Don’t raise unruly people in extreme cold weather

Chapter 841

In the kitchen of the Marcel Hotel, several cooks were busy working, cutting quickly on the chopping board with their knives. Ingredients were stewed in a large pot beside them, and the air was filled with the aroma of various ingredients.

Although the entire city is shrouded in the shadow of material scarcity, for those big men who truly hold power and wealth, material shortages have never been a problem to worry about.

The corner of the kitchen is filled with precious ingredients that are rarely seen in France today: fresh vegetables and fruits, so bright in color that they seem to have just been picked from the ground; chunks of fresh meat, exuding an enticing oily luster; snow-white flour and crystal clear white sugar, neatly stacked in wooden barrels and cloth bags.

These supplies were not provided by Marcel itself, but were brought by that distinguished figure from the mysterious city in the sky.

That city is said to be a miracle built by the Victorians, like a garden suspended in the clouds.

Its existence has sparked countless rumors and speculations on the streets of Marsel.

Some people say that it is a paradise on earth, with fruit trees planted on both sides of the street, and the fruits are so abundant that they can be picked at will.

Some say that the houses there are as warm as spring, and that the walls are made of some magical material that can keep out any cold.

Others say that the residents there have never experienced hunger or pain and live a rich and comfortable life.

These rumors were particularly widespread in the slums of Marcel, and many people looked up at the sky with longing and jealousy in their eyes.

They couldn't imagine why some people could live in such a carefree world while they had to struggle to survive in this barren land.

However, for the cooks at the Marcel Hotel, the rumors were at least partly true: there was indeed plenty of food.

Otherwise, it is impossible to explain why, in this era when even the governor cannot have meat for three meals a day, that big shot can still eat so exquisitely.

But this has nothing to do with these cooks.

Their only task is to turn these precious ingredients into exquisite dishes for the big man to enjoy.

Their movements were skilled and mechanical, but they couldn't help but feel a subtle emotion in their hearts - the value of these ingredients was enough to feed the entire slum of Marcel for several months.

The door of the kitchen was gently pushed open, and a servant came in, urging in a low voice: "Hurry up, the chef is already impatient."

The cooks quickened their movements, but they felt a hint of irony in their hearts - in this era of material scarcity, every dish they prepared was a luxury that ordinary people could not imagine.

However, these cooks are not the protagonists in the kitchen. Their main task is to process the ingredients - washing vegetables, cutting meat, kneading noodles, these trivial tasks must be completed by their hands.

The one who actually cooks the dishes for the big shots is the hotel’s chef.

The chef was a serious middle-aged man with superb cooking skills. It was said that even the people of Victoria praised his dishes.

He has the final say in the kitchen, and even the hotel manager has to give him some respect.

The servant who came to urge them just now was just a small character who took advantage of the power of others to bully others.

Relying on his status as a popular figure around the chef, he was bossing around in the kitchen all day long, ordering the cooks around.

The cooks knew that they couldn't afford to offend this kind of person. After all, if he said a few bad words in front of the chef, they might lose their job.

These days, being a cook at the Marcel Hotel is a job that few people can even dream of. At least here you can have enough to eat.

If they lost this job, they would not be able to find other jobs to fill their stomachs in this terrible world. So they could only work twice as hard, and even the theft of food did not happen.

Although there is no one in the kitchen monitoring their work, the amount of these precious ingredients is limited. Some loss is normal, but if they are found to be missing, what awaits these cooks will not simply be losing their jobs.

However, while the cooks were busy, no one noticed that the servant's eyes were always fixed on the ingredients that had been processed and were about to be served to the chef.

His movements seemed normal, as if he was just supervising the progress of work in the kitchen, but in fact, his attention was all on the pot of beef bone broth bubbling on the stove.

The soup is carefully cooked with premium beef bones and spices. It has a rich and delicious flavor and is an indispensable soul ingredient in the chef's cooking.

Whether it's stews, sauces, or just plain soup, this pot of stock can add rich layers and flavor to any dish.

Just as the cooks turned around to process other ingredients, the servant quickly took out an inconspicuous small bottle from his sleeve. The liquid in the bottle was colorless and odorless, as if it was just ordinary water.

He looked around and made sure no one was paying attention, then gently unscrewed the bottle cap and poured a few drops of liquid into the pot of broth.

The liquid quickly melted into the soup without leaving any trace, as if it had never existed.

This attendant is no ordinary hotel employee, but a member of the resistance group.

They have been committed to overthrowing the rule of the Victorians, but under the high-pressure policies of the governor and the garrison, they have not been able to achieve anything.

However, after deciding to do something big, assassinating Regent Victoria who was staying at the Marcel Hotel became their most suitable option at the moment.

In their view, as long as they killed this big man, it would inevitably cause an uproar in the whole of France. At that time, as long as they made a call, they would be able to arouse the rebellious spirit of the French people and stand up against the rule of the Victorians.

For the imperial regent who wanted to assassinate Victoria, poisoning him would undoubtedly be much better than having an assassin rush up and kill him directly.

After all, that big shot is always surrounded by Steam Knights as guards. As for the resistance organization, without the participation of extraordinary people, they are really unable to fight against extraordinary units like the Steam Knights.

When it comes to poisoning, poisoning food is undoubtedly the most classic and most applicable option.

So the assassin chose to poison the broth.

The broth is not only used in multiple dishes, but is also served directly to the table as a delicacy for guests to enjoy.

Once the toxin is absorbed into the soup, it will silently enter the target's body with every spoonful of soup and every bite of food.

By the time the toxicity sets in, it will be too late.

The servant hid the vial again and stepped aside as usual, as if nothing had happened.

The kitchen was still busy as ever, the cooks were so focused on the work in their hands, unaware of what had just happened.

The pot of broth was still boiling on the fire, emitting an enticing aroma, as if announcing that a feast was about to begin.

However, behind this feast lies a conspiracy that could change the situation.

The servant pretended nothing had happened and maintained his harsh personality, urging all the cooks to work harder. He also had someone send the soup stock with added ingredients to the chef.

(End of this chapter)