After thwarting the other three players' high-scoring hands four times in a row with a "Tanyao" (all simples) win, Sōma Yukihira and the others finally got serious.
"Six of characters!"
"Pong!"
"Seven of bamboos~"
"Kong!"
"Kong draw! Tanyao, self-draw with concealed hand, one sequence, after a kong, red dragon, east triplet, prevailing wind! Double mangan! 16,000 points, pay up, pay up!"
Looking at Bai Mo's high-scoring hand, Isshiki Satoshi and the others couldn't hold back their expressions any longer!
Up until now, Bai Mo hadn't lost a single round. Every time, he either intercepted their high-scoring hands with a Tanyao or dealt them a devastating blow with his own high-scoring hand.
The other three players had almost no betting slips left in front of them, while Bai Mo's side was piled high with them.
Bai Mo was thoroughly enjoying himself. Was this the effect of the Gourmet Golden Rule?
Back in the day, Chen Daozi turned 20 bucks into 37 million. With the Gourmet Golden Rule, he could probably turn 5 bucks into 50 million!
"No more, no more!" Yukihira Sōma pushed his tiles away decisively. "Let's switch to poker!"
"No problem!"
Bai Mo readily agreed to Yukihira Sōma's request.
After that, the group tried cards, board games, dice, and even the "Pop-Up Pirate" game Marui Zenji brought out. Bai Mo always came out on top!
Seeing this, everyone in Polar Star Dormitory was truly convinced and vowed never to play luck-based games with Bai Mo again.
However, Bai Mo was still itching for more. After all, this was his first time experiencing the thrill of crushing others purely with luck.
If he'd had this kind of luck in his past life, he could've made a fortune just by drawing gacha for people!
"Come on, don't be like that. Judging by the smell, Yoshino Yūki's dish should be almost ready. Let's play one more round!"
"Let's guess who will come out of the kitchen next. Each of you can only say one name. If anyone guesses right, I'll give out ten Spice Fruits as a reward!"
"Really?" Yukihira Sōma's eyes lit up instantly. After exchanging glances with Isshiki Satoshi and Ibusaki Shun, he immediately said, "Then I guess Yūki. She's the most lively!"
"I'll go with Megumi. She'd probably be the one to call us in for dinner~"
Lastly, Ibusaki Shun said, "Then I pick Ryōko."
"Great, all three options are taken!" Yukihira Sōma crossed his arms and laughed triumphantly at Bai Mo. "So, what's your pick?"
"Then I'll go with 'none of the above'!"
The moment Bai Mo finished speaking, the kitchen door swung open, and Daitō Fumio, wearing an apron, stepped out. "Hey, boys! Yūki's roasted chicken is ready. Come in and try it!"
"Wha—?! Why?! Why?! Why is it you, Granny Fumio?!"
Yukihira Sōma fell to his knees in despair!
They had already covered all three possible answers—how could a fourth option suddenly appear?!
Granny Fumio, when did you even enter the kitchen?!
Bai Mo chuckled at the devastated Yukihira Sōma but said nothing, simply walking into the kitchen.
However, the cooking wasn't done in the kitchen itself but outdoors, through another door.
Yoshino Yūki hadn't opted for a simple microwave or oven roast but had chosen the more flavorful method of wood-fired roasting.
When she lifted the lid of the roasting oven, a rich aroma instantly filled the air.
"Perfect, smells great!" Yoshino Yūki poked the thickest part of the chicken leg with a knife. Seeing clear juices flow out, she knew the roast was perfectly done.
She then placed the roasted chicken on a prepared serving platter, garnishing it with apples and oranges.
"All done! Hehe~"
"The Yoshino Special—Spice Fruit Wood-Roasted Polar Star Chicken. Dig in!"
After Yoshino Yūki announced, no one moved until Bai Mo cut off a wing and took a bite. Only then did the others extend their greedy hands.
As the wood-roasted chicken entered his mouth, Bai Mo's eyes lit up.
"Although the chicken wasn't marinated long enough, the flavors haven't fully penetrated, the meat is tender and fragrant, with a golden, crispy exterior—truly enticing!"
"Moreover, the aroma of the lychee wood used for roasting blends perfectly with the Spice Fruit. Combined with seasonings like honey, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, and five-spice powder, the chicken is firm yet not dry, juicy and delicate. Each bite carries the fragrance of the wood and the spice, with distinct layers and an endless aftertaste!"
"Hehehe~" Yoshino Yūki, holding another chicken wing, replied with a smile, "Actually, Ibusaki and the others helped too!"
"Hmm~ You even added Spice Fruit shells to the wood charcoal, which harmonized the aroma further. This definitely resembles the smoking method I used before!"
"Thanks to you, wood-roasted Polar Star Chicken is even more delicious!"
After saying this, Yoshino Yūki picked up a bowl of sauce from the table. "Try this—it's a special orange honey mustard sauce. Have it with the roast chicken~"
"Excellent! This sauce combines the sweet-and-sour orange juice, rich honey, and the slight kick of mustard, perfectly complementing the Spice Fruit flavor and the wood-fired aroma of the chicken. It elevates the entire dish to new heights!"
After finishing his portion, Bai Mo didn't join the others in their scramble for more.
"Very impressive, truly impressive!" Bai Mo said excitedly to Yoshino Yūki. "Actually, before coming here, I tasted Nakiri Erina's Spice Fruit dish."
"If I were to score her Spice Fruit Pumpkin Soup, it'd be around 49 points."
"But your Spice Fruit Wood-Roasted Polar Star Chicken? I'd give it a 78!"
"Eh, really?" Yoshino Yūki asked in disbelief. "My dish… surpassed that Nakiri大小姐, the Divine Tongue?!"
"Ah~ I suppose so. After all, you both had the same amount of time to research, but she had access to many times more ingredients than you. In that sense, you've indeed outperformed her in Spice Fruit cuisine!"
"Amazing! Megumi, Ryōko! It was worth slaughtering three of my precious, not-yet-fully-raised Polar Star Chickens!"
----------
T/N:
Access 30 chapters in advance on my Patreon:patreon.com/multiversalfeast [Images Included]
You'll also get 5 extra chapters just for being a free member!