Gourmet Hunter - Chapter 29 (Patreon)

Chapter 29: Appreciation

The plump anticipation greeted the bony reality.

Luo's cooking skills might not rival those of renowned chefs, but his taste buds were remarkably sharp, often earning him a place of honor among top chefs.

The smoked meat, chewed and savored, revealed nothing but a smoky taste and a faint saltiness, without any added spices—a fact Luo could easily discern.

Such preparation, he thought, was a waste of such high-quality pork, after eating a slice of the smoked meat.

Had he not seen Machi and Uvogin enjoying it so much, he would have been tempted to unleash his sharp tongue in critique.

“It’s surprising to find pork of almost premium quality in a place like Meteor Street, where one wouldn't expect it. Such high-grade pork usually doesn’t circulate in the market.”

What surprised Luo further was the quality of the pork.

If he knew that this pork was commonly available in markets outside Meteor Street and only considered average quality, he would have been at a loss for words.

This is the world of Hunters, not the Earth he came from. Not to mention the variety of rare ingredients classified by grade, even the quality of everyday foodstuffs far surpasses that of Earth.

Luo was only aware of the rare ingredients found in perilous locations, yet he overlooked that in the world of Hunters, even domestically raised animals and vegetables boast remarkable quality.

Despite this, these ingredients are still considered ordinary. Only Hunters can acquire the truly exquisite flavors, underscoring the significance of Gourmet Hunters.

However, everything has its duality. Since the ingredients themselves are so valuable, surpassing cooking skills by far, many Gourmet Hunters focus on acquiring ingredients rather than honing their culinary skills.

The root cause of this phenomenon lies in the exceptional ingredients themselves.

For example, the rhinoceros pigs from Piska Forest or the eggs of the Eagle Spider from Mafutas Canyon, which even amateur Hunters can obtain, can become a rare delicacy with the simplest preparation.

No spices are needed when roasting pork, and dropping the Eagle Spider eggs into boiling water is sufficient.

Simple methods give rise to extraordinary tastes, making ingredients the pursuit of Gourmet Hunters over time.

Now, with Luo here, combining the cooking methods of China's eight major cuisines with these ingredients could create even more sublime flavors.

A somber Luo shoved several slices of smoked meat into his mouth, followed by several mouthfuls of rice.

“This rice is alright.”

After tasting the rice, Luo paused, then stuffed a leaf of lettuce into his mouth, pausing again.

The freshness of the lettuce leaves much to be desired, but they carried a subtle sweetness without any bitterness.

Lastly, Luo peeled a baked potato and tasted it; it was a very ordinary potato, but the quality of the other ingredients was quite high.

When hungry, Luo didn't understand the meaning of waste, finishing his meal without leaving anything behind, thanks to his unpretentious taste buds.

“Were these ingredients produced in Meteor Street?” Luo asked after finishing his meal, doubting that such a harsh environment could support farming or livestock raising.

Machi found Luo's question odd but answered, “No, they are all brought in from outside.”

“Does Meteor Street have a market?” Luo continued.

“Yes,” Machi said.

Luo nodded slightly, considering opening a small restaurant here rather than scavenging in the Junkyard, with no need for risk assessment.

“I’m full now, we can go.”

Luo looked towards Chrollo, who was reading by the window, his expression calm.

With three hours left until the deadline mentioned by Chrollo, there was no rush.

Snap.

Chrollo closed his book and handed it to Pakunoda standing beside him, then stood up and said to Luo, “Follow me.”

As he spoke, he walked towards the door.

Seeing this, Luo grabbed the ominous hand and followed.

“Chrollo.”

As Chrollo opened the door, Machi suddenly called out his name.

“Be at ease.”

Chrollo didn’t look back, walking out the door.

Facing Machi, Luo gestured an 'OK' with his hand and followed Chrollo out of the room.

After they left, Pakunoda withdrew her gaze and calmly said, “If Chrollo says it’s okay, then it definitely will be.”

Machi glanced at Pakunoda and silently nodded.

“Pakunoda, have the church send over another portion of food,” Uvogin said, patting his stomach.

Pakunoda looked at Uvogin and asked, “Are you sure one portion is enough? I don’t want to make another trip.”

Uvogin chuckled, “Then make it five portions.”

“Alright,” Pakunoda said, then left the room.

...

Leaving the church, the two walked side by side in silence.

Chrollo’s silence was unusually unsettling to Luo. In about fifteen minutes, the condition for stealing Nen abilities would expire.

Despite his surprise, since Chrollo wasn't speaking, Luo chose not to initiate conversation either.

Thus, they continued in silence for about seven minutes until Chrollo finally broke it.

“When we meet the elder, I will use the ominous hand as a topic to pique his interest,” Chrollo said, his gaze fixed forward, speaking in a tone only Luo could hear. “At that time, you will explain the origins and history of the ominous hand.”

“Alright,” Luo replied, understanding the reason behind this plan—to demonstrate his value in front of the elder.

“The elder has many collectibles. If you are skilled at appreciating treasures and antiques, we should be able to breeze through this,” Chrollo added.

Luo’s eyes lit up at the mention. If there were many collectibles, perhaps there would be antiques as valuable as the ominous hand. Absorbing the Nen attached to these antiques could enhance his own abilities.

This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and he was glad he hadn’t run away. But how would he get access to these collectibles?

The key seemed to lie in the ability to appreciate them…

“It’s fortunate then, my only real skill lies in appreciation. Whether it's authenticity, provenance, or age, I understand it all,” Luo bluffed, seeking a chance to access those collectibles.

He knew nothing about appraising antiques, but he possessed the White Smoke script, which could easily reveal an item's information with a single touch.

“The words you just said, I will relay them exactly to the elder as an introduction,” Chrollo remarked, impressed by Luo's talent yet remaining impassive. “So, you’re serious?”

Luo smiled, not responding but simply shaking the ominous hand a bit.

Chrollo glanced at the ominous hand and slowly nodded.

With that, the conversation concluded. Whether Luo was a dragon or a worm would soon become apparent.

If Luo was merely boasting, then, unfortunately, he would have to die there.

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