Gang Tu's heart leaped uncontrollably.
A single gold coin weighed 120 grams and was valued at 1000 Berries.
This chest could hold twenty such coins, with fifty coins per coin...
Altogether, this amounted to a full 1000 gold Berries, a million!
Gang Tu gasped, one million Berries!
And that was just the deposit; the full payment would be several million!
When did Tam become so rich?
Moreover, even if he caught them all, how could Tam possibly use so many ingredients?
"Don't ask too many questions, it's all confidential. Just tell me if you can take this job!"
"Yes!!"
Without a second thought, Gang Tu shot up!
The deposit alone was a million, the biggest order he had ever seen. Even if he worked himself to death, he couldn't gather this much in less than three to five years.
If he got two more orders like this, he could retire directly and enjoy a comfortable and prosperous middle age.
Financial freedom!
Zhang Wei said, "Gang Tu, we have a pretty good relationship, I trust you with this. It's just that this is urgent, you see..."
"Don't worry, Tam. I've been a gourmet hunter for so many years, I have some connections. It'll take at most a month and a half to gather it all for you!"
"A month and a half... that's a bit long."
Gang Tu countered, "Thirty-five days! No shorter. For some places, the travel alone takes three to four days, plus scouting, gathering information, and setting traps. Those times are not negligible."
"Thirty days! Can you do it!"
Gang Tu pondered for a long time, then gritted his teeth, "Yes!"
"And there's more!"
Zhang Wei flipped open the list. The last page had been crossed out, indicating the item was impossible to capture.
The image depicted a uniquely shaped goldfish with long, flowing tails like a skirt, ten times more magnificent than a fairy fish.
Zhang Wei pointed at the picture. "I want this, the Level 25 Phoenix Carp."
"But... but the Phoenix Carp is already on the brink of extinction. We can't find any trace of their populations in the wild."
Phoenix Carp, also known as Phoenix Koi.
Not only were they incredibly beautiful, but they also greatly replenished vital energy. Legend had it that they had the power to revive the dead, truly miraculous!
However, after prolonged hunting, wild Phoenix Carp had become extremely rare, almost impossible to find.
Although its capture level was only 25, considering the difficulty of searching, it was easily worth more than 35.
Moreover, due to its rarity, its market price had already exceeded 1.5 million Berries. A single fish was more than a year's revenue for Gang Tu!
Gang Tu advised, "Many people want Phoenix Carp, it's not just about money. Besides..."
"Even if someone catches one, they'd rather trade with higher-ranking chefs. Getting to know them would be very beneficial for the future."
The implication was clear: with Tam's strength, he wasn't qualified to obtain such high-level ingredients.
Those who could capture Phoenix Carp were no ordinary people, and they preferred to befriend stronger chefs...
Don't ask why, just accept it's about connections and social circles.
"Two million!"
"Huh?"
"Two point three million! If you can deliver the Phoenix Carp, I'm willing to buy it for 800,000 above market price! And from now on, when you dine here, I'll only charge you the cost price!"
"This... I can only say I'll try. Don't get your hopes too high."
Gang Tu added, "If I'm lucky, it might take a month or two; if I'm unlucky, it could take eight to ten years!"
...
After Gang Tu left, the small restaurant began its business.
Tam, as a four-star level chef, catered to high-end clients.
This also led Zhang Wei to notice a strange pattern: despite the Cloud Country being a producer of top-tier vegetables, the nobility had a strong preference for heavy meat dishes.
Looking at Tam's menu, there were very few light preparations.
Dishes like crispy pork belly, braised pig trotters, braised beef, steamed pig feet, and red-braised pork were common.
"These are all dishes with very strong flavors. Perhaps it's related to the high price of salt in the Cloud Country."
"Soy sauce, oyster sauce, salt and pepper... they all cost considerably more than in the human world, as the Cloud Country has no mineral mining."
Familiarizing himself with Tam's entire three-story building and its backyard.
He thoroughly searched the cabinets inside, gathering all valuable information from clothes, money, ledgers, and diaries...
According to the ledger, Tam had received an order a month ago for fifteen servings of "best cuisine" delivered daily at 3 PM, with high requirements for both nutrition and taste.
"Fifteen servings, meaning the number of nobles is fifteen."
"And they require the restaurant's 'best cuisine,' indicating they are not short on money... This ton of food would cost around 15,000 Berries. After deducting costs, Tam makes about 5,000 Berries daily from this order."
The sun dipped below the other side of the clouds.
Zhang Wei stepped outside the room. The sky was filled with countless stars, the Milky Way like a flowing ribbon.
The altitude of tens of thousands of meters meant the air was very thin, so the sky was free from any dust.
"Fortunately, my physique is good, and my lung capacity is excellent. Coupled with my 'Shí Mò Zhī Shù' (Art of Food Consumption) which reduces physical exertion, just the altitude sickness would have reduced my strength by seventy percent."
"First, I'll make a plan for a month, waiting for Gang Tu's ingredients, and maintain Tam's identity in the meantime."
"I can't be idle during this period either. Those treasures within the Fen Fan Immortal Palace need to be thoroughly investigated."
Closing the shop door,
Zhang Wei transformed back into his scarab beetle form, intending to scale the wall and enter the Fen Fan Immortal Palace.
"Hmm? What is this?"
"Electric fence?"
In just twelve hours, not only had the wall been raised, but it was also now topped with wire that crackled with electricity.
Clearly, this was enough time for the people of Fen Fan Immortal Palace to notice the anomaly.
"A mere electric fence thinks it can stop me?"
"Behold my peerless qinggong!"
Saying this, Zhang Wei dived straight into the clouds...
Ahem, as long as I can get in, I don't need to be particular about the method.
In the vegetable garden, Zhang Wei emerged from the soil.
"The soil is very moist, with a dark, shiny color. It's top-grade humus soil, usually found several meters deep in primeval forests."
"The soil in the Cloud Country is composed of dust, floating algae, bird droppings, and other substances. There would never be such fertile soil. The entire garden's soil must have been dug up from the human world."
[Found storable ingredient: Cocoa Eggplant]
[Capture Level: 1-15]
[Origin: Cloud Country]
[Description: A small, dark brown eggplant. When ripe, it contains a large amount of cocoa butter, which can be processed into a rich cocoa tea or used as a raw material for ice cream. Its unique vegetable flavor enhances the overall taste.]
Zhang Wei looked around at the eggplant plants everywhere.
The dark brown eggplants were small, about half the size of his palm.
Zhang Wei casually picked one, broke it open, and the warmth of his hand melted the inside into a viscous chocolate.
"I've run into such a good thing right after arriving."