I opened a restaurant in the Pokémon world.

"I don't feel anything for chili peppers either; eating too much just gives me a stomachache." The man gave an unbelievable answer, leaving Heath completely dumbfounded. No sense of taste, and no feeling for chili peppers—was he even human? Heath even considered asking the man if he wanted some engine oil so he could buy him a bottle and get him back to Cybertron as soon as possible.

"This is a dilemma..." Heath spat out his chewing gum. No wonder he can trigger special missions. This man is simply a chef's hell. For him, eating is probably just about filling his stomach. He doesn't care about the taste at all.

Heath frowned and fell into deep thought.

Heath remembered watching an anime called "Cooking Master Boy" before. In it, there was a customer who had eaten too much delicious food and was so tired of it that he had almost lost his sense of taste. He was only eating to fill his stomach. But the young master did something and won the game.

However, this customer is different from the previous one. This customer has no sense of taste and can't feel chili peppers. Heath can't possibly drag him to the hospital to get better before he comes back to eat, can he?

“If the taste isn’t to your liking, then we’ll have to try something else.” Heath shook his head. He had never seen such a unique guest before. Now, Heath didn’t care about any reward. He just wanted this guest to have a ‘delicious’ fried rice.

However, the process of making this fried rice still needs careful consideration. Heath had some ideas, but these ideas were not very mature. Heath was not sure if the ideas could succeed, but it was better than not trying at all.

Heath cracked his neck and said, "Let's go then."

Chapter 170 Color, Fragrance, and Taste

The food should be visually appealing, fragrant, and delicious – that was the solution Heath had come up with. After all, the guest had completely lost his taste buds, and in that situation, Heath didn't think his cooking would be able to make the guest taste anything. If the guest couldn't taste anything, then no matter how delicious the food was, it wouldn't be of any use.

So Heath decided to study this problem from a different angle, which was to start with the color and aroma.

The color here is not the color of old-fashioned colorists, nor the color of pink software, nor the color of color pictures, but the color of hue. The color in a dish is very important, and can even enhance the 'flavor' of the dish. Although this guest has no taste buds, being able to see colorful food will probably improve his appetite, right?

"Fragrance" refers to aroma. Just like a cake shop on the street, they usually attract customers by making desserts that smell very fragrant. Fragrance is the kind of aroma that you can feel the "taste" just by smelling it. Taste is not just the taste on the taste buds. Smell and sight are also key parts of creating a delicious food.

Of course, if Heath could obtain some healing items in the future, such as the miraculous SCP-500 Panacea, then Heath would truly be able to live a life beyond human. However, special lottery tickets are very difficult to obtain, and Heath has not yet obtained anything she particularly likes, so she can only make do for now.

Heath looked at his ingredient cabinet. The crabs were almost all gone, leaving only chicken and braised meat. Although the braised meat had a strong flavor, it was hard for someone who had never tasted it before to imagine how delicious it was. So, after hesitating for a moment, Heath decided to make braised chicken for the guest.

However, this customer's braised chicken was made separately. After all, in order to enhance the color and aroma, Heath needed to modify the ingredients and think about how to make the braised chicken more fragrant and have a better color.

As for enhancing the color, there's not much he can do. He can only try to make the color of the braised chicken richer. As for the flavor, it's simpler. Adding some spices can enhance the flavor and make the broth of the braised chicken thicker, which will naturally make it more fragrant.

However, in order to try out his idea, Heath added some chili peppers and simmered it for a while before setting the braised chicken aside.

The customer ordered fried rice with eggs, but Heath made braised chicken not to modify the customer's order, but to use the broth from the braised chicken.

Heath's fried rice this time was also very special. It was made in the same way as regular fried rice, but the eggs were larger, and Heath also made sure the eggs were slightly crispy. Paired with the special green onions from the green onion duck, Heath really went all out this time.

It's a pity the pickled vegetables weren't pickled properly yet. Otherwise, adding some more pickled vegetables would make this fried rice look even better, and it would taste even better too.

However, you can still add some diced tomatoes. Adding tomatoes serves two purposes: to season the dish and to enhance the color of the fried rice, making it look more appealing.

After the fried rice was cooked, Heath poured in the broth from the braised chicken. The rich broth instantly dyed the fried rice the color of the braised chicken. Then Heath put the braised chicken pieces away, as they needed to be processed again.

This fried rice was completely different from the fried rice served to other customers. It had a stronger flavor and was the kind of dish that only customers with a strong palate would like. However, Heath didn't know if this customer, who had no taste buds, would like this unique dish.

Nevertheless, Heath served the fried rice to the guests, unsure if they would like it, but he had truly done his best.

Daisaku swallowed hard, then looked at the fried rice in front of him in surprise. He really didn't expect to see such a unique fried rice. The fried rice had a rich aroma and looked very appealing. A feeling of deliciousness instantly welled up in his heart. This was the first time Daisaku had ever felt this way.

Daisora ​​eagerly picked up the spoon, scooped up a spoonful of rice, and stuffed it into his mouth. The hot rice made Daisora ​​open his mouth wide and exhale. It had no taste. Daisora ​​was used to this kind of life, but for some reason, this fried rice tasted especially delicious.

The rich aroma of fried rice kept wafting into his nose. His sense of smell kicked in, and Daisora ​​was pleasantly surprised to find that he seemed to actually taste the 'flavor' of this fried rice. Although Daisora ​​didn't know how to describe the taste, it was really delicious.

You have completed the temporary mission: A Prisoner of Gourmet Food.

You have obtained a lava eel.

Heath rubbed his hands together with delight—mission accomplished! Heath looked up at the customer who was still eating; a new word had appeared in the previously empty space above the other person's head.

[Favorite flavor; fragrant aroma that lingers, vibrant and pleasing to the eye]

Heath couldn't help but laugh. So these kinds of words could be found in the categories of favorite flavors? But this was still quite a discovery.

Heath looked at the sky as it ate, then looked down and rummaged through his cabinet. Finally, he took out a basin, in which was a dark red eel with some red stripes. It wasn't very big or very long; it looked to be of moderate size.

"This is the lava eel?" Heath looked curiously at the eel in his hand; it looked somewhat...

Ox.

That's all Heath could say, since the eel really didn't look good. Combined with the typical shape of a marine creature, the eel could only be described as ugly. Plus, with that unique head, it looked a bit like a sea monster.

Curious, Heath took out his phone, but he still couldn't find the lava eel online. Heath was speechless, but then he thought of the endless fire fox from before.

Heath tentatively sent a private message, noting his own identity in the message.

Heath had expected a very long time to get a reply, but to his surprise, the reply came very quickly.

【The Infinite Flame Red Fox: Hello, Chef. Lava eel is a very special kind of eel. I even asked my friend about how to cook it…】

Heath summarized a long passage: the preparation of lava eels is actually the same as that of ordinary eels. However, after a lava eel dies, its body will start to heat up, reaching 120 degrees Celsius within a minute, thus causing it to self-destruct.

Chapter 171 Compendium of Materia Medica

Heath felt a chill run down his spine. As expected of the amazing Pokémon world, even creatures that self-destruct after death exist. However, this wasn't a big problem for Heath. According to the Fiery Fox, all he had to do was cut off the fish meat. But Heath didn't intend to do that.

A qualified chef needs to learn how to remove eel bones, which refers to the bones of the eel. Many chefs who make eel rice need to practice and be trained specifically to learn how to remove eel bones. Although it's not a big deal if you don't know how to remove them, the eel dish made that way is still a bit lacking.

Heath touched his cleaver. An ordinary cleaver can also remove eel bones, but that is very difficult. Generally speaking, a small long knife is the best tool for removing eel bones. However, whether or not one can successfully remove eel bones depends on the chef's skill.

"It's been a long time since I've tried this... Should I buy some eel tomorrow and try it again?" Heath was a little conflicted. He wanted to include this lava eel in his gourmet encyclopedia, but he still needed to use it to entertain guests, and right now Heath wasn't very confident.

Just as Heath was struggling with his decision, he caught a glimpse of Farfetch'd waving, seemingly trying to get his attention.

"What's wrong, Farfetch'd?" Heath smiled at Farfetch'd, then saw that Farfetch'd had a dark purple flyer in its hand, which Farfetch'd then handed to Heath.

Heath took it with a puzzled look. It seemed to be something like a bar or karaoke bar. There was a string of foreign words on it that read "Dicky Twister," which was probably the name of the place. However, Heath's foreign language skills were not very good, so he did not understand the meaning of the sentence.

"Do you want to go?" Heath looked at Farfetch'd blankly. When did Farfetch'd become so trendy that he even wanted to go to a bar? Or had Farfetch'd awakened a new hobby and decided to become a DJ?

Farfetch'd hesitated for a moment, then tugged at Heath's clothes and shook him, and Zoroah immediately jumped out.

"Congcong said he wants you to take him to this place to play," Zorua said seriously. Heath didn't suspect anything, after all, Zorua had indeed taken on the role of translator.

“Okay, then let’s wait until tonight.” Heath nodded. He really had never been to a Pokémon World night show before. After all, he didn’t have any money before and was in debt. Now that he had time, and Farfetch’d wanted to go too, there was no harm in going once in a while.

Heath then patiently sat in the food cart, waiting for the guests to arrive. As the mealtime approached, Heath's food cart became lively, and this time there were far fewer people gossiping about Heath. Many people had read the explanation of the fiery red fox and understood that Heath's price was indeed reasonable. In fact, quite a few people even asked Heath when she would reintroduce the giant purple crab roe soup dumplings.

Heath smiled and said he didn't know yet, since he really didn't know when he would be able to accumulate 500 customer satisfaction points.

Heath glanced curiously at her food guide, which showed that she was still a little over 100 points away from a satisfaction level of 500. It wasn't much, and Heath figured it should be enough by tomorrow or the day after.

However, thinking of the fiery red fox from earlier, Heath couldn't help but smile. That fox master was a very enthusiastic person, and Heath decided that if there was anything he could do to help in the future, he would definitely do so, even though he was just a chef and didn't know what he could do to help.

Heath spent the entire noon in a flurry of activity. By the time the number of customers dwindled, his braised chicken was completely sold out, and he had even sold a considerable amount of braised pork rice and fried rice. Only then did he manage to get through the midday break.

"Hmm~ That's all done for today." Heath stretched contentedly. He planned to close up shop, since all the ingredients in the food truck were sold out and there weren't many customers. Heath felt it was time to go back and rest, and then wait to take Onion Duck to that weird bar that night.

"Young man, do you still have any food to sell here?" Just as Heath was about to close the door, he heard an old man's voice.

Heath turned his head and glanced at him. It was indeed an old man, and you could tell he was very old. However, there was a strange feeling about the old man when he was standing, as if... he was ethereal.

"Yes, but most of the food is sold out now. If you need, I can make you a jianbing guozi. How does that sound?" Although it was strange, Heath still treated the guest in front of him very politely.

"Jianbing guozi? I've never had it before, then I'll trouble you, young man." The old man smiled and nodded, then stood outside the food cart and waited.

Heath quickly brought out a chair for the old man to sit down. Heath had just put away the tables and chairs outside the food cart, and he didn't want an old man to stand and wait for him.

However, when Heath walked up to the old man, he couldn't help but pause for a moment, because the old man had a very strange smell. It was a familiar and unique smell that you couldn't help but remember after smelling it once.

It has the smell of traditional Chinese medicine.

Heath was certain that it was indeed the smell of Chinese medicine. Although he didn't know why the old man smelled like that, when Heath was a child, his neighbor was an old Chinese medicine doctor who especially liked to brew Chinese medicine. Heath felt that his socks, which he had dried in the sun, were almost absorbing the smell of Chinese medicine.

The taste of Chinese medicine is very distinctive; Heath would never mistake it.

"Grandpa, are you a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner?" Heath looked at the old man in front of him with curiosity. Although he was not someone who could chat with strangers easily, this old man was indeed very special, and Heath was really curious about this question.

"Huh? I'm sorry, I forgot to change my clothes when I was brewing the medicine this morning." The old man paused for a moment, then smiled and waved his hand.

Heath was pleasantly surprised; it really was traditional Chinese medicine!

Traditional Chinese medicine also exists in the Pokémon world, as can be seen in the herbal medicine shop in the Hoenn region. However, its characteristics are also quite obvious. Although it is very effective and cheap, it tastes very bitter. Therefore, feeding it to a Pokémon will lower the Pokémon's affection level. Generally speaking, trainers who want to use certain moves will specifically feed their Pokémon traditional Chinese medicine.

However, Hiss also knew that one reason why Chinese medicine was available throughout the entire league was that its customers were mostly humans, and it rarely dealt with Pokémon.

Chapter 172 The Clash Between Antiquity and Technology

Unless they are trainers who want to raise Pokémon that will cause them to harbor resentment, most trainers will not use traditional Chinese medicine to treat their Pokémon, even if the treatment is effective.

Back in Changqing City, Heath had taken some traditional Chinese medicine. At that time, Heath often had to get up early to go out to work during the humid season, and because she didn't have any moisture-proof equipment, she caught a cold. Sister Feng took Heath to see an old Chinese medicine doctor, who examined her thoroughly, and Heath felt a long-lost sense of familiarity.

Back in the dining car, Heath began preparing the jianbing guozi (Chinese crepe) for the old man. The old man's tastes were fairly normal; he liked sour things and disliked spicy ones, so Heath only needed to add some ketchup to the jianbing guozi, which should satisfy the old man.

Making a Jianbing Guozi is not complicated, and Heath made it very quickly. In no time, she finished making the Jianbing Guozi and then served it to the old man.

"Grandpa, here's your jianbing guozi." Heath smiled as she put the jianbing guozi in a bag and handed it to the old man, who accepted it with a smile.

However, as he took the hand, the old man seemed to subconsciously place his hand on Heath's wrist. Heath was taken aback. Was he taking her pulse?

"Oh dear, young man, I'm sorry, it's just my professional habit kicking in. But you're very healthy, your pulse is excellent." The old man quickly let go of his hand, then chuckled and slowly left with his jianbing guozi.

Heath smiled. As expected of an experienced traditional Chinese medicine doctor, he had already diagnosed Heath's physical condition with just a simple pulse diagnosis. No wonder many people prefer to consult older doctors when seeking traditional Chinese medicine treatment.

You entertained the traditional Chinese medicine practitioner Luo Feng, and in return, you received a copy of the Compendium of Materia Medica.

Heath's lips twitched. It was good to know that the other party was a practitioner of traditional Chinese medicine, but what was with this reward?

Heath returned to his dining car, puzzled. He then found his reward in his cabinet: an old-fashioned book with the title "Compendium of Materia Medica" on it. However, he couldn't find the author's name. Heath stroked his chin. This was actually quite good; otherwise, if someone else saw it later, he would have to figure out how to explain it.

Curious, Heath flipped open the Compendium of Materia Medica and glanced at it. Then, Heath found a blue text box popping up in front of him, emanating from the ancient book. It contained words and a model of a plant.

"Your... Compendium of Materia Medica is quite high-tech." Heath clicked his tongue. He had thought he would get an ancient book, something written with a brush or something, but he didn't expect it to be so technological.

Moreover, it had a medicinal fragrance. Heath felt that the book was quite modern, but he couldn't understand the names on it, because there was a strange name on the first page of the book.

【Rooting herb: Cold in nature, it can be used to treat…】

These were strange words. Heath scratched his head. Did this thing exist in his previous life? But considering that this book appeared in the Pokémon world, Heath figured it was probably the Pokémon world version of the Compendium of Materia Medica. Heath put the book away. He wasn't interested in studying it for the time being. Heath decided to close up shop.

This time, packing up went much more smoothly. Heath closed the food cart door and drove it back to Officer Jenny's dormitory area. In the dormitory area, Heath couldn't help but glance at the ventilation ducts. Heath had encountered Mimikyu here before, but that Pokémon ran away very quickly, and Heath didn't even have time to take a picture before it escaped.

Heath didn't know whether the other creature lived in the parking lot or somewhere else. He was a little confused about this, but he didn't care too much. After all, apart from scaring Snorlax, Mimikyu didn't do anything special.

Back in the parking lot, Heath took out the edible quartz that Old Lady had helped him twist earlier. He was thinking about how to process it. Although Old Lady had helped him remove the toxic components from the edible quartz, Heath didn't know how to cook it. He couldn't very well grind it into powder, could he?

Heath planned to try them one by one, but after working on them for a while, he found himself at a loss. No matter how he boiled, fried, or grilled them, the edible quartz looked just like an ordinary stone, without any strange changes. If you didn't know better, you would think that Heath was just playing around by boiling stones.

"It's no use... How exactly is this thing made into edible food? This mission doesn't seem very easy." Heath had a headache. Just like Evergreen City's specialty food is Evergreen Fruit, Heath still hadn't found that Evergreen Fruit. But thinking about the special effects of Evergreen Fruit, Heath felt that everything seemed quite normal.

After all, it was a legendary fruit that could grant one the power of Eternal Life, more miraculous than any other tree fruit. Heath felt that it deserved to be included in his gourmet encyclopedia.