Zhang Wei dared not act rashly. According to Xie Min, the beast-eared girl, this gourd vine could not be transplanted, so stealing it would be useless.
Helpless, Zhang Wei had to retreat.
It was a pity that so many guards had already been subdued. The infiltration would definitely be exposed.
"What should I do now..."
"Perhaps this chef's identity can still be utilized!"
"As long as the cooking skills remain, no one should suspect a distinguished chef."
After the nobles finished eating, Zhang Wei pushed his cart away. He casually apprehended two more informants and quickly learned of Tam's residence.
Outside the Fading Immortal Palace, a very exquisite small building.
Tam was solitary by nature, preferring to be alone, with no close relatives or companions, making him easy to impersonate.
Zhang Wei arrived in front of the small building. It had a shop attached, a small restaurant that could clearly accommodate a limited number of customers.
"Kengqi Family Meat Ingredients Little Fresh..."
"The name is quite strange. At first listen, it sounds a bit like a raw meat shop, with a hint of Japanese cuisine."
He pushed open the door and saw that the prices on the menu were extremely high. Anything ordered would cost hundreds of Belli.
With such prices, it indicated a chef of about 3-4 star skill level, slightly inferior to the Soul of Soup.
Just as Zhang Wei was about to familiarize himself with the environment and use it as a temporary base, the door was suddenly pushed open.
A burly man, four meters tall, walked in with his head lowered. His mouth was larger than Tam's head!
His skin was grayish-brown, and his nostrils were on his back.
He was a perfect whale monster!
The whale monster rumbled, "You're back. I've been waiting for you."
This was bad; it was an acquaintance!
Could he be a diner?
Zhang Wei mimicked Tam's tone, "What do you want to eat?"
"You stingy guy, are you planning to treat me?"
"Of course, I have to spend money."
The whale monster rolled its eyes, its two small eyes barely visible.
"Enough with the talk, come quickly and look at the goods!"
Look at the goods?
"Mm, alright."
Zhang Wei deliberately slowed his steps, lingering behind the whale monster, letting it lead the way.
They went to the backyard, where two large lizards were pulling a two-wheeled cart. A chilling aura emanated from the carriage.
The whale monster lifted the cover of the carriage, revealing a pool of ice with dozens of fish swimming inside. Next to it, in a cage, were several small white pigs.
[New Inventory Ingredient Found: Fairy Fish]
[Capture Level: 7-15]
[Location: Cloud Ice Lake]
[Dietary Effect: Nourishes and Benefits Qi]
[Description: A type of fish that prefers low temperatures and possesses flight capabilities. However, prolonged exposure to air will lead to suffocation, and excessive dryness will cause permanent damage to its fins, scales, and eyes!
It primarily inhabits between cumulonimbus clouds, sustaining itself on the cold and moisture from hailstones, making it extremely difficult to catch. Legend has it that there are lakes and other wonders above the clouds. When a Fairy Fish leaps out of the water, it can create a rainbow, hence its name.]
————————————————
[New Inventory Ingredient Found: Scallion Scented Pig]
[Capture Level: 12-17]
[Location: Cloud Country - Scallion Forest]
[Dietary Effect: Clears Heat, Detoxifies, Aids Digestion]
[Description: A type of pig that does not grow large, with a maximum weight of only 80kg. Due to geographical factors, 95% of its diet consists of various large scallions, so its meat carries a natural scallion fragrance and is very low in fat.
Its meat is extremely tender and lacks the gamey odor of ordinary wild boars. It is one of the few porks that can be eaten as sashimi. It is also excellent for stir-frying and stewing.]
————————————————
"Scallion Forest... Cloud Ice Lake... What wonderful places! One can tell they hold countless treasures!"
"These two ingredients are also excellent. I've never seen them in any guide, they are extremely rare and precious."
Zhang Wei praised, "The fish are very fresh, and the pigs look excellent too!"
The whale monster patted its chest proudly, "Of course! These are goods I just caught, they must be of the best quality!"
So, this whale monster is a gourmet hunter?
Making a living by acquiring delicious ingredients.
This was Zhang Wei's first encounter with a gourmet hunter, though strictly speaking, the Gourmet Detective from the World Treasures Association and Jun Qing's partner Heng Xing also belonged to the ranks of gourmet hunters.
"That Gang Tu, although catching these ingredients is hard work, but..."
"What, you want to haggle?"
Gang Tu's eyes widened, and his large mouth opened as if to swallow Zhang Wei!
"Let me tell you, my goods are never discounted!"
"No, no, no."
Zhang Wei waved his hand, "I've recently taken on some big orders, and your current stock is completely insufficient. Please make a few more trips!"
"Is it the order from over there?"
As he spoke, Gang Tu's eyes flickered towards the Fading Immortal Palace.
Zhang Wei nodded.
Gang Tu laughed heartily, rubbing his fingers together, "What's hard work? It's not hard work to make money! Just tell me what you want, there's nothing Gang Tu can't catch! But..."
"How much are these?"
"One Fairy Fish is 1500, and one Scallion Scented Pig is 3500. Knock off the decimals, and it's 75,000 Belli for you. You can pre-order other goods, but you'll have to pay some deposit, which is reasonable, right?"
Seventy-five thousand Belli, a small sum.
As for the deposit, Zhang Wei didn't care at all.
Just as he was about to wave his hand to summon from the Treasure Hall, he immediately realized his current identity.
He pretended to rummage around in the house before coming out with a chest of cash placed on the table.
Lifting the lid revealed neatly stacked 1000-denomination golden Belli.
Gang Tu's eyes widened, "You... you miser actually saved so much money? I thought you spent it all at the pleasure houses!"
Tam's life had no other hobbies except for the voluptuous sisters at the pleasure houses.
He was usually stingy precisely to save more money and win a smile from his beloved.
"Enough of that, what can you supply? Do you have a list?"
"Don't you already have it?"
Although he said that, Gang Tu still handed over something resembling a menu from his waist.
Upon opening it, Fairy Fish and Scallion Scented Pig were both listed, priced at 1800 and 4200 respectively, clearly indicating some markup in the list prices.
There were about a hundred items on the list, all rare delicacies Zhang Wei had never heard of, considered rare even in the Cloud Country, let alone the Northern Lands.
Zhang Wei flipped through it, unwilling to part with any of them...
"Um, you've worked hard. I'll take everything on the list."
*Pfft*
Gang Tu spat out a mouthful of tea.
"What did you say?"
"Everything on the list, I want it all!"
Gang Tu's eyes widened, "Tam, don't try to fool me, there are over a hundred ingredients here!"
"That's right!"
"Damn it, you're playing me! These ingredients are scattered across more than a dozen regions, it will take ages just to travel there!"
"It's just a little more work."
"I don't have time. I'm not going to run all over the place for one or two items."
Zhang Wei immediately said, "Who said one or two items?"
"Then how many do you want?"
Zhang Wei pointed at the chest of golden Belli and said, "How much can this money pre-order?"
"Ah, this..."