Chapter 24: I Am a Man Destined to Become a Gourmet Hunter

Sand Demons, these peculiar creatures, have grown up in the desert since birth. In the desert, their ability to survive far surpasses even that of camels on Earth.

When there is an abundance of food, they gorge themselves, storing vast amounts of fat within their bodies. Thus, when deprived of food and water, they can rely on breaking down their own fat reserves to obtain energy and moisture.

A Sand Demon with sufficient fat can survive for over half a year without water, and without food, they can endure for at least three years.

Their skin is thick and tough, effectively shielding them from wind and sand. Even their eyelids are constructed in three special layers, allowing their movements to remain unaffected by sandstorms.

It is precisely these unique physiological adaptations that make Sand Demons the apex predators of the desert.

Their feet are exceptionally large, more than twice the size of a human’s, enabling them to move swifter in the desert than any other giant species.

The Tyrant’s body is more than five times the size of a human, but his speed in the desert far exceeds mere proportion—he is more than twenty times faster than the average person. Even a human at Black Iron Third Rank can at most cover twenty kilometers in an hour in such terrain. The Tyrant, at a normal running pace, can traverse over eighty kilometers per hour across the sands, and if he sprints at full speed, he can surpass one hundred kilometers per hour.

Lin Huang, seated on the Tyrant’s shoulder, found the jostling too much and so had him keep to a steady eighty kilometers per hour. Even so, on the first night, they covered in two hours what others would spend an entire day walking.

For a Sand Demon, carrying an extra passenger made little difference; his speed was unaffected.

Watching the fat man, shaken to the verge of nausea, Lin Huang laughed inwardly. He too had struggled the previous night, only adapting somewhat after the first ordeal. Thinking back to not only the relentless jolting but also the discomfort of bristly body hair poking him, Lin Huang could not help but mutter, “I should’ve left that patch unshaved yesterday…”

The Sand Demon ran for over four hours before the fat man finally couldn’t take it any longer and began to shout.

“Let’s rest, let’s rest! Oh, my goodness, my rear has been split in two!”

Lin Huang’s own seat had grown numb as well. Seeing the fat man calling for a break, he had the Tyrant stop.

Once the two were set down, the fat man rubbed his backside as he walked toward Lin Huang. “Let’s take a break, eat something, drink some water, and then get moving again.”

Lin Huang nodded, “Let’s drink some water first and rest. I’ll have the Tyrant go hunt.”

“No need for that, I’ve got it!” The fat man produced a water flask, gulped down several mouthfuls, and spoke as he did.

After screwing the cap back on and stowing it away, he retrieved a set of tableware and a slab of meat, neatly cut and about the size of a basketball.

“Where did you get food? Wasn’t it all confiscated yesterday?” Lin Huang asked, puzzled.

“What are you thinking? I’m not clever enough to smuggle food in. This is from yesterday’s team hunt—we killed an Iron-Armored Pig, and I cut this off myself. Hind leg meat, premium stuff! I’m treating you like a brother, or I wouldn’t have brought out my stash. I’d originally planned to enjoy this all on my own.” With that, the fat man began slicing the meat. His knife skills quickly transformed the chunk into thin slices.

“So you’re a chef,” Lin Huang commented after seeing the fat man’s deft technique.

“Chef? Nonsense! I’m destined to be a gourmet hunter!” the fat man retorted, looking up.

In fact, the Hunter Association recognizes many types of hunters. Beyond the monster hunters, who are the most numerous, there are gourmet hunters who craft delicacies, treasure hunters who seek hidden riches, guardians who protect rare species...

The Hunter Association is a remarkably free organization, nurturing talent not only for itself but also supplying all sorts of specialists to other groups.

The assessment for reserve hunters does not distinguish between specializations. The fat man, aspiring to become an officially certified gourmet hunter, must first pass as a reserve hunter. Then, during the Bronze Hunter assessment, he can choose his direction. By passing the specialized exam, he becomes a full-fledged hunter and receives the Association’s gourmet hunter certification.

In less than twenty minutes, the fat man had roasted all the meat.

Lin Huang tasted a slice, his eyes lighting up. “Fatty, I didn’t expect it—your cooking’s impressive.”

Indeed, the fat man’s skills were remarkable. The roasted meat far surpassed Lin Huang’s own attempt the previous day. Though it couldn’t compare to the fare at Anding Residence, it was the second-best roast meat Lin Huang had ever eaten.

Receiving Lin Huang’s praise, the fat man’s eyes all but disappeared as he grinned, and he hurried to eat as well.

“Gulp, gulp…”

Suddenly, the two heard a strange noise from nearby. Turning to look, they saw the Tyrant drooling, swallowing his saliva repeatedly.

“Fatty, roast a big piece for him later,” Lin Huang suggested, pitying the creature.

“If you feed him, we’ll be starving tonight,” the fat man grumbled.

“Just roast a piece to let him taste it, nothing more.” Lin Huang knew full well that satisfying the Tyrant’s appetite was no small feat. With his size, he could devour a ton of meat a day and still store it as fat.

Though reluctant, the fat man realized he’d be riding the Sand Demon again soon, so he pulled out a large chop and began roasting it while he ate.

After their leisurely meal, the chop was nearly ready. The fat man used his tongs to present the freshly roasted meat to the Tyrant. “Big guy, this one’s for you.”

Despite his drooling, the Tyrant looked to Lin Huang for confirmation.

“Eat,” Lin Huang nodded.

Only then did the Tyrant reach out, snatch the chop, and toss it into his mouth. He chewed for a moment, then swallowed it, bone and all.

“Wow, he doesn’t spit out the bones?!” The fat man, witnessing a Sand Demon eat for the first time, was astonished.

“The digestive acids of giant species are over a hundred times stronger than humans’. They can break down even crushed bones. When have you ever heard of a giant species spitting out bones after eating humans?” Lin Huang explained.

“That’s true. I recall seeing videos where those giants just chew and gulp everything down,” the fat man remembered, thinking back to documentary footage.

“All right, meal’s over. Let’s tidy up and get back on the road. If we’re quick, we’ll reach the foot of the Snow Mountain by tomorrow night. Rest for a night, and we can start climbing early the day after.” Lin Huang had it all planned out: ten hours of travel each day, just enough to reach the mountain in two days.

“Got it!” The fat man’s face lit up with excitement. To cover in two days what others need ten or more to traverse—this assessment couldn’t be easier, even if the ride was a bit rough.

After clearing up, the two mounted the Tyrant’s shoulders once more and continued their journey…

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Today, we’re finally up for our first recommendation. To be honest, I’m more nervous than ever, even more so than when my previous books went live. This is my sixth book, but the first I’ve written as a true full-time author. From now on, this will be my livelihood, which leaves me feeling uneasy. I must thank my editor Qilin for his trust—he gave me a strong recommendation right out of the gate. I hope the stats look good, so I don’t let him down. If you find the book appealing, please add it to your favorites, and if possible, cast a recommendation vote.

Here’s a wish: if the book makes the top ten of the new releases chart by next week, then from Monday to Wednesday, I’ll post extra chapters for three days straight. There’s another rule during the new book period: for every ten thousand recommendation votes, I’ll add an extra chapter (we’re only at 1,500 votes so far, so please, dear readers, do your best!). Editors usually don’t allow burst updates during this period, but if the stats are good, a little scolding is fine—your enjoyment matters most. That’s all for now. A big hug to everyone, mua~~