Chapter 28 ： Cooking Duel

Perry pulled five gold coins with the number "10" printed on them from his pocket and handed them to the girl in front of him. Robito's eyes lit up instantly, clearly captivated by the coins. She quickly grabbed them with a satisfied smile.

At that moment, Perry noticed the pedestrians on the street starting to stir, as if a sudden wave of excitement had swept over them. People were hurrying in one direction, their expressions unusually eager.

"What's going on?" Perry asked Robito curiously.

Robito, while quickly counting the coins, replied, "Oh, you don't know? There's a cooking competition here today. I heard that Chef Hinnal is coming to compete. Everyone's rushing to see the show!"

"Chef Hinnal?" Perry frowned and asked, "Who's that? Is he famous?"

Robito paused from counting her money and looked at Perry in disbelief, as if he had just emerged from some remote cave. "Are you serious? You don't know who Chef Hinnal is?! He's one of the top 20 chefs in the world!"

Perry, having no idea, responded calmly, "So, he's really good?"

Robito exaggeratedly rolled her eyes and then began to ramble on about the chef's story. "Of course! Hinnal is our town's pride! At first, no one believed in him, and he was even ridiculed. But last year, after he successfully rose to the world's top 20, everyone started looking at him differently. His cooking doesn't just satisfy your taste buds—it can even level you up!"

As she spoke, Robito walked over to a bulletin board, casually tearing down a poster and handing it to Perry. He glanced at the poster, which depicted two figures. On the left was a young man with short gray hair and pale blue eyes, looking silent and focused, with a cold, intense gaze. On the right was a middle-aged man with a thick, bushy beard, orange-red hair, and a beer in hand, giving him a somewhat unruly appearance.

The bold headline on the poster read: **"Cooking Duel: Goblin vs. Hinnal"**.

"Who's Goblin?" Perry asked out of curiosity.

Robito raised an eyebrow and sneered, "Goblin used to be ranked among the top seven chefs in the world, and he's also Hinnal's former mentor. But back then, he thought Hinnal had no talent and kicked him out of the kitchen. This competition is obviously Hinnal's chance for revenge."

With that, Robito shoved a map into Perry's hand. "The competition is happening in the town square. If you hurry, you might get a good spot."

Perry weighed his options. He was a bit curious about this legendary cooking duel. He then asked his system, "What time is it now? Do I still have time to watch the competition? When is my mentor coming back?"

The system immediately responded in his ear: [It's 7:15 p.m., and your mentor won't return until tomorrow morning. You have plenty of time to catch the competition and maybe even learn something.]

Hearing this, Perry nodded. He checked the start time of the competition—8:00 p.m. There was still plenty of time. He decided to find the teleportation spot first, then head to the competition.

"Take me to the teleportation spot first," he said to Robito.

Robito shrugged and led him through a few narrow alleys until they arrived at a rather ordinary-looking house. She pushed open the door, revealing a booth-like device inside.

"Look, this is the teleportation device!" Robito said with a cheeky grin. "You just need to input the destination code, and you'll be instantly teleported to where you want to go."

Seeing the booth-like device, Perry felt tricked. He realized with frustration that the teleportation device had been within his sight all along.

"Well, my job here is done!" Robito quickly turned to leave. Before she left, she waved back at him with a mocking smile. "Thanks for the coins, sucker!"

Perry stomped his foot in anger. "That little scammer! She tricked me out of my coins!"

Though frustrated, Perry suppressed his anger and decided to figure out how to use the teleportation device. He picked up a nearby book listing the codes for various locations and carefully searched for the teleportation point closest to the academy.

"Code 1020," Perry muttered to himself, confirming the number.

Since he still had time, Perry decided not to rush back. Looking at the growing crowd in the distance, he decided to check out the cooking competition that had the entire town buzzing. Maybe it would help him shake off his frustration over the lost coins.

He exhaled softly and started walking toward the competition venue.

As Perry made his way to the square, he noticed that the number of pedestrians was steadily increasing, with nearly everyone heading in the same direction. Excitement was written across their faces, as if they were about to witness a grand festival.

Some people were flushed with excitement, talking in hushed, rapid tones, as if predicting the fierce showdown to come. Others simply started running, eager not to miss a single thrilling moment. Perry even saw a few journalists with cameras weaving through the crowd, clearly rushing to secure the best spot to capture every detail of the event.

"It seems like this competition is a big deal," Perry thought, growing more curious about the duel between Hinnal and Gorbin.

But even more interesting were the people carrying bowls and spoons. Some had spoons dangling from their mouths, their eyes gleaming with anticipation. Perry saw a middle-aged man running with a large bowl in hand, saying to the person next to him, "I hope I get a chance to taste Hinnal's cooking. I've heard that his dishes can instantly level you up!"

"Yeah, food that can raise your level with just one bite—I've been dreaming of tasting it!" the person next to him replied, gripping a delicate silver spoon tightly, as if afraid of missing out on the opportunity.

Perry couldn't help but chuckle, amazed at how influential the competition was. Not only had it attracted avid competition fans, but even food enthusiasts hoping for a taste of these legendary dishes. He slowed his pace, blending into the crowd and observing the people around him. Aside from the camera-toting reporters and the "foodies" with bowls, there were also some well-dressed individuals who looked like businessmen. They carried notebooks, seemingly making business notes.

"Are these people here for deals?" Perry wondered. It seemed that this competition wasn't just a culinary duel—it might also involve business or resource negotiations.

Soon enough, the square came into view, and Perry saw that it was already packed with people. Huge banners were erected around the square, each bearing clear images of Hinnal and Gorbin. The air was filled with a variety of aromas, as several food stalls had set up shop around the square, adding to the lively atmosphere. Perry quickened his steps.

"It looks like this competition is more than just a culinary duel; it's an event for the entire town," Perry muttered to himself, his anticipation growing. He squeezed into the crowd, ready to find a good spot and witness the extraordinary cooking showdown firsthand.