Storm of Gods

Chapter 118 The Mysterious Chef
The sweet voice struck straight to the soul, which gave Li Xin a strange feeling. It was all because of David who didn't know how precious he was. The round table suddenly became unusually quiet.

Estella didn't think much of it; in this respect, the Gemini brothers were definitely worthy of being teachers.

"May I ask?"

"Sure," Li Xin swallowed hard and smiled wryly. He wanted to say that he wasn't sure himself, given his limited knowledge; it was a misunderstanding.

“What is productivity?” Estella said. “I don’t quite understand why people are arguing about this. The power of production should be quite obvious.”

“I don’t really understand either,” Li Xin thought for a moment. Fortunately, he had memorized this one. “Broadly speaking, productivity refers to people’s ability to create goods and services by using their own abilities and skills as well as means of production. There are three elements of productivity, which are the basic elements of its composition: laborers, means of production, and objects of labor.”

There seem to be many more, but I can't remember them all.

Estella felt she understood every word, yet she also felt she didn't quite understand them. She sensed something powerful within them, but it was beyond her comprehension at this stage.

"Teacher Shuang, could you say it again? I'm afraid I've remembered it wrong."

Hearing that soft, gentle voice tinged with a hint of shyness, Li Xin couldn't help but get excited and immediately repeated it again, even adding a few more details.

Estella was trying very hard to remember. During this time, she was making her own gift. She was too embarrassed to contact Mr. Gemini until it was finished. However, the quarrels between Vladimir and the other scholars were getting more and more intense. She heard that they had fought many times in the past month and even ripped the ceiling off the academic hall. She never expected that the usually gentle and refined scholars would be so strong in battle.

Estella wasn't sure if she had memorized it all. The dome began to sway, and the brief gathering came to an end. Estella bowed. Knowledge is a very important thing in Montcarette. Respect knowledge, and even more so, respect those who impart knowledge.

Li Xin returned the gift, and chatting with Miss Aries was always a happy and pleasant experience.

That night, Li Xin finally got a good night's sleep, and the tough guy David, after three days of fierce fighting, finally knew to rest. Even if he didn't become a mercenary, he wouldn't have to worry about food and clothing.

Poorness leads to change, and change leads to continuity.

Li Xin certainly wanted to change. Carrying heavy loads was just a temporary measure. Playing musical instruments and singing were out of the question. As for performing arts... looking at painters, magicians, and fortune tellers, he felt that there was no future in the arts. So he wanted to be more practical and become a cook.

When Li Xin told Daenerys Targaryen his thoughts, she opened her blood-red maw and said, "Young Li, it's good for young people to have ideas, but reality is cruel. You have other options."

"Mother Daenerys, I'm still a child!"

"Tch, come on, what's left in the kitchen? Do what you think's best, don't say I didn't give you a chance," Daenerys said with a smile. "Dullie, where's your rent?"

"Mother Dragon, I have some good stuff here, enough to cover three months' rent." The painter, a gentle gentleman with a hint of flattery, had a stubble on his face and his complexion wasn't good; artists often look haggard.

"Bullshit! Your lousy drawing is so bad it'd be used as toilet paper. Let me see it. If it's not good, I'll show you what it means to have a knife stick in your butt. Three months' worth of room..." Daenerys, who had just handed it over, immediately fell silent, her eyes wide with shock. "...one month."

Daliwen shook his head. "Mother Daenerys, three months is already very generous. Putting aside its artistic merit, once I become famous, it will be priceless. I think you should be able to understand its artistic value."

Daenerys wiped her drool. "A month and a half. If you try to bargain with me again, I'll get angry."

Dali said helplessly, "A month and a half is a month and a half. But my food is better. If I look too pale, I won't be able to sell my paintings for a good price."

Daenerys thought for a moment, "Alright, it just so happens that Little Li is going to show off his special skills, you can come along and try cooking too." Immigrants from different places all have their own local specialties, and who knows, they might even create something special. This is not uncommon in Heldan, where local specialties are still very popular.

"Mother Dragon, count me in." Mr. Kan, the magician, was also hungry; he hadn't had anything good to eat in a long time.

"You, get out here and start performing!"

"Ahem, Daenerys, how do you think Daliven could draw such artistic, delicate, and realistic works? Of course, it's my magic trick! And this is just the first installment. Our collaboration can continue in more installments later," the magician said with a smile, not angry at all.

Daenerys looked at Daliven hesitantly, and Daliven nodded, "Kan knows magic that magnifies vision, so I was able to imitate it so realistically."

"You two come together." Daenerys nodded with a hint of heartache. She hated these freeloaders the most; even free soup could bankrupt her. "Where's my David?"

“He’s still sleeping,” Dalvey said.

Bringing guests to the inn is not allowed; you have to pay extra for each additional person. There are exceptions, though, like David. He stays in a large room, is generous with his money, has a bold personality, and is handsome, so Daenerys turns a blind eye to it. Of course, everyone knows that Daenerys has always coveted David.

There wasn't much oil or grease in the kitchen; the only meat was the cheapest kind: wild chicken. The Lilong Inn only had one head chef, Ma Liu, who had a pockmarked face and was very thin. He was said to be the sixth in his family, so everyone here called him Ma Liu. Ma Liu basically did all the purchasing, cleaning, cooking, and other physical labor.

Ma Liu was wiping down the kitchen when he saw Daenerys Targaryen. His face immediately lit up with a bright, ingratiating smile. Ma Liu had a slight stutter, so he barely spoke.

"What are you looking at? Haven't you ever seen a pretty girl before? Don't covet my good looks, or I'll gouge your eyes out." Saying this, he slapped Ma Liu on the forehead. "What other ingredients do you have? Little Li wants to show off his skills to everyone."

Ma Liu immediately obeyed and opened the curtain to reveal the ingredients. They were mostly cheap leafy greens, which he suspected were leftovers from the market. There was meat, though, since people need meat to work. There were only two kinds: Hu chicken and pork. The Hu chicken was quite large, but the meat was tough and tasteless. The pork was for slaves and gladiators. Even so, the meat here was mostly poorly presented and had a strong fishy smell. It felt like all the scraps from the market had been sent here.

Li Xin scanned the area but couldn't find a single decent piece. The way they prepared it was okay to eat it occasionally, but eating it every day would be unbearable.

As for seasonings, they're not all here. After all, Li Xin is someone who even skimps on salt. He bought them himself at the market, and some were brought from Tianjing. People who travel often know that bringing some of their favorite seasonings can turn the ordinary into the extraordinary.

Ma Liu looked at Li Xin with some doubt. This kid looked very young, how could he cook? Seeing the ingredients, the painter and the magician were somewhat disappointed. They wanted to see if there was anything hidden for David and the other guests, but they didn't see what they wanted to see.

Li Xin selected a large piece of fatty meat, lit a fire in a wok, and started rendering lard from the fatty meat. This stuff is incredibly fragrant, and even the scraps of meat can be transformed into something magical when stir-fried.

Li Xin started cooking, and the whole kitchen was filled with an unpleasant smell. The painter and the magician both held their noses and left. Daenerys Targaryen hesitated for a moment, but couldn't help herself, "You better do a good job, or the rent will double next month!"

Li Xin waved his hand confidently, "Dragon Mom, wait for the tasting later."

Ma Liu looked at Li Xin curiously. He didn't know what Li Xin wanted to do. Lard was simple, but Dragon Mom thought it was a waste.

The lard was ready in no time. The cracklings were set aside; Li Xin wouldn't know how to make more, and there wasn't much to use here anyway. One dish was stir-fried mixed vegetables with cracklings, and the other was a less-than-perfect Sichuan-style Kung Pao Chicken. This kind of chicken was so bad that even a god couldn't save it if it wasn't spicy.

There's not much to it when stir-frying pork cracklings; it's perfect for large pot meals. But diced chicken is a different story. Li Xin quietly took a chicken leg. Either don't try it at all, or if you do, take the good meat. The chicken leg was obviously for David and the others, so the meat was of slightly better quality.

The chicken pieces for Kung Pao Chicken are prepared by butchering, and the knife skills are very important. Cut them into strips the width of a finger, then cut them into finger-width cubes in a different direction. After butchering, put them in a bowl to marinate. Sprinkle various seasonings evenly over the chicken. It's a little lacking, but it should be enough for those who haven't seen much of the world. Massage, massage, and massage some more. Sprinkle some oil, and massage some more.

The freshly rendered lard was poured into the pot, followed by chili peppers—this was the key. He didn't care whether he could handle the spice or not; his mouth was watering just thinking about it. Lately, he'd been eating practically pig swill. After stir-frying, a plate of Daoyuan's first batch of spicy diced chicken, bursting with color, aroma, and flavor, was ready.

Ma Liu watched Li Xin bustling about, his eyes wide with amazement, almost popping out of their sockets. "How can he do that?"
As they carried out two dishes, they saw Daenerys teasing the painter and the magician. Fortunately, the two huddled together for warmth, so they didn't seem to get the better of each other.

Seeing the dishes Li Xin served, the three of them were a little suspicious. "The first dish is called 'Return to Simplicity,' which means using the simplest ingredients to make the most delicious dishes. The second dish is called 'Gods Descending to Earth,' which even the gods would praise."

The three of them listened to the tongue-twisting name, looked at the strange appearance, and smelled a rather unique aroma. Daenerys glanced at Ma Liu, who was also bewildered, as he had never seen or eaten it before.

"The knife... the knife... the knife skill... the skill is... alright!" Ma Liu said.

Daenerys looked at Li Xin and said, "I didn't expect you to be so good at bragging. Let me give it a try."

Picking up a piece of chicken, it's definitely Hu chicken, that lousy stuff is the worst, it has no flavor at all...

???

chili?

But what is this aroma? A complex flavor of spiciness, saltiness, and sweetness explodes on the taste buds, like a thrilling workout rushing straight to the head. It's a bit strange, but it's delicious.

Seeing Daenerys's expression, the painter and the magician couldn't resist trying it. In an instant, they had a flash of inspiration: food could taste like this!

"Hmm, it's a little different. Let me try again." The artist reached out his hand again, only to have it slapped away by Daenerys. "Eat, eat, eat! All you ever think about is eating! Do you know how much such expensive ingredients cost?"

"And what's this?" Daenerys pointed to some ordinary stir-fried rotten vegetable leaves and some bits and pieces of something she didn't recognize, but it actually smelled really good.

"Taste it."

Daenerys took a few bites of the food, and her eyes lit up. It smelled so good! She then took another bite of the scraps. Holy crap! Seeing how much she enjoyed it, the painter and the magician were drooling.

"You should all give it a try," Daenerys said suddenly, very generously.

Everyone immediately started eating, and then they couldn't stop. Li Xin was also hungry, and soon the two plates were completely devoured.

Daenerys stood up, looking at Davy and Kane, "You need to make some money now. If you want to eat this kind of food again in the future, do you know what to do?"

Daliwen and Kan, who were just feeling very satisfied, suddenly looked disappointed. They had already eaten such delicious and appetizing food. How could they possibly go back to eating those disgusting fatty chickens and pork?

Daliwen, carrying his easel and wearing his faded gloves, was heading out to earn some money.

Looking at Li Xin again, Daenerys Targaryen smiled and said, "Little Li, haven't I been good to you? When you came to Heldan with no one to rely on, it was I who took you in and gave you a chance. Shouldn't you repay me?"

Li Xin subconsciously shifted his buttocks back against the wall. "Dragon Mother, I don't have any requests. Just improve the food and give me a slightly cleaner room. I'll work hard."

"Very good, you're promoted starting today. The mysterious head chef hired by the Carp Dragon Inn specializes in high-end dishes that are affordable. You can change rooms and tell Ma Liu what ingredients you need, and he'll help you purchase them. The salary is 100 lira per month. You won't find anyone else like him on the entire Dao Yuan Continent."

Daenerys immediately spared no expense to retain such talent. It's not enough for her to cook well; the real skill lies in making delicious food using the cheapest ingredients.

"Thank you, boss!" Li Xin was also very happy. He could finally change rooms. Listening to the thumping noises from next door every day was torture.

After Li Xin left, Ma Liu looked at Long Ma pitifully, almost crying. The boss doesn't keep idle people. Was he going to lose his job?
clap~~~
"Look at you, you coward! You're my confidant, and you're the one who has to run the inn. He's only temporary. Watch and learn properly, and use your brain!" she said, poking Ma Liu's finger.

Ma Liu, who had been poked and tumbled, immediately grinned and started chuckling to himself.

Daenerys Targaryen swayed away with her ample hips. Those damned rent-owing guys finally had someone to help her make money. Good deeds are indeed rewarded.

(End of this chapter)