To prevent double-crossings, Ganto deliberately amplified his voice, drawing a crowd of onlookers.
"With these people watching... even if someone has ulterior motives, they should at least be mindful of their reputation, right?"
"But if this thing isn't sold on the spot, it'll be a huge problem. I don't have the means to transport it safely to the next location."
Finishing his inner monologue, Ganto pulled the rope, and the deck lifted!
At the center of the ship's hull, there was a swimming pool!
No, this pool occupied two-thirds of the ship's hull; it was definitely not for swimming. Could it be some kind of creature that lived underwater?
And the moment the deck opened, a dazzling golden light erupted from the ship's hull and the pool!
Shining brilliantly!
"Gold!"
"It's as radiant as a mountain of gold, instantly filling the air with a sense of wealth!"
Everyone shielded their eyes, unable to imagine what lay at the bottom of this pool!
A few streaks of light flashed!
Zhang Wei arrived at lightning speed!
The aroma of this food made all the chefs present extremely sensitive.
Xi Feng, Wu Yong, Jun Qing, Wolfgang, Mr. Luo, Tian Zui, Scorpion, and others also arrived in succession.
"Ganto?"
"You... you know me?"
Zhang Wei smiled without a word.
Ganto's whale-like appearance was quite unforgettable.
Xi Feng strode forward, carrying a thick book the size of a mattress.
"The Compendium of Human World Ingredients Through the Millennia"
He opened the book, and many ingredients were already marked with red pen, leaving less than 18% uncollected.
Zhang Wei was satisfied. In this generation of the Human World, less than twenty percent of ingredients remained uncollected. However, the remaining ingredients were increasingly difficult to obtain. They were all found in fantastical dangerous lands or were fleeting legends. Finding them required serendipity, not just throwing money at the problem.
"Such a radiance, it must be the legendary Golden Series!"
Just then, the water surface churned!
A creature with skin like gold leaped high into the air!
Ganto spread his hands in admiration, his face filled with longing as he said, "That's right, this is the legendary Pure Gold Whale!"
Pure Gold Whale!
This was a level above the Golden Series!
Each one was a top-quality specimen.
Its streamlined body emerged from the water, shimmering in the sunlight and mist, captivating the gazes of all the onlookers!
Such a wondrous creature could only be rivaled by the Spring Plesiosaur and the Manju Dragon Dance!
Xi Feng quickly flipped through the Compendium and soon found the record of the Pure Gold Whale!
"Inhabits remote, untouched waters, a large cetacean mammal!"
"Its entire body emits the lustrous sheen of pure gold, hence its name, the Pure Gold Whale!"
"The radiance of its skin is no less than the gem-like flesh of the Legal Mammoth, a treasure of the sea!"
"Its whale oil can not only be used as cooking oil but also as lamp oil, its burning fragrance akin to a thousand cows being grilled simultaneously!"
"The last confirmed sighting was seventy years ago. It is said that the eleven fishermen who saw it eventually became wealthy men. It is a symbol of good fortune, a benevolent omen that can even boost one's luck just by looking at it!"
"Such a creature has only appeared a handful of times in all of human history!"
The entire crowd erupted in an uproar!
It could actually improve one's fortune?
This was something every merchant dreamed of!
Ganto said proudly, "This creature is naturally cautious and never approaches inhabited areas. I only discovered its existence by chance after finding its ambergris."
"To capture it, I specially modified my airship and pursued it for seven months across the sky-ocean of the Cloud Country!"
"To avoid damaging its quality with my hunting tools, I discarded all my harpoons. Can you imagine the difficulty of intercepting it with just a net?"
With this single prey alone.
Ganto could be counted among the greatest Gourmet Hunters of the last hundred years and have his own place in textbooks!
According to the hints from the Treasured Hall, its capture level was only 35, not considering its rarity, but its food level reached an astonishing 105!
This was one of the ingredients with the largest discrepancy Zhang Wei had ever seen!
"How much do you intend to sell this one for?"
Ganto blinked in surprise.
He hadn't actually thought about that.
But surely it would be an astronomical figure, right? At least comparable to the Spring Plesiosaur or the Manju Dragon Dance.
However, limited by his experience, Ganto had no concept of prices above a few million Belies.
After all, that was all he had saved in the first half of his life...
But as soon as he remembered the Seafood Fruit of the Manju Dragon Dance, Ganto's mouth watered. That deliciousness was never enough, no matter how much he ate!
"Could I trade it for a Manju Dragon Dance?" Ganto coughed lightly, "That depends on your sincerity. Let me state beforehand that I will not let this go cheaply. After all, it's a rare ingredient that appears once in a thousand years. If you miss it, you'll hardly ever have a second chance."
It was the truth!
In fact, the remaining 18% of ingredients in "The Compendium of Human World Ingredients Through the Millennia" were all of this nature.
Once encountered, missing it made it incredibly difficult to obtain again.
Currently, there were still 46,500 ingredients not yet collected.
And this was only for the Human World and its affiliated locations. The data for the Gourmet World alone was not enough to fill a single book.
"What do you want? Foodies? Stalls and shops in Gourmet City? Teaching positions at the Gourmet Hunter Academy? Shares in certain businesses? Unlimited discount coupons or black cards? Opportunities to observe the Gourmet World? Partnering with Academy chefs?"
Ganto was stunned.
Could he exchange for so many things?
It almost covered every desire of a Gourmet Hunter!
Mere Foodies represented unimaginable wealth, while business shares and stalls in Gourmet City provided stable, long-term income. Those who couldn't control their appetites would opt for discount black cards...
And going to the Gourmet World was the dream of every Gourmet Hunter.
The skill level of the Academy chefs was so high that the old Ganto would not have been worthy!
Ganto gave a wry smile, "I'm getting old and have lost my drive... I'll pass on the partner and Gourmet World options."
"Retiring gracefully is also a form of wisdom."
"If I were to exchange it for money, how much could I get?"