Reborn as the Darling of the Delta

Page 5

"Yes...yes, I will immediately organize a team to conduct a thorough search of Longbow Valley and Bakshi. Give me three more days, no, no need, I can give you an answer in two days."

The soldier, his lips trembling, spoke hesitantly to Rometheus.

"Hmph, Hafk didn't give you so many high-quality resources to cultivate trash. This is my last bit of patience, and your last chance. Listen to me carefully. If I don't see you next time you see me, you can think carefully about what the consequences will be. I think you've been a captain for too long and have forgotten the cruelty of being at the bottom of Hafk."

After saying that, Rometheus looked away, took out his phone, and dialed a number:

"Ella, immediately prepare a car and escort for me at the foot of the Tower of Babel. I need to go to the space base for a meeting in 10 minutes, understand?"

"Yes, teacher. I'll make the arrangements right away. Do you need me to come with you?"

A clear and pleasant voice came from the other end of the phone.

"No, you can continue your experiments at Babel. It's no big deal. I'll be right back."

After hanging up the phone, Rometheus walked off the rooftop without looking back.

After watching Rometheus descend the elevator, the Huffman soldier gasped for breath. The pressure of standing next to the doctor had been immense; his heart was pounding in his chest. Once his breathing calmed down, he realized that his back was completely soaked.

After calming down, he quickly began to gather his men.

"Listen up, all of you. I'm giving you two days to conduct a thorough search of Longbow Valley, Zero Dam, and the outskirts of Bakshi for any trace of 'Zero.' Understand? I need your results in two days. Those who find it will be richly rewarded, but if you don't, you're on your own!"

Looking at the formation before him, and at the power he now possessed, the wonderful feeling was simply irresistible. He knew perfectly well how he had become the commander-in-chief; it was a position built on betrayal and lies.

So when he heard Rometheus's warning, he was afraid. He was afraid that everything he had now would vanish. Right now, many people were eyeing his position covetously. If he were to step down from this position, he feared that they would devour him, leaving not even bones behind.

"Squad leaders, begin organizing your operations. Don't waste time; the time you waste now might be the time you waste later. Disband!"

Seeing that everyone had taken action, his anxious heart calmed down a little. He understood that his future depended on the outcome of these two days.

As Rometheus sat down in the conference hall of the space base, a neatly dressed, tall, and rather imposing European man asked him:

"Doctor, do you have any news about Zero? It's been a week since he escaped from the Tower of Babel. As a killing machine developed by the Hafk Group, even if he escaped to the territory of the Asara Guard, there should be some trace of him. Or do you have your own selfish motives and want to take over the company's assets?"

Looking at the aggressive man in front of him, Rometheus calmly wiped his glasses:

"Mr. Robert seems to have a lot of opinions about me. Anyone who didn't know better would think that Zero is your asset. I suppose you have quite a few informants planted in my network. If I'm not mistaken, within half an hour of Zero escaping the Tower of Babel, a bounty was posted on the Dark Web for him. I think that must have been your doing, Mr. Robert."

Carwin Roberts, one of the shareholders of the Hafk Group, comes from a family that wields significant influence in North America. His family's interests extend beyond the Hafk Group to include arms trafficking with terrorists and smuggling pharmaceuticals, among other illicit activities.

"Hmph, so what? You should know that I invested the most Haver coins in R&D [Zero]. You, who are just doing experiments, made such a big mistake. According to the board of directors' authority, they have the right to fire you."

Faced with Rometheus's question, Robert readily admitted it. It should be noted that his status was worlds apart from that of the experimenter. No matter how smart Rometheus was, he was just an employee of the group, while Robert was one of the shareholders of the Hafk Group. How could Rometheus dare to speak to him in such a tone?

"Alright, shut up, Robert. Rometheus, the reason we called you here for this meeting to inquire about the whereabouts of [Zero] is just one of the reasons. We want to know what the current progress is of your civilian Relink brain-computer interface."

This time, it was a noblewoman named Hannah O'Dallie who spoke. Beneath her seemingly dignified and elegant appearance, her actions were even more heinous than Robert's. She trafficked people and sold human organs for export, and countless innocent people had died at her hands.

"Oh, esteemed Ms. O'Dallie, I assure you that within a month at most, the civilian Relink brain-computer interface will be presented to you. For the world, Huffk will bring a second life to those who are disabled or suffer from the aftereffects of physical injury."

Rometheus pushed up his glasses and spoke to O'Dale with a fanatical look in his eyes.

"Oh? You've really worked hard, Dr. Rometheus. But there's one thing I need to correct you on. We, the Hafk, will not only give them a second life, but from now on, their lives will be firmly in our hands. We will be their gods for the rest of their lives, hahahaha!"

As he spoke, O'Dallie maintained his elegance, but as he continued, the thought of being able to decide their lives like God caused the corners of his mouth to widen until they formed a distorted curve.

"Rometheus, how long until you get news of [Zero]? I need an exact time."

At this point, Demoulins spoke up.

"I will give you an answer in three days."

"Alright, if you don't bring back any news about [Zero] in three days, then you can focus all your energy on developing your brain-computer interface experiments. As for finding people, leave that to me."

Demulan glanced at Rometheus and then spoke.

"Alright, that concludes today's meeting. You can all go and attend to your own matters."

After O'Daily finished speaking, everyone began to leave, and the situation regarding the land of Asara gradually became more chaotic.

Chapter 10 Personal Instruction

"Waaaaah, Xiao Hao, are you abandoning your sister?"

Mai Xiaowen stared in disbelief at Zhang Hao, who had run into Luna's arms, feeling the deep malice the world held towards her.

"No!" (Yuan Hua March). ?ヽ(??Д`)ノ?.

Seeing the little cutie snuggling into her arms, Luna couldn't help but give Mai Xiaowen a victorious smile.

(? ? pan?)

"It's okay, Xiao Hao. If you don't want to learn, then we won't. Sister Haizhua really cares about you too much. She made our little darling cry. It's okay, Sister will take you to learn archery. It's much more fun than learning those difficult computer science subjects with her."

Looking at Luna gently coaxing him, Zhang Hao felt a little ashamed, but his body betrayed him as he lay on top of Luna and said:

My name is Mai Xiaowen, and I am 22 years old. I have been exceptionally intelligent and beautiful since I was a child. I have always felt that my life is like a cheat code, and I may be the chosen one of heaven and earth.

But today, I deeply felt the betrayal from the person I love most. The pain is unbearable; my heart aches so much. Happiness was right before my eyes, but why is it not what I expected?

Holding my sweet, soft little one in my arms this morning, inhaling the faint fragrance of his clothes, that was the best sleep I've had since arriving in Asara. But why is my little darling now in that old woman Luna's arms?

"Xiao Hao, don't you want your sister anymore? Your sister is so sad and heartbroken!"

Just as Luna was about to leave with Zhang Hao in her arms as the victor, Mai Xiaowen's aggrieved voice came from behind her.

Upon hearing this, and remembering how Mai Xiaowen had always taken care of him, Zhang Hao realized he had gone too far. He quickly got off Luna and ran over to hug Mai Xiaowen.

Luna: You green tea b*tch ((?°?д°?))

"Xiaowen, don't be sad. How could I possibly abandon you? I was just confused from studying those things. I'm still your dearest little brother!"

Although he's a slacker who's been single for 19 years, Zhang Hao decides to use his cute looks to coax Mai Xiaowen when he sees her crying pitifully.

"How about this, Xiaowen, why don't you come with us to learn archery? Luna says it's really fun!"

Seeing that Mai Xiaowen's emotions had gradually calmed down, Zhang Hao extended an invitation to her to join them.

Luna: Damn it, this was supposed to be my and Xiaohao's time alone. I was hoping to get closer to him, but it's been ruined again.

"Alright, alright, Xiao Hao is fine now, Luna. Stop looking so gloomy. Since you and Mai Xiaowen are teaching Xiao Hao archery together, we'll head over now."

Uluru was about to say something to lighten the mood, but as he spoke, he saw Luna giving him a cold look, so he quickly shut up and prepared to slip away.

"Yes, Sister Luna, let's go."

Seeing the longing look in Zhang Hao's eyes, Luna naturally smiled and agreed:

"Okay, let's go to the shooting range. You know, my shooting skills are top-notch."

The group then arrived at the shooting range. Luna confidently picked up a bow, nocked an arrow, and with a "whoosh," the arrow struck the bullseye steadily.

"See, Xiao Hao? It's that simple."

Luna looked at Zhang Hao, whose eyes were full of hearts, and said with a smile.

"Hmph, it's just a 10-ring ring, Xiao Hao. Watch closely, this kind of thing is a piece of cake for me, I can handle it like a fool."

Not to be outdone, Mai Xiaowen also picked up a bow, but her first arrow went astray and almost missed the target, which made her a little embarrassed. She never expected to lose face in front of Xiao Hao.

"Oh dear, it's been a while since I practiced. Let me get back into the swing of things. Xiao Hao, you have to believe me, this isn't my true skill level."

Zhang Hao was eager to try, but he couldn't draw the bow no matter what he did. Luna came over to help and taught him the correct posture.

"Come on, Xiao Hao, remember this when shooting arrows: First, hold the bow and arrow, and embed the arrow into the bowstring. This will ensure that the arrow you shoot is steady. Next, align the arrow with the target, stretch the bowstring, control your breathing, and stay steady."

Listening to Luna's instructions, Zhang Hao obediently followed the steps one by one. But when he turned his head, he found that Luna's head was almost touching his own, and the warm breath from her ear made his face blush involuntarily.

"Um... Sister Luna, you...you're too close, it's a bit hot."

Looking at the little boy next to her, whose face was completely red, Luna found teasing him incredibly fun. Ignoring Mai Xiaowen's murderous glare, she flirted with Zhang Hao:

"Oh? Is it really hot, Xiao Hao? Why is your face so red? Is it because I'm too close and you're shy?"

Hearing Luna's teasing, Zhang Hao shook his head, clearing his mind of the strange thoughts. After adjusting his breathing, he stared at the bullseye in the distance and released the arrow.

With a "whoosh," the arrow struck the bullseye perfectly.

Mai Xiaowen, Luna: ??? (Not a bro, is she cheating?)

"Huh? Sister Luna, did I hit the bullseye?"

Zhang Hao was also a little incredulous. He rubbed his eyes, looked again, and tugged at Luna's pants before asking.

"Um... well, Xiao Hao, you might have a talent for archery. Come on, try it one more time."

Luna's mind was in turmoil. How long did it take her to hit the bullseye for the first time? Even excluding luck, it must have taken her, a person known as a genius, about three days.

Mai Xiaowen was frozen in place, unable to believe her eyes. A 16-year-old child, her first time touching a bow, and she hit the bullseye? What was she then? A clown? (⊙ω⊙`)

"Okay, I'll try again. First, grip the bow and arrow, embed the arrow into the bowstring... then shoot."

Zhang Hao took out another arrow and followed Luna's instructions, performing a series of movements while muttering to himself.

With a "whoosh," as expected by everyone watching on the screen, the arrow once again hit the bullseye.

Luna also stopped her boasting. As an archery prodigy, she felt like an ignorant fool living in her own world, sometimes feeling smug about her shooting talent. But now she had woken up from her dream, and Zhang Hao's appearance made her start to rediscover herself.

Meanwhile, Mai Xiaowen's demeanor had completely changed. She was lying on the ground, looking lifeless, muttering to herself:

"Oh no, Xiao Hao actually has such a high talent for archery? Why did he turn out like this when he was learning computer science from me? Waaaaah, I'm afraid Xiao Hao will be snatched away by a bad woman in the future, waaaaah."

Looking at the two emo women, Zhang Hao didn't understand what was so difficult about it. Wasn't it just a matter of drawing a bow, aiming, and firing? Sigh, it seems the adult world is still difficult.

"Sister Luna, Sister Xiaowen, it's almost lunchtime. I'm going to help Uncle Shenlan now!"

Luna: ?_?

Mai Xiaowen: (???????)

Chapter 11 Iron Pot Stew

Ignoring the two who were standing there dumbfounded and in a daze, Zhang Hao skipped and hopped into the kitchen. At that moment, Shen Lan was giving a goose a "Russian massage." Soon, a cleaned goose lay quietly on a plate.

"Oh, Xiao Hao is here. How was training today? We were so worried about you this morning. Here, let me give you some French foie gras to try. Roy really likes this dish. We'll also have some roast goose later."

Seeing Zhang Hao sticking his head over, Shen Lan showed him the foie gras she had just taken out. It was milky white with a little bit of pink on it, and it looked very fresh.

"Uncle Deep Blue, have you ever had stewed in an iron pot while you were in GTI?"

Looking at the goose lying on the plate, and then at the ingredients in the kitchen, Zhang Hao suddenly felt a craving for the iron pot stew that he and his roommates used to eat when they went out to find food in the past.

"Is it a specialty dish from northern China? I've only heard of it. Xiao Hao, do you know how to make it? It looks like we're in for a treat today."

"Oh, Uncle Shenlan, stewing in an iron pot isn't difficult at all, it's just that the pot you need is too big. I'll need your help later. I'll make stew in an iron pot for everyone at noon today!"

After Zhang Hao first showcased his culinary skills, he quickly won over everyone's palates with his expertise as a gourmet. However, he recently started training, and the kitchen was only taken back into Shen Lan's hands. Zhang Hao can only cook some regional specialties from around the world for everyone when he has free time.

Considering everyone's usual appetite, Zhang Hao asked Shen Lan to slaughter another goose.

Then I started preparing the side dishes. First, I cut the potatoes into chunks, washed them, and set them aside. I also soaked the dried vermicelli and set it aside. I took out the corn flour, kneaded it, and put it aside. If Taylor is not full later, I'll make him a few more pancakes.

Then they began processing the two geese, first calling on Deep Blue to chop them into pieces. The reason Deep Blue was chosen was because the protagonist had accidentally knocked himself off his feet while chopping, which Deep Blue laughed at.

Then put the meat in a pot of cold water, add scallions, ginger, garlic, and cooking wine, and then blanch it over high heat to remove the blood. Skim off the foam, remove the meat, and let Shenlan drain the water.

Just as they were about to start the next step of caramelizing the sugar, they suddenly realized they hadn't used any beer. This was going to be a problem, as the taste with and without beer was worlds apart. Before Shen Lan could even speak, Zhang Hao, with his "short legs," ran towards Uluru.

"What? Little one, why are you asking me for beer? You're too young to drink beer. Here, I found this Coke in Longbow Valley last week. Kids should drink this instead."

When Zhang Hao asked him for beer as soon as he arrived, Uluru's alarm bells went off instantly. He first poked his head out to look around, and only felt relieved after seeing that Mai Xiaowen and Luna were not there. He then turned around and went back into the house to get a bottle of cola for Zhang Hao.

"I'm not drinking this, you know. I'm making braised goose in an iron pot for everyone at noon, and I'll be using beer to remove the gamey smell and enhance the flavor. Don't you want to eat it?"

Upon hearing that it was for cooking, and even more so with wine, Uluru's mind immediately conjured up the memory of the first time he ate Zhang Hao's red wine stewed beef, and his mouth watered instantly.

"Hey Xiaohao, why didn't you say so earlier? Here, this is my secret stash. See if it's enough. If not, there's more. Let me see... Oops, it rolled off the bed like this."

Seeing the three or four bottles of beer that Uluru handed him, and now he was rummaging around under the bed with his butt sticking out, Zhang Hao quickly called him to stop.

"That's enough, one bottle is enough for me. I'm leaving now, Uncle Uluru. Get ready for a big meal at noon!"

"Oh dear, isn't this the wine jug I lost last time? How did it end up under the bed too?"

After getting the beer, Zhang Hao started to caramelize the sugar. Unfortunately, since this was Asara, there was no cinnamon or star anise. He could only use similar Asara spices, dried chili peppers, scallions, and ginger slices to sauté until fragrant. Then he added Mai Xiaowen's treasured fermented bean paste and soybean paste. Just as he was about to add soy sauce, Zhang Hao discovered a new treasure.

"Hey, Uncle Shenlan, who brought this Thirteen Spices?"

Looking at the Thirteen Spices that looked exactly like the one from his previous life, Zhang Hao felt an overwhelming sense of familiarity. He couldn't help but think of his parents and his dear son, wondering if they would worry if he went missing.

Thinking of this, Zhang Hao's eyes also became a little moist; he missed home.

"Hmm? Zhang Hao, what's wrong? Why are you crying? Are you feeling unwell?"