The airship, once laden, departed just as full, though the nature of its cargo had completely changed.
More than three hundred Gourmet Hunters were requested to stay behind; Zhang Wei intended to host them with an extra special spread.
Spicy Sichuan Diced Chicken...
Tomato and Kidney Bean Stir-fry...
Dry-fried Crucian Carp...
Beef Patties in Tomato Sauce...
Aromatic Silver Cod...
Fish-flavored Eggplant...
Kung Pao Scallops...
Spicy and Fresh Squid Slices...
All classic Chinese dishes. This was the fruit of Zhang Wei’s expanded culinary system, now enriched by the addition of Kikka Underworld.
Of the twenty-two renowned restaurants in the delegation, several were even more prestigious and larger in scale than Kikka Underworld. They had already traded their franchise rights for cash to acquire certain perfect ingredients. Their culinary support would arrive on their next visit.
During the banquet, food carts were wheeled in one after another. The three hundred Gourmet Hunters transformed into gluttons, and the tables were filled with the sounds of chewing and praise!
"Only Bean Coffee, its beans, no larger than a fingertip, are harvested once a year from the Only Tree and can provide an adult with half a month's worth of energy consumption!"
"To think it's this kind of supreme coffee! I'm afraid I'll be too full after drinking it, but the taste is simply too enticing!"
"Hormone Onions and Pork Potatoes are both specialties of the Cloud Country. I’ve only ever seen them in illustrated guides before; I really want to catch one myself!"
After these high-quality ingredients were prepared with exquisite culinary techniques, the sense of happiness became even more profound. This kind of full-course feast with unlimited supply easily immerses people in an endless feeling of satisfaction. Once this satisfaction reaches a certain level, the body's defenses crumble! Chefs are the bringers of happiness and contentment; this is a chef's exclusive blessing!
A long while passed.
Having eaten their fill, the Gourmet Hunters chatted even more enthusiastically, their good impression of the Gourmet Academy greatly enhanced.
"Mr. Zhang, thank you for your generous hospitality. If there's anything you need our help with, please don't hesitate to ask!"
"We rough fellows don't have much skill, we just know a few tricks for catching ingredients. See if there's anything you need?"
"I'm not bragging, but there are very few ingredients in the Human World that can escape our pursuit!"
Feeling Zhang Wei's sincerity, the Gourmet Hunters reciprocated with their own enthusiasm.
Zhang Wei indeed had his own plans. Without beating around the bush, he stated, "Everyone, I do have a need for your assistance."
"Catching ingredients?"
"That's one part of it. Additionally, I wish to establish a training ground for Gourmet Hunters, where every young person aspiring to enter this profession can receive the most professional training, preventing them from perishing on the path of exploration."
Zhang Wei revealed his grand design. The core concept was mentorship, finding disciples among the top Gourmet Hunters present, similar to the mission teams in Naruto. The establishment of this training institution was ambitious and sounded utterly selfless. It would not charge any training fees; instead, it would provide salaries to the veteran Gourmet Hunters who would be teaching, and graduates from the institution would not be forcibly bound to Zhang Wei. They would be free agents contributing to the entire Human World. The sheer act of covering costs without enforcing loyalty was unparalleled, demonstrating a complete lack of self-interest!
The Gourmet Hunters present were deeply shocked, never having imagined that this chef possessed such magnanimity!
Zhang Wei continued, "Gourmet Hunters and chefs are interdependent. I am dedicated to revitalizing the culinary profession, and thus, I must also ensure the prosperity of Gourmet Hunters!"
"Moreover, when Gourmet Hunters find their partners, both sides' strengths improve rapidly. However, everyone is an adult and has their own considerations; trusting someone is so difficult, let alone a partner with whom one entrusts their life?"
"If we could form complete teams before embarking on culinary exploration, cultivating trust and affection from childhood, I imagine that would be a most desirable outcome!"
This statement resonated deeply with many of the Gourmet Hunters. The progression path for Gourmet Hunters was clear and defined, but for culinary skills, it was difficult. Low-level chefs only needed basic techniques, but to advance, they required a subtle yet crucial understanding – a deeper comprehension! Compared to Gourmet Hunters, the number of high-level chefs was far smaller, and the difficulty of advancement was much greater! The senior Gourmet Hunters present had all experienced the arduous journey of searching for a partner; that feeling was truly difficult and arduous. A training base where Gourmet Hunters and chefs trained together, being the closest to the water, sounded incredibly enticing!
Zhang Wei then announced, "From this day forward, Gourmet Hunters willing to join the academy will enjoy special benefits and undertake corresponding responsibilities."
"Firstly, teaching. You will lead small classes of three students each. The annual teaching time must exceed six months, and there will be requirements for teaching progress and sufficient ingredient captures."
"Secondly, based on class performance, remuneration will be provided to the instructors. Ingredients collected by the classes will be repurchased by the Gourmet Academy at 1.5 times the market price."
"Furthermore, after becoming a teacher, if rare-grade ingredients are collected, they will be repurchased at 2 times the market price!"
Rare-grade ingredients refer to those that Zhang Wei's Treasure Vault does not possess and which have not undergone "daily condensation." In Zhang Wei's ideal scenario, he would have been willing to pay ten times the price. However, cooperation is about mutual benefit, and these terms made the Gourmet Hunters present feel as though they were getting an incredible deal! Twice the market price! After deducting costs, that represented a triple pure profit, enough to drive anyone to madness!
However, some of the Gourmet Hunters, driven by a sense of righteousness, immediately declared, "This is absolutely unacceptable!"
"Chef Zhang's heart encompasses the world; he is contributing to the prosperity of Gourmet Hunters. If we were to then accept a salary, how could we even call ourselves human?"
"I refuse to accept a salary, and the ingredients I collect will be prioritized for the Gourmet Bank, and sold at an 8.5% discount from the market price!"
Gourmet Hunters incur costs. Equipment, nutrition, travel expenses, and so on, are all significant expenditures. An 8.5% discount was already a considerable concession! Their words made the other Gourmet Hunters feel quite ashamed; here was someone dedicating himself to revitalizing their profession, and they... were being so ungracious!
But Zhang Wei understood deeply that relationships built solely on responsibility and emotion are rarely sustainable. He immediately declined, "That cannot be!"
"The growth of Gourmet Hunters is also of immense benefit to the culinary world; in essence, this benefits chefs!"
"You must accept this payment today!"
Shock! Deeply shocked! After the shock, even deeper感动 (gǎndòng - emotion/moved). In this era, to find such a great person! Such magnanimity!
Zhang Wei continued, "Don't think about saving me money by capturing excessively. I will purchase as much as you capture. Lead your assigned classes and bring new blood to the world of Gourmet Hunters!"
At this moment! Zhang Wei's stature seemed to grow immensely! With this announcement, Zhang Wei had, in essence, won over all the Gourmet Hunters in the world. While countless culinary academies exist, there has never been a Gourmet Hunter academy. Coupled with the 1.5 to 2 times return, whether driven by noble ideals or profit, a large number of Gourmet Hunters would flock to join! At that time! Zhang Wei would become the world's largest ingredient buyer, potentially even challenging the status of the Four Great Merchant Guilds! The prerequisite, however, was that Zhang Wei would have sufficient funds to support this venture and avoid bankruptcy and a crisis of credibility!
...
Entering the Warm Storage. Xifeng presented a statistical booklet: "The total proceeds from this auction were 23 billion Berries. After deducting ingredient costs, approximately 10 billion in coins remain, equivalent to 1204 tons of gold!"
"Send the ingredients to my room. Use the gold for trading and as reserve funds for the Gourmet Hunter training institution."
Xifeng grumbled, "Boss, you have a new idea every single day. You give us new tasks daily, and the entire senior management team is in a frenzy."
Zhang Wei developed new projects almost every month. Moreover, the scale of the existing projects was also continuously growing. Xifeng, who was ambitious for power, now truly felt the responsibility and pressure that power brought. It was too damn tiring! The tasks under Zhang Wei's purview were ten times more than those of the original Century's Treasure Association!
Zhang Wei continued, "We still need to expedite the establishment of branches in the West and South Continents!" Facing the ever-increasing consumption of ingredients, Zhang Wei also had to work harder!
Summoning the Warm Port!
Legal Island, Legal Plateau!
Under the blazing sun, Legal Island was exceptionally quiet today. Normally, the footsteps of the Legal Mammoth were like earthquakes, forcing the plateau's inhabitants to flee for their lives.
"Strange..."
"Could it be that the Legal Mammoth met with some accident?"
Zhang Wei immediately ascended and soon saw the brown mountain of flesh in the far distance. The mountain of flesh... had fallen! Zhang Wei felt anger surge; after feeding it for so many days, had someone intercepted it? He quickly approached, creating gusts of wind. Just then, the Legal Mammoth's tiny black eyes suddenly opened, it flipped over and stood up, letting out a joyful cry towards Zhang Wei.
???
Zhang Wei circled around, confirming that the Legal Mammoth had no external injuries. Strange! Why would the endlessly walking Legal Mammoth suddenly stop? Seeing its joyful demeanor, a ludicrous thought crossed Zhang Wei's mind: "Could it be... this thing was waiting for me?"
"Since I'll be fed anyway, why bother hunting so diligently?"
"As long as I lie here every day... you'll deliver it?"
Upon realizing this, Zhang Wei's nose almost twisted with anger. What a lazy creature! The Legal Mammoth let out a couple of hums as if to act spoiled, like a seventy-million-ton spoiled kitten. It seemed to be urging when mealtime would arrive.
"Damn it, eat, eat, eat! May you choke on it!"
With a wave of his hand, ingredients rained down from the sky. The Legal Mammoth inhaled and exhaled, and another forest of white bones was born. Then! Without a word, the Legal Mammoth planted its six elephantine feet firmly and lay down again to bask in the sun, a human-like expression of enjoyment on its face.
Zhang Wei: ...
"Fine."
"However, if that's the case, the wild beasts on the Legal Plateau have no reason to exist anymore. That's another source of extra ingredient income!"
Under the predation of the Legal Mammoth, the creatures here were not driven to extinction, so their ability to survive and reproduce must be quite tenacious. Zhang Wei had no worries about causing species extinction. The capture level of creatures on the Legal Plateau was above 23, which could greatly enrich Zhang Wei's collection.
"Speaking of which, I haven't really captured many creatures on the Legal Plateau..."