
Rufus pretended to be mysterious, continuing with a smug smile, "To save my life, I hurriedly ran toward the mushroom area. You know, it smelled really weird there, and many animals were too scared to approach it; it was like a natural barrier! I stayed there for a while, thinking I was finally safe, and unexpectedly found your backpack." He pointed at Perry's backpack, his eyes filled with mischief.
"So you just stayed there until you discovered those little creatures?" Perry asked curiously.
"Yep!" Rufus nodded, his face glowing with excitement. "I saw many small creatures scurrying around, moving so fast, as if they were being chased by something. Out of curiosity, I decided to follow them, and to my surprise, they led me to the edge of the cliff!"
"That sounds thrilling!" Toto laughed, "Next time you encounter a Shadow Crocodile, don't forget to bring me along. I'd love to see just how fast that crocodile really is."
"I can't guarantee that," Rufus shook his head and laughed, "Next time I don't want to go through that kind of danger again. Just being able to come back alive is already a stroke of luck!"
Larkin couldn't resist grabbing another piece of fish, softly saying, "But finding your backpack in such circumstances is still an unexpected gain!"