Chapter 81
Kobayashi Rindo was, without a doubt, a glutton of the highest order, and her standards for food were sky-high. She had a particular weakness for exotic, wild ingredients with unique flavor profiles—you could even say they were her greatest obsession.
Ingredients like snakes, crocodiles, and their ilk? Rindo had handled more of them than she could count! Things that would make most girls shriek in terror were viewed through a very simple lens by Rindo: they either fell into the category of "edible" or "not yet eaten."
And right now, the massive slab of meat in the freezer before her had captured her undivided attention. Even through the thin layer of frost, Rindo could clearly see the breathtaking texture and marbling of the cut.
Snow-white fat and deep red lean meat interlaced in a beautiful pattern. Despite the distance between them, Rindo felt as if she could already smell a wild, alluring scent wafting from it!
Add to that Mineo's earlier explanation, and Rindo felt like she was about to start drooling right then and there! If she didn't get to taste food like this, it would be no different from throwing her own life away, wouldn't it?
Seeing Kobayashi Rindo staring intently at the frozen Elephant Kong meat from afar, Mineo spoke up with a smirk:
"That cut of meat... you're interested in it too, aren't you, Rindo?"
"Alright, I'll grab a piece for you in a bit. But first, let's take a look at my Squid Tuna! To be honest, I have a feeling your eyes are going to pop out of your head by the time we're done in my restaurant's storehouse!!"
Seeing Mineo's smug face, Rindo really wanted to whack him with a baseball bat. However, she truly didn't dare!
If she had known nothing before, it wouldn't have mattered, but now, after seeing such miraculous ingredients in Mineo's possession, how could she dare offend the "provider" of these goods? This man was a literal titan in her eyes now!
She was almost ready to kneel out of sheer awe, wasn't she??
Aside from the Elephant Kong meat, under Mineo's guidance, Rindo saw several other types of ingredients that left her in utter disbelief.
There was the Rainbow-Patterned Hairtail Fish that lived in the deep sea, its body shimmering like a string of rainbows. Then there was the Cocoa Mayonnaise, a natural herbal ingredient found in the lowlands.
She saw the unique back meat of a Two-Headed Mountain Goat that hailed from the deep forests!
And the Squid Tuna, which possessed the body of a tuna but the tentacles of an octopus for a tail!
Almost every single ingredient sent a shockwave through Kobayashi Rindo's soul!
She... she was almost in tears from the sheer desire to taste them!
Damn it, there were so many things; she truly wanted to eat them all!
After this, would she even be able to look at "trash" ingredients like snakes, scorpions, or crocodiles ever again?
Watching Kobayashi Rindo become increasingly obsessed, Mineo felt a growing sense of satisfaction.
"That's enough, Rindo!"
"You've had a general look at my storehouse now."
"Next, I'll take a few ingredients for you to sample."
"Let's just cut a bit of this Squid Tuna and that Elephant Kong meat to make tonight's dinner!"
"To prove just how incredible my ingredients are, let's play a little game."
"A game?"
Rindo looked at Mineo, confused, while Mineo continued with a grin:
"The rules are simple. What I'm proving to you today is simply that my ingredients are superior! If we use complex cooking techniques to process them, the raw charm of the ingredients themselves will be overshadowed."
"Take that slab of Elephant Kong meat for example, you saw it, right!"
"Like I described, Elephant Kong meat doesn't even need seasoning. Just by searing it over an open flame, it releases a charm that no one can resist."
"So, we'll prepare these ingredients simply! If the flavor can still shake you to your core without any fancy processing, then you have to obediently follow through on our bet today, understood?"
"You really want to hear me call you 'Daddy' that badly?"
Rindo stared at Mineo's smiling face. How could she not guess his intentions? This annoying jerk was just as arrogant as ever. Did he think having a few great ingredients made him king of the world!
Rindo bit her lip, revealing her sharp, cute little fangs. If she hadn't seen how incredible his ingredients were, she would have definitely given him a hard bite!
Is there anyone else who flaunts their wealth as shamelessly as you do?
"Hmph, these foods certainly look unbelievable!"
"But as for the taste... until I've tried it myself, I won't be convinced!"
"Fine, let's do it your way!"
"I will judge the flavor of these ingredients with the utmost seriousness!"
"If the taste isn't as amazing as you claim... I will..."
"You will what?"
"I'll beat you to death with a baseball bat!"
"..."
With a man and a woman working together, the coordination felt effortless. Kobayashi Rindo quickly threw on a large cotton jacket that Mineo had fetched for her and stepped into the freezer alongside him.
Rindo ran enthusiastically toward the Elephant Kong meat. Even though the slab was frozen solid like an ice sculpture, she ignored the sub-zero temperature and touched it gently with her hands.
"So beautiful! Even through the ice, I can still catch the scent of that thick fat!"
"The color and texture of the meat are so vibrant. Even through that thin membrane, I can tell the texture is going to be amazing!"
"My dear meat, don't be in a hurry! I'll definitely grill you over the best fire!"
"Being able to enter my stomach... your birth into this world truly wasn't in vain..."
"..."
Watching Rindo mutter to herself while caressing the food, Mineo couldn't help but roll his eyes.
"I say, Rindo! Can you stop touching it already?"
"People who don't know any better would think you're trying to build a romantic relationship with your food."
"Is it really necessary to be that obsessed?"
"Hurry up, let's work together to cut this up."
"If you want to eat sooner, pick up the pace!"
Kobayashi Rindo grabbed a chainsaw from the side and immediately flipped the switch! At that moment, she transformed into a wild, chainsaw-wielding maniac. The large block of frozen meat was instantly sliced into a dozen smaller portions under Rindo's roaring blade!
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