Reborn in Japan as a Chef God

What's wrong?

Zhu Qing eyed the last piece of hard cake in Yuchuan Meisha's hand and swallowed her saliva unconsciously.

"Just one more bite, and I'm sure I'll figure it out!" she said as she stealthily reached out. But as she extended her salty pig's hand, Yuchuan Meisha, as if prepared, dodged and chuckled, "I heard your boiling desire—"

The woman with the 'super-hearing' Talent pointed at Zhu Qing's belly and asked, "Has your appetite opened up?"

Seeing this, Zhu Qing could only turn away dejectedly and lightly patted Xia Yu on the shoulder.

"Stop daydreaming and hurry up and make more!"

"I want more too!"

This elder puckered her lips like a maiden.

Xia Yu woke up, still retaining a trace of surprise in his eyes.

He had received good news at the system interface.

Having stayed up all night, he achieved significant results, and the system popped up a message:

"Congratulations, host, on successfully creating an unknown spice formula 'Lin.' This formula primarily uses 'Merck's Stars' as its base, supplemented by fish powder and ambergris among other materials to form a comprehensive spice blend. According to the authoritative assessment by this system, this blend has a hint of 'Shiny Silk-footed Fish' charm, which can further trigger the incredible taste of the Taboo Spices, making the spice utilization rate exceed 60%..."

"Creation reward obtained: 10 Talent Points, ingredient 'Shiny Silk-footed Fish' (juvenile) *1."

"Please name this new comprehensive spice blend!"

Thus, complying with the system's request, Xia Yu named this new formula:

"'Pseudo Xuanjing.'"

Xuanjing, representing the specific framework of this formula.

Like the previous 'Jiu Chong Mountain' and 'Indira Beehive' formulas, the truly advanced formulas always possess a more vivid conceptual design.

Or in other words, when a spice formula is established, achieving a profoundly mysterious harmony, the formula "comes to life."

In the past, when the "Spice Inequality" wasn't perfected, Xia Yu could only mimic objects, not life. But now he had succeeded. The true activation of the spice formula felt amazing, a realm perhaps even Indira had never touched upon.

What would they taste?

Xia Yu couldn't help but look forward to the responses of his friends and family who received the gifts.

...

In fact, Far Moon had already started their winter break on the 23rd, the eve of Christmas Eve.

However, Neon's winter break differed from the domestic one, usually lasting from Christmas to the first week of the new year, only half a month long, after which classes resumed from January to the end of March, marking the end of a school year.

On Christmas Day.

Through the IGO fresh food transportation channel, emergency deliveries of Christmas gifts were sent to friends and family.

At Polar Star Dormitory, a crowd surrounded the kitchen table, gazing at the several cakes.

The gift boxes were already opened. After all, it was a premium delivery service, and the cakes retained their just-baked appearance.

"Cake?"

"This is a return gift from Instructor Xia?"

Aoki Daigo, Sato Shoko and other high-tier supporting characters could only enviously watch as the roommates with protagonist halos unwrapped their gifts.

Ichise Hui, Tanaka Hikari, Shen Liangzi, Yoshino Yuuki, even Xingping Chuangzhen and the dorm manager Mrs. Wenxu all received gifts.

Even the usually reserved Iwazaki Jun couldn't keep his composure, grumbling sourly, "It seems like just an ordinary German Christmas cake."

"That's right!"

Marui Shanji pushed up his glasses, the lenses reflecting light, his keen eyes like a detective solving a case, the knowledgeable culinary literature otaku said, "German Christmas cake, a renowned German cuisine, the oldest records of it come from the Sal River's Naumburg. Back then, this cake was very precious, only available during the fasting period of Advent, until about three hundred years ago when the church relaxed the prohibition on using butter and cream, allowing the public to make and consume this cake outside the fasting period..."

While speaking, Marui Shanji was seduced by the alluring aroma in the air, his sharp expression completely collapsing.

"Ah ah ah ah!"

He cradled his head in agony and almost rolled on the floor, unwillingly shouting, "Instructor, why don't I have a gift!"

Hey hey.

Gift?

If Xia Yu were here, he would certainly spit back, do you think a cake using Taboo Spices and the new 'Lin' level spice formula 'Pseudo Xuanjing' is as common as cabbage?

Furthermore, staying up all night to make a gift wasn't without the intention of calming public outrage. But for Xia Yu, people like Marui Shanji and Iwazaki Jun were definitely not the targets to dispel grudges against.

Tiqie Mansion.

"Thump, thump, thump…"

The head housemaid was at Alice's room door, while Tiqie Zongwei and his wife were watching from not far away.

Leonora, the worried wife, said, "Dear, should we intervene and persuade Alice to cut off her association with Chef Xia?"

These two had been back in their country for too long and, after a few days when the New Year had passed, they had to return to the Tiqie International Research Institute in Denmark.

Tiqie Zongwei simply shook his head. "You worry too much. Alice is like a free dove, don't trap her in a golden cage. Moreover, by chasing after Chef Xia and running alongside a bunch of people, Alice might realize that she, bearing the heritage of the Food Demon King, isn't exactly outstanding. She needs to recognize herself."

As the head housemaid brought the gift box into the room, the couple grew intensely curious.

What could it be?

At Shinjuku Imperial Garden, after hearing the housemaid's report and personally receiving the gift from an IGO special courier at the gate, Liangzi Lina saw a Christmas card included in the shipment and was stunned for quite a while.

Back in the room, she opened the box on the table. The lady's hand trembled slightly as she faintly heard the sound of the Xuanjing whale breaking through the water.

"Plop…"

The box fell to the ground.

That scene almost perfectly synchronized with the drama currently unfolding at the Hakone Chiyoda Shrine.

"That guy still dared to send a gift?!"

Collecting the gift from the shrine's entrance and stepping on the mountain path, Tiqie Helinai, who had just returned to the villa terrace, muttered irritably, then placed the gift on the stone table, not even sitting down before she began to untie the neatly-tied bow. "A mere Christmas gift cannot quench my anger…"

Her mouth hadn't yet closed when it suddenly dropped open.

"What?!"

A curtain of water rose before her eyes, and behind it, strange faces began to emerge.

Gurgle.

As a mass of bizarre fish expelling bubbles furiously emerged, Helinai realized that each fish, without exception, had an ugly face.

What does it feel like to be hit by a swarm of fish?

Had they been a group of dolphins, Helinai definitely wouldn't have felt panicked or disgusted, but a swarm of bizarre fish was different. Looking around, Helinai's body prickled with chills. "All of you, scram!"

She turned to run, but darkness suddenly enveloped her from above.

In a dark and confusing world, Helinai stood alone. The odd fish surrounding her began to emit light.

Some fish were glowing from their bodies, their skin patterns clear.

Others', eyes shone like flashlights.

The feeling of having her vision illuminated by light in a dark world suddenly made Helinai feel that these fish seemed a bit cute.

"Ah—"

Underfoot became slippery, like a wet slope, and Helinai slipped and sat down, looking at the giant whale moving slowly beneath her, seemingly understanding something.

Reality.

Helinai brought a slice of hard cake to her mouth, eagerly taking a bite.

Indeed!

Her heart thrilled. Ahead in the black world, many crystal-like floaters appeared, and the girl, now on the back of a whale, became a treasure hunter, grabbing one and bringing it to her mouth, "This is almond…"

The next one, she chewed and then, in front of a stone table, let out a naive laugh she'd never made before. "Ha, this is crushed walnut…"

"There are many more!"

Looking out along the road, the giant whale carrying her seemed tireless. Initially annoyed by what she thought was a prank, she now pointed ahead energetically, shouting, "Break the waves, full speed ahead!"

The strange fish always followed, lighting the girl's steps like lamps.

After a while.

Helinai finished the cake and licked the frosting from her fingers, humming, "Is life always full of treasures? Who is trying to play life coach here…"

"But, can we have more of this 'soup'?"

The unsatisfied girl looked melancholy.

Then, she gazed in the direction of Tokyo, her eyes brimming with pride. "I don't need extra help; I am confident I can pass the winter special assessment! Just watch!"