In the mess hall, people of different classes were clearly separated.
Laborers in tattered animal hides gnawed on energy bars, while supervisors in grey uniforms received extra portions of liquor to ward off the cold.
The richly dressed upper class had their own dining area, with the aroma of their meals wafting through the air.
"My chilblains on my feet have gotten worse. I wish I could hold them by a stove."
"Don't even think about it. Since heating caused an ice shelf collapse half a year ago, any source of heat is strictly forbidden now!"
"Bullshit, how can those higher-ups eat warm food?"
"If you could fuse with Gourmet Cells, you could eat warm food too!"
"Hmph, those scumbags! They use the excuse of constructing food display cases and preserving seeds of rare delicacies for the world, making us ordinary people suffer!"
"Alright, say less and eat up."
...
Within the labor district, Zhang Wei strained his ears, collecting every useful piece of information.
"Food display cases..."
Zhang Wei had a rough idea of the time he had transmigrated to. It should be before the main story began.
Gourmet Cells were the source of the extraordinary powers of Gourmet Hunters.
The manga mentioned the gourmet noble Blue Torini, who forcibly infused them into humans, creating the Demon Food World from failed attempts.
But how could ordinary people acquire them?
Zhang Wei repeatedly recalled the plot of the manga, and a flash of inspiration struck his mind!
"Eating!"
That's right, eating!
The main theme of Toriko!
Toriko, an orphan, was adopted by President Ichiryu and, while learning martial arts, was able to taste a large number of rare ingredients.
Throughout Toriko, all the strong individuals were gourmands!
"Eating rare ingredients, or a large quantity of rare ingredients?"
Zhang Wei sank his mind into the Treasury.
"After processing seven Ghost Face Mushrooms, the replication time has been reduced from 100 days to 24 days."
Such a long replication cycle and scarcity made awakening Gourmet Cells a pipe dream.
"Building the Century Ice Pillar requires vast amounts of ingredients. As a laborer, I can perfectly benefit from this."
"This place is truly my lucky spot!"
"If I want to reside here long-term, the first thing to solve is the problem of severe cold."
Glancing at the inexhaustible fire on the stove, Zhang Wei sighed.
"It's a pity the Treasury can only contain the mind, not the physical body."
Having lived three lives, this current body was the most robust. Zhang Wei would not allow the cold wind to harm it.
If the upper class could eat warmly, why couldn't he?
Silently leaving the crowd, Zhang Wei moved to a leeward position.
Due to the swift airflow from the ventilation, it was even colder here, and no one usually came.
With a flip of his hands, a pot of steaming hot charcoal stew appeared out of thin air, with large pieces of beef and lamb floating on top, their reddening oil tantalizing the appetite.
It was one of Zhang Wei's masterpieces from Food Wars!
The 'Chongqing Supreme Overlord Pot'!
The base, made from yak oil air-freighted from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, combined with more than twenty ingredients including fresh ginger, garlic, Sichuan peppercorns, chili peppers, cardamom, star anise, and sand ginger, simmered for 72 hours.
An extra rich broth from Jinhua pork bones was added, along with seven types of seafood for flavor enhancement.
The lamb from Hulunbuir and the marbled beef from Japan... as well as sea cucumber, matsutake mushrooms, and other side dishes.
Its luxuriousness was rare even in Food Wars.
As for the taste, it was beyond description.
In such severe cold, what could be more satisfying than a steaming hot mala hot pot!
The aroma swirled.
"Even after eating it more than twenty times, the taste is still astonishing."
In Food Wars, many political elites and business leaders sought Zhang Wei to try this pot, but he refused them all.
It wasn't that Zhang Wei was being aloof, but rather the preparation process was too arduous, with the initial preparation alone taking half a month.
The base simmering required continuous supervision for three days and nights, constantly adjusting the ingredient ratios.
Because it was too complex, the 'Chongqing Supreme Overlord Pot' had only been prepared twice, with a replication time of up to 35 days!
However, being able to be stored in the Treasury made it all worthwhile.
As the food entered his stomach, rolling waves of heat rose within him.
In the sub-zero temperatures of minus 20 degrees Celsius, Zhang Wei's forehead began to sweat slightly, and the accumulated cold and damp toxins from the past six months were mostly cleared.
And as he continued to eat, the heat within his abdomen gradually intensified, and a surging life force erupted.
Every cell in his body seemed to come alive, as if rejoicing at the taste of delicious food!
[Gourmet Cells activated, current awakening degree 39%]
[Treasury cuisine data updated: 'Chongqing Supreme Overlord Pot']
[Description: The pinnacle of hot pot on Planet Blue. Even though the ingredients are ordinary in this world, the top-notch taste can still stimulate the host's small amount of Gourmet Cells.]
[Dietary Effect (New): Strengthen bones and qi, dispel cold and dampness]
"It seems the previous body had a small amount of Gourmet Cells, which awakened with the stimulation of the deliciousness."
"It's not necessarily about eating precious ingredients; enjoying deliciousness also makes Gourmet Cells grow..."
"As expected of Gourmet Cells, they're truly gluttons!"
He tried to move, and his body, stiff from the cold, became exceptionally agile.
Clenching his fists, he felt an unprecedented sense of power surge through him. The biting wind of minus 20 degrees Celsius could not bring him much chill.
Zhang Wei continued to eat, and the awakening degree slowly increased from 39% to 41%.
"Hmm?"
"The effect is weakening quite a bit, and my body has also quieted down."
"Does the same taste not stimulate it as much anymore?"
Zhang Wei smiled faintly.
The Chongqing Supreme Overlord Pot was just one of Zhang Wei's hundreds of collections!
His mind scanned his own treasury: "Let me choose, what else should I have."
[Treasury cuisine data updated: 'Guangdong Imperial Buddha Jumps Over the Wall']
[Treasury cuisine data updated: 'State Banquet: Boiled Water White Cabbage']
[Treasury... ... ...]
There was no need to eat much; savoring the deliciousness was enough.
The awakening degree rapidly increased to 99%, and with the final assault of the 'State Banquet: Lantern Shadow Beef', it officially broke through 100%!
[Host data updated!]
[Gourmet Cell Status: Awakened!]
"Have I officially become a Gourmet Hunter?"
He punched towards a nearby ice wall, the cracking lines resembling shattered glass.
His fist felt a sharp pain, yet it remained undamaged.
"According to the manga, capturing a beast with a capture level of one requires ten ordinary hunters armed with shotguns."
"And a capture level five monster like the Kairaku Giant Crocodile can even withstand tanks."
Clenching his fist, he felt the explosive power.
"Fighting ten ordinary people with shotguns would rank quite high even in Jin Yong's wuxia novels."
"If it reaches level five and can withstand a tank, it has already transcended the realm of wuxia!"
He patted his distended belly, deciding to save the remaining treasures for tomorrow.
Hundreds of treasures, the thought alone filled him with anticipation.