Opening this dish was like opening Pandora's Box; endless demons whispered in their ears, tempting them to quickly taste the dish in front of them.
Soon, the spoon met the silver plate, and the pristine white rice was scooped up, carrying the braising liquid of the Honey Glazed Pork Knuckle. The two colors were like heaven and earth, light and dark, forming a stark contrast.
"This can only be found in heaven; it's rarely heard of in the human world!"
Closing his eyes, his tongue had already made contact with the Honey Glazed Pork Knuckle, feeling the perfect fusion of rich sweetness and a slightly sour taste. The endlessly savory, fatty yet not greasy meat, the tender and soft texture, combined with the sweet and delicious Honey Glazed Pork Knuckle, the deliciousness of this dish had been brought to its absolute peak!
"Gulp, I wasn't full just now, so it's a good time to eat a little more. I'm digging in!"
Another diner couldn't resist. Although his stomach was already bursting at the seams, the dish in front of him was simply too tempting to stop, and he couldn't help but reach out his demonic hand towards it.
Soon, he too tasted this astonishing delicacy. The collagen bursting in his mouth and the large chunks of pork knuckle meat were incredibly satisfying!
Crispy, soft, glutinous, sweet, delicious, fatty yet not greasy—every step was handled to perfection, truly flawless!
Solid, dependable, an unprecedented sense of satisfaction!
The tender meat slowly melted in his mouth, the rich and sweet Honey Glazed Pork Knuckle permeated every cell, paired with the pristine white rice that only had a faint hint of smokiness...
It was like the Milky Way exploding in his mind. This intense contrast made him feel a tremor in his soul, unable to help but sink into it.
When they came back to their senses, the dish in front of them had already been emptied, and their stomachs, unable to bear the burden, were frantically protesting to their owners.
"It's too delicious, I can't take it anymore..."
Leaning back in his chair and rubbing his stomach, this time he really couldn't take any more. Even if dragon liver and phoenix marrow were placed in front of him, he couldn't possibly eat them. The satisfaction on his face was clear for all to see.
"I never expected this Honey Glazed Pork Knuckle Rice to be so appetizing. After finishing the Rainbow Seafood Rice Bowl just now, I was still worried about what to do if I couldn't eat anymore, but now it seems that was pure unfounded worry..."
"I did eat it, but my stomach is really bursting. Now I really can't go home. I'm worried that if I move even a little, I'll throw up. It would be such a waste to throw up such a wonderful dish!"
One diner, rubbing his belly, spoke with a hint of helplessness. No one could have imagined that Hoshino Sora's dish had such magic; once the lid was opened, it transformed into a Pandora's Box that constantly enticed desires.
"So, whose dish is stronger, Master's or that guy's?"
Merchant Xingchen asked the crucial question, and Hoshino Sora also looked over. Although the diners' evaluations of both dishes were very high, no one had stated the key: whose dish was superior?!
Hearing Merchant Xingchen's question, Kui Dou also looked over. At this moment, the diners were tasting the Yiner Red Date Pear Compote. As a digestive aid after the meal, it didn't take up much stomach space.
But it was very effective at cutting through richness and aiding digestion, forming an excellent one-two punch with the previous Honey Glazed Pork Knuckle Rice.
"Who won, who lost?"
Their expressions showed a hint of hesitation. They were all ordinary people and didn't have a precise ability to discern the quality of dishes. The only thing they could be sure of was that both dishes were delicious!
"I lost."
Just as the scene fell into a brief silence, Kui Dou suddenly stepped forward, picked up Hoshino Sora's dish to taste, and after eating, drank a bowl of Yiner Red Date Pear Compote. Finally, he admitted defeat with a crestfallen expression.
Ordinary people couldn't taste the difference in quality between the two dishes, but he could, because their skill levels were clearly different, and Kui Dou felt it from the very first bite.
Not only did the opponent use better ingredients than him, but his understanding of the ingredients themselves was also astonishing. The cooking time of this Honey Glazed Pork Knuckle was perfectly controlled, and the final sauce drizzled on top was also very well handled!
Furthermore, this Yiner Red Date Pear Compote, being slightly warm but not scalding, played a very good role in cutting through richness. The combination of the two dishes was simply the most perfect one-two punch in the world!
If his dish was a hodgepodge of various ingredients forcefully mixed together, then Hoshino Sora's dish was a masterpiece of concentrated excellence, using only a single pork knuckle and a few tiger skin eggs to defeat his proud Rainbow Seafood Rice Bowl.
"A bet is a bet. I'll leave this with you for now. Take good care of it; I'll come back for it then!"
With strong reluctance in his eyes, he ultimately handed the kitchenware to Hoshino Sora. This piece of kitchenware had no other special function, but it had accompanied him throughout his chef's career in his youth, making its significance special.
"I'll be waiting for that day."
As soon as Hoshino Sora obtained the cooking utensil, he instantly learned of its abilities. To be precise, the system analyzed its capabilities and presented them to him in the form of a data panel.
[Utensil]: Spirit Wood Ladle
[Ability]: Calms the fire's temper, ensuring more even heating of dishes, resulting in better color and preventing oil splatter. It can control the heat based on the dish's state, preventing scorching. Extremely suitable for beginners.
It didn't possess any heaven-defying abilities, but it was incredibly useful, extremely beginner-friendly. So, Hoshino Sora handed it to Merchant Xingchen, letting her use it for the time being.
Just like that, Hoshino Sora won effortlessly, securing a cooking utensil and gaining considerable fame. Once again, Baiwei City was abuzz, and more and more people learned about this restaurant.
Soon, a second challenger arrived at the shop, only to be defeated two hours later, leaving behind a cooking utensil before departing.
By the third day, Hoshino Sora had already obtained thirteen Other World cooking utensils. His opponents were becoming increasingly stronger, to the point where only those confident in their abilities dared challenge him.
In the final battle, he fought to a stalemate with a certain genius from the Heavenly Material Pavilion. If he hadn't used the high-grade ingredients from the Gourmet Manor, he might have genuinely been defeated!
Fortunately, he won in the end. Under the woman's reluctant gaze, he took her cooking utensil, a smile appearing on Hoshino Sora's face. He then chose to close the shop, shutting the door.
"Master, are you leaving? Are you going to abandon Xingchen..."
Tugging at Hoshino Sora's sleeve, her voice filled with intense reluctance, Merchant Xingchen spoke with reddened eyes. She truly didn't want him to leave so soon.
Although Hoshino Sora had told her beforehand and assured her he would return, leaving her a large sum of money, his absence always gave her an overwhelming sense of unease.
"We're not abandoning you. After thinking it over yesterday, we decided to take you with us. But once we're on the other side, you must listen to us and not act on your own, understand?"
Looking at Merchant Xingchen, who was blinking her large, tearful eyes, Hoshino Sora's heart softened in the end. He decided to take this child back to China to care for her personally.
"I'll be obedient, please don't leave me behind!"
Hearing Hoshino Sora's words and knowing there was room for reconsideration, Merchant Xingchen pleaded desperately. Her two small hands tightly gripped Hoshino Sora's larger hand, refusing to let go, fearing he might abandon her.
In truth, Merchant Xingchen had thought a lot over these past two days. Every time she thought about Hoshino Sora and Erina Nakiri leaving her, she would wake from nightmares in a cold sweat. Only upon seeing the two still there would she relax.
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