Page 77 of Cruel Devotion

Suddenly, several servers, dressed in royal blue uniforms with gold sashes, gracefully emerged from a concealed entrance.

They carried large, gleaming silver platters. Delicious aromas wafted through the area.

The first server approached our table with a large dish of what looked like honey-glazed pork slices. Thin slices of red and gold edible leaves decorated the meat.

Following the first server was another, this one carrying a tray of dim sum. But these were no ordinary dim sum. Encased in a translucent blue rice wrapper, one could see a filling of lobster and black truffle.

My stomach grumbled.

I forgot that Chen and Hu had let me barely eat tonight.

Yet another server brought forth bowls of soup. One was set in front of me. The liquid was a clear broth, with an exquisite aroma of herbs and spices. Floating in the soup were delicate bird's nest strands, my mother's favorite delicacy.

Monique gazed at hers and raised her eyebrows. “Is that a. . .bird's nest or kind of like. . .noodle's formed in one?”

“It's a real bird's nest.”

“No way.”

“It is.” I nodded. “But it's not like a bluebird's nest with sticks and straws. These aren't found in trees.”

She moved her view from the soup and put it on me.

“These are edible bird’s nests that belong to the swiftlet which is a small bird usually found in Southeast Asia.”

“I've never heard of one.”

“Yeah. They live in dark caves, similar to bats.”

“O-kay.” She directed her view back to the soup. “But. . .they are not bats?”

“No. However, instead of twigs and straw for a nest, a swiftlet makes its nest from strands of its own gummy saliva.”

Monique opened her mouth in shock.

Chuckling, Duck picked up his spoon and began tasting the soup.

“So. . .the nest is. . .” She looked back at me. “It's bird spit?”

I smirked.

Chen jumped in. “It is but on a more eloquent level.”

Monique gave him a skeptical look. “Eloquent?”

“The nest is produced by the glands under its tongue. It then hardens when exposed to air.” Chen proudly gestured to his as it floated in his soup. One might have thought he spun the nest himself. “The structure is quite impressive, a tightly woven hammock-like formation, made of strong threads that can be white, yellow, or red. Then, the swiftlet secures it to the rock wall in the cave.”

To my shock, Yan spoke. “Then, a bunch of idiots climb shaky, long ladders in dark caves to steal the nests.”

Chen nodded. “Well, it is a very dangerous job, yet one should consider the beauty of—”

“Many lose their lives. Not to mention the fact that each nest is extremely expensive.” Yan pushed her bowl to the side. “Disgusting.”

A hardened expression covered my face.

Yan continued. “Swiftlets are an endangered species and the more nests that are consumed, the closer swiftlets head toward extinction. And my brother has ordered hundreds of these for our people tonight?”

Alright. . .Let the bullshit begin.

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