In Huaxi's worldview, food had never been associated with refinement or deliciousness.
Perhaps only the upper echelons of the major corporations and powerful factions had the luxury of pursuing gastronomy.
For the vast majority who struggled to survive on this wasteland, food was nothing more than a necessity to keep breathing, nothing more.
For drifters, being able to eat something every day—simply avoiding starvation—was already a blessing. "Eating one's fill" was a luxury.
As for "wasteland hunters," the situation was better than drifters, but not by much. Even with their status as Evolvers, they were forced to gamble with their lives in the dangerous wilds.
Most of the time, in order to avoid detection, they didn't even dare light a fire. They gnawed on frozen jerky or hard biscuits, chasing it down with handfuls of dirty snow.
So, in Huaxi's dictionary, the concept of "cuisine" simply didn't exist.
Until now.
The moment she clumsily shoveled a mouthful of steaming food into her mouth, the warmth and rich seasonings bursting across her tastebuds, her mind went completely blank.
"This… this is food? A meal… can actually taste like this?"
The thought erupted uncontrollably in her head.
She couldn't control her hands anymore.
Never used to chopsticks, she simply grabbed the meal box with both hands and devoured it like a starving beast, as though she was afraid the food might vanish if she slowed down even a little.
Lin Tuo had purposely ordered an extra-large serving. He had barely eaten a few bites before Huaxi was already licking the bottom of her container, huffing from hiccups.
Hic! She burped, eyes rolling back slightly as she coughed.
"Slow down…" Lin Tuo was momentarily stunned, his tone softening despite himself. He passed her a bottle of mineral water. "Here, drink. It'll go down easier."
"Thanks—hic!" She couldn't finish her words. Gazing at the plastic bottle in awe, she hesitated a moment before twisting it open and carefully sipping.
The sweetness of clean water, compared to the gritty snow she was used to, was overwhelming. The contrast was so stark that she dared not gulp, only sipping cautiously before sealing the cap again—instinctively wanting to stuff it into her coat pocket.
"It's just water, why hide it? There's a whole case of it." Lin Tuo sighed. He pointed at the pile of skewers and snacks. "Still hungry? There's plenty more."
Soon, Huaxi's shriveled stomach was loaded with an abundance of new, strange things—grilled meat skewers she nearly swallowed whole, and snacks she cautiously sampled before saving for later.
Lin Tuo didn't comment.
But Huaxi's gaze had completely changed. Staring at him finish his own meal, she finally asked, "Just who are you?"
The food's origin was far too suspicious. Those brightly packaged snacks—though the words on them were mostly unreadable to her—looked exactly like Old Era products.
But thirty years had passed since the Cataclysm. Except for a few rare preserved foods, nothing edible remained—only packaging. Yet these were fresh.
And hot meals? That was downright impossible. Unless…
"Is your ability… to conjure food out of thin air?" she asked, eyes wide, deadly serious.
"Pfft." Lin Tuo nearly sprayed his drink. But thinking about it, wasn't that basically the truth?
He screwed the cap shut, his face hardening. "Not something you should know. Don't ask. You've eaten, so now it's your turn to answer me. If you refuse, I can only—"
"Ask. I'll answer." She cut him off with a sigh, giving in. Resistance was pointless, and besides—she had eaten his food.
Lin Tuo blinked, then chuckled. After a moment's thought, he asked, "You've probably guessed by now—I'm not from this land. I came from far away. I want to make contact with the three powers you mentioned. Where can I find them quickly?"
"You want to find them?" Huaxi froze, then suppressed her curiosity. Nodding, she said solemnly: "Normally, you'd just go to their main cities. But now… the only way is to head to the West Continent."
"West Continent…" Lin Tuo's eyes narrowed. "Why?"
"Because not long ago, radiation levels there began to drop. Burning Flame Company, Grey Mountain Group, and Doomsday Floaters all rushed their main forces into the West Continent mountains—to explore that region, and search for the legendary Seal."
"The Seal?" Lin Tuo asked, voice calm but sharper.
…
Piece by piece, with Huaxi's explanation, the truth became clear.
Among wasteland survivors, there had long been a legend:
That over thirty years ago, the Mad Emperor had been able to enslave scientists and carry out the world-ending experiment because of a supernatural artifact known as the "Seal."
It was said to be born of the periodic "Spirit Tides," capable of influencing the human mind.
Rumor even claimed that the Mad Emperor had relied on it to usurp the throne, build his new dynasty, and rule for decades.
Whether true or not, the story was deeply rooted.
When the Cataclysm struck, the Seal and the Emperor's entire laboratory were buried deep in the West Continent mountains—the very heart of the blast zone, saturated with radiation.
For thirty years, no one who entered had returned. It was a death zone.
But now, as radiation levels finally began to recede, the three major factions all converged there, hungry for the Seal.
If it truly had the power to bend minds, whoever obtained it would reshape the balance of the wasteland. Even Evolvers had flocked there in droves.
And even if the Seal wasn't real, the West Continent had once been the Old Era's largest weapons research and production hub. Its ruins alone were worth the risk.
Huaxi sighed. "I'd originally planned to head there too, after securing those weapons."
Lin Tuo smiled faintly but fell into thought.
The mention of "Spirit Tides" drew a bitter chuckle—clearly tied to his Ether harvesting. To think the locals had mistaken it for a natural phenomenon.
But what really caught his attention was the Seal.
"A supernatural artifact… tied to Spirit Tides. What exactly is it?"
The thought stirred his curiosity, almost tempting him to jump straight to the West Continent. But he calmed himself.
After all, the Sand Table world was under his absolute control. The Seal could not escape him, no matter what. There was no need to rush.
Still, heading west aligned with his current path—and offered plentiful mutated beasts to hunt, furthering his body-tempering. A perfect two birds with one stone.
Decision made, he asked one last thing: "Your ability. What is it?"
He suspected that whatever powers Evolvers wielded were somehow linked to the same extraordinary forces as the Seal.
Huaxi hesitated, then sighed. "It's… regenerative healing. Whenever I'm injured, my body rapidly repairs itself. But the cost is that it burns through my body's nutrients. That's why every recovery leaves me unbearably hungry…"
Lin Tuo's eyes gleamed with understanding. That explained why she had been starving when they first met—and why her wounds had closed so quickly.
"Cellular hyper-proliferation… If I can study it, maybe I can replicate it." The thought intrigued him.
…
Once they had rested enough, Lin Tuo stood. "Time to move."
"Where are we going?" Huaxi asked, scrambling into the car now freed of her bindings.
The engine roared to life beneath his hands. With a single stomp of the accelerator, the armored vehicle surged forward across the snow.
"To the West Continent," he said flatly. "Westward, all the way."