An abstract trainer who taught Charmander the Incinerate move

Chapter 254 Mo Zhen's Battle Against the Pre-made Vegetable Empire! (Following current events, top-notch ruthlessness, art among art!)

Mo Zhen pushed open the glass door of the Three Monkeys Restaurant, and the setting sun outside cast a blood-red halo on his red suit.

He squinted, looking across the street at the brightly lit "Siba" restaurant.

On the huge signboard, the grinning cartoon character of "Double Ice" emits a cheap, icy blue fluorescent light, as if mocking the traditional restaurants on the whole street.

[Wow, this mascot looks like a mutated ice cream that's come to life!]

Little Mengzi floated on his shoulder, her pink body scrunched up in disgust.

Mo Zhen took out her Orange Apple phone and quickly swiped her finger across the screen to search for information about Western cuisine.

The moment the search results popped up, an automatically playing video ad took up the screen.

In the video, Hachiku, a kung fu star with rock-like muscles and wearing a blue martial arts uniform, kicks a steaming plate of "Comet Fried Rice" in front of the camera with a cool roundhouse kick, without spilling a single drop of soup!
He maintained the difficult pose, revealing his snow-white teeth, and read the advertising slogan in a magnetic voice.

"Ultimate efficiency, ultimate deliciousness! Xiba Catering, the inheritance of kung fu cuisine!"

Looking at Hachiku, who was beaming with pride in the video, Mo Zhen pouted.

"This old guy is doing pretty well. He's making movies, getting endorsements, and making money... It seems like he doesn't need our help to get him on the right track in life."

Xiao Mengzi tumbled in the air, emitting a sour mental wave.

[It's not just unnecessary! This bastard's living a better life than he did as a gym leader in the original timeline! Look at that fake smile of his, like he's wearing a mask! Trying to steal his coins? I think that's hopeless!]

"Never mind, let's go in and take a look."

Mo Zhen straightened his suit collar, put on the compassionate expression of an artist examining the hardships of ordinary people, and strode towards the Xiba Restaurant.

As soon as you push open the door of Xiba, a lively atmosphere hits you!

The restaurant was bustling with activity and almost full, a stark contrast to the deserted Three Monkeys Restaurant.

The waiters, dressed in uniform ice-blue uniforms, seemed to have roller skates on their feet, weaving through the crowded tables at an astonishing speed, their faces adorned with standardized, bright smiles.

"Hello sir! Welcome to Siba! Are you alone? This way please!"

A waiter flashed in front of Mo Zhen in an instant, the curve of his smile as precise as if it had been measured with a protractor.

Mo Zhen was led to a small two-seater seat, and a plastic menu was quickly handed to her.

He casually ordered the "Explosive Flying Leg Curry Rice," the "Snails Spaghetti," and the "Giant Chicken Set Meal"—all the signature dishes featured in Hachiku's advertisements.

Before the tablet used for ordering even had a chance to go black, just three minutes and seven seconds later, the first dish, "Exploding Flying Leg Pork Curry Rice," arrived at the table with the elegant grace of a gymnast, its warm aroma filling the air!
Mo Zhen picked up a spoon and scooped up a spoonful of rice coated with orange-yellow curry.

The rice grains were distinct, the carrot and potato chunks were uniformly sized as if pressed from a mold, and a pork chop covered in a thick batter lay in the center.

He put it in his mouth—the flavor was rich, perfectly balanced between salty and sweet, and the pork chop was a standard example of tenderness.

Mo Zhen tried the pasta and chicken stew, and the taste was surprisingly good. It was a taste that was neither particularly bad nor surprising.

"Damn it, how did it cook so fast, and the taste is still perfect..."

He put down his cutlery and winked at the invisible little dream girl on his shoulder.

Xiao Mengzi understood immediately, transformed into an invisible pink ray of light, and darted into the direction of the kitchen.

A moment later, Mo Zhen heard Xiao Mengzi's horrified scream echo in his mind.

[Holy crap!!! Ice! So much ice! Lord Mo Zhen! Their kitchen is a giant icebox!!!]

Mo Zhen frowned: Ice? What ice?

The next moment, Xiaomengzi shared its field of vision.

The kitchen of the restaurant was surprisingly spacious, but there was almost no trace of the smoke and fumes from a traditional stove.

In its place are several 【Double Ice Brand Rapid Defrosting and Heating All-in-One Machines】emitting a chilling white aura!
The chefs, dressed in ice-blue overalls, moved with the efficiency of robotic arms on an assembly line.

They took stacks of silver frozen bags with the "Fanbingbing" cold chain food logo from the huge freezer next to them, tore open the packaging, and poured the frozen curry cubes, fried pork chops, and pasta sauce packets directly into the working tank of the defrosting and heating machine!

Press the button, and the machine roars to life!
An extremely strong heat stream is instantly ejected, while the robotic arm violently shakes the working tank, allowing the frozen food to be heated evenly in a very short time.

Almost instantly, the frozen food, which was as hard as a Poké Ball just moments before, became steaming hot. It was poured into a prepared plate, sprinkled with uniform dehydrated scallions and sesame seeds, and then served by the waiter!

The entire kitchen was clean, cold, and efficient, with no aroma of stir-fried dishes, only the chill of a cold storage room and the plastic smell emanating from the heating machines.

Mo Zhen's vision returned, and as he looked at the plate of kung fu cuisine in front of him, his eyes turned completely cold.

"Fan Bingbing..."

He read the name on the frozen bag and picked up his phone again to search further.

After tracing through layers of equity, a company registered in Xuehua City, namely 【Fanbingbing Cold Chain Food Co., Ltd.】, emerged. The largest individual shareholder and chairman of this company is none other than Hachiku!

"Ah."

Mo Zhen let out a cold laugh; the dignity of an artist had been challenged like never before.

"Using the guise of freshly cooked dishes to sell frozen food that can be microwaved? And the prices are twice as high as Three Monkeys' freshly made dishes? This is not just fraud, it's an insult to diners' intelligence and a desecration of the art of cooking!"

Xiao Mengzi screamed indignantly in his ear.

[Expose them! They must be exposed severely! Let the people of United States see the true face of their idols!]

"Hmph, do you need to tell me!"

A sharp glint flashed in Mo Zhen's eyes, and she immediately dialed Wanlong's number.

As soon as the call connected, Mo Zhen spoke in an extremely sorrowful tone.

"Wanlong, I have heartbreaking news to tell you..."

"What? Director Mo, you mean?"

Upon hearing this, Wanlong on the other end of the phone immediately became uneasy.

After Mo Zhen finished recounting his discovery, the other end of the phone fell into a deathly silence, followed by a scream that sounded like faith collapsing!
"No—!!! Impossible! My youth! My memories! My beloved Hachiku... He... How could he?! I always eat at the Shiba Restaurant whenever I pass by! No wonder it always tastes exactly the same! So that's why... Waaaaaaah!"

Wanlong's voice was choked with sobs, then transformed into a raging inferno.

"This is blatant fraud! Director Mo! Don't worry! I'll immediately mobilize all resources! I will make sure Hachiku and his Frozen Empire are completely ruined! Oh my god!!!"

Wanlong's ability to act is terrifying!
Overnight, topics such as #ArtistMoZhenSlamsSibaPre-madeCookedFood#, #HachikuFrozenKungfuMeal#, and #FanBingBingColdChainPre-madeFoodInvasion# swept across the homepages of all social media platforms like a tsunami!
A video hastily edited by Wanlong's team has gone viral.

In the video, Mo Zhen is wearing his signature red suit, with the entrance of the Xiba restaurant in the background.

With a stern expression, he held a stack of evidence documents and delivered a passionate speech to the camera.

"Friends of Hezhong! Today, I, Mo Zhenzhenzhenzhen, stand here not for personal grudges, but to protect our most basic rights—the right of consumers to know and the right to taste authentic food!"

He picked up a Spanish plate and said indignantly.

"Look at this! [Explosive Flying Kick Curry Rice]! The ad says that Chef Hachiku uses his fiery kicking technique to instantly lock in the deliciousness of the ingredients? But what's the truth? It's just cold machine heating! It's assembly line defrosting! It's soulless industrial replication!"

Mo Zhen's voice suddenly rose, filled with dramatic tension.

"They package it with kung fu and passion, but at its core, it's the least efficient and the worst freezing technology! Consumers pay the price of freshly cooked dishes but get frozen pre-made food that may have been stored for 114514 days! This is not progress in the catering industry; it's the depravity of capital! This is an insult to the word 'chef'! Mr. Hachiku, you endorse this fraud with your image. Where is your kung fu spirit? Where is your conscience in the entertainment industry?!"

At the end of the video, Mo Zhen slammed the plate to the ground, scattering shards everywhere.

"I call on all the people of the Union who crave authentic deliciousness to resist this deceptive practice! We want real cooking, not cold deception!" The video caused an uproar online, and the comment section exploded instantly.

[I am not the Dodo]: Any act of deceiving consumers will ultimately be brought to justice! Interpol's Food Fraud Investigation Unit is already aware of this matter! Hatchku, you'd better wait for the divine retribution that comes your way!

【Rocket Saves the World】: Haha, Interpol, those who know, know. It'll probably just be a fine. Hatchick is a big taxpayer and a star in the league!

【Super Princess Lives in a Castle】: Fake news! How could the handsome Hatchku do such a thing! This must be Mo Zhen trying to ride the wave of popularity! The internet is not above the law, I have reported it!

[United Mining King]: I support a thorough investigation to find out the truth! But if it's true... then what about all those Sichuan fast food boxes that my mine's canteen gets...?

[Great God Stone is Me]: Oh? This efficient catering model seems to greatly reduce costs? It seems that our catering industry in Hoenn is due for a large-scale industrial upgrade!
[Coal Turtle Hot Girl]: Fuck you Zvodka bastard! You want everyone to eat frozen garbage? Down with heartless capitalism!
Hachiku, who was far away at the Bollywood film studio, had just finished filming an action scene when he received an urgent message from his agent.

Looking at Mo Zhen's handsome face on the screen, which made him jealous, and his sharp words, Hachiku's expression instantly turned colder than his Double Dodo Ice.

"That's unreasonable!"

He slammed his hand on the table, causing the thermos cup on it to jump.

"A mere actor who writes novels dares to try and scam me? To ruin my livelihood?!"

He immediately instructed his team to handle the crisis.

Soon after, Hatchku's official account released a solemn statement video.

In the video, Hachiku is wearing training clothes, with a familiar dojo in the background, and his face is solemn and sincere.

"Recently, false claims have circulated online that the Xiba Restaurant, which I endorse, uses pre-prepared food, which has shocked and angered me. Hereby, I, Hachiku, solemnly declare: Xiba Restaurant has always adhered to the 'made-to-order' philosophy, and all dishes are meticulously prepared in-house by rigorously trained chefs! The so-called 'pre-prepared food' and 'frozen food' claims are purely malicious slander and fabrications by those with ulterior motives! We have preserved evidence and will file a lawsuit against Mr. Mo Zhenzhenzhenzhen and related media for defamation! We will defend our innocence and will not tolerate such behavior!"

Below this statement, a large number of comments with similar, uniform format instantly flooded in.

【Blooming Prosperity】: Support Teacher Hachiku! We locals all eat Xiba, it's absolutely freshly cooked! That Mo is just jealous of Teacher Hachiku's fame!
【Four Seasons of Peace】: That's right! Xiba is delicious and cheap, so what if the food is served quickly? Is serving food quickly a crime? Does it have to be an hour to be considered freshly made?

[Food Critic - Wang Gang]: As a professional, I believe efficiency and deliciousness can coexist. Without solid evidence, I choose to trust Chef Hachiku's integrity and character. Mr. Mo Zhen, please behave yourself and stop seeking attention.

【Shuanglong City Foodie Squad】: Exactly! Teacher Hachiku's movies accompanied us as we grew up, and we can all see his character! On the other hand, that Mo Zhen, I heard his private life is messy, can we believe what he says?

Looking at the weak and feeble rebuttals and the frantic whitewashing by online trolls on the screen, Mo Zhen was not angry at all. Instead, he revealed a playful smile, like a hunter seeing his prey fall into a trap.

"He's getting anxious, he's getting anxious."

Mo Zhen swirled the wine glass in her hand, the orange juice inside gleaming with a dangerous light.

"Denial? Lawsuit? Ha, typical PR tactic. Xiaomengzi, don't you think we should teach this kung fu superstar a lesson? Let him know what it means to ask for trouble and get it?"

Xiaomengzi was so excited that she twisted into a pink pretzel in the air.

[Ugh! Absolutely! Lord Mo Zhen! Let him see what real, solid evidence looks like! Smash his pre-made food empire!]

"Wanlong! The second wave of the offensive can begin!"

At Mo Zhen's command, this time, a major, undeniable long video was released across all platforms – "Unveiling the Cold Truth of 'Kung Fu Cuisine': A Complete Record of Xiba & Fanbingbing's Fraud!"
The video opens with a bombshell revelation: a close-up of the entire working process of the Double Plus Ice Brand Rapid Defrosting and Heating All-in-One Machine!
The frozen curry cubes, bearing the "Fan Bingbing" logo, were thrown into the machine. After an exaggerated steam jet and mechanical shaking, they were transformed into steaming hot dishes and served out...

The whole process is cold and efficient, with absolutely no "kung fu" or "cooking" involved!

The scene then shifts to a covert interview.

A young woman dressed in a Siba chef's uniform and wearing a mask is being interviewed by a "reporter" (voiceover by Mo Zhen).

"I...I've always been a big fan of Master Mo Zhenzhen's books..."

The female chef said excitedly.

"His 'Battle Through the Spirits' gave me courage! So... so I decided to stand up and tell the truth! Our kitchen... really doesn't need to cook... our daily work is just unpacking and putting the frozen food into the machine to heat it up... Teacher Hachiku? He... he seems to be the big boss of Fanbingbing... he even came during training and said it was a great step forward in the industrialization of catering..."

Then the footage shows the entire process of the [Fanbingbing cold chain logistics truck] delivering goods to the Xiba restaurant late at night!

The huge Double Dot Ice and Hatchku head on the vehicle body are particularly eye-catching.

Finally, even an internal promotional video clip from the [Fanbingbing] company appeared, showing Hachiku wearing a suit, smiling and waving in a modern refrigeration plant.

"Relying on the extreme cold power of Double Plus Ice, it perfectly locks in freshness... allowing every family in Hezhong to enjoy the deliciousness of Kung Fu cuisine..."

At the end of the video, there was a close-up of Mo Zhen's handsome yet cold face as he slowly spoke.

“Mr. Hatchku, is this what you call ‘kung fu on the spot’? Is this what you call ‘malicious slander’? Is your kung fu just the skill of operating a microwave oven?”

This bombshell video of irrefutable evidence instantly went viral!
The evidence is irrefutable, leaving no room for denial, and public opinion has completely reversed!

【Super Queen Super Love】: Hachiku, you betrayed my trust! I even worked with you! And this is the food you offer me! You can fool my feelings, but you can't fool me into eating frozen food! Lord Mo Zhen, you're still the best! I'll eat your fresh hot dogs every day from now on!

[DianDian Live Streamer]: Holy crap! I even ate three shiba meals on live stream yesterday! Now my stomach feels like it's been hit by an ice spell, like I'm about to start short track speed skating! Master Mo Zhen, you owe me my medical bills!
[What did Liuli eat today?]: Oh my god! That's terrible! No wonder I had diarrhea after eating there last time. Hachiku is such a bad guy! Director Mo~~ next time you shoot a music video, could you please let me endorse a restaurant that actually makes food fresh to order? #shyblushingemoji#
Faced with this overwhelming evidence, Hatchku and his team were clearly flustered.

A day later, a completely new statement with a much softer tone quietly replaced the previous one.

Recently, many consumers have misunderstood the food preparation process at Xiba Restaurant. We would like to clarify: Xiba Restaurant does not use traditional pre-cooked dishes, but rather an advanced flash-freezing and re-seasoning technology. This technology originates from the ancient "secret ice-freezing method" of Hezhong, improved with modern technology. Our partner, Double Plus Ice, provides pure ice energy for instant freezing, perfectly preserving the original flavor and nutrients of the ingredients. The heating process is a modern manifestation of "internal strength," designed to instantly activate the food's vitality. This process has been certified by the Hezhong Alliance Food Safety Bureau, ensuring absolute health, hygiene, and safety! We are committed to providing consumers with the most efficient and stable delicious experience!

This statement is a prime example of sophistry, attempting to confuse the public with cool-sounding terms such as "frozen to lock in freshness," "ice-based energy," and "internal strength of kung fu."

Sure enough, several "authoritative" media outlets and organizations quickly came forward to support it.

[Spokesperson of the United Alliance Food Safety Bureau (Official Verified Account)]: After verification, the "flash freezing and freshness locking and re-conditioning" process used by Xiba Restaurant complies with relevant food safety standards, and its use of double-ice cooling technology does have its unique features.

The spokesperson was later discovered by netizens to be related to an executive at Hatchku's agency by marriage.

Dr. Yew, a renowned expert on physics, stated this during a television interview.

"Well, according to our institute's preliminary analysis, the ice crystal structure of Double Plus Ice is indeed different from that of ordinary ice. The weak energy field it contains may... perhaps... have a certain activating effect on food molecules? Cough cough, this could very well be the key to making food more delicious..."

The woman's voice grew softer and softer as she spoke, and her arguments became vague and evasive, clearly indicating that she had received a considerable amount of sponsorship fees.

[A well-known self-media personality, Dou Ye Wangming Tianya, posted a video: "Family members! Does anyone know anything about this? I have to say a few words about Xiba pre-made meals!"]

In the video, Dou is riding a bicycle with roadside stalls rushing past in the background. He looks at the camera with an expression that says, "I'm the only one who's sober in a world of drunks."

"Many people think that eating pre-prepared food is a bad thing? In fact, quite the opposite! It's a good thing! It just shows that Siba is standardized, hygienic, and compliant!"

After taking a tactical sip of water, he continued his eloquent speech.

"Think about it, street vendors cook food fresh, but would you eat it if the chef picked his toes and grabbed the vegetables directly? Would you be afraid of a filthy kitchen filled with grease and smoke? Xiba's central kitchen is a sterile environment, operated by robots, cleaner than your toilet! So what if it's frozen? Freezing sterilizes! Teacher Hachiku is using high technology to benefit society! Raising the overall standard of the Hezhong catering industry! You trolls just can't stand seeing Hezhong do well! You're just sexually repressed! You don't understand progress!"

He became more and more excited as he spoke, as if he had found the secret to generating traffic, and raised his hands high.

"I hereby declare that from today onwards, my Douye Fugitive's livestream will only feature Xiba pre-made meals! This is what it means to support advanced productivity! Family members, hop on board!"

Seeing these distorted and unfounded statements, Mo Zhen didn't get angry but laughed. He knew that these people were part of a vested interest group that had received a lot of benefits.

As for Dou Ye... this idiot is just a clown who's trying to gain attention by contradicting others, and he hasn't made a single penny while making a fuss.

Mo Zhen wasn't in a hurry to teach him a lesson; there would be plenty of opportunities later to team up with Zekrom to teach him "how to be a hero."

Just as the entire incident reached its peak of popularity, Mo Zhen released a major announcement through Wanlong's End News Network.

[Noise and chaos prevail, arguments are pointless. True and false delicacies are debated on the tip of the tongue! Sponsored by the Sleeping Beauty Consortium, and personally organized by Mo Zhenzhenzhenzhen—the First United Culinary God Competition! We sincerely invite all chefs and restaurants who believe themselves to be capable to participate! Using the most primitive fires, the freshest ingredients, and the purest craftsmanship, let's compete to determine the true Culinary God!]

At the end of the announcement, Mo Zhen's words directly named someone, full of provocation:

"Mr. Hatchku, didn't you claim that your 'frozen-frozen freshness-locking kung fu dishes' are the future of catering? Don't you have alliance certification and a PhD endorsement? Then, do you dare to put down your microwave, bring your double-cold ice, and compete in this culinary showdown for real? Let's see whether a cold machine can conquer the taste buds, or a passionate culinary heart can create truly moving delicacies! I, Mo Zhen, representing Three Monkeys Restaurant, await your challenge!"

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

The next chapter features a gathering of heroes, the ultimate feast, and a cross-map, all-alliance free-for-all.
(End of this chapter)