A Bite of Douluo Continent

I need to check it when I get back to see if there's anything in the structure that's not precise enough.

He looked at the image showing the second floor of the Cold Food Festival building.

There was no sign of life.

If someone manages to evade this soul-detecting device, a void will inevitably appear in the resulting image.

If this situation doesn't occur at the moment, then there seems to be nothing wrong with this cold food shop?

Thinking of this, Yao Hongchen felt both helpless and fortunate.

Although no clues were found, it proved that the specialized life detection soul tool in his hand could be used normally without being suppressed, which immediately relieved some of the pressure in his heart.

...

"Phew, luckily I reacted quickly and shut down the store's detection shield in time." In the system space, Ruyi patted her chest and breathed a sigh of relief.

Unlike Qi Han, who was completely unaware of the situation in the Sun Moon Empire, if the detection of that soul tool was accidentally blocked, and Yao Hongchen was pushed to the limit, she might directly confront Qi Han in the shop, thereby triggering the Cold Food's defense mechanism, and things would only escalate further.

Immediately, she squatted down on the ground with a bitter face and shook her head, "Why can't I tell him about the situation of the Sun Moon Empire?"

All previous missions were initiated by Ruyi, so there were no restrictions on her. This mission, however, was quite different. Not only were there various requirements for Qi Han, but Ruyi was also secretly restricted from revealing information about the Sun Moon Empire to him.

"Hehe, now that he has become my successor, the task will naturally have to be more difficult."

A voice, tinged with a sly smile, drifted over, making Ruyi's expression even more bitter.

About the update

I've revised the next chapter several times but I'm still not satisfied. I probably won't be able to post it at midnight, so I'll postpone it to 1:00 PM. The plot has been a bit complicated lately, and I'm experiencing a bit of writer's block.

Chapter 487 The Truth About Gulu (Seeking monthly tickets and recommendations)

Ruyi's soft murmurs in the system space were inaudible to Qi Han. At this moment, Qi Han was still unaware of what had just happened. He calmly placed the plate of sweet and sour pork on the partition, then turned around and began kneading the dough.

These small plates can be left to Gulu; he still needs to prepare the dragon beard noodles.

With practiced ease, Gulu used its tail to hold the plate firmly on its head, then headed towards the only guest in the dining area.

With the level nine life detection soul tool failing to detect anything, Yao Hongchen had accomplished half of his purpose in coming here. Sensing the unusual movement around him, he turned his gaze to Gulu, who was nimbly leaping toward him.

He hadn't paid any attention to the cat during the Cold Food Festival before, assuming it was just the owner's pet. But after the Life Soul Guidance Detector detected it, Yao Hongchen now knew the truth about Gulu.

A thousand-year-old soul beast!

The way this soul beast skillfully delivered the food plate to Yao Hongchen demonstrated its intelligence, which far surpassed that of a normal thousand-year-old soul beast.

What kind of spirit beast is this?

Yao Hongchen narrowed his eyes slightly.

He had seen all kinds of spirit beasts that existed within the Sun and Moon Continent, but he had never heard of this strange cat-like spirit beast before, and he couldn't even think of a similar one.

Could it be... a soul beast species from Douluo Continent?

Thinking of this, Yao Hongchen took another deep look at Qi Han, who was busy in the kitchen.

If he is truly lurking here, why would he expose such a soul beast that could potentially reveal itself?

Well, these things are irrelevant to me and to the purpose of this trip. If Prime Minister Zhou Yuan doesn't notice this during tomorrow's morning court session, I'll remind him again.

Thinking of this, Yao Hongchen turned his gaze away from Gulu and looked at the sweet and sour pork that had been served to him.

From the moment Gulu appeared, a unique aroma, a rich and unusual blend of sweet and sour flavors and pure meaty fragrance, filled the entire dining area.

A hint of surprise flashed in Yao Hongchen's eyes. Just smelling the exceptionally appetizing sweet and sour aroma made his mouth water, even though he was already hungry. This dish was no ordinary dish.

I didn't expect the owner of this cold food stall to be such a good cook. It seems I'll have to pack some for my father after we finish eating.

With that thought in mind, Yao Hongchen picked up his chopsticks and reached for the sweet and sour pork.

For a level nine soul master who can inscribe a level nine core magic array with a carving knife, using chopsticks is something he can learn at a glance, so it's naturally no challenge for Yao Hongchen.

The surface of the sweet and sour pork is golden yellow, with each slice of golden meat shimmering with a bright luster. This luster comes from the light yellow sweet and sour sauce that is thickened after preparation and poured over the surface of the sweet and sour pork, giving it a glossy and moist appearance.

Thin, orange-red carrot shreds, tender green cilantro shreds, and white scallion shreds are added to the sweet and sour pork during the final stir-frying process. They are evenly mixed with the pork, yet they do not become mushy. Each shred retains its shape, and their different colors blend with the golden-yellow color of the sweet and sour pork, making the dish more colorful.

Such an enticing dish, with its rich, sweet and sour aroma, simultaneously assaults the senses of sight and smell, naturally stimulating the appetite.

Yao Hongchen effortlessly picked up a piece of sweet and sour pork with his chopsticks. Unbeknownst to himself, his movements carried a hint of urgency that was quite different from his usual composure. In the next instant, he snapped off half of the sweet and sour pork with a loud crack.

The surface of the sweet and sour pork is covered with a golden-yellow batter. This batter is not very thick. The crispy texture that should be present when deep-fried is subtly transformed by the sweet and sour sauce poured on top. The sauce slowly seeps into the countless pores of the crispy batter, thus changing the crispness of the batter and giving it a gradual texture that changes from soft to crispy from the outside to the inside.

The wonderful texture of the batter is merely a backdrop to the flavor of the sweet and sour pork; the meat wrapped inside the batter is the absolute star.

The meat used for Guo Bao Rou is tenderloin from Gui Xiang pig, which is the most tender cut of pork. After being wrapped in a batter and cooked under high pressure to form a dense layer, the meat inside is cooked but not overcooked, tender and juicy. The pure meat texture and the texture of the outer batter intertwine, which can be clearly felt by Yao Hongchen as he chews. The experience is unparalleled.

The sweet and sour sauce blends perfectly with the savory meat flavor, elevating the umami to a whole new level and relieving the greasiness of fried food.

An interesting dish.

After taking a bite, Yao Hongchen's eyes showed a hint of surprise.

This was truly the first time he had ever tasted such a delicious dish. The pure and incredibly delicious sweet and sour pork almost overturned his understanding of food, and it also made him feel more empathetic towards his father's preferences, which he had never understood before.

It's not entirely unreasonable for his father to like good food. If he could enjoy such a meal in his spare time, Yao Hongchen felt that his mood would improve considerably, and perhaps his ideas for researching soul tools would become more open as a result.

Thinking of this, Yao Hongchen couldn't help but put the other half of the sweet and sour pork he was holding on his chopsticks into his mouth and chew it.

My father... seems to really like sweet and sour foods?

Yao Hongchen thought about it with some uncertainty, and then felt a little ashamed.

As a son, he never even paid attention to what kind of food his father liked.

Well then, once the Empire finishes its preparations for the upcoming battle on Douluo Continent, I'll focus more on my research into soul tools and have more time to spend with my father.

Just as his father said, he had spent too much time on useless things and lacked enthusiasm for researching soul tools, which was why his cultivation was restricted and he could not reach the level of a tenth-level soul master.

Otherwise, as the son of a level 10 Soul Master, he would have sufficient reason and ability to reach that level.

With his mind wandering, Yao Hongchen's hands moved swiftly, and the delicious sweet and sour pork disappeared at a visible speed, soon leaving only a small portion on the plate.

It's delicious! I wonder what the other staple food, called Dragon Beard Noodles, will taste like?

Just as Yao Hongchen thought of this, he saw Qi Han walking towards him with a large bowl in his hand. "Dragon beard noodles, please enjoy."

Nodding to Qi Han, Yao Hongchen looked expectantly at the food called Dragon Beard Noodles.

Noodles are not available in the Sun Moon Empire, but that did not stop Yao Hongchen from skillfully using chopsticks to pick up the thin noodles from the bowl and put them into his mouth.

Yao Hongchen's eyes lit up as he tasted the pure aroma of the melt-in-your-mouth noodles and the delicious flavor of the broth clinging to their surface.

This dragon beard noodle dish is completely different from the previous sweet and sour pork in terms of both texture and taste, but they have one thing in common that is so distinct.

tasty.

He ate the dragon beard noodles in one gulp, occasionally picking up a piece of sweet and sour pork and putting it in his mouth. Soon, only an empty plate and an empty bowl were left in front of Yao Hongchen.

"Check, please pack up one serving of sweet and sour pork and one serving of dragon beard noodles."

Yao Hongchen's face showed a relaxed smile that was not seen before.

I'm sure my father will love these two dishes.

Chapter 488 There's a mole!

Watching the refined yet heroic middle-aged man leave the restaurant, Qi Han patiently waited for the next customer to arrive, and this wait lasted until the end of Hanshi's lunch service.

Hmm... there's no one there.

Although over a hundred diners came at noon today, most of them were introduced by Xu Jiyun. Because of the remote location, no nearby residents have come to eat yet.

That said, the area around Mink Street is too remote, and the residents there are generally not well-off. Even if they came, they might be scared off by the prices of the food during the Cold Food Festival.

Alas, the task is arduous and the road ahead is long.

With a sigh, Qi Han walked to the shop entrance, preparing to close the door and enter the training space to continue Zilong's armor removal training, but suddenly noticed something different.

"Huh?" He blinked, and finally couldn't help but step out of the Cold Food Festival to take a closer look.

Are there any new businesses opening shops around here?

Right to my left, right, and diagonally opposite, three new shops are undergoing renovations in an orderly manner, and they look like they will be able to reopen in a few days.

This was something new for Qi Han.

There are quite a few shops in this area. In the beginning, this area was actually the commercial district of Minker Street. However, almost all of these shops are vacant or for sale, and many of them have been listed in various real estate agencies for years but have never been successfully traded.

Therefore, when the Cold Food Festival was established, all the shops in the vicinity were closed, and the commercial area, which should have been bustling, was rarely visited.

And now, three businesses actually want to open shops here?

Just thinking about it made Qi Han want to pray for his three future neighbors.

Opening a shop here would surely lead to huge losses.

What? You're asking why I opened here?

Alas, soap slippery... oh no, fate is cruel.

Since they were new neighbors, Qi Han planned to have a friendly chat with them.

After all, we still have a month to spend together.

So he walked towards the open door of the shop across the street, where a young man who looked like the shop owner was directing the construction workers.

...

Fang Qing is a Soul Master who serves the royal family. He belongs to a hidden force called the Secret Intelligence Division, which is responsible for infiltrating and gathering intelligence, providing the royal family with unparalleled intelligence capabilities that allow them to know everything happening in the world without leaving their homes.

This time, in order to keep a close watch on Hanshi's movements, the royal family did not hesitate to pull out the secret intelligence agency that was hiding in the shadows and dispatched a large number of people to launch the so-called "Greater Xingming Street" plan. Fang Qing was one of the dispatched members, responsible for disguising himself as the owner of a department store located diagonally opposite Hanshi and keeping a close eye on the movements inside Hanshi.

He had already begun to get into character, keeping an eye on the situation inside Hanshi while directing his men to help him set up the shelves inside the department store. However, he soon realized something was wrong.

Why is Boss Qi Han, the primary target of the surveillance mission, walking towards us?

Wait… such a direct approach…