On the spectator seats, Tang Zhihun was still very nervous.
Although there were many masters in the Northern Region, what if…
"Strange, that kid Zhang Wei is missing again!"
Wu Yong said, "Your little assistant chef? He's getting more and more mysterious lately, often disappearing for the whole day."
Tang Zhihun angrily said, "Such a top-notch culinary feast, and he's not here to observe properly. Even a little bit of learning would be beneficial for life!"
According to Northern Region law, once one becomes a chef or possesses corresponding skills, they are granted full human rights!
All signed indentures, unequal treaties, and debts with exorbitant interest rates are not supported by law.
Therefore, from the moment Tang Zhihun intended to impart his skills, Zhang Wei had been half-free.
"Master Tang, if you were to lose… you wouldn't actually go back on your word, would you?"
"Of course!"
"This… compared to your reputation, I feel your cooking is more important!"
Tang Zhihun chuckled, "It's just to go through the motions, can't let the association lose face. At worst, I'll give him two hands. If you can reattach severed limbs, then I'll be fine too. At worst, I won't leave the Great Glacier. Could he still come to the Ice Hell to supervise me?"
"It's great that Master Tang can think that way."
"This is making light of hardship; what I truly want is to win the bet!"
…
By noon, the chefs on the field were even busier.
According to the competition mechanism, the less time spent on cooking, the more bonus points can be obtained. Da Feng Novel Network.
However, the dishes prepared today were all meticulously crafted by the major powers, and were bound to be exceptionally complex. Six hours had already passed since the start of the competition, and not a single person had finished!
Over a hundred globally renowned gourmands, critics, and retired chefs formed an authoritative judging panel.
The scoring method was by colored cards.
Red: Exquisite and incredibly impressive!
Orange: A rare delicacy that one rarely experiences in a lifetime.
Yellow: A classic masterpiece, a model of a chef!
Green: Delicious, but slightly conventional and ordinary.
Cyan: Mediocre taste, unremarkable.
Blue: A dish with flaws.
Purple: A dish with major flaws.
The personalities, tastes, and habits of the hundred judges were all different. A single dish could simultaneously receive both red and purple, extreme scores!
However, obtaining orange or red was extremely difficult!
The profession of a judge was peculiar; the key to succeeding in it was never to give full marks, or too many high scores.
Because the score represented the judge's discernment.
For the same dish, the lower the score, the higher the judge's discernment was considered to be.
This also led to a bad industry practice: no matter how delicious the dish was, judges would not give too high a score for the sake of their careers.
Dong!!
The gong sounded!!
The host, following the sound, immediately shouted, "It's the Dili River Delicacies!"
"Chef Wu Zi of Dili River Delicacies is as fast as lightning, the first to complete his dish in this final!"
"Let's check the time… My goodness, it's only been six and a half hours!"
The audience's passion was instantly ignited!
Many contestants also turned their heads to look.
Dili River Delicacies was one of the top fishery companies in the Northern Desert, controlling the waterways and bridges of several major rivers, and possessing a large team of fishermen.
Its head chef, Wu Zi Kulu Ji Wu Zi, was a powerful master of knife skills. It was said that he was skilled in water, often battling with various ferocious large fish in the water, and his personal level was quite high!
The dish was enormous, with a serving platter six and a half meters in diameter. The attendants pushing it found it extremely heavy, indicating a significant weight.
A hundred judges, all elderly gentlemen, were arranged in a semicircle, with Old Man Jun among them.
In addition to Old Man Jun, there were many respected patriarchs and elders from the Northern Region.
After all, the establishment of the Northern Region government was equivalent to a transfer of power, and their presence was a necessary procedure.
"Wu Zi, what surprise have you brought us this time?"
"Hehehe, you know my skill, don't you? We're all old friends."
"Don't expect any favors from us!"
Wu Zi conversed without pressure, clearly very familiar with everyone.
More than a dozen attendants worked together to lift the hundreds of pounds of stainless steel cover off the platter. Wisps of white steam flowed out…
At the same time, a bone-chilling coldness swept out, causing everyone present to shiver.
Beneath the steel cover, it was dazzling!
It was an intricately carved ice mountain!
The ice mountain had sharp edges and corners. The sea-blue ice blocks shimmered slowly in the sunlight, like precious gems. The white frost dotted the surface, like the eternal snow on a mountain.
On the mini ice mountain, a large amount of sliced meat was preserved.
These slices of meat were as thin as silkworm wings, almost transparent, and very difficult to spot without close observation.
The audience couldn't help but wonder.
Wu Yong looked up at the sky and said, "In this hot summer, where did this Dili River Delicacies get so much extremely cold stuff… I didn't see them bringing in any ice just now!"
Tang Zhihun, standing beside him, explained, "Don't underestimate Wu Zi. He's very famous in the industry, a legendary figure!"
"How legendary?"
"Not only is his culinary skill superb, but he also possesses formidable combat skills. It is said that he often uses his 'Extreme Cold Saber Technique' by the Dolainuo Rhine River, frequently freezing half the river! Without nets or ropes, he can catch three thousand fish in less than half a day!"
"Freezing half the river?"
Wu Yong gasped, "Terrifying!!"
On the judges' table on the other side, the judges were preparing to taste.
Following Wu Zi's instructions, everyone adjusted their wasabi, soy sauce, and vinegar to their liking…
The most important ingredient, however, was the decorative element on the periphery of the mini ice mountain.
A pale, elegant small flower.
"This is…"
Wu Zi replied, "Ice Cliff Snow Lotus!"
"It's actually an Ice Cliff Snow Lotus~ That's a rare item. To gather so many at once, there must be at least two hundred of them!"
Zhang Wei had also coincidentally obtained an Ice Cliff Snow Lotus before.
This plant was related to the reproduction of certain species. Before each bloom, wild beasts would lie in ambush, and the flowers would be devoured the moment they opened.
Moreover, even if not eaten, the blooming period of the Ice Cliff Snow Lotus only lasted a few hours.
Obtaining one was not difficult.
But obtaining ten at once was a matter of shortening one's lifespan.
And Wu Zi had managed to obtain 200 of them!
"Have you mastered a method to preserve the Ice Cliff Snow Lotus?"
"Killing intent ice…"
"What is that?"
Wu Zi explained, "Ice Cliff Snow Lotuses grow in extremely cold regions, and ordinary refrigeration is ineffective for them. By infusing killing intent into my 'Extreme Cold Saber Technique', I can cover the Ice Cliff Snow Lotuses with a layer of frost, preserving their freshness for up to half a year!"
"No wonder… that bone-chilling cold when the steel cover was lifted…"
Wu Zi pointed to the mini ice mountain and said, "Don't waste time. The real marvel is yet to come!"