Four o'clock in the morning.
The transport teams withdrew from the venue, and the judges began their inspection of each participant's provisions.
Addictive ingredients that could harm human health were strictly forbidden during the competition. Discovery would not only lead to disqualification but also incur the most severe penalties from the organizers, potentially making the offender a target of public condemnation throughout the North.
Furthermore, there was an assessment of the completion level of the prepared ingredients.
Overly complex, secondarily processed ingredients were not allowed. Examples included fruit purees, sweet sauces, Lao Gan Ma chili crisp, hot pot bases, and high-quality alcoholic beverages. If needed, these were to be made on-site!
It was implied that even thirteen-spice powder would likely be banned.
In essence, this was a rigorous test relying entirely on on-site preparation. Such rules were designed to prevent participants from overwhelming others with economic power rather than culinary skill.
As for refined salt, no one mentioned it, likely because even if it were allowed, few could afford it.
The official opening was at six in the morning, but most loyal spectators had stayed up all night, with a seating occupancy rate of over seventy-five percent.
Frankly speaking, the day's cooking posed a significant physical challenge. Many chefs collapsed from exhaustion before noon. The morning meal, however, was when the chefs were at their peak condition and the dishes were at their finest. Was a little bit of sleep deprivation too much to ask for a taste of the first, most delicious bite of the grand feast?
At half-past four, the judges finished their inspections, and the chefs began to enter the venue in succession. As participants in the North's most prestigious culinary event, even the usually esteemed chefs were giving it their all, moving at a brisk pace, wasting not a moment.
"Brother, aren't you going on stage yet?"
Zhang Wei took a sip of tea. "Relax. I've already communicated the ingredient processing principles to them. There's nothing for me to do on stage right now. It's better for me to observe my fellow competitors and gather some intelligence."
"Then… where do you think these chefs are brilliant?"
Zhang Wei scoffed. "They're all mediocre. There's nothing impressive about any of them."
...
Meanwhile, in a luxurious room, a group of people stood on either side. A frail old man with white hair and beard sat in the place of honor, leaning on a cane, his face etched with wrinkles. Before him, three young individuals knelt. Standing close to the old man was the Vice Chairman of the Black List. This old man was none other than Master Lou Ming, the partner of the first-ranked chef on the Black List. He was at least 170 years old. With Master Lou Ming present, even the Vice Chairman was not permitted to sit.
The Vice Chairman lowered his head and said softly, "Master, it's half-past four."
"Hmm… has the competition begun?"
"The other chefs have already entered the venue."
"Third child."
Among the three young people kneeling on the ground, a pretty girl immediately responded, "Honored Master!"
"Go and see if there are any interesting opponents."
The girl went to the window, her beautiful eyes scanning the numerous contestants. After a while, she said, "Honored Master, they are all mediocre! Only a handful are worthy of my attention."
The Vice Chairman was overjoyed. To possess such confidence even in the face of countless strong contenders in the North, their own strength must be immense. A great master breeds exceptional disciples.
Lou Ming stroked his beard and smiled in satisfaction. "Very good. As my disciples, you must have this 'who dares to challenge me' spirit! Go, do not use your full strength. Just go through the motions casually."
"Yes, Honored Master!"
After the girl left, the Vice Chairman remained somewhat uneasy. "Master, is this perhaps underestimating the opposition? After all, we are facing the North's most elite group of chefs."
Lou Ming chuckled. "Third child has been with me for the shortest time, only ten years. But her talent is the greatest. Although her current strength is far inferior to the eldest and second eldest, she is more than capable of handling ordinary guests."
The other two disciples also chimed in, "Little sister's natural talent is unparalleled, and she is exceptionally intelligent!"
"Moreover, little sister possesses the most formidable culinary luck among the three of us. Her future is limitless!"
The Vice Chairman asked with confusion, "Culinary luck? Isn't luck something too vague and ethereal?"
"Not at all." Lou Ming explained, "Culinary luck is not merely simple luck. Although it is unfathomable, it is real! Legend has it that culinary luck itself is a fragment of the gods, hidden between heaven and earth, and it attaches itself to powerful chefs. In other words, the more fortunate one is in culinary luck, the more boundless their future prospects will be. If culinary luck can reach a certain threshold, one can even hear the call of ingredients!"
The Vice Chairman was astonished. "The call of ingredients? But no matter how high-grade ingredients are, they are ultimately inanimate objects. How could they possibly issue a call?"
"And most ingredients are the bodies of plants and animals. As plants and animals, they wouldn't desire to be eaten, would they?"
"You misunderstand. Ingredients and living plants and animals are two entirely different things. Furthermore, the call of ingredients is not as simple as you imagine."
The Vice Chairman, with great humility, inquired, "Then what exactly is the call of ingredients?"
Lou Ming pondered for a moment, then finally said, "Perhaps… the ingredients themselves are not issuing a call."
"And the sound we hear… is merely an organ that has awakened due to a sufficiently strong culinary luck, specifically for perceiving ingredients! This perception ability is the 'ear' that listens to the call of ingredients."
Lou Ming himself was a person with considerable culinary luck, and his three disciples were exceptionally talented, possessing it as well. These individuals with profound culinary luck seemed to be in resonance with ingredients, as if drawn together like magnets. They would serendipitously acquire rare ingredients that ordinary people could never hope to encounter! It was less about luck and more like manipulation by higher-dimensional beings. A more pleasant term would be: blessings from the gods upon humanity!
Lou Ming sighed deeply. "Perhaps I will never be able to grasp the true essence of culinary luck in my entire life!"
...
According to the competition rules, the formal tasting would commence at six o'clock.
At half-past five, Zhang Wei stretched and got up from his chair, leisurely making his way to the "Wine and Beauties" venue. The temporarily constructed area was somewhat rudimentary but definitely spacious. There were over a hundred long tables and seating for two thousand people. The two hundred thousand diners would be divided into groups for staggered tasting, so there was no need to worry about insufficient seating. Ten "point orbs" acted as meal tickets, paid according to the diner's mood.
At the judges' table, the host's brow furrowed deeply as he watched Zhang Wei's unhurried entry. "Who is that? Which faction does he belong to?"
An assistant glanced over and replied, "Judging by his uniform, he's from the 'Wine and Beauties' post station."
"Wine and Beauties?"
"Yes. They were temporarily recruited to fill a spot. Their chef's information wasn't submitted, so they're likely an unknown nobody."
The host angrily exclaimed, "Even if they're just filling a spot, they need to show some respect! What kind of demeanor is this, being so slow and casual!"
"They're completely disgracing the Northern Grand Feast!"
"I think this chain of post stations doesn't want to operate anymore!"
Despite his anger, the host was helpless. After all, the competition had already started, and clearing the venue at this point was unrealistic. He could only hope that "Wine and Beauties" wouldn't be too embarrassing!
Zhang Wei slowly arrived at