Half a month had passed since the Bruce incident, and the security within the glacier had become increasingly stringent, with new faces appearing among the guards daily.
A guard post every three steps, a sentry every five.
Under the strict scrutiny, it was difficult for Zhang Wei to sneak into the kitchen at night, which had made Tang Zhihun quite dejected for a long time.
Processing Room.
The supervisor handed over a list of ingredients with a smile, "Brother Wei, what ingredients do you want to process today?"
Since Zhang Wei became the assistant head chef, his status had risen, and he was now a member of the high-level zone.
And the supervisor, who used to be arrogant towards the laborers, now seemed more like a waiter in front of Zhang Wei.
"Capturing level one Demon Beetle? Never heard of it."
The supervisor immediately replied, "These beetles like to eat horseradish. When defending themselves, they spray the horseradicin stored in their bodies to scare away birds. Dried horseradicin is top-grade wasabi."
"Interesting, interesting. Give me ten. What about this Ghost King Bee?"
"A migratory, highly venomous bee that has no fixed nest. Its young are nurtured entirely by the pollen on its body fermented into honey."
"Honey... give me twenty! And this Salt Crab, thirty! Milk Coconut... fifty!"
The supervisor cheerfully jotted it down in his notebook. This master, single-handedly, could process the amount of work for thirty laborers, so he had to be served well.
After all, the supervisor's commission depended entirely on the workload of the laborers under him.
Zhang Wei was also in a good mood. Since he had transmigrated here, his Treasure Hall had gained at least a hundred new rare ingredients, with the fastest replication time being only 28 hours!
In contrast, during his decades in Shokugeki no Soma and on Blue Star, he had collected less than forty kinds.
He sank his mind into the Treasure Hall.
On a perpetually burning stove, over a dozen pots of various sizes were placed, exuding fragrance.
As his strength increased, Zhang Wei's appetite grew even more astonishing.
Ordinary ingredients could no longer satisfy his energy needs. Even the nourishing meat of the Galon Tiger, he could eat thirty kilograms in one sitting!
Calculated by calories, Galon Tiger meat contained five times the energy of ordinary meat!
If Zhang Wei concealed his power using 'Devour' and maintained a steady consumption, his weight would remain around 140 jin.
If he unleashed his full strength, he would transform into a muscular hulk, with his weight soaring to about 450 jin.
In this world of pure physical might, weight was the symbol of strength!
The laws of physics, such as the conservation of mass, were completely inapplicable in this world.
The culinary exhibition area had only gained five or six new display stands.
【Clay Pot Stewed Whole Ox, Replication Time: 13 Days】
【Galon Tiger Feast, Replication Time: 16 Days】
【Raindrop Fruit Grand Platter, Replication Time: 25 Days】
【Mountain of Meat Barbecue, Replication Time: 40 Days】
...
...
The actual Clay Pot Stewed Whole Ox consisted of twenty-eight pots, encompassing every part of the ox.
The Galon Tiger Feast, on the other hand, was a whole tiger banquet composed of eighteen dishes, incredibly luxurious!
What was sent to Tang Zhihun was merely a truncated version.
Since most of the raw materials originated from the Treasure Hall, Zhang Wei could repeatedly produce them without limit. Every time the ingredients were replicated, he had to cook them anew.
If the replication time were not shortened, he feared he wouldn't be able to keep up with Zhang Wei's appetite.
As his appetite grew day by day, Zhang Wei's strength also became more formidable.
The solid ice in his hands felt like jelly, and steel was as brittle as fried pastry...
Unfortunately, Zhang Wei currently had no place to vent his strength and couldn't test how powerful he had become.
Beneath the Century Icicle.
"According to reliable sources, four underground organizations in the black market have accepted missions concerning us."
"Scouts on the periphery report that suspicious individuals have been seen moving around the borders of the Ice Hell Plains recently."
"The bounty for the Rainbow Fruit has increased by 37.5% in half a month..."
"The two-headed pterosaurs responsible for transporting supplies to the glacier were attacked by unknown creatures, and three of them lost their ability to fly completely."
Xi Feng closed his eyes, listening to the series of bad news from his subordinates.
The recent events had left everyone exhausted.
Wu Yong slammed the table and roared, "These sneaky bastards! Don't they dare to face us head-on with real swords and guns? I'll crush their balls!"
Personnel Director Aud lazily said, "Don't rush. This is just the initial probing and information gathering. When we truly need to act, it will be with thunderous force! You won't be able to kill all the enemies then..."
"President, we cannot just wait to be slaughtered!"
"That's right, we should think of a way and take the initiative."
Xi Feng waved his hand and said to Aud, "Tell me more about the mercenaries."
Aud was stunned, "You agree?"
"Just want to hear it."
"I plan to hire professional mercenaries from three different security companies. On one hand, it can create mutual checks and balances. On the other hand, these professional mercenaries have their families under the control of the security companies, ensuring their loyalty!"
"Aud, I'll leave this matter to you."
Everyone was quite surprised. Xi Feng had always strictly controlled the armed forces of the Great Glacier and never allowed external forces to enter.
Let alone large armed forces.
Aud nodded, "Don't worry, I will select the most powerful and reliable teams!"
...
...
Above the glacier, several giant floating wooden ships sailed in. Large airbags provided sufficient buoyancy, but they were also more susceptible to the wind.
The anchors were plunged into the ice and snow, and countless strong young men descended the soft ladders.
These young men were wrapped in thick animal skins and still had a hint of novelty on their faces.
"These are newly replenished laborers, seven thousand people in total, bought at a great price."
"Yes, disperse them among the old employees to quickly form a labor force."
"Yes!"
A supervisor led a dirty laborer to Zhang Wei.
"Brother Wei, this is the new recruit for your team."
Half a month ago, Kameda Heisan had died in bed, supposedly from a chill entering his abdomen according to the autopsy. Wang Meng was also not in good condition, his complexion having turned quite sallow recently.
Looking at the dirty laborer, Zhang Wei's heart skipped a beat.
"There are only two people in our team, and we don't need any new hands."
The supervisor looked troubled, "A team of three is a mandatory regulation, I can't do anything about it."
The thin laborer timidly said, "Hello everyone, my name is Momo."
His voice was young, perhaps only fifteen or sixteen years old.
Wang Meng, being friendly, stepped forward and started chatting with Momo incessantly, appearing very enthusiastic.
Zhang Wei, however, took half a step back, maintaining a safe distance.
This new laborer...
Was not simple.
"The animal skin is old, but the stitching is brand new. Although he's made himself dirty, you can see his skin is ruddy, and he doesn't seem to care about this icy weather at all."
"Is he an infiltrator like Bruce? The Great Glacier is indeed lively."
"And this lingering scent, it seems to be a high-end perfume..."