Food Wars, my food not only glows!

　The moment the food slid down her throat, Su Yan felt as if she were in the crater of a volcano, with waves of heat hitting her from all directions. Before her was a table of chilled dishes, perfectly transforming the unpleasant environment into a delightful experience.

　This enjoyment is top-notch, bringing genuine pleasure from the bottom of one's heart, making one acknowledge this feeling from the depths of one's soul, become fascinated by it, and willing to be consumed by it.

　"cheers!"

　A volcano in one's consciousness. Su Yan, Tan Guai, and Zhang Zhong raised their glasses high, their faces beaming with satisfaction—this was the most direct experience of cooking.

　"Great! The judges seem very satisfied with Chef Leah's cooking!"

　However, at present

　He didn't reveal much else; whether he can defeat his opponent is still unknown. Hopefully, he can win.

　"I'm so nervous! My heart is racing even more than when I'm actually competing."

　Beside Bai Yuan, watching the judges' expressions of pleasure after tasting the dishes, Yoshino Yuuki and the others showed excited and joyful expressions.

　Because they had been taught by her before, and now that she was standing on the competition stage, being praised and commended by the judges, they were genuinely happy for Leah.

　"The final moment has arrived to decide the winner!"

　Beside her, Alice Nakiri also looked tense, her fists clenched tightly, her eyes fixed on the arena.

　Regardless of who wins, either of them could become her rival in the end!

　Compared to Wang Qing, she still hoped that Liya would win the competition, because she had never competed with Liya before. Perhaps the best cook in Bai Yuan's harem could find the answer through this competition.

　"So, who ultimately won this match?"

　Seeing the tense atmosphere, the host picked up the microphone and his voice became passionate and impassioned.

　Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, he looked directly at the judges and asked the question on behalf of the entire audience: Who is the winner of this competition?

　"winner..."

　Unusually, this time the judges hesitated, unlike in the previous rounds when they determined the final winner in just a few seconds.

　Upon seeing their performance, the scene fell into a brief silence, with everyone holding their breath and waiting for the final result.

　Will the genius chef from the world of dark cuisine seize victory, or will the local favorite Wang Qing defend his throne? The answer will be revealed in this instant!

　"We need to discuss this."

　Feeling the gazes around him, Zhang Zhong stood up and said something to those around him. Then he, Su Yan, and Tan Luan formed a small circle, put their arms around each other's shoulders, and quickly began to discuss.

　"I think fried shrimp is superior. Whether it's liquid nitrogen freezing or high-temperature frying, the temperature accuracy is extremely important. If you're not careful, the shell will burn or the inside will melt. This requires the chef to have extremely high skills and a good sense of temperature."

　Tan Luan's voice rang out; he was a genuine shrimp enthusiast.

　After all, when visiting Fujian, if you want to showcase the local specialties, crayfish is undoubtedly the best choice.

　The difference lies in the fact that one side showcased Fujian's culinary culture very well, while the other side subtly introduced Western elements. As a competition with local characteristics, this is clearly not a good thing.

　Of course, it is obviously inappropriate to use this as an evaluation standard, but that does not mean that the scales in his heart have not tipped.

　Given that the two are roughly equal in ability, he prefers to support Wang Qing, who brings out the local characteristics.

　"If that's the case, then isn't Nali's Wagyu beef the same? Vacuum freezing and ultra-high temperature roasting require strict control of the baking time to ensure that the outside is crispy while the inside remains icy."

　Su Yan frowned and retorted that if this were truly the standard for evaluation, then the difference between the two would not be significant and could not be used as the deciding factor.

　"But you didn't notice that he combined tempura techniques with molecular gastronomy, subverting the traditional single-temperature logic of fried food!"

　He did that just by watching the previous matches, don't you think he's amazing?!

　Thinking of the foamy broth at the bottom of the lobster plate, Tan Guai argued that it was undoubtedly a cooking method that only molecular gastronomy could produce.

　In other words, by watching the first two matches, Wang Qing learned this cooking method at an astonishing speed and applied it to his dishes, which is undoubtedly a very impressive achievement.

　"If we're talking about a combination of molecular gastronomy and traditional cuisine, then the little balls in Li's dishes are the real deal."

　First, yogurt and wasabi are blended into gel spheres using molecular gastronomy techniques, then frozen in the refrigerator, ultimately appearing on the dish as a contrasting combination of hot and cold!

　Su Yan's voice was firm and resonant. Although she did not directly take sides, it was still clear that she had someone in mind.

　Leah's steak was clearly more to her liking, and the yogurt mustard ice beads on top were absolutely the greatest invention in the world!

　"Teacher Zhang, whose cooking do you think is better?"

　The two argued back and forth, their faces flushed with rage, neither able to convince the other. Their voices, initially hushed, eventually became loud enough for the entire audience to hear.

　"To be fair, I think Wang Qing's lobster is better."

　When the two brought up the topic of him, Zhang Zhong, who was resting with his eyes closed, opened them and gave the answer he had already prepared.

　"Wang Qing's lobsters are better? Why?"

　Su Yan frowned, staring straight at Zhang Zhong's face, giving off an air of "You better explain yourself properly, don't even think about getting away with this."

　As a top-tier four-star chef, she will argue for a dish to the bitter end once she has chosen it, unless the other party has a reason that can convince her.

　"The burning sensation awakens the taste buds, while the icy sensation resets their sensitivity."

　Compared to the gentle transition of the Wagyu beef served by Yu Li, I still prefer the explosive power of Wang Qing's lobster. It bursts open the moment it enters my mouth, giving me a very forceful and satisfying experience!

　The chopsticks were placed in front of the lobster plate to indicate...

　Adhering to his own stance, Zhang Zhong looked up at Su Yan, his voice conveying authority and wisdom.

　"A more brutal kind of satisfaction? What a coincidence, I prefer gentle things."

　As she spoke, Su Yan placed her chopsticks in front of Liya's plate to show her determination; clearly, this reason was not enough to convince her.

　"I've already made my stance very clear. Wang Qing, congratulations on advancing to the semifinals."

　As he spoke, Tan Guai pointed at Wang Qing and gave them their final answer.

　"My pleasure."

　Upon hearing Tan Guai's words, Wang Qing's initial panic instantly subsided, replaced by an elegant and relaxed smile. As he spoke, he even gave a gentlemanly bow in the direction of the judges.

　"They lost 2-1? What a pity!"

　Hearing the judges' conversation and seeing that they had reached a conclusion, Leah stood aside with a pitiful expression of resentment and helplessness.

　Alice Nakiri couldn't help but bite her lower lip, as if she wanted to say something, but finally sighed helplessly.

　"Although she lost, she still deserves credit. Lia's strength was not as good as Wang Qing's to begin with, and it was already quite an achievement that she was able to snatch a point from him."

　Of course, it's always a bit of a pity to lose in the final step.

　Upon seeing the judges' final results, a hint of regret flashed in Bai Yuan's eyes.

　He could tell that Leah had tried her best.

　In this situation, no one can be blamed for the failure, even if that person is herself.

　"What an absolutely fantastic match."

　In the back row, Hisako Shinto, who had witnessed all the matches, sighed from the bottom of her heart, then leaned back in her chair, her small face filled with the word 'exhilaration'.

　"That's fantastic! This is the kind of match I wanted to see!"

　"That was amazing! This is definitely the most exciting culinary showdown I've seen all year!"

　"Wang Qing! Wang Qing! Wang Qing!"

　"Lily! Lily! Lily!"

　At the same time, after a moment of silence, thunderous applause erupted.

　Many audience members in the back rows even stood up to get a better view of what was in front, and the cheers and shouts were constant, making it a very lively scene.

　Bai Yuan and the others were also infected by this atmosphere and loudly shouted out Lia's code name.

　She eventually heard the shout, but when she turned and met Bai Yuan's gaze, she pursed her lips and turned her head away, unwilling to look at him again.

　"Tsk."

　In the audience, Bai Yuan also noticed this, so he clicked his tongue softly, said nothing, and prepared to comfort her properly later.

　After all, the person who suffered the most and couldn't let go of the loss was Leah.

　"Xiao Hui, pack up and let's leave."

　The last match was the one featuring Sichuan Linghua.

　Bai Yuan was quite curious about this girl who had been separated from them since arriving in Fujian, but her opponent in this round was not even as good as Xiao Hui.

　With the outcome already decided, there's really no need to waste time watching such a match.

　"Ah? Okay..."

　Being called out to her was a bit of a surprise, but Tadokoro quickly tidied herself up and followed.

　The others were somewhat surprised, but they didn't say anything.

　After all, everyone has their little secrets, and everyone craves personal space. All they need to do is pretend they don't know and calmly wait for the next match.

　the other side.

　After leaving the competition venue, the two walked one after the other until they arrived at a sparsely populated park. There were only a few elderly people around, and no one else. Tadokoro Megumi mustered up her courage, quickened her pace, and took Shirayuki's hand, walking side by side with him.

　"Finally up here. I was wondering how long you were going to hesitate."

　Feeling the warmth from his palm, Bai Yuan knew who had come. A faint smile appeared on his face, and he turned to Tadokoro Megumi behind him.

　"You knew all along that I was hesitating in the back, didn't you? You just took advantage of my cowardice and didn't dare to step forward. Teacher Bai Yuan is so mean!"

　Upon hearing Bai Yuan's words, Tadokoro Megumi's expression froze for a moment before she immediately reacted. Her cheeks puffed up like a pufferfish, and she clenched her little fists as she angrily retorted.

　"Isn't it because I wanted to see how long it would take you to adjust to your new role that I wasn't in a rush to urge you?"

　Sensing Tadokoro Megumi's hand about to pull away, Shiro held it tightly, not letting it go, until she realized she couldn't pull it away and gave up, then he loosened his grip slightly.

　"So you're taking me to the river for our date?"

　Looking at the surging river in front of her, and recalling Bai Yuan's hint that morning, Tadokoro Megumi couldn't help but complain, "Is this what they call a date?"

　Isn't that a bit too hasty?

　However, if the object of her affections is Bai Yuan, it's not unacceptable, but she will inevitably be a little disappointed, since she specially picked out beautiful clothes for this occasion.

　Her white dress and innocent face attracted many boys who wanted to add her on the field during the competition.

　But she rejected them all.

　It's easy to imagine how effective her outfit was at appealing to young men.

　"Of course not, it's just that I have something I wanted to give you, so I came over first."

　As he spoke, Bai Yuan walked towards an open space not far away, then picked up a sunflower from a chair and stuffed it into Tadokoro Megumi's arms.

　"The weather is nice today, and Mr. Sunflower is happy for you too."

　The sunflowers were brought by people from the Dark Cuisine World at Bai Yuan's behest.

　Since they arrived in Fujian, the Dark Cuisine world has infiltrated them, and now he can order them around with just a phone call.

　"What beautiful sunflowers."

　Tadokoro Megumi received the sunflower from Shirai, and a look of surprise appeared on her face. She then held it in her arms with both hands, and her surprise turned into a smile.

　"The flowers are beautiful, but the people are even more beautiful."

　Bai Yuan subconsciously offered a compliment.

　Bathed in sunlight, Megumi Tadokoro looked like a radiant angel, captivating all who looked at her and inspiring heartfelt admiration.

　Chapter 270 Heart-to-Heart Talk: Tadokoro Megumi's Troubles

　"Thank you."

　Holding the sunflower, cradling it in my arms.

　At that moment, Tadokoro Megumi's smile made Bai Yuan momentarily distracted, almost missing her words. But when he came to his senses, he immediately stepped forward.

　Seeing this, Tadokoro Megumi naturally rushed into Shiro's arms and embraced him tenderly.

　"So where do we go next?"

　After hugging for a while, Megumi Tadokoro looked up; she had had enough of being in the park in the cool breeze.

　"Let's eat first. After watching the game for so long, I'm a little hungry."

　Looking at Tadokoro Megumi, who was tilting her head and asking him a question, Shiro couldn't help but swallow.

　A white dress was still too irresistible to the boy, so he reached out and took her hand, leading her toward the department store outside the park.