Is the closed beta test of King of Loque over? The official release is here!

The indigenous people walking around the market turned their heads almost simultaneously.

Along with the shout, a strong, irresistible, and mouthwatering aroma spreads.

It doesn't have the monotonous charred aroma of salt-baked meat.

It has layers: spiciness first, caramel aroma in the middle, and a lingering sweet, sour, and numbing aftertaste, like an invisible hand that precisely grips the throat of everyone who smells it.

What does it taste like?

"It smells so good!"

"It smells so good it makes you want to eat it!"

All eyes turned to the Wood Clan's stall.

There, the smoke rising from the grill had a faint ochre-red hue.

The grilled food on the grill looked quite different from the other two stalls, appearing more vibrant and appealing.

It smells so good, and you can even try it for free.

The combination of the two is so appealing that it would be hard for anyone not to be tempted.

As a result, many natives found themselves walking in that direction without even realizing it.

"Is it really true that you offer free samples here?"

A small, thin native squeezed his way to the Wood Tribe's stall. His nostrils flared, his eyes wide with disbelief as he was drawn in by the unprecedented aroma.

"Of course!" Murong Jiao puffed out her small chest, tossed her yellow pigtails, and smiled as brightly as the most enthusiastic shopkeeper in the market. "We mean free, we absolutely won't lie!"

She turned and called out to Fang Xu, who was busy at the grill, "Fang Xu! Bring me a skewer!"

Fang Xu deftly removed a small bamboo skewer with thin slices of meat from the grill. The meat slices were coated with a layer of reddish-brown spice powder and brushed with a layer of dark red honey sauce. Under the residual heat of the charcoal fire, they were shiny and the aroma was almost visible to the naked eye.

Murong Jiao took it and presented it to the native with both hands.

The native swallowed hard, took the bamboo skewer, and first brought it close to his nose to smell it.

The spicy, smoky, sweet and sour aroma hit him right in the head, making him squint.

Then, he couldn't wait to take a bite.

The moment your teeth slice into the meat, the outer layer of sauce, carrying particles of spicy powder, explodes in your mouth. First, a warm, spicy sensation stimulates your taste buds, followed by a sweet and sour aftertaste rising from the back of your tongue, and finally, a lingering, numbing aroma that stays between your teeth. The tenderness of the meat itself becomes the foundation that supports these flavors.

The native's eyes widened suddenly.

"good to eat!"

His voice rose two octaves, his face filled with disbelief, and with meat still in his mouth, he exclaimed indistinctly, "It's so delicious! I've never tasted anything like this before! What is this? How can it be so fragrant!"

He quickly devoured the meat slices from the bamboo skewer, licking his lips with lingering satisfaction, his expression as if he had just experienced a sensory awakening.

That shout had the effect of throwing a pebble into a calm lake.

The local natives walking around turned their heads, drawn to his exaggerated reaction.

"Is it really that delicious?"

"What does it taste like? Let me try some!"

"I want to try it too!"

In an instant, seven or eight natives gathered from different directions, forming a small crowd in front of the Wood Clan's stall. Further away, others were tiptoeing to peer in, drawn closer by the ever-spreading aroma.

Murong Jiao keenly seized this moment.

She took a deep breath, straightened her back, and announced to the crowd in her clearest and most resonant voice:

"Everyone! Our Mu tribe barbecue uses a special, secret seasoning! Absolutely healthy! Absolutely delicious! And—"

She stretched out a finger and pointed it forcefully in the air.

"We only have this here! You absolutely won't find it anywhere else! It's one of a kind!"

She paused, noticing the increasingly bright eyes in the crowd, her voice softening slightly, tinged with apology: "However, because we have limited staff, the food service might be a little slow. So, those of you who want to enjoy our delicious food, please be patient!"

Fortunately, those bite-sized skewers don't take long to grill, and the thin slices of meat only need to be flipped a few times over the charcoal fire to cook through. Mo Fan stood to one side of the grill, his brush dipped in honey sauce, brushing, sprinkling powder, and flipping each skewer with fluid movements, almost forming a small assembly line.

Murong Sha quietly skewered the meat on the other side, her fair fingers deftly folding the slices of meat and threading them onto bamboo skewers, her speed already much faster than before.

Fang Xu was in charge of watching the fire and doing the basic baking, handing the semi-finished products to Mo Fan, who then added the final seasoning.

In no time at all, the second batch of skewers was ready.

Murong Jiao distributed the sample skewers to the locals who had gathered around.

Take a bite—

"My God!"

"This taste!"

"It's spicy and fragrant, not just salty, the taste is really completely different from other places!"

Positive reviews poured in. Every local who tried the food wore the same expression—amazed.

Some people, after finishing one, immediately asked, "How much is it? I want to buy some!"

Some people hadn't even swallowed their food yet, and were already waving to their companions in the distance: "Come over here! The skewers over here are incredibly delicious!"

The word-of-mouth spread far faster than expected.

Shortly after the tasting ended, a long queue formed in front of the Mu tribe's stall. One after another, the natives joined the line, some attracted by the aroma, some dragged along by their companions, and some simply turning around and walking over from the other two stalls.

"I'd like a set meal!"

"Me too! Give me extra sauce!"

"Could you sprinkle more powder too?"

The queue grew longer and longer, soon extending from in front of the stalls into the market's passageway.

For a time, the Muzu barbecue stall was bustling with noise, completely overshadowing the other two stalls.

far away.

Niu Kuang watched as the number of customers in front of him visibly decreased, while the crowds at the Mu Clan's stalls grew larger and larger...

"Are you kidding me?!" Niu Kuang's voice suddenly rose, and he slammed his large, fan-like hand on the cutting board, making the bamboo skewers rattle loudly. "What kind of secret seasoning is this? The stall was practically empty just a moment ago, how come it's suddenly packed with people?!"

Tie Dan craned his neck to look, swallowed hard, and said, "Boss, it seems... they've come up with some special seasoning. It definitely smells completely different from ours..."

"Bullshit! It's all the same ingredients!" Niu Kuang roared in frustration, but a complex aroma he had never smelled before wafted into his nostrils, which weakened his confidence.

On the other side, the stone family's stall.

Song Chen's expression had completely darkened.

He looked at the ever-growing queue, then at the people flowing in front of him—the once bustling crowd had now thinned out considerably. The local residents had voted with their feet more decisively than he had imagined.

taste.

In the food industry, ultimately, taste is the most crucial competitive advantage.

Without capital operation and without scale, even the most ingenious package strategy and the most clever pricing tactics are nothing but empty gestures in the face of an absolute gap in product strength.

“…Let’s go.” Song Chen said in a deep voice.

Almost at the same time, Niu Kuang also started walking.

The two walked towards the Wood Clan's stall from different directions, as if they had reached some kind of silent consensus.

At this moment, Mo Fan's stall was already surrounded by a huge crowd.

In the long queue, everyone stood on tiptoe, peering out with anticipation on their faces. Fang Xu was busy at the grill, sweating profusely, his bamboo skewers flying like rain. Mo Fan squatted to the side, skewering new ingredients, while Murong Sha beside him quietly and steadily threaded skewers, the two working in perfect harmony.

Murong Jiao was standing in front of the stall, hands on her hips, her smile practically overflowing.

It's a win.

This time, they're really going to win!

Just as she was basking in the joy of victory, two tall figures squeezed through the crowd.

Niu Kuang's towering, muscular frame, standing over six feet tall, was like a moving wall, causing the natives to automatically part to make way for him. Song Chen, on the other hand, circled around from the other side, his steps steady, but the gloom between his brows could no longer be concealed.

"Where did you get your barbecue seasoning and sauces from?"

Niu Kuang got straight to the point, not bothering with beating around the bush. His bull-like eyes were fixed on the tempting, fragrant skewers on the grill, the red glow of the charcoal fire reflected in his pupils.

Murong Jiao tilted her head, flicked her yellow pigtails, raised her chin high, and spoke with a smug tone.

"What? You want to know?"

She narrowed her almond-shaped eyes, curled the corners of her mouth up, and revealed a smug smile.

I won't tell you!

Niu Kuang's brows furrowed sharply, and displeasure rose on his rugged face. He took a deep breath, pointed his large, fan-like hand at the two bottles on the stall, and raised his voice several octaves.

"Hmph! The competition is fair! Everyone starts with the same materials. The extra materials you have are cheating!"

"Cheating?" Murong Jiao was not afraid at all. Instead, she took a step forward, tilted her head up and looked directly at Niu Kuang's big face, her voice crisp and clear.

"Then you can go and report to the three clan leaders! Go ahead! Let them judge this matter and see if it counts as cheating!"

Niu Kuang opened his mouth, then closed it again.

He's not stupid. Turing made it very clear when he announced the rules—"The rest is up to you." The rules never stipulated that only the provided ingredients and seasonings could be used.

They simply didn't expect it.

Of course, even if they thought of it, they might not be able to change it.

Song Chen did not participate in the verbal dispute. His gaze passed over Murong Jiao and landed on Mo Fan, who was skewering meat behind the stall.

Mo Fan.

I left for a while, but I'm back now.

Two bottles of seasonings that had never been seen before.

A medicine shed.

Elder Muyuan.

Several keywords strung together in Song Chen's mind to form a clear chain, and the answer was about to emerge.