Chapter 295: A Good Brother's Betrayal
After firmly deciding that he would never try the Mo Wu Tuan, Darn dragged Paide into Han Shi and quickly found a seat.
"This place has a really nice atmosphere." Paide looked around at the restaurant's decor and smiled in satisfaction. "I don't know what style this is, but I like it."
With that, he picked up the menu to place his order.
Earlier, when Darn was explaining the recommendation vote system, he had also mentioned that the dishes displayed on the wall were not the full menu—only the physical menu listed everything available.
Paide first glanced at the index before flipping directly to the page for Honey-Glazed Grilled Ribs.
Since this was his friend's favorite dish, he was curious to see what made it so special.
But after reading the description, Paide's expression slowly turned indifferent.
Badger Pig meat again…
Heaven Dou City was much closer to the Kalei Forest than Shrek City, so Paide had eaten plenty of Badger Pig meat before. While it was delicious, he had come all the way to Shrek City to try new dishes.
Too lazy to flip back to the index, Paide simply continued turning the pages.
Soon, he reached the dish listed right after Honey-Glazed Grilled Ribs—
Exploding Honey Badger Intestine.
This dish seemed familiar. The notice board outside had mentioned it earlier, comparing the recommended Mo Wu Tuan to Exploding Honey Badger Intestine—both supposedly smelled strange but tasted amazing.
So… Exploding Honey Badger Intestine smells weird but is actually delicious?
Although both Paide and Darn loved food, their eating habits were quite different.
Due to his martial spirit, Darn had an extremely sensitive sense of smell, so for him, a dish had to smell as good as it tasted.
Paide, on the other hand, loved novelty and unique experiences.
He enjoyed trying… unusual foods.
The menu's description provided a detailed breakdown of the ingredients.
Badger Pig intestines?
Interesting.
Paide had never considered eating that part of the Badger Pig before.
The menu also explained that under Qi Han's meticulous preparation, the intestines were cleaned thoroughly and completely safe to eat.
That erased any lingering hesitation.
At that moment, Paide's curiosity ignited like wildfire, his face filled with eager anticipation.
I have to try this Exploding Honey Badger Intestine.
Since Darn had only asked Paide to vote for Honey-Glazed Grilled Ribs—without mentioning his deep-seated hatred for Exploding Honey Badger Intestine—Paide had no idea that he was about to unknowingly stab his best friend in the back.
Meanwhile, Darn, who was still thinking about what to have for dinner, had no clue that his brother had already betrayed him.
One order of Exploding Honey Badger Intestine wouldn't be enough. Flipping through the menu again, Paide soon decided on Xiaolongbao, which seemed like a fun dish to eat.
It fit perfectly with his adventurous palate.
Paide snapped the menu shut. Almost at the same time, Darn, sitting beside him, also closed his menu.
"Fu Ya, I'll have one order of Honey-Glazed Grilled Ribs and one Bodhi Vegetarian Dish," Darn said.
"Got it." Fu Ya quickly noted down his order before turning to Paide. "And for you, sir?"
"I'll have one order of Exploding Honey Badger Intestine and one Xiaolongbao, please. Thank you." Paide gave Fu Ya a friendly smile before turning to his friend.
And then—
He saw Darn clutching his chest in agony, his face filled with disbelief.
"You— You—"
"What's wrong?" Paide looked confused. "Darn, are you feeling unwell?"
"Why did you betray me?!" Darn's voice was filled with pain and heartbreak.
"...Huh?"
"Why did you order Exploding Honey Badger Intestine?!" Darn looked devastated. "You heretic!"
After a brief moment of surprise, Paide suddenly remembered Darn's eating preferences. He chuckled awkwardly.
"Ah, sorry, I forgot you only like food that smells nice. But you know me—when it comes to unusual dishes, I always have to give them a try."
Darn's expression softened slightly—he understood Paide's eating habits.
Although he disliked Exploding Honey Badger Intestine, he still respected other people's food preferences. He nodded and said, "Alright then…"
"But you have to vote for Honey-Glazed Grilled Ribs with your recommendation vote!"
"No problem." Paide agreed without hesitation.
It was just one vote—what was the big deal?
They didn't have to wait long before their dishes were served.
Darn barely spared a glance at his beloved Honey-Glazed Grilled Ribs before turning his attention to the Bodhi Vegetarian Dish instead.
He had already tried Swallow-Skin Dumplings and Spicy Fish Head with Chopped Peppers for lunch. If not for the ranking competition against Exploding Honey Badger Intestine, he had originally planned to vote for Spicy Fish Head with Chopped Peppers.
But there was no choice—Spicy Fish Head with Chopped Peppers had other supporters, while Honey-Glazed Grilled Ribs needed him!
Tonight, Darn decided to try the Bodhi Vegetarian Dish.
The menu described it as an upgraded version of Egg Fried Rice. Since every Han Shi customer had eaten their Egg Fried Rice at least once—including Darn—he was curious about this enhanced version.
The fried rice in front of him looked incredibly plump, each grain glistening like polished jade.
Darn picked up a spoonful and brought it close to his nose.
The rich aroma of eggs immediately greeted him, but within it was another fascinating scent—
A deep, savory meatiness.
Meat?
Darn's eyes, which had been closed in bliss, suddenly snapped open.
But… where was the meat?
There wasn't a single piece of meat in this entire plate of fried rice, yet it had such an intense, mouthwatering meaty fragrance. It was unbelievable.
Without hesitation, he put the spoonful of rice into his mouth. After a brief moment of tasting, his face lit up with satisfaction.
Delicious.
As he swallowed, the rich egg fragrance lingered on his lips and teeth, perfectly blending with the deep umami flavor.
Darn's spoon moved faster.
Time to feast!
<+>
Meanwhile, on the other side of the table, Paide's Xiaolongbao and Exploding Honey Badger Intestine had also arrived.
At first, his attention was drawn to the delicate little bamboo basket holding the dumplings.
But then—
A strange scent suddenly wafted over, forcibly pulling his attention back to the Exploding Honey Badger Intestine.
There was no doubt—Exploding Honey Badger Intestine was that overpowering.
It wasn't a bad smell per se—more of an intensely enticing aroma. But within it lurked a subtle, almost musky undertone… something that made people question their life choices.
Curiosity flickered across Paide's face.
His sense of smell was that of a normal person, and Qi Han's cooking had already refined the dish to minimize any unpleasant odor.
To him, the scent wasn't enough to be off-putting.
Using his chopsticks, he carefully picked up one of the intestine rings. It quivered slightly, soft yet bouncy, as if it were alive.
Paide's appetite was instantly piqued.
Without much hesitation, he popped the intestine into his mouth.
The moment he bit down, the hidden Sano Fruit inside burst forth, releasing its rich, concentrated juices. The thick umami flavor immediately intertwined with the soft, gelatinous texture of the intestine.
Since he had already read the menu description, Paide wasn't surprised by the bursting effect.
Chewing slowly, he savored the Exploding Honey Badger Intestine, his expression gradually melting into one of pure enjoyment.
'Darn is seriously missing out.'
<+>
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