The outer perimeter of Gourmet City consists of buffet areas serving low-grade ingredients. However, when paired with the ultimate quality ingredients from the Treasure Bag, even the raw materials are elevated to a considerably high level.
As the airship landed, a group of merchants immediately swarmed forward, eager to negotiate the exchange of goods.
Jie Tu was uninterested in these lower-tier merchants. After all, he possessed an astonishingly enormous ingredient! If word of this ingredient were to get out, it would shake the entire human world.
"Guest, this is the limited-edition outer perimeter buffet area, with only a thousand servings available. The entrance fee is 100,000 Berries."
This was the largest, cheapest, and most crowded area in Gourmet City.
"Alright, I'll take one ticket."
One hundred thousand Berries was no small sum, but Jie Tu no longer cared.
The buffet food street!
The mingled aromas of various delicacies created an atmosphere akin to a bustling night market, but with a significantly higher caliber. The food at any random stall was something one could only find at renowned establishments.
"Only a thousand servings maximum... that probably won't be enough for me."
One hundred thousand Berries was equivalent to five million RMB on Earth, and it wasn't considered particularly extravagant here.
"Self-heating roasted pork..."
"Lobster fish sashimi..."
"Almond cabbage platter..."
A portion of roasted pork was about 300 grams, enough to fill an average adult woman. Those who could afford to be here were all big eaters, capable of consuming dozens of portions casually.
"Delicious!"
"What kind of meat is this!"
Jie Tu's eyes widened in disbelief at the taste that spread through his mouth.
Delicate, tender, bursting with the aroma of fat, and complemented by special seasonings...
Salt...
Sugar...
MSG...
Chili...
Thousand-scented herbs...
Oxtail grass...
Magnolia flowers...
The proportions were perfectly adjusted, and each chew released an explosion of fragrance in his mouth.
"Such exquisite taste is merely the most ordinary here!"
Jie Tu felt a flicker of confidence in this burgeoning organization!
Lychee Sturgeon!
Sturgeon with the flavor of lychee.
It was an extremely ferocious creature, akin to a piranha in the sea, possessing powerful jaws and a crushing bite. Once it latched on, it wouldn't let go until its prey was completely devoured.
Despite its fierce nature, its flesh was incredibly delicious. Within its delicate and fragrant meat, one could taste the rich flavor of lychee. The sweet and sour lychee taste not only cut through the richness and fishiness of the meat but also added a layer of complexity to its flavor.
"A truly high-quality ingredient!"
"The sweet and sour taste is like a premium preserved item, yet its freshness is as if it were just caught!"
"Most importantly, it's an appetite stimulant! I feel like I can eat much more, and it seems to aid digestion as well."
The intern chef, seeing Jie Tu's provincial reaction, chuckled and shook his head. This was a common sight; every new guest reacted similarly.
The culinary academy intern chef asked, "Judging by your attire, you must be a Gourmet Hunter, right?"
Jie Tu replied, "Yes, I'm from the Cloud Country."
"The Cloud Country... the fruits and vegetables there are quite exceptional. I absolutely love ingredients from there, but I specialize in fish dishes."
Jie Tu countered, "Fruits and vegetables are only second-rate. Truly perfect ingredients are never found in ordinary cloud seas."
The chef immediately retorted, "Even if you're a Gourmet Hunter from the Cloud Country, its produce is world-renowned. Your claim lacks credibility!"
"Hmph!"
"Would I say such a thing without sufficient evidence?"
"I've come here to sell top-tier, non-fruit and vegetable ingredients from the Cloud Country!"
The chef burst into laughter.
Top-tier ingredients?
Who dared to claim "top-tier" in the Great Glacier?
Indeed, a newcomer and an outsider who didn't understand the depth of the Great Glacier.
The intern chef advised, "Guest, if you truly have the means, I suggest you head to the interior of Gourmet City instead of lingering in the outer areas. That's where you'll find excellent gourmands."
"They... are very wealthy, aren't they?"
"Wealth beyond measure!" the chef confirmed emphatically!
Jie Tu said, "I've just arrived. Could you possibly introduce me..."
The chef gestured to his assistant, "Flozer, take him."
Flozer!
The youngest intern at the Culinary Academy. During the recent Agin rebellion, she bravely rescued a large number of casualties, earning her an exceptional admission.
Her talent was astounding.
Normally, a chef would require three years to intern at Gourmet City, but Flozer completed the assessment with a perfect score in just three months.
It wouldn't be long before Flozer could shed her assistant status and officially set up her own stall.
She just needed a little more time.
"Flozer..."
The young girl before him was barely twelve years old, but her eyes held a hint of cleverness, appearing exceptionally lively.
"Hello, my name is Flozer."
"Jie Tu."
"Where would you like me to take you?"
"Just a casual stroll. I'd like to see more of Gourmet City's splendor."
Flozer smiled slyly, "That could be quite expensive!"
Jie Tu patted his wallet, "As a top Gourmet Hunter, money is just a number. Besides..."
"Besides?"
"Heh, never mind. Let's go."
It was clear Jie Tu had left something unsaid.
First stop!
The Spring Hall!
On the frozen plains of the harsh cold, there was a place like a spring, with birdsong and fragrant flowers. This wasn't cultivated vegetation but grew naturally!
Upon entering, one could feel waves of elegant floral scents.
"This is the entrance to the inner area. The cost needs to be exchanged here."
"Exchange?"
Around them were various windows where staff busily appraised items and exchanged them for a specific type of coin.
Flozer explained, "Further inside, ingredients often cost more than gold. You need to exchange Berries, ingredients, and other rare items here for Gourmet Coins for consumption."
Gourmet Coins were issued by the Gourmet Bank and were highly valuable.
The smallest denomination was 10,000 Berries, which was mere pocket change here.
They were about the size of a fingernail, made from a mixture of salt crystals and common salt. The material value was exactly 10,000 Berries.
When crushed, these salt coins could be used as a seasoning. Many people exchanged large quantities of these coins to take with them, indicating their value and practicality.
This effectively increased the circulation of the Gourmet Bank's currency. The salt coins were coated with a layer of gold foil to prevent moisture and water damage.
After completing the queue, a staff member said, "Sir, what would you like to exchange? We have professional appraisers here who will surely give you a fair price."
Jie Tu took out a package.
Inside were gold, gems, and rare minerals from the Cloud Country. It was a full bag, valued at around 500,000 Berries.
"For this, 50 Gourmet Coins."
Only fifty...
He could only afford some cheap attractions, and many places wouldn't even cover the entrance fee.
Jie Tu gritted his teeth and pulled out a manifest from his embrace.
"This is the airship's cargo manifest, a voucher for picking up goods at the port. The cargo is valued at 3.5 million Berries!"
The staff member, expressionless, produced 3.5 million Gourmet Coins. Clearly, having seen much larger transactions, this was just an ordinary one for him.
At this moment, Jie Tu was starting to feel dazed.
Just how astonishing was the daily transaction volume of this Gourmet City!
After pooling his valuables, Jie Tu finally exchanged them for a total of 600 Gourmet Coins. This represented almost his entire fortune up to this point.
However, he no longer cared. As long as he could sell that one item...
He wouldn't have to worry about money in the future.