Gourmet Hunter - Chapter 63 (Patreon)

Chapter 63: Takeoff and Beginning

The overall data improved by 0.2%, with a slight increase in the body's aura volume, bringing the average awakening level of the six major categories to 5%.

This achievement over the past four months was mainly due to the hard training, which contributed less than 1% to the improvement. The majority of the increase came from absorbing Nen from ancient artifacts.

This sudden change slightly surprised Luo, but his expression remained unchanged.

The white smoke text that had been appearing in his consciousness for several months still held a sense of mystery. This time, an expensive lunch unexpectedly revealed another function: enhancing strength through food, providing another path to becoming stronger.

"This pork liver…"

Luo quickly finished the palm-sized pork liver, wiped his mouth with a napkin, and then started to read about the pork liver.

The liver of a Sea Urchin Swine: Known as one of the "deep-sea delicacies," the Sea Urchin Swine lives at depths of two thousand meters in the ocean, measuring ten feet in length and covered in four-foot-long spikes. It has a poison sac inside; if not carefully removed, the sac could burst, instantly filling its entire body with deadly toxins.

Perfect removal of the poison sac is key to obtaining the liver.

Due to the Sea Urchin Swine's habitat in the deep sea, even experienced marine hunters find it difficult to catch, making it a C-grade challenge.

"C-grade? That must be quite high. But it's available for purchase."

"If such high-grade delicacies can enhance strength, they're faster and more effective than ancient artifacts, as long as one has enough money."

Luo thought to himself, the taste of the sauce still lingering in his mouth.

At the dining table, Barney and Elly finished their pork liver without much reaction, possibly due to their experience with many delicacies. To them, the pork liver's level of delicacy wasn't enough to elicit a strong response.

Their indifferent reactions contrasted with Kuli and the others' unsightly eating manners. They finished the pork liver and even licked the sauce clean, not sparing the decorative vegetables.

Luo watched them, shaking his head to avoid their gaze.

Before the third course, a semi-transparent, unidentified drink was served.

Luo took a sip, finding the taste mild with a hint of bitterness. But after a few sips, the lingering taste of sauce in his mouth was gone.

Soon, the third dish, a steak larger than the pork liver, was served.

The steak came from a Horned Mountain Cow living above 1500 meters. The most prime part of the cow was on the plate.

After eating the steak, the data for the six major categories improved by another 0.1%.

He slowly put down his knife and fork, took a deep breath, and felt an indescribable sense of happiness.

Thankful to be in this world.

After lunch, since the servings were small, Luo and his group weren't fully satisfied.

Barney, not as attentive, noticed it was nearly one o'clock and ordered Kenda to take Luo and the others away.

Kenda complied, and as Luo and the others got up to leave, the blonde girl Elly suddenly asked Luo, "Hey, what's your name?"

Barney glanced at Elly, then calmly looked at Luo.

"Luo."

Luo turned his head slightly to look at Elly.

"Your last name?" Elly persisted.

"I don't have one," Luo replied indifferently.

Elly was skeptical and wanted to ask more, but Barney cut her off, telling Kenda, "Take them down."

Luo didn't want to entangle with this inexplicably curious girl, quickly following Kenda, with Kuli and the others not lingering either. The lunch was good, but staying there felt uncomfortable.

After leaving the room, Elly looked angrily at her father.

"Your curiosity shouldn't be on him," Barney said, touching Elly's head.

"I want it to be," Elly said stubbornly.

Barney smiled bitterly, "Go back to your room."

With a huff, Elly turned and left for her bedroom.

Watching Elly leave, Barney sat on the living room sofa, staring at the helipad outside, his face somber.

Having too many enemies meant always having to keep his daughter close, no matter where they went.

People on his path should not start families, as it only creates a vulnerability that's hard to protect.

If one insists on having a family, that vulnerability becomes the most precious thing.

"They're getting bolder..."

"After the Yorknew trip..."

Barney's eyes suddenly turned cold, thinking of the recent enemy alliance's ambush, resulting in significant losses. If not for that, there'd be no need to ask Meteor Street for help.

In the end, the five individuals with decent strength were just a precaution.

With half an hour to boarding, Luo enjoyed a satisfying lunch, tasting delicacies he had never experienced before and achieving an average increase of 0.3% in his capabilities, equivalent to a month of rigorous training.

Eating a meal versus a month of hard training, the difference between the two was stark. The former was incredibly simple, while the latter was quite challenging.

Kenda led them to a neighboring room where a bald, eyebrow-less strong man in a black suit awaited them.

Upon seeing this strong man, Luo's expression slightly changed.

Very strong.

That was his immediate judgment. Even if it wasn't entirely accurate, it wasn't far off.

The others seemed to make the same assessment as Luo.

"How's the screening going?" Kenda asked the strong man.

"Everything's normal so far," the strong man replied in a deep voice.

Kenda nodded slightly, "These five are now under your command."

"Okay."

The strong man acknowledged, then looked at everyone and said, "I know your names, so there's no need for introductions. You can call me the team leader."

"The spaceship departs at two, and we'll arrive at our destination around seven in the evening the day after tomorrow. During this period, each of you will guard a different area."

"Kenda has already explained the mission details and requirements to you."

"My only demand is: better to kill by mistake than to miss an enemy."

"Understood?"

Everyone nodded in silent agreement.

The team leader then handed out five maps of the spaceship's layout to Luo and the others.

Each person started to examine their map.

"There are two direct elevators and three staircases. You can choose any one of these to guard," the team leader explained.

Barney's room was located at the very end of the spaceship, occupying a room by itself.

There were two corridors outside, with one elevator located at the midpoint of the left and right sides. These two areas were the easiest to defend.

The spiky-haired and horse-faced men, without any courtesy, immediately claimed the elevator areas.

Luo and the others had no objections to this.

The two elevators were on the outer corridors, while the three staircases were in the middle of the spaceship, mainly between the entertainment and guest room areas, where the flow of people was highest.

Luo chose a staircase at the junction between the staff work area and the entertainment area, while Wogret and Kuli chose staircases between the entertainment and guest room areas.

Given the protection target was located at the rear of the spaceship, this position had a defensive advantage. As long as each access point was manned, the area could be effectively guarded.

After the assignments were made, the team leader briefly went over a few details before letting Luo and the others head to their chosen areas.

Luo found himself alone at the chosen 'T' junction, with stairs leading down, the staff work area to the left, and the entertainment area to the right.

"The boarding time hasn't even arrived, and we're already positioned at the entrances. Is this an opportunity for us to screen in advance?"

"However, from the bald man's attitude, securing these five entrances seems irrelevant."

"From the 'screening' mentioned in their conversation, there are additional measures we're not aware of."

"Within three hundred square meters outside that room, they definitely won't allow any outsiders to enter."

"That means our guard duty is secondary and not of primary concern."

"Despite this, they've instructed Kuli and the others to err on the side of caution, better to kill by mistake than to miss an enemy…"

Luo leaned against the stairway entrance, sighing lightly.

Boarding time arrived, and people began boarding the spaceship.

Among the hundreds of passengers, how many assassins would be mixed in?

The second floor was a VIP area, which would see less traffic. Assassins typically would blend in on the first floor before looking for opportunities.

After boarding was completed, the spaceship took off.

Until around nine in the evening, all was calm.

Luo had observed 45 people and hadn't taken any action. The staff who passed by him numbered 18, going back and forth at least 24 times.

Up to this moment, Luo detected a very faint smell of blood coming from the corridor leading to the left, towards the staff area.

Turning his head slightly, he saw two people, a man and a woman, both dressed in staff uniforms and wearing caps.

Luo had seen these two people ten times because they had passed by five times.

But this time… there was the scent of blood.

-------

Table of content - Next Chapter >>>

• Your invaluable feedback and ratings mean the world to me. Please take a moment to rate this novel at Novelupdate.

• You can also check out the other Novels I'm currently translating by clicking HERE.