55: Chapter 55 Online order-brushing is a scam!

[Stage Two: Sauce Packet Duel]

Subtitle: Please the Gods, or Suffer Their Wrath!

"In this stage, both teams need to send out members in turn to perform a 'Sauce Preference Confession'," Jiang Zhiyu explained. "You need to face the camera—and our specially invited 'Sauce Gods'—to sincerely (or perform sincerely) state which flavor of instant noodles you love most and why."

He clapped his hands.

The curtain on one side of the studio slowly pulled back, revealing a temporary, mixed-style small stage (looking a bit like a temple yet somewhat comical). Five high-backed chairs were placed on the stage, currently empty. The backdrop featured various anthropomorphic cartoon images of sauce packets, with expressions ranging from majestic and kind to tsundere.

"Five 'Sauce Gods' will descend upon us," Jiang Zhiyu introduced. "They are: the King of Pungency - God of Buldak Noodles, the Supreme of Seafood - God of Seafood Noodles, the Soul of Richness - God of Beef Noodles, the Fresh Choice - God of Vegetable Noodles, and... the Source of Chaos - God of Jajangmyeon."

"These five gods are played by brave staff members from within SM Entertainment who volunteered, possessing keen palates and distinct personalities," Jiang Zhiyu added. "They have already put on special 'God Masks' and costumes, hiding their true identities to ensure the 'divinity' and fairness of the judgment."

As soon as he finished speaking, five "Sauce Gods" wearing exaggerated cosplay outfits and masks corresponding to their flavor themes filed out from backstage, each taking a seat on their throne. Their costumes were highly distinctive: the God of Buldak Noodles was entirely red with a flame crown; the God of Seafood Noodles was in blue and white with a seashell necklace; the God of Beef Noodles was all in brown, as if emitting a meaty aroma; the God of Vegetable Noodles was lush green with a vegetable wreath; and the God of Jajangmyeon was the most abstract, a black mass with a mask painted with a chaotic swirl.

The bullet chat instantly exploded with laughter:

[Staff: I've sacrificed too much for the company!]

[This look, hahahaha! SM really is an asylum!]

[God of Jajangmyeon: I look like I'm not to be trifled with!]

[I'm already starting to look forward to this!]

"The rules are as follows." Jiang Zhiyu returned to the two teams. "Each team has three 'confession' opportunities and can send any member out to confess to one god at a time. The order of confession starts with the loser of the previous round—the Royal Blue Team."

"The confessor needs to walk up to the corresponding god's throne and use your words, expressions, and even talents to try and move the god's heart. Time limit is one minute."

"If the god is moved—" Jiang Zhiyu pointed to a small table next to the god's throne, where the corresponding, beautifully packaged special sauce packets were placed, "He will personally bestow His 'Divine Blessing' (sauce packet) upon you. Your team will receive one packet of that flavor."

"But!" Jiang Zhiyu's tone suddenly became dangerous. "If the god deems your confession insincere, uncreative, or simply finds you unpleasant to look at... then you will suffer the 'Wrath of God'!"

He pointed to the other side of the stage, where a rack stood holding the terrifying "Abstract Meme Headgears" that had appeared in the first episode's preview!

"The price of divine wrath is: the member who fails the confession must immediately put on this headgear and perform a dance designated by the god for no less than 30 seconds in front of the god (and all the viewers)."

Jiang Zhiyu paused, his gaze sweeping over the slightly pale faces of the team members, and added leisurely: "The dance tracks will be randomly drawn by the god from the 'SM Classic Library'. It could be 'Gee', it could be 'Into the New World', or it could be 'Red Flavor' or 'Psycho'... but as for how it looks while dancing in that headgear, you can imagine for yourselves."

"At the end of this stage, the team with more sauce packets wins. The winning team will receive the 'Second Resource Pack': including various side ingredients (eggs, ham, vegetables, etc.), as well as—one priority right to initiate a Plunder Battle (to be used in the final cooking segment)."

"A tie will lead to a tie-breaker." After finishing, Jiang Zhiyu looked at the Royal Blue Team. "So, Royal Blue Team, which god will you choose for your first 'Confession of Love'?"

The pressure was on the Royal Blue Team, who had just suffered a loss.

Im Yoona, Wendy, and Joy quickly gathered to discuss.

"The God of Buldak Noodles looks like he has the most explosive temper and is hard to deal with," Wendy analyzed.

"The God of Seafood Noodles is very fresh, but will his standards be very high?" Joy said.

"The God of Jajangmyeon... feels the most chaotic; his judging criteria might be the strangest," Im Yoona said, stroking her chin.

"Beef noodles and vegetable noodles are relatively safe," Wendy summarized.

"Being safe might not move the god," Im Yoona's eyes twinkled. "If we're going to choose, let's choose the most challenging one! First impressions are very important! We'll send our most eloquent member!"

The three of them exchanged glances and finally looked in unison at—Joy.

"Joy-ya, the moment to show your flame-like charm has arrived!" Im Yoona patted her shoulder.

"Use your passion to melt the god!" Wendy adjusted her glasses.

Joy cracked a chili whip (a prop) and stood tall with her chest out: "Leave it to me! Watch me conquer Him with Joy-style passion!"

She strode toward the divine stage, her gaze sweeping over the five gods before finally stopping in front of the entirely red God of Buldak Noodles, who emitted an (imaginary) scorching aura.

"I choose—the King of Pungency, the God of Buldak Noodles!" Joy's voice was loud and full of confidence.

The God of Buldak Noodles (the staff member under the mask might have been laughing like crazy, but had to maintain divine majesty on the surface) nodded slightly, signaling her to begin.

The timer started, and the one-minute countdown began!

Joy took a deep breath, her face blooming into her most brilliant and infectious smile. She pressed her hands together and began in a near-operatic tone:

"Respected, great, and unparalleled King of Pungency, God of Buldak Noodles!" Her voice was high-pitched. "Among so many mediocre flavors, only You—Pungency! You are the bugle call that awakens the soul, the flame that ignites passion! Every strand of noodle soaked in your divine power is like dancing the Flamenco on the tip of the tongue! That searing pain is not torture, it is a baptism! It is the ultimate challenge of taste, the badge of the brave!"

She even performed a brief, impromptu Flamenco-style wiggle, the chili whip (prop) in her hand waving along: "When I am tired, You give me strength! When I am low, You make me burn! You are not a simple sauce; You are an attitude toward life! You are uncompromising fervor! You are Joy's life creed!"

She became more excited as she spoke, almost shouting at the end: "God of Buldak Noodles! Please bestow your divine power upon me! Let me use your flames to ignite today's cooking duel! Let everyone witness what is called—Spiciness is Justice!"

Time was up.

Joy panted slightly, looking expectantly at the God of Buldak Noodles.

The whole room was silent.

The God of Buldak Noodles remained silent for a few seconds, then slowly... shook his head.

A processed, low, and majestic voice came from under the mask: "Flamboyant, hollow, lacking a true understanding of the layers of spiciness. Your passion is but a surface flame; it failed to touch the soul of spice."

The smile on Joy's face froze.

"Divine Wrath, descend." The God of Buldak Noodles raised a hand and pointed at the headgear rack. "Put on the 'Elderly Man on Subway Looking at Phone' headgear and dance the chorus of 'Red Flavor' for 30 seconds."

Joy: "...Huh?"

[Hahahahaha! 'Spiciness is Justice' crashed and burned!]

[The God of Buldak Noodles is so strict!]

[The 'Elderly Man on Subway Looking at Phone' headgear + Red Flavor! This combo is amazing!]

[Joy: Smile gradually disappearing.jpg]

The staff, holding back laughter, handed the extremely distorted and confused "Elderly Man on Subway Looking at Phone" headgear to Joy. Joy put it on with a look of despair, instantly transforming from a vibrant beauty into an old man who seemed to have accidentally wandered into a K-POP stage. The comedic effect was explosive.

The music started—the cheerful intro of 'Red Flavor'.

Joy bit the bullet and began to wiggle and dance in front of the God of Buldak Noodles and all the cameras. The headgear severely limited her vision, making her movements comical and out of shape, but her effort to keep up with the rhythm made it even funnier.

The bullet chat went crazy: [Save me! My stomach hurts from laughing!][Joy is so pitiful but it's so funny!][The compatibility between this headgear and this song is zero!]

The 30-second "execution" ended, and Joy ripped off the headgear, her small face flushed red (half from embarrassment, half from dancing). She quickly ran back to her team and buried her face in Im Yoona's shoulder: "Waaaah, that was so embarrassing!"

Im Yoona suppressed her laughter and patted her: "Good job, good job..."

Jiang Zhiyu recorded expressionlessly: "Royal Blue Team's first confession, failed. No sauce packet gained, and loss of member Joy's 'image' (temporarily)."

"Now, it's the Bright Yellow Team's turn to choose." Jiang Zhiyu looked at Bae Joo-hyun's team.

Bae Joo-hyun, Seulgi, and Yeri discussed in low voices.

"The God of Buldak Noodles seems very strict..." Seulgi whispered.

"The God of Seafood Noodles looks very gentle?" Yeri guessed.

Bae Joo-hyun's gaze swept over the five gods and finally landed on the seemingly honest God of Beef Noodles in brown.

"Beef noodles have the widest audience and a classic flavor; perhaps the judging criteria focus more on 'sincerity' and 'nostalgia'," Bae Joo-hyun analyzed. "Yeri, you go. Use your status as the maknae and your sincerity to move Him. Don't say too many flashy things; just talk about your childhood memories with beef noodles."

"Yes!" Yeri nodded vigorously, straightened her bright yellow chef uniform, took a deep breath, and walked toward the God of Beef Noodles.

"I choose—the Soul of Richness, the God of Beef Noodles!" Yeri's voice was clear.

The timer started.

Yeri stood before the God of Beef Noodles. Instead of an exaggerated performance like Joy's, she lowered her head slightly and spoke in a soft, gentle voice tinged with nostalgia and a hint of aegyo:

"Lord God of Beef Noodles... to me, beef noodles aren't the most exciting or the most special, but they are... the most reassuring flavor." She lifted her small face, her eyes clear. "I remember when I was little, every time I practiced until late and was tired and hungry, my mom would always cook me a bowl of beef noodles. Simple, just that brown sauce packet flavor, with hot soup that warmed my heart."

She gestured with her hands: "Back then, I thought the most delicious thing in the world was that bowl of beef noodles. Later, when I became a trainee and felt homesick, I'd sometimes secretly cook a bowl of beef noodles. Smelling that aroma made it feel like I was back home, with my mom right beside me."

Her voice choked up slightly (acting? or true emotion?): "So, God of Beef Noodles, to me, you are not just a sauce; you are memory, warmth, and the taste of home that supported me to keep going. Today, I hope to receive your blessing so I can make instant noodles that let my teammates feel a little bit of that warmth too... can I?"

After she finished, she pressed her hands together and looked earnestly at the God of Beef Noodles with her big eyes, like a child begging for candy.

Time was up.

The God of Beef Noodles sat quietly, seemingly savoring her words.

A few seconds later, the God of Beef Noodles slowly nodded.

"Simple, sincere, and touching the essence of the connection between food and emotion." The processed voice carried approval. "You have earned the recognition of the 'Rich Power'."

With that, the God of Beef Noodles picked up the beautifully packaged beef-flavored sauce packet from the small table and solemnly handed it to Yeri.

Yeri took it with both hands and bowed in surprise: "Thank you, Lord God!"

She ran back to her team in high spirits, holding up the sauce packet: "Unnie! I got it!"

A flash of approval crossed Bae Joo-hyun's eyes, and she gently patted Yeri's head. Seulgi also gave a silly thumbs-up.

[Yeri won! The emotional route succeeded!][The God of Beef Noodles fell for it!][The maknae's memory kill!]

[Compared to Joy's flamboyance, Yeri's sincerity is indeed more moving (though there might be some acting involved).]

Jiang Zhiyu recorded: "Bright Yellow Team's first confession, successful. Obtained one beef-flavored sauce packet."

"Royal Blue Team, second opportunity, please choose a god." Jiang Zhiyu looked at Im Yoona's team.

Im Yoona and Wendy looked at each other.

"Yeri's emotional route worked; we need to change our strategy too," Wendy said.

"I'll do it." Im Yoona stepped forward, her face once again wearing a sweet but slightly more "calculating" smile. "This time, I'll pick one that seems challenging but might have a breakthrough point..."

Her gaze fell upon the God of Seafood Noodles in blue and white, who possessed a fresh aura.

"I choose—the Supreme of Seafood, the God of Seafood Noodles." Im Yoona stepped forward with elegant strides.

The timer started.

Im Yoona didn't speak immediately. Instead, she first gave the God of Seafood Noodles a flawless "goddess smile" mixed with admiration and pure curiosity.

Then, using that clear voice fans called "having eaten a CD," she began her narrative:

"God of Seafood Noodles, your aura reminds me of the morning sea breeze in Jeju Island, carrying the saltiness and vitality of life." Her voice was soft, as if reciting poetry. "Your flavor is not the heaviness of the land, but the gift of the ocean—fresh, sweet, clear, with a long-lasting aftertaste. Every bite feels like the tip of the tongue diving into a coral reef, dancing with the fish and shrimp."

"If other flavors are strong declarations, then You are an elegant oceanic symphonic poem. In the busy city, in the weary deep of the night, what you bring is not satiety, but a brief vacation for the soul. You make me understand that the highest realm of cooking is not to conquer the taste buds, but to bring peace and imagination."

She even hummed a short, ethereal melody, imitating the sound of waves: "See, even my voice wants to imitate the feeling you bring."

Time was up.

Im Yoona stopped and waited for the judgment with a smile.

The God of Seafood Noodles fell silent for a moment, and then, surprisingly, began to clap (a god's applause, the sound muffled).

“Elegant, imaginative, and capturing the essence of 'freshness' and 'elegance' in seafood flavors. Your confession was like an exquisite sea breeze brushing against the face.” The God of Seafood Noodles' voice carried a note of appreciation, “You have gained the favor of the 'Rhyme of the Ocean'.”

A packet of seafood-flavored sauce was handed over to Im Yoona.

“Thank you, Great God~” Im Yoona gave an elegant bow and returned to her team with a victorious smile, high-fiving Wendy.

Bullet Screen: [Yoona truly lives up to being the visual! Even her confession looks like she's filming a CF!]

[That linguistic art! That expression management! Amazing!]

[The God of Seafood Noodles was totally bamboozled (not really)]

Jiang Zhiyu recorded: “Royal Blue Team's second confession, successful. Obtained one packet of seafood sauce. Current score: Bright Yellow Team 1 packet, Royal Blue Team 1 packet.”

“Bright Yellow Team, second chance.”

The Bright Yellow Team consulted. It was currently a 1:1 tie, with two chances remaining (two for the Bright Yellow Team, one for the Royal Blue Team).

“Seulgi, you go this time.” Bae Joo-hyun looked at Kang Seulgi, “Choose the God of Vegetable Noodles. You have a simple personality and love food for what it is, so just honestly express your love for vegetables. Don't overthink it.”

“Yes, Unnie.” Seulgi held her frying pan (prop) and walked somewhat nervously toward the lush green God of Vegetable Noodles.

The timer started.

Kang Seulgi stood before the God of Vegetable Noodles, gave a goofy bow, and then looked up with a serious yet slightly embarrassed expression:

“Lord God of Vegetable Noodles... I, I really like vegetables.” She spoke, her voice soft, “Especially carrots and broccoli. I think the taste of vegetables is very clean and healthy; it makes my body feel very comfortable when I eat them.”

She scratched her head: “Although many people think vegetable noodles are bland and not exciting enough... I think that light sweetness, along with the fragrance of various vegetables mixed together, is very natural and warm. It's like... like the feeling of sunbathing in a field?”

She tried hard to describe it, but her vocabulary was limited, so she resorted to hand gestures: “It's just... a very reassuring feeling. You don't feel burdened after eating; your heart feels grounded. And the colors of vegetables are so pretty—green, red, yellow... when boiled in noodles, they're like a rainbow, it makes me happy just looking at them.”

After finishing, she looked expectantly at the God of Vegetable Noodles, like an elementary student waiting for a teacher's praise.

Time's up.

The God of Vegetable Noodles looked at her quietly.

Then, he slowly shook his head.

“The description was too impoverished; it failed to touch upon the multi-layered nature and sense of life in vegetable flavors. Your affection is superficial.” The God of Vegetable Noodles pronounced, “Divine Wrath descends. Wear the 'Laughing-Crying to the Point of Distortion' mask and perform the iconic opening dance moves of 《Psycho》 for 30 seconds.”

Seulgi: “!!!” 《Psycho》? That eerie yet catchy dance?

With a long face, she put on the mask with the exaggerated laughing-crying expression. The music started—the impressive intro and dance moves of Red Velvet's 《Psycho》.

Seulgi was known for her dancing skills, but wearing the mask, her movements were completely distorted. Moves that should have been cool and powerful became clumsy and ridiculous, and paired with that 'laughing-crying' face, the effect was disastrously funny.

Bullet Screen: [Seulgi-ah!][The God of Vegetable Noodles is so strict!][But doing Psycho in that mask is seriously hilarious hahahaha!][Sister Bae palm-to-forehead.jpg]

When the 30 seconds were up, Seulgi took off the mask, her face red to the tips of her ears. She silently ran back behind Bae Joo-hyun, burying her face in her back.

Bae Joo-hyun patted her gently, offering silent comfort.

Jiang Zhiyu recorded: “Bright Yellow Team's second confession, failed. Current score: Bright Yellow Team 1 packet, Royal Blue Team 1 packet.”

“Royal Blue Team, final chance.” Jiang Zhiyu looked toward Im Yoona's team. It was currently a 1:1 tie. The Royal Blue Team's final confession was crucial; if they won, they would pull ahead, but if they lost, they might be finished off by the Bright Yellow Team's final chance.

Im Yoona, Wendy, and Joy had an emergency consultation.

“The God of Jajangmyeon and the God of Vegetable Noodles are left. The God of Vegetable Noodles just got angry, so he's probably in a bad mood. The God of Jajangmyeon... is an unknown,” Wendy analyzed.

“The God of Jajangmyeon looks the weirdest, so his judging criteria might be the weirdest too,” Im Yoona pondered, “But weird also means he might not play by the rules. Should we send someone with... an unconventional way of thinking?”

The three pairs of eyes fell upon Wendy.

“Wendy Unnie, you go! Impress him with your scientific analysis!” Joy egged her on.

Wendy pushed up her glasses, an academic light flashing in her eyes: “Fine, I'll try. I choose—the Source of Chaos, the God of Jajangmyeon.”

Wendy walked up to the pitch-black God of Jajangmyeon, whose mask was painted with a swirl.

The timer started.

Wendy didn't use an emotional offensive or flowery rhetoric; instead, she spoke calmly, as if giving an academic report:

“God of Jajangmyeon, your flavor structure is a miracle of taste science.” Her tone was steady, “The mellow base of the sweet bean sauce forms a complex first layer with the charred aroma and fattiness of the fried minced meat. The crispness of the onions, cucumbers, and other garnishes constitutes the second layer that cuts through the richness. And the noodles' ability to absorb the sauce completes the third layer of textural fusion.”

She even used gestures to assist: “From a chemical perspective, your flavor originates from the rich aromatic substances produced by the Maillard reaction, working in synergy with the amino acids and sugars in the sauce. From a physical perspective, the viscosity of the sauce and its interaction with the noodle surface determine the coating effect and the smoothness upon entry. From a psychological perspective, your dark brown appearance and intense flavor profile provide a strong sense of satisfaction and security, which is difficult for other bright-colored flavor profiles to match.”

She concluded: “You are not chaos; you are the perfect unity of order and randomness in the realm of taste. You are the combination of rational analysis and emotional satisfaction. Obtaining your sauce means obtaining the theoretical foundation and practical possibility for constructing a 'perfect bowl of Jajangmyeon'.”

Time's up.

The God of Jajangmyeon remained motionless; the swirl on his mask seemed to have stopped rotating.

The entire venue was silent.

After a long while, the God of Jajangmyeon slowly... extended a finger and wagged it.

“Excessive deconstruction loses the emotion and the essence of daily life inherent in food. Your confession is like a thesis, not a love for a bowl of noodles.” The God of Jajangmyeon's voice carried a hint of speechlessness, “Divine Wrath descends. Wear the 'I'm Just Quietly Watching You Act Cool' mask and perform the crab dance from 《Gee》 for 30 seconds.”

Wendy: “...” Was there something wrong with a thesis? Was there something wrong with science?

She woodenly put on the mask with the extremely mocking expression that seemed to see through everything. The music started—the crab dance portion of Girls Generation's 《Gee》.

Wendy was a main vocal, and dance wasn't her strongest suit. Now, wearing the mask while performing the cute crab dance, her movements were stiff yet diligent. Combined with the mask's 'contemptuous of everything' expression, the gap moe was explosive.

The bullet screen was already laughing uncontrollably: [Teacher Sun, you have this day too!][Science lost to metaphysics!][This mask paired with the Gee dance is pure mental pollution!][Wendy: Who am I, where am I, what am I doing?]

When the 30 seconds were over, Wendy took off the mask, her expression still somewhat dazed. She pushed up her sliding glasses and silently walked back to the team.

Jiang Zhiyu recorded: “Royal Blue Team's third confession, failed. The score remains tied at 1:1. Bright Yellow Team, you have one last chance.”

The final strike, the opportunity to decide the winner of the second round, fell to the Bright Yellow Team.

Currently tied at 1:1, if the Bright Yellow Team's final confession succeeded, they would win 2:1. If it failed, it would go to a tie-breaker.

Bae Joo-hyun looked at the two remaining gods: the God of Vegetable Noodles who had just rejected Seulgi, and the God of Jajangmyeon who had just rejected Wendy.

Both gods had just displayed 'Divine Wrath,' so their moods might not be very good.

“Unnie, what should we do? Which one should we pick?” Yeri asked in a low voice.

Seulgi also looked at Bae Joo-hyun nervously.

Bae Joo-hyun's gaze drifted between the God of Vegetable Noodles and the God of Jajangmyeon, finally settling on the God of Jajangmyeon.

Wendy's scientific analysis had failed, which meant the God of Jajangmyeon didn't buy that rational act. In that case...

She took a soft breath and stepped forward.

“I choose—the Source of Chaos, the God of Jajangmyeon.” Bae Joo-hyun's voice remained cool.

All eyes focused on her. This was Bae Joo-hyun's first time competing in the 'confession segment'.

The timer started.

Bae Joo-hyun stood before the God of Jajangmyeon and didn't speak immediately. She just stood there quietly, tilting her head slightly, looking at the black chaotic divine mask. Her gaze was calm and focused, as if she were peering through the mask to examine some kind of essence.

The few seconds of silence made the atmosphere somewhat stagnant.

Then, she spoke. Her voice wasn't loud, but every word was clear:

“I don't understand complex chemical reactions, nor can I describe it with flowery rhetoric.” Bae Joo-hyun said slowly, “To me, Jajangmyeon is...”

She paused, seemingly searching for the right words.

“It's a 'mistake'.”

As soon as these words came out, everyone was stunned.

“A black lump, sticky and messy, with a poor appearance and a flavor so intense it's almost overbearing. It has nothing to do with being exquisite or elegant.” Bae Joo-hyun's tone was very flat, as if stating a fact, “It doesn't conform to mainstream aesthetics; it's even somewhat... 'unrefined'.”

The God of Jajangmyeon's body seemed to move slightly.

“However,” Bae Joo-hyun changed her tone, and in her cool eyes, something seemed to light up slightly, “it is precisely this 'mistake,' this 'imperfection,' this 'chaos' that dares to show its true face, that makes it appear exceptionally real and exceptionally vibrant.”

“It doesn't try to please, it doesn't hide; it just presents all its richness, heaviness, and even its slightly 'dirty' aroma to you straightforwardly. Those who like it will be madly obsessed, and those who don't will stay far away.” She looked at the God of Jajangmyeon's mask as if she were seeing something else through it, “This is very much like... certain people, or certain moments.”

“Living too correctly, too perfectly, actually makes one lose warmth. Occasionally, one needs a bit of 'mistake' and 'chaos' like Jajangmyeon to remind oneself that being real is more important than being perfect, and being frank is more powerful than being refined.”

She finished speaking and said no more, just quietly looking at the God of Jajangmyeon.

Time's up.

The God of Jajangmyeon fell silent.

The silence lasted longer than any previous one.

Just when everyone thought he was about to bring down Divine Wrath again—

The God of Jajangmyeon slowly and solemnly nodded.

He even raised his hands and clapped gently (a god's applause).

“Profound, thorough, and touching upon the real core beneath the surface of 'chaos'.” The God of Jajangmyeon's voice carried a rare tremor, “You have seen through the appearance and understood the essence. You have gained the recognition of the 'Core of Chaos'.”

He personally picked up that packet of Jajangmyeon sauce and handed it to Bae Joo-hyun with both hands.

Bae Joo-hyun took it with both hands and bowed slightly: “Thank you.”

She turned and walked back to the team, her expression still calm, as if she had just completed an ordinary task.

But the entire venue, including the three members of the Royal Blue Team opposite her, watched her in silence.

Yeri and Seulgi excitedly surrounded her, cheering in low voices.

After a brief pause, the bullet screen completely exploded:

[Holy crap! This confession by Sister Bae! It's legendary!]

['Mistake' and 'chaos'... was she talking about Jajangmyeon or something else?]

[Even the God of Jajangmyeon was moved by her!]

[This perspective! This understanding! Amazing!]

[Jiang Zhiyu, look at the way you're looking at her! There's something there! There's definitely something! (The camera happened to cut to Jiang Zhiyu, who was looking at Bae Joo-hyun's back with a deep, unreadable gaze)]

Jiang Zhiyu withdrew his gaze, cleared his throat, and announced:

“Bright Yellow Team's third confession, successful. Obtained one packet of Jajangmyeon sauce.”

“The final result of the second round, 'Sauce Packet Duel'—”

“Bright Yellow Team wins 2 to 1!”

“Congratulations to the Bright Yellow Team for obtaining the 'Second Resource Pack': including 3 eggs, 6 slices of ham, 2 mixed vegetable packs, and—the 'Right to Initiate a Raid First' in the final cooking segment!”

Yeri and Seulgi cheered and high-fived. Bae Joo-hyun looked at the black Jajangmyeon sauce in her hand, then at the seafood sauce the Royal Blue Team had obtained on the opposite cooking station, and their otherwise empty resource area. She felt no joy; instead, a deeper sense of vigilance arose in her heart.

Winning two rounds in a row seemed like a huge advantage.

But Jiang Zhiyu's games would never let you win so easily.

Sure enough, Jiang Zhiyu's voice rang out again, carrying a hint of imperceptible coldness:

“Winning two rounds straight, the Bright Yellow Team has shown excellent strategy, a calm mindset, and... profound insight.” He paused, “However, a culinary duel is never about smooth sailing to final victory.”

“The upcoming third round—” He pointed toward the other side of the studio, where a row of devices that looked very difficult to handle had been erected at some point, “will be a pure test of physical fitness, reaction, and teamwork.”

“Rest for five minutes, and then we enter—'Instant Noodle Bowling' and 'Hot Water Relay'!”

“The real melee starts now.”

Fatigue and new challenges hit simultaneously.

The Bright Yellow Team's smiles faded, while the Royal Blue Team ignited an even stronger fighting spirit.

The second round was over, but the smoke of war had only just begun to spread.