Webnovel Author In The Apocalypse World

Speaking of which, Kim Haru still didn't fully grasp how other people saw his living environment as some sort of "dragon's den" or "tiger's lair." But how could he, when his understanding of this post-apocalypse world was so limited? Even when others mentioned mutated plants in front of him, they just assumed he knew the basics, never bothering to explain things everyone already knew.

The problem was, Kim Haru wasn't part of that "everyone."

As a result, while Kim Haru was aware that there were a lot of mutated plants in this world, he never suspected that any of the plants around him were among them. To him, these plants seemed completely normal. They swayed in the wind, didn't grow any weird appendages, and fell over with a single chop.

Sure, he couldn't identify their species, but otherwise, they were no different from the plants he remembered.

And anyway, even plant experts can't recognize every single species of plant. Kim Haru didn't even know the names of the trees lining his city streets, so how could he be expected to identify other plants?

In short, Kim Haru had no idea how his so-called "normal" thinking would eventually cause a sensation in the eyes of others. Right now, he was too busy struggling with the stone mill.

He had barely ground half of the soaked soybeans before he was exhausted. He stopped, too tired to continue. Experience new stories on My Virtual Library Empire

"This will have to do," he muttered, looking at the half-basin of soybean milk he had managed to press out. He gave up on grinding the rest.

The soybean pulp in the mill wasn't completely squeezed dry, so Kim Haru cleaned it out and stored it in the fridge. He figured he'd finish the job when he found a more efficient method. The remaining soybeans also went into the fridge for now.

With the most labor-intensive part out of the way, the rest of the tofu-making process would be easy.

Kim Haru poured the half-basin of soybean milk into a pot and set it to boil. Once the soy milk was bubbling and the rich aroma filled the room, he turned off the heat. After letting it cool for a bit, he added a small amount of gypsum powder. Before long, the soy milk would begin to curdle, the pleasant fragrance spreading through the kitchen as it started to form soft tofu.

At this stage, he could scoop some out, add a bit of seasoning, and enjoy some delicious silken tofu. It was a simple but tasty treat.

Kim Haru scooped out half of it and stored it in his system backpack. Silken tofu was easier to eat than regular tofu—just sprinkle on some seasoning and it was ready to go, perfect for a quick breakfast.

He left the other half in the pot to continue setting. Once fully solidified, the tofu would be transferred into a container lined with a cloth, smoothed out, and pressed with a heavy object. After draining off the excess moisture, the tofu would be done.

It wasn't until the tofu was finally done that Kim Haru realized he had forgotten a step.

The freshly ground soybean milk was supposed to be strained through cheesecloth to produce a finer, smoother tofu. But since he hadn't made a proper sieve yet, and got too caught up in his tasks, it completely slipped his mind. Now, looking at the slightly rough texture of the tofu in front of him, Kim Haru sighed and rubbed his forehead.

"Oh well, let's make some fried tofu."

Fried tofu didn't require a perfect texture, and it was quick to prepare. He heated up a pan, added a generous amount of oil, and while the oil heated, he sliced the tofu—thick enough to hold its shape.

Then came the frying part, flipping the tofu slices as much as he liked until both sides turned golden brown. A sprinkle of salt, and out of the pan they went.

At this point, if someone preferred a sweet flavor, they could coat the tofu in sugar. If they liked it salty, they could sprinkle more salt. Or, they could even add chili flakes for a spicy kick. There were endless ways to enjoy it. Kim Haru remembered that the elderly woman who used to live next door loved making this fried tofu.

Since she knew he was always by himself, she'd occasionally bring him a plate. She liked hers sweet, with each piece dusted in sugar so thick it looked like frost, making it sweet enough to make your eyes squint from the intensity.

Kim Haru didn't mind the sweet version, but he could only handle one or two pieces before it became overwhelming. This time, he set aside a quarter of the tofu and dusted it with sugar, while he seasoned the rest with extra salt and chili flakes.

He didn't forget to prepare a bit more chili and soy sauce, which he set aside to add to the silken tofu later.

Yes, Kim Haru was firmly in the salty camp.

Finally, he had everything ready.

But just as he finished preparing everything, a new problem popped into his mind.

"If I'm going to be gone for a few days, how am I supposed to water the wheat field? I don't want to come back and find everything dried up." Staring at the lush green patch outside, Kim Haru scratched his head.

"If only I had an automatic watering system."

He decided to jot this down in his notebook of supplies as well. Even though he had no idea if he'd ever find such a thing, it didn't hurt to hold on to a little bit of hope, right?

But before that, he had to figure out a solution for the watering issue.

Kim Haru lay back in his rocking chair, letting his mind wander as he closed his eyes to rest. Before long, he drifted off to sleep.

Kim Haru had a dream.

In his dream, a mutated plant had invaded his home, but Kin Haru in the dream rose to the occasion, heroically defeating the plant with just a few swift moves, forcing it to beg for mercy!