I Became the Devil Queen's Heart Demon-Chapter 958 - 357: Breaking the Deadlock! The Empress’s Night Raid!

The next morning, daylight was bright.

Ye Zi'e hadn't opened her eyes yet, but she already smelled a rich aroma wafting into the room through the window cracks.

Struggling to sit up, she stretched lazily.

After the Empress left last night, Ye Zi'e remained anxious and tossed and turned, fearing a bloody incident next door, until she finally drifted off in a daze as dawn broke.

"What's that smell, so fragrant..."

Ye Zi'e got up and dressed, then pushed open the door and stepped out of her room.

Upon reaching the deck, she saw Chen Mo sitting on a folding stool with a charcoal grill in front of him, emitting wisps of smoke, and a row of skewered meats on bamboo sticks above it.

Under the heat of the grill, the surface of the meat skewers turned slightly charred, with drops of fat occasionally falling.

The aroma of meat, spices, and the fruity scent of charcoal mixed together, making one's mouth water just from the smell.

Li Yuan sat next to Chen Mo, involuntarily swallowed, and although she didn't say a word, her stomach let out a "grumble."

Chen Mo said with a hint of amusement, "Hungry? Don't worry, it'll be ready soon."

"Mm." Li Yuan nodded with a flushed face.

Being thrown around by Chen Mo all day yesterday left her physically and mentally exhausted. Forced to wake in the middle of the night, she now felt hungry enough to have her rib cage pressed against her back.

At this moment, Li Yuan noticed Ye Zi'e coming over and hurriedly stood up to salute, "Your subordinate greets Households Commander Ye."

"No need for formalities, have a seat."

Ye Zi'e nodded slightly.

Arriving closer, she looked at the array of condiments in bottles and jars on the table and shook her head, "Mr. Chen is quite enthusiastic, isn't he?"

The flying boat hadn't stopped along the way, and she had planned to just eat some dry rations to get by. Unexpectedly, Chen Mo seemed quite indulgent, having prepared so thoroughly, almost like he carried a barbecue stall with him...

"Only when you are full do you have the energy to investigate cases." Chen Mo said, smiling.

The Heavenly Profound Ring given to him by the Daoist Venerable contains a vast internal space, comparable to a medium-sized Secret Realm. Inside are various spare clothes, food and drinks, bathing tubs and essential oils, and even a large canopy bed over two meters long.

It's always good to be prepared for any eventuality; who knows if it might be useful someday?

While Ye Zi'e spoke, she was secretly observing Li Yuan.

Ever since her identity was exposed, Li Yuan shed her disguise, tying her black hair up into a high ponytail, her face full of heroic spirit, belonging to the type of beauty with signature bone structure.

Her black Martial Robe outlines a perfect figure: a proud bust, a narrow waist, and long legs. Even while sitting with her knees bent, there isn't a hint of a bulging stomach, displaying a strong sense of vitality.

"No wonder Chen Mo keeps her around; she indeed looks quite beautiful."

Recalling the noises from yesterday, Ye Zi'e's cheeks flushed, murmuring to herself, "But looks can be deceiving. Although she's a Fifth Grade Martial Artist, she was caught off guard as soon as she arrived, how fragile..."

"Alright, you eat first."

Unaware of her thoughts, Chen Mo placed the grilled meat skewers on a plate and began preparing the second batch.

Li Yuan picked up a piece of pork belly skewer, took a bite, and her eyes immediately lit up, "Mmm, delicious!"

"Is it that exaggerated?" Ye Zi'e, skeptical, also picked up a meat skewer, and as soon as she chewed a couple of bites, she was stunned.

Crisp on the outside, tender inside, with juices bursting in the mouth; the cooking was perfect. Besides the charred aroma of the meat itself, there was a unique freshness that seemed to activate her taste buds instantly!

"What spice did you sprinkle at the end? The taste is unique."

"I concocted it myself, with salt, cumin, chili powder, and MSG."

"MSG?"

"It's made from dried matsutake mushrooms ground into powder, rich in glutamic acid for enhancing flavor."

"Glutamic acid?"

"...Just keep eating."

Even though this "MSG" he made is far inferior in terms of umami compared to what existed in his previous life, to the inhabitants of this other-world undisturbed by modern technology, it's an unrivaled flavor enhancer.

It's foreseeable that once this product hits the market, it would immediately sweep through the culinary industry, potentially being a lucrative business.

But the issue lies in the high costs and difficulty in mass production, making widespread promotion unrealistic.

"Perhaps when I have some free time, I should research grain fermentation methods," Chen Mo pondered silently.

With the two bottomless pits of the Array Plate and Azure Darkness Seal, there's also the Moon Brilliance Sect to sustain; his funds are indeed stretched thin. Finding additional revenue streams would be beneficial, otherwise, he wouldn't consider starting a magazine...

Step, step, step—

While the two were enjoying their meal, light footsteps approached from afar.

Ye Zi'e sensed something and turned her head, her expression suddenly going stiff.

Dai, Empress?!

Oh no, being so close to Chen Mo, what if the Empress misinterprets this?!

She hurriedly stood up, the grilled meat still not swallowed, her cheeks puffed, slurring, "Your subordinate..."

"Isn't this Mr. Xu?" Before she finished speaking, Chen Mo greeted, "You came at the right time, care to sit down and eat with us?"

"Xu You" stepped forward, bowed, and saluted, "Your subordinate greets both of you."

Ye Zi'e couldn't bear such respect, shivering as she instinctively tried to kneel.

Noticing the fleeting sharp gaze, she snapped back, reached down to pinch her thigh, and forced herself to say, "I... I'm full now, Mr. Xu, why don't you sit here?"

After saying this, she vacated the spot.

"Thank you, sir."

Xu You also wasn't polite and took a small stool to sit next to Chen Mo.