Food Wars, my food not only glows!

　Relationships always have varying degrees of closeness or distance. For Wang Jing, Liu Yu is her best friend, and Huang Mei is a friend. Naturally, she is closer to Liu Yu than Huang Mei.

　"That's true. How about you? Your opponent this time wasn't the leader's student, so their strength shouldn't be too great. Congratulations on advancing to the semi-finals."

　Turning her head to look at Wang Jing, Liu Yu thought of her opponent this time, her face...

　It was unusually serious.

　Although Huang Mei is only a second-class chef, she possesses an extraordinary talent for super touch and is constantly getting stronger, giving her the ability to challenge opponents of higher levels.

　In comparison, Wang Jing's opponent was much easier to deal with. Although not weak, he didn't have any special talents and his strength barely reached that of a first-class chef.

　Given such an opponent, Wang Jing's chances of losing are extremely low, according to common sense.

　"We still can't underestimate them. After all, they came in at the same time as us and are quite close to the leader. They must have received a lot of guidance from him in the past, so their strength should not be underestimated either."

　"What you say makes sense. That person is the leader, after all. Even if it's just a casual remark, it can be incredibly beneficial!"

　Thinking of Bai Yuan's power, Liu Yu and Wang Jing's faces simultaneously revealed a fanatical expression; he was someone they vowed to follow for life.

　Attracted by his personal charm and his cooking, they willingly submit and become his followers.

　"I remember your competition theme was 'rice,' which is quite a subtle topic, especially since you were competing in the first round."

　Thinking of the themes given by Xia Zhi Selection Agency, Liu Yu looked up at the sky. Her theme was "fish," while Wang Jing's theme was "rice."

　"Simply put, it's a dish based on rice. It's quite easy to make, but I don't know what to make."

　Logically speaking, making fried rice would be the most appropriate solution, but I'm not very good at controlling the heat, so I have to choose other methods to play to my strengths and avoid my weaknesses...

　Looking up at the sky as well, Wang Jing sighed softly. Her cooking skills were really not that great; she had lost to the outsider back then precisely because of her cooking skills.

　"You still need to practice your fire skills; this is an old problem of yours."

　Her fair and slender feet emerged from the hot spring and then fell back down, splashing water everywhere. Liu Yu's voice was calm, but she was scolding Wang Jing.

　"That requires too much skill. I prefer steaming or stewing. You just need to put the ingredients in the pot and then time it."

　"That's true. You're just that kind of person. You only need to focus on what you're good at. Otherwise, the two of us wouldn't be able to get along."

　Shrugging, Wang Jing's words brought Liu Yu back to reality, and a bitter smile appeared on her face.

　The reason these two are so close is because they're both pretty lazy. If someone suddenly becomes very diligent, you should suspect they're possessed.

　"You'd better train hard here for the next few days. After you're done cooking, you can relax in the hot springs. As a formal member of the Dark Cuisine World, I have to show you some real skills this time. I can't let outsiders look down on me!"

　"I know, this is a critical moment, we can't let the leader down!"

　Liu Yu and Wang Jing have done this kind of last-minute cramming many times, and because of their high talent, they have always been able to overcome difficulties.

　This time will probably be no exception.

　"I'm going to stay up all night to study."

　"Then I'll come too."

　"Okay! We'll try out the dishes together then!"

　They roll things up together, they arrange things together – this is what Liu Yu and Wang Jing have always done. As best friends, they stand together through thick and thin.

　·

　·

　"Accurate to 0.01 grams! If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, it would be hard to imagine that this was done by human beings. Super tactile sense is truly an extremely terrifying talent!"

　Looking at the weight reading on the high-precision electronic scale, Li Wanwan was only a hair's breadth away from the target, a hair's breadth in every sense of the word. Her mouth gaped slightly, and she made no attempt to hide the shock on her face.

　"Is it still 0.01 grams off? If it were the leader, he should be able to do it perfectly. It seems I still need to practice."

　Huang Mei, sitting opposite her, sighed. After a lot of trying and training, she had inexplicably entered a mysterious state. The original weight difference of 0.03-0.05 grams had now decreased to only 0.01 grams.

　"If we were leaders, there would be no problem, but we are just rookies who have just started out. It is already quite remarkable that we have reached this point."

　Seeing Huang Mei's expression, Li Wanwan could only sigh inwardly, "Comparison is the thief of joy! She has such high talent and she's still not satisfied, while ordinary people like me were eliminated in the first round!"

　Chapter 190 The semi-finals begin, with Soma Yukihira starting.

　"After all, there is an incredibly dazzling sun ahead. Although I know that the closer I get to the sun, the more I will be burned, I still can't help but want to go over and stand shoulder to shoulder with it!"

　Thinking of Bai Yuan's imposing figure, Huang Mei's eyes shone. He was someone she could follow for life, someone of extraordinary significance to her.

　"In that case, let's continue practicing."

　Seeing Huang Mei's dissatisfied expression, Li Wanwan pouted, poured all the flour off the scale, and then gestured for her to proceed.

　"No, it's hard to improve my super-touch perception any further. Now I should focus on the main theme of this session. My opponent is Sister Liu, and it's going to be a tough battle."

　Fish, just fish alone, there are so many dishes that can be made with it; we must choose one that can bring out the full power of our super-tactile abilities!

　Upon hearing Li Wanwan's words, Huang Mei waved her hand to refuse, and then expressed her own thoughts. At this moment, the fish she had bought that morning was still in the refrigerator.

　"That's fine..."

　Looking at Huang Mei, who had taken the fish out of the refrigerator and placed it on the cutting board, Li Wanwan murmured something, then said, "Let me help you."

　"it is good."

　·

　·

　Polaris Dormitory, Kitchen.

　Megumi Tadokoro and Soma Yukihira each occupied a corner of the kitchen, with various ingredients laid out on the counter, as they were researching their own themed dishes.

　"Yukihira-kun, what dish are you planning to cook?"

　Tadokoro Megumi ran her hand through her hair and looked at Yukihira Soma. She was completely at a loss, so she looked to him, trying to find inspiration from him.

　"I've tried all kinds of rice-based dishes, including rice bowls, fried rice, and even rice crusts. They taste pretty good, but I haven't found any that I'm particularly satisfied with."

　Upon hearing Tadokoro Megumi's voice, Yukihira Soma, without even looking up, recounted his recent attempts.

　He tried all sorts of rice-related dishes, and they all tasted pretty good, but none of them truly satisfied him.

　"Your theme is rice, so the focus should be on showcasing the flavor of the rice, not the surrounding side dishes. The results of the first round of eight matches have already proven that you can win by perfectly presenting your theme."

　Sensing the confusion in Soma Yukihira's words, Megumi Tadokoro pondered for a moment before offering a solution, which was the best approach based on the other person's theme.

　“What you say makes sense. My previous research mostly focused on side dishes related to rice, and I didn’t pay much attention to the rice itself.”

　Since that's the case, let's start with steaming rice and conduct an in-depth study of rice!

　Pinching his chin, pondering the meaning behind Tadokoro Megumi's words, Soma Yukihira suddenly clapped his hands, his eyes lighting up as he revealed a look of sudden realization.

　"It's better to have a clear theme like yours, so you don't have to worry about it. Unlike my theme, which has too many options, I still haven't decided on one."

　Compared to the other person's very clear theme, the theme she drew this time was "cold dishes," which encompassed an exceptionally broad range, causing her a lot of distress.

　Her opponent is Ryo Kurokiba, a dockside chef from the Nordic coast who is very skilled at seafood cooking.

　The cold dishes prepared this time will most likely be based on fish, shrimp, and crab, and will have a strong flavor.

　Seafood, with its rich umami flavor, is incredibly delicious even without much cooking.

　If you pair it with a flavorful sauce, you can easily make top-notch food.

　Faced with such an opponent, instead of openly confronting the impact of his cooking, it's better to find a way to utilize...

　·

　·

　"Brother Bai Yuan, what did that old man say to you?"

　After seeing off Zhou Tai and his two grandsons, Bai Yuan returned home, where he was greeted by the curious gaze of Nakiri Alice.

　"This matter is still very uncertain and unclear. I also promised him to keep it a secret, so I won't tell you."

　Bai Yuan placed his coat on the sofa and, remembering Zhou Tai's earlier instruction to keep it a secret, did not reveal the content of their conversation.

　"Okay, then let me know when you're ready."

　Upon hearing Bai Yuan's words, Nakiri Alice didn't delve into the matter further. She reached out and hugged his arm, glancing awkwardly at the room.

　Zhou Yuyu's appearance today inexplicably made her feel a sense of crisis.

　The best way to eliminate her sense of crisis is for Bai Yuan to reassure her with love.

　"As compensation, I will satisfy you tonight."

　Seeing through the girl's thoughts, Bai Yuan bent down and put his arm around Alice's knees, lifting her up with a little effort.

　"It just so happens that I learned some new positions online, but unfortunately, no matter how hard I practice alone, I can only get the form right. This kind of thing still needs two people together, so I'm counting on you tonight!"

　Looking at the handsome face in front of her, Alice Nakiri blushed quickly. Although they were an old married couple, she would still feel shy whenever she saw Bai Yuan.

　Especially when doing this kind of thing.

　Although he usually appears very outgoing, he feels involuntarily ashamed when he is honest with someone, and this contrast is something that Bai Yuan likes.

　"Don't worry, with me here, you can have whatever position you want. Who knows, we might even discover some new things~"

　With a wicked grin on his face, Bai Yuan then tossed the already prepared Nakiri Alice onto the bed and began practicing her positions.

　·

　·

　A week has passed in the blink of an eye.

　Everyone underwent rigorous special training and finally returned to Totsuki.

　Between the moon and the sky.

　"Good morning, dear viewers! It's time for the Summer Selection Tournament, which we've all been waiting for. This round is the semi-finals, where elites gather!"

　"Dong dong dong."

　The deep, resonant drumbeats began, each one seemingly capable of shaking the soul, causing the heart to race uncontrollably and the face to flush with excitement.

　"What an exhilarating moment!"

　The audience was much larger than in the first round, and the air was thick with a fierce fighting spirit. All eyes were on Kawashima Rei.

　"Today's match is between Soma Yukihira and Jing Wang. Both are transfer students with formidable skills, and the theme is the well-known 'rice.' Let's see what surprises these two contestants will bring!"

　Kawashima Rei heated up the atmosphere with her impassioned tone.

　She was the host of this competition.

　Before the competition begins, the largest atmosphere-building team is responsible for engaging the audience.

　"Here he comes, Soma Yukihira has entered."

　As Soma Yukihira slowly walked through the contestants' tunnel, carrying a high-speed blender, spotlights shone on him, and cameras locked onto his figure.

　Faced with all this, Soma Yukihira remained unmoved, his steps steady without faltering, his face bearing a solemn expression of certainty.

　"In the first match of the Summer Selection Tournament's semi-finals, Soma Yukihira must have made ample preparations."

　Let's see if he, from a humble diner, can once again create a miracle and defeat the formidable dragon from the East!

　Seeing Soma Yukihira appear on his screen, Rei Kawashima stepped forward, took the microphone, and began to introduce his background, while also introducing the next contestant.

　"Then, the second one is Wang Jing, a top genius from the East who obtained a first-class chef certificate at a young age!"

　This time, she will once again showcase the charm of Eastern cuisine for us!

　In the contestant passage across the street, Wang Jing appeared. The young girl's face was tense, and she remained serious and without a smile throughout the host's introduction.

　"A genius chef from the East. As a culinary superpower, China's chefs must be incredibly skilled. This is going to be a fierce battle!"

　"That girl is a Hui Muslim. She once stood out in the Ningxia region's junior chef competition and achieved a top-three finish."

　She's said to have very unique insights into halal cuisine; I'm really looking forward to her cooking.

　As the audience saw Wang Jing's face on the big screen, they immediately started discussing it, with those who knew her background explaining it to those around them.

　After all, before joining the world of dark cuisine, Wang Jing was already a well-known genius, but compared to a master chef, her fame only circulated in a small circle.

　However, now that spectators from all over the world have gathered here, there are bound to be a few knowledgeable people who recognize Wang Jing's identity. These people have high expectations for her, and some even shout encouragement for her.

　This must be what is known as the fan effect.

　"In addition, the judges are all graduates of Totsuki Academy, and all five of them are among the Ten Outstanding Individuals."

　The camera moved quickly, finally focusing on the judges' panel. This time, the judges were all outstanding graduates of Totsuki Academy, the highly anticipated former Elite Ten.