Several people recalled the dish.
Cabbage and tofu, cooked rice, cold cucumber salad, stir-fried beef and fish, with honey-glazed and salt-and-pepper versions.
Additionally, there were three types of bean paste for dipping, each with a different flavor.
But it seemed… nothing special.
Zhang Wei said, "That dish was indeed very ordinary, there's no doubt about it. Its only value was to test your palates."
Qingcheng suddenly realized, "In that case, I think I understand! The cold cucumber salad had salty and sour flavors… the bean pastes were three different levels of spiciness… and the stir-fried beef and fish were prepared in two ways, peppered and honey-glazed, totaling four flavors…"
Thinking this way, the other two also seemed to grasp something.
Within a small dish, it surprisingly encompassed six flavors: sour, sweet, bitter, spicy, salty, and umami…
Each flavor was not complex, or rather, it was somewhat rustic, lacking any composite tastes. But these primitive flavors were remarkably representative.
So that's how it is…
The Skin Doll suddenly said, "More than that, this dish has rice and vegetables. The dishes include stewed cabbage with slippery tofu, and also methods like stir-frying meat… it should be to test which cooking methods we prefer."
"And a balance of meat and vegetables…"
"I understand why they only let us eat half…"
"The flavors we prefer will be consumed more! By observing the remaining dishes, we can clearly see!"
Zhang Wei nodded with satisfaction.
Given their knowledge, a little guidance was enough for them to guess most of it.
However, they had overlooked one detail.
While they were tasting the flavors, Zhang Wei had been observing their expressions, actions, and micro-expressions.
After each dish entered their mouths, their degree of enjoyment… whether they frowned, smiled, looked serious, or relaxed…
All of this was very important information!
During his culinary battles, Zhang Wei could judge the outcome of a competition by observing the judges' micro-expressions.
Sometimes, he could even place side bets and earn a little.
Hurricane continued to ask, "But even if our tastes were figured out, how can breaking through one barrier increase our strength so much?"
"This amount is equivalent to the effect of three level-ups."
"What kind of culinary effect could boost the Skin Doll's strength to such an exaggerated degree!"
The Skin Doll herself wanted to know about this topic even more!
Qingcheng also perked up his ears, looking eager to learn…
This knowledge was crucial for future strength growth, and they dared not miss a single word.
Seeing their curiosity, Zhang Wei had to explain, "You've misunderstood. I haven't increased the Skin Doll's power by much."
The Skin Doll was puzzled, "But… my strength has clearly grown so much."
"That is what you should have possessed!"
"I merely stimulated it to emerge."
Zhang Wei recounted the Skin Doll's story again.
To research more advanced transformation techniques, she chose to sew an ancient material onto her body surface, using nerve connections to enhance control…
These materials replaced the Skin Doll's original skin.
Nourished by her blood, they grew stronger day by day.
"It's actually very simple. These materials are like some kind of parasite, or perhaps a symbiote."
"Although you hold the dominant position, they are constantly eroding you… your nervous system has been bearing more than ten times the usual operational load for a long time, and it's already exhausted."
This situation was like a human and a parasite sharing the same brain.
The long-term overload had already caused significant damage.
This was also why the Skin Doll felt pain when maintaining her transformation techniques.
Zhang Wei took a soup bowl from the side and sipped the dregs, saying, "You should be able to taste that quite a few medicines were added here."
"Mm-hmm~ But I know nothing about medicine, I don't know what this is."
"Bone Marrow Nourishing and Weakness Restoring Decoction."
The three looked bewildered, having never heard of this name.
However, this soup was quite famous on Blue Star.
"Radix Polygoni Multiflori Caulis, Lily bulb, Mulberry fruit, Lingzhi mushroom, Turtle plastron, Raw Astragalus Root, Chinese Yam, Gardenia fruit, Cortex Moutan Radicis, Scutellaria Baicalensis…"
"Many of these are delicious ingredients that can be used as the base for a soup."
"The effect of this soup is to strengthen the central nervous system and nourish the spinal cord, allowing your body to regain control!"
"Furthermore, this bowl of medicinal soup also has significant effects for waste removal, detoxification, and expelling parasites. It seems to have worked well."
The blood on the ground still emitted a foul odor.
Strictly speaking, it was pus accumulated from a long period of coexisting with parasites.
It could also be considered the parasites' excrement…
After drinking one bowl of soup, over several hundred kilograms were expelled!
The deworming medicine was relatively gentle. Although it cleared more than half of the Skin Doll's parasites, they were all dead tissues without any vitality.
They occupied brain memory while providing only minimal benefits.
After clearing out that useless waste, the Skin Doll naturally felt unprecedentedly relaxed.
Having explained the intricacies, the three looked at him with even greater admiration.
Whether it was his culinary skills or his meticulous planning, Zhang Wei had reached a terrifying level…
Such an ability to effortlessly elevate others was something any organization would dream of.
The Skin Doll sighed, "No wonder you could defeat Master Lou Ming of our Black List. You… are truly deserving."
"Lou Ming… he is also a very outstanding chef."
Zhang Wei was never stingy with his praise for strong opponents.
Hurricane immediately said, "Mr. Zhang, is it my turn next?"
"Hmm…"
Zhang Wei pondered for a moment and glanced at the time.
"There isn't much time left…"
Hurricane's heart sank.
Was it going to be canceled?
"I'll do yours and the other one's together."
Hurricane almost collapsed.
Having witnessed the Skin Doll's improvement, if it were not his turn… it would be worse than killing him!
"However…"
Hurricane's heart tightened again.
Zhang Wei pointed to the pus on the ground and said, "We need to move to another place to continue…"
…………………………
………………
One day later, on the peak of Blazing Sun Mountain.
This place had been completely taken over by the Northern Alliance Army and was a crucial supply line for the north.
If this position were lost, none of the 200,000 allied troops would survive!
Zhang Wei and the other three ascended the mountain path, the steep rock face appearing as flat ground.
As they walked, Hurricane instructed Zhang Wei on his movement techniques.
The current Zhang Wei could already summon air currents to propel himself forward. If he reached a higher level of mastery, he could fly.
According to Hurricane, Zhang Wei's progress was already quite fast, but to reach the point of flight, it would require another six months of arduous training.
Suddenly!
A pale white cold light shot out like a star!
"Star dart?"
"Hmph~"
Hurricane waved his hand, and the air currents blew away all the hidden weapons.
"Who is responsible for the defense here? Come out and see me!"
The grass rustled, and a dozen people in camouflage suits with their faces covered emerged and immediately knelt on the ground.
Hurricane pointed at them and said, "If you weren't using the Black List's exclusive star darts, I would have killed you!"
The masked figures remained silent, still kneeling with their heads bowed.
"These lumps of wood…"
Zhang Wei stopped Hurricane and asked, "What is the situation at the front lines?"
"Not optimistic…"
"Explain in detail."
"My knowledge is limited. It seems to be related to supply transportation issues and terrain factors."
The terrain of the Cloud Kingdom…