Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
I gripped the Ancestral Blade tightly and charged into the Culinary Competition venue. The last rays of the setting sun streamed through the glass windows, casting a crimson hue over the entire hall.
"Chun Li, you finally made it," Hua Long said from the contestant area, his white chef's uniform soaked with sweat, outlining his muscular frame.
I took a deep breath and told him about Li Qi and Master Li Xiang. Hua Long's gaze sharpened instantly as he took the ingredients from me, his knuckles turning white.
"Liu Feng, you will pay for this."
Chi Jiu settled on my shoulder and whispered, "Master, be careful! I sense the presence of evil spirits drawing closer."
Lu Yun sat at the judges' table, his eyes dark as he scanned the crowd. "Today's Culinary Competition will select the best chefs for Qing Gang. If you want to succeed, you must cook well."
As the competition began, Hua Long and I stood at the same stove. His knife skills flowed like water, each cut infused with a fierce energy. I focused on blending the ingredients, the Divine Kitchenware in my hand emitting a faint glow.
Suddenly, a chilling wind swept through the venue, causing the candle flames to flicker violently. Liu Feng appeared at the entrance, surrounded by swirling black mist. A strange red light flickered in his eyes as a cruel smile curled at his lips.
"You think you can stop me?"
Alongside him were a horde of frenzied Zuo Feng Hall brothers, attacking anyone in sight like wild beasts.
Then, like shadows, thousands of malevolent spirits surged toward the scene.
The crowd panicked and scattered in terror, chaos erupting everywhere.
I clenched my teeth and added the final herb to the pot. The Divine Kitchenware blazed with brilliant light as a fragrant aroma instantly filled the air.
"This is..." Hua Long inhaled deeply. "Exorcism Cuisine!"
The gang members caught whiff of the fragrance, their previously terrified expressions gradually clearing. No longer afraid of the evil spirits, they tightened their grips on their weapons. The tide had turned in an instant.
"Hall Master Liu, are you betraying Qing Gang? Then today will be your last!" one of the gang members shouted angrily.
Taking advantage of the chaos as everyone fought, Hua Long stealthily descended from the Arena.
He approached Liu Feng from behind, the Ancestral Blade slicing through the air with a silver gleam, aimed directly at Liu Feng's chest. "This is for Master Li Xiang! Years ago, he provided me with the means to survive until today!"
Liu Feng was unable to dodge in time and was struck by the blade's aura. His body twisted violently as he let out a piercing scream.
"No! This can't be happening!"
I lifted my last bowl of fragrant soup, channeling all my strength into it. "Liu Feng, taste this exorcism soup!"
The liquid splashed onto Liu Feng, and his body began to disintegrate as the malevolent spirits were driven away one by one. In the end, only his withered shell remained.
Lu Yun was taken aback by this sudden turn of events.
After a moment, he stood up, a glimmer of surprise in his eyes. "I can't believe what Li Qi said was true?"
Hua Long and I exchanged glances, both seeing the confusion reflected in each other's eyes.
"What do you mean?"
Lu Yun replied, somewhat incredulously, "I never believed in malevolent spirits before, but now it seems like magic!"
As soon as Lu Yun's words fell, the entire venue fell into a deathly silence. Hua Long and I locked eyes again, still gripping our utensils tightly. Liu Feng's corpse on the ground gradually turned to ash, the aura of evil completely dissipating.
"Magic?" My voice trembled. "Is Master Li Xiang's death and Li Qi's death also just magic?"
A hint of disdain flashed across Lu Yun's face. "It's just a few deaths—one prostitute, one cook—what does it matter?"
Hua Long stepped forward sharply, pointing the Ancestral Blade at Lu Yun. "Explain yourself! What exactly is going on?"
The brothers of Qing Gang were about to intervene and stop Hua Long, but they hesitated, too close to Lu Yun to act recklessly.
Lu Yun slowly pulled out a yellowed letter from his pocket. "This is from Li Qi. She said it was written by Liu Feng for me. He’s actually my biological brother, claiming that he was possessed by an evil spirit twenty years ago, and it’s all a mess."
I took the letter from him; the paper was already somewhat damaged. The handwriting was crooked and frantic: "Brother, I'm sorry. I can't control myself anymore. If one day I hurt more people, please kill me."
Chi Jiu chirped softly on my shoulder. "Master, there are still traces of the evil spirit on this letter."
Lu Yun trembled at the sight of Hua Long's knife and continued, "Li Qi volunteered to get close to Liu Feng. She's just a prostitute; I didn't think much of it, even though her service was quite good... but she wasn't the only one around me. Still, I encouraged her to go for it! Though I really have no idea what she intended to do."
Tears streamed down my face as Li Qi's final moments replayed in my mind. Everything she had done was beyond Lu Yun's comprehension.
Hua Long lowered his weapon, his voice hoarse. "So you think this is all just a farce?"
"Not exactly." Lu Yun took a couple of steps back. "I'm a bit worried Liu Feng might betray us; he has many people in Zuo Feng Hall. So I've secretly strengthened our defenses, but who would have thought something like this would happen during the Culinary Competition?"
I wiped my tears and looked at Hua Long. He nodded at me; Lu Yun was not someone worth protecting.
Qing Gang would eventually fall.
They only thought we were a bunch of lousy cooks.
But we had more important people to protect.
Three months later, Qi Lou officially opened on Nanjing Road. The name was in memory of Li Qi, with her favorite red lantern hanging at the entrance, and the signature dish was the braised lion's head that Master Li Xiang had taught me.
Hua Long and I combined culinary skills with exorcism, providing free Exorcism Cuisine to the impoverished every day. Chi Jiu became the restaurant's mascot, growing fatter by the day, though he never flew me around again.
One evening, Zhang Gui from Lao Zhengxing Restaurant personally visited to propose a partnership investment; of course, I knew it was far more complicated than that.
"I may not know what others think of your contributions, but I do," Zhang Gui said, stroking his beard. "With the enemy advancing from the south, many places are in need of your assistance."
The setting sun cast a warm glow on the red lanterns at the entrance of the restaurant.
With Lao Zhengxing's financial backing, our restaurant flourished like never before.
Branches opened one after another, covering the entire Shanghai Bund and even reaching the estuary of the Yangtze River.
Long lines formed at the entrance of each branch.
People from all walks of life could enjoy delicious food and warm hospit A Li ty here.
Of course, these establishments were not just restaurants; we continued to uphold justice and protect the innocent.
When faced with ruthless individuals, whether they were Chinese or foreign, we made sure they would not have it easy.
Unfortunately, Chi Jiu Bird suddenly disappeared one day without a trace.
It was said that it had joined the war, often using its Vermilion Bird Divine Power to hasten the end of that devastating conflict that brought suffering to the common people.
Comment 0 Comment Count