Chapter 180
The chefs have been talking, eating and handing out samples for almost two hours by the time they call it quits and begin to return to their hotels. Just like last year, there seem to be no hard feelings after the cooking competition, just food and friends.
"See, this is how a competition is supposed to end." I laugh, waving back at the crowds of people still socializing in the event arena.
"I don’t think it works if you have just finished punching them in the face though." Karl teases me, but Elder Song looks like he’s considering if food might actually make competitors stop caring about getting beat up.
"Thoughts, Elder?"
"When we Host our first official tournament as a neutral Sect, I think we need to have an evening feast the night after the Inner Sect martial arts competition. Normally there’s bad blood and rivalry that leads to fights on the road as everyone leaves, but if they get a chance to mingle, eat and drink, it might cut down on the unnecessary violence and give the impression that our Sect is safer than most."
Wow, he really did put a lot of thought into the topic. More than just ’sorry for breaking your face, here’s a sandwich’.
"That’s not a bad idea. It would also bring everyone together, instead of having them all huddled in their own camps the entire week, maybe help forge an alliance or two." I agree with his assessment.
When we get back to the hotel, the rest of the Sacred Thunder Sect members have arrived, along with a large group of children who have just walked in.
"Congratulations on your impending win in the cooking competition Young Miss. All of you, I would you to meet our assistants for the week. If you need anything done, feel free to ask one of these ten friendly faces. We’re sharing them with the Sacred Thunder Sect to cover any drinks, snacks or errands we need run. They can also act as guides to the city, should you want to find something specific." Sect Master Sun calls out so everyone can hear him.
They’ve all been given a basic black tunic with blue stripes on the sleeves, the colors of the two Sects, which will make them very easy to identify. Having local assistants is a great idea, there’s too much in the city for us visitors to find all the good spots in a week, but the local kids will likely know more.