Gourmet Food Supplier

Chapter 21: Releasing a new product

Just like the time Yuan Zhou inquired about the fried egg rice, the system displayed a few lines of words and introduced things in a very pretentious manner.
　　
The main ingredient in the pickled radish was a species of a first generation “beautiful spirit” radish.
The very first location it had been planted was at the great desolate black lands up north.
Although later it was left to the system to recollect it since the fertility of the black lands plummeted.
After being planted in the lands that the system provided, the radish automatically evolved, turning into a perfect “beautiful spirit’ radish.

“This radish has a lifespan of two years.
It would naturally grow under an environment that has ample sunlight and a suitable temperature.
It doesn’t require any addition of chemical substances.
The radishes that have sprouted will have dark green leaves and jade colored stems.
When pulling it out, the radish will be clean, complete and free of soil sediments.
If a little trauma is detected, it will be identified and not used.”

“As for the salt in the marination, salt from deep sea water is chosen and the salt naturally extracted.
After crystallization, then the marination of the radishes can be conducted.
The depth of water extraction is located at twenty thousand meters, a depth that humankind is far from exploring.
Free of contamination, that particular region is clean and natural .”

“Marination takes 24 hours.
During that period, it’s left to ferment in an anaerobic environment where the temperature is kept constant at 26~36℃, suitable for lactic acid bacteria to ferment, and the salt concentration is kept below at 6%~10%.”

Elegant words like lactic acid bacteria and salt concentration showed that this radish wasn’t simple.
As for this sophisticated manufacturing process, Yuan Zhou felt fortunate that such matters did not concern him.

Even if he wanted to, he was also helpless.
Leaving everything aside, he simply didn’t possess a complete second generation “beautiful spirit” radish seed.
Moreover, even without mentioning the great desolate black lands up north, just the seawater needed for the sea salt would be unachievable for anybody.

The current deep diving record for an unmanned submarine was set by the Japanese probing vessel “Kaiko” in the Marianas Trench of the Pacific Ocean on the 24th of March, 1995 with a submergence depth of 11028 meters.
This was already the deepest dive that was accomplishable by human machine and was completely unachievable by combat-use military submarines.

Amongst the diving records of manned submarines was the explorer Jacques Piccard from Switzerland, who had set it on the 1st of January, 1960.
Again, the location was in the Mariana Trench.

At that time, Jacques and an American naval officer, Don Walsh, was riding in a submarine called the “Trieste” and reached a spot that was 10916 meters below the ocean.
This was the first time since the beginning of history that mankind had managed to reach that deep into the sea.
Ever since then, there was no other person that could beat the world record he had set.

Yuan Zhou was just an ordinary commoner; these submarines were something he did not possess.
Moreover, the deepest he could dive with his bare limbs was only 105 meters.
Of course, in theory, one could reach a diving depth of 1000~2000 meters, but the time taken to decompress could also be as long as 1-2 months.
This was something that Yuan Zhou didn’t believe he would be able to achieve.
　　
Besides, this was just to retrieve naturally unpolluted seawater.
Extracting the sea salt from it and using it to marinate radishes was truly an insane practice.
But Yuan Zhou was fond of it, as that sort of cocky method was unable to be reproduced.

If the method hadn’t been perfected continuously, how could the radishes be as delicious as it was now?
　　
As for the ingredient for the seaweed soup, it wasn’t the least bit inferior to the radishes.

The system: “The origin of seaweed in China can be found in the homeland of the Eastern Min people in Fujian province, Xiapu county.
It was one of the most ancient counties in Fujian province, and was also one of the earliest regions to cultivate kelp and seaweed.
There were already records of Eastern Min people cultivating seaweed as early as the Yuan dynasty.

“However, severe pollution during modern times had then caused Xiapu seaweed to lose its previous flavor.
The system has established its own ocean and placed it in its natural surroundings and climate conditions.
The coastline is endless; there are numerous independent and natural harbors and has a subtropical humid monsoon climate.
Possessing unique water temperature and conditions, it’s conducive for the growth of seaweed.
Seaweed that has been grown in this manner are exceptionally fresh and tasty, with soft and delicate textures.”

“The spring water is taken from Mainri Snow Mountain, at a time when humans didn’t exist.
The main peak, Kawagarbo, had a height of 6740 meters above sea level and is enveloped in clouds and mist throughout the year.
It had an overly long distance between climbs, a steep gradient with complicated geology, broken glaciers, an area with snow storms and rows upon rows of ice cracks.
The Mainri Snow Mountain also has a very unique climate, and the snow is highly treacherous.
Due to this, no one has ever climbed it before.”
　
“The system chipped a fountain mouth on the hilltop, directly obtains water from there and uses it immediately on the same day.”

“That’s possible? How amazing.”

After Yuan Zhou had finished reading, the evaluation was the only thing that was present in his mind at the moment.
However, there was a very important thing which he especially needed to do right then.

“System, please give me another portion of seaweed soup and pickled radishes.
I am okay with eating it without the rice.”

The system: “Appetizer and soup cannot be replenished.”

“…”

“So you’re just going to keep me hanging, how can such a little portion be enough for me?” Yuan Zhou had finally realized the pain of the people that could only eat a bowl of egg fried rice.
Even though he could pay another 288 RMB and get another serving, he was very much unwilling to do so.

Time began to flash by, and it was already half past eleven.
Inspecting the small restaurant once again in detail, he found that the price list had automatically listed the price of the egg fried rice combo.
There were virtually no other tasks that required his preparation.
Therefore, after inspecting himself once to see if there was any problem with his image, Yuan Zhou opened the door.

No more than five minutes after opening the door, a customer entered.
This time, it wasn’t a familiar customer but rather, a new one.

The guest was a woman, roughly thirty years of age.
She was dressed up in an intellectual outfit, with her purplish blue work suit, a small leather bag on hand, and the rimless glasses she wore along with her coiled up hair.
The expression within her eyes seemed to be relatively sharp, accompanied by a light round of makeup, and pink lips

“Clack, clack, clack.”
　
Wearing a pair of high heeled shoes, she entered and subtly sized up the circumstances of the shop.
It seemed that she was picky about the hygiene in her surroundings.
Only after nodding her head inwardly in a rather satisfied manner, did she then sit down on the chair opposite Yuan Zhou.

Looking at the table, she realized it had kept its original wood appearance, not sprayed with lacquer or paint, and the surface was also clean and without grease stains.
She nodded her head in satisfaction, then placed the small leather bag on it.

The girl was called Gao Ying, thirty one years old this year and a part of the human resource department in a large scale company.
As she had always had a mild case of mysophobia, she hardly dined outside unless it was necessary.
Today was simply a coincidence, her car had broken down and she couldn’t head back to have her meal.
As for taking public transport? Thinking of sitting in a vehicle that countless people had sat on before, even more if it was an enclosed space, Gao Ying would rather find a small restaurant and wantonly eat a bit.

There were indeed a lot of eateries below the company, but there were numerous people, and all the signboards were filthy.
Naturally, Gao Ying wouldn’t head in.
After endless deliberation, she decided that it was still Yuan Zhou’s signboard-less shop that seemed the cleanest.

Gao Ying wasn’t aware that that was natural.
Yuan Zhou’s little restaurant was being shrouded by the system; as long as there was a strand of dust or a stain in the place, it would directly be removed by the system.
One can say that the level of cleanliness in the shop was like a disinfection chamber.
There was definitely no harmful bacteria around, but only the beneficial ones would still be present.

“Boss, do you have some food that’s simple to eat here?” Gao Ying believed that simpler food would require little direct contact with her hands, that way, it would be cleaner.

“The menu is at the back of the wall, take a look yourself.” Yuan Zhou had been looking at Gao Ying ever since she had entered.
She had been snobbishly sizing up the shop for a long time before coming in and sitting down.
Guessing that she wouldn’t think of eating after looking at the prices, he pointed at the wall in a leisurely manner.

Gao Ying turned her head to look at the price list and the price had made her adjust her glasses.
Thinking that the blurriness of her glasses had caused her to have mild myopia and interpret the prices wrongly, she stared at it for while, but the price remained unchanged.
She couldn’t help but turn her head and look at the owner while uncontrollably cursing him in silence.

“I didn’t think that this guy who looks like a decent human being would actually open a fraud shop.
An egg fried rice costs 188 RMB, while the combo is actually 100 RMB more and costs 288 RMB!”
　
“Boss, do you only have these two types of food? Gao Ying asked in a unhappy tone.
She had a strange expression on her face.

“Eh? I am actually not the first today.
Boss Yuan, give me a serving of the new variety.
I’ve been waiting since morning for this.” Without waiting for Yuan Zhou’s answer, the small moustache man living opposite him upstairs, Wu Hai strode into the store with large steps and said.

“An accomplice?” Gao Ying said.