Food Wars, my food not only glows!

　If it weren't for the fact that he has a granddaughter studying at university in this city and needs a lot of money, he would have moved to another city long ago.

　Three years ago, the head chef's child came to work as a kitchen helper at the hotel where I was working.

　That kid was really amazing. He reached the level of a first-class chef at such a young age, the same level as me at the time.

　Looking back now, it's very likely that his resentment towards me stemmed from the fact that I, being of the same rank, dared to openly criticize him, putting him in an awkward position.

　Sitting opposite Bai Yuan, all the girls in the store gathered around out of curiosity.

　"Could it be because you criticized him on the cooking issue, but because the chef's level is too low, he thought you were not qualified to criticize him, so he got angry and had his father kick you out of the kitchen?"

　But wouldn't that be too hasty? Fire a long-time veteran over such a trivial matter? The others wouldn't be satisfied.

　Alice Nakiri pinched her chin and murmured, guessing the general reason from the few words she uttered.

　What she didn't understand was, wouldn't driving away a veteran kitchen employee who had worked hard but hadn't made any significant contributions, just because a newcomer was driving him away? Wouldn't that cause resentment among the other veteran employees?

　After all, if you can drive this kid away today, you might drive me away tomorrow. If we don't work together, the kitchen will definitely be in chaos in the future.

　"You overestimate human nature."

　Just then, Bai Yuan's voice rang out, showing no surprise at the old man's fate.

　That's just how the world is.

　If they weren't facing a threat themselves, most people would choose to stand by and do nothing; those with backbone are ultimately a minority.

　Humans are always like this: they don't care if it doesn't concern them, until one day it's their turn and they realize that there's no one around to help them anymore.

　"It's probably because I wasn't well-liked in that kitchen."

　The old man pulled out an old pipe from somewhere, took a deep drag, and a faint melancholy expression appeared on his face.

　If he weren't so meticulous in his daily work, unwilling to compromise on any dish and expecting others to do the same, which caused many people in the kitchen to be unhappy with him, and in the end no one would speak up for him.

　"This world is really..."

　After that, didn't you try looking for work elsewhere? Even the most powerful head chef at a restaurant can't influence everyone.

　Looking at the silent old man who only knew how to smoke, Alice Nakiri shook her head, then asked with some curiosity.

　Even for a master chef, completely blocking the job search path of a first-class chef would probably not be an easy task.

　"I tried, but I was kicked out before I could even open my mouth."

　On the one hand, I'm too old, and they were afraid something might happen, so they didn't dare let me do it.

　On the other hand, that guy made a call that even if a restaurant was willing to hire me, I wouldn't last more than a month before being fired by the boss.

　Later, when he ran out of money, he knew he couldn't just sit around doing nothing, so he opened a satay noodle shop in this alley where the rent was cheap.

　Okay, that's my story. I'm so glad you chose my noodle shop.

　The old man flicked the ash from his pipe, put it away, and then looked at the guests not far away, smiling as he went forward to greet them.

　"It's getting late, let's go back."

　As he spoke, Bai Yuan stood up from his seat and gave a wink to the people around him, signaling them not to disturb the boss's business and to leave quickly.

　"So full! I'm satisfied now!"

　As they left the satay noodle shop, a coquettish voice rang out from among them. Yoshino Yuuki rubbed her belly and made sounds of enjoyment.

　"Indeed, the ingredients are high-quality, the price is fair, and the taste is comparable to that of a high-end hotel. It's been a long time since I've encountered such a conscientious business!"

　Erina Nakiri's voice was filled with emotion.

　She used to think that the world's food was simply divided into delicious and bad.

　However, when Bai Yuan learned of this idea, he seriously criticized her and told her that you get what you pay for.

　A bowl of Chongqing noodles that costs four yuan is delicious as long as the ingredients are fresh. But a set meal at a high-end hotel that costs tens of thousands of yuan is unpalatable if the seasoning is even slightly off.

　Specific problems require specific analysis, and Bai Yuan taught Nakiri Erina through his own actions.

　Although she is still greatly affected by the taste of God's Tongue, she is now able to view food dialectically and discover its merits.

　"Indeed, such a meticulous and conscientious person should not be buried in this kind of place."

　Bai Yuan nodded slightly, a thoughtful expression on his face.

　Although the old man's words were only his side of the story, judging from his appearance and the short time they spent together, Bai Yuan believed that the old man was definitely not a bad person. He decided to have his subordinates from the Dark Cuisine World try to make contact with him later.

　If the old man is short of money, then let the people in the Dark Cuisine world send him money. Once he is willing to join the Dark Cuisine world and undergo special training at their headquarters, his remaining life may be given a second spring, and he may suddenly become a master chef.

　"It seems you've already come up with a solution, Boss Bai."

　Beside her, noticing Bai Yuan's appearance, Liya smiled and spoke.

　"Go back first."

　Bai Yuan didn't answer, but quickened his pace, and soon the group returned to the stadium.

　The stadium was bustling with excitement, and everyone's face was filled with anticipation.

　Some even bought popcorn and other snacks from who-knows-where, just to enjoy the treats while watching the game.

　"Oh no, I should have bought some snacks on the way here."

　Seeing this, Alice Nakiri's face immediately showed a regretful expression. She began to hate herself for forgetting something so important, even though she had thought about it that morning.

　"A match lasts three hours. If you haven't bought any snacks, just watch the match carefully. No matter who wins, the one who remains will be your opponent in the next match. Knowing yourself and your enemy is the key to victory."

　Bai Yuan raised his hand and tapped Nakiri Alice's little head, his voice tinged with a hint of helplessness.

　The finals are just around the corner, and this little guy isn't thinking about how to win the championship, all he thinks about is eating.

　"A sense of relaxation, maintaining a certain level of relaxation is very beneficial for winning the championship!"

　Being constantly tense can cause a winning situation to slip away due to excessive nervousness and frequent mistakes!

　Alice Nakiri covered her head, looking somewhat aggrieved, with an expression that said, "If you don't understand, don't talk nonsense."

　"You have a whole bunch of fallacies. I could say that maintaining a proper level of tension makes it easier to perform exceptionally well."

　Listening to Alice Nakiri's endless stream of fallacies

　Looking at her confident appearance, Bai Yuan said helplessly.

　"What you said makes sense. Some people do perform exceptionally well when they are nervous, but I am more suited to a relaxed state."

　Alice Nakiri gave Shirai a bright smile as she spoke.

　"You're quick-witted and always have a point, huh? Now, just watch the game! I'll test you later. Think about it: if one of them were your opponent, how would you respond?"

　Reaching out, Bai Yuan gently pinched Alice Nakiri's fair and soft cheek, then shook his head, focusing his attention on the arena and waiting for the match to begin.

　However, at this moment, something unexpected seems to have happened at the competition venue.

　The host rushed onto the field in a panic, whispered a few words to Zhang Zhong, and then Zhang Zhong's expression turned grim.

　"Is there really such a thing?"

　Just to be on the safe side and to avoid any misunderstandings, Zhang Zhong inquired further.

　"It's true! At first, we couldn't get in touch with the player, and now she's not in the players' lounge either. What are we going to do now?!"

　Wiping away non-existent cold sweat from his forehead, he realized that the fact that a player had disappeared before the match was a rare occurrence, happening only a few times more than a decade ago, and always due to deliberate interference from the opposing player.

　It's very rare to see someone voluntarily disappear like this, since everyone who comes to participate in the Young Chef Competition is aiming to win the championship, right?

　Even at the very least, they want to perform well in the competition and make a name for themselves. It's very unlikely that these dream-filled athletes would voluntarily withdraw from the competition.

　"Since the other party chose to withdraw from the competition, they have no one to blame but themselves. When the competition time is up, wait for ten minutes. If the contestant does not arrive, it will be considered that she has forfeited."

　Zhang Zhong's voice rang out. He had nothing to worry about, after all, they hadn't used any external force to make Lian withdraw from the competition; it was all her own choice.

　Although I don't know the reason, I respect it.

　"understood."

　Hearing Zhang Zhong's words, the host nodded, then took the microphone and went up. It was already time for the competition to start, and Wang Qing had arrived at the cooking station early to wait.

　His face was full of confusion, because the person who should have been standing opposite him was nowhere to be seen, as if he had disappeared.

　"What's going on? They haven't even arrived yet. This is such an important match, and they're just making us sit here waiting."

　"Exactly! Do they even take this competition seriously? They haven't even shown up yet!"

　"If you knew you'd be late, you should have left earlier! What's with making us wait here?! This is outrageous!"

　Time passed by, and someone started complaining, which suddenly made the originally quiet scene become chaotic.

　"What's going on? Is that guy not coming?"

　Alice Nakiri frowned. She had thought she would be able to see a great match, but she couldn't see her opponent at all.

　"We don't know the situation yet; they might have been delayed on the way."

　Bai Yuan's voice carried a hint of speculation.

　As for why Kawanoshika was targeted and therefore unable to arrive at the scene, he didn't even consider that possibility.

　The reason is simple: Chuanlinghua is registered under his name, and currently no chef in Fujian dares to offend him, let alone his subordinates.

　"Hopefully she can make it here."

　"Otherwise, we would really miss a great game."

　"I don't know what happened..."

　·

　·

　Changle Airport.

　"I'm already at the airport, I'll be going back soon."

　Kawano Rinka's voice was tinged with urgency. Her eyes were red, and she looked as if she had just been crying, which was indeed the case.

　"No rush, be careful on the road, the driver can hold on for a few more days."

　A clear female voice came from the other end of the phone, but Kawanishika could sense a distinct sadness in it.

　"How can I not be anxious! How could it suddenly worsen! Just a few months ago they said that rest would be enough for recovery, and that I could live for another ten or eight years without any problem. How could it suddenly deteriorate like this!"

　Kawana Hibiki's voice was filled with strong emotions. If she weren't about to board the plane and surrounded by people, she really would have burst into tears.

　When she was a child, her parents were very busy, and she didn't have many friends. She was always depressed at home.

　It was that little old man who said to her, who was sitting in the yard lost in thought, "Little rascal, if you're so free, come and help me pick some vegetable leaves. This old man will teach you how to start a fire and cook."

　Then, in the days that followed, she inexplicably started learning to cook from that old man until recently when she participated in the Sichuan Youth Chef Competition and won the championship.

　It turns out that this little old man was not just an ordinary kind-hearted neighbor, but the former president of the Sichuan Provincial Chefs Association. The current president is his apprentice and also her senior.

　A 37-year-old top-tier five-star chef, a top-notch genius.

　"master..."

　Once on the plane, after switching her phone to airplane mode, Kawanishika took out a pocket watch from her bosom.

　The table contains a photo of her and her mentor.

　The master was an old man with thinning hair and a white beard, missing two front teeth. He liked to smoke, but knowing that she hated the smell of smoke, he would stay away from her while smoking and would only come back when the smell dissipated.

　This was just one small thing her master did to show concern for her. There were many other things she vaguely remembered but that truly warmed her heart. That's why she was so devastated when she learned that her master's condition had suddenly worsened.

　"No matter what, you must hold on until I get back!"

　Kawanobi pursed her lips slightly, closed her eyes, and made a praying gesture. No matter what, please hold on until she gets back!

　The old man loved her most; if he couldn't see her one last time before he died, he would probably regret it for the rest of his life...

　·

　·

　"It seems there really is something important, otherwise they wouldn't skip the competition. Let's go back."

　After waiting for a long time and still no one came, the host announced the winner of the match, Wang Qing. Bai Yuan couldn't help but shake his head and say something.

　"It's a pity."

　Seeing Bai Yuan get up, Nakiri Alice also expressed her regret.

　Although I've only seen Kawahira's cooking a few times, she is indeed a formidable person with strong skills and her dishes have a very distinctive style.