Chapter 684: Discover new ingredients

The giant sculpture, later known as the “Hero and the Black Dragon,” has begun!

Every day, the people of the Westwind City can see the director of the printing factory turn into a giant as tall as a mountain peak, holding a carving knife and tapping on the huge cliff behind Westwind City.

Even before the completion of this wonder, its effect during construction is already remarkable. Countless newcomers to Westwind City and nobles who moved here because of its fame came to watch. They would stand at the foot of the mountain, looking up at the giant sculpture, feeling “humans are so small” and “wonders are so great.” It is like the feeling of a country bumpkin who first saw the Great Wall after living in Shuangqing City for years.

Motra was right. This wonder does have the effect of “accelerating population growth.” In an era when technology is underdeveloped and people are still very superstitious, the effect of a wonder is enormous. It represents heroism, mysticism, and other spiritual values, which can make people unconsciously feel a sense of identification.

Coupled with the epic achievement of “repelling the Black Dragon,” immigrants naturally flock here.

In no time, the population of the Westwind City has surpassed 40,000 and is steadily increasing.

In the spring of 1348, a joyful atmosphere pervades the city. The hillside is full of colorful spring flowers. The little Catgirl Huahua didn’t sleep during the day. Instead, she played with butterflies in the flower bushes. Robb laughed and shouted at her, “Hey, Huahua, don’t always bully butterflies. They are pollinating the flowers. If you have nothing to do, come and let me rub your tail.”

Huahua pouted, “No! There is a difference between men and women, so I won’t let you rub me.”

“The meaning of a cat’s life in this world is to be rubbed.”

“I am a cat person, not a cat!”

Just as they were having fun, an old friend came to Robb’s chapel door and respectfully greeted him, “Godfather, long time no see.”

Robb turned his head and saw that it had been a long time indeed. It was the dwarf traveling merchant.

When the merchant first arrived in the Westwind City, he sold silk to Robb, bought pepper, and helped promote the “Coca-Cola.” But later, due to his limited scope, he couldn’t do big business and couldn’t keep up with the development of Westwind City. Although he still often came to the Westwind City to purchase goods and sell small commodities, he felt inferior and rarely looked for Robb again.

Robb smiled and said, “Traveling merchant, you are indeed a rare guest. Don’t be so formal. I cherish old relationships, so I won’t look down on you just because you are still doing small business. You should be more confident.”

The traveling merchant smiled awkwardly.

Robb said, “You came here on your own initiative, so you must have something good to show me, or else you would be too embarrassed to come.”

The traveling merchant, “Yes, I just came from Lost City and bought some great stuff there. I know Godfather loves this kind of thing, so I brought it over.”

“Oh?”

Robb asked, “What is it?”

The traveling merchant opened a small bag and grabbed a bright red thing from inside. Before he could introduce it, Robb jumped up from his stone stool and exclaimed, “Wow, red chili pepper!”

The traveling merchant admired him greatly and said, “Godfather really recognizes it? There is no food in the world that Godfather doesn’t recognize. You are amazing!”

“No, no, no, you are amazing,” Robb exclaimed. “Red chili pepper is really great. I feel like I can see many new dishes floating in front of me again. Where did you get it from?”

The traveling merchant smiled and said, “I bought this from the Church of Darkness fleet. I heard that the merchant ships of the Kingdom of Norma discovered a new continent overseas, called the Maya Continent, where there are many indigenous people with brown skin and many strange plants. This thing called red chili pepper was brought from there. The Church of Darkness fleet robbed the Kingdom of Norma’s fleet and took this plant.”

“Is there a lot of it?” Robb asked. “Oh no! Quantity is not the point. The point is, do you have seeds?”

“Of course, I know you can perform the miracle of making seeds mature overnight, so I brought a big bag of seeds for you.”

“You are really clever. I want all of them,” Robb said happily.

The traveling merchant handed over a large bag of seeds and sat in the yard, watching Robb immediately start planting the seeds in his own land. He even took a small watering can and poured a little water into each seed hole, with a happy expression on his face.

Seeing this scene, the traveling merchant felt as if he had seen Robb planting pepper here years ago. He couldn’t help but sigh in his heart, [I thought Westwind City had developed into a big city, and Godfather had become a great man, so he wouldn’t pay attention to me anymore. I didn’t expect him to be the same, still approachable, and still loving these exotic things.]

After planting a large field of red chili peppers, Robb returned to his stone stool and sat down. “Ah, I’m done planting. Although it’s a bit tiring, I’m so happy. Hahaha, so happy! Tomorrow, some new and delicious things will come out.”

The traveling merchant couldn’t help but ask, “I’ve tried it. This thing is very spicy, so spicy that it made me cry. I don’t know what delicious dishes it can be made into. Why do I feel that it won’t taste good no matter how it’s cooked?”

“You don’t know anything,” Robb said. “Just stay in Westwind City for a day and wait for me to harvest the red chili peppers. You will know.”

After speaking, Robb shouted loudly, “Lilian, prepare something according to my instructions.”

Lilian smiled and ran over. “I’m here.”

“I want butter, peppercorns, salt, sugar, sesame oil, beef, pork, lamb, cauliflower, enoki mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, broccoli, blackfish fillets…and so on. Additionally, prepare some of those organs that I always say are too smelly to eat, such as beef tripe, pork kidneys, duck intestines, pig brain flowers, chicken gizzards, beef grind…”

Robb listed a bunch of confusing and miscellaneous items. Some of them Lilian wasn’t surprised about, since he liked to eat them regularly. However, animal organs were something Robb almost never ate before, especially when they were made in a big stew.

Lilian remembered the first time she made a big stew, Robb immediately asked her to take the entire pot and give it to the poor people in the town to eat.

Lilian couldn’t help but be surprised and asked, “Why suddenly want to eat a big stew? This…this doesn’t suit your taste buds.”

Robb laughed and looked up at the sky, “With red chili peppers, everything will suit my taste buds, hahaha!”