amaotonovel Chapter 4123 When the Pumpkin Ripens (5)
Chapter 4123 When the Pumpkin Ripens (5)
Chapter 4123 When the Pumpkin Ripens (Part 5)
Greed entered the room and surveyed the furnishings. He put down the suitcase and took off his coat. He was wearing a high-necked camel cashmere sweater, casual trousers, and black-rimmed glasses.
“You look like you’re going on a vineyard vacation,” Arrogance said as he carried boxes of groceries into the house. “You’ve come at the right time. We’re out of firewood; we’ll probably have to go to the forest to cut some.”
"Are you kidding me? It's windy outside, and you're planning to take an axe and go chop down trees?"
“Not me, but us. Unless you stay away from the fireplace from now on, we’ll all go together.”
Greed sighed helplessly and said, "We finally have a chance to spend some time together in real life, and I had high expectations for it. But the first activity you've arranged is to go chop wood in the forest on a windy day? Even in Gotham, that's a bit crazy, isn't it?"
Pride had already brought the tools over. He handed one of the axes to Greed and said, “Trust me. It’s because things have improved in Gotham that we can go out and chop wood in this kind of weather without running into any strange people or monsters crawling out of the lake.”
Greed, somewhat helplessly, put on his coat, took the axe, and said, "If you are arrested for illegally logging natural forest land, I will never pay your bail."
The two of them left one after the other. The sparse population had its advantages; at least no one was surprised to see two identical people appearing at the same time. They walked across the lake and into the forest on the other side.
Pride began selecting trees, while Greed looked around and said, "Why did you choose to buy a house in such a remote place? I have a feeling there are wolves here."
“Not yet.” Arrogance tapped a tree next to him and said, “But there do seem to be wolf packs on the mountain range that this forest connects to, and they may migrate here soon. This one will do.”
Greed, braving the wind, walked towards the tree he had chosen and chopped it down in a few strokes. Pride, meanwhile, went to chop down another tree, cutting down about four or five saplings of similar thickness. Pride muttered to himself, "These should be enough for the Halloween holiday. Let's go."
Greedy, carrying his axe, walked out of the forest, only to see a flash of light at the other end of the forest.
He stopped abruptly, looking warily in that direction. Pride stopped too. Greed mouthed to him, "Flashlight."
The flash of light must have come from a flashlight. Arrogantly squinting, he still said, "We're short on firewood right now; they've probably come to the woods to cut some. Let's go back."
They dragged the firewood back into the house, then carried the trees to the backyard to chop them. Greed stood in the middle of the living room, looking towards the window on one side. The wind howled outside, and raindrops began to appear on the glass. The chirping of birds carried on the wind.
"I'll chop wood, you cook?" the arrogant man asked.
Greed nodded, then looked away at the boxes he had brought in. He checked the ingredients inside and said, “This kind of weather is perfect for a hot stew. We can put a pot of soup on the fireplace, have a seafood risotto on a hot plate, and heat up the bread to eat with the soup.”
“There are pumpkins in the backyard,” said Arrogance. “We can cut off a piece and put it in the pot.”
Greed walked out the back door and saw the three perfectly shaped pumpkins. He couldn't help but exclaim in admiration, then turned back without hesitation to grab a cleaver. He was an experienced cook; despite their size, the pumpkins were perfect for stewing, judging by their color and firmness.
He picked the smallest one, cut off a piece, chopped it into small pieces, and set it aside. Then he took out some red shrimp from the box, removed the heads, and rendered the shrimp oil in a pan. He roasted the tomatoes over a fire, peeled them, and chopped them into small pieces. He then took out some other vegetables and chopped them as well.
Pour the shrimp oil into a stew pot, add the diced tomatoes, and simmer over the fireplace until the tomatoes release their juices. Add a small piece of butter and a whole carton of milk, then add the pumpkin, lettuce, zucchini, romaine lettuce, mushrooms, and shrimp and simmer together.
The pumpkin quickly cooks until it's very soft and melts completely into the soup, almost like it's been mashed. This results in a thick soup even without adding heavy cream or whipping. The vegetables also simmer until they're very soft, until the fiber is broken down, turning into a slightly mushy vegetable soup. It may not look very appealing, but it tastes delicious.
Then, various seafood are blended into a juice and used to fry rice on an iron plate. Octopus tentacles and mussels are added when it's done. Bread is sliced, placed on a wire rack, and heated in the fireplace.
A cold wind howled outside the window as the two ate around the fireplace. The wood was too damp, so it crackled and popped as it burned, and the flames gradually dwindled.
But Arrogance had all the tools he needed. He put down his cutlery and went to the toolbox in the backyard to get a flamethrower. As long as the flame was big enough, there was no wood that couldn't be burned.
The fire in the fireplace quickly grew stronger again. The aroma of the stew grew richer and richer. Both of them were busy eating, and neither of them spoke.
The stew has a rich, savory flavor. All the essence of the red shrimp has been extracted by simmering, and a layer of bright red shrimp oil floats on top of the milky white broth. The fibers of the pumpkin and vegetables keep rising to the surface; the fibers, which would normally have a slightly coarse texture, are just right in the soup, while the zucchini, mushrooms, and shrimp meat, which are difficult to stew until tender, have a completely different flavor.
Gotham is a coastal city, so the seafood available is generally fresh. Only true locals know that the most flavorful are the small fish, shellfish, and less-than-appealing oysters, hand-cracked from the rocks by beachcombers. These are used to make broths, sauces, and soups, creating a umami flavor that no chemical seasoning can match. If you use this sauce instead of water to steam or fry rice, every grain becomes a treasure of the ocean, tasting like a culinary masterpiece of Atlantis.
Europeans and Americans have a fondness for mussels, and they're a common ingredient in many seafood paellas and other seafood dishes. Mussels become very tough whether they're too large or overcooked, so it's essential to choose small, tender ones. Lightly pan-fry them, and they burst with juice when you bite into them. Served with tomato sauce, dried dill, or hot sauce, even the most discerning diner can't resist.
The bread is just ordinary dry bread, so hard it could be used as a brick on a normal day. Toasting it slightly will soften it a bit, but the best way to eat it is in soup. This way, all its flaws become advantages; the originally dry bread becomes fragrant and crispy, its firm texture absorbs the broth perfectly, and its bland taste enhances the umami flavor of the dish.
The two enjoyed a delicious meal, finishing almost all the dishes. Then, as before, Pride baked a pumpkin pie. They leaned against the fireplace, cutting and eating the pie while chatting.
"Speaking of which, how's Batman doing?" Greed asked.
His arrogant hand paused, and he said he seemed to have forgotten something, then shook his head and said, "I don't know. But he's an adult, he should be able to find a hotel by himself. He's probably just outsmarting Brainiac right now."
Meanwhile, the Batman from the main universe he was referring to was braving the strong winds, unloading his suitcase from the bus. He took a deep breath, then coughed twice, choked by the wind. Looking at the "Wayne Hotel" in front of him, he was truly furious.
It wasn't that he didn't want to land in Gotham, but the entrance and exit points of each universe's battle are chosen by the locals, and the landing point for Schiller's universe had been changed to Metropolis, so he had to come from Metropolis.
Even more outrageous is that Earth in this universe seems to have been invaded by Brainiac. Or rather, it's more like Brainiac has taken over Earth and is living in harmony with humanity.
The Batman of the main universe, now aware of this, finally understood why Bruce had been so evasive and seemed so guilty. He thought this was already astonishing enough; what could be more unacceptable than Brainiac ruling the Earth?
Believe it or not, it actually happened. After Brainiac took over the Earth, Bruce Wayne couldn't even get into the Wayne Hotel.
In the main universe, Batman cannot book the Wayne Hotel. Although he successfully registered an account and obtained legal status, his identity is classified as "alien," which limits him to a limited number of hotels, including the Wayne Hotel, even with points.
The main universe's Batman can already sense that this universe's Brainiac has a peculiar sense of self-righteousness. He doesn't consider himself an outsider at all, not even a ruler; he exudes a strong sense of ownership.
While emotionally reluctant to accept it, rationally it must be acknowledged that Brainiac seems to care more about the fate of Earth than humans do. As the Batman of the alien universe, he has no carbon emission ration; he can't even hail a car and has to rely on public transportation.
Fortunately, he used a series of technical means to outwit Brainiac and managed to book the Wayne Hotel. Unfortunately, the Wayne Hotel in this universe doesn't have presidential suites, so there's no full-service accommodation, and Batman from the main universe has to carry his own luggage.
After entering the lobby and registering, the main universe Batman went upstairs to find his room, a fairly nice standard room with a large floor-to-ceiling window offering a view of the city.
Standing by the window, the main universe Batman was suddenly filled with emotion. He wondered what kind of tumultuous journey he had endured to deserve this beautiful scenery. This city, which he should have known very well, was now displaying a completely different kind of beauty.
Leaves, whipped up by the wind, drifted across the city, and a golden rain fell upon Gotham. A fine mist rose from the ground, obscuring the tall buildings and leaving only the outlines of the low-rise houses' pointed roofs, as if overnight we had returned to that autumn of the fourteenth century, a time of vibrant green and golden hues, where life was as fragile as grass.
The main universe's Batman took a short rest, looked around the room, and found no service bell. He knew he would have to use that green bald-head app to get room service again. He instinctively felt annoyed, so he grabbed his coat and headed to the laundry room to dry it.
As soon as he stepped out the door, he saw another figure wearing a long trench coat, pulling the hat up on his head, looking like he was about to go out.
After closing the door, the man turned around and looked up, only to see the main universe's Batman preparing to leave. The two froze the moment they saw each other's faces.