"Wine God Dragon," though called a dragon, was really just a winged, flying ingredient.
Before their very eyes, the once ferocious beast was anesthetized, and Lin Giant Lei Zhe grasped a tal spike, piercing the heart, blood gushing forth into a collection basin; the fright on the faces of the onlookers gradually faded, replaced by a sense of curiosity.
Most people there, including the politicians and the wealthy present, were unfamiliar with the "Wine God Dragon."
Ingredients of this caliber, even the research headquarters of the Gourt Society, would likely treat them as treasures for study rather than slaughtered to be cooked—such a waste.
Lei Zhe was taking a desperate gamble.
This was not just a matter of face for the research faction, but it also involved a death mission from the leader of the Gourt Society.
The leader had made it clear, whoever could win the legendary cooking tool for him would be led by him into the Dragon Domain.
"Just a competition?"
As the basin slowly filled with blood, Lei Zhe looked down at his reflection in the blood-red shadow below. He did not care that he was the focus of the cara at the mont; he silently clenched his fist, "To advance... I must fight for it!"
Lin Giant cast aside detachnt, rolled up his sleeves, and entered the fray.
The audience watched him lift the basin of blood.
Those with a keen sense of sll were secretly shocked, keeping their eyes fixed on the basin of blood emitting a strange aroma of alcohol, whispering among themselves:
"What’s he doing?"
"Could it be he plans to brew wine directly with the blood..."
"The ’Wine God Dragon’s’ entire body, sinew, bone, and flesh, contains alcoholic content... Brewing wine with its blood is not impossible, but... can a Lin level really handle such an ingredient?"
Lei Zhe ignored the noises from the audience. Once he set down the basin, he cast a cold glance at cooking station number 8 nearby.
Xia Yu and Zhu Qing were at table number 8.
What’s this guy’s deal?
The focused cara captured this detail, and Xia Yu and Zhu Qing both frowned at the sa ti. Many in the audience, seeing this, let out a howling cheer, thrilled—this was the sll of gunpowder, grievances unfolding, the highlight of the show!
Everyone knew about the life-and-death grudges between the Far Moon Contest Team and the research faction.
The struggle for the champion and runner-up of the first phase of Area A had gotten bloody.
Moreover, Far Moon Team’s champion had won by trampling the research faction to death in a spectacular Shokugeki.
The audience rembered that bet on the championship vividly.
Wasn’t this what a grudge match was all about? Tiqie Ji had bowed out, and Lin Giant Lei Zhe was rolling up his sleeves to step in, fighting for the team, for himself, for the organization!
"In everything, we cannot escape the word ’struggle,’" old Master Xia Qing reflected, and wasn’t that true for himself too? Halfway to the grave, yet returning to his roots—to struggle!
"What’s that guy’s deal?"
Zhu Qing couldn’t contain her anger.
"Never mind him!"
Xia Yu patted her shoulder and pointed to the array of ingredients on the table, "Let’s get started quickly!"
"Right!"
Zhu Qing responded emphatically.
"Here you go," Xia Yu unlocked the ingredient case and pulled out a small sealed black box, "The last one, be careful with it!"
"Leave it to !" Zhu Qing’s face was serious. She brought over a juicer, and it’s worth ntioning that the machine was not automatic. This machine, brimming with a tallic stainless steel appearance, was fixed at the corner of the cooking station.
Click!
Then a large wooden box was fitted over it, sealing the juicer inside, sowhat reminiscent of a mini ho photography box with only a window facing this side. Zhu Qing’s pale hands grabbed the round fruit; a rainbow flash was fleeting.
Her other hand grasped the wooden handle of the crank and slowly began to turn.
A soft "puff" was heard, the sound of fruit breaking open, caught by Xia Yu’s ears.
"From the pressing stage, we must be ticulous to the smallest detail," Xia Yu murmured to himself as he went behind Zhu Qing to the cooking table to bring over a black coarse pottery wine jug. At the sa ti, he used another automatic juicer to crush the rock sugar he and Zhu Qing had made together into tiny granules, which would be essential when mixed with the wine later.
The two worked together thodically.
The situation at other cooking stations, however, was quite different.
Though it was called collaboration, the Lin Giant was undoubtedly the head chef. With only three days to get in tune, there was a vast difference between Special Grade and Lin Grade chefs. Even if the Lin Giant willingly lowered his stance, most Special Grade chefs did not perform as well as desired.
The high-angle caras captured the scene from above, projecting the status of all 58 cooking stations.
There were only about a dozen stations where true collaboration was evident. Not to ntion professional chefs, even ordinary viewers could tell sothing was off.
"This change in competition format... seems to have put many competing teams in a difficult position."
Dojima Yin chuckled: "In one kitchen, there can’t be two head chefs, let alone a Lin head chef and a Special Grade chef cooperating to cook a single dish. To display the strength and sweat of two kinds of chefs in the sa dish is too difficult!"
Saito Chiyokuro frowned, thinking about having to work with a Lin Chef as a partner, and felt sowhat uneasy.
The Lin Giant had both stature and prestige. He was no less.
To be absolutely subordinate to a Lin Giant was sothing Saito Chiyokuro admitted he could not do.
Therefore, he understood why many pairs on the field were underperforming.
"However, the outstanding ones still shine!"
Saito Chiyokuro scanned the competing pairs from the Far Moon, Baiyu Tower, Orlando Faction, and other teams, and said in a low voice, "The top ten ranking battles are destined to be fierce! These teams... are all aiming for first place!"
"That’s right! They all have their sights set on first place!"
Dojima Yin sighed: "In such a competition, ’montum’ is very important!"
About an hour after the start, the culinary performances on the stage had already reached a white-hot stage where everyone’s personal skills were on full display.
"Sigh—"
Each cooking station emitted its own distinct aroma as it wafted upward.
The fragrance of wine, clashing in groups, battled overhead in the venue!
Tang’s Contest Team.
Tang Yuqiong softened gelatin sheets in clear water, then used a small cooking pot to boil them with Floral Carving Wine and sorghum wine—the steam billowing like sothing tangible.
Behind her, Lin Giant Tangshan was preparing duck liver pâté.
The duck liver, soaked overnight to remove the blood, was also treated with ginger slices, Sichuan peppercorns, and cooking wine for marination, then peeled and rinsed.
"Thirty peppercorns, eight slices of ginger, green onions..." Tang Shan added the processed duck liver into a pot of cold water, boiled it, skimd the froth, and then poured in the prepared ingredients all at once.
The duck liver, which would normally need to simr for around three hours to be thoroughly cooked and flavorful, was taken out of the pot by Lin Giant Tangshan after just ten minutes, cut into pieces, minced into a paste, and then pressed into small bowls to set into a round shape.
At that mont, Tang Yuqiong called out, "Elder Tang, the Flower Carving Jellies are ready!"
She opened the refrigerator and handed over a lunchbox containing the "jelly." Tang Shan nodded but didn’t rush to take it. Instead, he fried several beautiful wonton wrappers in a frying pan. He used this golden-brown wonton wrapper as the base of a delicious architectural creation and placed it on the dish.
Thud!
With the bowl inverted, the mashed duck liver paste that had been pressed and shaped in the bowl fell out with a thud, landing firmly on the golden-brown wrapper.
The sa steps were repeated five tis, resulting in five identical dishes.
Finally, Tang Shan took the "jelly" lunchbox; with a scooping and flicking motion of a silver spoon, he gathered a spoonful of the finely chopped frozen pieces, which glead amber. These small jellied pieces were laid on top of the duck liver, shining brilliantly.
"Hehehehe..."
Tang Yuqiong laughed gleefully, her eyes filled with self-assured sparkle, as she brought out her trump card—the sauce from the Dragon Pot!
The richly fragrant dipping sauce made with oyster sauce and vinegar was poured over the wine jelly, then drizzled over the duck liver paste. At that mont, the combination of the wine jelly, duck liver, and sauce mingled, and the vinegary mist that rose up thickly once again ford an image of mountains above the cooking station, conveying a sense of majesty and solidity.
This was Lin Giant Tangshan’s Food’s Profound aning!
Mountain!
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