The rice was also a very important part of this dish.
But, the system wouldn’t let Mag use the rice irrigated by the water from the Spring of Life, on account of a shortage in supply. Instead, it provided another type of rice called “moonlight rice”.
The system grew this rice on the Moonlight Island in the Staro Sea. The yield was pretty high since there were abundant wetlands on the island. Some stones on this island could absorb moonlight, which made the rice as tasty as the Spring of Life rice.
Mag opened the drawer to get some rice. In the left compartment was the Spring of Life rice, and in the right one was moonlight rice.
Mag took some rice from the right compartment. Each rice grain was very translucent, with a small white crescent moon in it, so they were a little whiter than the Spring of Life rice grains.
Mag smiled. “These are really beautiful. System, are you mentally a girl?” I bet no girl can resist this rice.
“I may be a system, but I also like beautiful things…”
Although it might not be as magical as the Spring of Life rice, Mag was still quite happy with it. Amy will probably like it.
He cooked the rice in the cooker. Normally, the chicken should be marinated for about an hour, but the system shortened the time for him. After the shiitakes were well soaked, he cut them into strips.
All the ingredients were ready. Mag donned a serious face and started cooking.
He turned the stove to medium heat and put some oil in the pan. When the oil was hot enough, he added in some sugar. The sugar was a little brown, and had a smell of honey because the system had added honey when making it.
The honey had been harvested in the Wind Forest. The system was trying to start a bee farm since there wasn’t enough honey in that forest.
The sugar melted quickly and gave off a pleasant smell.
Mag put in about a fourth of the chicken, and stir-fried it until the skin browned and was covered by sugar. A strong meaty smell floated out of the pan. He moved the chicken onto a plate.
He cleaned the pan and stir-fried the spices in the pan for a few seconds to bring out their flavor. Then he added in the chicken, and after a while, some cooking wine, dark soy sauce, and light soy sauce.
At last, Mag put in the shiitakes. The distinct, pleasant smell of shiitakes came out quickly. It seemed to have made the meaty smell stronger somehow.
*This smell is simply divine! *Now he understood why the system had said the shiitakes were essential. They have brought this dish to another level!
He stir-fried a few more seconds, and moved it all into the earthenware pot. This pot is big enough to braise 16 plates of chicken, I think.
Then he added in the water which had been used to soak the shiitakes. *This water will make the dish even more flavorful. *He put the potatoes and celtuces in the pot, and brought the soup quickly to a boil.
After about 15 minutes, Mag opened the lid and added in the green peppers and chilis. Then he turned up the heat to thicken the soup.
The meaty smell became even stronger, tickling Mag’s nose.
I feel… hungry? That’s strange, I’m not supposed to go tired or hungry here.
When the soup was thick enough, Mag opened the lid and stirred the mixture a little before turning off the heat. Then, he moved the dish into two brown earthenware bowls.
Now the food was done—an aromatic dish with brown chicken, black shiitakes, yellow potatoes, green celtuces, and thick soup.
Mag put a bowl of rice on the cooking bench. The white crescent moons seemed to have become even clearer. It looked like a bowl of crescent moons. “Did I pass your test, system?”
“I’m afraid you failed,” answered the system.
“1. The size of the chicken pieces is so random.
“2. The chicken and sugar have been overcooked; it tastes tough and bitter.
“3. The soup is too thick and greasy.”
Mag nodded thoughtfully. He didn’t get frustrated, though. *I knew it. The system is right. I have to take care of these problems. *He dumped the food into the trash can.
Someone should have sliced out my vile tongue! I think I had three requirements for this dish. When the f*ck will I get out?!
On the Earth
An old man turned on his TV and picked up his cellphone. “Hey, Li, turn on your TV! The fourth episode of ‘The Miserable Life of Vicious Tongue Shen’ is on!”
A voice answered the phone. “Oh, thank you! He’ll be cooking my braised chicken and rice day and night without any sleep for a half year! He is reaping what he sowed!”
At the same time, hundreds of people were watching this episode.
“Thank you for watching this new episode of ‘The Miserable Life of Vicious Tongue Shen’!” said the system.
“As you can see, Vicious Tongue Shen is now confined in a kitchen by me. I won’t let him leave until he meets all his requirements for braised chicken and rice. He is now filled with despair and terror.
“You may rest assured that I’ll do all I can to make his life miserable, and he can do nothing but follow my every order.”
