Chapter no.5 Speculation

I hastily brought the plate to my face.
An unidentified smell stimulated my sense of smell. I didn't know what kind of food it was.
It was clear that the mix of things was probably a collection of leftovers.
Still, it will taste better than the moss that I had scraped. In fact, immediately after smelling the food, my mouth was salivating.
However, I did not eat food as it was the food given to me by the man who imprisoned me here.
I couldn't tell the contents inside of the food.
If it contains poison then I can die but there was no reason to kill me right now after going through the trouble of capturing and detaining me in this place.
Was the man some kind of sicko who beats his meat to dying teenagers ?
I wondered as I touched the food.
At first I didn't have a choice but now I could choose whether to eat the food in the plate or eat moss. After all, there was still plenty of moss left. So even if I didn't eat this food right now, I could still survive for a while but that thought didn't stop from saliva drooling from the ends of my mouth.
I have to get information about the food; if it was poisonous or not.
The means to get information in the dark, where a single light does not enter, were extremely limited.
Since I cannot use my vision, which is the most convenient means of obtaining information, then it is necessary to mobilize the next developed sense, which was my sense of smell.
"Hoo!"
I took a deep breath, almost sticking my nose to the plate.
A lot of smells mixed in.
It was as if the garbage had been collected in one place, and the various smells were mixed. Some were stinking, some still smelled pleasant.
If it was the old him, he wouldn't be able to distinguish the smells mixed together however being trapped in an underground space without a single point of light for a long time changed something in me.
I didn't know if it was due to the moss or my lack of use of my sense of sight but my sense of smell had gotten sharper in this place.
In this place, I can distinguished the odors that could never be distinguished one by one.
This subtle change was something that gave rise to an idea in my head.
The reason as to why I was trapped here was so that the man could make me into a weapon.
It didn't have any proof other then my increase sense of smell and touch.
I compared the odors I could distinguish to those that remained in my memory.
This smells like rotten fish and tea leaves.A luxury not available to many so either this place was near the sea or these people that trapped him here were rich.
This is pork bone and the remaining shavings.
The types of food in the small plate were
incredibly diverse.
It was incredible that my sense of sense had gotten so sharp that I could distinguish all of these smells.
I concluded that it wasn't poisoned due to the fact that it was all the residue of food that someone had left behind.To some, it may be just rotting stinky food, but for md it was a valuable resource that provided a lot of information.
There were more than five types of food that I managed to identify with a few more up in the air.
With all things considered, there should be more than one involved in my imprisonment.
I didn't think they would have made more than three by three square meter underground all for little old me. To prepare such a space, considerable funds and manpower were required. It meant that it was not a space that could be created by an individual's insanity or obsession.
With the different degrees of spoilage in each food meant that the time they were eaten was different. This meant that least one or several people ate at a time lag.
It was clear that one or more had imprisoned themselves here for some purpose.
'No, I can't be the only one.'
I thought that there would be others who were imprisoned besides myself.
Using such a space to confine only one person is too expensive and inefficient.
I organized my thoughts.
'The number of people who manage this place is at least one with my food deliver but there could be more, and the number of people in the same situation as me was unknown. Those who locked us up would have made this place for some purpose. The problem is, what could possibly be their purpose? Was it to create some kind of powerful warrior with extraordinary senses or was there some kind of different reason ?'
I thought but it didn't worry me that much.
If there purpose was to create a weapon then I'll become that weapon that reaps their lives.
There was plenty of time left for me.
After all, there was nothing else to do here.
The best thing I can do to spend time with was thinking and guessing
I carefully began to eat this food.
This was also a gamble.
Nutrients other than moss were needed to restore stamina and muscle strength.
Even if it's a mix of garbage.
After sorting out all my thoughts, I began to eat the unidentified food on the plate with his hands.
Furuk! Slurp!
The sound of me eating food echoed in the darkness.
The food tasted terrible, but it was still more edible than moss.
While eating this garbage, I touched the wall besides me.
What were those symbols and drawings I saw ?
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[ 4 Years Ago ]
Placing the plate of hot steaming dumplings, Zhou Liu Shi exclaimed," Old Hero, try some and see if they're to your liking," turning to the side, the woman asked," Ating, if there is anything you'd like to eat, just tell Auntie."
Looking back to a room, Zhou Liu Shi exclaimed while holding a bowl," Nou-er, have you finished tidying up ? It's time to go to the teacher's."
From inside the kitchen, a small black haired child answered his mother," I am almost done. I just need to finish preparing his medicine."
Hearing the child's words, Chen Yansheng asked," Lil' lady, yer family runs a pharmacy ?"
" Yes, our family has been practicing medicine generation after generation."
Pouring a cup of jasmine tea for Chen Yansheng, Zhou Liu Shi said," Nou-er has always preferred to gather medicine and learn the craft with his grandfather. They were the first to cross paths with the bear while they were on the moutain. His grandfather told Nou-er to run but he wasn't able to get away. Later on, his father went to the mountains to look for Grandfather Shi, but, he too never returned."
A few tears escaped Zhou Liu Shi's eyes dropping into the tea below as Chen Ating looked at the lady in sadness.
Chen Yansheng meanwhile sighed and got up causing Zhou Liu Shi to look up.
" There's some hunting to do 'round here right? "
" Huh ?"
" This old man can't do much else but I can still bring in some meat 'n hides for the family ter use."
Zhou Liu Shi stood up with exclaiming," Old Saviour, I thought we agreed I will be taking care of you !"
Watching all of this, Chen Ating nibbled on her dumpling.
" Jus' call me Uncle Chen." Chen Yansheng answered back as he wore his strawhat meanwhile Zhou Liu Shi had to stop Ating from going after her grandfather.
" The two Lil' ones are growin' and this old geezer also has a big appetite. Yer the doctor, ya need to take care of yourself first."
While Chen Yansheng said this, Chen Ating pouted and said," Nooo ! Ating also wants to hunt bears too !"
" Uncle Chen ..... "
" Mom, I'm going to head out."