Disgusting.
So disgusting.
Disgusting beyond description. It was as if 100,000 foot-pickers had played soccer and then danced on his tongue with their athlete's foot.
As that flavor erupted on his tongue, Huai Shi's mind went blank, his Source Substance wailed in turmoil, and he nearly lost his will in an instant.
Yet, he still lost that segment of memory.
It was as if even the Book of Fate was reluctant to record that unspeakably horrific memory, revealing only vast blankness.
That was truly... indescribable despair.
Huai Shi began to regret, to fear. Then, he started to ponder the meaning of life, the universe, and this world—where he stood, where he was going, and why he was even alive...
By the time he came back to his senses, he had already collapsed to the ground, sweating profusely, convulsing involuntarily, feeling waves of agonizing spasms rising from his stomach.
Soon, he was relieved.
He could no longer feel his stomach.
Even his taste buds had shut down in the face of such terror, blocking the nightmarish sensation.
All that remained was a persistent shadow of horror in his soul.
"Why..."
With uncharacteristic weakness, Huai Shi let the tears flow and asked from the depths of his heart, "Why can you make something so disgusting look so good?"
Luo Xian looked at his distressed form and sighed, as if helpless.
Quickly, her mouth curved into a sweet smile.
"Silly boy."
She bent down, gently caressed Huai Shi's hair, and told him tenderly, "Of course, it's because of love."
Yes.
In this cruel world, apart from love, what else could make everything look so beautiful?
Love.
This is the conclusion of the Chef Demon competition.
Love has conquered everything.
When Huai Shi fully regained consciousness, he found himself standing on the award podium.
Like a marionette, he accepted the invitation to the main competition six months later from the judge's hand, feeling as if he had just experienced a nightmare he desperately wanted to forget.
"Little Bro, you really have a death wish, huh? What on earth did you eat?" Raven landed on his shoulder, asking curiously. "Your Source Substance was on the verge of dispersing a moment ago. You were nearly turned into a vegetable by a single dish?"
"Please, don't mention it anymore."
Huai Shi pleaded disconsolately, "Don't remind me of the stupid thing I just did."
"Alright, alright."
Raven shrugged and sighed sympathetically, patting his head. "It's all in the past, isn't it?"
"So I should forget who pushed me into this pit of fire!"
"Honestly, you can't blame anyone if you go and court death by eating someone's dish..."
Raven was about to say more but couldn't continue under Huai Shi's deadfish glare.
Even though he received the invitation to the main competition, Huai Shi would not attend for all the world. It was said that during the main event, even gods as high and mysterious as the Ranch Owner would send down an avatar to watch. What was Huai Shi going to do there? Serve himself up on a platter? The moment they saw him, they'd think, 'Right, it's this little guy who killed many of my people and messed up my plans. Let's make a dish out of him.' What could Huai Shi do? There was no escape. Take the reward and go home, or else really think he's the Underworld Little Manager?
Soon after, the three qualifying contestants were taken to an office of the Chef Demon Competition Committee. An Attendant carefully opened the Box of Blessing from Hell and held out five items.
"In accordance with the rules of the competition, you may each choose one."
After displaying all the items, the Attendant stepped aside, giving them the freedom to choose.
There was a bowl holding about half a bowl of white ashes, a yellowed black-and-white photograph, a condiment jar, a small wooden bottle, and a small leather ring with two curved hairs still attached.
It looked like a haul from a second-hand store's clearance sale.
But each item emitted either a shocking or restrained Source Fluctuation. Some were purely made of condensed Source Substance.
Without a doubt, all five items were Border Relics!
Just the term Border Relic signified obvious expense and rarity, needing no embellishment. If their abilities were useful, the price would undoubtedly be sky-high.
This simply reflected the wealth and boldness of the Chef Demon Competition Committee.
Huai Shi examined each item closely.
The bowl holding the pale ashes wasn't valuable because of the bowl itself—that was merely a container. The terrifying part was the dozen or so grams of bone ash within, emanating a bizarre aura. The bone-chilling cold and profound sense of oppression emanating from this pinch of ash proved its value. Although its use was unknown, it was likely an irreplaceable, precious material in certain alchemical creations and Curses.
The yellowed old photograph was purely an illusion.
It lacked any physical substance.
Or, rather, it was a Curse—forcibly given form by the Owners of the Great Mob in Hell so that it could be touched and picked up.
Whoever picked it up would probably be immediately afflicted by the Curse, right?