"Let them choose first," Old Dog said.
Tang Po Po glanced at Zhang Wei.
Zhang Wei already had a plan in his mind: "I choose not to leave!"
As he spoke, he looked around. Whether it was the Hound, the Vampire, or Tian Zui, they all looked at Zhang Wei with determination and trust.
"We're the same!" Old Dog said.
"Then... cancel the dishes."
Zhang Wei waved his hand and said to Old Dog, "We're going to enjoy a lavish banquet. See you tomorrow."
With that, he closed the sliding door tightly.
In front of a throng of demons and monsters, Zhang Wei and Mr. Luo began to identify the dishes.
First dish: Wriggling Million Larvae Soup
Composed of a large number of animal larvae eggs, mostly pests from the forest, these larvae constantly rippled in the soup.
Second dish: Long-armed Goblin Right Brain
A humanoid creature with a well-developed right brain. Despite its ugly appearance, its taste far surpasses monkey brains.
Third dish: Rolled Fish Sashimi Cut
A strange dish that is either a roll or fish.
Fourth dish: Braised Pork Ribs
Looked extremely appetizing, with excellent sauce ingredients!
Fifth dish: Steamed Drunken Shrimp
Shrimp emitting a scent of alcohol, both the wine used and the shrimp meat were top-grade.
Sixth dish: Red Drink
A beverage of unknown ingredients, with a medicinal aroma and a taste like maple leaves.
Seventh dish: Dried Poison Sac of the Puffer Whale
A special poisonous delicacy.
Eighth dish: Marbled Tuna White Sauce Red Meat
Both in appearance and aroma, it was superior.
Tang Po Po entered the room and looked at the hesitant crowd, smiling, "What, have you decided?"
"How many of these ingredients are addictive?"
"Four to four? Or all of them?"
Tang Po Po chuckled, "Addictive ingredients? What are you talking about? Did Qian Xun say something? You can't take children's words seriously."
After a while.
Zhang Wei seemed to have thought of something!
He realized with sudden clarity, "Tang Po Po, since your shop is open for business, you wouldn't refuse to add more dishes, would you!"
Tang Po Po was stunned, "Add what?"
"The dishes that were canceled, I want to order them again!"
Tang Po Po slowly asked, "Why?"
"If I'm not mistaken, the so-called addictive ingredients don't exist, or perhaps Qian Xun's words were deliberately made to sound that way by you?"
From the moment he entered the shop, Zhang Wei didn't trust anyone.
With Tang Po Po's abilities, it was impossible for her to be unaware of what Qian Xun said and did.
This meant that Qian Xun was merely a smokescreen for Tang Po Po, deliberately misleading Zhang Wei!
"That child Qian Xun..."
Zhang Wei interrupted, "If you intend to lie, it's hard not to be noticed. Qian Xun didn't lie, she only spoke what she believed, and her beliefs... were all illusions created by you!"
Mr. Luo asked, "Zhang Wei, what did you figure out?"
"Combination!"
"These eight dishes, though seemingly chaotic, actually form a complete Western banquet. Missing even one can cause the food's special effects to go awry!"
If Zhang Wei hadn't been skilled in banquet cuisine and various underhanded tactics, he would never have thought of this!
Tang Po Po suddenly broke into a smile, "You're joking, sir. Adding dishes is not part of our service. Extra charges apply for additional courses!"
Zhang Wei waved his hand.
Several items appeared out of thin air.
Perfect Grade Ruby Chili!
Semi-Perfect Grade Jelly Deer!
Semi-Perfect Grade Phoenix Koi!
Only a dozen or so Phoenix Koi were stored, with ten days left for replication. The Jelly Deer also had 16 days remaining. The volcanic eruption yielded a generous amount, and although the Ruby Chili was rare, it was enough to compress the replication time to one day.
"These... mere low-grade ingredients."
"Take a closer look."
At this moment, Mr. Luo stood up and exclaimed upon seeing the ingredients!
"My goodness, the quality of these three ingredients is extraordinary."
Mr. Luo picked up the Ruby Chili and examined it under the candlelight. "I've also obtained two Ruby Chilies before, but one had a cloudy interior, was not transparent at all, and had small cracks."
"The other, while somewhat translucent, had three internal inclusions of lava slag, and significant internal cracking!"
"Look at this one, crystal clear and radiant, with no stone residue or impurities inside. Even one hundred Ruby Chilies might not yield such a specimen! If it were a true gem, it would be a rare treasure, one in ten thousand."
Mr. Luo sniffed it. "There's no trace of volcanic ash, the spiciness is pure, and the gem itself is quite large, about a finger thick, easily the size of three!"
"This is the most perfect collector's item!"
"Zhang Wei, are you really going to part with it?"
Mr. Luo was heartbroken.
Were these collector-grade ingredients going to be wasted like this...
The other two ingredients were similarly exceptional.
The Jelly Deer was extremely robust, the largest among over twenty chosen specimens!
The most beautifully shaped antlers, the best texture!
The tenderest muscles, the juiciest meat!
The clearest blood, with the richest fruit juice content!
The freshest, brightest fur, without a single off-color hair!
The Phoenix Koi were also like sculptures, with not a single flaw to be found.
"Tang Po Po, what do you say?"
Tang Po Po hesitated for a long time. "Hmph, consider yourselves lucky!"
With that, she placed the three ingredients into the dish cart and left.
Tian Zui asked, "Then... what do we do next?"
Mr. Luo pondered, "If what Zhang Wei said is true, then everyone must consume all eight dishes, and... there must be a certain order to it, right?"
As he spoke, Mr. Luo glanced at Zhang Wei.
Zhang Wei smiled, "Everyone relax, follow me!"
According to Western cuisine classification, the first course is the appetizer.
Zhang Wei pointed at the dried Puffer Whale poison sac. "This is it!"
The Puffer Whale is quite famous, appearing frequently in the original work!
Zhang Wei had yet to see a live specimen, but he swore he would add it to his collection one day.
The Puffer Whale's capture level was not high, but it was quite difficult to eat due to its poison sac.
Indeed, the Puffer Whale, which was valuable in its entirety, had only this useless poison sac.
"Don't worry, this poison sac should have been treated. Losing its moisture greatly weakens its toxicity. And... its poison is essential for what comes next!"
Saying that.
Zhang Wei opened his mouth and put the small, dry, brown poison sac into his mouth.
This dried sac resembled bear bile but had no bitterness. It was chewy with a faint salty taste, as if it had been pickled.
Delicious!
No wonder the Puffer Whale, which killed when eaten but was still consumed by countless people, had such an extraordinary poison sac!
The discerning individuals present all showed expressions of enjoyment.
"For the second dish, soup, we have this Wriggling Million Larvae Soup!"
The appearance of this soup was quite dark, enough to make one want to vomit just by looking at it.
The emitted aroma was also not pleasant.
"These live larvae are essential for neutralizing the Puffer Whale's poison!"
As he said this, Zhang Wei picked up the soup and drank a large gulp.
The small larvae seemed to writhe in his mouth before burrowing into his stomach.
Compared to its disgusting appearance, the soup was sweet and sour, like an appetizer, and gave a feeling of not wanting to stop drinking it!
Moreover, this soup seemed to complement the poison sac, enhancing the flavor immensely.
Mr. Luo suddenly said, "This soup... I understand now!"
"What?"
Mr. Luo said, "They are probiotic larvae!"
"Never heard of them."
"These are unique larvae found on the Hunger Road. It's normal you haven't heard of them; they are not recorded in ordinary texts."
According to Mr. Luo.
These were not actual larvae, which are mosquito larvae, like maggots in water. These were aggregates of bacteria, extremely difficult to capture!
After all, it was unrealistic to try to catch bacteria through brute force.
Mr. Luo continued, "These probiotic larvae have the miraculous effect of aiding digestion, detoxifying alcohol and poison, strengthening intestinal flora, and enhancing consumption ability!"
"Such a good thing!"
"However... the effect of these beneficial bacteria is too potent. Usually, they are consumed in small quantities, but consuming so much at once, I'm afraid our bodies might not be able to handle it!"
Zhang Wei smiled, "Did you forget about the dried poison sac earlier?"
Even with the Million Larvae, it was only just enough to counteract it!
"For the third dish, a fish dish, let's choose this Rolled Fish Sashimi Cut!"
Rolled Fish!
A creature that grew in a circular shape, wrapping itself around grains and seaweed.
A high-quality ingredient that was incredibly delicious with just a sprinkle of salt, leaving little room for further processing.
"Fourth dish, meat course, Braised Pork Ribs!"
The first four dishes had the best appearance and were the most appetizing, presented in a soy-red glaze with tender, oily meat.
Mouthwatering!
Star anise, cinnamon, bay leaf, Sichuan peppercorns, brown sugar...
Instantly, the flavors of over a dozen spices exploded on the tongue, bombarding the taste buds like fireworks!
Fragrant!
Several people's appetites were whetted, and they chewed heartily!
"So delicious!"
"And what technique is this? It's so oily and rich, yet there's no greasiness!"
"Digesting it is effortless; I feel like I could eat more!"
"Yes, it feels very easy to digest!"
Everyone chimed in.
They turned their gaze to Mr. Luo and Zhang Wei.
Zhang Wei gave Mr. Luo the opportunity to explain, who said, "It's the Million Larvae Soup from before. They have the ability to strengthen the stomach and quickly break down and absorb fat!"
"And the Rolled Fish contains many minerals and vitamins, which also help to regulate gut flora."
Next was the fifth dish, the main course: Marbled Tuna White Sauce Red Meat!
Mr. Luo said, "This is a Marbled Tuna with a capture level of 62. The sliced fish is as clear and translucent as marble, hence its name!"
"And the flesh is firm and delicate, unlike ordinary fish, with a great texture!"
"It was originally intended for sashimi, but this white sauce red meat preparation is quite rare!"
The Vampire said, "I rarely eat cooked food; I usually consume raw blood and meat. For white sauce red meat, I prefer the taste of sashimi. What a shame..."
Saying that.
The Vampire was the first to pick up his chopsticks.
As his lips moved, myoglobin squeezed out of the marble-like tuna, instantly filling the Vampire's mouth!
Steam rose!
Mr. Luo exclaimed in surprise, "Upgraded! This is breaking through a bottleneck!"
With the Vampire's talent, a bottleneck would only appear around level twelve. Breaking through this bottleneck would make the path ahead smooth for a long time.
The others followed suit.
Soon, signs of advancement also appeared in the Hound!
Their muscles bulged, and veins stood out on their skin – hallmarks of strength-based reinforcement!
These dishes, impeccable in both taste and nutrition, finally broke through the long-standing constraints of the two!
Normally, this effect would only be achieved after consuming the entire banquet. It seemed they still had room for improvement!
If they finished the entire meal, the effect would likely double!
Zhang Wei continued, "Sixth dish, salad, Steamed Drunken Shrimp!"
"Seventh dish, dessert, Long-armed Goblin Right Brain!"
The Steamed Drunken Shrimp was made with fruit wine and fresh shrimp, steamed with various fresh leaves. The shrimp were tender and unbroken, of very good quality. It also had the feel of a good accompanying dish for drinks.
As for the Long-armed Goblin Right Brain, it was a bit grim. It looked no different from fresh pig brain or monkey brain, but it was larger!
"I never expected this could be made into a dessert..."
"Quite imaginative!"
Rather than imaginative, it was a truly dark culinary creation.
After eating it, everyone suddenly felt a sense of clarity, as if their thoughts had become clearer.
"How can this be? Eating goblin brains makes you smarter?"
"No!"
"It's that sugar!"
"The brain's main fuel is glucose, and that sugar contains a certain amount of stimulants that can stimulate the brain!"
"Also, the components of goblin brains can supplement us. Combined with the sugar and stimulant components, the effect is even better."
The eighth dish, a drink, was undoubtedly that unknown red liquid.
Zhang Wei took a sip. "Maple leaves... birch sap... pine resin... coconut... nectar..."
"The ingredients are quite varied; I've only identified about twenty to thirty percent."
His sense of taste and smell were much worse than before, otherwise, it wouldn't be this way!
Whether it was finding the witch or restoring his taste, both seemed urgent!
Everyone drank.
Mr. Luo suddenly exclaimed, "This is delicious! This drink is surprisingly well-suited to my physique!"
White smoke rose!
Not only Mr. Luo, but Tian Zui, Atlas, and others as well!
Except for Zhang Wei, everyone else advanced, even breaking through long-standing bottleneck limitations, and their strength increased dramatically!
Zhang Wei gave a wry smile, "Alright, it's indeed excellent and delicious."
"But for my solid bottleneck, the offensive is still too weak."
"It seems that breaking through bottlenecks is something I'll have to rely on myself for."