Chapter 100: Opening Disturbance
One minute really wasn’t much time. Even if Shen Lu joined in, she wouldn’t be able to eat more than a few crayfish.
But Shen Lu wasn’t running a charity. As soon as the 60 seconds were up, she called time.
Some people hadn’t had their fill and refused to stop. Mouth still full, one person reached for another braised crayfish, but Wang Daguo walked over and clapped him on the shoulder, gruffly reminding him that time was up.
"No way! I... I’ve only eaten one! How can time be up already? You guys are messing with me."
Shen Lu’s voice turned chilly. "With so many people watching, do you really think I’d cheat?"
The man looked up. Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, countless pairs of eyes were fixed on him, making his heart skip a beat.
He had no doubt that if he kept making a scene, every single one of them would land a punch on him on his way out.
And that was exactly what the people standing outside were thinking.
Every extra crayfish eaten by a contestant meant one less for someone later. Even if they weren’t planning on competing themselves, they couldn’t stand to see someone else get ahead.
Shen Lu checked how many crayfish each contestant had eaten and announced the results.
"The winner of the first round is Contestant Number 1. Please step to the side to rest. You’ll participate in the next round shortly."
Contestant Number 1 was none other than Boss Zhou. He was sucking the last of the savory sauce from his fingers, grinning so wide his eyes nearly disappeared.
’Great! I get to eat again.’
’I’ve gotta keep this up. That way I can keep winning and keep eating.’
The second and third rounds followed. As the competition continued, more and more people signed up to participate.
Some people from the Upper City District couldn’t resist signing up, though they were still running their mouths.
"I still don’t believe these are real crayfish. Hmph. I’ve had crayfish before, you know. If I find out you’re faking this, I’ll report you immediately!"
Gao Jie took the number tag from Xue Can with a look of disdain. Chin held high, he walked into the waiting area.
Gao Jie hadn’t even had a chance to drink his mint water before it was his turn to compete.
The other contestants with him were his friends. The group swaggered into the dining area. When the numbing, spicy, and savory aroma of the braised crayfish hit them, they fought to hide their surprise, acting as if it were nothing out of the ordinary.
Before the competition, he even shot a threat at Shen Lu. "I have connections at the Bureau of Industry and Commerce. If I find a single problem, I’ll have people shut you down for good!"
Shen Lu really didn’t get it.
She didn’t even know these people, but they acted as if they held some deep, personal grudge against her.
"Are you all ready? If you are, the timer starts now."
"Go ahead."
Gao Jie’s family was fairly well-off. They’d have crayfish a few times a year. Their family chef usually just steamed them, to be eaten with a dipping sauce.
This was his first time trying this kind of intensely flavored, spicy and numbing braised crayfish. From the very first bite, he was completely blown away.
The fragrance of the marinade, the savory flavor of the broth, and the heat of the chili peppers all melted together. The crayfish meat was firm and flavorful, each bite a powerful explosion on his taste buds.
’Delicious!’
’So incredibly delicious!’
’So this is another way to prepare crayfish! It’s so much more complex and exciting than just steaming. I’m hooked after just one bite.’
Just as Gao Jie’s entire understanding of food was being redefined, Shen Lu mercilessly announced that time was up.
Gao Jie snapped out of it, only to realize he had eaten just one crayfish. For the rest of the time, he had been savoring the flavor with his eyes closed, completely forgetting it was a competition.
Meanwhile, the other contestants had eaten at least three. Tang Qian, sitting right next to him, had managed to devour five and was now licking his fingers, clearly wanting more.
"The winner of this round is Contestant Number 118. Please step to the side to rest and wait for the next round." Shen Lu announced the results like a dispassionate robot, then gave Wang Daguo a look, signaling him to escort the others out.
Gao Jie found this hard to accept.
He couldn’t accept that Shen Lu was capable of making such incredible crayfish. He couldn’t accept that he’d been so foolish during the competition. And most of all, he couldn’t accept that he had only managed to eat one of something so delicious.
’Good God, *I* should have been the winner of this round!’
’When it came to eating crayfish, how could Tang Qian and the others possibly be my match? Forget five—if I got serious, I could easily eat ten in a minute!’
With a dark expression, Gao Jie was escorted out of the shop. He saw Tang Qian in the waiting area, legs crossed, smugly waiting for the next round. Unwilling to accept defeat, he went to sign up again.
His actions caught the eye of many onlookers from the Upper City District.
"Why is Mr. Gao getting back in line to sign up?"
"Mr. Gao, are the crayfish for real?"
"Mr. Gao, are they any good?"
"Mr. Gao..."
The crowd bombarded him with questions, which only served to annoy Gao Jie further. He snapped, his tone harsh, "What’s with all the questions? Can’t you go try it yourselves? It’s not like you don’t have mouths."
Anyone with half a brain could figure out what he meant by that.
So the owner of Little Deer Cuisine wasn’t faking it after all. She had really gone all out and sourced this many crayfish!
The 100 Star Coin registration fee wasn’t cheap, but it wasn’t outrageous either. Even if you got knocked out in the first round and only ate one crayfish, you’d still break even.
Once people figured that out, the rush to sign up reached a new peak. If Ma Laosan and his men hadn’t been there struggling to maintain order, the whole place would have devolved into chaos.
Standing at the edge of the crowd, Boss Cao and Zhou Fang were grinding their teeth in fury.
Zhou Fang said resentfully, "Honey, didn’t you say the people from the Bureau of Industry and Commerce were coming to shut her down? It’s almost noon. Why hasn’t anything happened?"
Boss Cao’s fists were clenched tight. "How the hell should I know?!"
’That old bastard Liu Tianwang... He was quick enough to take the money, but this is how he handles things?’
’No wonder he’s still just a deputy director after all these years. He deserves to have someone stepping on his neck!’
Not far away, a discreetly dressed Shen Lan was thinking the same thing. She adjusted her sunglasses, her eyes fixed on Shen Lu like a venomous snake coiled in the shadows, ready to strike.
’Seriously, can’t the Bureau of Industry and Commerce get here any faster? I can’t stand the sight of Shen Lu basking in the spotlight like this.’
’A low-class bastard like her should be living a miserable existence, scrounging through garbage dumps and barely surviving on handouts.’
The memory of her own past life made resentment boil in Shen Lan’s chest. Just as she was about to call Mrs. Shen to ask about the Bureau of Industry and Commerce, two black enforcement vehicles pulled up to the curb.
The doors flew open and a dozen or so enforcement officers from the Bureau of Industry and Commerce poured out, their faces grim and their presence imposing.
At the same time, a reporter seemingly appeared out of nowhere, cameraman in tow, already chattering away for a live broadcast.
"Good afternoon, my wonderful viewers! This is your reporter, Little Zhen, from *Hot Topics Uncovered*! Look right here, everyone! We’ve just arrived at Little Deer Cuisine on Gold Street in the Lower City District!"
"Oh, it’s their grand opening today, and the place is packed! Quick, quick, zoom in the camera! Get a shot of the long tables inside. Wow, are those... are those crayfish?"
"You’ll have to forgive this poor wage slave, but I’ve never actually eaten an Advanced ingredient like crayfish before. The most I’ve seen are pictures and videos. You, my well-traveled viewers, are the experts here. Take a look—are these the real deal? Are these genuine crayfish?"