"I lost?"
Standing on the stage, Asahi Saiba muttered to himself, his voice hoarse and trembling.
Each word felt like it was being forced out from the depths of his throat with great difficulty. He tried to find answers in his mind, but all he could hear was chaos and despair echoing back at him.
Once, he was just a drifter, but ever since he discovered cooking, his life had felt like it was on a winning streak, unstoppable in its triumphs!
Countless chefs, countless dreams, had been crushed and shattered by his special ability, the "Crossed Knives."
Moreover, through his efforts, the underground "Midnight Chefs" organization, which had long lurked in the shadows, finally reached its peak!
Yes, before encountering Zane, Asahi Saiba had always believed himself to be the strongest, the one who would lead the new era, the true "king" of the culinary world.
But now, all his past ideals, hard work, and hopes had been turned to nothing by Zane's "Eight Dishes of Demon Subjugation." All that remained was an overwhelming void and a crushing sense of defeat.
...
At this moment, the shadow of failure loomed over him like a heavy cloud, blocking out all light. Asahi Saiba found himself trapped in an endless darkness, even the air seemed to mock his incompetence.
His eyes lost their usual spark, becoming empty. But every now and then, a flicker of madness would flash through them—a spark of desperation mixed with bitterness deep within him.
As time passed, his emotions began to spiral out of control. Sometimes, he would rage, violently smashing the ingredients and tools on his cooking station, as if trying to expel the pain inside. Other times, he would collapse, holding his head in his hands and silently shedding tears, unable to wash away the gloom in his heart.
"Hahaha..."
"I am the strongest, I am the one who will lead this world."
"All that talk about chefs needing to have compassion, and that food must have emotion—nonsense, all of it is nonsense."
"I... I..."
"Yes! I just refuse to accept this."
Asahi Saiba's face twisted with rage, and his actions became increasingly unpredictable. At the scene in Moon Sky, he began laughing hysterically, then screaming, like a lost soul abandoned by the world, wandering aimlessly in the abyss of despair.
Eventually, he completely broke down. His mental state, already fragile from the defeat, was consumed by darkness, shattering the last bit of rationality he had left.
...
"How pitiful."
"As I expected, there's no saving him now."
From the judges' stand, Mana watched Asahi's bizarre behavior, her gaze narrowing as she spoke in a cold tone.
In this Midnight Chefs incident, Asahi Saiba's ultimate goal had always been to unite the "underground" and "public" culinary worlds. His thirst for power drove him to extreme measures, such as:
Gambling with his life,
Forcing all chefs to face him in culinary duels,
And in every match, he displayed an intense level of aggression and hostility, sometimes even hurting himself or exploiting others' weaknesses.
Truly, his actions and methods led many chefs in the public culinary world to see him as nothing short of a madman!
On the other hand, Asahi's personal experiences shaped his cold, cynical, and narrow-minded personality, bordering on self-destructive. He suppressed his basic human needs, devoting all his energy to the Midnight Chefs' cause.
At the same time, he was very concerned about his image and reputation, unable to accept failure and intolerant of others' success. This extreme personality made him prone to despair and madness when faced with a crushing defeat like this.
"Keh keh keh... Zane, come and face me again!"
"This time, I'll use even more advanced, even darker cuisine to utterly defeat you. I'll show the world that I am the only one who can rule this era!"
Asahi Saiba began to rant, spouting words so delusional even Zane found them hard to listen to. His actions became increasingly erratic and bizarre, as if he had completely disconnected from reality, lost in his madness—a pitiable soul swallowed by failure and despair.
"Heh!"
"How unpredictable life is."
"I barely lifted a finger, yet who would have thought..." Zane mused, watching Asahi Saiba's near-insane state with a mixture of wonder and sadness.
Then, he lifted his head to look at Mana in the judges' stand. Perhaps it was only at this moment that he understood the real mastermind behind the Midnight Chefs incident wasn't just trying to destroy the old era, but also to exact revenge!
"Was it because he is Azami's illegitimate son that you wanted to use me to eliminate him?" Zane asked with a curious tone.
...
At that moment, from within the crowd, a figure emerged like a beam of light cutting through the sea of people, rushing toward him without hesitation.
It was Erina, the person he loved, with eyes shining brighter than the stars and a gentle, determined smile on her lips.
Her steps were full of strength and urgency. Each one echoed her longing for victory and her deep attachment to him.
Finally, she reached the stage and, without a second thought, threw herself into Zane's broad, warm embrace. Time seemed to stand still in that moment.
"I knew it... I knew you would win!"
Zane stood still, slightly surprised. Then, he reached out and held her tightly, sharing the hard-won victory with her.
He also wanted to turn all the exhaustion and effort into a moment of sweet happiness.
Erina rested her head on Zane's chest, listening to his strong heartbeat, feeling the warmth and connection that only existed between the two of them. Around them, the crowd cheered and applauded, but at that moment, their world was just the two of them!
This moment was not just a celebration of victory but also a testament to their love.
With Asahi Saiba's collapse, the major incident involving the Midnight Chefs came to an end. All the restaurants that had been forced to operate under duress, using illegal or unfair means, were finally able to return to normal.
Thus, not just Japan, but the entire world's culinary industry began to flourish once again!
Zane became the sole savior and the true ruler of this new era!
...
A tavern is not just a place to eat; it's a warm, welcoming space where friends gather, relax, and share stories.
Lanterns hung over the entrance, casting a warm yellow glow that invited passersby to step inside.
As the door opened, a wave of mixed scents—charcoal-grilled dishes, fresh seafood, and the aroma of sake—rushed out, instantly awakening the senses.
Inside, the décor was simple yet elegant. Wooden tables and chairs exuded a natural charm, while the walls were adorned with ink paintings and traditional Japanese scenery, adding a touch of tranquility and refinement!
"Drawing back the curtain to peek at Tokyo, the splendor dazzles the eyes."
In China's Kaifeng City, which served as the capital for eight dynasties and became a world-renowned city during the Northern Song Dynasty, many traditional snacks originated, including the famous **soup dumplings**.
The soup dumplings, originally steamed in large bamboo baskets, were later refined into smaller versions in the 1930s by the owner of the First Tower of Kaifeng. This new version was renamed "Small Steamed Soup Dumplings."
Kaifeng's small steamed soup dumplings became famous for their thin skin, juicy fillings, and soft, flavorful taste, attracting countless food lovers.
Later on, they spread across the country and gained worldwide fame, earning the title "The Best Dumplings Under Heaven."
Clear water, flour, pork skin, pork belly, scallions, and cooking wine.
Once these ingredients were ready, Zane added water to the flour, slowly stirring until no dry flour remained and the mixture formed into small clumps.
He continued to knead the clumps into a smooth dough.
After letting the dough rest for half an hour, Zane took it out and sprinkled some flour on the cutting board. He flattened the dough with a rolling pin, rolled it into a large sheet, then rolled it up again and repeated the process until the dough was thin and smooth.
Next, he cleaned the pork skin, filled a pot with water, and added the pork skin, cooking wine, ginger slices, Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, cinnamon, and bay leaves. He brought the water to a boil and cooked the pork skin until it was firm, then removed it.
Adding more cooking wine, ginger, and spices, he brought the pot to a boil again and then simmered it for an hour.
Finally, Zane poured the remaining broth into a bowl and let it solidify into jelly before placing it in the fridge to chill.
"Done!"
"Looks like having a special ability makes cooking even easier and more enjoyable!"
With that, Zane's tense expression finally relaxed.
...
Now, it was time to make the soup dumplings.
Holding the edge of the dough with his right hand, he folded one pleat, keeping his thumb still while his index finger pulled the dough at a 45-degree angle to make the second, then the third pleat, continuing until all the pleats were gathered and sealed tightly.
And with that, the soup dumpling was ready!
Zane placed the dumplings into a pot of boiling water and steamed them for eight minutes.
Finally, he brushed a layer of oil on the steaming tray to make it easier to remove the dumplings. He placed the dumplings on a plate and served them with a dish of vinegar.
A closer
look showed the dumpling skin as delicate as a baby's, so thin that even a light touch would make the soup inside shimmer.
...
In fact, whether it's soup dumplings, char siu buns, or baked buns, they all share a common ancestor: the steamed bun!
Records of "steamed cakes" date back to the Western Han Dynasty.
At that time, all wheat-based foods were referred to as "cakes," with soup cakes similar to noodles and steamed cakes resembling steamed buns.
By the Wei, Jin, and Northern and Southern Dynasties, advancements in flour processing and widespread adoption of wheat foods made steamed buns more popular in Central China. The techniques for making steamed buns had become highly refined.
By the Southern Song Dynasty, buns had already become a common food with a wide variety of types, similar to the buns we know today.
In Zhou Mi's "Wu Lin Old Events," nearly 20 different kinds of buns are listed, one of which was called "Guang Jiang," referring to soup-filled buns!
So, how exactly does the soup get inside the dumplings?
It's not much of a secret. The secret lies in the **meat jelly**!
The melting point of meat jelly is around 30°C. When making soup dumplings, the solidified meat jelly is mixed into the filling.
As the dumplings are steamed, the temperature inside the basket rises, turning the jelly back into liquid.
The result is an increase in the savory juices inside the dumplings, making them more delicious and enhancing their signature feature of being juicy and flavorful.
...
Eating soup dumplings is an art in itself!
First, take a small bite on the side of the dumpling to break the skin and quickly use a spoon to catch the broth. You can adjust the amount of broth according to your taste!
Add a few drops of seasoning to the broth to cut through the richness, then enjoy the broth before moving on to the dumpling itself.
Repeat until there's no more soup, and then finish the dumpling normally.
At that moment, the ever-hungry Rindo gently lifted a small soup dumpling from the plate, using a spoon to hold it from underneath. She bit a small hole in the side of the dumpling.
"Pssst"
The moment she bit into it, the soup burst out, catching Rindo off guard.
But at the same time, the elasticity of the dough and the richness of the pork filling reached new heights. The flavor of the broth lingered in her mouth, creating a delicious taste that was hard to forget!
"Not bad, it's meaty without being greasy."
"Especially the way the filling and the broth are perfectly balanced, offering a three-in-one experience of dough, meat, and soup, which is truly captivating."
"And if you add a bit of chili oil and vinegar, it becomes a true delicacy!"
After just one bite, Rindo's snake-like pupils widened in surprise and delight.