"Ging?!" Begetto walked out of the laboratory and was a little surprised to see the person standing outside the farm.
At this moment, Ging was standing at the edge of the Golden Chicken farm. Because the farm required a large area and there were so many chickens, Begetto had enclosed them on the other side of the research base, occupying a huge area. There was a wooden pillar in front of Ging, and a Golden Chicken was standing on it. Begetto remembered this chicken. This was the leader of these twenty chickens—the Golden Chicken King. It was a creature that even he couldn't subdue. However, having a leader could effectively prevent internal bloody conflicts within the flock, so he let it be. Moreover, this Golden Chicken King was not stupid.
At this moment, Ging and this Golden Chicken King were staring at each other, big eyes against small eyes, silently intimidating each other.
"Is that your master?" White Tree stood beside him, pointing at Ging in the distance, asking with a puzzled look. Begetto nodded.
White Tree stood there observing. How should he put it? This person looked a bit unreliable. Staring at a chicken or something.
The Golden Chicken confronting Ging suddenly butted its head, as if wanting to peck at the other party. Ging didn't back down at all, directly extended his head forward, and fiercely rammed the Golden Chicken's head with his own, instantly making the chicken dizzy and fall off the wooden stake. Looking at the fallen Golden Chicken, Ging smiled triumphantly, reaching out to touch the slightly red and swollen spot on his forehead. Just now, he had directly removed the Nen from his head.
"Looks like I won, little chicken." Leaving these words behind, Ging walked toward Begetto with his legs spread apart, swaggering. He seemed very proud of his actions just now.
"Yo, Begetto, long time no see. I heard you did something big recently."
Begetto nodded slightly. "Why did you come here? Is something wrong?" Ging wouldn't just come to see him. He must have come specifically for something important, or perhaps he had something to do and just happened to stop by. Otherwise, if it wasn't important, the other party probably wouldn't make a special trip. There was nothing he could do—this guy was just like that.
Ging nodded directly. "I heard the organization you fought against this time is called Spiral, right?" Begetto nodded. After this incident, many Hunters who paid attention to it had obtained some relevant information, so it wasn't a secret. It wasn't difficult for Ging to get it.
"I had some conflicts with them in the past regarding ruin exploration. This time I heard you personally found their storage warehouse and even discovered quite a few of their past research archives inside?" Ging asked. This was the main purpose of his trip. He needed these research archives to broaden his ideas and incidentally look for clues that could answer the questions he had encountered in the past. After all, though the other party was essentially an organization in the field of bioengineering, they had also invested a lot of effort in ruin exploration. He had even heard about the specimen of the ruin giant worm.
"For this kind of thing, can't you just get it from the association archives?" Begetto was a little puzzled. Ging was a two-star Hunter; it wasn't difficult to get this kind of information. Even if he didn't have permission, he had ways to get his hands on it.
"Stop nagging, hurry up and let me see it!" Ging suddenly said, his expression a little unnatural. Begetto and Ging had known each other for a long time. Seeing his expression, he knew this guy was being awkward again and couldn't help laughing with sudden realization. His smile made Ging a little unhappy, but there was nothing he could do.
"Alright, I did copy some important archives." Saying that, Begetto led Ging toward the archive room of the research base.
Halfway there, Begetto seemed to remember something, took out a box from his belongings, and handed it to Ging.
"What is this? Red Stone Pharmaceuticals?" Ging took the box and opened it directly, seeing the Member card inside. The red stone logo on it was very familiar. After all, this company's advertising had been very aggressive recently, and its reputation wasn't small. Even if he didn't know, the ordinary enthusiasts who were acting with him would know and talk about it. For many middle-aged men, this was the savior of their lives.
"That's right, that company was founded by Kevin. This is a Member card, which can be used to buy the potions he makes." Hearing this, Ging nodded.
"Looks like he's removed the side effects." A hint of excitement flashed in Ging's eyes. After all, Kevin's condition was unique and there was no reference object. His speculation about Kevin's condition was only based on his own experience, and now Kevin had successfully stripped the grudge attached to his Nen, which showed that his previous speculation was correct.
However, after accepting the Member card, Ging scratched his head a little helplessly. "How should I return the favor?" He was a little conflicted. For him, this was also a gift.
After thinking for a moment, Ging asked Begetto about Kevin's current situation. However, Begetto didn't know much about Kevin's current situation; he simply said what he knew.
After understanding the situation, Ging nodded, having some ideas in his mind. At this time, they had already arrived at the archive room, and Ging's attention was immediately drawn to it. After reading these materials, Ging became interested in the Golden Chickens again and planned to stay here for a few days to properly study these chickens.
In a remote small town in a wasteland, Menchi and Buhara sat in the only restaurant in the town. This small town was located in the forest and had rich forest resources, but communication with the outside world naturally became difficult. Except for the monthly supply delivery and merchant caravans, this place could almost be described as isolated from the world.
Many residents of the town gathered around, staring at them, mainly looking at Buhara.
"Can he still eat?"
"His belly is almost turning into a ball."
"Oh my god, is this some kind of monster?"
The surrounding residents exclaimed. In this peaceful wasteland town, guests were rare on weekdays, let alone guests who could eat as much as Buhara.
At this time, Buhara's belly was already swollen like a round ball, but he was still eating with relish. And he ate very fast, able to quickly scrape the meat off the bones and spit out a bone as clean as new. After swallowing the last roasted suckling pig in one bite, Buhara let out a full burp.
"I'm full."
"Finally full?!"
"So amazing!"
"So eating a lot really can make you grow taller? Then I will—"
"Idiot, I didn't tell you to eat this much!"
Hearing the residents' shouts, Buhara didn't care at all and even chatted with them happily. Menchi shook her head helplessly from the side. And the people in the kitchen saw that Buhara was finally full and sat on the floor exhausted. This was truly a challenge.
"Since you're full, it's time to go." Saying that, Menchi picked up her bag and walked out of the restaurant. Buhara turned his head and waved goodbye to the residents who were watching him, and the children also waved back at him. Buhara's chubby figure, coupled with his gentle personality, always made him get along very well with everyone.
Coming outside, the back of their vehicle was filled with various ingredients, the most eye-catching of which was a strange sea snake that almost occupied half the truck bed.
"We've loaded so much stuff, it's time to go back." Menchi stood at the car door and said with a sigh.
Buhara walked over and tried to squeeze into the back seat, but found that because he had eaten too much, he couldn't squeeze in at all.
"Idiot! Drink a Digestive Potion!" Hearing this, Buhara scratched his head and couldn't help saying, "There's only one left, and the potion isn't cheap either." Though they could get a discount when buying potions, it still cost several million, and it seemed a bit unworthy just for digesting food.
"We have to go back and resupply, and then we can get a batch from Kevin. By the way, we'll also send him the materials we've collected during this time. The danger level of our next destination is not low." Menchi said ramblingly as she opened the car door and drove away from the small town.
After a long journey, transporting various goods, they arrived at Nostra Manor again.
"Oh!" Looking at the manor, Buhara couldn't help exclaiming. He remembered they had only been gone for a few months—how did it feel like the changes were so big? And if he remembered correctly, the manor didn't seem to have expanded its scope that much before. This time, as soon as they entered this forest area, they sensed that someone was observing them.
"Has it been redecorated?" Menchi was also a little puzzled. They could indeed see some buildings they hadn't seen before, and even traces of construction sites.
Soon, under the guidance of the bodyguards at the entrance, they entered the manor. After all, the two were Kevin's friends and had stayed at the manor for quite some time, so everyone in the manor knew them.
As soon as they entered, the two were stunned. Their gaze was attracted by a creature—a Golden Chicken standing on the roof, shimmering golden in the sunlight.
"Cluck, cluck, cluck!" A piercing chicken cry rang out.
"Whoosh!" A Nen blast shot up from below, instantly hitting the target. Feathers scattered and fell, the Golden Chicken's cry stopped abruptly, and it flew down from the rooftop. It finally behaved.
"What—what kind of chicken is that?" Buhara muttered to himself, saliva almost dripping. His Gourmet radar was flashing.
"A Golden Chicken—is it a special breed?" Menchi was also very curious.
Just then, Kevin walked over, muttering to himself, "Stupid chicken, all it does is crow all day. It's not even a threat, yet it keeps squawking." These Golden Chickens had previously tried to challenge Kevin's authority. After being beaten by him a few times, they became much more well-behaved, only crowing a couple of times each time. They didn't hold grudges even when hit by Kevin. Of course, this was limited to Kevin.
If it were Kurapika or Pairo, they would have a lot to suffer.
Seeing Menchi and Buhara, a smile appeared on Kevin's face, and he hugged them. "We haven't seen each other for a few months—you look a bit fatter," Kevin patted Buhara's stomach and said with a smile. Buhara just chuckled twice.
"Kevin, what's going on with that chicken?" Menchi asked impatiently. Her attention had completely fallen on the chicken, because it looked like excellent ingredient. She was a Gourmet Hunter, and her judgment wouldn't be wrong. Kevin actually raised such a treasure.
"Golden Chicken? This is loot I obtained some time ago—a rare beast." Kevin said nonchalantly.
"Golden Chicken? It couldn't be—the kind that lays golden eggs in stories, could it?" Menchi seemed to have thought of something. Golden Chickens that lay golden eggs often appeared in stories and were relatively well-known fables.
Kevin nodded. "That's the kind. These Golden Chickens do lay golden eggs."
Menchi's eyes instantly lit up, and Buhara next to her was practically drooling. Menchi rushed over directly and tightly held Kevin's arm. "Let me eat one, please! I'll do anything!"
"Yeah, yeah!" Buhara nodded desperately beside her.
Menchi would do anything. Oh no—Kevin just remembered that these two were Gourmet Hunters, and seeing a Golden Chicken would definitely make them want to taste it.
"Eat a Golden Chicken?" Kevin recalled the Golden Chicken files he had read; it was said that this thing didn't taste very good. However, it might also be that those people's cooking methods were problematic—after all, Gourmet Hunters were professionals in this area.
"Well—it's not impossible." Kevin thought for a moment and felt there was nothing to refuse. He currently had three Golden Chickens: two roosters and one old hen. Begetto had sent these three precisely because they weren't very useful for breeding. And that old hen had a long interval between laying eggs; she had only laid one egg in the more than two months she had been here—an average of one every two months. A normal healthy chicken should be able to produce one or even more per month. As for the two roosters, besides fighting, they just crowed all day, having no practical use.
The main source of golden eggs still relied on Locke for transportation. On Begetto's side, the breeding of Golden Chickens was already on track, capable of supplying five eggs stably every month. Sometimes even more could be obtained. So, eating a rooster was really not a problem.
"Really? You're too good!" Menchi shouted excitedly.
In fact, Kevin also wanted to try it. If the food made from this kind of vigorous beast contained powerful energy, it might be a good thing for users of the Digestive Potion. Moreover, to break through the limits of the physical body, one also needed to make some attempts in this area. Besides, keeping the rooster wasn't very useful anyway. All things considered, Kevin wanted to try it. He trusted the two's cooking skills immensely—this was a rare opportunity.
With their arrival, they also brought a large pile of materials they had collected. At this moment, the two were completely uninterested in these materials. After dumping them all to Kevin, they rushed excitedly toward the Golden Chicken.
"It's Buhara!" Kurapika became very excited when he saw the two. The reason for his excitement was simple: they were in for a treat. They still missed the happy time a few months ago when Menchi and the other lived with them.
"It's Sister Menchi!" Neon's tone also carried a hint of excitement, because Menchi's pastry skills were excellent. Simply put, everyone's good feelings toward Menchi and Buhara doubled because of the food. Even the usually steady Pairo couldn't help nodding excitedly.
At this moment, they saw Menchi catching the chicken. They saw a bottle similar to a seasoning bottle appear in Menchi's hand, which she casually waved. Powder sprinkled out from the bottle, and a gust of Nen wrapped around the powder and shot out like an arrow, moving extremely fast. It instantly hit the fleeing Golden Chicken but did not cause it any harm. Instead, the dust spread out with the Nen, trapping the Golden Chicken. The Golden Chicken struggled to fly for a bit, then swayed and fell to the ground, falling asleep.
Kevin, who was following behind, also saw this scene. To be honest, he wasn't entirely clear about Buhara and Menchi's specific abilities. He only knew that Buhara's Nen ability was related to his body fat, and combined with his large and obese physique, it made his Nen ability powerful. And Menchi's ability seemed to be related to seasoning powder. Under normal circumstances, she would throw her kitchen knife as an attack method, but this was more of a conventional fighting style.
Looking at Menchi, who was carrying the Golden Chicken with a smiling face, Kevin reminded her, "It is said that the meat of the Golden Chicken doesn't taste very good, and I only have three in total. That old hen can still lay eggs, so you can't kill her. And these chickens are social creatures—you need to ensure there are at least two, so this one is the only one you can eat."
Menchi nodded, not minding. Immediately after, her attention was diverted again, and she leaned closer to Kevin and asked, "Golden eggs? Oh right, these chickens can lay eggs, right? Can these golden eggs... okay, looking at how stingy you are." Seeing Kevin's expression, Menchi pouted, but she didn't plan to give up.
"I don't need many, just three—how about it?" Menchi pressed.
"Heh heh." Kevin's expression didn't budge.
"So stingy—then two?"
"At most one, as a gift to partners. Not one more."
"One?" What could one egg do? Menchi was a bit unhappy, but seeing Kevin's firm expression, she could only nod. Anyway, there was still plenty of time, and she would find a way later. At worst, she would find a few high-level ingredients that Kevin couldn't refuse. Moreover, it was currently uncertain whether the Golden Chicken's eggs and meat were suitable for cooking. If they weren't suitable themselves, then there was nothing that could be done—after all, not all creatures were edible.
The two rushed directly into the kitchen, immersing themselves in a state of self-forgetfulness, and began to research. Kurapika and the other two curiously peered into the kitchen doorway.
Kevin no longer bothered with them and went to the materials Menchi and Buhara had sent. This time, there was a whole cartload of materials, with various kinds sealed in bottles and jars. Clearly, Menchi and Buhara were very skilled at preserving and processing various materials, and their techniques were quite exquisite. To be honest, Kevin felt that he probably couldn't cut and preserve parts of some creatures as precisely as they did. As expected of Gourmet Hunters.
Then, Kevin began to inspect the materials one by one. There were no B-grade materials, but there were three kinds of the most top-tier C-grade materials, and most of the remaining materials had a certain value. Out of the more than twenty scattered materials, less than five did not generate desire. How long had it been? It must be said that Menchi and Buhara's efficiency and execution were truly remarkable. Developing them into Suppliers, Kevin felt, was the most cost-effective deal he had ever made.
"You did a good job—give them one more egg." Kevin muttered to himself while counting the materials.
Facing so many materials, it would take a lot of time to discern their medicinal properties and figure out how to combine them. This was another kind of painful yet happy life.