Helpless.
Zhang Wei could only pacify his restless heart and temporarily halt his expansion.
During his leisure time, he trained Tong Zhihun and Shao An, and the remaining time was spent either reading or hiding in the Treasure Hall, collecting ingredients.
In the eyes of outsiders, Zhang Wei was like a retired old man in his fifties, wasting his life on a rocking chair every day.
Everything in the Great Glacier began to normalize, with tourists and merchants coming to trade.
Although Acacia was only eight years old, his mind was unusually mature. Zhang Wei appointed him as the head of security, and he performed his duties with considerable seriousness and responsibility.
"Acacia..."
"So far, the only original character I've encountered."
Toriko's original story had inconsistencies and muddled settings, with some contradictions in the earlier parts.
In the initial setting, Acacia was praised as the God of Gourmet Food, the most legendary gourmand.
He had tasted almost all the delicacies of his time, with his final destination being the deep sea.
There, he discovered "Heaven"!
The fish there possessed flavors he had never tasted before. Just one bite could fill the body with happiness, evoking a sense of rebirth.
Through systematic scientific research, Acacia discovered a never-before-seen cell, a cell with exceptionally vigorous life.
And the root of these cells was a jellyfish that could grant near-eternal life.
Little by little, change occurred, with infinite rebirth and infinite evolution!
Those deep-sea fish, by eating this jellyfish, gradually became more delicious. As the deliciousness accumulated, the cellular activity and strength of these fish continuously climbed.
Acacia believed this was the evolution of life! This characteristic could be used to improve all foods.
...
Acacia was mentioned for the second time when he ended the protracted Gourmet Wars.
In the struggle for ingredients and chefs, the entire human race was thrown into chaos, an unprecedented scene of turmoil.
Then, the legendary Gourmet God Acacia appeared, bringing with him the legendary ingredient God, igniting in everyone a yearning for beauty, thus ending the war.
'The joy and emotion of eating delicious food are not things to be fought over, but shared and rejoiced in together.'
'God possesses the magic to attract all ingredients in the world. It would be best to seal it for now. I truly hope that those with a sharing heart will obtain God.'
'When the day of feasting comes again...'
----------
The above are two foreshadowing passages from the original work, which were later retconned.
The gourmet cells originated from a meteorite, and the concept of God was also twisted into something completely nonsensical.
"Which setting is being followed in this world..."
"But it doesn't matter, there's still time for everything."
"With the Treasure Hall in hand, as long as I obtain the ingredients from the World Menu once, I will possess them eternally."
"Furthermore, with my growth potential and cooking skills, excluding the protagonist group, no one can compete with me."
The construction of the Gourmet Academy was nearing completion.
The work speed of one hundred thousand people was astonishing. Next up was Gourmet City.
Relying on the Gourmet Bank and the Gourmet Treasure Academy, with abundant ingredients and highly skilled chefs, it would be a Gourmet City where one could enjoy all the delicacies in the world!
First, in the inner core area, Zhang Wei planned to build a Gourmet Tower, inviting chefs from all over the world to join, allowing famous establishments to open branches here.
This symbolized the incorporation of diverse flavors from all regions.
This way, the Gourmet Treasure Academy would also have pressure and a benchmark for comparison, allowing them to learn from each other.
The outer perimeter would feature numerous leisure and entertainment zones, primarily consisting of food stalls, small shops, and alley clusters. These would cater to customers with less substantial wallets, focusing on affordability and deliciousness without high prices.
Moreover, without strict regulation, the flavors would be more spontaneous and varied.
Street barbecue...
Ramen stalls...
Rice noodles and Mala Tang...
Grilled fish...
Chicken cutlets and chicken strips...
Or perhaps leisurely small taverns.
In addition, it would also accommodate commercial ventures, such as kitchenware stores, hotels, and daily necessities, aiming to create the semblance of a functional city with well-developed amenities.
"As for businesses setting up shop... currently, the only one that can be considered as such is Juxia Building."
"Drinks, seasonings, kitchenware, daily necessities, transportation, and other supplies will require external connections."
"There are just too many things to do, I'm completely swamped."
Such complex matters required immense coordination.
Zhang Wei's influence was now growing more widespread than ever, and any decision implemented would demand more energy.
The regular meetings held at intervals had become extremely important.
The heads of various departments reported their progress.
Gourmet Information Network: "Currently, 731 rare ingredients and 122 endangered ingredients have been identified. Only 85 of them have some leads; for the rest, there is only legendary or fragmented information."
Construction Corps: "The number of workers has surged to 112,000. In recent times, there have been 1,158 work-related injuries, with 600 individuals experiencing low morale, and efforts are underway to appease them."
Gourmet Bank Chamber of Commerce Headquarters: "This week's transaction volume reached 1.28 billion, a year-on-year increase of 11.8%..."
Head Chef Coordinator: "Twenty-five comrades from Juxia Building have fallen ill due to the cold, and 36 are experiencing homesickness. They have been granted mandatory leave to prevent the spread of pessimistic sentiment."
Academy Education Department: "The first batch of apprentices has been screened, with an enrollment rate as high as 11.8%, double that of other academies. Admission requirements are being strictly enforced."
...
And so on and so forth.
Zhang Wei's head spun.
However, his experience from his previous life prevented him from being overwhelmed.
Collecting all the ingredients in the human world was a necessary cost.
Otherwise, relying solely on Zhang Wei's hands, it would take ages to collect these thousands of ingredients, and the wasted time would severely hinder his progress into the Gourmet World.
"Boss, someone is looking for you."
"Who?"
"Grand Sorceress Gelala..."
Zhang Wei looked bewildered.
He was so busy every day, where would he find time to entertain such trivial individuals?
Xifeng added, "That Grand Sorceress Gelala said she has something extremely important to tell you and insisted that you meet her."
"What could it possibly be!"
Xifeng coughed lightly, "Grand Sorceress Gelala is an exceptionally talented fortune teller, and she has accurately predicted many major disasters in the past."
Fortune teller?
A charlatan, right?
Zhang Wei asked, "Did she predict the attack on Moshi City?"
"That... no, she didn't."
"Alright, I don't have that much time. Just have her stay for a meal and send her away."
"Uh... alright."
After the meeting, Xifeng went to the warm reception room.
Inside, a white-haired old woman with a flushed face was devouring food voraciously.
Upon seeing Xifeng, she immediately stopped, wiped her oily mouth, and said with a hint of embarrassment, "Well, as expected of the Treasure Gourmet Academy, the food is truly delicious."
"That... the boss is extremely busy and might not be able to see you for the moment."
Gelala pulled out a crystal ball and said anxiously, "That won't do! Let me tell you, a great sorceress wouldn't personally come to such a forsaken place for anything less than very important matters!"
The Ice Hell Plains had a perpetual temperature of minus seventy degrees Celsius. With the biting cold wind, the perceived temperature was around minus 105 degrees Celsius!
An ordinary person, even wearing thick clothing, would lose vital signs within three and a half minutes.
The laborers at the Great Glacier could only take refuge indoors in structures made of ice. Even indoors, the temperature was only minus twenty degrees Celsius. Many laborers suffered from various illnesses due to the year-round cold, eventually losing their lives.
Xifeng asked, "What is so important? If you can be more specific, perhaps the boss will take it seriously."
The old woman gestured with the crystal ball and hesitated for a moment. "The Sorceress Tower constantly monitors the Northern Continent, guarding against all sorts of natural disasters. Just half a month ago, the crystal ball suddenly issued a warning, and the target was the Ice Hell Plains."
"I then used tarot cards to divine and received astonishing news: a terrifying disaster was about to befall the Ice Hell Plains!"
Xifeng asked, "What kind of disaster?"
"That... I'm not entirely sure. It could be an earthquake, volcanic eruption, blizzard, tsunami... in short, a natural disaster."
Volcanic eruption?
Tsunami?
In the Ice Hell Plains?
Xifeng was speechless. This person was indeed a charlatan. Fortunately, Zhang Wei hadn't come, or it would have been another instance of mishandling.
The Astrologers' Association was a significant force. Now that the Gourmet Bank was just starting to operate, it was crucial to make friends.
Xifeng didn't want to offend her and the Astrologers' Association, so he said, "Old woman... please rest here for a while. If you need more food, I'll instruct the kitchen to prepare it. Afterwards, I'll arrange for someone to escort you out."
Gelala spoke enigmatically, "I'm afraid... I can't wait. By then, it will be too late... too late."
"Alright, but to make me believe you, you must offer some proof."
The old sorceress gave a contemptuous smile and proudly declared, "Fine, I'll show you my divinatory skills!"
Saying that, Gelala produced a deck of cards.
She muttered constantly about the fate of the north, ice disasters, and the like...
The cards danced in the air, and Gelala casually drew one.
"Look, this is the card representing the fate of the north, a sign of great misfortune: Calamitous Raccoon!"
Xifeng was momentarily stunned by this display.
He quickly stepped forward to examine it.
'A sign of great fortune: Welfare Chicken.'
"Cough, cough, cough..."
Gelala said awkwardly, "Actually, I can explain this sort of thing."
Xifeng: ...
Xifeng felt his intelligence was being insulted.
Engaging with her for even one more second would be a disrespect to his life.
In the following days, Xifeng had completely forgotten about the old sorceress.
*Crack...*
*Crack...*
"Strange ice cracking sounds have been ongoing for a whole day."
"Speaking of which, why do I feel a slight tremor in the ground? I should report this."
"Could it be that an earthquake is going to happen here?"
For those with gourmet cells, ground cracking and trembling would hardly cause any harm, and collapsing buildings would be unlikely to injure them.
However, if the warm room were to be destroyed, given the temperature of the Ice Hell, it would only take four hours to claim the lives of laborers around level five.
And that was while wearing the highest-grade cold-weather gear from the West Coast!
Xifeng was startled when he received the news. The matter of the old sorceress immediately came to mind.
Following that, a whistling explosion sound came from within the blizzard, and an intense heat emanated from a distance.
"Fire... volcanic eruption?"
"In the Ice Hell Plains?"
"This is utter nonsense!"
Xifeng rushed out of the house and found that the roaring sound was not far away.
And that direction was towards the Great Glacier...
The long-abandoned site of the Great Glacier!
"Holy hell!"
He saw soaring blue flames erupting from beneath the base of the glacier. The surrounding falling snowflakes were melting into rain, then evaporating.
These blue flames were like windproof matches, unquenchable despite the howling north wind.
A true volcano!
The entire Great Glacier was on fire!
"Quick! Someone, put out the fire! What are you all standing around for, get moving!"
Xifeng was terrified. The people around could only weakly say, "How do we put it out..."
Right!
How to put it out...
It's over. The Century Treasure Association is gone, and the Gourmet Display Window is also gone.
Ultimately...
Alas, never mind. As long as the Gourmet Bank is safe, everything else is fine.
Just then!
A thick fog appeared out of nowhere on the ice plain, impervious to the strong winds.
From within the fog, a giant toad opened its mouth, and Zhang Wei leaped out.
"Hey, why are you all standing around doing nothing instead of working?"
Xifeng rushed forward and hugged his leg, "Boss, you're finally back! Hurry and put out the fire, the Great Glacier is collapsing."
Zhang Wei was taken aback and looked at the burning Great Glacier in the distance.
Then he burst into hearty laughter!
"Hahaha, it's here, it's finally here! The day for the methane hydrate eruption! I thought it would take many more years."
"That... what is that?"
Zhang Wei explained, "Methane hydrate. It's an icy substance crystallized within the lattice structure of oceanic energy mineral molecules, containing specific methane gas. It's commonly known as combustible ice!"
"When methane ice erupts, it generates immense heat, causing the Gourmet Display Window to warm up. The meltwater from the Gourmet Display Window is a delicacy of unprecedented proportions!"
"Since the methane water in the Ice Hell erupts once every hundred years, I shall name that delicacy – Century Soup!"
Century Soup!
A treasure that appears only once a century!
Zhang Wei continued, "Hurry and go take a look. The methane water will react with the ice of the Ice Hell, allowing us to extract the nutrients from the frozen ingredients. I believe there is already enough soup beneath the Gourmet Display Window waiting for us."
The Gourmet Display Window was hundreds of feet tall, its peak reaching the top of the Great Glacier, and its base extended deep underground.
Zhang Wei had seen the Gourmet Display Window before; it was indeed a marvel of creation, and even the Gourmet Bank's storage facilities were modeled after it.
"Intent Manifestation, Golden Bell Shield!"
"Fire Resistance Mode!"
He fully deployed the Golden Bell Shield to form a defensive posture, preventing the external methane flames from encroaching on him.
Zhang Wei led a group of people towards the Great Glacier, the heat waves radiating from a distance.
"I can hear water underfoot, it seems the Great Glacier is melting significantly."
"And this peculiar aroma..."
In the original work, methane ice didn't present such a magnificent spectacle; it usually burned beneath the continent, turning the glacier into a pot and the methane ice into the fire.
And this enticing aroma was the exquisite flavor produced by the initial processing of the Century Soup.
"If this is the first time, the quantity of Century Soup must be considerable."
"I hope it can be collected multiple times... not just once every hundred years, that would be too much."