Storm of Gods

Chapter 156 The Path of a Gourmet

“My real name is Li Xin, don’t give me random nicknames,” Li Xin said. “This venison is absolutely amazing, how can it be made so delicious?”

"Damn, what venison? Mine is beef???" Aklis's eyes widened as he looked at Roger, who was serving him.

Roger quickly bowed. “Your Highness, Mr. Bocuse said that he hasn’t seen Avogadro in a long time. I believe Your Highness can understand. This venison was caught on the far north plateau of Tibatan. It is extremely rare and is one of Mr. Bocuse’s treasures. His Majesty the King and the Cardinal used some last time, so this is all that’s left.”

Aklis, standing to the side, unceremoniously took a knife and cut off a piece, saying, "Then I'll have to try it."

Li Xin quickly protected the rest, shouting, "Mine!"

"I paid!"

“Mr. Bocuse said he’ll cover this part,” Roger whispered a weak reminder.

Li Xin savored the remaining venison with smug satisfaction. What a heavenly delicacy! The meat was tender and juicy, chewy yet melting in your mouth. It was fragrant but not greasy, a flavor unlike anything he had ever tasted before. Li Xin even felt like reciting a poem. He picked up the wine beside him and gulped it down. Ah, so refreshing!

Roger was heartbroken; his teeth were practically shattering. How could anyone eat like that? It was a masterpiece of art! It was a complete waste of talent!

No wonder people say that those who know how to eat can't afford it, and those who eat don't need to know how to eat.

Only Li Xin and Ackles chatted idly, with O'Bent and Simmons occasionally chiming in. Zheng Shengxun suddenly became a quiet and handsome man.

Aklis was already more than an hour late, and by the time he finished the meal, it was already quite late. Knowing that His Highness the Prince had other matters to attend to, everyone tactfully left on their own initiative.

“Mr. Li, please wait a moment. Mr. Bocuse will be out shortly after he has tidied up a bit,” Roger said respectfully.

Outside, everyone boarded the carriage, and Aklis followed suit. He was very approachable in this regard, patting Simmons on the shoulder and saying, "If you can keep him here, I'll do you a favor. I can tell he likes you a lot."

Jealousy flashed in Zheng Shengxun's eyes, but he dared not say anything at this moment; anyone else would have certainly tried to sow discord.

Simmons gave a wry smile. "Your Highness, I'm a bit dazed right now, but I will do my best to complete it!"

"Good lad, let's get together more often. We're old friends now. You should learn more from the Hadith in this regard." Aklis waved his hand; he still had to go back, as his business wasn't finished yet.

Zheng Shengxun looked at Simmons, ignoring Celia who was still gloating without knowing anything, and said, "His Highness values ​​you because he trusts you. Don't let His Highness down."

Simmons chuckled. "You sound so old-fashioned. I'd think it was His Majesty the King speaking."

Zheng Shengxun glanced at Simmons. This sissy dared to rebel, and everyone was watching. Zheng Shengxun didn't argue. He had lost today, and he would have to find another place to settle things another day.

Li Xin was getting a little impatient, but thinking that he might have another chance to eat such delicious food in the future, he endured it. Aklis returned quickly and met Paul Bocuse, the head chef of the Blue Agate restaurant, at the door.

Bocuse was a lean, wiry old man with a ruddy complexion and a head of black hair, but his eyebrows and mustache were white. After greeting Aklis, he looked at Li Xin and stared at him intently.

"Dear Mr. Avogadro, are you satisfied with today's meal?" Bocuse asked very politely, with a strange sense of curiosity in his eyes.

Li Xin also looked at this legendary chef. Although his appearance didn't reveal anything, his spirit and energy were definitely those of a powerful awakened individual. Being able to make spiritual food was quite a special ability.

"The food is good, but the portions are a bit small. My name is Li Xin, don't call me by my nickname," Li Xin said.

“Okay, Mr. Li Xin, I will design the ingredient quantities separately when you come again, and I hope you will continue to support my shop.” Bocuse said sincerely, then took out a wooden spoon from his pocket, “This is a membership token for our special members, please be sure to accept it.”

Aklis's eyes lit up. "Ahem, Bocuse, you're not being fair. I've done so many favors for you, it wouldn't be right not to give me one."

“Your Highness, if I could give it to you, I would have done so long ago. You know that some things can only be used by certain people,” Bocuse said with a slight smile. “As long as you need it, Bocuse is always at your service.”

“Li Xin, just keep it. This is a gourmet’s pass. With this, you’ll be a top-priority VIP at any restaurant in the Dao Yuan Continent where a gourmet works,” Aklis said. “Bocuse, you know how to handle people.”

Aklis was a little envious; clearly, in the eyes of the bigwigs of the Food Association, Li Xin held more weight.

Bocuse smiled slightly, "Your Highness, once you spend more time with me, you'll see that I am indeed very good at interpersonal relationships."

This must be an awakened individual on the path to becoming a gourmet. Li Xin took the spoon; he could drill a hole in it when he got back and hang it on his belt so he wouldn't forget it. "Thank you, Mr. Bogut. I'll come again if I have the chance," Li Xin said politely, since the man had treated him to an extra meal today.

“It is my honor, Your Excellency Avogadro, Light of the Fortress,” Bogut said happily. “Then I will not disturb you any longer.”

As soon as Bogut left, the entire restaurant was cleared out, leaving only Li Xin and Aklis. Aklis looked at Li Xin, still filled with shock, "Almost everyone thought you were dead, except for me, of course. I always thought you might be alive. If they knew you weren't dead, it would definitely cause a huge earthquake in the Secret Fortress. Where have you been these past few years? You weren't secretly cultivating, were you? Damn!"

As he spoke, Aklis lost his confidence. His confidence stemmed from the foundation laid by the Secret Fortress and the improvement of the Holy Temple, but where had Li Xin been these past few years, and what had he been doing?

"How much does it cost to eat here?" Li Xin asked.

"Huh? Oh, five yuan then. If it's special ingredients, like yours, I feel it would be fifty to a hundred yuan. But these gourmets are so annoying, they just order whatever they feel like and whatever the customer wants, it's not fair at all," Aklis said, the sour taste still lingering in his mouth.

Depending on the path taken, there exist ancient and powerful secret organizations on the Dao Yuan Continent. Even the royal authority must maintain a certain level of respect for them. Of course, these secret organizations will not intervene in power struggles; this is their philosophy for long-term survival.

Sometimes, there is interaction between some secret organizations. For example, Mr. Bocuse came from the Secret Castle and later became one of the elders of the Gourmet Association. Their food is not only delicious, but can even save lives, and of course, it can also kill people invisibly.

Li Xin nodded. "That's fair enough."

A few seconds later, Li Xin's expression changed. Damn!
No businessman is honest; they're ruthless!

Suddenly he lost interest in the place. "Let's go back. Your Highness, come visit Shengze when you have time."

Seeing Aklis's sudden loss of interest, Aklis was at a loss. Had something gone wrong? Had a problem arisen that he hadn't noticed?

A quick thought flashed through Aklis's mind: where had he overlooked the flaw?

Oh no, we've already made a mistake on our very first meeting today?

Li Xin left without waiting for Aklis. Damn it, that guy had a carriage, while he had to go and hail a taxi. He didn't even know if there were carriages around here. The point wasn't whether there were any, but whether he'd get ripped off.

Suddenly, a smile bloomed on Li Xin's face because he saw the adorable young master Simmons, a lifelong bond between good brothers.

"Brother Li, over here, are you guys done?" Simmons, of course, didn't leave. He stopped at the corner and told the others to go back first. He and Celia, of course, had to wait for Li Xin to come out. Of course, if Li Xin had left with His Highness the Prince, then so be it.

"It's over, this is a rip-off!" Li Xin felt like he had lost out big time. Is it really that easy to be a gourmet? Other paths require risking your life, but this one is all it takes to get rich just by eating and drinking.

Simmons was surprised by the sudden change in tone; it seemed the head chef was showing Li Xin a lot of respect.

"Do you think it's too expensive?" Celia, who was standing to the side, noticed the problem.

"Isn't it expensive?" Li Xin asked.

Celia chuckled. "You're such an interesting person, Brother Li. Why do they all respect you so much? I asked Simmons, but he wouldn't say a word. Can you help me figure it out?"

When a beautiful girl looks at you with eyes full of adoration, it can sometimes be really hard to refuse. Li Xin smiled wryly and waved his hand, "There's no such thing as real in the hidden world. Maybe they're nice to me now, but they might kill me tomorrow."

"So you trust Simmons that much?" Celia asked curiously, completely ignoring Simmons's constant winks beside her.

“Our young master Simmons is different,” Li Xin said with a smile.

Celia, like a curious child, kept asking questions, especially about the meaning of "Avogadro." It was interesting that His Highness the Prince would use that term, while Zheng Shengxun, knowing the answer, hesitated to speak, as if the term was cursed.

Simmons sighed, "Celtis, that's a secret name only used in the Fortress. It has a special meaning. Such names are all tied to cause and effect. You can't mention it if you're not at that level or in that destiny, or you'll get involved. Brother Li, is my explanation okay?"

Li Xin patted his stomach. To be honest, the food was amazing while eating it, but after finishing it, he still missed Aunt Fei's braised beef brisket. "Actually, I'm an atheist, but when in Rome, do as the Romans do. Whatever you say goes."

Simmons and Celia were startled; what kind of talk was that? It was terrifying.

Celia knew that Simmons wouldn't harm her, and she also knew that the hidden name might carry hidden power, so she wisely stopped asking. She could disregard Aklis, but she would have to reach Aklis's level first.

(End of this chapter)