The steaming pot base, companions sitting together, chopsticks competing for the last slice of meat in the broth—those images suddenly flooded back, making her unconsciously swallow.
Kagashi saw her reaction and laughed.
“It seems you’ve had it before.”
“Yeah.” Misaka Mikoto nodded, her mouth curling up slightly.
“Back in my world, we ate it often in the winter.”
Furina looked at Misaka Mikoto, then at Kagashi, the confusion in her eyes deepening.
“So what exactly is hot pot?
Why does Mikoto know about it but I don’t?”
Yoshino also tugged at Misaka Mikoto’s sleeve and asked softly, “Sister Mikoto, is it tasty?”
Misaka Mikoto thought for a moment and nodded seriously.
“It’s delicious.
And…” She paused, looking at Kagashi, “it’s something everyone eats together.”
Kagashi smiled and nodded.
Kagashi looked at the group.
“You’ll find out in a bit.”
He walked to the main control computer and opened the Trading System.
There were many more items listed on the interface than before.
Instant noodles had become a hot commodity, and the batch Kagashi had listed earlier was almost sold out.
Kagashi listed a large batch directly.
Besides instant noodles, various odds and ends began to appear.
Stone, iron ore, wood, hay, scrap metal, tools, and even some clothes picked up from stopping points.
There really was something.
A player named “Lin Xiaohe” had listed [Canned Meat × 3] for [Wood × 60].
Another player named “Wilderness Survivor” had listed [Canned Vegetables × 2] for [Stone × 40].
Yet another player named “Su Ran” had listed [Canned Fruit × 1] for [Iron Ore × 30].
Kagashi’s eyes lit up, and he bought them all directly.
Three cans of meat, two cans of vegetables, and one can of fruit.
Kagashi searched for “seasoning” but found no results.
He searched for “soup base” as well, but still nothing.
But it didn’t matter.
He had instant noodles.
The seasoning packets from instant noodles were the best hot pot base.
Kagashi closed the Trading System and opened the Construction System.
He typed “Kitchen” into the search bar, and the options popped up.
[Simple Kitchen]
[Simple Stove]
[Materials: Wood × 15, Iron Ore × 10, Stone × 10]
[Description: A traditional stove using wood as fuel; requires manual ignition.]
The resources he had exchanged for through the infinite instant noodles were now a massive amount.
After all, in this newly started survival game, such survival resources were the most sought after.
He clicked build.
A faint blue light lit up in the corner of the conference dining area.
The whole process took less than ten seconds.
A simple but sturdy stove rose from the floor.
Kagashi picked up the pot to check it, then put it back.
“There’s no water,” he said.
Furina froze for a moment.
“No water?” “Then what do we do?” Misaka Mikoto asked.
Kagashi took out several bottles of mineral water from the warehouse and placed them on the counter.
“Use these.”
Kagashi then took out a pack of instant noodles from the warehouse, tore open the packaging, set the noodle block aside, and kept only the seasoning packet.
“Wood,” Kagashi said.
Roxy stepped forward and raised her staff, pointing the tip at the firewood beneath the stove.
“Fireball.”
A small Fireball flew from the tip of the staff and landed precisely on the firewood.
Boom.
The wood was instantly ignited, orange-red flames licking the bottom of the pot with a crackling sound.
The water began to heat up slowly.
“Magic ignition.” Kagashi looked at Roxy, his mouth curling up slightly.
“That’s quite convenient.”
Roxy smiled gently and put away her staff.
Kagashi pried open the five cans of meat and vegetables and poured the meat along with the juices into the pot.
A short while later.
In the dark red broth, chunks of meat rolled and vegetables bobbed up and down.
The aroma began to spread.
Yoshino was already leaning over the edge of the counter, her eyes fixed on the meat in the pot, a glistening liquid shimmering at the corner of her mouth.
Furina was also swallowing, but she maintained basic decorum, only unconsciously moving a few steps forward.
Misaka Mikoto looked at the ingredients boiling in the pot and paused.
“This…
counts as hot pot?”
She instinctively looked around as if confirming something.
“Close enough.”
Still, sitting together in a lively, warm atmosphere with rising steam…
it could be considered hot pot.
“One more step,” Kagashi said.
He took the instant noodle block he had set aside, broke it into four pieces, and put them into the pot. You are reading on g.com, the official source.
The noodle blocks slowly separated in the boiling broth, turning into curly strands that mixed with the meat and vegetables.
Kagashi stirred it with a spoon and covered the pot.
“Wait a few minutes.”
These few minutes were probably the longest minutes these four girls had experienced since coming to this world.
Yoshino leaned on the counter, her eyes never leaving the pot lid for a second.
As for the tableware, the system had used wood to craft wooden bowls and chopsticks.
“Is it ready?” Yoshino asked softly.
Kagashi looked at the boiling broth in the pot; the noodles had softened, and the meat chunks were bobbing on the surface.
“It’s ready.”
He lifted the lid.
White steam surged out, carrying a rich aroma that instantly filled the entire carriage.
Meat, vegetables, and noodles—each bowl was roughly the same, with the broth poured over them to fill the bottom.
Yoshino held the bowl with both hands, looking down at the steaming food, and her eyes suddenly turned red.
“What’s wrong?” Furina asked.
“Nothing,” Yoshino sniffled.
“It’s just…
I haven’t eaten anything hot in so long.”
From the time they arrived in this world until now, they had been eating dry instant noodles, compressed biscuits, and mineral water.
Not a single hot bite.
Yoshino picked up a piece of meat, blew on it, and put it in her mouth.
Then her eyes curved into crescents.
“Delicious!”
Furina also picked up a bowl, took a piece of carrot, and carefully took a bite.
The carrot was stewed very soft and had soaked up the flavor of the broth, savory with a hint of sweetness.
“Things from another world are really delicious!” Furina’s eyes also lit up.
Misaka Mikoto picked up her bowl and took a mouthful of noodles.
The noodles were full of broth, smooth to the taste, and had the unique chewiness of instant noodles.
She chewed a few times, but her chopsticks were already reaching back into the pot.
“Mmm~, it’s almost as good as it was back in my world.”
Roxy ate slowly, taking small bites as if savoring every flavor.
“Mr.
Kagashi,” she said softly, “thank you.”
Kagashi picked up the last bowl and sat at the head of the long table.
“Let’s eat.”
The five of them sat around the long table.
The broth in the pot was still bubbling, and the food in their bowls emitted an enticing aroma.
While eating, Kagashi opened the chat room to see everyone’s reactions after the train started.