Chapter 130: Chapter 90: Carnivore 2
Blake’s voice was deep and steady, imbued with a certain penetrating quality, especially when he looked you in the eye and smiled, there was an urgency of being seen through and analyzed, yet his elegance would divert your attention.
"Is that the Deputy Director of Eden City’s Planning Bureau?"
Oulos leaned on the table, looking towards the distant guests. "And across from him is the head of the Gaia Cells’ B2 experimental department, right? I’ve read his feature on the product website."
Blake maintained a smile.
While lowering his head to neatly arrange the table knife, he gently asked Oulos.
"What did you see on their faces?"
"Fear, excitement..."
Oulos stroked the coaster. "Resistance that’s fading."
Blake nodded.
"Have you introduced Mr. John yet?"
"No."
"That’s perfect, it will be my honor... As you can see, Mr. John, this is my private kitchen for guests, and the dish I’ve specially prepared for you today is... pan-seared small kidney pie."
Blake rolled up his sleeves and cleaned his arms thoroughly.
John let out a "ha," without speaking, already mentally prepared.
Sure enough...
The head chef moved the thawed ingredients to the counter for introduction.
John squinted his eyes and shook his head — this bright and plump kidney scooped from the water was definitely not the damaged version he had sent.
Blake noticed his confusion.
The ingredient is a clone, a replica created after extracting raw material, Gaia Cells possesses the foremost technology in the field of biology, achieving this is nothing surprising.
Today, John would watch others cook his own kidney.
Blake took the chef’s knife and stripped the connective tissues from the surface.
The precision was terrifying, akin to a surgical performance.
"This step must be meticulous, the surface mucosa cannot be damaged, bleeding points will affect during secondary cleaning, the thoroughness of removal will directly relate to the organ’s fishy odor."
The head chef introduced while handling the ingredients.
John, however, focused on his technique — impossibly steady, without inserting any behavioral chip, relying purely on haptic feedback and experience, deftly handling a human organ.
Blake used a hand-cranked machine to blend the organ and minced meat.
He operated gently and slowly, transforming the plump and round organ into minced meat gushing through round holes.
"I trust hand-cranking more than using a blender, tenderly feeling the process of the ingredients being ground maintains focus in cooking, attitude is crucial to anything meaningful."
The herbs were gently ground into fine powder.
Blake cleaned and dried his hands again, then skillfully mixed and kneaded the ingredients, covering them with transparent cling film to rest on the counter.
He signaled for John and Oulos to place their palms on the surface.
"The hand temperature of men and women differs, causing very subtle changes in the ingredients during resting..."
The soft viscera felt slightly cool.
Blake said the next step would be the most passionate stage.
He took the skillet to preheat, gently pan-frying the rested meat chunks, instantly bursting forth a mouthwatering aroma.
John couldn’t help but nod.
He saw the chef take out a bottle of strong liquor, with a familiar mark identical to the one given to Vito, realizing that this bottle might be worth over tens of thousands or more.
High-proof liquor went into the pan.
"I need a quiet moment."
Blake explained.
"The next is the taming process, a great challenge for a chef, I hope you understand rather than thinking I’ve suddenly become impolite."
The flame released freely within the pan, draping a yellow curtain between the food and the guests.
Blake controlled everything.
The air twisted.
The ingredients moaned.
The strong aroma of grease and minced meat blended under pressure.
The container was a white porcelain plate with gold trim.
It was taken from the warm box, ensuring the items touched before food enters the mouth were as warm and gentle as possible.
The kidney was served in a box made of biscuits.
"Herbs are part of the ingredients as well as decoration, just like how chefs await the customers’ reactions, having a beginning and end is respect for the journey, also a tradition."
Beside it were two slices of fresh-cut fruit.
[Task Progress Update]
[Bravely Taste. (Optional)]
[Politely Decline. (Optional)]
John revealed a wry smile.
He picked up the utensils without psychological burden, scooped a spoonful of viscera-seared meat into his mouth to savor carefully.
Blake washed his arms and wiped them with a cloth, all while watching him.
The organs had no fishy smell.
There was a mixed meaty aroma, pure and primal, completely different from the synthetic blocks and protein slush sold on the streets.
John put down his spoon, gestured with his hand, and asked.
"Mind if I do?"
"Be my guest."
Blake seemed quite pleased.
John picked up the cookie box and stuffed it into his mouth like eating a burrito, chewing heartily.
Tonight, Kuang Xin was enjoying a piece of braised soft bone meat.
Oulos only had some soup.
These two were often invited by Blake. Regular guests often find it boring, so the conversation naturally shifted to John.
Kuang Xin originally thought John might be resistant.
He initiated the topic, discussing his views on consuming human flesh, saying traditional education initially made it hard to accept, but it was mainly the chef’s ceremonial cooking that changed his taste.
John shook his head while holding a cup.
"Look at the slogans on the streets, no wonder they call you a company dog. The streets are almost drowning in synthetic fast food, you can’t imagine how tempting a pure meat meal, without additives, is to me, let alone one where you know the source."
"It’s human meat, and it’s your own."
"So what?"
John thought Kuang Xin still underestimated street life.
"As long as it’s not directly cut from my body, I can treat it like an expensive handmade dish."
"Alright, you’re impressive. I couldn’t accept it without the satisfaction of such a pleasing cooking process."
John smiled without retorting, unsure if Kuang Xin was speaking the truth or just providing emotional support for the chef.
"Eating what replenishes what, I just see it as strengthening the body. (Chinese)"
John listened through a translation plug-in.
Oulos was much more frank and spoke more sharply.
When this woman was in a bad mood, she really spared no one.
"According to your logic, enduring hardship can never make someone superior. To survive in Eden City..."
Her slender fingertips ran across the rim of her cup.
"You have to eat people, preferably those with power and influence."
Blake nodded, arms crossed.
[Mission Objective Updated]
[Talk to Blake. (Not Achieved)]
John’s mind raced, immediately picking up on Oulos’s words and jokingly said to the chef:
"She sees you as prey, just watching like this?"
Blake smiled contemplatively.
There was a mature tranquility on his ruggedly handsome face.
"After I processed my clone samples for the first time, I started exploring new culinary paths, perhaps understanding those words more deeply."
"Uh, sorry, can I ask where the ingredients come from?"
"It’s okay, John. There are clients who send me samples, which I replicate into ingredients via biotechnology. As compensation, I personally cook for select clients, which is why I invited you."
"Hmm..."
John frowned, swirling his wine glass.
Thinking that someday, who knows when, this guy might take out his kidney from some freezer-like place to pair with wine...
It all felt somewhat odd.
"Actually, I have another method of collecting ingredients."
Blake leaned his hands on the table, his broad shoulders paired with a pair of well-proportioned, seam-free prosthetics.
"But before answering, I want to say... Mr. John, you’re more interesting than I expected, and you’ve passed my strange interview. May I ask if you’re willing to take a job?"
"Yep, getting to the point, huh."
John grabbed a napkin to wipe his mouth, assuming a work attitude.
Blake said that occasionally when he finds ingredients he fancies, he would take the initiative to buy them from others, paying a considerable sum to obtain genetic information or exchanging for the latest implants.
But recently, a Ghoul killed the woman he was eyeing.
By the time the body was found, it had completely spoiled; cloning the corresponding body parts was possible, but it would never reach the perfect standard.
John thought with Blake’s methods, a street figure should be easy to deal with in a few words.
He continued to press for specific information about the opponent.
The guy was a weapons dealer from Kanmer Company.
Blake’s identity was unknown, but he was definitely an executive of Gaia Cells, and selecting mercenaries required considering confidentiality and capability.
He emphasized that this was a personal vendetta, not a corporate battle.
John was a bit puzzled.
"Why would a supplier become a Ghoul?"