Chapter 736: Chapter 735: Grand Gathering

Shinjuku District.

This bustling commercial district, the most famous in all of Tokyo and even in Neon, is located slightly west of the city center.

Buildings, train stations, and commercial areas usually depict people’s impression of Shinjuku.

Of course, Shinjuku also has a super red-light district, Kabukicho, which is famous both domestically and internationally and highly desired by new and experienced drivers.

Xia Yu took a ride from Taidong District to Shinjuku, missing the chance to pass by Kabukicho and take a few extra looks at the charm of the hosts and hostesses, feeling slightly disappointed inside.

“We’re almost there—”

The female driver, Yuchuan Ayaka, said.

Ahead in the evening darkness, the cluster of buildings suddenly lacked a corner, leaving only the right-hand side, with the left transformed into flat land. However, as the car truly approached, the view captured faint shadows of trees in a large park. Xia Yu suddenly slapped his forehead, realizing, “Damn, Reiko’s ‘Zen Residence’ is near the Shinjuku Imperial Garden!”

Shinjuku Imperial Garden, the largest open park in Tokyo, originally a courtyard of the Neiteng family during the Edo Period, is today directly managed by the Neon Government as a national park.

Many might be unfamiliar with Shinjuku Imperial Garden, but having seen “The Garden of Words,” they would feel intensely déjà vu upon visiting. The animation contains many scenes and impressions drawn from here. If it were daytime, Xia Yu also planned to tour around, indulging in the humid breath of the dense gardens.

The car was getting closer to Shinjuku Imperial Garden.

“Wait!”

Seeing that the car seemed ready to drive straight through a forest to enter the park, Xia Yu quickly told Yuchuan Ayaka, who was driving, “The park is closed at night, right? They close around 5 p.m.!”

“Isn’t it Neiteng Town?”

The Tokyo local female driver, Yuchuan Ayaka, remained calm, “We’re almost there!”

Finally, the car turned into a street next to Shinjuku Imperial Garden, only separated by a low wall from this national park.

This was Neiteng Town, a mixture of residential buildings and restaurants.

The residences were small villas, and those restaurants, with their exquisite decorations, obviously indicated high expenses.

Stepping out of the car onto the soft ground, Xia Yu looked down and realized he was standing on grass.

“Zen Residence? It’s right ahead!”

Yuchuan Ayaka locked the car and pointed a few meters ahead.

A Japanese-style house emerged deep in the woods, its lights dim and the quiet nighttime beauty enhanced by the air filled with the fragrance of grass and trees, immediately giving Xia Yu the illusion of traveling through time back to the Edo period.

Numerous cars were parked around, and as they walked closer, Xia Yu stopped to look around in awe, exclaiming, “This location… it has become part of Shinjuku Imperial Garden!”

Xia Yu had no doubt that if he switched to a map’s overhead view, the female protagonist’s ‘Zen Residence’ would definitely be embedded inside the park!

Just then, a gust of wind brought a strong moist scent.

“Is there a lake there?” Xia Yu slightly raised his face, catching the unusually high humidity in that direction through his heightened senses, and was immediately surprised.

“Have you really never been here?”

“Right ahead is Yuzao Pond!”

The Yuchuan Sisters were both astonished and stared at him.

*Cough cough!*

Xia Yu felt a bit embarrassed.

Reiko Lina had taken such good care of him over time, yet this was his first time visiting the female protagonist’s Zen Residence.

…

Xia Yu and his party hurried to Shinjuku, actually encountering evening rush hour traffic on the road and barely arriving at their destination around eight in the evening.

At this moment.

Zen Residence, main hall.

The spacious hall housed the original open kitchen in the center.

Wooden counters surrounded the kitchen, where guests and chefs were separated by no glass, and every minor behavior of the chefs was visible to the guests.

However, there were no chairs in the room, only sitting cushions and low tables, even the chefs were in a kneeling position.

A few young women dressed in kimonos intermingled among the seats, serving hot tea and fruits to the guests.

In the kitchen, amidst curling white steam, Reiko Lina had her black hair neatly pulled back, revealing her slender, fair neck. She switched from a female investigator’s black leather jacket style to a traditional Japanese woman’s image like Dahe Fuzi, quietly kneeling there, her eyes lowered, waiting for the ceremony to begin.

Shinohara Shigetaro and Aoki Motota were present.

Even Tiqie Xianzuowen leading the Far Moon Lineage, Dojima Yin, Saito Chiyokuro, and Eriina Alice were there, along with an unidentified old woman from the Lin Chef generation.

All the house chiefs of the “Four Noble Families” had arrived.

Yuchuan Xin bowed his head, quietly being scolded by an old woman. This old woman was the Master of Yuchuan.

Not only the Food Demon King and the Master of Yuchuan, but the giants from Shi Lin Temple and Chiyoda Shrine were also present. The four of them sat together, occupying the chief seats. These four giants were probably the chief examiners for tonight’s promotion ceremony.

Lei Zhe, Catherine, and Andrea were also guests invited to observe the event.

In fact, compared to other ceremonies, this one was relatively low-key, inviting only influential figures from inside and outside the Tokyo Circle, yet the number of people was still quite large; twenty to thirty people were in the room, each one of them renowned.

Lei Zhe sat close to the bar, his expression solemn.

As the representative of the “Gourmet Club,” appointed by the leader of the Gourmet Club as the East Asian Affairs Commissioner, the emergence of a new Lin Chef on this territory was definitely not good news for Lei Zhe!

Moreover, there was also something that made him start to feel apprehensive…

“This invitation to observe the event, there must be some deeper meaning, right?” Andrea chuckled slyly at his side, fanning the flames, “I feel like it’s a demonstration!”

“Representatives of the Japanese Food Industry are probably warning us, right?”

Other Lin Chefs might be one thing, but Lei Zhe glanced at the four giants sitting in the chief seats, feeling a heavy and oppressive weight in his heart!

Together, these four old fellows would even trouble the leader of the Gourmet Club.

Lei Zhe took a deep breath, glanced at his watch, and spoke in a deep voice, “It’s about time, shall we begin?”

The whispers in the room suddenly ceased.

“It’s eight o’clock!”

“Yes, let’s start!”

Liangzi Lina, however, spoke unhurriedly, “There’s still a distinguished guest who has not arrived yet, someone I regard as very important.”

“Hmm?”

Everyone followed her gaze and indeed saw empty seats next to the four giants. They became curious, “Who could it be? Positioned next to the chief seats, it must be a guest of very high status?”

A burst of laughter came from outside the door.

“Liangzi, I’m here, let’s start now!”

The voice arrived first, and two seconds later, Xia Yu led the Yuchuan Sisters into the room.

With so many people in the room, Xia Yu was actually quite surprised, especially when he swept his gaze across a bunch of familiar faces, not to mention, although some others were new to him, they were renowned chefs whose names he could call out, among them many top-specialty chefs, and not without a Lin Giant.

An observance gathering that could be called a convergence of most of the giants of the Japanese Food Industry!

“Xia Yu?”

“So it’s him!”

“The winner of the Sapporo event! I must personally try some of his classic dishes if I have the chance!”

The whispering voices, most of them benevolent.

Xia Yu took his seat, with the Yuchuan Sisters beside him, when suddenly, an uncomfortable gaze swept over him. Xia Yu met Lei Zhe’s disturbing eyes and thought to himself, “Goodness, this guy looks like he wants to devour someone!”

Lei Zhe being there was unexpected for Xia Yu.

After all, this was also their second face-to-face meeting since the opening of Far Moon Chinese Building a few days earlier.

Xia Yu had a feeling that tonight, something interesting was bound to happen.

Look at this gathering of Japanese industry giants.

He vaguely discerned Lei Zhe’s slight intention, which was nothing more than wanting to eat up, seize control.

How are you going to “eat” me, then?

From afar, he sent a playful signal with his eyes to Lei Zhe, their gazes clashing so intensely that they almost produced exaggerated spark effects.

Times have changed from the past.

Had it been ten days earlier, Xia Yu would have definitely desired a stable and sneakily developing strategy, but with “Heart of Cooking” nearing the gold frame promotion, he seemed almost unable to suppress the urge to explode from within.

Perhaps, he could try “taking down” this annoying, unprincipled fellow?