The esteemed elder, having heard Cheng Xiaofan's words, had little to say. While the fish slice was indeed pitifully small, it was, after all, cut from a divine fish.
"Thank you, Mr. Cheng!" The elder, fearing that any further delay might cause Cheng Xiaofan to retract the coin-sized slice, quickly expressed his gratitude.
Cheng Xiaofan narrowed his eyes and chuckled, saying, "Hurry back. The temperature on this Gobi Desert is too high. Don't let it spoil in your hand!"
The elder nodded repeatedly. "Yes, yes, thank you for your great kindness. I shall take my leave!"
He turned and left in haste.
When he arrived, the elder had felt as though he would collapse with every step.
Now, returning was a different matter. Having just filled his stomach with two pieces of divine fish, he felt invigorated, his legs practically carrying him with a gust of wind.
"Hahaha!"
Once the reclusive elder was far away, Cheng Xiaofan couldn't help but burst into laughter. He gleefully asked Zhou Zhizheng, who stood beside him, "Captain Zhou, I know you frequent the martial arts forums and know quite a bit about me. Do you know what my greatest hobby is?"
Zhou Zhizheng replied without hesitation, "Helping others!"
Cheng Xiaofan immediately shook his head. "Incorrect!"
Zhou Zhizheng: "Developing new agricultural products!"
Cheng Xiaofan: "Incorrect!"
Zhou Zhizheng: "Healing people!"
"Incorrect!"
"..." Zhou Zhizheng scratched his head, momentarily at a loss for words.
Cheng Xiaofan sighed and addressed the special forces soldiers. "I know many of you, influenced by my mentor Zhang Heng and through various videos and materials, have some understanding of me. Please don't hesitate, just speak your minds!"
As soon as he finished speaking, everyone present exchanged glances, their eyes darting back and forth. They seemed choked by an invisible force, unable to utter a word.
"How pathetic!"
Cheng Xiaofan let out a mournful sigh. "I consider you all my closest comrades, yet you know nothing about me!"
Hearing this, Zhou Zhizheng cautiously asked, "Excuse me, Mr. Cheng, you are a god-like figure who walks among the clouds. Our understanding of you must surely have a great gap."
"Mr. Cheng, could you tell us your hobby directly?"
Cheng Xiaofan smiled slightly, his chin lifted proudly. "Actually, my greatest hobby is greed. I take advantage of others' predicaments to seize their wealth!"
"..." Everyone present was stunned!
This was the greatest hobby of the god-like figure in their hearts?
It seemed someone was about to spew blood!
...
"Is this the fish slice that Cheng Xiaofan asked you to bring me?"
Rader looked at the coin-sized slice of fish handed to him by the elder, his face as dark as if water were about to drip from it. He asked through gritted teeth.
He clearly knew that Cheng Xiaofan was intentionally toying with him.
The elder nodded and said, "Yes. Cheng Xiaofan said the fish slice is indeed small, but within this tiny slice lies his deep affection for you."
"Silence!"
Upon hearing this, Rader was so enraged he wished he could slap the man before him to the ground. "Has your brain been molested by pigs? How dare you accept such a paltry slice of fish?"
The elder trembled all over in fear.
He knew how cruel and vicious Rader was, capable of killing at any moment when angered.
"Boss, don't underestimate this small fish slice. It contains very strong spiritual substances. That is an undeniable fact!" the elder stammered.
Rader heard this, snatched the small slice of fish, and put it into his mouth.
Despite how pitifully small the slice was, he had to admit that the aroma emanating from it was incredibly alluring.
As soon as he chewed, the fragrance immediately filled his mouth.
After swallowing it in one gulp, a mysterious vitality spread through his body.
In the blink of an eye, Rader's gaze, previously filled with malice, softened somewhat.
As a cultivator, Rader knew very well that, as the elder had said, this small fish slice contained ample spiritual substances.
He couldn't help but let out a soft sigh. "This divine fish is indeed rare!"
Beside him, another elder swallowed, his eyes longing. "Boss, do you have any new ideas?"
Rader closed his eyes.
He said, "Currently, we don't know when we can enter the oasis. However, to my disappointment, our greatest spiritual victory tactic, the 'spirit of self-consolation,' was instantly broken by the scent of fish wafting from Cheng Xiaofan."
"It seems that to boost morale at this moment, we must find food as soon as possible!"
The elder said, "The problem is, once we entered this Gobi Desert, we seem to be controlled by an invisible, mysterious force. There's no way in or out. Where can we find food?"
Rader gritted his teeth. "I plan to go to Cheng Xiaofan myself and buy some fish from him. At least, everyone can fill their stomachs!"
In truth, he knew that even he couldn't resist the impact of Cheng Xiaofan's fish aroma.
Especially the small slice just now, Rader had only tasted a hint of its flavor before it was gone, which made him feel even more distressed.
The occasional spasms in his stomach were also something he couldn't bear any longer.
Upon hearing this, the elder immediately raised his objection. "Boss, Cheng Xiaofan and our reclusive people are like fire and water right now. Will he provide us with divine fish?"
Rader let out a cold laugh. "I've read some information about Cheng Xiaofan on the martial arts forums. This person is particularly greedy."
"As long as you give him money, he'll be willing to cut off a piece of flesh from himself for you."
"The reason he sent me such a coin-sized slice of fish was to tempt me, to let me taste its flavor first, and then lure me into buying it!"
"I saw through this brat's trick at a glance!"
"Yes, yes, Boss is wise! Cheng Xiaofan is definitely playing this trick!" Another elder, who had been silent, immediately chimed in.
The fish aroma drifting from Cheng Xiaofan's location had already made everyone on this side feel hungry and their mouths water.
Especially after smelling such a delicious fish aroma on an empty stomach, they all felt a sense of weakness, as if they might faint at any moment.
No one could have imagined that the reclusive people's greatest tactic, the spirit of self-consolation, was utterly defenseless against this special delicacy before it could even be deployed.
Similarly, this elder, in his eagerness to agree with Rader, could no longer hold on.
Rader nodded, glancing at the several elders beside him. "You will all accompany me to Cheng Xiaofan's place."
"Boss, we'll all follow your lead!" several reclusive elders immediately perked up, saying in unison.
Rader knew very well that these elders, like himself, were desperately eager to eat Cheng Xiaofan's divine fish as soon as possible.