Deputy Commander Liu took a spoonful of soup.
His eyes, which had seen countless storms, narrowed slightly, filled with disbelief.
He even forgot to chew, letting the clear yet overwhelmingly delicious flavor instantly overwhelm all his taste buds.
What does this taste like?
It has not a trace of greasiness, yet it is even richer than the most flavorful meat broth.
It is crystal clear, yet it seems to contain the essence of mountains, rivers, lakes, and seas.
That freshness was pure and ultimate!
Deputy Commander Liu's Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed the soup. A warm current rose from his stomach and instantly spread throughout his body, making him feel so comfortable that he almost groaned out loud.
He stared in shock at the few tender yellow cabbage hearts in the bowl, and eagerly picked up a piece with his chopsticks.
When you put bok choy in your mouth, you hardly need your teeth; just a gentle touch with the tip of your tongue is enough to transform it into a warm current with a sweet and refreshing aroma that slides down your throat.
It perfectly absorbs all the essence of the broth, and its own sweetness neutralizes the richness of the broth. The combination of the two creates an explosion of deliciousness in your mouth!
"Great! Great soup! Great dishes!"
Deputy Commander Liu could no longer contain himself. He slapped his thigh and exclaimed in genuine admiration, then scooped up another spoonful, his expression one of utter delight.
"This...this is the freshest soup I've ever had in my life! Comrade Xiao Su, your cooking skills are amazing."
These words caused an uproar in the audience!
Just how delicious must this seemingly ordinary soup be to elicit such an extraordinary evaluation from Deputy Commander Liu?
The other judges, including Mrs. Zhou, were already itching to get their hands on the overpowering aroma, and immediately picked up their spoons.
"Oh, let me try it!"
"This taste... oh my god! I feel like my tongue is going to explode from the deliciousness."
"This...this is really something that can be made from cabbage and soup?!"
Exclamations of amazement rose and fell.
Every judge who tasted the soup had the same expression as Deputy Commander Liu: first shock, then rapture, and finally, indescribable admiration.
Public opinion at the scene underwent a dramatic reversal at that moment.
All the previous ridicule and doubts vanished without a trace.
Everyone stared at the simple, unadorned soup bowl with curiosity in their eyes.
In comparison, Wang Cuicui's previously highly praised "Ants Climbing a Tree" dish, placed next to her, suddenly seemed unbearably vulgar, its heavy oil and spice aroma exuding a rough, rustic charm.
The difference in skill was immediately apparent.
The old sergeant of the cooking squad took a sip of soup, closed his eyes to savor the taste for a long time, and then opened them, giving Su Tang a solemn thumbs-up, his tone full of admiration:
"Young lady, your cooking is absolutely amazing! It's delicate yet flavorful, fresh yet refined, subtly concealing the richest and most delicious flavors – that's the mark of a true master. I've been cooking for thirty years, and today I've truly seen something new!"
Wang Cuicui stood in the crowd, her face deathly pale.
She refused to believe it, she absolutely refused to believe it! How could a bowl of lousy soup possibly taste good? The judges must have been biased towards Qin Ye out of consideration for him!
Unconvinced, she picked up a clean spoon, scooped up a spoonful of soup, and put it in her mouth.
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