Apocalypse Forecast

Chapter 762 620 Chef Demon Duel, The Opening Match!_1

Inu River looked down, his brow furrowed in a silent sigh.

But right next to Huai Shi, a roaring voice erupted.

"So you do have ulterior motives, you sneaky bastard!" bellowed the burly samurai as he rose to his feet, the scorching Source Fluctuation around him turning into barely visible flames that engulfed his entire body.

He glared at the seemingly innocent Huaizhi Sushi in front of him, his wide-open eyes not allowing her a chance to speak. "There is no need for questions and answers! Let me, Inukawa Yoshimi, gauge whether you possess the capacity to match your wild ambitions!"

Huai Shi couldn't help but want to sigh. Really, can't you Yingzhou people stop being so melodramatic? Why can't we have a normal conversation?

Meanwhile, Inukawa Yoshimi had already raised his hand, which had transformed into black iron, and reached out towards her.

BOOM!

The quiet room shook violently as a hurricane swept through.

The long sleeves shattered in an instant, revealing the iron-coated arm beneath, veins bulging and exaggerated muscles erupting with the strength to crush iron walls. That was the legacy handed down from the sixtieth generation of Tengu grand champions, honed through millions of repetitions into an incredibly pure skill. Izumo Great Sumo! He executed a powerful Push Out!

The tea in the tray rippled and soared into the air before falling back into the cups, leaving only waves of ripples behind. Inukawa Yoshimi's movements froze in place.

Because right there, kneeling on the ground, Miss Huaizhi had lifted a single finger. She casually flicked it upwards.

The thunder of steel clashing erupted.

The mechanical hand hidden beneath the glove shivered slightly, but instead of flinching, it effortlessly withstood the force of Inukawa Yoshimi's attack. Only the tea in the nearby cups swayed gently.

And that was all there was to it.

Inukawa Yoshimi's face turned from an iron blue to a flushed red, but no matter how much more force he applied, his much-praised strength couldn't move the damned woman from her spot by even an inch. In fact, he was slowly being pushed up, bit by bit.

Huai Shi raised his eyes to look at that face twisted in humiliation, his own face expressionless. This was simply a Drummer's advanced application. Though it seemed effortless, the power behind the finger didn't have an absolute relation to the number of fingers...

"Enough, Yoshimi." Inu River raised his eyes and said to him, "You are not her match. Moreover, isn't all this in accordance with the rules?"

Silently, Inukawa Yoshimi withdrew his hand, stepped back, and returned to Inu River's side.

Huai Shi didn't counter-attack or rush to show him how formidable he was. Instead, he looked up, scrutinizing the old man opposite him and waiting for his reply.

Not until Inu River let out a long sigh. "Since Miss Zhenxi insists, from now on, this old man will list you on the official roster..." He gazed at the teenage girl beside Huai Shi and asked softly, "Do you understand what this signifies?"

"Starting five minutes from now, you will be an enemy to all your kin," Inu River spoke gravely. "Whether it's your uncle, your elder brother, or your sisters, they have all been reserved and merciful until now. But from that point on, they will no longer leave you to your own devices. Instead, they will treat you as a rival, seeking out your every weakness and using any means necessary to bring you down, until you've fallen into the Abyss without any hope of rising again. No matter what agreement you have reached with Amber, it will not be a strategy that allows you to rest easy. When necessary, even I might forgo impartiality to suppress you. Unless you can rise above everyone else, you will be trampled under their feet, Zhenxi. The Li Jian family is currently such a cruel place. Are you sure you want to return?"

In the ensuing silence, Zhenxi's pupils trembled slightly. After a long pause, she nodded. Her fingers, already white with tension from clutching the corner of Huai Shi's clothes, still showed her forcing herself to appear strong.

Whether it was an expression of approval or scorn, Inu River nodded. "Good. As the steward of the Li Jian family, I declare that from this moment on, you are also a candidate for the next head of the Li Jian family, Zhenxi. I hope you won't regret it. As the last and weakest arrival, your first duel will take place tonight. I hope what awaits you is not too dire a fate."

He braced himself on his knees, rising slowly, and finally nodded to the little girl before him, then turned and left.

But just before he could leave the room, a voice called out from behind. It was Zhenxi.

"Mr. Inu River." The teenage girl knelt, bent over, and with her head lowered, she softly said goodbye to the old man's departing figure, "For all this time, my mother and I have been under your care and Uncle Horn Mountain's."

"...Simply doing my duty." The old man's footsteps paused for a moment before he pushed the door open and left.

In the time that followed, no one else came to disturb them. After moving into an independent courtyard, there were no servants to be seen. The vast yard was bleak and lonely. It was a seemingly much lower status than before, but in reality, it was the environment a candidate truly needed. From the moment Zhenxi nodded, anyone who dared to enter her residence became her enemy. That meant, even if Inu River entered this courtyard and was taken out by Huai Shi, no one else could say anything about it.

In the days that followed, apart from the necessary appearances at lunchtime, they spent most of their time here. For dinner, they didn't have Huai Shi cook; instead, the teenage girl showcased the cooking skills she had learned at her part-time job.

As much as one would like to compliment her, the taste seemed only so-so to someone who had grown picky from Uncle Fang's upbringing. The noodles were overcooked, and due to time constraints, there was no rich broth. As for the tamagoyaki, the eggs weren't mixed long enough, and the filling for the pan-fried dumplings wasn't measured precisely… Of course, there was no need to voice such mood-dampening thoughts. What did it matter what food it was? Huai Shi used to eat dried noodles at every meal. But having gotten used to making his own food, he indeed longed for something more stimulating to eat…

With faint anticipation, Huai Shi lounged calmly on the sofa, watching a variety show from Yingzhou and quietly waited. On the other hand, Zhenxi, who had initially been bravely determined, grew increasingly tense as time passed. As minutes and seconds ticked away, the night grew steadily darker. The first Chef Demon battle was imminent.

Since this was not an official event hosted by the Chef Demon competition, and dangerous individuals were absolutely not allowed in Current Circumstances, those eerie judges would not be present. The judges would be the competitors themselves. Simply put, they would cook for each other and then eat each other's dishes until one side couldn't eat anymore—whether they died from eating, ate something bad, or just couldn't handle it. Through their creations, they would showcase the essence of the Abyss. If one could not withstand the other's creation, they simply had to admit defeat. The battles between Chef Demons were just that straightforward. Occasionally, there would be a situation where both parties met their demise, but such scenarios were rare. And if it did come to that, then so be it. Luck was also a part of the competition—if one couldn't handle it, they shouldn't play at all. How to infuse more malice into one's creations, how to imbue the essence of corruption during the cooking process, and how to digest the opponent's maliciousness—every stage tested the strength and adaptability of the competing Chef Demons.

Under the deep night sky, a maid wearing a white Noh mask led the way. Moving downwards, she led Huai Shi and Zhenxi into the underground space beneath Li Jian's Manor. Vast and enormous, it had an iron-cast dome above. Behind the highest stands extending from it, one could vaguely make out several shadowy figures, but their appearances and faces couldn't be discerned, nor did they utter a word. They simply spoke in low voices behind a curtain separating them.

What drew more attention, however, were the audience members on both sides of the arena. It wasn't so exaggerated as having every seat taken; such an event was destined not to be made public to the whole region. Those who came here were only other candidates and their Chef Demon proxies. When Huai Shi looked up, he immediately noticed the burly man wearing headphones in the shadow in the back where the light failed to reach. Covered in random tattoos and as huge as a hairless bear, he took up two chairs just by sitting down, with his arms crossed, looking over at Huai Shi.

When Huai Shi looked back at him, he whistled and made a cheerful gesture. "Long time no see."

Huai Shi averted his gaze, ignoring him, and found a spot in the empty field to sit down with Zhenxi, far enough from the other candidates but still able to see their expressions. Apart from Amber, who didn't spare them a glance, most were utterly indifferent. There was neither disdain nor anger. Instead, some observed with keen interest this hybrid teenage girl who had come from the Border to compete for the family head position.

Huai Shi patted her shoulder, comforting her. "Don't be afraid," he said. "Just think of it as going to a cooking show recording as an audience member. Just don't smile too brightly when the camera is on you." After thinking for a moment, he took out The Fly King in disguise and put it in her hand. "If someone tries to come over after I go down, just shoot. It comes with a built-in lock, so don't worry about missing."

Zhenxi was stunned, looking down at the gun in her hand, which felt like a hot potato. "Is it necessary to go that far?"

"For your safety, it's best to do this," Huai Shi said. "Don't show that you are scared; learn from your relatives a little more. If you don't know what to do, just keep a straight face. You don't have to hold it if you don't want to; it's fine to just put it beside you. The important thing isn't whether you dare to fire, but whether they see—"

Huai Shi reached out and switched The Fly King to Judgment Mode. A chilling aura faintly spread from the barrel, minute yet sharp, pricking at all the daring peering eyes. It caused those sneaky glances to swiftly retract.

As instructed by Huai Shi, Zhenxi casually placed the gun on the chair next to her. Zhenxi, who had initially been fearful, quickly adapted to the atmosphere of the place, regaining composure. Or at least, she acted the part well enough. With her capability, she couldn't always remain vigilant or ready to respond to surprise attacks, but she could at least feign fearlessness. In any case, she likely wouldn't react in time. The rest was up to Huai Shi.

When the bell chimed, he entered the arena, waiting for his opponent's arrival. Not until a strange noise emerged from the tunnel opposite, like the sound of some viscous liquid flowing through pipes... A figure shrouded in darkness slowly emerged.