Lance’s expression changed slightly, and he spoke in a low voice, "But he is from IGO and has a deep relationship with Shinohara Shigetaro. If we make a move, we only have one chance!"
He knew very well that bypassing the culinary battle and the IGO, dealing with the chefs of the Light Realm through assassination, would mean tearing our face off with IGO.
Moreover, the target was no small fry but an exceptionally rare, underage, supreme chef after the major upheaval in the culinary world!
This would start a war!
The more he thought about it, the more his heart trembled with fear. Lance, ruthless as he was, had dealt with many oblivious chefs for the organization during his school days, but those were powerless individuals, and their disappearances went unnoticed.
In his mind, the "Flame Dragon Roll Fish Fin Sausage" he had tasted earlier was already of supreme quality.
Lance was convinced that Xia Yu was a supreme chef!
Using assassination against a supreme chef is the ultimate method of tearing up the agreement and flipping the table!" Smith’s lips curved with a mocking smile, "Have you forgotten? Beneath the Light Realm, the Dark Food World follows a different set of culinary battle rules..."
Upon hearing this, Lance’s pupils constricted.
"Dark culinary battle?" he exclaimed.
The so-called dark culinary battle allowed for fewer restrictions, almost letting chefs compete freely according to their whims.
There were no clear rules dictating what could and couldn’t be done.
Moreover, the conditions for winning or losing in a dark culinary battle were harsher. The harshest condition in the Light Realm involved stripping a chef of their culinary status, but in the Dark World, lives and fortunes were at stake.
A true life-or-death duel!
Lance said cautiously, "How do we make him willingly accept our ’dark culinary battle’?"
"He has his own restaurant; he’s not alone..." Smith said, stopping mid-sentence, leaving some things unspoken.
He took a deep breath.
"Professor Smith, please allow me to consult with Minister Mars first!"
Lance said gravely, feeling less apprehensive about dealing with a nine-star chef than with a supreme chef, who belonged to a realm beyond his comprehension.
"If possible, please avoid a life-or-death conflict with a supreme chef. This is the Far East, not the United States that we ’Culinary Association’ can dominate." His expression was equally stern.
Coming out of the kitchen, Xia Yu untied his apron as he walked toward the backyard.
In the dimly lit tea house, Cao Chun was still seated.
Clearing his throat, Xia Yu said with a smile, "Chef Cao, it’s almost midnight. In a while, our shop will start the midnight shift. Would you like to continue ordering?"
On the short table in the tea house, there was an empty plate of Mapo tofu.
Touching his stomach, Cao Chun smiled and said, "No need, Chef Xia. I had a very fulfilling meal tonight!"
He stood up and put on his shoes.
"I will come again tomorrow."
Xia Yu escorted him to the door of the shop.
Cao Chun’s departing steps paused, and he turned back, his smile gradually fading into a serious expression, "Please allow me to formally clarify that I’m merely a peripheral member of the ’Culinary Association,’ and I have no intentions of provoking or causing trouble."
"That’s right. In the United States, only by compromising with the ’Culinary Association’ can our Cao’s Restaurant continue to operate." Cao Chun mentioned the association with a hint of annoyance in his eyes, clearly displeased with the organization.
"Also, although I do not know why you had a conflict with Lance..."
Cao Chun looked deeply at Xia Yu before continuing in a grave tone, "Smith did not come specifically for you; he is likely commissioned by someone behind Lance. This means your actual enemy is Lance’s mentor—Minister Mars!"
"That’s a top-tier special chef."
"One of the six branches of the ’Cuisine Association,’ the head of the ’Intelligence Collection Department’..."
"There are few things that can pique Mars’s interest. Rather than calling him a chef, it would be more apt to call him a spy or an assassin. Although I do not know why Mars is so determined to acquire this block, real estate and business development definitely wouldn’t capture his interest!"
Cao Chun stared at Xia Yu and said, "You should know the reason better than I do."
With that, he turned and started walking.
His last words echoed through the storefront:
"Be careful of those Dark Chefs! Particularly careful of them dragging you into the so-called ’Dark Food Battles!’"
Xia Yu stood at the shop’s entrance, his eyebrows knitted in concern, and then relaxed.
"Let them bring whatever they want; I’ll handle it!"
He stretched languorously when suddenly, the glaring headlights of a car swept in, with two vehicles stopping slowly in front of Xia’s shop.
From the lead car, stepped out a young girl with purple bobbed hair, Niho Fuyuka, who was Tiqie Helinai’s apprentice and secretary.
"I am here to pick up Miss Eriina." Niho Fuyuka was very polite in front of Xia Yu.
"There, inside, go and call her yourself—"
Pointing towards the girl who was cleaning the dishes in the kitchen, Xia Yu started walking towards the second car.
"Miss Feng Zhixi, you finally made it!" he smiled.
In the second car, Feng Zhixi arrived alone, without the black-clothed bodyguards accompanying her.
Her charming eyes glanced at Xia Yu, then at Niho Fuyuka, who had just entered the store. A playful smile appeared on her lips as she said, "It seems you’re flourishing as a Far Moon lecturer."
It was clear that Feng Zhixi had always been keeping an eye on Xia Yu.
Just like on a battlefield, in the business arena, the information about one’s opponent is equally crucial.
Upon knowing that Xia Yu had become a Far Moon Guest Lecturer at high school age, Feng Zhixi had immediately abandoned her minor schemes.
"Let’s talk business, Miss Feng Zhixi." Xia Yu, with his hands in his pockets, asked, "Did you bring the architectural plans?"
The door still open, Feng Zhixi leaned into the car, her tailored skirt accentuating her hips as they perked up; Xia Yu casually glanced, then focused on the document folder she pulled out.
She handed the folder to Xia Yu, her eyes shimmering with a different kind of gaze.
Xia Yu didn’t immediately look through the documents but rather reached into his pocket and took out a set of keys, pointing at the bathhouse next door to Xia’s shop with closed doors and smiled, "I have another request for you."
"Here, I’m planning a major renovation."
The two walked in the spacious bathhouse, which was not a mixed bathing facility but more like a small-scale hot spring inn, with gender-divided areas accessible through the main lobby and across a small courtyard leading to the indoor baths.
"Demolish the bath and join it with the courtyard," Xia Yu said.
"Do you plan to build a villa mansion in Tokyo?"
Feng Zhixi paused for a moment, then critically surveyed the land area; shaking her head, she said, "If it were me, I’d level the entire place and build a condominium, with at least four mid-to-high-end suites on each floor."
Ignoring her, Xia Yu then pointed to the bathhouse itself.
"This three-story building will suffice for now; all the small rooms upstairs will be transformed into private rooms, give me your thoughts..."
He and Feng Zhixi ascended the stairs.
Using Fame Points, he could have the system participate in the renovation, but as it was a large project different from Xia’s shop’s kitchen and storefront renovations, they would need to hire a construction team to divert attention.
As for the fine finishing work afterward, Xia Yu planned to leave it to the system.
Half an hour later, after inspecting the bathhouse,
"How long would it take to demolish and level it?" Xia Yu asked with concern.
Feng Zhixi unlocked her car, sat in the driver’s seat, and with a finger painted with pale red nail polish, said, "Leave it to our City Life Planning Company, only a week is needed—but the price..."
"Name your price!" Xia Yu responded readily.
"That makes things easy; this is our first collaboration!"
"You’ll be satisfied!"