Chapter 16: An Oyster Feast
On the endless stretch of jagged rocks lay layers upon layers of oysters. Untouched by human hands, they had piled up in thick clusters, creating a spectacular sight. At a glance, they all looked like a feast.
Before the apocalypse, Shi Nianqing had once experienced an oyster buffet, where the steamed oysters had left a particularly deep impression. Now, faced with this live oyster banquet, her eyes sparkled with excitement.
Pointing her camera at the reef, Shi Nianqing exclaimed with enthusiasm, “We’re really lucky today to have found so many oysters.” On this planet, devoid of any human presence, discovering oysters of such quality so easily was unimaginable.
In her previous life, she wouldn’t have dared to dream of such a scene, but now she was witnessing it firsthand.
The viewers in her live stream, however, did not understand her excitement.
“Is Shi Nianqing crazy? Why is she so happy?”
“What’s all that slimy stuff on those rocks? Looks disgusting.”
“Is she going to eat stones or what?”
“What are oysters anyway? I’ve never even heard of them.”
“Why does Shi Nianqing always act so weird? Something feels off.”
“This white lotus is always up to something, making trouble all day long.”
“Hey, even if I’m not a big fan of Shi Nianqing, you can’t really call her ugly, right?”
“I’m just curious—those calling her ugly, how good-looking are you? Shi Nianqing is definitely not ugly.”
“So what if Shi Nianqing is ugly? What I look like is none of your business.”
“Why do people always interfere? They say they don’t like Shi Nianqing, but I bet they’re just fair-weather fans.”
“If you like a white lotus like Shi Nianqing, you probably aren’t good people either. Respect and blessings locked.”
“What do you mean by that…”
And so on.
The chat erupted into a heated argument, leaving Shi Nianqing completely unaware of the commotion in her live stream. Since she had a small fan base and no major loyal followers, the bickering only grew louder, drawing in a crowd of onlookers just for the spectacle.
Unbeknownst to her, a system notification popped up, indicating her stream’s popularity was surging. She had no clue why and didn’t bother to investigate—after all, there was no way to understand what others were thinking.
She packed the collected conches and seaweed and headed back to camp.
---
After storing everything away, she picked a few large leaves from the roadside and carried some charcoal with her. Soon, she arrived at the shore, gathering easy-to-ignite materials and selecting a rock with the densest oyster clusters.
With a few sparks, she kindled a roaring fire that encircled the reef.
While working, Shi Nianqing explained, “Oysters like these, especially those near the shore, aren’t safe to eat raw—they can easily cause stomach issues.”
“So, roasting them over the fire is perfect; it’s like a seaside buffet.”
“Oysters this fresh, once cooked, have tender meat and an exquisite flavor.”
As she spoke, a faint cracking sound suddenly came from the rock.
“Pfft—pfft—”
One after another, the shells began to pop open, the sound echoing through the stream.
Using her axe, Shi Nianqing crafted two chopsticks and tidied up the surrounding embers. The intense heat had caused most of the oysters to open slightly, needing only a gentle pry to reveal the pearly white, plump meat inside.
She carefully selected a larger oyster and pried it open, allowing the juices to cascade down the shell.
Holding it up to the camera, she displayed the oyster’s most tempting appearance to her viewers.
The delicate meat trembled slightly, glistening with clear brine, as if stirring the hearts of everyone watching.
Bringing the oyster close to her lips, a sweet and savory aroma enveloped Shi Nianqing. The unique freshness, mingled with the salty tang of the sea, wrapped around her completely.
Almost by instinct, she opened her mouth and savored the tender oyster meat.
“Mmm… delicious! So delicious!”
“The flavor is delicate, with a distinctive freshness and a subtle sweetness on the tongue. It’s absolutely divine! The texture is exquisite, bursting with the taste of the ocean, making one feel immersed in the sea itself, unable to resist.”
Shi Nianqing described every detail vividly, then chose another particularly attractive oyster to showcase to the audience.
The viewers, previously embroiled in argument, were struck silent and captivated.
“Why do I suddenly feel so weird, salivating this fast? Is there something wrong with me?”
“Is it really that tasty?”
“It just looks ugly. Is it really that good? Shi Nianqing must be acting.”
“Why does it look so delicious? Why isn’t it sold on our official site?”
“Waaah, I want to eat it too! Is it really that good?”
---
“Did someone say Shi Nianqing is acting? Does she have that kind of acting skill? You’re overestimating her.”
“Is this really wilderness survival? Why does Shi Nianqing look so relaxed?”
“I want to eat too! When will our interstellar network have a link?”
---
Shi Nianqing stood around the reef, continually tantalizing the viewers’ taste buds. Several viewers became so tempted they ended up in the hospital.
Their excessive stomach acid from craving had forced many to seek medical attention at the interstellar hospital.
The diagnosis? Simply too much desire causing discomfort.
This absurd reason quickly became a viral video online, attracting a great deal of attention.
During the oyster feast, the live stream’s viewer count soared rapidly. By the time Shi Nianqing had nearly finished eating, the audience had reached half a million.
Shi Nianqing herself had eaten most of the oysters, while a few little tigers nearby watched eagerly.
She hesitated—could the little tigers eat this?
After a moment’s thought, she found a smaller piece of meat and placed it before them.
The largest little tiger snatched it first, swallowing it in a single bite.
It seemed to realize it had found something good; its eyes immediately brightened.
“Ow ow~”
“Ow ow~”
It lay down, affectionately nuzzling Shi Nianqing.
Observing carefully and seeing no adverse reaction, she confirmed the little tigers could safely eat the oysters.
There were an absurd number of oysters on the reef. She selected several plump ones, pried them open, and offered them to the little tigers.
Seeing them enjoy the feast happily and without ill effects, Shi Nianqing finally relaxed.
She continued to survey the surroundings.
This was a vast stretch of reef flats, and after the tide receded, it was clear the area was teeming with resources.
However, it was also extremely dangerous.
Without shoes, exploring here would be difficult. She needed to find a solution to her footwear problem first.