Yarra's Adventure Notes-Chapter 1305 - 91: Cactus Meat Rolls

"Anyway, you have to come in to eat in a bit." His deep and melodious voice was magnetic, as if lilies exuded their subtle fragrance in a serene valley, "It’s too hot outside, I’d rather wait here."

"Tch, still as lazy as ever." Pannis ignored how much effort it had taken the other to get there, and promptly labeled him lazy, "Then just keep enjoying the cool inside; I might just eat all the good stuff myself."

"Hmm, make sure to bring the leftovers inside for me." The voice from the hollow sounded lazy, "By the way, don’t add too much seasoning to my portion; I want to add wild fruit for flavoring myself."

"I could never forget your taste." Pannis smirked, chose a spot directly in the sunlight, and crouched beside it. He then opened his backpack and took out a large chunk of smoked meat wrapped in oilcloth.

In the scorching desert, food preservation was a major issue. Although travelers had developed insulated boxes that could isolate temperature and kept them cool with Ice-attribute Crystals, the desert was simply too hot. Even inside the low-temperature box, unless new Crystals were frequently replaced, fresh meat and vegetables would spoil within a day. Thus, during adventures in the desert, people could only opt for dried meats and sun-dried vegetables. Coupled with the scarcity of water, most cooking methods were unusable, making dining a frustrating affair. However, despite the unappealing taste of the food, it could at least ensure a balanced nutrition.

Regardless of his extensive experience, Pannis could not defy natural laws to prevent food from spoiling quickly in hot weather, but thanks to ancient techniques from the reclusive Deep Sand Tribe in the depths of the desert, he had ways to transform these unpalatable dried meats and vegetables into delicious meals. The technique actually involved no magical secrets, relying solely on a segment of cactus he had brought back and his speed which far surpassed that of ordinary people. freewebnoveℓ.com

After scraping off the spines on the outside of the cactus, he split it longitudinally into two halves. Next, he placed the smoked meat and dried vegetables on the unfolded oilcloth, finishing the simple preparations with ease. Lastly, he stretched out his hand to test the temperature of the sand; after quickly withdrawing his scalded hand, Pannis pulled out his sharp dagger and began to cook. Cooking was actually quite straightforward, the only requirements being quick and stable actions.

The dagger moved as fast as lightning, first slicing off a piece of the cactus’s rough skin and flicking it away. Before the skin even hit the ground, a layer of soft green cactus flesh had landed on it, followed quickly by a slice of thin smoked meat, and then another layer of cactus flesh. Each of the four layers of food was only palm-sized, each slice as thin as a sheet of translucent paper. By the time the cactus skin hit the ground, the other three layers had already adhered to it, and as they did, Pannis’s other hand had already placed some dried vegetables exactly in the middle. The entire process was completed within the few seconds it took for the cactus skin to be airborne, demonstrating that without rapid, stable, and precise hand movements, such a cooking method would be impossible.

The instant the cactus skin touched the ground, it sizzled, the high-temperature sand acting like a scorching griddle, quickly transferring heat into the food. Although the skin was rough and hard, it was sliced too thinly and thus curled inward rapidly under the high heat. The layers of food arranged on the skin, being equally thin, also curled up from the heat, quickly centering around the dried vegetables to form a tightly coiled cactus roll. Due to the water-proof nature of the cactus skin, the moisture evaporating from the tender cactus flesh due to the high heat could not escape and had to steam inward, quickly moisturizing the dry smoked meat and vegetables, turning them soft and juicy. Simultaneously, the fat from the smoked meat also permeated back into the tender flesh of the cactus, making the whole green cactus roll burst with a mouthwatering meaty aroma.

If at this moment one were to peel off the outermost skin of the cactus, they would see the inner layers steaming hot, shimmering with a glossy green flesh roll—a layer of plant, a layer of smoked meat, another layer of plant, another layer of vegetables. All these wrapped together, the fragrance of vegetables mixed with the scent of meat, supplemented by the unique desert aroma of the cactus, was simply the greatest temptation for travelers plagued by only jerky, vegetables, and dry bread that could be used as weapons. If possible, any traveler struggling across the desert would likely pay any price to obtain a piece of such food.

One, two, Pannis’s actions continued unabated; cactus flesh rolls were sequentially finished and placed into containers until, finally, all the cactus skins that he had brought were used up. Pannis then stopped his motions, tilted his head in thought, suddenly cut the remaining tender cactus meat into thick slices, wrapped the dry bread taken out from his sack in it, and threw it onto the sandy ground. Moments later, the tender cactus meat had dried up and wilted, but the enclosed bread had turned soft and was emitting a fragrance.

With a satisfied nod, Pannis picked up the food, carried the water bottle filled with cactus juice, and strolled leisurely into the hollow of the mountain.

The ground inside the hollow was also covered with yellow sand and rubble, devoid of any vegetation. However, due to the Giant Rock Mountains blocking the sunlight, it was much cooler here than outside. After enduring the scorching heat outside, taking refuge in this cool hollow felt like moving from hell to heaven.

There was not only no high temperature but also no wind. On the outside desert, scorching winds raced year-round. The high-temperature winds, like the breath of a demon, unrestrainedly scorched the skins of all living beings and swept away every drop of moisture from the bodies of those who trespassed, in such conditions, one couldn’t even sweat because it evaporated before it could emerge from the pores, dissipating into the dry world.

However, in the hollow, similarly due to the blockage by the rocks, the outside wind couldn’t blow in, and the inside humidity couldn’t dissipate out; hence, the small hollow became cool and moist, like a life-saving island in the sea.

In the center of the hollow, a female elf in a green long dress and with green long hair, exuding a noble aura akin to a water nymph, quietly propped her chin while sitting on a cleaned-up piece of rubble. The female elf’s body emitted a faint floral scent even in the desert, her clear green eyes fixedly gazing at the entrance of the hollow. When she saw Pannis walking in, the elf lady blossomed a smile that could make a hundred flowers pale in comparison, and gently said, "I guessed you would come this way, I’ve been waiting here for a few hours now. You are later than I anticipated."

"You are earlier than I imagined," Pannis sighed and said, "Or rather, I don’t think you should be here, my queen."