Chapter 3

The next day, when the workers gathered, Zhang Wei clearly felt the atmosphere was even more somber.

A middle-aged man in a white suit walked over from a distance.

The usually slack supervisors now stood straight, like soldiers awaiting inspection.

The tall, middle-aged man in white faced the many workers and loudly declared, "I am the head of the Human Resources Department, Odin!"

"I have an unfortunate announcement to make here."

"The newly arrived workers encountered a Level 25 Ice Plains White Tiger on the Ice Hell Plain and have all perished."

"During the period without new workers, our workload will significantly increase."

Upon hearing this, the workers immediately became agitated.

They were already at risk of losing their lives to the cold, and now they had to work overtime?

"Silence!"

Odin's voice was not loud, but everyone present felt a tangible chill!

"To boost everyone's enthusiasm, the workers will now be divided into groups of three, with collective rewards and punishments."

"The 100 groups with the lowest daily output will receive half the food rations."

"The top 100 groups will receive extra alcohol and chili peppers."

In the glacier, alcohol and chili peppers can dispel the cold and are life-saving essentials!

The punishment was equally severe; in the glacier, going hungry could be fatal!

Under the supervision of the supervisors, the workers drew numbers from a table and formed teams.

Zhang Wei came to Table 666, where a familiar, plump figure stood.

"Zhang Wei!"

"You are... Kita Bessan."

Bessan was overjoyed. Yesterday, he and Zhang Wei worked side by side, processing ghost face mushrooms with incredible speed, so he had no worries about being punished this time.

A tall figure approached.

"Table 666, are you two on my team?"

"Exactly!"

"My name is Wang Meng! Let me make it clear, I want to drink alcohol and eat chili peppers. If you hold me back... don't blame me for my hard fists!"

Wang Meng looked arrogant, as if he had real skills.

Kita Bessan was even happier, now he had no worries about being punished!

As for getting beaten... a few punches were better than starving or freezing to death.

The supervisor, while distributing ingredients, shouted, "This is the minimum required amount. If you don't finish, you won't eat."

"Once you're done, call me to check. There will be no early dismissal."

"If you want alcohol and chili peppers, work your ass off!"

"Work well, and you might even get a woman."

...

...

Zhang Wei opened the storage box.

[Ding~ Found obtainable ingredients!]

[Stone Crab (Juvenile)]

[Capture Level: 3]

[Habitat: Shallow waters and tidal flats]

[Description: Juvenile stone crabs are not special, but they are protected by adult female crabs, which is the challenge in capturing them. The smaller the stone crab, the more fragrant it is; the meat becomes bland and tasteless when they grow up.]

[Effect: Strengthens bones and consolidates vital energy.]

Indeed, anything that could be brought to Ice Hell with such effort was not ordinary!

Zhang Wei held the finest 'clever knife' and precisely cut along the seams of the juvenile crab's shell, quickly peeling off the stone armor.

Next, he processed the crab claws and legs, which were also precious.

[Storage complete, replication time: 110 days]

[Storage complete, replication time: 93 days]

[Storage...]

Beside him, Kita Bessan was using a rubber hammer and soft nails, sweating profusely.

To avoid damaging the soft meat inside, ordinary workers had to use these tools to grind away, which was extremely slow.

Wang Meng, who had processed three crabs, smiled in satisfaction.

Looking at Kita Bessan, he sneered, "What a waste, not even one finished."

He then turned to look at Zhang Wei.

Huh?

Huh!

Wang Meng's eyes nearly popped out!

On the table, the crab shells, stone armor, and crab meat were neatly arranged.

At a glance, there were at least ten!

"This is impossible!"

"How did you do it!"

Zhang Wei's knife skills were simple yet fluid, and Wang Meng watched with wide eyes.

Another box was brought over from a distance, and Zhang Wei smiled, "What are you waiting for? If you want to drink tonight, you need to speed up!"

"Those who don't respect the master will die!"

"I was blind to your skills earlier."

"Brother, teach me a few moves, Wang Meng owes you a favor."

Zhang Wei, unexpectedly, had this side to him. Although he was arrogant, he could also admit his mistakes.

Zhang Wei remained silent, focusing on the stone crabs in his hands.

After a moment of silence, Wang Meng bowed deeply.

"Sir, your skills are divine. Teach me a few moves!"

Zhang Wei smiled lightly, "Isn't the teaching already underway?"

As he spoke, the blade in his hand danced, moving along the shell of the stone crab in a specific pattern.

It seemed to require little effort, and the stone armor fell off piece by piece.

Wang Meng's joy was evident, and he watched intently, mimicking the movements with his hands in the air.

On Zhang Wei's side, the pile of stone crab shells grew larger.

[Storage complete: replication time 13 days]

[Storage complete: replication time 11 days]

[Storage...]

...

"Table 664, 18...不合格!"

"Table 665, 20, just passing."

"Table 666... This... 78!"

The supervisor let out a cry of surprise, his eyes glowing with enthusiasm as he looked at Zhang Wei and his team.

Clearly, Zhang Wei's performance also affected the supervisor.

Wang Meng asked in a deep voice, "Is this the top score?"

The supervisor coughed, "Not necessarily. The top group has processed nearly 200! But your group's performance will definitely place you in the top fifty."

Wang Meng looked incredulous, but Zhang Wei was secretly pleased.

To avoid standing out too much, Zhang Wei did not work at full speed.

If there were so many strong performers, he could work a bit faster without drawing too much attention.

As the supervisor left, he reminded them, "Work hard. You're the best among my ten groups. I'll bring you more alcohol tonight..."

...

Zhang Wei's mind sank into the Treasure Hall.

On the display, the juvenile stone crab looked lively and vibrant.

In terms of vitality, ease of processing, meat quality, weight, and age... it was in the most perfect state!

It was almost a new species.

Only rare ingredients could be selected by the Treasure Hall, and Zhang Wei had stored over fifty of them today.

He reduced the replication time from 110 days to 24 hours.

The blade flashed, and the crab meat was extracted.

"About 200 grams, the meat yield is at its peak."

Still at the same downwind spot, the cold wind made many people avoid this area.

Zhang Wei summoned a plate of sashimi from the Treasure Hall and placed the crab meat in his mouth, using the wasabi to enhance the flavor.

"This taste!"

"Fresh!"

The tender crab leg meat burst with juice in his mouth, paired with the sashimi's wasabi, creating an explosion of flavor.

"Truly the top collection of the Treasure Hall, combining the best qualities of over fifty crabs, even the taste is three times more intense!"

The crab meat went down, and the food cells in his body clearly expressed joy.

Zhang Wei had a precise control over his body and could clearly feel the changes.

"Strengthens bones and consolidates vital energy, the effects are clear and significant."

"Food cells, truly miraculous!"

Zhang Wei had encountered many nourishing ingredients, but none had the therapeutic effects of the stone crab.

"If I could make a dish... the ingredients are still too few."

"Let's not think about that for now. What should I eat today?"

French baked snails...

Pan-fried foie gras...

State banquet: Golden Soup Lion's Head...

Roast beef and Yorkshire pudding...