Chapter 283: Simple Conditions, Ordinary Ingredients
Translator: CatatoPatch Editor: Vermillion
The moment those words left the middle-aged man’s mouth, many of the surrounding soldiers immediately started to laugh. Non-stop laughter resonated throughout the whole barracks, bringing along traces of ridicule.
Many of them looked at Bu Fang with a somewhat sympathetic expression because they had all experienced this before. They had all thought that once they entered the Cooks’ Army Unit, they were only left with having to cook dishes. It turned out that over there one needed qualifications to even cook as well.
This middle-aged man was their Cooks’ Army Unit Captain, Wei Dafu. His culinary skills were very exquisite, and the taste of his food was very savory. He was extremely strict with his evaluation toward dishes. Frequently, a lot of people would be scolded by him to the point of them starting to have doubts about their life. Previously, when they just joined the barracks, they had all been messed by this middle-aged man before.
Wei Dafu looked at Bu Fang mockingly. It had been a long time since a newcomer joined the Cooks’ Army Unit. Never would he expect that someone new would be joining them today. This finally allowed some entertainment to their bored-to-death lifestyle.
Bu Fang widened his eyes and glanced at Wei Dafu in astonishment. It was very obvious that Bu Fang could tell the malicious intent Wei Dafu was harboring. However, he did not seem to care much about it. Wasn’t it just cooking dishes? Simple.
“Showcasing some of my skills?” Bu Fang opened his mouth and said nonchalantly.
“Right. I am the captain of this Cooks’ Army Unit. It’s my responsibility to take good care of all the ingredients that are given to us. You have to know that in the Cooks’ Army Unit, the food we provide is very important. If the taste of the dish is good, the soldiers who ate it would become extremely energetic. Only then would they have the energy and strength to fight the war. If the taste of the dish is bad… they would not be able to even eat the rice, so much that they might even have diarrhea. You tell me, how am I supposed to battle then?”
Wei Dafu waved the steel ladle in his hand as he spoke a lengthy piece of theory with convictions. In short, he wanted to test Bu Fang’s culinary skills.
“Alright. Give me a spot to cook and provide me with the ingredients too.” Bu Fang was too lazy to listen to Wei Dafu’s neverending speech. He waved his hand straightaway and interrupted him.
Unhappiness flashed past Wei Dafu’s face. This newcomer was a little arrogant; he actually dared to interrupt his speech.
However, Wei Dafu did not cause any difficulties for Bu Fang. Only his complexion turned slightly dark as he beckoned.
Behind him, an innocently looking youth who was still wearing his apron came before Bu Fang while carrying a large steel wok.
A wooden handled black kitchen knife, a few pottery bowls, a bucket of clear water and also a sack of mysterious ingredients.
“Here. The ingredients and kitchen wares are all here. Let us see how great the culinary skills of our newcomer are,” Wei Dafu crossed his arms as he laughed coldly.
The surrounding people also looked over with interest. That youth who still possessed the innocence was also looking at Bu Fang curiously. In fact, he did not think highly of Bu Fang in his heart because even if a regular chef were to come over to the barracks to cook, they would not be able to cook a dish properly for their first time.
It was because the disparity between a march and kitchen environment was too big. If they wished to produce a good dish, they would need to go through a process of adaptation.
This was precisely why that innocent youth did not think of Bu Fang highly. Similarly, the surrounding people also did not think very highly of Bu Fang because they knew that even if Bu Fang was able to produce a dish, it would still be criticised by Wei Dafu to the point of making it seem worthless. When the time came, he would be shooed away to chop firewood. They had seen this sort of things numerous times and had long gotten used to it.
The majority of them was more of looking forward to Bu Fang’s being ridiculed. They wanted to see the ashamed and awkward face of Bu Fang’s, under the onslaught of Wei Dafu’s poisonous tongue.
Bu Fang did not care about the others’ attitude. He was originally someone who did not care about other people’s views. He walked to the side of kitchenware and frowned. All these kitchenwares were truly somewhat simple and crude. It was simple and crude even when compared to the snake-man tribe.
However, all of these was forgivable. After all, these were the chefs of the marching troops. At any point in time, they had to be mobile and could only build some last minute cooking points on the spot.
Bu Fang relaxed his eyebrows as the corner of his mouth curled up. He squatted down and opened up the sack, taking a look at the kinds of ingredients Wei Dafu had prepared for him.
The moment he opened up the sack, the astringent fresh smell of soil assaulted his nostrils. That sack of bag was actually loaded with mushrooms. Among the mushrooms, there was also a mix of a few bundled up ordinary vegetables as well as a few potatoes.
All these were simple ingredients. This was the first time Bu Fang had came across such simple ingredients since he came over to this different world.
“Do you guys usually use these ingredients to make dishes?” Bu Fang could not help but lift his head and look at Wei Dafu in astonishment. All these were ordinary ingredients! As the soldiers of marching troops, their cultivation might not be very high but their bodies were still filled with true energy.
These ordinary ingredients were simply unable to satisfy their hunger. It did not even have the capability to make up for the loss of the true energy in their bodies.
“Why do you care so much? Do you think that the current you have the capability to touch those spirit energy ingredients? You should first use these ordinary ingredients and produce a dish that could satisfy me before speaking.” The corner of Wei Dafu’s mouth twitched as he glimpsed at Bu Fang and said.
“These are our Cooks’ Army Unit’s spare ingredients. Usually, during the wartime, once we face a problem of insufficient spirit energy ingredients, we would use these ordinary ingredients to allay their hunger,” that innocent youth said.
Wei Dafu immediately glared at that youth, causing the latter to withdraw his neck as he stuck out his tongue.
Bu Fang nodded. He understood that Wei Dafu’s intention was to use these ordinary ingredients to test him. Specifically speaking, it could be said as making things difficult for him. After all, it needed real skills to be able to use ordinary ingredients to produce a delicacy.
He stood up, moving his feet. He kicked the scattered wooden sticks that were on the ground. Immediately, those wooden sticks floated up one after another, Bu Fang flung casually, causing these wooden sticks to fall onto the floor in a secure manner.
He positioned the steel wok, and very quickly, it took the form of a simple small stove.
These movements were somewhat unripe but still caused the surrounding people’s eyes to brighten up. This pretty boy actually possessed some skills!
That innocent youth became excited.
After positioning the wok, Bu Fang started to process those ingredients in the sack. He took out all the ingredients in it and separated them respectively.
He picked up the black kitchen knife with the wooden handle. The feeling of it was a lot worse compared to Dragon Bone Kitchen Knife.
He displayed some cool knife skills, then picked up a potato and tossed it up. Subsequently, the kitchen knife revolved as it sliced extremely flashily. Under everyone’s astonishment, he peeled off all the potato skin. With the kitchen knife, Bu Fang slapped the falling potato, that landed into the wok.
Below the pot, he had placed a washed clean wooden frame. Fresh water was placed beneath the wooden frame as these potatoes were being steamed on top.
He ignited the fire, heating up the pot. He covered it with a wooden pot lid and placed his palm above it.
“What’s this kid trying to do? Steam the potatoes? Humph… insignificant talent.”
Bu Fang’s movements were very flashy. Wei Dafu only narrowed his eyes and shook his head. His heart was somewhat in disdain.
However, the position Bu Fang used to steam the potatoes was somewhat weird. Why did he need to use a hand to cover the pot lid?
Bu Fang’s free hand was holding the kitchen knife as he started to process the mushrooms he had already washed cleanly.
Processing the ingredients single-handedly?
The surrounding people cried out in surprise. This hand of Bu Fang’s should have some training in the fundamentals.
Bu Fang was very calm. He held the kitchen knife, and his wrist was extremely nimble. With just a casual flick, a mushroom flew up. And while it was mid-air, he rapidly sliced it into pieces.
Everyone only felt dazzled by it. Before they realized, the already sliced mushroom was placed into the ceramic pot in an orderly and neat manner.
Wei Dafu bare his teeth slightly. This pretty boy’s knife work was indeed… very decent! But… so what if he possessed knife work? Only by producing tasty food would it be the king’s path!
Rumble!
The sweet scent of cooked potatoes wafted out. Nevertheless, Bu Fang did not uncover the pot. After he also sliced the bundled up vegetables, the pot lid under his hand started to vibrate violently. Only then did he uncover the pot.
Hazy water vapor soared up from the pot as it boiled. The potatoes’ sweet scent was mixed in it.
The potatoes inside the pot were all steamed to the point of looking golden yellow. Its color and luster were extremely good-looking. The surrounding people, especially the innocent youth, cried out in surprise. These were the best-looking steamed potatoes they had ever seen. They felt as if it was gold that was emitting its golden brilliance.
Wei Dafu smacked his lips and mumbled, “No matter how good the steamed potatoes look, it is still a potato… No creativity!”
It was as if Bu Fang had heard Wei Dafu’s thoughts, as he lifted up his head and shot him a glance. The corner of his mouth curled up, and then, with his palm covered in true energy, Bu Fang unexpectedly took out those potatoes one after another and placed them into a ceramic pot. Thereafter, Bu Fang put out an action that left everyone around him in shock.
With his fist, he pounded into the ceramic pot that was filled with the golden yellow potatoes.
