"I won't stand on ceremony then!"
Bai Ye was indeed hungry and started eating. As the host, Rimuru naturally didn't hold back. Both of them put a piece of grilled meat into their mouths at the same time.
Then…
Rimuru's expression changed drastically. He looked at a goblin serving him and asked, "Who cooked today's meal?"
"It was Shion, the big boss," the goblin replied. "She said she misunderstood Mr. Bai Ye and wanted to cook herself as an apology!"
Bai Ye trembled and asked, "Are you sure she wanted to apologize, not assassinate me?"
*Bang!*
As soon as Bai Ye finished speaking, he slammed his head onto the table, foam bubbling from his mouth.
In the next instant…
Rimuru's resistance was a bit higher, but he didn't last long. He transformed back into his slime form, and even his jelly-like body began to dissolve.
"Ah, Mr. Bai Ye!"
"Ah, Lord Rimuru!"
The goblins cried out in alarm and then ran out of the room.
"Quick, someone! Lord Rimuru and Mr. Bai Ye seem to have been poisoned."
Hearing the commotion, Bai Ye twitched his lips and then, with trembling hands, took out a talisman.
"Purification Charm!"
In the next moment, flames ignited on Bai Ye and Rimuru's bodies. Some black substances were forced out of their bodies and quickly incinerated.
The feeling of having brushed past death gradually disappeared.
Finally recovered, Bai Ye was drenched in cold sweat. He truly hadn't expected to use the Purification Charm so soon, and all because of a meal.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have been picky," Bai Ye repented to the talisman. "The Purification Charm is truly useful!"
On the other side, Rimuru watched as a crowd of subordinates rushed into the room and said seriously, "Remember, do not let Shion near the kitchen. Absolutely not. This is an order!"
Others cook for money; she cooks for life!
…
Meanwhile…
The outer perimeter of the Jura Great Forest!
This was a barren land.
Yellow soil covered by thick sand and gravel, with cracks everywhere. Occasionally, a large tree could be seen, shriveled from lack of water, its branches bare, devoid of any leaves.
A tall figure, cloaked and walking across the desolate land, had a human form but the head of a boar. As he raised his head, his pig-like eyes were filled with sorrow.
"The child born yesterday died this morning."
"The child born this morning is also on the verge of death."
"Why treat us this way? Is it a curse from heaven?"
"A curse upon this land!"
"And a curse upon the Orcs!"
"If this is not despair, then what is it?"
Suddenly, the Orc roared upwards, filled with immense unwillingness.
"Food, food, food…"
"We need…"
"Food!"
After the roar, the Orc gradually regained his composure. The anger in his eyes receded, replaced by deep sadness.
Then…
The sky overhead darkened. It was no longer a desolate Gobi desert but a vast forest.
Tens of thousands of Orcs stood before him, their eyes bloodshot and fierce!
"Is this a dream?"
The Orc with sad eyes muttered, then looked at the armor he wore.
"If this is a dream, then I shall shatter it!"
"I will eventually make the land of my homeland covered in green grass and blooming flowers."
"Through war!"
"Kill!"
And on a distant hillside…
Li Jiayi lowered his binoculars, brought his hand to his ear, mimicked making a phone call, and said, "Hello, I'm in the barren land on the outskirts of the Jura Great Forest. I've found the Orc Lord!"
"Is war about to begin?"
Li Jiayi smiled. "Of course!"
"But… Boss, can the Orc Lord really destroy the Jura Great Forest? And what benefits will we get? That guy is impossible to communicate with, and it's not like the Forbidden Zone is open right now, so we don't have any Forbidden Zone missions."
"Forbidden Zone missions?" Li Jiayi sneered. "I think you're afraid you won't die fast enough. Based on my deductions, the Jura Great Forest has more than two or three Forbidden Zones, and even the lowest difficulty ones are enough to tear us to shreds."
"I was just speaking casually, and besides, I'm curious. What can we gain from the Orc Lord?"
"Our target is not the Orc Lord," Li Jiayi said. "It's the power hidden behind the Orc Lord, the power of a Demon Lord!"
…
The Jura Great Forest, the Monster Country.
Bai Ye walked down the street, his eyes suddenly lit up, and he rushed into a general store.
"Is this a talisman? They have talismans here?"
"Those were left by some passing travelers," the shopkeeper, a rabbit-eared beast-person monster girl, said with a smile. "You're Lord Rimuru's friend, do you need them? If you do, I'll get them for you."
"Of course, please get them for me." Bai Ye took out a money pouch from his waist and produced a few unfamiliar coins. "Is this enough?"
The rabbit-ear shopkeeper smiled. "It's more than enough, thank you for your patronage."
Bai Ye nodded, and left the shop with a large stack of talismans.
Bai Ye truly hadn't expected to be able to buy Eastern talismans in the neutral zone of the fantasy region. This was an unexpected delight, and Bai Ye hadn't paid any price for them. The money pouch was given by Rimuru, otherwise, how could Bai Ye have the currency of this place?
However, the amount of currency wasn't much, enough only for small purchases or to maintain daily food and drink. Otherwise, Bai Ye would have gone directly to the weapon or magic shops to get things for free.
"Hey, Mr. Bai Ye, would you like a flower cake? It's made from flowers I picked this morning, very fresh."
"Mr. Bai Ye, would you like an apple? It's very sweet!"
"Mr. Bai Ye, this is a limited edition product from this summer, shaved ice in the shape of Lord Rimuru. Would you like a bowl?"
This was Bai Ye's third day in the Monster Country.
Although it hadn't been long, given that Bai Ye spent his days idly loitering on the streets, the residents around Rimuru's mansion had become very familiar with him. When they saw Bai Ye, they would greet him warmly.
After all, Bai Ye was different from the humans they had encountered before; he neither feared them nor disdained them.
"Flower cake? No thanks, I can't get used to that kind of thing."
"Give me an apple."
"Shaved ice in Rimuru's shape? Rimuru treats you as subjects, and you want to eat him."
Bai Ye smiled as he responded to the people around him, then took an apple and bit into it. It was indeed quite sweet.
To be honest, life in the Monster Country was quite comfortable.
However…
As comfortable as it was, why hadn't any quests arrived yet?
…