The Glowing Cuisine Conquers the Tongue of God
Chapter 21 - Senzaemon's Thoughts, Wild Bull Soybean

Chapter 21  Senzaemon’s Thoughts, Wild Bull Soybean

On a plane flying to Neon (Japan). The first-class cabin was fully booked by the Nakiri family, with only a few people aboard. In addition to Senzaemon Nakiri, Erina, and Hisako, there were special guests Li Yang and an extra person… Zhang Haoran.

Senzaemon Nakiri looked at Zhang Haoran with a forced smile and said, “President Zhang, you’re the president of the IGO International Food Organization in Jinghai City, and also the secretary-general for the Asia continent. You’re busy managing everything day in and day out. Why have you been so free recently that you had to visit us at Totsuki?”

Zhang Haoran rolled his eyes with a hint of annoyance.

“Nakiri-sama, let’s not lie to each other. You took away the gem of Chinese cuisine and brought him to Neon. If I just turn a blind eye, that would be dereliction of duty.”

“Hahaha, President Zhang, you’re overthinking. I guarantee that Li Yang is absolutely safe here in Neon. You don’t have to worry; I assure you, no one would dare provoke him!”

“Enough, Nakiri-sama, you’re an old fox, don’t try to play me with such tricks. The person I trust the least is you… Tell me honestly, you didn’t secretly plan to keep Li Yang here in Neon, did you?”

Zhang Haoran stared at Senzaemon Nakiri with a look of distrust, but the latter fell silent. Senzaemon Nakiri indeed had the thought of bringing Li Yang into Totsuki Academy, especially after hearing Liu Long’s words.

If Li Yang could maintain the standard of the Super 100% Golden Fried Rice, he would be qualified to become a Dragon Chef!

A Dragon Chef!

A figure standing at the pinnacle of the culinary world!

The Neon culinary world is in dire need of a Dragon Chef to stand as the pillar, which is why there are so many unscrupulous figures running rampant. For example, the curse of the Snow Woman.

If there were a Dragon Chef in Neon, that continuous blizzard, which has ravaged for ten years, would never have occurred!

Seeing Senzaemon Nakiri stay silent, Zhang Haoran pats him on the shoulder.

“Nakiri-sama, we’ve known each other for a long time, and I understand your predicament. But… Li Yang is absolutely not going to be given to you guys in Neon!”

Zhang Haoran’s tone was resolute.

Senzaemon Nakiri looked at Li Yang, who was having a friendly conversation with Erina in the distance, then smiled.

“President Zhang, Li Yang is a free person. None of us can restrict his choices. If he willingly stays in Neon, are you going to forcibly take him away?”

Zhang Haoran followed his gaze and looked over to Li Yang. Suddenly, he understood and exclaimed angrily, “Good one, Nakiri-sama, so it’s seduction, huh?”

Senzaemon Nakiri shook his head.

“No, I would never bet on Erina’s happiness. But if the two of them do fall for each other, then…”

“If Li Yang truly becomes my granddaughter’s husband, everything at Totsuki will be his. I swear this to Amaterasu!”

Zhang Haoran gasped in shock. He didn’t expect Nakiri to go so far!

You have to know, the Nakiri family controls not just Totsuki Academy, but a massive conglomerate that includes resorts, chain hotels, farms, large-scale ranches, vineyards, deep-sea fishing fleets, food processing factories, and more.

Their wealth amounts to trillions of dollars!

A real financial tycoon!

Moreover, the Nakiri family is one of the top elite families in Neon, with the power to influence the country’s politics to some extent. And Senzaemon Nakiri is willing to give all of this to Li Yang?

“You must be joking, right?”

Zhang Haoran nervously laughed.

“Of course not!”

Senzaemon Nakiri said sincerely, “As long as Li Yang is willing to marry my granddaughter, everything at Totsuki will belong to him!”

Zhang Haoran was left with no more cards to play and could only make his final move.

“From what I’ve observed, Li Yang, although appearing kind, is definitely a proud and arrogant person. It will be nearly impossible for him to join your Nakiri family, don’t you think?”

Before Zhang Haoran could finish his sentence, Senzaemon Nakiri gave a slight smile and said, “Hehe, who said anything about making him marry into the Nakiri family?”

“Of course, Erina should marry him!”

“Then, Neon will have a new top-tier luxury family—the Li family!”

Upon hearing this, Zhang Haoran’s vision went dark. Damn it, Senzaemon Nakiri just outsmarted him!

The roles had reversed!

Zhang Haoran almost wanted to command the pilot to turn the plane around and head back to China immediately. This Neon place was practically a tiger’s den for Li Yang!

A tiger’s den that felt like a gentle home. While Zhang Haoran was considering how to counteract Senzaemon Nakiri, Li Yang came over. When Li Yang approached, the two old men, who had just been at odds with each other, immediately acted like old friends.

“Li Yang, do you need something from us?” Zhang Haoran asked kindly.

Li Yang nodded and held up his phone, the screen displaying the IGO online shopping mall.

“I just logged in with the Tiger-level Chef account to the IGO online shopping mall and found a type of soybean called ‘Wild Bull Soybean’ with a capture level of 36.”

“This Wild Bull Soybean has 5A-grade marbling fat similar to beef. Not only does it have the aroma of snowflake beef, but it also retains the fresh fragrance of soybeans.”

“I want to use it to replace the regular soybeans in the ‘Magic Mapo Tofu,’ which should elevate its flavor.”

“But this Wild Bull Soybean needs to be applied for through IGO, and only after approval can I buy it. Why is that?”

Although Zhang Haoran wasn’t a chef, he was well-versed in extraordinary ingredients and immediately explained, “The Wild Bull Soybean has a very high capture level, but it isn’t because it’s rare or hard to harvest. It’s because it’s very difficult to cook.”

“Not just any chef, even many star chefs, would struggle to cook Wild Bull Soybean.”

“Because this soybean is like a wild bull—stubborn and difficult to tame. If the chef can’t tame it, the dish made from it will turn the eater into a bull!”

“I’m not joking. The person will literally become a bull!”

“Often, illegal vendors will sell Wild Bull Soybeans on the black market. Many self-proclaimed top chefs secretly buy them to cook with and end up turning themselves into wild bulls.”

“Even if they are treated and return to human form, they will still retain some bovine features, such as cow horns and tails. They will develop a taste for grass and occasionally moo when speaking.”

“That’s why, at IGO Headquarters, any chef purchasing Wild Bull Soybeans for the first time must apply. Only after an IGO specialist confirms that the chef can actually cook it will they be allowed to buy it.”

Li Yang couldn’t believe that Wild Bull Soybeans were so bizarre. However, it truly seemed like the best ingredient to replace the regular soybeans in Magic Mapo Tofu. The Wild Bull Soybean’s 5A-grade marbling fat aroma would perfectly complement the slightly bland fragrance of the dish.

It might even help create the perfect Magic Mapo Tofu. Li Yang didn’t want to miss this opportunity.

“Then, how do you cook the Wild Bull Soybean?”

This was beyond Zhang Haoran’s expertise, so Senzaemon Nakiri took over the conversation.

“To cook the Wild Bull Soybean, you must tame its stubborn nature, just like a Spanish bullfighter. You need to provoke, tease, and toy with it, making it dance to your will. Once it’s out of breath, it will naturally become easier to cook.”

Li Yang became even more confused and asked, “Does the Wild Bull Soybean move like a real bull, charging around?”

“Of course not!”

Senzaemon Nakiri continued to explain, “The Wild Bull Soybean is about the same size as regular soybeans, but when you use your taste sensation to touch it, you’ll see an angry wild bull charging at you.”

“Don’t be afraid. Just meet it head-on!”

“The stronger your taste sensation, the stronger your power will be in the illusion, and the easier it will be to tame the Wild Bull Soybean!”

Senzaemon Nakiri suddenly looked at Li Yang with a burning gaze. He had an idea for testing Li Yang’s culinary abilities.

“The stronger a chef’s taste sensation, the higher their innate culinary talent.”

“Since Master Liu said this kid has the potential to become a Dragon Chef, I want to see just how strong his taste sensation is!”

“When I first tamed the Wild Bull Soybean, it only took me an hour. Now, I have become a Lian-level chef…”