Liu Changyi nervously checked the time. There was still half an hour left. Why wasn’t Gan Lan finished yet? He continued to stare at her streaming channel. Finally, with twenty minutes left, he heard the broadcast announcement and saw the Isolation Shield deactivate. He could finally see her and her dish.
He cautiously kept his olfactory simulator off. This was mostly because he had taste-tested the dishes of the contestants who finished earlier, leaving him with some lingering trauma.
He first observed the dish on the table: a golden, pan-fried fish lying on a porcelain-white fish plate, covered in bright red chili peppers. At first glance, it looked incredibly spicy, but its excellent presentation sparked his desire to try it.
He then checked the live comments to see the reactions of the viewers who had already tasted it.
Number Nine is My Dream Lover: [Even though Number Nine is my dream lover, and even though this stinky Yao Yu actually looks appetizing, and even though... I still don’t dare to try it casually, boohoo! My courage was already spent scouting out the enemy lines earlier, leaving me on my last breath. So, is there a brave warrior who will taste it first and describe the flavor!?]
Crispy Fried Chicken Leg: [Heh! You don’t even have the courage to try the delicacy your dream lover put so much effort into making! What kind of man are you! Let me show you what a real man looks like!]
Braised Chicken Leg is Truly Awesome: [Oh? So a real man is someone who keeps his olfactory tasting simulator off and secretly eggs others on to eat it? I can’t believe it took me this long to see your true colors!]
Sky Blue: [You cowards! You don’t deserve to be my junior’s fans! When it comes to being bold and courageous, if I claim to be second, no one would dare claim to be first! I’ve already turned on the olfactory tasting simulator. Ah! An irresistible aroma instantly pierced my soul! I picked up a piece of fish meat and put it in my mouth...]
Angel Face: [Oh? You put it in your mouth, and then what? Where did you go? Did you pass out?]
Captured by Number Nine: [Heh? Bold and courageous? Someone like you? I am the bravest person here! I’m willing to do anything for my goddess. Ah! This smell has a hint of stink hidden in its fragrance, and it’s spicy too. I carefully picked up a piece of Yao Yu meat with crispy golden skin and slightly pink, tender flesh, and carefully put it in my mouth...]
Flower Cake is True Love: [?? So you put it in your mouth, and then what? Ah? Can someone explain? Never mind, relying on myself is better than relying on others. My goddess has hands that can turn rot into a miracle. I believe in her! Ah! I can’t smell the suffocating stench of the Yao Yu at all. A spicy, savory aroma rushed into my soul, and my drool couldn’t help but fall. Unable to hold back any longer, I picked up a piece of golden fish with tender pink meat, expectantly put it in my mouth, and slowly chewed...]
My Nose is Blind: [?? Another one bit the dust? What kind of magical dish is this! No, I have to see exactly how terrifying it is! I quickly picked up a piece of fish meat and put it in my mouth...]
...
The comments abruptly stopped at the phrase "put it in my mouth." This instantly piqued the curiosity of those who had been too afraid to try and merely planned to watch the show. Just what kind of terrifying dish was this that silenced everyone the moment they took a bite?
Those who hadn’t tried it desperately called out to the people who were tasting it, but received no response. Anyone who personally took a bite went completely silent.
This situation left the people who hadn’t gotten an answer feeling both curious and apprehensive.
Liu Changyi watched the comments for a long time but still couldn’t get an answer. Even if the taste-testers resurfaced, they refused to say anything. If asked, their only response was, "You’ll know if you try it yourself."
He thought, "Forget it. These mischievous kids." With that, he turned on his own olfactory tasting simulator.
As soon as he turned it on, just as the comments had described, a unique scent struck directly at his soul. If one were to call it stinky, it wasn’t exactly stinky. It hovered between stinky and fragrant. In short, the moment this smell hit him, his saliva began to secrete uncontrollably.
The aroma emanating from the Yao Yu lying on the plate seemed to say, "Come eat me quickly. I’m really delicious."
Unable to hold back, Liu Changyi picked up a small piece and brought it under his nose to sniff. The earlier feeling that it wasn’t stinky was a complete illusion; however, it was a tolerable sort of stench.
Next, he dipped the fish meat into the incredibly appetizing broth at the bottom of the plate, closed his eyes, and placed it in his mouth. The moment it entered his mouth, the first thing he tasted was the fragrant, spicy broth, accompanied by a burst of umami.
He chewed the fish meat. It was incredibly fresh and tender. Mixed with the spicy broth, it was simply an otherworldly delicacy! The natural stench of the Yao Yu was almost imperceptible; he only felt the fresh, spicy, and tender flavors. He wished he could scoop up a large bowl of rice and eat this stinky Yao Yu until the end of time.
He ate one piece after another. He even sucked on the fish bones repeatedly, reluctant to leave a single drop of broth or shred of meat on them. Even though he normally never ate the head or tail of a fish, he devoured them clean and drank all the broth...
Liu Changyi stared blankly at the spotless fish bones, then glanced at the completely empty plate. He had actually eaten all the chili peppers, ginger, and other garnishes... He ate them all...
Still in a daze, he pressed the refresh button. A fresh plate of stinky Yao Yu reappeared, and he couldn’t resist picking up his chopsticks to eat again. This maddening Yao Yu was just too delicious!
In all his time serving as a judge, he had never encountered a situation like this. He genuinely wanted to swallow the fish bones, too!
He ate plate after plate. By now, he couldn’t smell the Yao Yu’s stench at all. His eyes and heart were entirely filled with this alluring Yao Yu. It really was like a little goblin; before he knew it, his soul had been snatched away.
He finally understood why the live comments had abruptly stopped at the phrase "put it in my mouth." It was because everyone had been seduced by the little goblin that was the Yao Yu. No one had the mind to post comments when their eyes, bodies, and hearts were completely captivated by it!
Meanwhile, on the Federation Star System’s Star Network, a post about Gan Lan was pinned by a Super VIP bigwig.
[Shocking! A Bizarre Incident Occurred in the Taste-Testing Stream of Contestant Number Nine in the Culinary Competition!]
Original Poster: [I stumbled upon this by accident. I usually don’t pay attention to the annual culinary competitions because they feature food that commoners can’t afford. Even if we just eat virtual data, we end up detesting nutrient solutions afterward. It’s no exaggeration to say that some people have gone bankrupt just to eat one real meal, all to taste the wonderful cuisines only the rich can afford.]
Original Poster: [I saw the live comments in her Number Nine streaming channel during the competition. They all ended with "put it in my mouth," and then there were no follow-ups. I was incredibly bewildered! However, since I couldn’t handle the stench, I left the stream. Even though I was curious, I didn’t want to try it. I’ve tried all sorts of nightmare dishes because they are cheap, but ever since those experiences, I’ve been left traumatized.]
Original Poster: [Because of this, I became curious about this Contestant Number Nine. I tried to look up her information, and to my surprise, I actually found it!]
Original Poster: [I’ll post her profile and her cooking videos below. There’s one dish she mentioned was very simple, so I specifically bought the ingredients and made it myself. And the result! Guess if I succeeded!? My god, I never imagined that I’d be able to eat real food cooked with my own two hands in my lifetime! Even though the taste doesn’t match up to what Number Nine made, but! It’s edible! And it’s actually delicious!]
...