CHAPTER 595: CHAPTER 594: OUTLINE

Caring and irrigating?

At the thought of the Sapporo competition, as if suddenly growing up without talking back, Xia Yu responded with earnest, "Indeed, proper irrigation is necessary. That way, it can grow strong and healthy."

An old and a young, on this topic, strangely reached an agreement.

They exchanged a smiling look.

"Cough!"

Xia Yu shifted the conversation, "General, regarding the changes in the board of directors, have you been notified yet?"

"10% of Tiqie Ji’s shares were provided by Sekiya Takashi and Changwei Jin. Since Tiqie Ji was defeated, they also lost their status. A few days ago, I had already convened a board meeting and formally removed them from their director positions. Additionally, the ’Gourmet Association’ has already taken Sekiya Takashi and Changwei Jin away..."

Upon hearing this, Xia Yu was astonished.

"So, have Sekiya Takashi and Changwei Jin completely defected to the ’Gourmet Association’?"

"Yes."

A serious look was evident in Senzaiemon’s eyes.

"The Gourmet Association will be responsible for their stakes in the shares, so they will definitely compensate Sekiya and Changwei afterward."

Noticing the gravity in Senzaiemon’s tone, Xia Yu raised an eyebrow.

"Could it be that Far Moon’s troubles are not yet over?"

"Haha, over?" Senzaiemon shook his head, his fingertips dampened with some warm tea, casually drawing on the wooden tea table. In a moment, the contours of the global continents faintly appeared on the table surface.

"Here, this is the Chinese Continent, arguably the most mysterious and powerful gourmet region in the world today."

Senzaiemon pointed to the rooster map.

Pausing, he looked meaningfully at Xia Yu and added, "At the same time, that leader is also a Heavenly King Level Chef who is most integrally fused with his nation. In a sense, that leader represents the nation itself."

"Here, this is North America."

His finger swept across the representation of the Pacific Ocean, and with a thud, Senzaiemon’s finger landed heavily on the continental outline.

"North America also has a Heavenly King Chef, who is the leader of the Gourmet Association. No one has seen his true face, but given the scale of the Gourmet Association, it can be said that it has gradually devoured this land and can even manipulate government elections. That leader is truly the emperor of this land..."

Xia Yu gasped sharply.

That American elections were swayed was not surprising.

But in his common sense, those capable of manipulating elections were none other than major financial magnates and big families behind political parties.

"Strange, isn’t it?"

Senzaiemon spoke mildly, "In the past, America’s arms tycoons used to push for selling arms, or the nation needed to plunder oil resources; these tycoons could make the president and Congress launch wars. Now, the food giants, for the sake of plundering ingredients and controlling the food supply chain, can equally launch a food war!"

In an instant, Xia Yu felt the world spinning.

A food war?

That was rather shocking news.

Damn, foods and ingredients could trigger a great war? But considering that this world was already abnormal, not just in America but Japan’s political world too was controlled by the ’Four Imperial Families’.

The Governor of Hokkaido Ishino Harumi, backed by the Ishino family, a dominant gourmet family in Hokkaido.

The Governor of Tokyo Yuchuan Yuriko, came from the Yuchuan Family. The Yuchuan Sisters could even call her "Aunt."

Recently, the increasingly influential Takai Group also had many politicians aligning with it, thus putting the outdated Dubian Family and Hasegawa Family under intense pressure.

Thinking this, Xia Yu’s mind gradually cleared.

If there were incredible cuisines that could lead to addiction and the evolution of life, then the world would head for a path utterly different from Xia Yu’s former world...

"War?"

Xia Yu frowned.

"Currently, Japan is on the brink of war," said Senzaiemon. "In fact, the Gourmet Association has always wanted to control and occupy Japan, but has been held back by the balance maintained among various nations. Once that balance is disrupted, a great food war in the gourmet world will erupt..."

"The rules of food wars apply equally to the culinary wars between nations as well."

Thud!

This time, Xia Yu was literally choked, simply incredulous.

A culinary competition that could stake national fortune?

"This is aggression and occupation without shedding a drop of blood outside of military measures," Sennosuke said gravely.

"Is the situation that dire?" Xia Yu pursed his lips.

Sennosuke glanced at him and shook his head, "The situation is still relatively good for now, the ’Gourmet Society’ is still focusing on the Eurasian Continent..."

His finger moved toward another densely-packed piece of land.

"There is a Heavenly King in France."

"There is a Heavenly King in Greece."

He stopped after saying this.

Upon hearing these words, Xia Yu was shocked, "What about the IGO? Doesn’t the IGO have a Heavenly King to dominate the arena?"

"Who told you IGO has a Heavenly King?" Sennosuke’s gaze turned strange, "IGO just has three Sages, who are triplet brothers, each of whom has perfected ’knife skills,’ ’seasoning,’ and ’cooking temperature.’ Separately, they are Dragon Chefs, and their cooperation is as if they have telepathy, enabling them to compete with a Heavenly King Chef."

"Joining forces?" Xia Yu’s mouth twitched, "Can a culinary competition still allow three brothers to compete together?"

"In culinary battles like those, once you reach Dragon or Heavenly King level, the usual rules aren’t so clear,"

Sennosuke said offhandedly.

"You must be wondering why IGO didn’t send elites to participate in the Sapporo event," he chuckled, "Actually, this is a defensive reaction from IGO. They are already exhausted from responding to the ’Gourmet Society’s’ offensive in Europe, Central Asia, and Oceania. They hardly have the energy to invest in battling for legendary kitchenware in Japan. The Sapporo event is essentially a hunting ground for the international gourmet world, the strength of which can be seen from the competing teams."

Thinking of the ’Research faction’ and ’Academy faction’ competition teams, Xia Yu silently nodded.

The competitiveness of these two teams was indisputable, arguably the strongest outside of Far Moon, the Eight Sides Tower, and White Jade Tower.

Moreover, the team leaders, Lin Giant Lei Zhe and Desani, were just two of the eight giants of the Gourmet Society.

Similar teams could probably be formed by the other six giants, perhaps even stronger.

...

He chatted with the Far Moon Commander until nearly evening.

That afternoon was full of gains, with the old man painting a detailed picture of the world’s gourmet situation for him. As he put on his shoes ready to leave, Xia Yu felt a heavy burden, a strange pressure weighing on him.

The conflict with the ’Gourmet Society’ could intensify.

Setting aside whether Tiqie Ji was willing to accept defeat, Lin Giant Lei Zhe would also demonstrate his strength in the second phase of the Sapporo event; it would surely be a fierce battle.

Sekiya Takashi and Changwei Jin had completely defected to the Gourmet Society.

What about Kasuga Shigeru and Kikuchi Musashi?

The ’Gourmet Society’ aiming to dominate the Japanese food industry would naturally strike at the lofty Far Moon Kingdom and Shi Lin Temple.

"There’s a strong smell of gunpowder here!"

Xia Yu paused, feeling an urge to turn around and throw the 10% dry shares he held back to Old Man Tiqie. It was a ticket for a thieves’ ship, scalding hot, hard to handle; perhaps it would be better to let the Tiqie family buy them back...

"Hm?"

Seeing him stop, Sennosuke chuckled, "Would you like to stay for dinner?"

Xia Yu was slightly taken aback.

"That... General, why does the ’Gourmet Society’ continually seek to seize the Japanese food industry?"

A flash in his eyes, Sennosuke said, "Japan has something that other gourmet nations do not... For instance, those spirits that can guide hunters to ingredients, or use ingredients as meal payment."

Hearing this, Xia Yu became unhappy.

Japan has the night parade of one hundred demons, but what about the ghastly spirits of Great China?

Seemingly sensing his inner turmoil, the old man cheerfully patted his shoulder and said:

"The extinction of Chinese demonic spirits has many reasons, but if speaking of complete eradication, it was largely the campaign to eradicate superstitions decades ago; people’s hearts have changed, and those things no longer have a ground for existence."

Sennosuke sighed.

It was evident, his feelings about Neon’s parade of night spirits were complicated.

There was caution, but also a kind of special pride.