I was just fishing, how did I become a Great Old One?

Black Iron Pot City, downtown, Hell's Kitchen Hall.

Standing before that towering, thousand-meter-tall white chef's hat building, everyone truly understood what the perfect combination of "megalophobia" and "abyssal aesthetics" meant.

This building is not made of bricks and stones.

It was pure white, with a smooth and delicate surface, and a warm, smooth texture to the touch. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be made from countless massive abyssal beast leg bones ground into powder, mixed with slime gel, and then cast.

The gate was a huge, open mouth, with a red carpet spread out like a tongue, welcoming (or rather, devouring) every person who entered.

A huge neon sign hung on the lintel, with the words written in abyssal script flowing like lava:

Hell's Kitchen Hall

[The beginning of all deliciousness, the end of all ingredients.]

……

"Amitabha."

Tang Sanzang stood in front of that gaping mouth, his hands clasped together, a warning code flashing on his data sunglasses.

"Why do I feel like... this isn't registering for a class, but rather delivering goods to someone's door?"

"The resentment inside this gate... is even stronger than that beneath Five Finger Mountain."

"That's natural."

Jiang Li straightened his collar and led the way onto the red tongue-shaped carpet.

"This is the holy land for all chefs in the Abyss."

"The creation of every famous dish is accompanied by the lamentations of countless ingredients and the tears of countless failed chefs."

"The strong resentment indicates that the fire here is... very strong."

……

Inside the lobby.

Upon entering, a tremendous sound wave, like a tsunami, rushed towards us.

This place is a million times noisier than a wet market.

Countless ghost-fire chandeliers hung high from the dome of the hall, illuminating the space brightly.

The ground was covered with stalls and counters. Countless strange abyssal creatures moved about, hawking their wares and arguing.

"Buying dragon liver! Fresh dragon liver at a high price! The kind with traces of blood!"

"Selling a used kitchen knife! The previous owner was a cannibalistic chef; the knife exudes a menacing aura, cutting meat like mud!"

"Team up! Team up! We need someone who can chop vegetables! Our target is the Lava Hell dungeon, to catch fire lizards!"

"Come and see! The latest food rankings are out! The Gluttony King's new dish, 'Raw Planet,' is number one!"

……

Sun Wukong was dazzled by what he saw and scratched his head in bewilderment.

"Wow! This place is much more lively than my Flower Fruit Mountain!"

"What's that?"

Wukong pointed to the center of the hall, where a huge display screen made of black crystal was hanging.

Names and numbers scrolled across the screen.

[Currently favored champions:]

1. Nurgle, the King of Decay (Specialty: Plague Stew). Odds: 1.5.

2. Countess of Blood (Specialty: Offal Sashimi). Odds: 2.0.

3. Void Tentacle Monster (Specialty: Multi-threaded grilling). Odds: 2.5.

……

"That's a betting platform."

Jiang Li glanced at it.

"That's also our...goal."

"We need to get those names..."

"Squeeze in one by one."

"Until the number one spot becomes... [Dark Blue]."

……

Registration area.

Jiang Li led everyone through the crowded throng to a counter at the far end of the hall.

There's a long queue here.

Those queuing up were not ordinary people (or even human beings).

There was a fire demon whose body was engulfed in flames, carrying a huge magma cauldron in its hand.

A Naga sea monster with six arms was rapidly clipping its nails with a knife.

There was also a mummy chef wrapped in bandages, sprinkling preservatives (or possibly seasonings) on himself.

Finally, it was Jiang Li's turn.

The person sitting behind the counter is not an ordinary waiter.

Instead, it's a... [multi-eyed fleshy ball].

It had no hands or feet; it was like a giant pink lump of flesh covered with dozens of eyes of varying sizes and several mouths that seemed to be chewing.

[NPC: Lobby Receptionist - Thousand-Eyed Inspector]

[Responsibilities: Verify participant eligibility and eliminate those who can't even hold a kitchen knife properly.]

[Hobby: Accepting bribes (in any sense of the word).]

……

"name."

The Thousand-Eyed Inspector opened its mouth, its voice sharp and piercing.

"Jiang Li".

Team Name

"Deep Blue".

"Race."

Dozens of eyes turned at the same time, focusing on Jiang Li.

"Humans?"

The examiner let out a sneer.

"How strange."

"Humans, such fragile creatures, usually only appear on the menu."

"Are you sure... you're here to cook?"

"Instead of being used as reserve food?"

"Sure."

Jiang Li remained expressionless, even flashing a professional smile.

"Besides, you might not even dare to eat the dishes I cook."

"Ha, quite the boast."

One of the examiner's tentacles emerged from the fleshy ball and pointed to a small black room nearby.

"Filling out the form is useless."

"The Abyss only believes in strength."

"Go to that room."

"Passed... [Ingredient Test]."

Only then are you eligible to receive an admission ticket.

"What if we fail..."

The examiner's mouth gaped open, revealing rows of serrated teeth.

"You shouldn't come out."

"The food inside... I'm really hungry."

……

Test room.

Jiang Li pushed open the heavy black iron door and went inside.

Wukong, Nezha, and others followed closely behind.

The room was dark, with only a dim lamp lit on an iron table in the center.

On the table, there was something covered with a red cloth.

That thing is moving.

It is still making...crying sounds.

"Waaaaah..."

"It's so dark... I'm so scared..."

"Mom...I want to go home..."

……

"Wow!"

Er Gou was so frightened that he immediately crawled under Tang Sanzang's cassock.

"This...this is a child?"

"Boss! We're not going to boil a child, are we? That won't do! That's illegal!"

"Amitabha."

Tang Sanzang frowned, and red light flashed on his data sunglasses.

"wrong."

"There is no soul resonance in this voice."

"This is... [mimicry]."

"Also... [psychological attack]."

……

Jiang Li walked to the table.

He ripped off the red cloth.

"Splash!"

The red cloth fell down.

It revealed the true nature of that thing.

It was a... purple, huge, and still trembling... konjac.

Yes, konjac.

But it has an extremely realistic human face.

And that face...

The moment he saw Jiang Li, he changed.

It turned into... Jiang Li's appearance when he was a child.

"elder brother……"

The konjac looked at Jiang Li and shed purple juice (tears).

"Don't you want me anymore?"

"I'm Xiao Li..."

"Are you going to...cut me?"

……

[Ingredient: Abyssal Mimic Konjac]

[Level: Mental Pollution]

[Feature: It can read the most tender parts of a chef's memory, simulating the appearance and voice of your closest people or things.]

[Test Purpose: To test the chef's "heart." A top chef must remain calm and composed when facing ingredients, even if it looks like your own father.]

……

"What a tough question."

Nezha stared at the piece of konjac, his Fire-Tipped Spear trembling.

"What if it became my mother..."

"I...I definitely can't do it."

Wukong scratched his face as well.

"What if he became my master..."

"I might just kill it with a stick, after all, that old monk is too long-winded... no, I mean I don't know how to do it."

All eyes were on Jiang Li.

That konjac is still crying.

The voice grew increasingly mournful, more and more like the memories deep within Jiang Li's heart.

"Brother...don't kill me..."

"It hurts so much..."

……

Jiang Li looked at the piece of konjac.

His eyes... were completely expressionless.

I even felt a little like laughing.

"Mimicry?"

"Reading memories?"

Jiang Li drew the Occam's Razor (concept chef's knife) from his waist.

"What a pity."

"You've read the wrong person."

"For someone who regards cooking as a 'way' (the Way)."

"In the kitchen."

"No relatives, no friends, no enemies."

"Only... [ingredients]."

"and……"

A cold light flashed on Jiang Li's blade.

No matter how much you look like a human.

"Essentially..."

"It's just a piece of... starch with a very strong earthy smell."

……

"brush!"

Jiang Li drew his sword.

Without the slightest hesitation.

There was not a shred of pity.

That slash was incredibly fast.

They directly severed the "voice organ" of that konjac (that is, the mouth of that fake face).

"Ugh—!"

The crying stopped abruptly.

"Chop, chop, chop, chop!"

Immediately following was a burst of rapid, heavy chopping sounds, like a downpour.

Jiang Li's hand speed soared to the point of being a blur.

That abyssal taro that was initially trying to appeal to emotions was extinguished in just three seconds.

It was cut into... a thousand neat, uniformly sized cubes.

Each piece is only the size of a fingernail.

The cut is as smooth as a mirror.

……

"Done."

Jiang Li sheathed his sword.

Looking at the pile of quiet, purple konjac cubes on the plate.

"Since you enjoy using psychological attacks so much..."

"Then I'll..."

"Fight poison with poison."

"Nezha! Light the fire!"

"Ergou! Bring me my Abyss Chili Sauce!"

"I want to make a..."

"【Mapo's Mental Attack on Konjac】"

……

Cooking begins.

Location: On the iron table in the testing room.

Tools: A Klein pot that I carry with me.

Step 1: Blanch the fish to remove the fishy smell.

"Konjac has an alkaline taste and contains psychoactive toxins left over from its mimicry process."

"It must be blanched."

Jiang Li poured the diced konjac into the boiling water.

Add [even slightly rusty nails] (that's to fix its shape, and it's also a kind of folk remedy).

Boil for three minutes, then remove and drain.

Step 2: Stir-fry the base ingredients.

"The soul of Mapo lies in its numbing and spicy flavors."

"Here, we use... [Hell Pepper] (it will numb your mouth for three days after eating it)."

"And... [Lava Bean Paste]."

Jiang Li poured red oil into the pot.

Add the minced meat (the leftover minced chainsaw mantis meat).

"Sizzle—"

The aroma of the sizzling minced meat instantly dispelled the eerie atmosphere of the room.

Add fermented soybean paste, ground Sichuan peppercorns, and minced garlic.

Stir-fry until the oil turns red.

Step 3: Firing.

Add the diced konjac.

Add the broth (the base of the pickled cabbage and shark soup).

"Glug glug—"

The red broth was bubbling.

The konjac cubes were dancing in the soup.

Although they have been chopped up, their "spiritual pollution" characteristics remain.

On each piece of konjac, a small, pained face seems to appear.

"Still trying to cause trouble?"

Jiang Li sneered.

"Thicken it with cornstarch!"

"Use the most concentrated... [starch seal]!"

wow-

Pour the starch slurry into the pot.

The broth instantly thickened, tightly coating each piece of konjac.

That viscous texture directly blocked the mental fluctuations of the konjac.

At last.

Sprinkle with a handful of chopped scallions.

……

[Dish Name: Abyss Mapo Mimic Tofu]

[Level: Mental Intimidation]

[Description: The mimicking konjac that attempted to manipulate the chef through familial ties will be ruthlessly chopped up and suppressed with the most violent and spicy methods.]

[Taste: Numbness that makes your tongue lose all feeling, spiciness that makes your scalp tingle, and heat that makes your soul tremble. Any attempt at psychological manipulation is a joke in the face of absolute deliciousness.]

[Effect: After consumption, greatly increases "Mental Resistance". You will no longer fear any illusions, because your heart... is spicier than this dish.]

……

"Take it out."

Jiang Li was carrying a plate of Mapo Konjac that was still bubbling with red oil.

They walked out of the small room.

Back at the counter.

The thousand-eyed observer was idly picking its teeth with its tentacles.

It thought Jiang Li had been eaten by the konjac or had gone mad.

"Bang!"

The plate was placed heavily on the counter.

"Try it."

Jiang Li said with a smile.

"Your test questions... are ready."

……

"Um?"

Dozens of eyes from the examiners were simultaneously fixed on the plate.

It smelled that domineering spicy aroma.

I could also sense the lingering resentment of the konjac in that dish...

"You...cut it?"

"Weren't you misled by it?"

The examiner was somewhat surprised.

It extends a tentacle and scoops up a spoonful of konjac.

It was put into one of their mouths.

"Smack."

"boom!!!"

That instant.

The examiner's mouth instantly became red and swollen.

Followed by.

The numbing sensation traveled along its nerves, instantly numbing its entire body.

"Ugh!!!!"

Its dozens of eyes began to shed tears uncontrollably.

Its dozen or so mouths opened at the same time and spewed fire.

"So spicy! So numbing!"

"But...it smells so good!"

"This konjac... it's still struggling in my mouth! That chewy, bouncy texture... it's like chewing on the soul of an enemy!"

"Cool!!!"

The examiner let out a freakish scream.

It swallowed the entire plate.

They didn't even leave any of the broth behind.

……

After eating.

The examiner slumped in his chair, his entire body flushed red, like a boiled octopus.

The way it looked at Jiang Li changed.

That's the look you give when you look at your own kind (a pervert).

"very good……"

"You...are very good."

"Ruthless and highly skilled."

"You're simply... a born Abyss chef."

The examiner pulled a black metal plaque from a drawer behind him (actually, its belly button).

It has a burning skull engraved on it, along with a number.

[Item: Dark Cuisine Contest Admission Ticket]

[Number: 9527]

[Team: Deep Blue]

"Take it."

The examiner tossed the sign to Jiang Li.

"The preliminary rounds will begin in three days."

"The topic is... [Hunting]."

"The location is... [The Dark Forest of Death]."

"Good luck...you heartless humans."

……

Jiang Li took the sign.

Feel the cold touch on it.

Thank you.

He turned around and led the group away from the registration area.

The hall remained noisy.

But Jiang Li's heart had calmed down.

"Number 9527..."

Jiang Li tossed the sign in his hand.

"Preliminary rounds...hunting..."

He glanced at Wukong and Nezha.

"It seems like these three days..."

"We need to...sharpen our knives."

"By the way..."

Jiang Li glanced at Er Gou.

"I'll get you a new... heat-resistant braces."

"Otherwise, next time I encounter that kind of bursting, juicy ingredient..."

"Your mouth is going to go numb again."