The story begins in Food Wars, when Alice took him home.

The young man presented his dish to the judges with a polite smile, gesturing for them to proceed as he spoke.

"This looks absolutely exquisite!"

As soon as the dishes were served, Su Yan couldn't help but sigh at the exquisite presentation.

The lobster tail rests diagonally on the plate, encased in a matte black-gold crispy shell.

The bamboo charcoal tempura batter has irregular cracks, and the surface is dotted with fine blue shaved ice, which faintly reveals the translucent lobster meat inside.

"What's the name of this dish? It looks really good."

Tan Guai looked at the dishes in front of him with curiosity and spoke kindly to Wang Qing.

"This dish is all about the fusion of ice and fire, so I call it Lava Glacier Crispy Shell Shrimp!"

Upon hearing Tan Guai's question, Wang Qing gave a brief explanation.

"Lava Glacier Crispy Shrimp? What a unique name."

The bottom of the plate is covered with orange-red lobster foam, which flows slowly like lava, while the surface is covered with chili oil that forms golden ripples.

The shrimp is topped with lime wasabi shaved ice, giving it a fluffy, snow-like texture.

The stark contrast between the two places makes it seem as if the lobster is simultaneously situated in lava and glaciers, showcasing a wondrous spectacle of both fire and ice!

This time it was Zhang Zhong who spoke. At this moment, he was carefully examining the dishes in front of him, his eyes filled with appreciation.

"It's not as exaggerated as you say, but I suggest you eat it quickly."

Even though the plate was preheated, the heat on the surface of the lobster dissipates quickly over time, so you won't experience the true meaning of the contrast between hot and cold.

Seeing that the judges were talking nonsense, Wang Qing couldn't help but look at the dishes in front of them and remind them.

"The true meaning of 'a world of ice and fire'."

"That's quite an enticing statement."

During the conversation, the three judges finally turned their attention back to tasting the dishes, while also pondering the meaning behind Wang Qing's words.

They understood the theme of the competition: a world of ice and fire, but what was its true meaning?

With these questions in mind, they picked up their chopsticks and began to appreciate the dishes.

"this…"

When they cracked open the lobster meat, wisps of cold mist seeped out from the opening, creating a scene resembling a volcanic eruption, a sight that left people secretly amazed.

"It looks like a magic trick!"

Su Yan sighed at this moment, then picked up a piece of shrimp and put it in her mouth. The next moment, she froze on the spot.

"The bamboo charcoal tempura wrappers, fried at high temperatures, are as crisp as thin glass, crumble in your mouth, and have a slightly salty grain aroma and a deep charcoal flavor, similar to the roasted aroma of premium black sesame."

But since it's fried, why does it smell like it's been baked?!

The first taste is of the tempura coating, followed by the aroma of flour that gradually unfolds in the mouth, with a subtle grain fragrance that is irresistibly captivating.

However, what puzzled Su Yan was why the fried lobster had a roasted aroma. So she looked up at Wang Qing with a curious expression, waiting for his explanation.

"After deep-frying at high temperature, I baked it with a blowtorch, which is why its surface has a unique aroma that comes with baking. However, this aroma is very faint and most people can't taste it."

Upon hearing Su Yan's words, a look of surprise appeared on Wang Qing's face.

The person in front of me doesn't look much older than me, yet they possess such a keen sense of taste. Not only can they sit here as a judge, but they've also discerned the unique qualities in my cooking.

He had originally thought that these words would come from Zhang Zhong's mouth.

"Since I'm serving as a judge here, I'm naturally not an ordinary person. You're underestimating me by saying that, Wang Qing."

Upon hearing Wang Qing's words, Su Yan immediately puffed up her cheeks, somewhat dissatisfied.

With that flawless face, even when she's angry, she doesn't inspire fear; instead, you can't help but think, "Wow, she's so cute!"

Such thoughts.

"Sorry, but you don't look that much older than me. It's really impressive that you can taste such subtle details under these circumstances."

Being stared at like that by a young girl in the prime of her life, Wang Qing suddenly felt a little embarrassed. He blushed and looked away, then rubbed his nose and muttered something under his breath.

"Haha, I'll take that as a compliment. But actually, I'm old enough to be your mother without any problem!"

"How can it be!"

Looking at the girl in front of him who was laughing hysterically after hearing his words, Wang Qing's face showed a look of astonishment when he thought about what she had just said.

He wasn't present when the judges were introduced, so he naturally didn't know the true identity of the person in front of him. That's why he looked so shocked when he heard Su Yan's words.

"She's right. Do you believe I'm a few years younger than her?"

Seeing Wang Qing's shocked expression, Tan Guai couldn't help but speak up.

He grew up watching Su Yan's TV dramas, so when he learned that they would be working together, he specifically asked her for her autograph, planning to show it off to his best friend who was a fan of hers.

He was three years younger than the other man, even though he was already considered an uncle at the time.

"real or fake…"

At this moment, Wang Qing's face still showed doubt. He simply couldn't believe such a thing could happen. The girl in front of him, who was about the same age, was actually old enough to be his mother!

"Don't worry about that, your cooking is really good!"

The moment your teeth pierce the crisp shell, the flash-frozen lobster sashimi bursts with a cool, sweet juice. The meat is as smooth and creamy as half-melted ice cream, carrying the unique sweetness and slight metallic sheen of deep-sea lobster!

Seeing Wang Qing's conflicted expression, Su Yan waved her hand, then picked up a piece of lobster meat and put it in her mouth, savoring the rich flavor of the sauce, a look of utter satisfaction on her face.

"Especially at the top, the tangy lime juice and the spiciness of wasabi are locked in by liquid nitrogen, and the snowflake-like ice crystals pop and jump in your mouth, refreshing like biting into a mint ice chip."

Furthermore, this sensation almost instantly washes away the greasiness, leaving only a refreshing citrus aftertaste.

Zhang Zhong nodded. He started tasting from the top, and the incredibly rich flavor was so delicious that it made him gasp and savor the taste. The sweet, sour, and spicy flavors were surprisingly well-matched with the texture of the fried lobster.

"The lobster broth at the bottom is closely connected with the chili oil. The strong savory flavor of the lobster shell broth is wrapped in the warmth of the chili oil. If I had to describe it, it would be similar to the lemongrass and red pepper aroma of Thai Tom Yum soup. When it is whipped into foam, the texture is as light as cotton candy. After melting on the tongue, it releases a rich seafood caramel flavor!"

Unlike the two who started tasting from the head, Tan Guai began by trying the bottom. He dipped the prepared lobster in the sauce at the bottom and then put it straight into his mouth, chewing heartily.

As a result, he tasted a top-notch flavor that the other two had never experienced!

"The heat on the outside of the lobster and the ice on the inside are not at all out of place, as if they were naturally like that."

The feeling is like "biting into a burning charcoal, only to find snow inside"—the temperature difference creates a stimulating sensation similar to pain!

As Zhang Zhong spoke, he closed his eyes, feeling the extreme sensation of heat and cold exploding in his mouth, and revealed a joyful expression. This feeling was truly delightful from the bottom of his heart!

"Is this your answer? Using the instantaneous heat from frying to contrast with the ice inside, creating a wonderful experience of both fire and ice. It turns out the principle is similar to that of fried ice cream."

"No, this is just one of the answers to my cooking. The real secret lies in the combination of the top and the bottom. You can experience it for yourself."

Upon hearing Zhang Zhong's words, Wang Qing shook his head, a mysterious smile appearing on his face.

"The combination of above and below, could it be...!?"

Upon hearing Wang Qing's words, Su Yan was initially puzzled, but then, as if she had thought of something, she combined the shaved ice on the top half with the spicy lobster broth foam on the bottom half, and ate it with the hot-on-the-outside-and-cold-on-the-inside lobster meat.

"It's actually like this!"

Savoring the rich flavors in her mouth, Su Yan's face showed a look of sudden realization.

"That's right, that's exactly it. The cold exterior and hot interior is only one aspect of this dish. The coldness from the shaved ice on top and the spiciness from the foamy spicy lobster broth below are the second layer of temperature changes!"

Seeing that Su Yan understood his good intentions, Wang Qing smiled and then explained further to Zhang Zhong and Tan Guai.

"I see. No wonder you said you would show us the true spectacle of ice and fire. That's what you meant by 'two extremes'!"

Tan Guai immediately tasted the dish and then a look of sudden realization appeared on his face.

He was just thinking that although Wang Qing's dish was delicious, it was only a regular Grade 2 dish, which was not up to his usual standard. Who would have thought that the real secret was the sauce on both sides! The combination of the two became the ultimate weapon.

Wang Qing's dishes, when eaten individually, are only average, but when combined together, the taste is novel and amazing. The three together make up this special three-star dish!

"As the cold mist rises from my throat, the lingering wasabi spiciness and the savory lobster foam create a 'taste rollercoaster'—one second it's a warm, roasting sensation, the next it's a chilling, snowy landscape, and finally, the pure sweetness of the lobster sashimi lingers. This feeling is just like riding a real rollercoaster!!"

Zhang Zhong's shout rang out. At this moment, he had his eyes closed, his hands still holding a knife and fork stretched out in front of him, his face full of the horror of facing a roller coaster, and the wrinkles on his old face were tightly stuck together.

"Ahhhh!!!"

Tan Luan and Su Yan also closed their eyes, but before them was an incredibly realistic scene: the roller coaster soared into the clouds and then rapidly slid down from the sky. The extreme experience of going from top to bottom was like crossing from an iceberg to lava, making people feel excited involuntarily.

"It's truly an excellent work."

Su Yan has said this countless times, which shows how satisfied she is with this dish—it's no exaggeration to say it's outrageous!

"They actually gave it such a high rating..."

"Teacher Leah is in a bit of danger now. Hopefully, she can come up with an even better dish to turn the tide!"

In the audience, where Bai Yuan and the others were sitting, watching Liya still cooking and Wang Qing, whose dish had received high praise from the judges, each person had a different degree of worry on their face.

As members of the same faction, they naturally hoped that Lia could achieve final victory, so that her reputation in the world of dark cuisine could be fully established.

"Believe in Leah, believe she can win the match, her eyes show no sign of giving up!"

Sitting upright among the girls, with Tadokoro Megumi and Nakiri Alice beside him, Shirabuchi's voice wasn't loud, but it was like a powerful stimulant, instantly calming their anxious hearts.

Their gazes turned back to the stage, but this time their attention was no longer on Wang Qing and the judges, but rather on Liya, or more precisely, on her extremely resolute eyes.

Even as the judges showered Wang Qing with praise, there was not a trace of fear in her eyes, only an absolute desire for victory.

"What great eyesight!"

Looking into Lia's eyes, Hisako Shinto, sitting behind Shirabuchi, couldn't help but mutter to herself.

She suddenly realized that she was missing something: this kind of unwavering attitude!

"Right? Leah is my treasure."

Bai Yuan naturally heard Hisako Shinto's self-talk and a faint sense of pride appeared on his face.

This kind of pride is somewhat like when others praise your child. Even if parents don't interfere much in their child's growth, they still feel proud because of the bond between them.

"what about me?"

Upon hearing Bai Yuan's words, Alice Nakiri pouted and blinked her big eyes, hoping to gain his approval, something she had always been searching for.

"Alice is my heart; I would die if I lost her."

Bai Yuan gave his answer without hesitation.

He wasn't lying about that; in his heart, Alice Nakiri was as important as life itself, and he absolutely couldn't lose her.