Inside the left side hall, tens of thousands of laborers were busy producing construction materials. These materials, made with the levitation elements from floating acorns, would serve as the raw materials for the new Gourmet City.
The chef collective had grown to over ten thousand people, with the first batch of graduates numbering over a thousand. All of them had reached six-star level, no less inferior to the Soup Soul of the past.
With nearly a thousand six-star chefs, even if all the six-star chefs in the North were combined, they would not even reach a tenth of this number.
If counted, this was equivalent to the total number of six-star chefs in the entire North Continent before. Once all training missions were completed, the chefs under Zhang Wei would rival the entire human world!
Excellent chefs did not exist in theory; they required constant practical operation. The ingredients needed for a chef to advance were astronomical.
The wasted ingredients would be enough to make even the richest man sweat.
This was also why chefs needed to partner with Gourmet Hunters.
After the graduates left the left side hall, they would also take with them three times the number of Gourmet Hunters and ten times the number of Killers.
Currently, the difficulty of cultivating Killers was much easier than that of Gourmet Hunters.
...
The North
Tacheng
Guiyuan Mansion
This was a Guiyuan cultivation base that had been passed down for a thousand years. The ancestors here had invested immense capital to build a set of warm stone beds, covering an area of one hundred mu. They had also used the glass from the City of Progress to construct a sturdy greenhouse, which allowed warm fruits like Guiyuan to take root in the North.
Chen Lang was the local squire. The growth of Guiyuan in the fertile soil of the North had brought him a large fortune, making him a well-known figure in the vicinity.
Pushing open the glass greenhouse, Chen Lang picked up a bunch of Guiyuan and examined it carefully.
"Perfectly round, with a bright luster... Heh heh, another year of abundant harvest."
Chen Lang grinned and laughed heartily, clearly confident in his supervisory abilities.
As a family that had served Guiyuan for generations, Chen Lang dared to guarantee that no one in the entire North could understand Guiyuan better than himself.
The butler said, "Merchants from the Great Glacier have sent people again."
Chen Lang's expression darkened, "Is the target still the same?"
"Mm."
"Hmph! Greedy ambition, actually coveting my King Guiyuan!"
Chen Lang possessed an ancient Guiyuan tree, from which the highest quality Guiyuan were the source of seeds for this entire orchard.
It was also the foundation of everything for Chen Lang.
The butler said timidly, "But... the Great Glacier has vast influence. I heard the Chairman of the United Government is Zhang Wei's little lover. If we offend him, I'm afraid even Mo Du won't let us off."
"Those people all fought their way back from the Land of Clouds, butchers whose hands are stained with blood... Our small manor is simply not enough for them to trifle with."
Chen Lang snorted.
"Mere Mo Du is not worth worrying about."
The butler remained silent. That was the North United Government; how could they possibly contend with such a colossal entity?
Chen Lang explained, "There are countless rare ingredients in this world, and the North holds innumerable private treasures. These people are the foundation of the North. If Mo Du wants to maintain his position, he needs to maintain his reputation. If he dares to resort to coercion... Hmph, he wouldn't be able to bear the scorn of the Northerners alone."
Compared to a mother Guiyuan tree, the position of Chairman was clearly more important. "But even if they don't come openly, we can't guard against their covert methods."
"Cowardice!"
Chen Lang grunted angrily, "Do you really think this old man is so simple?"
The butler nodded subserviently.
Seeing the butler's timid demeanor, Chen Lang had to say, "I don't mind telling you, I had a younger brother back then. He apprenticed with one of the Ten Great Blacksmiths of the North from a young age and learned excellent blade-forging skills. His creations are sought after by countless chefs."
"Moreover, his hammer technique is praised even by master blacksmiths. Ordinary Gourmet Hunters can't even withstand the residual shockwaves of his hammer. With my brother's ability, even Mo Du would have to show some respect."
The butler said, "But distant water can't quench present thirst. The merchants from the Great Glacier visit daily. I fear if we refuse them again, they might have ulterior motives."
Chen Lang smiled, "You are my confidant, so I don't mind telling you, my brother returned home three days ago."
"Then... where is my brother now?"
"I've already sent him to guard the mother tree. The extra food you're bringing is for my brother."
The heavy stone in the butler's heart finally landed.
He gripped the food container with more force.
The two walked deeper into the Guiyuan fields. At the very center stood a sturdy fortress, built entirely from warm stones.
Opening the door, Chen Lang roared with laughter, "Brother, look what delicious food I've brought..."
Chen Lang froze.
The scene before him was in disarray. Inside the empty fortress, the soil was churned up, and a large pit had been dug in the center. The Guiyuan mother tree should have been there!
Beside the pit lay a man in grey clothes, with a broken hammer beside him.
Chen Lang wailed and walked towards the tree pit, then stood stunned for a long time. He then rushed to the grey-clothed man's side, frozen and bewildered.
After a long while, he reacted and shouted, "Brother!!!"
He reached the grey-clothed man's side and exclaimed, "He's still breathing! Quick, call for help!"
...
In a derelict tall tower outside Tacheng, figures in black flickered.
Although silent, they exuded an inexplicable sense of danger.
Inside, a handsome man in red sat leisurely on a rocking chair, flipping through a roster.
Black List Tenth, Liáoyuán!
"Lord Liáoyuán, the Guiyuan mother tree has also been acquired."
"Mm."
Liáoyuán grunted, and a stream of heat emerged from his finger, crossing out a line on the roster.
Ash covered the line containing the information about the Guiyuan mother tree.
"Did you encounter any resistance?"
"Someone was guarding it."
"Were they strong?"
"Average. Weaker and less intelligent than the monsters in the Time Chamber of Flavors. Although they had some strength, their techniques were crude. The team dealt with them with little effort."
Liáoyuán pursed his lips, uninterested in such minor characters.
"Ask the merchants if there's anyone in Tacheng who refused to cooperate. We've already been delayed for dozens of hours. If this continues, we'll be surpassed by other groups."
Rank Eight, Mosquito Man - Domichi.
Rank Nine, Leech - Olaido.
The three of them graduated together from the Time Chamber of Flavors and were the highest-ranked individuals.
This was their first mission after completing their training, and each of them harbored a competitive spirit.
Of course, those from Rank Eleven to Rank One Hundred were also undertaking missions.
However, Liáoyuán didn't pay them any mind; they were just minor characters.
But even the hundredth person on the Black List possessed strength exceeding level 75. In the Time Chamber of Flavors, delicious food was inexhaustible. Everyone ate to their heart's content and trained with all their might.
Spending two years there resulted in more progress than twenty years outside!
This was the power of food.
Closing the roster, Liáoyuán stood up, "Everyone, speed up your actions! Each team must complete at least four objectives per day!"
Liáoyuán's subordinate teams numbered nine!
.
Treasure Bag reminds you: Remember to collect after reading.