The relocation process was surprisingly peaceful, with no powerful creatures to impede it. It seemed the condition of grinding with solid material was something wild beasts had difficulty discovering, and thus, no creatures lingered around it.
Without grinding, these would have just been ordinary stones, at best slightly harder.
"No storage prompt appeared; it looks like I need to grind them first..."
"Mineral resources are not renewable. Even if I took them all, it shouldn't matter; it won't affect the ecological balance at all."
"Since that's the case, there's no need to be polite."
These ores were buried deep within the sandy soil, but Zhang Wei was an expert digger. Using the Wind Control technique to loosen the soil, he then placed the excavated soil into his Treasure Bag.
This greatly accelerated the excavation speed.
When all the Melkor star dust was unearthed, Zhang Wei checked his pocket watch. Only four hours had passed. Including the twelve hours of travel and one hour of climbing, this trip didn't even take a full day.
It was time to head back.
Retracing his steps, he used the Wind Control technique, making the ascent up the cliff incredibly easy. In the blink of an eye, he was back at the location where he stored the Warm Harbor.
Plant Hell... BB Corn Plus Three...
Legal Island... Jewel Meat Plus One...
Various branches... Ingredients Plus N...
...
Seven-Flavor Wine, Stubborn Rock White Sugar Cubes, Sushi Salt, Vast Salt Essence—these seasonings appeared one after another. The high-end product sales of the Four Great Salt Merchants in the Northern Regions were increasingly affected.
Facing the aggressive onslaught of the Gourmet Bank, Yan Yan adopted a conservative stance across the board, allowing Zhang Wei to freely snatch market share.
Upon returning to the Northern Regions, Zhang Wei was bewildered.
"Strange, this doesn't fit Yan Yan's personality..."
Xi Feng said, "Could it be a sign of surrender?"
"No... it's not that they haven't made a move, but that we haven't noticed."
Such covert attacks were the most chilling.
At this moment, a group of mysterious individuals arrived at the Gourmet Bank, specifically requesting to see Zhang Wei. Sheng Taro was accompanying them.
Upon meeting, Sheng Taro stated directly, "Your information has been leaked. This matter was not caused by me."
Matter?
What matter?
The only thing that could involve Sheng Taro was the matter of resource extraction in the gourmet world.
Then, were these people also Re-synthesizers?
Before Zhang Wei could ask, the leader of the group said, "I am the Deputy Warden of the Hive Prison. You can call me Shi Tou (Stone)."
Shi Tou?
What a plain name.
"Why are you looking for me?"
"In fact, I received a public report stating that you have over-exploited ingredients and engaged in dumping that has damaged the market. I would like you to come with us."
"Go where?"
"The Hive Prison."
Sheng Taro whispered a reminder, "I was found by these people in the Country of Healing and asked to provide evidence. I did not report you."
Zhang Wei also inquired in a low voice, "Are they strong? What organization are they?"
"The Supreme Gourmet Association of Humanity."
Zhang Wei was startled.
It was humanity's most powerful organization. Elder Mo was a member of this association, responsible for continental security.
Sheng Taro added, "They specialize in handling human criminals above level 100. I had no chance of resisting at all. Try to avoid any power level conflicts."
Zhang Wei understood the gravity of the situation.
Even now, Zhang Wei was unsure of Elder Mo's true strength. Since these people dared to approach him, their power must be astonishing.
And currently, having just entered the gourmet world, it was not advisable for him to confront them.
Shi Tou explained, "You can rest assured, we have no malicious intent. However, to maintain stability in the human world, we require you to come to the Hive Prison for a period of training and to sign some agreements."
Training?
Agreements?
Zhang Wei became increasingly confused.
He had never heard of this organization before.
Sheng Taro said, "It's about ecological balance. However, they are a legal institution, while we are proponents of ideals."
Law?
So, they were the ones with the biggest fists, the ones who set the highest rules.
"Alright, I'll go with you."
Xi Feng behind him was anxious and about to say something when he was immediately interrupted.
Zhang Wei said, "You need to be extra careful during this time."
"But... I..."
Zhang Wei looked at Sheng Taro and said, "Can you keep an eye on things for me?"
"No problem."
The latter nodded his head in agreement.
Sheng Taro possessed at least level 150 combat power. With him around, Zhang Wei felt at ease.
Shi Tou had a specialized mode of transport, a Lightning Eagle with a capture level of 160, capable of extremely high-speed flight.
Zhang Wei estimated the Lightning Eagle's speed to be at least Mach 4. A distance of 30,000 kilometers would take approximately twelve hours.
The Hive Prison was located on an extremely high stone ridge.
The altitude difference here was immense, and there were many strangely shaped mountains.
One of these cliffs extended outwards, and beneath it hung a building resembling a giant beehive. If it were shrunk to normal size, it might seem reasonable.
But this beehive was larger than all the buildings in the Great Glacier combined, something that ordinary human labor could not construct.
Beneath the Lightning Eagle, massive Escort Dragon Beasts strode ponderously, with buildings resembling attics growing on their backs.
"Escort Dragon Beasts, strong creatures with a capture level of 62."
"The bone prisons on their backs are incredibly hard. We usually use them to detain criminals and transport them here from all over the world," Shi Tou explained, pointing to the beasts below.
"An impressive scale. What kind of criminals are housed here?"
Shi Tou continued, "Mass slaughter, selling addictive ingredients, causing the extinction of certain ingredients... many."
The Hive Prison...
The place where Zebra was imprisoned.
In the original work, there was a gourmet highway connecting the entire continent. Along this road, one could travel around the entire human world, estimated to take two years.
Two adult Gigas Horses, level 64, served as beasts of burden, pulling super carriages resembling giant cruise ships.
The design of the carriage was not purely for aesthetics. Gigas Horses were amphibious and could pull these boat-like carriages across oceans.
This road was called the World Connection.
Toriko and Komatsu had ridden these magical carriages to travel to the Three Star Dishes, but currently, this gourmet highway had not yet been constructed.
The Hive Prison, located in the Three Star Dishes, could only be transported slowly by Escort Dragon Beasts or by air via Lightning Eagles.
The Lightning Eagle landed.
Shi Tou continued his explanation, "Only A-class gourmet criminals are qualified to be imprisoned here."
There were only three prisons of this caliber in the world, managed by the Supreme Gourmet Association of Humanity.
One for air, one for sea, and one for land.
One was an aerial prison floating at an altitude of 10,000 meters, constantly plagued by tornadoes and swarming with carnivorous monsters, making it an absolutely inescapable prison.
The second was in the sea, located 2,000 meters below the seabed, with a water pressure of approximately 400 kPa. It was also teeming with man-eating fish.
The final land prison was this Hive Prison, capable of holding one hundred million criminals, making it the largest prison in the world. It could be reached by traveling tens of kilometers through the Gate of the Underworld, requiring the protection of Escort Dragon Beasts throughout the journey.
Along the way, numerous Execution Beasts roamed, and there were twelve drawbridges, each an astonishing kilometer in size. It was said that criminals and prison guards alike disappeared mysteriously on this path every year.
Led by Shi Tou, Zhang Wei entered the Hive Prison.
As soon as he reached the entrance, the Treasure Bag prompt immediately sounded.
[Discovered Capturable Ingredient: Hybrid Execution Beast]
[Edible Level: 25]
[Capture Level: 140-240]
[Description: Bred from various gourmet world beasts, their combat power varies greatly. The weak die early at the hands of their own siblings. They possess immense combat power and the intelligence to obey commands.]
[Description: Equipped with man-made armor and various modified equipment to maximize combat effectiveness and intimidate criminals.]
So strong!
The Escort Dragon Beasts were already enormous, but they paled in comparison to these Execution Beasts. Even the Warm Harbor was less than a tenth of their size.
Zhang Wei exclaimed his good fortune.
These fellows indeed had some strength, no wonder they dedicated themselves to protecting the continent. Fortunately, he hadn't chosen to engage in armed conflict.
However...
He needed to be prepared for combat.
Zhang Wei already had an idea of how to deal with them.
Led by Shi Tou, Zhang Wei descended, touring many areas.
In the Great Gourmet Era, eating was undoubtedly a great happiness, and causing someone to starve was the most cruel punishment.
Shi Tou said, "I have prepared a cruel punishment here called 'The Feast of Starvation'."
First Course: Depriving Desires!
Using technological means, the criminals' corresponding sensory abilities were taken away. For example, those who liked sweets would have their sweet taste buds blocked, and those who liked addictive ingredients would have their brain's perception severed, leaving them to suffer the agony of withdrawal.
Second Course: Soup - Painful Consumption.
Here lay the most unpalatable foods and the most disgusting flavors in the world, and only these could fill their stomachs. Many criminals eventually developed anorexia and died weakened.
Third Course: Fish Dish - Starvation.
Fourth Course: Meat Dish - Dehydration.
Prolonged lack of nutrition and hunger would cause gourmet cells to degenerate. How long it would take to die depended on individual willpower.
Fifth Course: Main Dish - Execution Ground and Solitary Confinement.
Sixth Course: Salad - Dismemberment.
Seventh Course: Dessert - Boiling and Cooking.
Eighth Course: Beverage - Burning and Roasting.
This could be considered a feast leading to death, but from the fifth course onwards, only death row inmates were qualified.
The fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth courses were a combination, and the condemned would eventually be thrown into the Silent Forest below to become monster droppings.
The punishments were brutal, resembling hell.
He was fortunate enough to arrive just in time for the execution ceremony of the fifth course, the main dish, and had the chance to witness it.
In the execution chamber, a criminal was bound by thick chains at the limbs. Each chain ended in an Execution Beast. With a command, the Execution Beasts would charge in different directions, tearing the criminal into several pieces on the spot.
"Quartering... such a classic punishment..."
Shi Tou pointed to other execution chambers and said, "Of course, there are other programs."
The Iron Maiden Execution Chamber.
Two porcupine-like Execution Beasts back to back, eventually making intimate contact.
Poison Execution Chamber.
Execution via biological toxin spray or gas.
Burning Execution Chamber.
Mercury Drowning Execution Chamber.
Noise Execution Chamber...
...
The methods of death were varied and extensive.
Due to the high lifespan of high-level cell holders, only criminals with sentences of 500 years or more were typically subject to the death penalty.
Shi Tou explained, "We are very cautious in our use of punishments and rarely resort to lethal penalties. Furthermore, if a criminal shows remorse and wishes to atone for their crimes, we are very willing to accommodate."
"After all, once someone reaches level 100, they are bound to have committed actions that ordinary people cannot comprehend. If the impact is not significant, we generally don't interfere."
Zhang Wei responded, "So, what exactly do you want me here for?"
Shi Tou said, "We received intelligence that the Gourmet Bank under your command is selling a massive amount of gourmet world ingredients. According to the intelligence, you have only visited the gourmet festival once. This makes us suspect whether you harbor the intention of destructive exploitation."
It was indeed an environmental issue.
In this world, causing the extinction of an ingredient was a grave offense.
Zebra was imprisoned because he caused the extinction of 26 species.
"In other words, you have no evidence?"
"Some matters do not require evidence."
Shi Tou continued, "If we truly had evidence, our attitude upon meeting you would be different."
"How do you plan to deal with me?"
"Two options: Either you stay in the Hive Prison to study theories such as Animal Protection Law, Ecological Construction, and Natural Ecological Ethics, and achieve a score of eighty or above on the exam."
"Or you will be permanently banished. We will throw you into the gourmet world, remove you from the human food chain, and you can consider yourself a complete wild beast, and we will not interfere with your actions."
Study?
It felt like getting your driver's license suspended and having to retake traffic safety classes.
Wait, if he were to study here...
Zhang Wei suddenly thought of the informant. So, Yan Yan's new tactic was this...
Was he planning to make a move soon...
Zhang Wei said, "I still have unfinished business in the human world. I choose the first option."
"A wise decision."
"Then let's be quick. I have many important matters to attend to."
Shi Tou chuckled, "Don't rush. These theories are only a few hundred thousand characters. You can usually master them in two months. In fact, you shouldn't feel wronged. Every individual above level 100 who stays in the human world has to come here to study; you are not an exception."
Following Shi Tou, Zhang Wei arrived at a cell.
Inside, a dim lamp burned, with water and simple food provided. On a massive stone desk sat more than a dozen books.
As long as he memorized these, he would regain his freedom.
Furthermore, he would be guaranteed not to violate the stipulated laws in the days to come. Once discovered, he might not even have the chance to be banished to the gourmet world.
Zhang Wei carefully perused these theories and found them surprisingly humane. They emphasized the interdependence between humans and nature and the difficulty of growing delicious ingredients.
The so-called restrictions were legal clauses, including violent crimes, war crimes, the sale of toxic or addictive ingredients, robbery, species extinction, and poaching...
Moreover, the regulations were quite lenient for those at level 100, and their culpability was lighter than that of ordinary criminals.
"Ingredient extraction must consider the supply and demand relationship of the food chain. Mineral ingredients are not included in this category."
"In that case, mineral ingredients can be mined indefinitely?"
"Then... where is the largest mineral ingredient producing area in the human world?"
Saying this, Zhang Wei spread out a map.
He had found his next target.