People in Zongman: My Dimensional Cuisine

"I don't know, everyone's waiting for news. But it seems Garuda and the others will be going this time too. Do you want to go? If you do, bring Xiaolan along too~ You don't have to come, but Xiaolan..."

Ran Mouri was taken aback and pointed to herself in confusion, saying, "Me? But I don't even know what that is, and it seems like we're going on a long trip?"

Sonoko Suzuki broke free from Kirari and chuckled, saying, "This Kengan match is just a business dispute. To resolve the issue, a bunch of bosses found people with exceptional fighting skills to compete. Whoever wins is in the right!"

"Oh~ but what does 'death' mean?"

Sonoko sighed upon hearing the word, and Lucifer also looked over. It was the first time she had ever heard the name Kengan Tournament. Kirari took a sip of her drink and said with a smile, "It means a death match. You can admit defeat, but you can also fight to the death. This tournament is held to compete for the title of president of the Kengan Association."

Ran Mouri's beautiful eyes widened in disbelief as she exclaimed, "Kill...kill?!"

"Yes, I wasn't the one who initiated this. I still don't know who it was, but I wouldn't have gotten involved in this mess if I hadn't been forced into it so tightly."

Although Kirari looked innocent and indifferent, she was actually quite excited. Ran suddenly realized something and said in disbelief, "Wait... Manager Shiraha is such an amazing person?"

"Of course, he's never lost a single game, and he doesn't have a fixed company, so many female bosses want to buy him into their companies~ Lucifer~ Bai Yu has more than just a few people who are interested~"

Sonoko added, "Of course, they're not qualified to join the group."

Lucifer nodded. Just then, Bai Yu came out, carrying a large bowl of something that was emitting cold air. It was the first time Lucifer had ever seen Bai Yu bring out such a large cold dish; she had only ever seen ice cream.

After putting down the bowl, Bai Yu tapped Cerberus, who was slumped in the chair, on the head and said, "Don't lie there, get up and have some dessert~"

"dessert!"

Cerberus sat up abruptly. She had already finished digesting her food; she was just too full to move earlier. But now that she heard Bai Yu had made dessert, she perked up immediately.

Bai Yu said with a smile, "You guys must be getting bored just waiting, and it's Xiao Lan's first time here, so let's treat her to this first."

Xiaolan waved her hand and said, "No need..."

Sonoko laughed and said, "It's okay, it's okay~ Shiraha-nii is very kind-hearted, this is normal~ Eh? Is this fruit salad made with ice cream? It looks so delicious!"

Bai Yu tapped Sonoko's headband and said, "Don't give me any weird passive abilities, you little rascal. Hurry up and eat, or the ice cream will all melt~ Lucifer, stop playing on your phone and come eat something too~"

Lucifer obediently put away his phone and nodded. Just then, Suzuki Satoru took off his headphones, raised his hand, and shouted, "Shiraha! Shiraha! Check, please! Whew~ That was really fun..."

"800 yen, that seems to be the level of spiciness you can handle~"

After putting down the money, Suzuki Satoru laughed and said, "Any more and I might have a stomachache all night. I can't even feel my lips anymore."

Bai Yu smiled and said, "Hmm, purplish-red lips. But if this color were made into a lipstick, I think a lot of girls would like it~"

Suzuki Satoru waved his hand helplessly and said, "I'm not as popular with women as you are. To accommodate you, I didn't even give you Demiurge; I just handed Albedo over to you."

"Albedo is definitely much more pleasing to the eye than Demiurge~ Thank you." (Demiurge: Hmm? I feel offended.)

"If you really want to thank me, then level up! I'll be going now."

Watching Suzuki Satoru leave, Shiroha said with a hint of helplessness, "Looks like I'm going to be dragged along by Albedo again..."

After finishing speaking, Suzuki Satoru tidied up his table and turned back to the kitchen. The girls were eating fruit salad with forks, just like foie gras. Few girls would say they dislike ice cream and fruit salad.

There's not much to say about fruit salad; it's just the fresh taste of various fruits, and the slightly sweet yet slightly salty flavor after being coated in salad dressing. Adding coconut milk makes it feel like digging for treasure in a pool of coconut milk.

You don't know what fruit you're picking up with your fork, but you definitely won't dislike its taste. Finally, add a generous amount of sweet, rich ice cream, and that's pretty much what Santa's gift feels like.

The girls chatted while eating fruit with forks. Xiaolan relaxed, and Ahua became less reserved. They talked about everything except serious matters.

Girls form friendships so quickly. Bai Yu chuckled as she listened to the laughter outside and said, "Hmm~ nice atmosphere."

In the quiet of the night, a group of friends gathered to enjoy a fruit salad, waiting for the main course under the soft lighting. The wait itself became meaningful; time passed peacefully, but there were always people by your side, like these laughing girls—warm and lively...

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Chapter Ninety-Eight: Dongpo Pork, Kirari's Reward (Please Subscribe~)

Some things have a unique magic, like this fruit salad. It not only kept Cerberus, who loves meat, from eating non-stop, but also made Kirari, who is usually quite normal, chat like a normal girl.

While cooking, Bai Yu thought of Jinx. If Jinx were here, Kirari and the others would definitely treat her like a rag doll.

"Hey~ Xiaolan, why do you have such a childhood friend~ such an unromantic man~"

Sonoko, forking a piece of dragon fruit, exclaimed, "Exactly! Kirari! You're absolutely right this time! Shinichi's brain... it's really... full of Sherlock Holmes, soccer, and cases. I'm just amazed by him!"

Ran sighed and said, "Shinichi is indeed a bit too outrageous in a way, sigh..."

Sonoko laughed and said, "This is the first time I've seen Ran roast Shinichi. You've improved a lot! Come on, have an apple!"

"Huh? Isn't it supposed to be a cheers? Why is it dried apples?"

"Because there are no cups~ But Cerberus, I've always been quite curious, Lucifer is the president, what do you do?"

Cerberus paused for a moment. Was guarding the gates of Hell a profession? Even if it was, she couldn't bring herself to say it, not out of shame, but because she was afraid of scaring people.

Lucifer cleared his throat and said, "Cerberus is my employee!"

Cerberus nodded repeatedly, and Sonoko said with a smile, "Now I finally know why you were the first one. You came all this way with your staff, impressive!"

Lucifer waved her hand helplessly. Cerberus was indeed someone she had called over, but she really didn't have that intention at the time. Cerberus didn't say much and just kept eating.

Just as Kira was about to say something, Bai Yu slowly pushed a food cart out. After stopping the cart in front of the girls and serving the dishes, Bai Yu smiled and said, "I didn't expect Kira to have such a normal girl side."

Kirari said with amusement, "Haven't I always been like this with you?"

"Alright, the food is ready. That white porcelain pot contains Dongpo pork, and this is Longjing shrimp. Please enjoy. Oh, and this is your drink~"

"It's just lemonade~ Oh? There are cherry blossoms in it!"

Bai Yu turned around and said with a smile, "Since this glass of lemonade is enough, please enjoy it~ Kirari, now we can talk about serious matters."

Kirari sighed and said, "Bai Yu, it seems someone wanted to dethrone me this time, so they participated in the Kengan Tournament under the name of the Hyakugaku clan. I only received the news later, and I couldn't refuse."

Bai Yu sighed, walked up to Qi Luoli, pinched her cheek, and said, "I hope you'll remember this lesson. I won't help you next time. You're such a worry!"

Kirari didn't struggle, but just looked up at Bai Yu and said with a smile, "Don't you think it's too simple? Am I just fooling you?"

"I don't think so, because you've never lied to me."

"As expected of you, Shirayu~ I just can't do anything with you~"

"If you could do anything to me, you wouldn't be here right now."

Kirari Momobami smiled and sat down to the side, saying, "The elimination tournament is at the end of the month. I'll come to see you again then. In the meantime, I need to calm the students down and take care of some work ahead of schedule."

Lucifer, forking a piece of apple, said, "But isn't someone trying to take your place? Aren't you worried that someone will sabotage you when you go out to participate in the ultimate competition?"

Kirari licked her lips and said, "There's absolutely no need to worry about that. They won't dare to make any moves whether I'm around or not. That's what deterrence is. Sonoko, you should learn from that~"

After giving her a disgruntled look, Sonoko eagerly lifted the lid of the white porcelain pot. What she saw was not meat, but light—yes, light. The skin of the pork was glossy, and after being drizzled with sauce, it looked as if a layer of ice had formed on its surface, radiating an enticing sheen.

A few bright green vegetables laid under the meat added a touch of vibrancy. The neatly arranged Dongpo pork, with its scallion shreds like noble elves, immediately drew the eye to the dish, revealing its tempting sheen.

Everything was like a pagoda, layer by layer, and looking down, there was nothing but allure; you could smell nothing but fragrance.

Yuanzi couldn't wait any longer and picked up a piece with her chopsticks. The thick broth slid down the skin of the meat, and the remaining little bit dripped onto the meat, making it look even more tempting and beautiful.

When using chopsticks, you can only pick up the lean meat, because this way you can see the unique charm of this meat with its alternating layers of fat and lean meat. As the chopsticks bring it to your mouth, the fatty part trembles slightly, along with the skin. The luster, combined with the aroma, is dazzling and mesmerizing.

The moment it enters your mouth is a delight. The fatty meat melts in your mouth like cotton candy, and with the help of the broth, there's not a trace of greasiness, just pure fragrance. Chewing on the remaining skin and lean meat, the aroma of the skin, the sauce, and the pork blends together, making you want to swallow your tongue.

If I had to describe the texture of this three-layered pyramid of pork skin to lean meat, then only "soft and tender" would suffice. The whole dish makes you feel as if you are eating a piece of bright red, translucent, and fragrant soft and tender agate.

With a perfect balance of salty and sweet, tender yet firm, and rich yet not greasy, Dongpo pork is irresistible from the first bite. This is its beauty and its magic, making it impossible to resist.

Both Sonoko and Ran were completely absorbed in this dreamlike world woven from soft, sticky rice. If they could, they could eat like this forever...

Lucifer watched Sonoko and the other woman enjoying themselves and felt a strange sense of pride. After all, the man who made such a delicious meal was the one he loved.

After finishing the last bit of her Wagyu beef, Kirari elegantly wiped her mouth and said to Bai Yu, "Bai Yu, I have something I want to talk to you about in person. Let's go outside."

Bai Yu put down his book, nodded, and said, "Okay, but Kirari, you really did drink it all!"

"Because it tastes so good!"

Bai Yu smiled and walked out of the store. Lucifer and the others didn't take it seriously, assuming that Kirari had some information about the Kengan Tournament to tell Bai Yu.

"Hmm~ The air feels really nice~ So, Kirari, what do you want to say?"

Kirari licked her lips, then beckoned to me and said, "Come here, why are you so far away from me?"

Upon hearing this, Bai Yu moved closer. Qi Luoli's lips curled up slightly, and then she jumped up. Bai Yu caught her and said with a smile, "What does this mean?"

"This is a reward for you; after all, I can't let you work for me for nothing."

Ten minutes later, Kirari, her face slightly flushed, called out to the shop, "Ahua~ We're leaving~"

Lucifer felt something was off about Kirari's smug expression, but he didn't say anything. Bai Yu hadn't changed much since his return, but Lucifer vaguely noticed a faint blue mark at the corner of Bai Yu's mouth...

"Hmph! You stinky man! Kirari's bow tie definitely disappeared just now!"

Lucifer cursed inwardly, then continued searching for something on his phone. Bai Yu, seeing Lucifer's expression, simply smiled and shook his head. This little queen was still as amusing as ever—and quite adorable nonetheless!

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Chapter Ninety-Nine: The Refined Elegance of Longjing Shrimp, and Removing the Hairband from the Garden (Please Subscribe~)

Kirari left, but Sonoko and Ran's dinner had just begun. The perfectly balanced sweet and savory Dongpo pork, tender and tempting, was already perfect, and the Longjing shrimp that followed was the finishing touch.

Longjing shrimp doesn't have the alluring sheen of Dongpo pork. If I had to describe it, it would be refined and elegant. That's all there is to it.

These simple dozens of shrimp, as white and flawless as jade, are so delicious that you can feel their freshness and elasticity just by looking at them. They are a refreshing delicacy, the kind of dish that you will only be attracted to when you notice it.

A few tender buds adorn the white shrimp meat, exuding an indescribable sense of elegance and tranquility. A few green plums and rosemary are placed on one side to complement the dish, and a pure white lily is placed on top. Elegance, only elegance.

If the previous Dongpo pork was like a plump, charming, noble, and captivating imperial concubine, then this Longjing shrimp is like a hermit living amidst mountains and rivers, accompanied by the sun, moon, and gentle breeze. It is unrestrained, elegant, and as graceful as flowing water. Although it has no fancy embellishments, it is not to be underestimated at first glance. There is no better hermit than this.

When you pick up a shrimp with chopsticks, the feeling you get from the chopsticks is called elasticity and freshness. From this feeling, you can clearly understand how vibrant the river shrimp was when it was alive.

Longjing Shrimp is made using the simplest method: stir-frying in water. It's that simple, yet it perfectly brings out the flavors of Longjing tea and shrimp, the main ingredients, as if they were meant to be. The stir-frying process is just the perfect emcee for this wedding.

When you put the shrimp in your mouth, you don't taste the freshness and aroma of the shrimp, but rather the fragrance of new Longjing tea. Under that rich tea aroma, you break free from the tempting illusion of the Dongpo pork, and your whole body calms down. Only then does the freshness and deliciousness of the shrimp reach your brain through your taste buds and teeth. Elegant.

It is this kind of refined and elegant cuisine that can bring a shock that those popular dishes cannot, a sense of peace to the soul, fresh and tender, with the fragrance of buds and leaves, elegant colors, each containing its own flavor, leaving an endless aftertaste.

At this moment, Ran and Sonoko were completely captivated by the wonderful texture and rich flavor. Simplicity is often the most complex, and ordinariness is often the most extraordinary. This dish perfectly embodies all of this.

Ran and Sonoko weren't people who paid much attention to aristocratic etiquette when it came to dining. For them, it was important to be polite while eating, but it didn't necessarily require adhering to so many formalities.

When Ran Mouri put the last shrimp into her mouth, she finally breathed a sigh of relief, feeling like she hadn't had enough. This was the correct order of eating: first the rich Dongpo pork, then the tea-scented Longjing shrimp, and even her breath carried the aroma of tea.

Sonoko patted her stomach and said, "Ah~ I'm done eating~ It was so delicious! I can never get enough of Shiraha-nii's cooking, right~ Ran!"

Ran Mouri wiped her mouth and said, "Yeah, Manager Shiraha's cooking skills are amazing. I thought my cooking skills were already pretty good."

Bai Yu smiled and said, "Thank you for the compliment, but it's not as amazing as you all say. It just happens to suit your tastes."

Sonoko rolled her eyes and said, "Brother Baiyu, even though you meant it modestly, it's really infuriating to hear you say that!"

"Have it?"

"Master... Shiraha, Shiraha, Shiraha! Shiraha's cooking is the best!"

Sonoko waved her hand and said, "Yeah~ See? Cerberus said so, how can you bear to fool Cerberus?"

Bai Yu chuckled and said, "Speaking of which, Sonoko, is your headband cracked?"

Sonoko was taken aback, reached out and touched it, and sure enough, she felt a crack. She sighed and said, "Ah~ it's really broken, I'm doomed... I quite liked this headband~"

Bai Yu thought for a moment and said, "I remember you've always worn this headband?"

"Of course not~ It's just that I've been wearing this with me since I came here. It looks like it's going to break, so I guess I'll stop wearing it. What a pity~"

Ran Mouri said with a smile, "Sonoko, let's buy another one when we pass that shop on our way home from school tomorrow~"

"Okay~"

As Sonoko spoke, she took off her headband. The moment her hair fell down, Cerberus and Lucifer both froze for a moment. Noticing this, Sonoko asked in confusion, "Eh? What's wrong with you two? Why are you looking at me like that?"

Cerberus exclaimed in disbelief, "Is that really the garden?! It's changed so much!"

Lucifer's lips twitched as he said, "This isn't just a change, it's turning into a completely different person!"

Sonoko smiled and waved her hand. Ran Mouri covered her mouth and chuckled, saying, "Sonoko looks really pretty with her hair down, but she always wears a headband. I don't know why~"

Sonoko thought for a moment and said, "It's probably because my hair is too long~ It's not important, there's no need to focus on that! Hey? Lucifer, what are you doing?"

“I took a picture and posted it in the group chat, and Qi Luoli said she was very interested.”

Sonoko's lips twitched slightly as she said, "I just don't want to be of interest to her, but is the reaction really that big?"

Ran Mouri laughed and said, "Of course~ because... wait? Dad's home so early today?! That's so rare!"

Sonoko, still playing with her headband, said with a smile, "It's really surprising that Uncle Mori is back so early. Well then, Shiraha-nii, Lucifer, Cerberus, we'll be off now~"