The Chef's Trial

"Isn't this the lady who was staring at you yesterday?" Tian Qi whispered suddenly.

"Us, not just me," Jiawei corrected him.

Tian Qi chuckled. "Sure, whatever you say."

The judges examined the dish in front of them carefully.

"Isn't this a bit too simple?" one of the judges remarked.

"It does look very homey," another judge replied, "but honestly, I'm quite impressed that she managed to turn fried onion skins into a garnish that seems to elevate the dish's overall value."

Finally, they took their first bites. Oddly enough, instead of pausing to reflect—something they always did after the first taste—the judges immediately took another bite.

And another.

And another.

They kept eating, shoveling it in with a kind of urgency Jiawei had never seen before.

"Is it really that good?" Jiawei wondered.

As if answering his silent question, one judge let out an exaggerated "Aaaaaah" of satisfaction after finishing every last crumb of Li Qi's dish.

"Wow. This is a redefinition of the classic macaroni we know," the judge declared. "The texture of this macaroni, made from potato peels, has a slight bite to it—perfectly al dente. The nutty, slightly earthy flavor of the potato skins stands out beautifully, providing a robust and layered foundation."

"Then there's the cheese sauce. This isn't just any cheese sauce—this is something special. Made from leftover goat's milk pulp, it offers a rich depth of flavor. Creamy, with a hint of sharpness and acidity that balances the dish's richness. The sauce coats the macaroni delicately without overwhelming it, making each bite feel light yet satisfyingly flavorful," the judge continued passionately.

"And the textural surprise? The fried onion skin garnish. These crispy bits add a delightful caramel sweetness, with a subtle smokey aroma that ties all the elements together. Fresh black pepper delivers just the right kick of warmth to finish the dish. It's genius—utterly delicious and undeniably creative!"

"This dish is a flavor journey," another judge chimed in, "from simple to luxurious, from rustic to modern. It proves that waste ingredients can be transformed into something not only delicious but also aesthetically and emotionally captivating. Honestly, I feel like shouting, 'One more serving, please!'"

The judges burst out laughing, their voices echoing through the competition hall. For the first time in hours—after endless rounds of nerve-wracking, ruthless cooking and judging—laughter escaped their lips, as though Li Qi's dish had brought them genuine joy.

Jiawei frowned slightly, silently asking himself: Was it really that good? Isn't it just macaroni and cheese? Could the dough made with potato peels truly make that big of a difference?

"Curious, aren't you?" Tian Qi teased.

Jiawei nodded.

"She's clearly talented. Want to introduce ourselves and form an alliance?" Tian Qi suggested with a playful grin.

"I don't know," Jiawei replied, his voice trailing off. For some reason, there was something about Li Qi that felt… strange. Not in a threatening way, but as though he couldn't approach her so carelessly. He couldn't explain why, but he felt like he needed to be careful—no, not careful. It was more like… respect. A sense that she wasn't someone to be approached lightly.

"Alright," Tian Qi said with a knowing nod, "I'll listen to the leader."

"Huh?" Jiawei looked confused. "I'm the leader now?"

"Yep," Tian Qi confirmed, grinning.

"And who decided that?" Jiawei demanded.

"That kid down there," Tian Qi replied, jerking his chin toward Xiao Jiang. "He said the best-looking one has to be the leader. It's a Realm of Water rule—visuals above all else."

"So you're calling me nothing but a visual?" Jiawei shot back, feigning offense.

Tian Qi only laughed. He knew Jiawei was joking.

As everyone expected, the announcement once again boomed: "Pass!" as Li Qi advanced to the next round of the preliminaries.

After witnessing the judges' evaluations—seeing who advanced and who became breakfast, lunch, and dinner for The Sharpener—the second elimination round finally came to a close.

Jiawei thought to himself: it's crazy how we can get used to anything. At first, he felt the elimination process of The Chef's Trial was far too cruel. Especially since this is the first publicly broadcasted round. It was brutal.

But after watching it play out over and over again for hours, he'd grown numb to it. The techniques no longer shocked him; his reactions had dulled.

The pristine white garments the judges had worn when entering the arena were now stained with splatters of color—colors they all knew the origins of.

By the end of the eliminations, only seventy contestants remained, including Jiang Xiaoting and Li Qi.

Jiawei and Tian Qi rose from their seats, hurrying to meet Xiao Jiang by the participants' exit.

"Xiao Jiang!" Tian Qi called out when they spotted her stepping through the doorway.

"Gege!" Xiao Jiang ran over to them with a bright, cheerful grin. "How was I? Cool, right?" she asked, practically begging for validation from her two older brothers.

"Cool, cool!" Jiawei replied with a laugh, ruffling the girl's blondish-blue hair. "Our Xiao Jiang really is the coolest! How on earth did you come up with the idea to make sausages out of those ingredients?"

"Right? I'm so clever, aren't I?" Xiao Jiang puffed up proudly. "I've got a lot of unusual recipes up my sleeves, gege! You know this—us Aquarii only eat plants and plant-based dishes. So I've got tons of tricks for making it taste amazing!"

She has a point. The Aquarii must've developed countless creative ways to transform vegan ingredients into gourmet meals.

It seemed like today's theme had given the Aquarii a slight upper hand.

As they talked, Jiawei's eyes drifted to Li Qi, who is now stepping out of the arena as well. Her face showed no discernible expression—blank and unreadable, as always.

The sight of her stirred something in Jiawei's memory. He thought back to his life in his own realm. He, too, rarely showed emotion unless he was working—when he had to wear a smile to draw in customers.

It wasn't that Jiawei refused to show emotion. Back then, he simply had nothing to show. Nothing in his life felt worth smiling or frowning about. No one to share stories with. No stories to share.

So what expression was he supposed to wear?

Jiawei exhaled quietly, a strange feeling settling in his chest as he watched Li Qi. Is it a pity? A sense of kinship? Or maybe just curiosity?

Before he could untangle his thoughts, Xiao Jiang broke in, announcing that they'd have to part ways for now. She needed a bath and a change of clothes—so did Jiawei and Tian Qi. They agreed to meet again in the lobby afterward, where they'd visit a restaurant for dinner before starting their training session for the night.