The culinary trial: hunting the Great Stamp

The airbus doors opened, and hot, humid wind rushed inside, carrying the rich scent of vegetation and a faint aroma of meat. The applicants filed off the bus and found themselves facing an enormous open-air kitchen. Two massive cooking stations stood at its center, covered with all kinds of utensils and seasonings. Behind them sat two examiners whose builds could hardly have been more different. The examiner on the left was an enormous fat man over three meters tall, with a round belly and an amiable smile. He was Buhara, a one-star Gourmet Hunter. The examiner on the right was a beautiful, curvaceous woman with short green hair. Dressed in a chef's uniform, she held a kitchen knife and watched them with sharp eyes. She was Menchi, a two-star Gourmet Hunter. Satotz led all the applicants up to the cooking stations and bowed slightly to the two examiners. "Examiner Buhara, Examiner Menchi, I've brought everyone who passed the first phase." Buhara nodded with a smile, his voice booming. "Thank you for your hard work, Satotz." Menchi merely lifted her eyelids and swept her gaze over the applicants below. Her eyes held a hint of criticism and disdain, as though she was far from satisfied with them. Satotz turned to the applicants. "Everyone, this is Examiner Buhara, and this is Examiner Menchi. They will oversee the second phase. They will now explain your next trial." With that, Satotz stepped aside and left the stage to the two culinary examiners. Buhara stood first, his enormous bulk making the entire cooking station tremble slightly. Wearing an amiable smile, he addressed the applicants. "Hello, everyone! I'm Buhara, the examiner for the second phase!" "The task for this phase is simple: cooking!" The applicants immediately erupted into an uproar. "Cooking? Are you kidding? We came here to take the Hunter Exam, not become chefs!" "Exactly! Who here knows how to cook? Aren't you just making things difficult for us on purpose?" "Having Gourmet Hunters as examiners is ridiculous!" Leorio looked utterly distraught as he lowered his voice and spoke to the others. "Cooking? You've got to be kidding! I can't make anything except instant noodles! What are we going to do?" Kurapika frowned as well, clearly knowing nothing about cooking. Gon and Killua, on the other hand, looked curious and seemed quite interested in the culinary trial. Watching their flustered reactions, Lin Ye smiled and said quietly, "Don't panic. They haven't finished explaining yet. Besides, it's only cooking. It's not that hard." During his four years in Yorknew City, he had become a skilled cook while caring for Lina. Simple roast meat was no challenge; even complicated dishes were easy for him. Moreover, the first part of the second phase was merely a simple pork-roasting task. Looking at the noisy applicants, Buhara showed no anger and continued smiling. "Quiet down, everyone! I haven't finished yet! The second phase has two parts, and I'll be in charge of the first!" He pointed toward the valley behind the cooking stations and announced loudly, "A local specialty called the Great Stamp lives in this valley. Your task is to enter the valley, catch a Great Stamp, and use its meat to make a braised pork dish that satisfies me!" "As long as your braised pork tastes good to me, you'll pass the first part and move on to the second!" "You have two hours! Your time starts now!" The moment Buhara finished speaking, the applicants sprang into action. Although many knew nothing about cooking, they were still confident they could catch a Great Stamp. Everyone charged madly into the valley behind the kitchen, afraid that all the Great Stamps would be caught if they arrived too late. "Let's go too!" Gon shouted excitedly, pulling Killua along as he rushed toward the valley. "Wait for us!" Leorio and Kurapika immediately followed. Lin Ye smiled and hurried after them, and the team of five charged into the valley together. Dense jungle filled the valley, with towering trees everywhere. Huge hoofprints covered the ground, clearly left by Great Stamps. Shortly after they entered, they heard shrill squeals mixed with the applicants' screams. An enormous wild boar was charging wildly at the applicants. It was over two meters long and nearly a meter and a half tall, with skin as hard as armor, a huge tusk growing from its nose, bloodshot eyes, and an extremely vicious temper. It was a Great Stamp. Its charge packed terrifying force. Several applicants at the front were sent flying, crashing to the ground and coughing up blood, instantly unable to move. "My God! That pig is enormous!" Leorio stared at the rampaging Great Stamp in shock. "Its hide looks like steel plate! How are we supposed to catch it?" "Its weak point is the base of the tusk on its nose," Lin Ye said immediately. "Its hide may be hard, but the base of its tusk is its most vulnerable spot. Hit it there, and you can incapacitate it." Of course he knew the Great Stamp's weakness. In the original story, Gon had easily caught one by striking the base of its tusk. "Really?" Gon's eyes lit up. Watching the Great Stamp rampage around, he instantly dashed forward. "I'll give it a try!" "Gon, be careful!" Killua called, immediately following him. The two moved incredibly fast, closing in on the Great Stamp from opposite sides. Seeing people rush toward it, the Great Stamp's eyes grew even redder. It roared and charged straight at Gon. Gon reacted swiftly. Relying on his animal-like instincts, he twisted aside to evade the charge, then leaped onto the Great Stamp's head. Clenching his fist, he drove a fierce punch into the base of its tusk. Thud! With a dull impact, the Great Stamp let out a piercing squeal. Its massive body lost its balance and crashed heavily to the ground. It twitched twice, then passed out completely. "Got it!" Gon jumped down excitedly and waved to the others, his face glowing with a bright smile. "Gon, you're amazing!" Leorio shouted in astonishment as he ran over and looked at the unconscious Great Stamp. "A pig this big is enough for all five of us!" Kurapika approached as well, looked at the Great Stamp, and gave Gon a thumbs-up. "Nicely done, Gon." Killua quirked his lips and smiled. "Not bad. A little faster than I expected." Lin Ye smiled at them. "All right, let's hurry and carry this pig back so we can start cooking. We only have two hours, and braised pork needs time to simmer. We have to move quickly." The others immediately nodded and worked together to lift the Great Stamp, which weighed several hundred pounds, before heading toward the cooking area outside the valley. Along the way, they saw plenty of applicants who had either been battered and bruised by Great Stamps or could not find any trace of them. Some had even started fighting over the boars. Hisoka, meanwhile, leaned against a tree, toying with playing cards and watching the surrounding farce with an amused smile. An unconscious Great Stamp already lay at his feet; clearly, he had caught one some time ago. When he saw Lin Ye and the others carrying their Great Stamp over, Hisoka waved to Lin Ye with an excited smile. Lin Ye merely gave him an indifferent glance before looking away, then hurried out of the valley with the others and returned to the cooking area. Once back at their cooking station, the five immediately divided up the work. Gon and Killua handled the Great Stamp, bleeding it, removing its hair, and butchering the meat. Both worked with remarkable efficiency. With the knife skills he had honed in the Assassin Family, Killua cut up the pork with astonishing precision. Kurapika prepared the seasonings, carefully mixing the sauce for the braised pork according to Lin Ye's instructions. Leorio took charge of lighting the fire and controlling the heat at the cooking station. Although he fumbled and nearly put the fire out, he soon got the hang of it under Lin Ye's guidance. Lin Ye handled the most crucial cooking steps. He cut the pork belly Killua had prepared into evenly sized cubes, then blanched them in boiling water to remove the bloody scum and unpleasant odor. Next, he seared the pieces in hot oil until golden on both sides, rendering out the excess fat. A rich, meaty aroma immediately filled the air. He then added the sauce Kurapika had mixed and stirred everything evenly, coating each piece of meat in the rich sauce. After adding stock, he brought it to a boil over high heat, then reduced the heat and left it to simmer slowly. Throughout the process, Lin Ye's movements flowed effortlessly, with textbook precision. Every step was perfectly executed, without a single wasted motion. Many nearby applicants watched in stunned silence. They had never expected this boy, who looked only sixteen, to possess such exceptional cooking skills. Even Menchi noticed Lin Ye from her station. As she watched his fluid movements, surprise flickered in her eyes, and a hint of approval entered her previously critical gaze. Time passed, and the aroma rising from the braised pork grew richer and richer. The scents of sauce and meat mingled and spread throughout the cooking area, making the nearby applicants swallow hungrily. Leorio breathed in the fragrance with a blissful expression. "My God, Lin Ye, you're incredible! That smells amazing! I want to eat it right now!" "It's not ready yet." Lin Ye smiled. "Braised pork needs to simmer slowly over low heat so the meat turns tender and absorbs the flavor, rich without being greasy. It needs another half hour before we can serve it." Gon and Killua also gathered around the pot, staring unblinkingly at the braised pork and practically drooling. Watching the glossy, reddish pieces of meat, Kurapika smiled in anticipation as well. Half an hour later, with the two-hour limit nearly up, Lin Ye finally lifted the lid. An even richer fragrance instantly swept through the entire cooking area. The braised pork gleamed an enticing red, its tender flesh quivering at the slightest touch. Thick sauce coated every piece. The sight alone was enough to whet anyone's appetite. Lin Ye arranged the braised pork neatly on a plate and smiled at the others. "All right, it's done." Just then, Buhara's voice rang out. "Time's up! All applicants, stop cooking! Bring your finished dishes up for me to taste!" Everyone stopped what they were doing. Carrying their dishes, they lined up and approached Buhara one by one for him to taste their food. Most of their dishes were disastrous. Some pork was undercooked and still bloody inside. Some had been burnt as black as charcoal. Others had even used the wrong seasonings, making their food bitterly salty or too sour to swallow. Although Buhara was good-natured, his standards for food were extremely strict. Whenever a dish failed to meet them, he took only one bite before shaking his head and immediately declaring its maker eliminated. In barely more than ten minutes, over half the applicants had been eliminated. Finally, it was the five companions' turn. Lin Ye carried the plate of braised pork over to Buhara and set it before him. Buhara's eyes instantly lit up at the sight. Its presentation alone was far better than every dish he had tasted so far, and the rich aroma made him swallow involuntarily. He immediately picked up his chopsticks, took a piece of braised pork, and put it into his mouth. The pork melted on his tongue, its tender flesh dissolving instantly. The fatty portions were rich without being greasy, and the lean meat was moist rather than dry. Deep flavors of sauce and meat burst across his palate, richly layered and leaving a lingering aftertaste. Buhara's eyes went perfectly round, and an expression of utter bliss spread across his face. "It's delicious!" he shouted excitedly. His chopsticks never stopped moving as he devoured the braised pork, bite after bite. Within little more than ten seconds, he had polished off the entire plate. He even mixed the remaining sauce with rice and ate every last bit. After finishing, he wiped his mouth, still craving more, and looked at Lin Ye. "You pass! Without question! This is the best braised Great Stamp pork I've ever eaten! All five of you pass the first part!" The other applicants were stunned. Only one or two of the earlier applicants had managed to pass Buhara's trial, yet these five boys had all passed together! And they had earned such high praise from him! Hearing this, Leorio jumped up in excitement and exchanged celebratory high-fives with Gon, Killua, and Kurapika, his face beaming. Watching his companions rejoice, Lin Ye smiled warmly as well. He had done it. Not only had he passed the trial himself, but he had brought his companions through it with him. At her cooking station, Menchi watched Lin Ye with even greater approval in her eyes. She set down her kitchen knife, stood, and addressed the remaining applicants who had passed the first part in a cold voice. "All right, the first part is over. Next comes the second part, which I'll oversee." "Your task for the second part is to make sushi." "I want you to use the ingredients here to make sushi that satisfies me. If you can earn my approval, you'll pass the second phase and move on to the third." The moment Menchi finished speaking, a chorus of groans rose from the applicants. Sushi? Most of them did not even know what sushi was, let alone how to make it well enough to satisfy a professional Gourmet Hunter. Leorio's face instantly fell, and he spoke in despair. "Sushi? What's that? I've never even seen it! We're done for. We're completely finished!" Kurapika frowned as well, clearly knowing nothing about sushi. Gon and Killua looked just as lost, with no idea what it was. Seeing their despair, Lin Ye smiled, patted their shoulders, and said quietly, "Don't panic. It's only sushi. It's simple. With me here, I guarantee all five of us will pass." Looking at Lin Ye's confident gaze, they immediately relaxed. They believed that as long as Lin Ye was there, no problem was beyond solving. Watching the panicked applicants, Menchi's lips curved into a critical, cold smile, and a barely perceptible glimmer of amusement flashed through her eyes. She wanted to see just what these applicants, who did not even know what sushi was, would produce. More than that, she wanted to see whether the boy who had made that perfect braised pork could surprise her again.