Chapter 58: You have seen cat fight, what about fish fight?
"A thousand a pound," he said. "For this."
"Exactly how much are you trying to extort for this pathetic, low-tier king crab?" Rick demanded lazily, as his cold, deadpan eyes stared directly at the massive, ice-filled display case inside the highly restricted, ultra-exclusive Neptune Platinum Market, entirely unimpressed by the supposedly premium seafood.
The snooty General Manager, a rat-faced man wearing a crisp, custom-tailored suit, immediately sneered, as he looked Rick up and down with absolute, unfiltered disgust, completely judging the plain black t-shirt and dark leather jacket Rick was wearing.
"That premium Alaskan crab is exactly a thousand dollars a pound, you ignorant street rat," the GM mocked crudely, as he aggressively crossed his arms over his chest, puffing himself up with fake authority.
"Which is clearly about a thousand times more than you can ever afford in your miserable life, so I suggest you turn around and walk right out of my high-end market before I call security to violently throw you into the gutter."
Rick did not even blink, as he completely ignored the corrupt gatekeeper’s pathetic barking, because he was an apex predator who did not waste his breath explaining the immensity of heaven and earth to a blind frog at the bottom of a well.
"I am not interested in your overpriced, frozen garbage," Rick stated flatly, his deep voice carrying a dominant, oppressive weight that made the temperature in the room instantly drop, "I am here specifically for the legendary Emperor Bluefin Tuna to use at the upcoming Culinary Summit, so stop wasting my time and bring it out from the cold vault."
The GM’s jaw literally dropped in pure, unadulterated shock, before he threw his head back and burst into a loud, obnoxious laugh that echoed throughout the pristine, white-tiled market.
"The Emperor Bluefin?!" the GM wheezed maliciously, as he pointed a shaking, condescending finger directly at Rick’s chest.
"Are you completely out of your mind?! That legendary fish costs over one hundred thousand dollars a single plate, and it is strictly reserved for the absolute highest echelons of society!"
"You cannot even breathe the same air as that fish without presenting a Diamond Culinary Card," the GM sneered, completely failing to see Mount Tai, as he took a threatening step forward, "So take your cheap leather jacket and get the fuck out of my sight, because a poor beggar like you does not even have the right to look at my premium inventory!"
But right before Rick could simply reach out and violently snap the arrogant manager’s arm in half, the heavy, double glass doors of the massive market violently swung open, completely shattering the tense atmosphere.
"Hahaha! Did I just hear some broke, homeless peasant begging to see the Emperor Bluefin?!" a loud, incredibly obnoxious voice rang out, instantly drawing the attention of every single vendor in the massive facility.
Stomping aggressively into the market was Chef Julian, a classic, highly arrogant second-generation young master, who was the heir and executive chef of a rival five-star luxury hotel chain that actively competed against the Peninsula.
Julian was wearing a flashy, heavily customized white chef’s coat embroidered with solid gold thread, as a thick, diamond-encrusted chain rested obnoxiously around his neck, completely proving he cared far more about flexing his daddy’s wealth than actual culinary arts.
He wasn’t alone, as he was completely surrounded by a massive flock of fawning, sycophantic lackeys, and two breathtakingly beautiful, highly surgical female assistants who clung tightly to his arms, swaying their wide hips and looking at everyone else with pure disdain.
The absolute second the snooty GM saw the young master enter, his arrogant face instantly melted into a mask of pure, pathetic submission, as he practically sprinted across the tiled floor and bowed perfectly at a strict ninety-degree angle, acting exactly like an obedient, tail-wagging dog.
"Young Master Julian!" the GM practically wept with pure joy, completely ignoring Rick, "Welcome to the Neptune Platinum Market! We are incredibly honored by your absolute presence today!"
"Save the bootlicking, you fat pig," Julian mocked arrogantly, completely disrespecting the manager who had just bowed to him, as he swaggered directly toward the premium display cases with his women hanging off him.
"I am here to claim the absolute best ingredients for the International Culinary Summit," Julian announced loudly, intentionally making sure everyone in the market heard him, as he casually pulled a heavy, glowing Diamond Culinary Card from his pocket and violently slapped it directly onto the glass counter. "I am claiming the last Emperor Bluefin Tuna, so pack it up immediately."
"Right away, Young Master!" the GM groveled eagerly, completely ignoring protocol, "It is entirely yours! Nobody else in this city is worthy of wielding such a heavenly ingredient!"
Julian smirked triumphantly, as he finally turned his head and locked his arrogant, highly punchable eyes directly onto Rick, who was still standing casually by the counter with his hands slipped lazily into his pockets.
"Is this the pathetic beggar who was asking for my fish?" Julian sneered, as he looked Rick up and down, entirely failing to sense the massive, suffocating aura of violence radiating from Rick’s broad frame. "Look at those cheap clothes! Did you get lost on your way to the soup kitchen, peasant?"
His sycophantic lackeys immediately burst into loud, mocking laughter, while the two surgically enhanced beauties giggled behind their manicured hands, completely buying into Julian’s fake alpha dominance.
"You should get on your knees and thank the heavens that you even get to look at a true Master Chef," Julian threatened arrogantly, puffing out his chest to impress his women. "Because in the culinary world, money and elite bloodlines rule everything, while street trash like you belongs entirely in the gutter scrubbing pots!"
Rick did not get angry, nor did he yell, as a dark, highly villainous smirk completely stretched across his face, because watching this delusional, untalented rich kid act like a king was incredibly entertaining.
Rick took one slow, deliberate step forward, entirely stepping into Julian’s personal space, as the massive, terrifying aura of a true apex predator violently exploded from his body, instantly making the two female assistants flinch backward in pure fear.
"A true Master Chef?" Rick mocked crudely, his deep voice dripping with pure, unapologetic apathy, entirely cutting through the arrogant laughter in the room. "The only thing you are a master of is swiping your daddy’s credit card."
Julian’s smug expression instantly vanished, as a dark, ugly flush of crimson red completely crawled up his neck, because his massive, fragile ego absolutely could not handle a single ounce of disrespect from a perceived inferior.
"What the fuck did you just say to me?!" Julian roared maliciously, as spittle flew from his lips, completely losing his refined upper-class persona in a fraction of a second.
"I said you are a pathetic, untalented fraud!"
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