Zhang Wei enunciated the name of the Rainbow Fruit word by word.
Qian Xue stopped in her tracks, repeatedly pondering the term in her mind.
"I feel like I've heard it somewhere... it sounds so familiar!"
Zhang Wei explained, "It's an extremely rare and precious variety, possessing a most magical effect where its taste changes according to temperature. Mango, coconut, passion fruit, papaya, sweet orange, kiwi... and so on."
"The legendary treasure of fruits?"
"Precisely."
"That's not right!"
Qian Xue declared sternly, "Your Misu Hong cake didn't have any fruit pulp added. The treasure of fruits has a strong flavor; I would have definitely noticed it if I tasted it!"
"This is rather complicated, and it's a long story."
"I obtained Rainbow Fruits a long time ago and have always been fascinated by this temperature-controlled flavor. In fact, the taste of many foods changes with temperature, but none are as rich and unpredictably varied as the Rainbow Fruit."
"The temperature-controlled flavor of Rainbow Fruits is mainly concentrated between 5 and 35 degrees Celsius."
"There are seven main flavors, but the fruit is quite sensitive to temperature changes, so if you break it down, it's not wrong to say there are a thousand tastes."
"I just wondered, what if I could control this temperature range..."
Zhang Wei rambled on extensively.
From his curiosity about the Rainbow Fruit, to subsequent research, several failed experiments, his first attempt at making fruit powder to replicate it, and his first time processing a dish...
He spoke for a full fifteen minutes.
Finally, Zhang Wei said with great helplessness, "Unfortunately, this kind of temperature-controlled cuisine is almost impossible to imitate. Each time I process it, I need to prepare dried Rainbow Fruit powder."
"Strictly speaking, I've more or less turned the Rainbow Fruit into a seasoning."
Qian Xue's emotions stabilized considerably after hearing this.
"So, you were just borrowing the power of a rare item. You didn't actually defeat me! What about the remaining dried fruit powder? And how many Rainbow Fruits did you actually obtain to support such prolonged technological research!"
"It's all used up!"
"I don't believe you!"
"Alright, you're very clever."
Zhang Wei put on an innocent expression, "Then let me go, and I'll give you the dried fruit powder, how about that?"
Qian Xue fell silent for a moment after hearing this, then burst into maniacal laughter.
Her laughter grew more unrestrained, eventually even bringing tears to her eyes.
Her laughter made Zhang Wei's skin crawl.
"Psychopaths are truly terrifying."
Qian Xue suddenly let out a sharp scream and said hysterically to Zhang Wei, "Do you think I want some damned dried fruit powder? I've been a chef for so long, and no one has ever called my cooking garbage!"
"The referee said it, why are you blaming me?"
"The referee can die too! You can die too! You all will die!"
Saying that, Qian Xue drew a kitchen knife gleaming with cold light from her embrace. It was an item of considerable quality.
As Qian Xue brandished it, a silver light of sword energy instantly arrived.
Zhang Wei's figure was instantly severed, and a sword qi cut across, causing the concrete pillar behind him to collapse with a rumble!
"Such a good knife."
"You're not dead?"
Zhang Wei slowly stood up. The chains that had bound him into a ball had been cut, and his clothes had suffered the same fate.
On his chest, a wound about half an inch deep bled profusely.
"Die! Die! Die! Die..."
Qian Xue, appearing frenzied, wildly swung her kitchen knife, reducing the nameless warehouse to a state of disarray.
However, this kind of attack couldn't reach Zhang Wei and was merely futile.
Zhang Wei's voice came from all directions, his tone no longer carrying any jest.
"You know, if it were just an obsession with culinary arts, I could have forgiven some foolish actions."
"After all, I too was once infatuated with cooking."
"But... your true intention is just to vent your anger after losing, like a naturally wicked brat."
"However, it's coincidental that I detest bratty kids the most... especially those who don't respect life..."
"If this kind of personality were allowed to continue... it would probably harm many more people..."
The smoke caused by the destruction obscured Qian Xue's vision.
And Qian Xue was not a combatant. In her panic, her attacks became even more indiscriminate.
Listening to Zhang Wei's increasingly cold voice, Qian Xue's anger gradually dissolved, replaced by a sense of fear...
A thought popped into her mind: Perhaps, she would... die here?
Qian Xue became even more flustered, wanting to call for help but finding no sign of Lou Ming.
The chick had left the warm nest...
"Don't kill me, you can't kill me, do you know who I am?"
"My master is Lou Ming! The number one chef on the Black List!"
From the dust, a streak of light shot out!
Qian Xue raised her kitchen knife to block!
*Clang!*
Upon impact, the kitchen knife flew out of her hand and embedded deeply into the floor.
And on Qian Xue's neck, a slit appeared... a faint red light flowed within.
He walked out of the dust and picked up the kitchen knife from the ground.
Zhang Wei shook his head and said, "Evil is evil, and it will never be forgiven because of age or gender."
"At least..."
"Not by me!"
.........
.........
Black List - Desert City Branch
Chu Xiang walked in excitedly, "Master, we've found the whereabouts of the Third Miss."
Lou Ming shot up from his seat, "Speak."
"We found the black pearl necklace worn by the Third Miss on the black market. Tracing it led us to a pawnshop, where the young lady sold the necklace for 35,000 Beli in the afternoon. Then, I made inquiries nearby from beggars and others, and found that the young lady went to a pharmacy."
"A pharmacy?"
Chu Xiang replied, "Yes, it's a place where underground mercenaries operate, doing things like kidnapping."
Lou Ming seemed to have thought of something and was suddenly shocked, "Oh no, could this girl be planning to kidnap the contestant who defeated her?"
During the competition, if a popular contestant were kidnapped.
The organizers of the Northern Cuisine Feast would definitely investigate. It was already difficult for the Black List to conceal their actions, and they couldn't afford any more disturbances.
Just then, Xiao Quan hurried in, "Respected Master, something's wrong, your package has been opened..."
"Is it Qian Xue?"
Xiao Quan replied, "It should be."
Lou Ming quickly returned to his bedroom. As soon as he entered, he saw the ancient wooden box.
A bad feeling washed over him.
The inside of the wooden box was empty...
"Pfft..."
"My knife!"
Lou Ming was consumed by rage. That kitchen knife had been with him for over eighty years. It was made from the arm of the insect king mantis killed by the first Black List leader, and it was Lou Ming's most precious possession!
"Qian Xue!!!"
"I... I'll skin you alive!"
"Chu Xiang!"
"Your subordinate is here," Chu Xiang replied immediately.
"Take me to that pharmacy immediately! I need to know where Qian Xue is right now!"
"Yes!"