Chapter 281 : Cuisine!!

At this point, Gatō had led his remaining associates to a specific location.

"This street here is what we envision as the future commercial district of Land of Red," he said confidently, gesturing towards the somewhat desolate road ahead of him.

"Sure, it looks empty now, but it's going to be the food street of the Land of Red! 

"No, to be more accurate, this place is a food street in the Land of Red; it just hasn't become famous throughout the ninja world yet!"

"But..." One of the businessmen hesitated, glancing at the others before speaking up, "It really is pretty empty around here! Besides, don't you folks in the Land of Red usually eat from a communal pot (food provided by the government)?"

As businessmen, they needed to see a solid consumer base to invest, and this street didn't seem to have that. Profit was their first priority, and a deserted street wasn't exactly encouraging.

Gatō didn't seem bothered. He replied with a smile, "Our king, Kazuhiko is the one who came up with the idea of a food street. There's a bit of a lull because most people are at work. Once they get off work, it'll start getting lively."

"And about the communal pot, yeah, we do have that, but we also allow shops to operate."

"The communal meals are served at fixed times. If you miss those, or if you're hungry for something else, these shops offer more choices."

Gatō's explanation made sense, and everyone knew that this food street was the brainchild of Kazuhiko, the one hailed as the "new ninja god." 

However, the businessmen still looked skeptical. Words alone wouldn't convince them; they needed to see results to believe that this deserted street would become a thriving food hub.

Looking at the deserted street, they couldn't believe it. How could anyone frequent this place?

"Don't be fooled by appearances!" Gatō said with a grin, shaking his head. "Seeing is believing, and you'll see what I mean soon enough."

"These days, people have a bit more money, and they don't want to eat the same plain food all the time. They come here to buy what they like. Let's go get some dinner now, or we won't find a seat later."

"This place has all sorts of food—steamed dumplings, noodles, barbecue—you name it! The best of Land of Red! You won't be disappointed!"

With some skepticism, they followed Gatō into the dining hall. They had heard of these dishes when they first arrived in the Land of Red, but they weren't sure if they were really as good as people said.

When they sat down, the place was still pretty empty. There were about a dozen of them, so they split into two tables, and Gatō immediately ordered a couple of the restaurant's specialties.

Soon, the air filled with the "Ding! Ding! Ding!" of the kitchen bell, and Gatō's eyes lit up.

"Now it's time to get off work," he said, pointing toward the door. "Just watch, this place will be packed in no time!"

Sure enough, in a few minutes, they saw streams of Land of Red locals coming in.

Even with the door closed, they could hear the chatter from outside.

"I want some of those oil-flavored noodles after work. I heard they're amazing," one person said.

"Really? I was thinking about hot pot. Hot pot is perfect for winter," another chimed in.

"That sounds good... but hot pot can be pricey. Do you have enough cash?" asked a third.

"Don't worry, I just got paid. I think I can afford a hot pot tonight."

Soon, the place was bustling with people placing their orders and enjoying the food.

The merchants were now convinced. They looked at Gatō, who was beaming with pride.

"I told you," he said. "It was so empty earlier because it wasn't time for people to get off work. Now you see how busy it gets!"

"And it's only been a few months. Give it some more time, and it'll be even more crowded!"

Gatō wasn't going to miss out on such a good opportunity to promote the place, so he quickly started pitching it to them.

Seeing is believing, and they couldn't help but be impressed. All thoughts of doubt vanished as they looked around, and they began to think about what they might order next.

Just as someone was about to say something, their dishes started arriving, and Gatō waved his hand with a flourish.

"Everyone, come and try these dishes first! After everyone's eaten, we can wrap up!"

Gatō's voice was full of confidence as he invited everyone to the table. The guests glanced at one another, then picked up their bowls and chopsticks.

It had been a long day, and Gatō had led them all over town, so they were pretty hungry. Some of them were quite large guys, so they were ready to eat.

Following Gatō's suggestions, they started with the small dishes—steamed dumplings, soup dumplings, noodles cut by hand, and noodles with chili oil, enjoying each one in turn.

Then came the hot pot. They added the special seasonings, loaded it with a variety of vegetables and meats, and let it simmer. The meal stretched on for over two hours.

By the end, everyone was stuffed and content. They staggered out of the restaurant one by one, some even needing a little help from their friends to stay steady.

Outside, they could see the constant flow of people around the various restaurants on the street. It was clear that these places were popular, and no one needed to convince them otherwise. After almost licking the plates clean, they were ready to invest.

So as soon as they stepped outside, they immediately gathered around Gatō. It was no longer Gatō leading them; they were pulling him along.

"Hey, Gatō! I want to open a branch shop in our nation with that hot pot! I'll put in the money, and you just give me the recipe for the hot pot base. We'll split the profits fifty-fifty!"

"Gatō, I'm telling you, those noodles cut by hand are amazing. Can you show our chefs how to make them? We'll pay top money!"

"Yeah, yeah! How about you teach us how to make all these dishes? We'll cover the costs!"

Gatō raised his hands to calm them down. "Hey, take it easy! None of these recipes are mine—they're all from the Land of Red!"

"Got it, got it! From the Land of Red," they echoed.

"Okay, listen," Gatō said, "if you're interested, let's talk to our business department tomorrow. We can give you all the recipes you want, but it's going to cost you..."