Sea Salt
Bai Lou was merely a theorist, while Lang Zhan was incredibly skilled at grilling meat, his control of the heat impeccable. The skewers sizzled and dripped fat onto the fire, sending flames leaping higher.
The enticing sounds and the aroma of grilled meat wafted into Bai Lou’s nostrils, making him, who hadn’t eaten enough the night before, swallow hard.
“Zhan, where’s the salt?”
Lang Zhan picked up a small earthenware jar, unwrapped the animal hide covering the opening, and handed it to Bai Lou.
Bai Lou took it and examined it. Inside were pale yellow granules, likely unrefined coarse salt, filling about half the jar.
It was a considerable amount of salt, enough for a family of three on Blue Star for a month. However, given Lang Zhan’s appetite, this amount wouldn’t last more than half a month.
“Where did you get this salt?” Bai Lou had a bad feeling. He hadn’t thought much about it before as Lang Zhan said he didn’t lack salt, and Bai Lou believed him. Now, thinking about how the tribe was so short of salt that they needed beast blood to supplement it, Lang Zhan’s salt must have been hard-won.
Lang Zhan assumed he’d never seen sea salt before and explained, “This is sea salt. I got it from the market. It tastes better than rock salt, and it’s not as bitter.”
“Sea salt? There’s a sea here?” Bai Lou’s eyes suddenly lit up. Aside from fish and shrimp, he hadn’t eaten seafood in a long time.
Seeing the expectation in his eyes, Lang Zhan couldn’t bear to disappoint him, but reality was…
“It’s said that the southernmost part of the Azure Wood Continent is the ocean, very, very far away. It takes the Goose Tribe half a month to travel there and back. At the speed of the Wolf Tribe beastmen, if they don’t encounter any dangers along the way, it will probably take about two months.”
The Wolf Tribe is different from the Goose Tribe as they can’t maintain full speed for long periods. Besides, the Beastman Continent is fraught with danger and a long journey could easily cost them their lives.
“Oh.” Bai Lou was momentarily dejected, but quickly regained his spirits. He wasn’t necessarily fixated on seafood and even if he really wanted some, there were other ways.
He poured out some salt, took a clean stone bowl and stones, and ground it into powder. Then, he stared longingly at the meat skewers on the campfire. “Zhan, isn’t the meat cooked yet?”
Lang Zhan found it amusing, flipped the skewers, and handed the middle one to Bai Lou. “This one’s ready.”
The little wolf cub watched as the skewer passed right in front of him and was handed to a slender, fair hand. He remained seated, expressionless, though his little paws subtly scratched the ground.
Did his brother give it to the wrong person?
Although Bai Lou was very hungry, he wouldn’t steal food from a cub.
Once the meat cooled slightly, Bai Lou sprinkled some salt on it and offered it to Lang Tu’s mouth first.
Lang Tu shook his head and let out a soft, childish “woof.”
“Brother Bai Lou, you eat first.”
While it opened its mouth, Bai Lou shoved the skewer of meat into it.
Gone was the usual gamey smell and the rich, overpowering aroma of the roasted meat masked the slight bitterness of the coarse salt, leaving only a mouthful of savory goodness.
The little wolf cub stared blankly at the roasted meat, its big black eyes filled with surprise and bewilderment. It felt that since its brother had given it to Bai Lou first, Bai Lou should eat first, but despite its thoughts, Lang Tu hesitated for a long time before letting go.
Hmm, it had already taken a bite… should it just eat it?
While Lang Tu was struggling with its decision, Lang Zhan handed Bai Lou a new piece of roasted meat. “Tu, you eat it.”
Hearing its brother’s words, Lang Tu bit into the piece of meat and tore it apart forcefully, feeling its mouth fill with flavor with each chew.
Bai Lou didn’t take it as he only had one hand free.
Bai Lou sprinkled salt on the skewer in Lang Zhan’s hand and said with a grin, “You eat this one.”
He then pinched a small pinch of salt, about to sprinkle it on the other skewers, when Lang Zhan stopped him, pushing the kebab forward. “No need for sea salt, you eat this one, I have others.”
“Others?” Bai Lou took the skewers and tilted his head in confusion.