Chapter 53: Stop 22: Ingredients

Chapter 53: Stop 22: Ingredients

The crimson velvet curtains were dramatically pulled aside by two assistant chefs, revealing an enormous aquarium that stood three meters tall!

Half-immersed in the water, a woman with disheveled long hair refused to meet the astonished gazes of the audience below.

Her clothes had been completely removed, leaving her fair skin on full display through the transparent glass. Rough hemp ropes suspended her in the water in a manner that showcased her while simultaneously restricting all her movements.

"Rongrong!"

Qi Yongxin shot to his feet, toppling his chair in shock.

Hanging in that tank was none other than Ji Congrong, who had been missing for an entire day!

Realizing something was amiss, Qi Yongxin slammed his palm on the table and attempted to rush forward to save her, only to be held back by a waiter at his side.

Qi Yongxin was furious, struggling desperately.

"What are you doing?! Have you all lost your minds? Why are you treating her like this?! Let me go! Take her off the stage right now... Ah!"

He screamed in agony, bending forward deeply due to the pain.

The waiter "helped" him back into his chair politely, holding his shoulders tightly.

A sharp and gleaming dining knife had pierced deeply into his right thigh. Blood quickly seeped out from the wound, but it was concealed by his black trousers, making the extent of the bleeding invisible.

The waiter looked at the blood hungrily, expressing regret as he spoke,

"SIR, the tank contains ingredients chosen by our head chef, not your personal belongings. Please watch calmly. Until you have fully calmed down, we will have to restrain your actions. I apologize for any inconvenience caused."

Qi Yongxin trembled violently, unsure if it was from anger or fear. He was forced to look in Ji Congrong's direction, unable to utter a word.

Yan Qiling was somewhat surprised by his reaction, but he still spoke unhurriedly,

"This lady was dining with us yesterday, and today she's become an ingredient. If that's the case, wouldn't anyone be at risk of ending up on the cooking platform tomorrow or the day after?"

The chef held the largest boning knife from the rack with deliberate calm, slowly drawing it out as he explained coolly:

"This lady has violated the rules of our establishment by attempting to unlock the ski resort door through power disruption. This has severely disrupted the hotel's operations and endangered everyone's personal safety here. Therefore, from this moment on, she is no longer a distinguished guest of ours."

"Worth noting is that this lady possesses a physique of impeccable beauty, making her an ideal main course for tonight's sharing. I will precisely calculate the usage of every gram of flesh to ensure an equal distribution for all."

With a hint of fervor in his gaze, the chef swept his eyes over the diverse expressions of the audience, his words taking on an eerie undertone:

"Of course, the tasting process adds to the flavor. Before the dissection, guests are welcome to come up and personally experience the texture and smoothness of the ingredient, measuring it as you wish."

"Time is limited, so if any guests wish to participate, now is the opportunity."

The woman in the tank began to tremble.

She struggled slightly, her tilted body almost pulling her head under the water's surface.

If she continued to struggle, she might drown from losing her balance.

In the end, she chose to remain motionless to maintain equilibrium.

In the face of death, no one could make a choice with composure.

With a look of despair, she closed her eyes in self-loathing, using isolation as a defense against the overwhelming shame threatening to engulf her.

The chef, unbothered by the captured ingredients, focused instead on the men present.

Aside from Ruman's husband, there were quite a few unaccompanied males in the room.

Chi Zihe had been fiddling with the ring on his right ring finger ever since the curtains opened, engrossed in studying the patterns on the tablecloth. However, he lifted his head upon hearing the chef's absurd suggestion, though his attitude was similar to the chef's, observing the others' reactions with a sense of detachment.

Qi Yongxin was undoubtedly the most eager, but the waiter, probably believing he wasn't "calm" yet, held him firmly in his chair, preventing him from approaching.

Simon clasped his crucifix and sincerely prayed to God. Next to him, Patland, who was blind, tried to make sense of the situation through attentive listening, feeling utterly lost.

Rao Haochang had instinctively covered his eyes the moment the aquarium appeared, hugging his wife like a frightened quail.

Ruman's expression was grim, and the thought of consuming human flesh was unbearable for her.

Ada's gaze was devoid of warmth as she meticulously examined the woman in the tank, her nostrils flaring repeatedly to inhale the scents in the air in short, rapid bursts, seemingly assessing something.

Si Shuhao, on the other hand, propped her head up with one hand. She had been feeling unwell all day and, despite her boiling anger, she lacked the strength to act on it.

As for Yan Qiling and Ming Yiyang, they were the only ones who didn't avert their eyes.

Ming Yiyang knew there must be a pulley system attached to the rope the moment he saw it. It would be impossible for the chef to dissect a body underwater, as the spreading blood would contaminate the "ingredients." Therefore, the "ingredients" must be lifted out of the tank before any work began.

Fixing his gaze on the area hidden behind the small curtain at the top of the stage, he longed for a way to take a peek.

As he mentally catalogued different pulley designs, Yan Qiling, sitting beside him, softly addressed the chef on stage:

"Are we allowed to inspect anywhere?"

The restrained Qi Yongxin turned red with anger, gritting his teeth as he yelled,

"Yan Qiling!! You dare touch her?!"

Ada's icy gaze cracked, revealing a loathing that dared not be expressed.

The chef was quite pleased with his cooperation, almost eagerly extending the invitation:

"Of course, if you're willing, we'll fully accommodate you."

Most of those present didn't expect Yan Qiling to be the one to respond to this absurd suggestion.

He smiled like a blooming white hibiscus, as if living up to its alternate name "Buddha Smiles," exuding a flirtatious detachment that seemed untethered from earthly desires.

In the face of this obviously manipulative and lowly offer, he chose to respond.

The man rose, pretending not to hear Qi Yongxin's impotent rage, handing the napkin in his hand to Ming Yiyang beside him:

"Hold this for me."

Touched lightly twice on the left wrist, Ming Yiyang's hesitation in speaking was briefly arrested.

He suddenly grasped the other's intention and wore a lazy smile, his dark eyes narrowing slightly.

"Very well."

Despite her closed eyes, Ji Congrong couldn't block out the sounds around her.

She never expected that the man who had previously rejected her advances would now respond to such an offensive and disgusting proposal! Agony pierced her heart, and she curled her toes in humiliation.

Yan Qiling stepped onto the stage, looking up slightly with a cool, detached gaze that fell upon the concealed roller-skate mechanism in the shadows. Then, turning to the chef beside her, she politely asked,

"How do you plan on preparing it?"

The chef clearly already had an idea in mind, as the boning knife glinted ominously under the warm light.

"The best approach would be to serve it as sashimi while it's still alive. The creature is already mature, so some parts might not be suitable for cooking, but there are tenderer cuts available for consumption."

"As for other sections, like the outer thigh muscles, they can be cut and bled before being grilled, to be shared among all of us... Ah, since you're the first guest to respond this time, I'll reserve the best meat for you and prepare a special appetizer just for you!"

The man chuckled softly, showing no trace of displeasure on his face.

"I have no interest in your appetizer. Not just the appetizer, but most of the dishes you prepared yesterday were terrible."

The head chef froze, only to hear the soft-faced man speak with an unexpectedly gentle yet critical tone:

"Last night's truffle custard, you made two mistakes right from the ingredient selection stage."

"Firstly, you chose eggs that had been refrigerated for at least ten days or more. You didn't do much to mask the off-putting smell of aged eggs, treating them as if they were fresh and simply adding water before baking. This resulted in that unpleasant odor lingering, making it hard to swallow."

"As for the truffle, your handling was foolish. Overripe truffles in February don't necessarily mean they're flawed; you just lack the appreciation for the beauty of ingredients. The best approach would have been to shave the truffle into small pieces and sprinkle them on top of the egg custard, enhancing its overall flavor and enriching the dish."

"You, however, cooked it separately to emphasize its presence, turning it into something meaningless in your hands. To be honest, if not for the sake of politeness, I wouldn't have touched that egg custard at all."

The head chef standing before him stared wide-eyed, his knife-clenching hand turning white.

Those seated below had no doubt that, if the situation allowed, he might have chosen to strike this incessant food critic down with his blade.

But Yan Qiling didn't stop talking. Instead, he stepped closer, his smiling tone unwavering:

"When it comes to appetizers, I must mention the seared foie gras with poached pear you prepared last night."

"I'm unsure how you handled the foie gras. Ideally, after frying, it should have a thin, crispy skin. Upon breaking through it, the foie gras' core should melt in one's mouth. The pear, as a complement, should have helped to neutralize the foie gras' gamey taste."

"But what I tasted was a liver pâté as bland as chewing wax, accompanied by a haphazardly placed pear."

"Are you aware that the diced pears you added made the already poorly executed foie gras both sweet and salty? I won't delve into the details of the other dishes, but with such culinary skills, don't you find it shameful that you are the head chef of this establishment?"

His words were devoid of direct insults yet piercingly sharp, cutting to the bone.

The chef seemed to be experiencing a severe mid-life crisis; his formerly robust voice trembled slightly as he replied, "…I assure you, today's cuisine will not disappoint."

"Allow me to speak frankly, judging from your attention to detail with the ingredients yesterday, I don't believe you have the finesse for live sashimi preparation."

"Serving raw ingredients requires a more delicate touch than seasoning and grilling. If you can't even handle a simple egg custard with care, how can you assure me that you're capable of preparing live sashimi with precision?"

The discerning diner gazed at him, a chilly porcelain beauty revealing an almost wicked gentleness in his smile.

"Like how you made her soak motionless in cold water."

Indeed, cold water does firm up the texture of ingredients, but if they're overly frozen, no matter how you cook them, what ends up on your plate is a dull, lifeless chunk of meat. The true art lies in allowing the ingredients to bathe gently in cool water."

Qi Yongxin, who had seemingly regained his composure, erupted in a furious tirade upon hearing this suggestion!

The others' expressions also shifted, revealing a mix of fear and an uncontrollable revulsion. Only Simon remained unperturbed, holding his crucifix and continuously praying.