Gathering Momentum

Chapter 50: Poised for Action

Jiang Hao boarded the plane to Hong Kong. Onboard, he opened his system panel. His mission progress had reached 99%, leaving only the final sliver before completion. The goal was almost within reach.

He hoped this culinary competition would let him cross that line and finish the task.

Entering the competition hall, Jiang Hao swept his gaze across the room. Nearly all the big names in Hong Kong's food industry were present. Many were chatting and greeting each other, but no one paid him any attention. His reputation in Hong Kong's culinary world was thoroughly tarnished—a textbook case of having no friends.

Jiang Hao didn't care. He was about to head to his own station when he spotted a familiar face. A flicker of joy rose in him, and he walked over immediately.

"Xiaoqiu, aren't you supposed to be on the mainland?" Jiang Hao asked, looking at the spirited young woman.

Xiaoqiu blinked her big eyes, a smile curling on her lips as she gazed at Jiang Hao. "Surprised? I knew you were competing today, so I snuck back to cheer you on."

Jiang Hao smiled. "Thanks. If you hadn't come, I'd probably have zero supporters. I'm up against the whole world here."

The competition began. The host, celebrity Xue Jiayan, raised her microphone and announced, "This year, eight restaurants are participating in the Hong Kong Gourmet Competition. Eight chefs competing on the same stage—they're sure to bring us the finest Chinese cuisine."

"From Da Kuai Le Group, Chef Tang Niu, the current God of Cookery. From Da Long Feng Restaurant, Chef Dai. From Imperial Kitchen, Chef Yang. From Man Han Lou, Chef Liao."

As each name was read, the crowd burst into warm applause. "And finally, from Pissing Beef Balls Food Company, Chef Stephen Chow."

Dead silence fell over the hall. Not a single person clapped.

For a moment, the atmosphere was painfully awkward.

Jiang Hao scanned the room. Chef Dai glared at him with venomous hatred, still nursing a grudge to the bone. Chef Yang's gaze was equally hostile. Tang Niu wore a mocking smirk—he'd invited Stephen Chow here today just to trample and humiliate him. As for the others, none had a good impression of Stephen Chow. No one applauded.

"Clap, clap, clap—"

A sudden burst of applause rang out. Everyone turned to see a young woman clapping vigorously. Zhen Xiaoqiu pumped her hands and shouted, "Stephen Chow, go for it! You're the best!"

Jiang Hao nodded at Xiaoqiu.

She was his only supporter in the entire hall.

"Alright, I now declare the competition open. Time limit: two hours," the host announced.

At the signal, the chefs sprang into action. The host narrated, "Chef Dai from Da Long Feng Restaurant is making Honey Glazed Bear Paw. He roasts the front paw of a black bear, then steams it with natural honeycomb. The honey seeps into the bear paw—truly creative."

"Chef Yang from Imperial Kitchen is making Green Dragon Stirring the Sea. He uses the highly venomous bamboo-leaf green snake as the main ingredient, slices it into shreds, steams it over medium heat for about an hour, then adds civet meat, shiitake mushrooms, shredded maw of conger pike, wood ear, and other ingredients to create a supreme soup."

"Oh, Chef Tang Niu is making Buddha Jumps Over the Wall—a classic dish. Abalone, sea cucumber, fish lips, yak hide gelatin, king oyster mushrooms, tendon, shiitake mushrooms, cuttlefish, conpoy, quail eggs, and more, simmered on low heat with broth and Shaoxing wine. This method truly achieves a rich, mellow flavor."

"Chef Liao from Man Han Lou is making Soup-filled Yellow Croaker. Chef Zhang from Li De is making Steamed Coral Trout..."

When the host reached Jiang Hao's station, she froze. He stood there, eyes closed, arms folded, with nothing on his counter at all.

"Chef Chow, why haven't you started cooking?" the host asked, puzzled.

Jiang Hao opened his eyes. "Poised for action."

"But the competition has a time limit."

"Plenty of time."

Tang Niu shot Jiang Hao a glance and sneered, "He doesn't know how to cook. Afraid of making a fool of himself, so he won't even start."

Jiang Hao ignored him.

Time ticked by. Jiang Hao remained motionless while the other chefs' dishes came out one by one. "Chef Liao's Soup-filled Yellow Croaker from Man Han Lou is ready! Judges, please taste."

The judges stepped forward, picked up their chopsticks, and began sampling. That's when Jiang Hao moved. He walked over, squeezed in beside the judges, and started tasting the dish himself.

The crowd erupted in uproar.

"Hey, Stephen Chow isn't cooking—why's he eating the other chefs' food? He's not a judge," someone asked in confusion.

Someone in the know explained, "When Tang Niu challenged Stephen Chow to join the competition, Stephen Chow demanded that he be allowed to taste the other chefs' dishes. The organizing committee agreed."

"Oh, I see. But what's the point of him eating?"

"Who knows? Maybe he doesn't trust the judges' final verdict. His reputation in the food world is pretty awful right now."

"Heh, he brought that on himself."

Ignoring the chatter, Jiang Hao picked up a bite and put it in his mouth. The flavor was exquisite. He closed his eyes, waiting a few seconds, but no system prompt came. That last sliver of mission progress remained unmoved. Disappointment flickered through him.

He frowned and shook his head, looking thoroughly dissatisfied.

Chef Liao saw Jiang Hao's expression and took it as criticism of his dish. Irritated, he asked, "What, Chef Chow isn't satisfied with my cooking?"

"Heh, I'm not a judge, so I won't comment. But if you insist, I could offer a few remarks," Jiang Hao said with a smile.

Remembering Jiang Hao's sharp tongue, Chef Liao immediately clammed up.

If he let him comment, it wouldn't be anything good. Better not to give him the chance.

"No need."

Jiang Hao returned to his station and resumed his pose.

One by one, the other chefs' dishes were finished. Each time Jiang Hao tasted one, he frowned and shook his head, making the chefs uneasy. But none dared provoke him into critiquing their work.

What they didn't know was that Jiang Hao's frustration came from the mission progress not budging. That final sliver was proving stubbornly hard to earn.

Finally, Tang Niu's Buddha Jumps Over the Wall was ready. When it was brought out, the judges tasted it again, nodding and praising the dish as truly authentic. Jiang Hao stepped forward to try it, but Tang Niu blocked his path.

"Stephen Chow, stop playing games. You're here to compete, not to judge. We're still waiting for your dish," Tang Niu said.

"What's the rush? There's still time." Jiang Hao pointed at the clock on the wall—ten minutes remained until the deadline.

Tang Niu snorted and ignored him.

Jiang Hao took a few more bites of Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, then shook his head again, his expression growing more disappointed. He had tasted dishes from all seven chefs, yet the system still hadn't collected any task points. Why were those last few points so damn hard to get?

Seeing him shake his head, Tang Niu felt indignant. "Stephen Chow, what's with all the head-shaking? Are you saying my cooking isn't good?"

"Oh? You want my critique?" Jiang Hao looked at Tang Niu.