Chapter 18 - 17: Meat with Roasted Chili Pepper Sauce

Chapter 18: Chapter 17: Meat with Roasted Chili Pepper Sauce

Inside the shelter, a group of people hurried through the passage connecting District 27, the Third Ring residential area, to Dining Area 8.

"Let’s hurry! We don’t want to get there after they’ve sold out. The video said it’s just a small stall, so they can’t have much stock."

"I know, I know, but it’s just too hot! I really can’t run."

"I said we should go at noon, but you insisted on waiting. If we miss out, you’re buying me a meal."

"Okay, okay, my mistake. If we really miss it, I’ll treat you all to a feast later."

In groups of three or five, they came with their companions. Some were members of a foodie sharing group, while others had seen food videos people shared online.

At first, they’d been hesitant, but after discovering that everyone who had tried the food gave it rave reviews, they finally decided to act.

But whether it was an illusion or not, their pace quickened, and it seemed as if they were racing one another, terrified of falling behind.

If not for the sweltering heat, they all would have broken into a run.

Meanwhile, back in the First Ring, Leitel’s cravings were acting up again.

He had eaten lunch early, and it was long since digested. Now, all he could think about was that bowl of meat sauce noodles.

But getting from the First Ring to the Third Ring required a special shuttle. He was retired, after all, and making excuses to take a military-exclusive shuttle twice in one day felt a bit inappropriate.

’What should I do?’

’Aha, I’ve got it!’

Leitel’s eyes lit up. He quickly found a number and dialed.

「Dining Area 8」

The Three Rings Restaurant, ingredients prepped, was ready for battle. The moment they heard footsteps in the nearby passage, a waiter in a crisp uniform stepped forward to greet the newcomers.

"New salad, special discount! You’re welcome to have a taste!"

Hearing this, the crowd emerging from the passage asked excitedly:

"Are you the place selling the tomato meat sauce noodles?"

"Is this the Jinji Meat Sauce Noodle House?"

"The one with the special salad dressing?"

"What? You’re not? Then why are you shouting? We’re not interested!"

As the smiles of the Three Rings Restaurant chefs and waiters cracked and fell, the crowd marched past without a backward glance, quickly spotting their true destination.

Although Ning He was mentally prepared, she was still a little shocked to see such a massive crowd surging toward her.

Fortunately, she quickly recovered and, with the help of the BBQ skewer uncle, managed to get everyone into a line to take their orders one by one.

This time, not everyone ordered both items; many chose either the noodles or the salad. The stock they had prepared should be enough.

Due to the number of toppings for the salad, the pricing had been adjusted.

For twenty original coins, a salad came with a choice of five vegetables (including croutons), a thick protein omelet or a small portion of chicken, and one serving of dressing. Anything extra could be purchased for an additional fee.

Connie was in charge of collecting money, while the woman and Ning He handled the salads. The meat sauce noodles were left to Ah Huai and the bun shop owner.

The others voluntarily acted as servers, helping to bring water and deliver food.

After they made seven or eight salads in a row with the mayonnaise-based dressing, someone finally showed interest in the roasted pepper sauce.

Ning He quickly launched into her sales pitch.

"This sauce is for people who love spicy food. You take a lettuce leaf, wrap up a small piece of bread, a few slivers of celery, and a pinch of shredded chicken, then spread on this sauce. Roll it up, take a bite... I guarantee you won’t be able to stop!"

The customer who asked happened to love spicy food. After hearing her description, he pictured it in his mind, and his mouth immediately began to water.

"Alright, I’ll have one of those!"

"You got it!"

Soon, the salad was ready. The customer took it, found a spot to squeeze into, and sat down. Following Ning He’s instructions, he took a lettuce leaf and laid a small piece of crispy, toasted bread on top. He added a pinch of crisp celery slivers, and finally, a small piece of chicken, before slathering on a thick layer of the roasted pepper sauce.

He rolled it up and took a bite.

His teeth sliced through the varied textures, and the complexity of the mouthfeel brought the first wave of pleasure.

Then, his tongue met the sauce.

A sharp intake of breath—

It was so spicy!

After that first, intense shock of spice, more flavors began to bloom across his taste buds.

The roasted peppers carried a unique charcoal aroma. A slight hint of char, far from being unpleasant, mingled with the fresh fragrance of the peppers to create a distinctive flavor.

Roasting had made the flesh of the peppers tender yet resilient, and it was saturated with the powerful aroma of scallion, ginger, and garlic. Every chew was an intense explosion of flavor.

’What a fierce, wild flavor!’

This rich sauce acted as a catalyst, transforming the previously plain vegetables, bread, and chicken, and bringing out a unique flavor in each.

That single bite contained a multitude of textures—refreshing, flaky, crunchy, soft, chewy, and moist—and a complex harmony of flavors—spicy, salty, savory, sweet, and aromatic.

’I definitely didn’t make a mistake coming here. This is amazing!’

"Anyone who likes spicy food, you have to try the green sauce! It’s incredible!"

He shouted, looking up for a moment, before lowering his head to continue savoring the onslaught of flavor.

Influenced by his shout, many more people decided to try the roasted pepper sauce.

Business at the noodle stall was booming. With so many customers, there weren’t enough tables and chairs. Some people, after getting their food, took it directly over to the seating area of the Three Rings Restaurant.

Although the chefs of the rival restaurant were furious, they didn’t dare try to kick anyone out.

Many of these people were their own regulars—well-off individuals who did well for themselves in the Third Ring and couldn’t be easily offended.

So, they could only watch helplessly as the stall across the way raked in profits, and they even had to "contribute" their own tables and chairs.

’This is... so infuriating!’

"This hot sauce is something else. I was sweating so much from the run over here that I lost my appetite completely. But one bite of this sauce, and I felt hungry again. Now I’ve eaten the whole bowl, and I still feel like I’m only a third full. It’s an incredible appetizer!"

A table of customers sitting near the entrance of the Golden Pomelo Restaurant began discussing the food after finishing their meal.

"Yeah, and did you guys notice? This hot sauce is especially fragrant with meat. I just did a little experiment and tried the sauce with each ingredient by itself. The chicken dipped in this sauce is to die for. It’s just a shame there’s so little of it; it’s not enough to satisfy the craving."

"Totally. The salad is amazing, but there’s not enough meat. You can’t get full on it. It would be perfect if there were more meat options."

"Hey, but there is more right here, isn’t there? Chicken, pork, fish... and it’s on special!"

Everyone turned in unison to look at the banner hanging at the restaurant’s entrance.

Soon, the Three Rings Restaurant received its first big order of the day.

Ning He was too busy to notice this small development.

After the first wave of customers, several smaller groups had trickled in. By the time the rush of orders was over, more than half of the once-abundant salad ingredients were gone, and several of the containers were empty.

The same was true for the meat sauce noodles; less than half of the sauce remained, and the noodles were running low.

’Faster than I expected.’

"Hello, do you still have any salad left?" another young man asked as he approached the stall.

"We do, but we’re out of some of the toppings. Take a look and see if there’s still anything you like," Ning He said apologetically.

"That’s fine, these will do. But can I buy an extra serving of the sauce?" the young man asked, pointing to the roasted pepper sauce.

Ning He blinked, then quickly replied, "Of course."

She quickly packed it up and handed it over. Ning He then watched as the young man cheerfully carried the container over to the Golden Pomelo Restaurant, bought what looked like a fish dish, sat down in a nearby chair, and began to happily dig in.

’What’s this move?’

Ning He’s eyes widened. When she looked closer, she realized it wasn’t just him. In front of many of her customers, next to their containers from her stall, was tableware from other restaurants, laden with all sorts of meat dishes.

They would lay a lettuce leaf flat in their hand, add a few vegetables, place a large piece of meat on top, spread on some roasted pepper sauce, wrap it all up, and take a huge bite.

’You didn’t need to guess to know that it had to be absolutely delicious!’

’What genius came up with this method?’

’Their foodie IQ is pretty high!’

’But doesn’t this just benefit the other restaurants?’

’A plate of meat like that must cost a hundred coins, right? That’s way more than what I’m charging!’

Ning He’s gaze fell on the chef from the Golden Pomelo Restaurant, who was standing in the crowd, and she felt a prickle of annoyance.

’Tsk, that smug grin is so annoying.’

The chef turned his head, and his gaze met Ning He’s. His expression froze for a second before he quickly averted his eyes, feigning indifference.

Ning He huffed. Just as she was about to go and complain to Connie, a familiar face appeared in front of her.

’Isn’t that the lean, dark-skinned soldier who came to eat yesterday?’