Progress City, Sky Bandit Alliance
“Mr. General Manager, this is the bill sent back by Haru.”
“According to the intelligence received, Mr. Haru single-handedly broke through the Secret Realm Exploration Association but did not find the Rainbow Fruit.”
As soon as this news broke, the conference room of the Sky Bandit Alliance exploded.
“Broke through the Secret Realm Exploration Association? That’s a large organization even bigger than the Century Collection Association!”
“What is this Haru’s background, to be so strong.”
The General Manager smiled calmly: “Haru… Have you all heard of the Himalayas?”
“The Himalayas, known as the Roof of the World? The foremost mountain range in the human world?”
“Indeed!”
The General Manager chuckled: “The climate there is harsh and resources are scarce. The tribes that live there can only earn a certain amount of funds by working as mercenaries to support the entire tribe.”
“And the largest of these tribes is called Kulk! Haru is Kulk’s strongest warrior! He is hailed by his tribesmen as…”
“A reincarnation of Indra and Shitian!”
Everyone was shocked. Indra and Shitian were revered deities in local mythology.
To refer to someone in such a way, one could imagine his terror!!
“As expected of the General Manager! To be able to hire such a powerful individual!”
“If long-term cooperation can be maintained, the Sky Bandit Alliance’s revival is within reach!”
Amidst the flattery, the General Manager opened the bill.
*Bang!!!*
The General Manager slammed the table heavily, and everyone fell silent.
The General Manager said viciously, “What did he do to dare demand a reward of 5.4 million Belize!”
This was blatant blackmail!
The bill was detailed, even listing expenses for entertainment during his travels.
The largest item was the breach of the Secret Agent Association, amounting to 1.5 million Belize alone.
There was also the discovery of major resources, a hefty 2 million!
“What major resources?”
An envoy beside him handed over a box containing a pile of red and green pills and a stack of experimental notes.
As he flipped through the notebook, the General Manager’s breathing grew rapid.
His expression shifted from indignant to astonished and delighted.
“Mr. General Manager… what is that?”
“Confidential!”
The General Manager immediately clutched the box and ordered, “Investigate the personnel who handled it mid-route immediately. Any leakage of information will be met with death!”
“You all continue, I need to go to the board of directors. This matter is of extreme importance!”
Everyone exchanged glances, wondering what was in the box.
In Sky Bandit Alliance Co., Ltd., the true beneficiaries were the behind-the-scenes board of directors.
These people were merely employees.
And the board of directors belonged to an even higher-level organization, whom no one except the General Manager had the chance to meet.
…
On the ice plain, Zhang Wei carved out an ice house with his bare fists.
The wind still howled at the entrance, but the soil in front of Zhang Wei burned spontaneously, and wisps of aroma cut through the sky along the ventilation.
“This refined fat has a very low ignition point and burns fiercely.”
“When mixed with soil, it can prolong the burning time.”
A large earthenware pot sat over the flames, containing about 30 liters of soup.
Its color was as vibrant as dye, and its consistency was like clear oil. This was the sixth installment of the Bronze Cauldron Soup series that Zhang Wei had recently brewed.
Bone Broth!
The bone broth, mixed with various meats, was rich and flavorful. Paired with scallions, ginger, star anise, cinnamon, and bay leaves, it was extremely satisfying.
“The previous batch has been completely consumed. Today, I’ve changed three ingredients and brewed a new batch of bone broth.”
“The Treasure Vault chose to accept it, and the replication time has been shortened from 270 days to 258 days.”
“I just don’t know which flavor the replicated batch will lean towards.”
Although the previous bone broth was top-tier, Zhang Wei still wanted to push the limits.
He poured a large bowl and drank it down in one gulp.
His throat rumbled with the sound of hearty drinking.
“Satisfying!”
“After refinement through the art of precise eating, this bowl contains the nutrition of sixty servings.”
“With this pot, at my current consumption rate, it will be enough for the entire day.”
In the stormy, snowy evening.
A towering figure appeared outside Zhang Wei’s ice house.
“A guest has arrived, come in and sit down.”
The ice door was pushed open, and a grotesquely obese man shuffled in.
The胖子 grinned and said, “I’ve traveled hundreds of miles, running from dawn till dusk, and I’ve completely lost my way.”
Zhang Wei gestured for the胖子 to sit and produced another set of cutlery.
“Serve yourself, I won’t be your attendant.”
The胖子 sniffed the aroma and swallowed, “What kind of soup is this? I’ve traveled far and wide, and I’ve never smelled such an aroma.”
“It’s a new dish I’m experimenting with, unfortunately, it’s not yet perfect.”
The胖子’s eyes widened, “And you call this not perfect? If it were perfect, what would it be like? If those renowned restaurants heard you, they’d die of shame!”
“Heh, eat quickly.”
The胖子 didn’t hesitate. After serving himself a bowl, he picked up a small spoon and scooped a tiny bit onto his tongue.
His delicate movements were in stark contrast to his enormous physique.
As the soup touched his tongue, the胖子 shivered all over.
Then, with a look of exhilaration, he roared, “Good! Good! Good!”
“I have had the honor of tasting the cuisine of a ten-star divine chef, and this soup is even more delicious than his!”
“Ten-star divine chef?”
“You don’t know?”
“Tell me.”
The胖子 said, “Chefs in the world are classified by stars, from one-star novice to ten-star divine chef.”
“The promotion of chefs is based on merit. Besides serving as head chef in hotels of the corresponding rank, they must also have exclusive works published in culinary magazines.”
“In addition to the accumulation of reputation, star promotion involves extremely important assessment rituals, with extremely rigorous culinary evaluations!”
The胖子 spoke fluently, clearly with a strong pursuit of chefs and gastronomy.
However, in this world, chefs received immense attention, not inferior to top stars in his previous life.
The胖子 praised, “Your culinary skills are definitely ten-star level! Even if you know few dishes, eight stars would be no problem!”
Few dishes?
Hearing this, Zhang Wei couldn’t help but shake his head and chuckle.
“Don’t be discouraged, even an eight-star chef is someone many master chefs look up to!”
Saying that, the胖子 took out a 150-liter wooden barrel from his backpack.
“A cup?”
“Sure.”
He opened the lid, and pale yellow malt beer flowed out, with white foam rising, carrying a faint aroma of alcohol.
“This is Rhine Spring Water, one of the top ten beers in the world. The spring only produces eight hundred barrels a year, and I usually hesitate to drink it myself.”
Zhang Wei drank it and also praised it.
He didn’t expect this胖子 to be so generous. He enjoyed Zhang Wei’s soup and reciprocated with fine wine.
Zhang Wei glanced at the backpack, whose volume had not changed, and then at the 150-liter wooden barrel.
“Is that a spatial equipment?”
The胖子 smiled mysteriously, “Have you heard of the Eight Kings?”