The entire ocean is my fishing ground.

Chapter 70 You Don't Deserve Such a Fine Abalone

A pure scent emanated from the styrofoam box, carrying the crispness and freshness of seawater.

The air in the office, which had been smoky and filled with perfume, was instantly purified.

Outside in the corridor, suppliers and hotel staff, peering around, instinctively craned their necks and sniffed intently.

"What's that smell? It smells so good!"

"It's not just fragrant, it's incredibly fresh. I've been in the seafood business for twenty years, and I've never smelled anything so clean."

Everyone was stuck in that ordinary styrofoam box.

Two palm-sized abalone lay quietly on the thick layer of ice inside the box.

They are obsidian-colored all over, with their outer shells covered with patterns resembling cooled magma, reflecting a metallic luster under the light.

What's even more alarming is that the skirts of those two abalone were still rhythmically undulating slightly.

They are alive.

It was kept chilled with ice, and after traveling over a hundred kilometers to a hotel in the provincial capital, it was still so energetic.

It was the first time Zhou Dazhuang and Sun Heizi had ever seen this thing in its true form. Their Adam's apples bobbed and their eyes widened in disbelief.

They knew this thing was valuable, but they never expected it to look like this.

This isn't abalone; it's clearly a black gemstone.

Wang Biao's pupils contracted slightly, but the contempt on his face quickly masked the fleeting greed that crossed his mind.

He was Marriott's purchasing manager and had seen many top-quality ingredients, but he had never heard of these two before.

The more this is the case, the less he can show any surprise.

He had to control the situation and crush this arrogant country bumpkin.

Wang Biao took a step back, exaggeratedly covered his nose, and his face was full of disgust.

"What is this garbage? It stinks like dead fish and rotten shrimp. How dare you bring it to my office?"

His shout stunned the onlookers outside.

臭？

If this smell is considered foul, then what about the goods they're hauling in their refrigerated trucks?

Sun Heizi immediately flew into a rage and pointed at Wang Biao's nose, cursing him.

"Is your nose a sewer drainpipe? This fresh smell stinks to you."

Wang Biao completely ignored him, only looking at Lin Chen with the eyes of someone looking at trash.

"Lin Chen, is it? I see now, you just want to use these two mutant creatures that you fished out of some stinking ditch to scam me."

He held up one finger and waved it dismissively.

"Seeing that you've come all this way, it must have been tough for you. Here's what I'll do: I'll take these two for a thousand yuan each. Now take the money and get out of here. Consider it me doing a good deed by getting rid of these two lumps of trash so you don't pollute the environment."

One thousand yuan each.

These words caused even the suppliers outside to gasp in shock.

Just by looking at its condition and activity level, you can tell it's an extremely valuable item.

Wang Biao is too heartless; he's treating top-quality ingredients like cheap street vendor goods, humiliating them in the process.

Zhou Dazhuang was so angry that his face turned red, and his large hands clenched so tightly that they cracked. If Lin Chen hadn't stopped him, he would have overturned the mahogany desk on the spot.

Lin Chen, however, did not get angry, and his expression did not change at all.

"System, scan for target."

[Command confirmed. Initiate food activity scanning module.]

[Target scanned: Two deep-sea black abalone]

[Activity Index: 98.7% (Peak Status)]

[Nutritional analysis: Protein content 24.5%, rich in selenium, iodine... Trace amounts of rare deep-sea minerals vanadium and germanium were detected, which can enhance the flavor and freshness.]

[Overall rating: S grade, far exceeding all known abalone varieties, with extremely high taste and nutritional value.]

[System suggestion: The value of these ingredients cannot be measured in monetary terms.]

really.

Lin Chen understood.

These two black abalones are in even better condition than when he brought them out of his grandfather's safe house, all thanks to the preservation ice packs produced by the system.

He raised his eyes and looked calmly at Wang Biao.

"Manager Wang, it seems your nose, like your eyesight, has some problems."

"What did you say?"

Wang Biao's eyes widened.

"I'm telling you, you're not worthy of these two abalones."

As Lin Chen spoke, he reached out to close the lid of the styrofoam box.

This action completely enraged Wang Biao.

I'm not going to let this easy prize slip away.

Regardless of its actual value, today he must acquire it at an insultingly low price.

He wanted to show everyone what would happen if they offended him, Wang Biao.

"stop."

Wang Biao slammed his hand on the table and pointed at Lin Chen's nose, shouting sternly.

"I think you're just here to extort money. You bring two dead abalone, spray some perfume on them, and dare to ask for a high price at the Marriott."

"Security guards. Where have all the security guards gone?"

He hysterically yelled at the door.

"Arrest this conman who is disrupting hotel order and attempting commercial fraud. Seize the suitcase in his hand as evidence."

As soon as he finished speaking, two security guards standing at the door rushed in.

These two men were strong and muscular, with bulging temples, clearly skilled in martial arts, and much stronger than the village thugs.

They exchanged a glance, cracked their wrists, and gradually surrounded each other.

The suppliers outside were so frightened by the sight that they retreated one after another.

That's it, this kid's in trouble.

To challenge a purchasing manager on Marriott's turf is suicidal.

Sun Heizi and Zhou Dazhuang immediately flanked Lin Chen, assuming fighting stances.

Sun Heizi growled.

"Brother Chen, you go first, we'll hold them off."

Lin Chen remained motionless, his right hand already subtly slipping into his pocket, his fingertips touching a cold coin.

That was a token of the Eye of the Deep Sea, seized from a mercenary.

He even wondered if, if things really came to a head today, he should make a big scene and see if he could lure out a few more people from the Deep Sea Eye.

Wang Biao wore a ferocious sneer, as if he could already see Lin Chen's arms and legs broken and him being dragged out.

Just as a security guard's hand was about to grab Lin Chen's shoulder—

"Squeak—"

The office door was pushed open.

A man in his fifties, dressed in a snow-white chef's uniform and wearing a tall chef's hat, walked in.

He was slightly overweight, walked steadily, had sharp eyes, and his nose kept twitching, as if he was searching for some kind of scent.

"What does this taste like...? It's so delicious..."

As soon as the man entered, his gaze swept past the people facing off and was immediately drawn to the styrofoam box on the desk.

He walked quickly to the table, and when he saw what was in the box, he froze on the spot.

"Chef Luo... Chef Luo?"

When Wang Biao saw the newcomer, his arrogant demeanor instantly vanished by half, and he stammered as he spoke.

The visitor was Luo Yi, the executive chef of the Marriott Hotel.

Luo Yi ignored Wang Biao, his eyes fixed on the two black abalone, his lips trembling, reaching out his hand but not daring to touch them.

"Black...black abalone...it really is wild black abalone..."