The news that Zhang Dali had single-handedly challenged six spirit chefs and even defeated a king-level spirit chef spread like wildfire, and he gradually gained fame among the hundred contestants.
Initially, people were not very optimistic about Zhang Dali due to his young age. Spirit chef talent not only demanded innate ability but also required time to cultivate a solid foundation; a greenhorn would naturally be no match for a seasoned master who had practiced for years…
However, many people's opinions had begun to change. Especially since his close friend was the notorious Nanjiang bandit Chen Shu, any eccentricity from Zhang Dali seemed quite reasonable…
…
The next morning,
Zhang Dali woke up precisely at seven o'clock, excitement gleaming in his eyes.
Today was the day of the preliminary rounds of the God of Cookery Cup!
“Chen Pi, Chen Pi!”
Zhang Dali knocked on Chen Shu’s door, intending to wake him.
He was just an ordinary person and still needed some protection.
“What are you doing up so early…”
A voice suddenly came from behind Dali,
He turned to see Chen Shu stretching lazily, his eyes still groggy as he looked at him.
“Are you trying to kill me? Appearing out of nowhere like that?!”
Zhang Dali glared and said, “The competition is starting soon, shouldn’t we be early?”
“Then you go ahead and participate first, I’ll come watch midway…”
Chen Shu’s body went limp, and he collapsed onto the sofa, letting out a faint snore.
“What if someone tries to assassinate me? Of course, I need a bodyguard.”
“Mmm~~”
Chen Shu rubbed his eyes, thinking there was some truth to that.
Since he had brought Dali out, he naturally had to bring him back safely.
“Wait for me to get ready…”
He rallied himself and walked into the adjacent restroom.
Waking up early always made him feel as if his soul had been scattered…
…
At eight o'clock, the food square of Nanqing City.
A massive Iron Eater statue was erected in the center of the square. It wore a chef's hat and stood erect, its claws extended, holding a giant banner that read ‘God of Cookery Cup’.
Around the statue, one hundred spirit chef workstations were built, allowing contestants to grill, boil, steam, and more. In front of each workstation were the contestants’ numbers.
Beyond the workstations, a large crowd had gathered, their eyes filled with excitement and anticipation.
In the sky, mechanical birds circled, broadcasting the grand event globally.
Although the God of Cookery Cup was not as significant as the Beast Taming World Championships, it still attracted considerable attention; spirit chefs were not an obscure profession.
“Ladies and gentlemen, the God of Cookery Cup has finally commenced!”
The host arrived below the statue, looking at the surrounding crowd, and began to explain the history of spirit chefs.
The organizers seemed to understand the audience's preferences and did not waste too much time on such matters.
Ten minutes later, as the host spoke, the contestants began to enter one by one.
“Allen Brown! King-level spirit chef of the Free Alliance, member of the World Spirit Chef Association, and the third-place finisher in the previous God of Cookery Cup! Let’s give him a round of applause!”
A calm middle-aged man in a suit walked onto the red carpet and finally arrived at workstation number one.
He remained composed, sat at the workstation, and closed his eyes to rest, clearly confident about the preliminary rounds.
Simultaneously, the second contestant began to enter…
Thirty minutes later,
“Zhang Dali! China’s Gold-level spirit chef, mentored by the veteran King-level spirit chef Cheng Qing, and the runner-up of the previous God of Cookery Cup! He is hailed as a spirit chef prodigy both nationally and globally! Only twenty-two years old…”
“Go, Dali!”
Chen Shu patted Zhang Dali’s shoulder and winked at him.
“Spirit Chef Prodigy Zhang Dali, yyds!”
“Dali, go crush them and win the title of God of Cookery!”
“A legend in the spirit chef world is about to be born, Dali, keep going!”
Suddenly, the surrounding crowd erupted in fervent cheers, their enthusiasm soaring, far surpassing that of other contestants.
Further away, countless people were also shouting, as if they were Zhang Dali’s fervent fans.
“Huh? Am I this popular?”
Zhang Dali’s body trembled; even he was astonished by the scene before him.
He was only famous domestically, and at the God of Cookery Cup, he was an inconspicuous contestant, with nothing remarkable about him except his age.
However, as his gaze swept over, he saw Chen Shu winking at him, and he immediately understood.
This guy again?
“Go!”
Chen Shu raised his eyebrows, of course, it was the paid crowd he had specifically arranged the night before…
Paid crowds weren't exclusive to his country; this profession was present worldwide.
Although the audience's cheers had no practical effect, they could at least lift spirits and create the impression of being a favored contestant.
And most importantly, because Chen Shu was a regular customer, he had even received a discount…
“Is he really this popular?”
To the right of the God of Cookery Cup statue, Fu Ning and Kake were each riding their contracted spirits, their king-level auras radiating.
On the left, there were also two king-level figures from abroad.
A total of four king-level individuals were present at the God of Cookery Cup to prevent any potential trouble.
“How would I know…”
Old Ka shrugged and said, “He was a nobody, and at the start of the competition, he became the most popular contestant?”
“Doesn’t it seem a bit… fake?”
“Whatever.”
The two looked down at the God of Cookery Cup below, anticipating the start of the competition.
Another hour passed, and all one hundred contestants had finally taken the stage!
Countless spectators cheered, supporting their respective contestants, but Dali’s cheers were undoubtedly the loudest…
A small number of spirit chefs with poor mental fortitude were immediately affected. They, as king-level spirit chefs, had no supporters?
And all the spotlight had been stolen by a junior gold-level spirit chef…
Chen Shu, from below the stage, grinned and muttered to himself, “Welcome to Dali Square…”