Chapter 5: The Fire Breather
"I've got experience in cooking too!" Xia Zuo placed two steaming plates of vinegar-glazed diced pork on the dining table, a smile blossoming on his face, happiness evident between his furrowed brows.
These two plates of diced pork were stir-fried together, gaining me 0.02 experience! The first time I drank poison, it gave me over 1 point of experience. That means cooking about 70 times equals one dose of that poison.
No need to lose health, no need to secretly dispose of potions, no need to endure blame. Just follow the usual cooking methods, and experience comes naturally.
Xia Zuo felt that this world wasn't so brimming with malice after all.
"Very well done! Youngster, your skills are quite impressive indeed," Sneak lifted the plate, pouring a large mouthful into his mouth. Little green snake held a small piece of diced meat in its mouth, squinting its jet-black eyes, displaying a satisfied expression akin to a human.
"I agree, Xia Zuo, you can join us."
Sneak licked the remaining soup clean, taking the portion meant for the small green snake, "Quickly prepare the rest of the dishes too. Clown siblings like oily and crispy roast meat, the mighty Pole Pie favors nutty pancakes, while Audrey prefers thick meat and vegetable soup."
Xia Zuo noted down the preferences of these members... but seemed to have forgotten one. That thief with a hint of alcohol, Fan Er Si, wasn't mentioned.
Seeing the boy hesitate, Sneak thought he was asking if he wanted another meal. "Just make me another plate of vinegar-glazed diced pork."
"I'll do that right away. Does the taste need any adjustments?" Xia Zuo cleared the empty plate.
"A bit more sour, a bit less sweet. *Burp*," Sneak burped.
...
Xia Zuo was busy in the kitchen.
The first thing he made was the time-consuming nutty pancake.
It required slow baking to ensure the right texture.
Not knowing what flavor the mighty Pole Pie liked, Xia Zuo didn't add seasoning to the pancakes, simply spreading crushed nuts and increasing the dough's quantity.
The second thing on the stove was a clay pot.
As the elder sister, Audrey deserved a more sumptuous dinner.
Even if it was just a bowl of meat and vegetable soup, Xia Zuo intended to add plenty of ingredients.
Freshly roasted oily meat had to be made just right, especially as the clown siblings were two people; the amount of meat had to be sufficient.
Xia Zuo stood with hands on hips in the center of the kitchen, an orange glow emanating from the oven on his left and a small fire simmering on the stove on his right.
In this world without appliances but advanced alchemy, not just related to potions, it seemed there was a branch specifically for making various practical tools.
"Youngster, I've got good news."
Sneak peeked from the door, giving the boy a wink. "The boss lady convinced the others. This is just a formality."
Xia Zuo grinned widely, feeling elated.
He picked up a knife to chop some green onions, ready to enhance the aroma of the meat and vegetable soup once again.
...
The ground floor of the inn.
This inn wasn't grand, just a hall and two floors for rooms, but it was bustling.
Especially during meal times, it was packed.
In the crowded hall, at a corner by the wall, were two square tables pushed together. This was the circus's table to welcome new members.
Xia Zuo placed delicious dishes in front of each member and brought a large plate of mashed potatoes as the main dish to share. He had prepared a portion of meat sauce pasta for himself.
The clown siblings sat on one side of the table.
They looked very similar, with small eyes, large mouths, and long faces.
Their expressions were exaggerated; when speaking, they naturally widened their eyes, resembling clowns even without makeup. Their voices were sharp, their tones excited, as if they had endless energy.
Within the circus, they were distinguished by their hairstyles and scarf colors. The older brother with a red scarf and short hair, while the younger sister with a green scarf had her hair in twin tails.
As soon as the clown siblings saw the succulent and juicy roast meat, they exclaimed in unison, "Welcome, welcome, our little one! We heard you made roast meat for us, and we can't wait!"
Next to the clown siblings sat Snake Charmer Sneak, and across from them sat the massively muscular Pole Pie.
His rear was wider than the stool, with only a small amount of hair gathered on his head, like a clump of just-squeezed cream.
His biceps were knotted, his brow prominent, his two eyebrows wide and long, almost merging into a thick line.
At the opposite ends of the table sat two figures facing each other: Audrey and a stern bald man.
Audrey had a fragrant meat and vegetable soup in front of her, while the bald man had an opaque leather flask.
"Fan Er Si, this is Xia Zuo."
Audrey pulled the boy closer. "This is Fan Er Si, the circus's fire breather."
"Hello, Fan Er Si," Xia Zuo glanced at the would-be thief, devoid of emotions, while the latter merely nodded casually.
"Boss... Sneak didn't tell me what Fan Er Si likes to eat."
"No need to prepare food for him." Audrey arranged for the boy to sit beside her.
Xia Zuo suppressed his curiosity and took his place amid the members' welcoming chatter.
Across from him, Pole Pie grabbed the pancake and bit into it vigorously, crumbs flying onto the table. He grumbled a few indistinct words in a deep, rumbling voice, praising the pancake's texture. His voice sounded like it came from a water barrel.
His dental strength was astonishing; the tough pancake crumbled in his mouth effortlessly, like a biscuit.
When the clown siblings ate, they would chew each piece of roasted meat thoroughly in their mouths.
At first, they seemed calm and deliberate, but as they consumed a few pieces of meat, their pace quickened, eventually even fighting over it.
"I'm the older one, you have to yield to me!"
"Nonsense! I'm the younger sister, so you should yield to me!"
"Don't mind them; they're always like this." Audrey scooped up a spoonful of meat sauce and soup, humming contentedly, "The meat's cooked tenderly, Xia Zuo. You're very patient."
"Thank you for the praise, Boss Lady."
Xia Zuo twirled noodles with his fork, subtly using detection magic on the circus members.
【Character Name】Audrey
【Role】Circus leader, knife thrower
【Health Points】???(Healthy)
【Strength】7
【Agility】7
【Endurance】7
【Vitality】2
【Perception】8
【Willpower】6
【Mental Strength】2
【Charisma】7
【Special Skills】???
The attributes of circus members were mostly similar, with strength and agility being their main traits.
In a world where strength and agility were paramount, the mighty Pole Pie boasted a strength of 9, while the agile siblings, Xia Zuo and Fan Er Si, both exceeded 8 in agility. Sneck and the eldest sister dominated in perception, with scores of 7 and 8 respectively.
Their endurance and willpower hovered around 5 to 7.
But when it came to charm, spirit, and vitality, these attributes were strikingly low. Except for the eldest sister's charm, which reached a 7, the others barely managed 1 to 3 in these aspects.
Xia Zuo glanced across the table at Fan Er Si.
The one with a clean-shaven head and chin, a fire-breather, merely lifted a jug to sip from, seemingly indifferent to everything around.
【Character Name】: Fan Er Si
【Identity】: Fire Breather
【Health】: ??? (Mildly poisoned, bodily harm)
【Strength】: 4
【Agility】: 4
【Endurance】: 4
【Vitality】: 1
【Perception】: 4
【Willpower】: 7+2 (Alcohol-induced bonus)
【Spirit】: 3
【Charm】: 1
【Special Skills】: ???
Fan Er Si's combined strength and agility barely reached 10 points. Willpower stood as the highest attribute. But vitality—merely 1 point—lagged far behind the others.
...
After dinner, Sneck helped Xia Zuo clear the plates, carrying them to the kitchen.
"Sneck, why doesn't Fan Er Si eat and only drinks?" Xia Zuo voiced a question long on his mind.
"Because he's a fire-breather, a performer. Have you seen circus acts? It's when they hold a mouthful of flammable liquid, spew it onto a torch, and a blaze erupts," Sneck explained, mimicking the fiery act with his hands.
"That's the most crucial and lucrative performance, Xia Zuo. He earns more for the circus than any of us," Sneck continued, a touch of lament in his voice. "Yet, it's the riskiest. While practicing, Fan Er Si burned his throat and mouth. It doesn't affect his performance, but he can't eat anything solid anymore. Sometimes he's tormented by pain and needs medication and low-proof alcohol to ease it."
Ah, that explained why Fan Er Si hadn't uttered a word the entire time, either because speaking caused pain in his throat or perhaps his vocal cords were burnt.
"By the way, Xia Zuo, tonight, we'll do something. I'll show you what you usually do," Sneck led the boy to the inn's backyard.
Numerous carriages stood there, with stables nearby, tended by specific servants.
Among the carriages, the three-sectioned one belonging to the circus stood out—the front carriage for Audrey and the clown sister, responsible for handling packhorses, guiding carriages, and managing food and water supplies.
At the rear was Xia Zuo's future abode, shared with the powerful Pole Pie, housing performance props and miscellaneous items.
The middle carriage, notably taller, had bundles of pointed tents atop it and served as the circus's mobile ticket booth, selling show tickets, souvenirs, and toys.
"Xia Zuo, head into the carriage and open this panel from inside," Sneck patted the window of the middle carriage, which was sealed with a single wooden board, unlike the others secured with locks.
"Like this, Sneck?"
As Xia Zuo pushed the wooden board to a horizontal position from inside, the window turned into a ticket counter, resembling a mobile snack stall.
"That's it. You're just the right height, showing your face perfectly. Finally, I won't have to crouch inside to sell tickets. Hahaha," Sneck chuckled, raising his beard, and placed several copper coins on the ticket counter.
"Two copper coins for a knife-throwing show featuring the eldest sister. My snake dance show is at the same price. Five copper coins to see Pole Pie and the clown siblings' acrobatics. Eight copper coins for Fan Er Si's fire-breathing act."
Sneck knocked on the wooden board. "Now, give me one ticket for each."
"Alright, alright, here you go," Xia Zuo fetched a small wooden piece from a pouch on the carriage's wall, carved with the corresponding show names.
"Excellent, youngster. You're learning fast," Sneck praised, double-checking the tickets. "Now, I'll teach you to recognize performance props and some special tools."
The two entered the third carriage, where seesaws, parallel bars, pads, stilts, and similar items were stored.
Towards the rear, there was a locked leather trunk.
Upon boarding, Sneck closed the carriage door, leaving a sliver of light to illuminate the interior.
"This is where Fan Er Si stores his fire-breathing concoction. Be careful not to tip it over when sleeping," Sneck warned, gently pushing the trunk further in and revealing performance costumes beneath the floorboards, distinguishable by size and color.
He cleared these clothes to the sides, lifting the second layer of the floorboards, revealing a few sets of leather armor and weapons wrapped in oiled cloth.
Xia Zuo's eyes widened! The circus indeed possessed some formidable items.
"Shh, don't get too excited, kid," Sneck hushed, "I'm only showing you where to find defensive gear. You're not ready to handle these blades yet."
He picked up a curved blade. "This is my weapon. If you encounter anyone with ill intentions, you must bring this to me immediately."
"Got it, I'll remember."
Xia Zuo stared at the sharp edge, feeling a chill on his neck, his tiny hairs standing on end.
"This big cleaver and leather shield belong to Pole Pie. His strength can take down many a wild wolf."
"These two daggers belong to the clown siblings. The eldest sister's throwing knives are strapped to her leg," Sneck covered the floorboard.
"What about Fan Er Si?" Xia Zuo blinked.
"Him? Besides breathing fire, he can't do much else. Leave the fighting to us. After you bring the weapons and armor, make sure to hide in this compartment under the floorboard," Sneck instructed as Xia Zuo lay on the layer with performance costumes, easily hiding and feeling no sense of confinement when the floorboard was closed.