Chapter 2 Beautiful Things Shouldn't Be Destroyed
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Translator: JayM
Chapter: 2
Chapter Title: Beautiful Things Shouldn’t Be Destroyed
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Before encountering the system, Shen Yi was also a youth who loved gourmet food. Moreover, according to the answers given by the investigation scroll, the chefs of this world could even influence politics and military affairs to a certain extent.
Not to mention the economy.
The Mo Group was a behemoth here in Huaxia.
"Sure, I agree," Shen Yi agreed very readily.
"Great!"
The girl cheered, and then, with a slightly flushed face, she covered her lips and made an inviting gesture.
"Please come this way."
Shen Yi followed her and arrived at a restaurant in a hundred-story skyscraper.
That was right, a restaurant.
This was a high-rise building with luxurious decoration and a landmark architectural shape, yet it was only a restaurant. The status of the gourmet food industry in this world could be seen from this.
It was the first time Shen Yi had come to such a world.
Amidst his curiosity, he was also full of anticipation.
And he quickly discovered that there were quite a few guests brought in by girls in the same uniform all around.
There were elderly people, children, and ladies. Looking at their dress and appearance, they seemed to have come from all walks of life, ranging from workers in construction uniforms to noble ladies in mink coats.
It looked like they were brought in randomly from the street.
"Indeed, it really does look like an 'experiment'," Shen Yi said with a smile.
"Please rest assured, customer. With the personality of our eldest young lady, failed creations will absolutely not be brought out for customers to taste." The girl responsible for hosting Shen Yi seemed a bit worried that he would think too much.
"It's fine," Shen Yi still smiled.
His warm smile made the heartbeats of many young girls all around who looked over to him accelerate instantly.
After becoming a wizard, Shen Yi's charm seemed to have directly reached MAX level.
His unique temperament was indeed difficult to resist for people in a low-magic world.
Suddenly, Shen Yi's thoughts stirred slightly.
He had a feeling that he was being watched.
Out of the corner of his eye, he glanced at a surveillance camera in the corner.
Were they able to discover something so quickly?
Not bad.
The "not bad" Shen Yi referred to was, of course, targeted at the reaction speed of the official personnel in this world. After all, he hadn’t hidden his face back when he was high in the sky.
And being able to find him in such a short amount of time through a camera within a large enterprise was enough to explain many things.
For instance, the execution ability of the officials, their coordination with enterprises, and so forth.
Although he didn’t know whether the other countries of this world were also this competent, this was indeed a crucial factor in coping with doomsday scenarios.
Harboring such thoughts, Shen Yi and some other people took their seats in the restaurant.
Each person had an area like a small private booth.
"Sorry to have kept you all waiting."
Without making them wait for long, a young girl wearing a delicate violet-patterned cheongsam and a high chef's hat walked out.
Her voice was gentle, her smile was gentle, and her temperament was gentle.
It was just like the night scene of Jiangnan*, small bridges and flowing water. Just looking at her, one could feel a wave of warmth flowing into one's heart, smoothing away hostile energy.
"With such words from Miss Mo, we can wait no matter how long," a middle-aged man wearing a suit said with a chuckle, as if he was speaking the thoughts of most of the people present.
Mo Qiu smiled shyly, a blush gradually rising on her cheeks.
Enjoying gourmet food with a good mood was extremely important. In this aspect, she seemed to have a unique advantage.
Even Shen Yi's mood became much better at this moment.
Of course, if the upcoming gourmet food was truly delicious, that would be even better.
"Today's dish is called 'A Touch of Red Amidst a Myriad of Flowers,' and it’s a Huaxia pastry." The girl beside Mo Qiu brought over plates one by one, but it was Mo Qiu herself who personally delivered the plates to the front of each guest.
Her face was beaming with smiles, like autumn waters.
When it was Shen Yi's turn, Mo Qiu also couldn’t help but blink her eyes, seemingly dazed for a moment.
Only when she saw the look in Shen Yi's eyes and the faint smile on the corners of his mouth did her pretty face suddenly flush red.
"Please enjoy your meal."
Seemingly to hide her shyness, Mo Qiu spoke softly, and only then did she go to the next guest. However, Shen Yi could clearly feel her heartbeat accelerating.
‘Alas, this troublesome charm…’
Shen Yi sighed in his heart, and then he looked at the gourmet food in front of him.
It was indeed a Huaxia pastry. Yellow, purple, green, various colored petals were scattered haphazardly around, with a single bright red rose in the very center. The name "A Touch of Red Amidst a Myriad of Flowers" was indeed vivid and fitting.
It was just so exquisite that it made people somewhat reluctant to taste it.
Shen Yi picked up his chopsticks, pinched a piece of petal, and put it into his mouth. In an instant, his eyes lit up slightly.
It melted in his mouth immediately, the fragrance of pear blossoms diffusing into it and making it water, creating a sweet, rich feeling that echoed in his chest.
For a brief moment, he even suspected whether this was the feeling of being in love.
He continued to taste it.
Every petal of a different color had a completely different taste, especially that touch of red in the center, which seemed to have a rose fragrance fused with the sweetness of honey. Combined together, it was as if a person had arrived in a boundless garden, where various refreshing fragrances continuously licked one’s nasal cavity, and one's entire mood became incomparably joyful.
This was absolutely the best delicacy Shen Yi had ever tasted!
Even after finishing it completely, he closed his eyes slightly, constantly savoring the aftertaste.
"Customer." A gentle voice came from the side. Mo Qiu had stood beside him at some point, a certain expectation on her soft features, "Could you give your evaluation?"
Shen Yi opened his eyes and looked at her.
"It’s so delicious that it has made me start to like this world." Shen Yi's voice carried some melancholy and regret.
"Hmm?"
Mo Qiu tilted her head, her ink-like long hair swaying gently behind her, seemingly unable to understand what he had said for a moment.
The intentions she infused into this delicacy should have made people feel joy and happiness.
However, even the smile on Shen Yi's face gradually disappeared, turning into a serious expression.
His gaze was just like a sharp knife.
"Customer..." Mo Qiu wasn’t only confused now, she was even somewhat flustered.
Letting the person tasting the delicacy obtain warmth from the food, and even heal their pain— this was Mo Qiu's belief and emotion toward gourmet food. This was the very first time a guest had such an expression after tasting the gourmet food she had made.
Was he unsatisfied?
She felt somewhat aggrieved and also somewhat unwilling.
But how could she know?
It was precisely because this delicacy was too delicious for Shen Yi that it ignited his fighting spirit in just this instant.
Beautiful things... shouldn’t be destroyed.
Even in the previous world, he had never possessed such a firm determination toward "saving the world" as he did now.
‘The gourmet food of this world, leave it to me to protect!’
Shen Yi had exactly this thought right now.
"Customer." Mo Qiu’s voice was still gentle, yet she seemed a bit more determined than before, "Please wait a moment, customer. Mo Qiu... will definitely bring out a delicacy that satisfies you."
"No, there’s no need now." Shen Yi shook his head, however, his gaze looking toward the door of the restaurant, "Someone has already arrived for me."
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*Jiangnan: A geographic area in China referring to lands immediately south of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River. In Chinese culture, it represents scenic water towns, peaceful environments, gentleness, and artistic beauty.
T/N - It really is like Food Wars. I wonder what kind of apocalypse is coming to this world? Will it transform into a Toriko type of world? That seems plenty apocalyptic, considering the power levels of the monsters in Toriko. Reminds me of a chat group fanfic I read before where one of the arcs was the Food Wars world fusing with the Toriko world, and the mission of the group members was to protect the Food Wars civilization.