Chapter 513: Chapter 512: Gemstone Cuisine
Late at night.
The hotel where the Research Faction Team was staying.
The television was replaying the Food War from today’s A Block quarterfinals.
In front of the couch, Tiqie Ji was sitting cross-legged, half his face hidden in the shadows, his expression unreadable.
“Gahahaha…”
The ridiculous laughter echoed throughout the hotel lobby.
Hmph!
After hearing it countless tis, Tiqie Ji finally grew annoyed, emitting a cold snort as he pressed the remote to turn off the television.
“What, are you getting restless?”
A burly figure appeared out of the shadows, silently watching Tiqie Ji.
This was the Research Faction’s Lin Giant, Lei Zhe, who had clearly just erged from a bath, wrapped in a white towel, yet none of that diminished his imposing presence, like that of a towering mountain.
“Restless? Ha!”
Tiqie Ji sneered dismissively, “He’s, at best, a No. 3 figure among Far Moon’s elite mbers… and I, rightfully the No. 1, am in charge of this competition team on Mr.’s behalf!”
“What will you do if the Far Moon Team defeats the Orlando Faction?” Lei Zhe asked, his face expressionless.
“According to the agreent, the Food War is on!”
Tiqie Ji declared decisively, “I’ll claim a victory for the team in the semifinals!”
“You had better not lose!”
Lei Zhe spoke in an even tone, indifferently stating, “No. 1 versus No. 3; if you lose, our team will also crumble, which is equivalent to handing over the A Block championship—”
Tiqie Ji sensed the warning and braced himself internally.
Lose?
Impossible!
…
The next day.
Two esteed guests arrived at Far Moon Team’s lodging at Ookura Mountain Villa, and both were won.
“Tang Yuqiong?”
“…Elizabeth?”
Tang Yuqiong, dressed in a shirt and jeans and sporting a cap, stared down Elizabeth, adorned in a flowing dress with golden hair fluttering. It seed like the two already knew each other and viewed each other with hostility, neither willing to back down.
Tiqie Eriina stood by as a spectator, a faint smile playing on her lips.
“I’m very sorry, I’ve already inford them for you. He’s busy practicing in the kitchen and can’t receive you. Please leave,” Eriina took on the role of the ssenger.
Elizabeth was not content to leave it at that. Last night, in response to Far Moon Team’s open challenge, the mbers of the Orlando Faction had posted their lineup on their personal blogs. Elizabeth was determined to have a showdown with Xia Yu and had left early by taxi.
“Then tell him, I’ve co to challenge him!” she shouted, completely ignoring the astonishnt of those around her.
“A challenge?!”
Before Eriina could respond, Tang Yuqiong had already cried out, “You?”
“You’ll have to defeat first—”
Taking a step forward, Tang Yuqiong positioned herself in front of the villa’s entrance, playing the role of a guardian deity. She tilted her cap down and humd, “If you win against , then you’ll be qualified to challenge him!”
“You…”
With a bang, Tiqie Eriina closed the door. Glancing at the two staring won outside, she muttered to herself, “These two have big issues.”
Second floor, kitchen.
Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle.
The frying pan emitted the sound of fat crackling.
Xia Yu, focused, carefully placed a piece of ‘Gem at’ onto the pan sared with olive oil.
When Zhu Qing entered, she saw Xia Yu swiftly turn off the gas and remove the ‘Gem at’ from the pan, which had been there for only a short while. Inhaling the smoky aroma of forbidden ingredients that burst out like a smoke grenade, she darted over to the cooking station, exclaiming, “This is…”
Swallowing saliva just from the sll.
The Female Qilin Chef couldn’t resist the temptation of the Forbidden Ingredients.
“As you can see,” Xia Yu glanced at her aunt who had barged in and continued to frown at a slightly golden piece of Gem at, feeling the tricky sensation of facing a priceless treasure, “It’s too fragile; if the heat is too intense, it’ll char and be ruined… I must be extrely careful!”
“Where did you get such an ingredient?!” Zhu Qing asked, trembling.
“A Food rcenary sold it to ; oh, his na is Jintan Shun.”
Xia Yu casually fabricated, inadvertently setting up the rcenary uncle in the process. It’s worth ntioning that two days ago, Jintan Shun had secretly transported the Five-Headed Bird at and Five-Headed Bird Egg to the storage warehouse of the Ookura Mountain Villa, and only Xia Yu knew the exact storage location and retrieval password.
“Is there more?”
Zhu Qing asked eagerly, licking her lips.
“Not much left—” Xia Yu answered.
“Are you planning to use Forbidden Ingredients for the semi-finals?” Zhu Qing, suppressing the agitated impulse to seize the rare treasure upon discovery, patted her hot forehead and tried to calm her racing heart before she finally managed to change the topic, “You know who your opponent in the semi-finals is, right? Number three from the Orlando Team, Mars!”
“Uh…”
Xia Yu responded offhandedly, then suddenly turned the valve with a click, and the stove flared up again with blue flas.
He grabbed a plate, intending to return the ‘Gem at’ that had been resting for a while back into the pan for searing, but he grabbed at air; Aunt Zhu Qing had walked away with the ceramic plate, causing Xia Yu to fu, “Hey, quit it!”
Zhu Qing jumped away and said with a scowl, “You’re wasting the Forbidden Ingredients! Understand?!”
“Wasting them or not, they’re mine! I’m not upset!”
“Don’t make use force!” Xia Yu got a bit angry; he was previously controlling the heat, and this piece of ‘Gem at’ was not to be discarded yet, “Give it back to ; in another 10 seconds, it’ll be beyond my control!”
Seeing Xia Yu’s face gradually turning angry, Zhu Qing suddenly beca skeptical.
“Can you really handle Forbidden Ingredients?”
“Give it to —”
Xia Yu rolled his eyes, snatched back the plate, and sizzle—the flawless ‘Gem at’ was back in the pot.
Zhu Qing watched with her mouth slightly agape; in the blink of an eye, Xia Yu had flipped the ‘Gem at’ in the pan several tis, each movent skillful and gentle, as if flipping a delicate piece of paper.
A rich aroma took over the kitchen.
“Gurgle~”
Swallowing saliva, as Zhu Qing watched, the ‘Gem at’ began to cook.
Finally, it was ti to sprinkle the seasoning.
No need for any special or distinctive spices, just a bit of coarse sea salt, a handful of black pepper, and at the ti of plating, a sprig of rosemary with a few slices of lemon, and thus the ‘Pan-Seared Gem at’ was complete.
“System, assess this!” Xia Yu thought to himself as he finished plating.
“The completeness of this ‘Pan-Seared Gem at’ is 79%.”
“Detected errors in heat control by the host during cooking, we suggest the host to improve heat control!”
Damn!
Xia Yu couldn’t help but glare at his drooling aunt, “I knew sothing went wrong!”
“What is this dish?”
Zhu Qing reluctantly pulled her gaze back.
“Pan-Seared Gem at…” Xia Yu replied and carried the plate, opening the kitchen door with a bang, and the rich aroma finally escaped through the open door. He walked towards the dining room on the first floor, while Zhu Qing followed like an enchanted fool.
When Xia Yu set the plate down in the villa’s dining room, Dojima Yin, Saito Chiyokuro, the Tiqie Zongwei couple, and Roland Chapele were all attracted by the fragrance and opened their doors, gathering in the restaurant.
All eyes were fixed on the source of the aroma.
A beautiful piece of flawless Gem at that glimred faintly even in broad daylight, lay on the simple plate.
“Try it, my latest dish—”
Xia Yu untied his apron while calling everyone over.
Tiqie Eriina covered her mouth by the table, her eyes expressing amazent.
“Such beautiful at!”
“Even though it has been seared, the fibrous textures of the inner at are still visibly clear, almost translucent…”
Outside the dining room windows, two female chefs who hadn’t left yet crowded together, casting investigative glances into the dining room, their eyes slightly glazed.
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