"What?"
Caenis exclaimed from below the stage. "This counts too?"
"Hmph, this audience member, you simply don't understand the profound meaning behind this dish. After tasting it, I felt as though I was standing right in the middle of the Styx River." Anaxa declared passionately from the stage.
Ratio continued to add, "Exactly. The dish appears ordinary at first glance, yet tasting it creates an immersive, almost lifelike experience. That alone deserves recognition."
"So our decision is—passed!"
"Phew~"
Beside them, Tang Niu suddenly woke up at the judges' table, tears already streaming down his face. "I never thought in my lifetime I'd get to see my late great-grandma and great-grandpa again! Wuwuwu~"
"Hahahaha…" Anaxa pointed toward Castorice. "Then the result is obvious. My choice is…"
——
Below the stage, Aglaea confidently curled her lips. "Looks like I won."
"Is that so?" Caenis showed no trace of panic on her face. "Business is like war. We've been in this position for so long—do you really think I wouldn't have a backup plan?"
"Backup plan?" A faint trace of concern inevitably rose in Aglaea's heart. After all, a workplace veteran like Caenis couldn't possibly leave herself without an escape route.
"Just wait and see. I said this competition is mine to win—and I have to win. Otherwise the collaboration with Mihoyo falls through."
"I'm very curious. What exactly is your contingency?"
"You want to know?" Caenis revealed a sinister smile. "Since I've already won, telling you won't hurt.
They may have passed the preliminaries, but don't forget—there's still the finals."
Before Caenis finished speaking—
Tang Niu suddenly sprang up from the judges' table, executed a dramatic somersault, and landed squarely in the center of the stage.
"Ah!"
He roared, and for no apparent reason the outermost layer of his suit exploded off.
Tang Niu pulled out a white apron, tied it around his waist, and donned a tall white chef's hat.
"I, Tang Niu, am the true God of Cooking."
"Miss Kiana, slow down when you eat." Owlbert shook his head at Kiana in front of him, but the commotion on stage also drew his attention. He stepped onto the stage.
As a professional host, Owlbert raised the microphone. "We never expected such an unforeseen twist on the competition floor. As the former God of Cooking, why has he suddenly appeared in the center of the stage? Truly baffling."
At that moment,
a staff member from the organizers approached Owlbert and whispered something into his ear.
Under the headpiece, Owlbert furrowed his brows. "That can't be right. As the host, why wasn't I informed of this rule beforehand? Was this added last-minute? That's hardly ethical."
The staff member gave a slight smile. "I'm just an employee. Besides, you're the host—what do the rules have to do with you?"
"Oh, I get it. So the organizers are involved too, trying to rig the game, right?"
"Please refrain from malicious slander. Just do your job."
Owlbert nodded. "Very well. I like that defiant attitude of yours."
He cleared his throat. "Now I announce: the God of Cooking competition advances to the next round. According to the latest rule from the organizers, the winning team must challenge the incumbent God of Cooking to claim this edition's title."
——
Below the stage, Caenis looked at Aglaea with mockery. "How about it? Do you understand now? The competition isn't that simple. You still have another round to prepare for—though, do you really have any chance of reaching it?"
Aglaea furrowed her brows. What did "no chance of reaching the next round" mean?
She wanted to tamper with things?
Having figured it out, Aglaea immediately sent a text to Cipher: "Cifera, contestant prep room, danger!"
"Meow!"
Receiving Cipher's reply did little to calm Aglaea's anxiety. She still felt her precautions weren't enough.
"Don't panic, Lady Aglaea." Without warning, Su Chen sat down beside Aglaea.
"Su Chen?! Sorry, I lost my composure for a moment."
Su Chen nodded at Aglaea, then turned toward Caenis. "Ms. Caenis, you seem awfully confident about what's going to happen next."
Caenis sized Su Chen up. "And who are you?"
"The dishwasher at the Golden Grand Hotel."
"Hahahaha…" Caenis burst into unrestrained laughter. "I thought it was someone important. So the Golden Grand Hotel is now relying on a dishwasher to hold on?"
"Don't celebrate too soon. You haven't won this game yet."
"To put it bluntly: the organizers, the judges, everyone you see here—they're all my people. The Golden Grand Hotel's defeat is already set in stone."
"I see. You're very confident." Su Chen ignored Caenis and turned back to Aglaea. "Don't worry. We have a backup plan too. Caenis's goal is most likely to sabotage the ingredients prepared by Phainon and the others."
"No need to worry about that. I've already notified Cifera. I just don't know if she can stop it successfully."
Su Chen replied calmly, "Relax. I just arranged for someone to back her up. But to truly win the competition, it still depends on one person's performance. Professor Ratio and Teacher Anaxa—their stance is only toward truth. Their final decision isn't something I can control.
Phainon and the three of them still need to rely on their own strength to defeat that fat pig on stage. Do you understand?"
"Mm, I understand. I've always believed in them."
——
At the same time.
The competition on stage had reached the final round.
Owlbert asked the Phainon trio, "Golden Grand Hotel, who will you appoint as the head chef this time?"
Before he finished speaking, Castorice and Mydei simultaneously pointed at Phainon. "Him!"
Phainon was stunned. "Huh?"
"Then please have Mr. Phainon prepare. The match is about to begin," Owlbert said.
Phainon remained stunned. "Huh???"
"It's up to you, Deliverer." Mydei patted Phainon on the shoulder and stepped off the stage.
"Lord Phainon, we've always believed in you. But please don't put too much pressure on yourself—just do it like you normally would." Castorice gave a slight bow and followed Mydei off the stage.
Phainon stood frozen for a long while. Finally, a flash of determination passed through his eyes.
Since that's the case… then I'll just do what I'm best at!
——
Meanwhile.
More than ten people dressed in black entered the trio's prep room.
One of them said, "Boss, are we gonna get mistaken for the triad wearing all black—black shirts, black pants, black socks, black shoes?"
"Aren't we? Stop talking nonsense. Caenis said there are definitely precious ingredients here. Grab them and our job's done. Hurry and search!"
...
Soon, one underling shouted, "Boss! Over here! There's a fancy gift box."
The black-clad boss walked to the locker, opened the gift box—and found a stack of documents.
"Children's stage play charity performance registration form. Applicant: Mydei. Role: Evil Dragon???"
"?????"
"What is this?"
The boss flipped to the next one. "Children's charity dessert competition. Participant: Mydei. Entry: Various desserts."
He kept flipping. "Orphanage charity event. Volunteer: Mydei. Desired task: Playing with the children.
Hope Primary School playground renovation. Donor: Mydei. Donation amount: 78,844.34."
"…"
The black-clad boss flipped page after page—nothing but charity performances, volunteer services, all centered around "children's welfare."
Until the last one: a crayon drawing. Mydei stood in the center, holding hands with children who were smiling brightly.
The drawing technique was very childish, yet it clearly showed how much the kids loved Mydei.
"What the hell is all this?"
One underling clutched his chest. "Boss, I feel like such a scumbag right now!"
"We take money to eliminate disasters. We each serve our own master—different sides, that's all. Keep moving." The black-clad boss comforted the group.
At that moment, another underling shouted to the boss, "There's another box here!"
Following the principle of better to kill the wrong one than miss one, the boss opened it. Inside were stacks of letters. Sender: Castorice; Recipient: Polyxia.
The contents were filled with Castorice's longing for her younger sister. She hoped to find stable work and bring her rural sister to the big city.
Every letter was utterly sincere—yet none had ever been sent.
"Wuwuwu~ Boss, this is too touching. The little sister gave up her chance to attend the Arbor Academy for her big sister, while the big sister keeps writing letters, always thinking of her.
But because she hasn't fulfilled her promise yet, she never sent them. I feel less and less human!"
"You're pretty good at summarizing plots, huh? Go search somewhere else."
...
Not long after.
"Boss, another gift box here. Should we open it?"
The black-clad boss steeled himself. "Open it!"
Inside was a single photo of a cute pink-haired girl, with large words written on it: "I'll be right here, always waiting for you♪"
On the back, in completely different handwriting: "Sorry, Cyrene!"
"Boss, finally something different. Though… I don't really get it."
The black-clad boss lit a cigarette and took a deep, epic drag. "You don't understand. This is the story of a boy who wanted to make it big, and a girl who stayed behind waiting.
The boy was full of youthful vigor, the girl adorable and charming. Yet at the age when they should have bloomed together, they were separated by distance.
Perhaps the boy's greatest wish… is just to see the girl one more time."
"Damn, as expected of the boss—just from one photo you can read that much story?"
"After all… I was young once too!" The black-clad boss stubbed out the cigarette and shook his head. "Keep searching!"
After a thorough search, aside from a carton of eggs and a few green onions, they found nothing ingredient-related.
"Boss, did we come to the wrong place? Where are the precious ingredients?"
"Impossible. Search again!"
Suddenly one underling cried out, "Huh? Where's my phone? My phone's gone!"
At that reminder, everyone present reached into their pockets.
"Huh? My wallet's gone!"
"Huh? My ID's gone!"
"Huh? My watch is gone."
"Huh? My necklace is gone!"
"Huh?! My unwashed socks from yesterday are gone!"
"…"
"Urk!"
Hearing that odd sound, the black-clad boss signaled for silence. He slowly looked up—and saw a girl clinging to the ceiling. "Who are you?"
"Urk!" Cipher leaped down, clutching her chest. "Big bro, why do you keep your unwashed socks inside your pants?"
The underling gave an embarrassed laugh. "The mission was urgent—I forgot."
"Shut up!" The black-clad boss glared at Cipher. "Little girl, you saw everything just now? Looks like we'll have to take special measures."
Cipher gave an awkward smile. "You guys keep searching. Pretend I saw nothing."
"You think we're idiots? Get her!"
More than ten people advanced step by step toward Cipher.
Cipher could only retreat until her back hit the wall.
"Heh, nowhere left to run!"
"Little girl, just cooperate quietly until the competition ends!" The black-clad boss flashed an absolutely pure smile.
Cipher closed her eyes. She remembered Feixiao's final instruction: if in danger, shout for help loudly!
"Mei-neesan, I don't want to die!"
Seeing this, question marks popped above everyone's heads.
"What's this silly girl trying to do?"
At that moment—
The prep room door erupted with a massive crash.
BANG—
Then a second, a third.
BANG BANG—
Finally—BOOM.
The door, unable to withstand the force, bent into a C-shape, broke free from the frame, and crashed to the floor.
Standing in the doorway was a purple-haired woman with a slightly dazed expression. "I got lost… Could you tell me how to get to the competition venue?"
"Mei-neesan!" Cipher threw herself into Acheron's arms, looking up pitifully. "There are bad people in the crowd—they're bullying me."
Acheron gently patted Cipher's head. "It's okay. I'm here now."
She raised her eyes and gazed at the group. Her pupils were deep, like an abyss. "The bad people… are you, right?"
"Holy shit, Boss—this is still human? She kicked an anti-theft door into that shape???"
"What did she kick it with? Her foot?"
Acheron replied calmly, "I was just knocking."
"Boss, this woman doesn't seem very… smart."
The black-clad boss waved his hand. "Doesn't matter anymore. Attack! We outnumber her—advantage ours! Charge!"
With the boss's command, everyone rushed toward Acheron.
——
At the same time.
Phainon arrived alone at the prep room door. He had made up his mind: he would make egg fried rice—the only dish he knew how to cook.
But when he reached the doorway, he found the door itself was gone.
"Damn, what the hell happened?"