Apocalypse Forecast

He consumed the chicken leg in just a few bites. Then, he reached for the chicken wing. He threw it into his mouth and couldn’t stop, eating as if a storm was sweeping away the remnants. He carefully savored the stimulating, rich flavors bursting on his tongue, as if swallowing bombs, ingesting the essence of Disaster with each bite.

The first thing he felt was hunger, then pain, followed swiftly by despair. And then, that insatiable greed… Yes, greed! Greed was the very essence of this dish!

In that instant, before Johnny Ju Zhijian, the old man’s movements stiffened momentarily. His fierce face froze in place, then suddenly cracked open. From the rift emerged endlessly rising flames and thick, black smoke. Inside the hollow shell, there was the sound of an industrial plant roaring into action…

Upon that fragmented face, Guo ShouQue revealed an appreciative smile. ”Johnny Ju Zhijian! I have to admit, I underestimated you!”

He lifted his head and praised generously, ”Truly terrifying. Your creation, I have deeply experienced… It seems born of industry, yet it embodies a resolve to eat even petroleum, the Blood of the Earth, just to sate hunger—a determination that elevates a person to the level of indestructible steel! You must have even more terrifying dishes that you haven’t presented yet, right?”

Thus, bite after bite, he devoured the massive portion of chicken meal, letting the cracks on his face spread, revealing the city Phantom hidden in the haze and smoke. To survive, he would destroy the world; to keep living, he would self-destruct. Such mad resolve and willpower deserved applause and admiration!

”I can assert this, Johnny.” He lifted a finger and solemnly declared, ”If it were not for me, there would be no other candidate for the champion of this competition besides you. It’s just a pity—today, you have met me.”

With that, the hamburger burning with intense flames in his mouth was completely swallowed. In one gulp, the Prototype of Disaster, infused with a myriad of industrial waste, was taken into his own body. Immediately, the smoke, flames, and the massive industrial Phantom that had burst through his facial rifts vanished without a trace.

In their place was simply emptiness. Beneath the flesh, the hollow shell contained nothing—or perhaps, a strange light. It was as if one could see the outlines of the earth, nature, mountains, and all things, with dim stars moving in a fierce Sea, yet the details were indistinct. One could only instinctively understand one thing: industrial cuisine—no, industry itself—had been devoured before his very eyes!

The rifts in his face receded, and Guo ShouQue bared his teeth, laughing cruelly, ”A descendant of Yi Ya, an ominous creature who would even eat his own child for the sake of flavor. Mere steel is beneath consideration!”

Johnny Ju Zhijian stood rigidly, as if frozen. He struggled to suppress the unease in his heart, that glimpse of dark ferocity through the rifts… the terrifying true nature of the old fiend before him.

Meanwhile, Guo ShouQue continued to smile, looking around. ”Now, it should be my turn, right?” he asked, then looked down at the large pot of oil on the cooking bench. Ignoring the boiling temperature, he dipped a finger in, tasted it, and said with a TSK, ”Clear and sweet, truly excellent oil… Do you mind if I use it?”

In silence, Johnny’s expression was grim as he slowly nodded. He was curious to see what the old fiend planned to do with his pot of oil.

Guo ShouQue’s body gradually became hunched again, returning to his once crooked and shriveled appearance. His muscles slackened, and his visage turned from fierce to Ugly, repulsive to behold.

He circled the pot of oil several times, then nodded thoughtfully. ”It’s a rare opportunity,” he said. ”So, let’s showcase a famous Dongxia dish here—Boiled Cabbage in Supreme Broth.”

The entire contest area fell eerily silent.

Boiled Cabbage in Supreme Broth. Again, Boiled Cabbage in Supreme Broth? Do you fucking know how to make anything else? This is a damn pot of oil, what Boiled Cabbage in Supreme Broth are you going to cook! And speaking of Boiled Cabbage, where’s your cabbage! Did you forget it again!

Unable to tolerate the humiliation, Johnny slammed his fist on the chopping board and scolded, ”Old fool, can’t you stop embarrassing yourself with such outdated stuff?”

Guo ShouQue frowned and fell silent. After a long while, he shook his head in resignation. ”Outdated? That’s a bit too harsh.”

Sighing, he bent over, opened his toolbox, took out the condiments one by one, and placed them on the table within easy reach. ”Even an old grandpa like me is still learning today!”

He looked up and calmly told the young man before him, ”Reading books, perusing newspapers, using the internet, participating in competitions, shamelessly integrating into crowds to lavishly praise the young, to learn from them, to extort… For victory, I’m willing to do anything. For the ultimate pursuit of satisfying tastes, I wouldn’t mind descending into Hell!”

He entered the kitchen at the age of three. He became a Chef Demon at twelve, a master at sixteen, and by twenty, he had outshone his teacher. At twenty-five, he began traveling the world. At forty-one, he turned his gaze to the Border. At sixty-two, he chose to enter Hell. In pursuit of the most extreme culinary pleasures, he stepped into the Paradise of Bliss and even achieved the great feat of meeting the Ranch Owner and returning.