[TS] Became a Peach Saint – Chapter 258

The night descended into darkness. As I stepped into a clearing that could hardly be called a village, a strong smell of meat wafted through the air.

“I’m here.”

The people sitting around the campfire turned to look at me.

“You came?”

“Yeah.”

They all stood up to greet me, and their enthusiasm felt a bit overwhelming.

Among them, a large man extended his hand.

“I’m Brian. I heard you saved me. Thank you so much.”

“Yeah, I’m Han Ga-eul. You had a hole in your head, but you managed to survive.”

“Haha, thanks to you.”

I shook Brian’s hand and flashed a wide grin in return.

“Have some meat.”

“Did you hunt this?”

Matthew, who had been watching us, tore off a large piece of meat from the campfire and handed it to me.

“Matthew’s hunting skills are top-notch.”

“Wow. Really? Impressive.”

“It’s just a basic skill. I only started doing it after coming here, so it’s still rough.”

Uncomfortable with the praise, he scratched his head and averted his gaze.

Still, the condition of the meat made it clear that it had been cleanly hunted for eating, not just butchered.

As Betty had praised, it seemed he had some expertise in hunting.

“I’ll enjoy it.”

“If it weren’t for you, we wouldn’t have been able to taste this meat today. It’s all thanks to you.”

Ignoring Matthew’s words, I brought the meat to my mouth, only to be hit by a strong, gamey smell.

It was the distinct stench of wild boar.

The lack of cooking skills was one thing, but the harsh environment likely played a part too.

With no additional ingredients, all they could do was roast it.

The most they had done was remove the fur.

“Next time, catch a sow.”

“Why should we catch a sow?”

“Male boars produce a hormone called androstenone in their testes, which accumulates in their fat. When you roast it, it volatilizes and creates this stench.”

“Are you a scientist?”

“Just a regular person trying to get by day by day.”

For them, this was precious sustenance to end the day, but I couldn’t bring myself to eat it.

“The smell!”

“Did you wake up?”

“It stinks!”

Baekseol, who had poked her head out of the pocket, plugged her nose with a cotton ball and retreated back inside.

“Move the meat aside. I’ll make it edible.”

The pig fat on the campfire sizzled and popped, sending sparks flying.

“Will this work if we move it?”

“Yeah.”

Matthew and Brian stood up and carefully moved the whole wild boar meat to the side.

To get rid of this boar stench, you need something strong.

—Sizzle, sizzle.

“Phew— Cigarette smoke is better than this boar stench, right?”

“Since I was holding my nose and swallowing, both seem the same to me.”

At Matthew’s sly remark, Brian and Betty burst into laughter.

“Phew—”

When I pulled out a large frying pan from the subspace, everyone looked surprised.

But no one asked any further questions. Being a lifesaver has its perks, I guess.

“Cut the meat into smaller pieces.”

It’s a bit too much to eliminate such a strong boar stench in a short time. Even if I spent hours trying to remove the smell before cooking, it wouldn’t be enough, especially since it’s already been roasted.

In the end, if you can’t remove it, you have to mask it. And for that, aromatic herbs are the best.

I poured oil into the frying pan and stir-fried every aromatic herb I had.

Sizzle!

Even before cooking the meat, the delicious sound was already filling the air.

Once the herbs, green onions, garlic, ginger, and whole peppercorns were somewhat stir-fried, I added the meat Matthew had cut and cooked it together.

At least the blood had been drained properly. If the meat had been soaked in blood, it would have been hopeless.

Sizzle!

Since it’s pork, it needs to be cooked thoroughly.

And for the final touch.

The strongest of the many liquors brewed in the goblin village—Heavenly Peach Wine.

It’s the secret weapon.

Pop!

With one hand, I removed the cork of the Heavenly Peach Wine, and its clear aroma spread through the air, cutting through the food smells.

Thanks to that, I could hear the gulping sounds of those sitting beside me.

“This isn’t for drinking; it’s for cooking, so it’s really strong.”

“I see…”

Matthew gave me a regretful look. He must be quite the drinker.

Still, this Heavenly Peach Wine would be the final touch to the wild boar meat.

Hope is here. Originally, it’s correct to make the sauce separately and then grill the meat, but since it’s wild boar meat emitting a fierce odor, there’s no other choice.

When you pour the Heavenly Peach Wine over the meat, smoke starts to rise from the frying pan. Tilt the frying pan at this moment to ignite the vaporized wine, creating a flambé.

Whoosh!

“Wow…!”

It’s one of the cooking techniques to quickly evaporate the alcohol, commonly known as a fire show.

The guests’ enthusiastic response makes my hands move lightly on their own.

Finally, pour the sauce over the thicker parts of the meat to speed up the cooking, ensuring it’s evenly cooked throughout.

“It’s done. Try it.”

“…Were you a chef?”

“It’s a hobby.”

When I push the frying pan towards Matthew, he stabs the meat with a sharply carved stick.

He then puts the meat in his mouth and chews.

“How is it?”

Matthew, who had been moving his jaw vigorously, opens his eyes wide as if they might tear.

“It’s, it’s delicious…. I’ve never tasted meat this good in my life.”

“Me, me too!”

Worried that the meat might run out, Betty beside him quickly takes a piece to her mouth.

Betty’s eyes also widen enormously after tasting the meat.

Using Heavenly Peach Wine instead of wine for the flambé must have been key. Everyone seems to enjoy it, eating heartily.

“Wow! It’s delicious!!”

Brian, true to his size, eats well too.

“Beom-bu.”

“Huh, huh?”

Calling out to Dokgo Beom-bu, who was spacing out alone, he startles and meets my gaze.

Seeing Dokgo Beom-bu’s gaze repeatedly going towards the seasoning I had set aside, it seems he was pondering where I came from.

There’s a label on the seasoning written in a familiar language, so he must have noticed that Matthew’s group and I are different.

“If you eat late, the meat will all be gone? Eat quickly and gather your strength, so the work goes well.”

“Uh…. Right?”

Handing a piece of meat to Dokgo Beom-bu, he puts it in his mouth, chews, and then hurriedly reaches for more meat.

***

Chop, chop.

“Phew—”

Everyone seems full, sitting idly by the burning campfire.

Without proper chairs, sitting on a large log feels sufficiently romantic for the night.

“I’ll leave the seasonings and spices here for you to use when cooking.”

“What!? Where are you going?”

“You noticed too, didn’t you? I’m not from here.”

“…..”

Just one word, but enough to silence Dokgo Beom-bu.

“Phew—”

“Food!”

“Baekseol, are you hungry?”

“Yes!”

Ding!

Taking a flower from my pocket, Baekseol accepts it and disappears with a pop.

Then, Dokgo Beom-bu, who seemed to be pondering something, picks up his mobile phone and stands up.

Seeing him fiddling with his phone, it seems he’s about to do something. He also used his phone to take out the Attribute Enhancement Stone that Baekseol liked.

“Phew—”

Dokgo Beom-bu, standing up, walks briskly towards the pile of logs.

Then, the logs start assembling themselves, quickly transforming into a cabin.

Thud! Clatter! Bang!

“Wow, what’s this? It’s amazing.”

Hearing my voice, Dokgo Beom-bu turns around.

“If there’s material, building is automatic.”

“That’s a pretty cool ability.”

“Is it? The first building takes about 5 seconds, but later, it can take days. The required time increases exponentially.”

Seeing Dokgo Beom-bu talk, it resembles a common mobile farming game. That must be why he kept talking about games.

“If you have Hollow Gemstones, you can accelerate the building time.”

“Where do you get those?”

Dokgo Beom-bu’s head turns.

There, piles of glittering dirt were stacked up, with a dirty pickaxe lying abandoned on the ground.

“You mine them yourself?”

“Yeah…. Sadly, yes. You might understand, but the way to pay has disappeared.”

“Ah….”

“I’ve been seeing that for ten days straight.”

“Pfft!”

With Matthew’s final blow and Betty’s laughter, Dokgo Beom-bu’s head slowly lowers.

“I’ve been doing the Refolder Gate for years. As you said, this place is…”

“Since it’s not a contract, I plan to be even more thorough.”

“Yeah, go for it. If you ever need help, just come by and I’ll lend a hand.”

Even though I said I was leaving, to Dokgo Beom-bu, it probably looks like I’m still here. Since the flow of time has stopped, there’s nothing I can do about it.

But I can’t just sit around wasting time on a game that eats up my life.

“I’ve already received a lot of help. If it weren’t for you, I would’ve given up long ago.”

Dokgo Beom-bu glanced at his comrades sitting around the campfire, then finally looked at me.

“I didn’t include you in the plan I already laid out.”

Perhaps because he’s experienced death firsthand, Dokgo Beom-bu, who had been looking half-dead all this time, smiled for the first time.

Seems like he knows how to smile coolly too.

“Right now, I’m too weak to help you in any meaningful way. But I can give you this instead.”

“The alcohol you used for cooking earlier?”

“That was for cooking.”

When I pulled out about thirty bottles of Heavenly Peach Wine from my storage space, everyone sitting there was shocked.

“This is what you’d call a buff potion, got it?”

Dokgo Beom-bu nodded vigorously.

“It doubles your total stats, so roughly tripling your attack, defense, and stamina…”

Before he could even finish, Dokgo Beom-bu nodded so hard it looked like his neck might snap.

“Since it’s not a fixed stat but an additional percentage boost, it’ll be useful early on but really shine in the later stages.”

“Triple…?”

“I don’t know much, but don’t super strong enemies show up around the 5th or 10th gates?”

“Right. You know your stuff.”

“Use it then. It’ll come in handy.”

“Thanks… Really.”

Dokgo Beom-bu looked genuinely moved. Not a face I want to stare at for too long.

*Click, click.*

“Alright. I’ll be going now.”

As I got up, everyone sitting there scrambled to their feet.

“If you plan to use it, stock up on enhancement materials. It’s hard to fight here because our strength is heavily restricted.”

“Haha, got it. I’ll gather a lot of star fragments. I’ll also collect plenty of Attribute Enhancement Stones you wanted, so come back later and take them.”

“Sure.”

*Ding!*

[Exiting the Reach for the Moon Gate]

[Adjusting the time flow of Reach for the Moon]

“Hmm…”

A hologram-like info window suddenly popped up in front of me.

[Yes/No]

When I placed my finger on the “Yes” option, another window appeared.

*Ding!*

[(x speed)]

It seems I can control the flow of time with this.

If this were a game, I’d experiment to see what the limits are, but this is reality where lives are at stake.

Also, it’s the place where Maple, who always seemed to be alone, is now happily waiting with a new family.

So, I’ve narrowed down my options to about two.

*Ding!*

[Adjusting the time flow of Reach for the Moon]

[Exiting!]

This should give me enough time to wrap things up where Maple used to live.

***

As I passed through the training ground, the world flipped upside down again.

When I quickly opened my eyes, the sun in the sky was shining brightly.

“Ugh, I can’t adjust.”

My biorhythm feels completely messed up.

Even though I spent nearly half a day at the Refolder Gate, it’s the time here when I just finished broadcasting and went for a walk with Baekseol.

“Baekseol, we’re home.”

Seeing my pocket quietly moving up and down, it seems Baekseol, who ate in the middle, has gone back to dreamland.

“Ah, geez.”

As I plopped down on a cheap chair, my body quickly recovered from returning to my original place, but a groan escaped my mouth.

*Click, click*

“Phew…”

Thinking of leaving a message for the viewers saying I went for a walk, I opened the TripleNet app, and a large number appeared in the viewer count at the top.

—

[⚔️What are you doing?]

[⚔️Btuve.com/watch=MyWorldHubbleTV Kill this guy already, you idiots]

[⚔️GD is exploding]

[⚔️Please let it be three centimeters, please let it be three centimeters]

[⚔️Good-looking guys even working out? Where’s your conscience?]

[⚔️Agreed]

“….What are these guys doing?”

In a broadcast I’m not even part of, they’re chatting among themselves and giggling. Even without a room master, viewers can still chat, but I didn’t expect them to be this lively. They were like this before too, so I guess it’s still ongoing.

At this point, I’m starting to wonder if they even need me.

—

**[Breaking News]**

User 117.112

Breaking news!!

Mango Music Chart: [“Still Hesitating? – Serenade”] breaks into real-time top 22.

The room master really knows how to pick songs lololol.

Isn’t this insane?

[User]: They’re crazy lololol.

[User]: Honestly, it’s so good.

→ [User]: This is legit.

[User]: Lmao, they haven’t even debuted yet, and they’re already eyeing the top 10 on Mango Chart.

[User]: To put it into perspective, they haven’t debuted yet, and there’s no time for a fandom to form, but they’re already at this level.

[User]: Honestly, I don’t listen to male idol songs, but the first song by Serenade, made by the room master, is so good. Agree?

→ [User]: Hard agree.

[User]: But when did the room master learn to compose?

→ [User]: No idea, they’ve never mentioned it on broadcast.

—

**[Gather Up!!]**

User 123.111

Picking the 5-minute standby team.

If the room master goes to Ache University, it’s gonna be a total mess again.

[User]: How many are you picking?

→ [User 123.111]: Only 1,000 elite members.

→ [User]: Lol, the quota is brutal.

—

“Phew—”

The more I read through the community where most of my viewers are, the more my head spins.

—

**[A Small Market Shakes Big! Why Hesitate!?]**

<Yangjin Daily Entertainment Reporter Jo Seung-tae>

The refreshing heat to blow away the midday heatwave started in a small market.

The starting point was the yet-to-be-known idol debut group Serenade. It was on the stage of a small market festival that some might call modest.

**Was the stage small?**

Watch your words!

The stage was small, but their potential was huge!

Who would’ve thought it was a fully bloomed flower when it seemed like a bud that hadn’t fully opened yet? Serenade’s passionate and refreshing group dance had the effect of blowing away the heatwave, leaving the audience thoroughly satisfied.

Moreover, no one can deny that their debut song, [“Still Hesitating?”], contributed greatly to their passion.

Serenade, who appeared like a comet out of nowhere. Though their start was humble, their end will surely be grand. They are a rookie idol group under Okarina Entertainment, led by COO Seol Woo-hyuk, and their growth trajectory is highly anticipated.

<Entertainment Reporter Jo Seung-tae ([email protected])>

👍(3822) 👎(277)

[Kim*woo]: Haha, this is delicious lololol.

→ [Park*jeong]: Adding this to my foodie list lol.

[Jang*il]: Now this is what I call a reporter lololol.

[Young*jun]: Reporter Jo Seung-tae, salute ^^7.

[Yoon*young]: And they call this journalism.

→ [Yu*rin]: 22.

→ [Jang*il]: Two idiots confirmed.

→ [Kim*woo]: Lololol, did you mark the losers’ coordinates? 22, they’re acting up. I’ll split their heads into 22 pieces.

—

“Ah, my head’s spinning.”

“Yeah!”

While I was reading the online article, Baekseol poked her head out of my pocket.

“Baekseol, did you sleep well?”

“I did!”

“Maple must be waiting for us anxiously. Should we go pick her up soon?”

“Sure!”