"This...is hot pot?" Robin tilted her head. Once, Jessica had prepared a "Ichiban Dashi" seafood hot pot for her and Jonathan.
The so-called "Ichiban Dashi" is made from naturally dried kelp and finely shaved dried bonito flakes, which are simmered for a long time, filtered, and settled.
It combines the sweet flavors of two high-quality dried ingredients. The taste is clear and fresh, and the elegant amber color reveals a rich ocean flavor. It is refreshing, refined, and mellow, and it is the easiest Japanese soup base to bring out the original flavor of the ingredients.
Sakazuki didn't buy into this unorthodox Japanese-style hot pot at all. Although there were countless types and varieties of hot pot in his former hometown.
But in his inherent concept, how could hot pot not be spicy?
Can it still be called hot pot if it's not spicy?
"Hey, Sakazuki, is this edible?" Robin looked at the red soup bubbling in the pot with some hesitation. Her childhood life had allowed her to adapt to the worst food: breadsticks hard enough to be used as weapons, grilled rib racks with only bones left, and leftover vegetable soup and meat gravy, she was not afraid of any of it.
She could grit her teeth and live on a piece of black bread and a glass of water for several years, but for the first time, she felt a trace of worry about this pungent smell and the dark red oil soup in the pot.
Why does it have a visual sense of a biochemical weapon?
Sakazuki's answer was affirmative. While attaching his palm to the bottom of the pot to continue heating it, he used his other hand like a knife to cut a thin slice of raw beef brisket and threw it into the pot.
He was a little emotional. He didn't pay attention when he used to eat hot pot, but it was actually quite complicated to operate.
The stir-frying of the hot pot chili was extremely important, which was also the reason why he was a step late. Large chunks of butter were melted in the pot, and the butter could effectively absorb the flavor of the chili. The spicy aroma of the minced ginger could enrich the layers of spicy flavor. The chili released that bright red color and spicy aroma in the oil pot, and finally bloomed on Sakazuki's tongue.
"Don't just stand there, sit down and eat. Lindbergh, take out the yellow throat from the box. It needs to be cooked first," Sakazuki said, stirring the pot with his chopsticks a few times before directly throwing the blanched beef into his mouth.
Although it was still far from the spicy and numbing taste of his hometown, Sakazuki was quite satisfied with the first hot pot in another world.
"Um...Sakazuki, how does it taste?" The little girl was still skeptical, but seeing that the other party had already started eating, she couldn't help but ask.
The Navy Headquarters Vice Admiral nodded readily: "It's very good, the meat is tender and delicious, and it has absorbed enough flavor."
Gion sliced the beef, making it easier for Sakazuki to pick it up with chopsticks, and asked a question that everyone was concerned about: "Isn't it spicy?"
"Not spicy," Sakazuki's answer was full of confidence. Compared to the 500,000 Scoville units chili peppers in his hometown, this ordinary chili was really nothing.
After saying that, he was afraid that the others would not believe him, so he picked up another chopstick full of chili peppers and chewed them just like that.
Because there was food in his mouth, Sakazuki's voice was a little slurred: "Not spicy, really."
The others carefully observed his face and found that not only was there no sign of redness, but there was not even a fine sweat on his forehead.
Lindbergh was the first to move his chopsticks. First, he poured the plates of white, raw strips into the pot. Following Sakazuki's way of eating, the fox also picked up a piece of beef with chopsticks and put it into the hot pot.
Several people followed suit, picking up slices of meat and placing them in the pot.
"Yellow throat? Is the yellow throat the cow's throat?" Robin was interested in the strange term mentioned by Sakazuki.
But Lindbergh, who was responsible for preparing this ingredient in the afternoon, shook his head: "No, guess again."
The girl carefully recalled the appearance of the food that had just been poured into the pot. "Is it the cow's ligament?"
Sakazuki signaled to the several people sitting around the table that the beef was cooked, while explaining to Robin: "Yellow throat is not the cow's throat, but its aorta. There is a layer of smooth membrane attached to it. Lindbergh's job this afternoon was to help remove the membrane."
"I see," Robin nodded and put the cooked beef into her mouth. She didn't expect to learn something new while eating dinner.
Then, the girl's body froze.
Also reacting the same way were a pink rabbit, a silver fox, and a brown spider with trembling hair.
"What's...wrong with you?" Sakazuki was a little hesitant. The chili peppers were just brought back by Lindbergh, and he had tasted them, and there was no problem.
The ingredients were also freshly purchased by Gion from the town today.
But why did everyone's expression have a faint trace of despair?
"So spicy!!!!!!" Large beads of sweat appeared on Gion's smooth forehead! They dripped down her delicate face and onto the table.
"It's killing me!! Vice Admiral!!!!" The fox was in tears, constantly beating his chest.
"Is this the gap between me and Vice Admiral Sakazuki?" Onigumo kept scratching his hair. He felt like countless ants were crawling on his scalp. "Life Return! Life Return!"
"Water!!!!!!" The little girl rushed into the kitchen with lightning speed, where the chilled juice was stored.
Sakazuki looked at the suddenly changing dining scene and was at a loss.
He raised his chopsticks, turned up the chili peppers that had sunk to the bottom of the pot, and carefully confirmed.
Really, it's not spicy!
The fox fell headfirst onto the table: "Vice Admiral, if you have any complaints about me, you can say it! Don't put biochemical weapons on the table!!"
"Pathetic," Sakazuki glanced disdainfully at Lindbergh, who was almost a useless fox, and then looked at Onigumo, who was drinking beer wildly: "You're still far behind!"
The Navy Headquarters Vice Admiral walked to his lover's side and praised: "Learn from Gion, how can it be so spicy...Gion! What are you doing!"
This time it was Sakazuki's turn to be horrified. The large pink rabbit directly unbuttoned the collar of her clothes and desperately fanned the inside.
"Robin, how about another taste? Here's some luncheon meat." Sakazuki held up a plate of ingredients and tried to persuade her. But he clearly felt a kind of distrustful gaze.
Robin, who returned to the table from the kitchen holding a large can of juice, did not hesitate at all in choosing between luncheon meat and the hellish hot pot.
"Hmph ╯^╰"
The father-daughter relationship ship capsized just like that.
Left with no choice, Sakazuki could only mix together oyster sauce, vinegar, and sesame oil, giving each of the victims at the table a bowl.
His voice carried a hint of nostalgia, deep and powerful: "Only those who can endure the spiciest of spicy food can be considered superior. True marines will not fear these difficulties."
"Lindbergh, try again," Onigumo gritted his teeth, encouraging his companion. He was already using this as a form of Life Return training.
The fox weakly took the oil dish handed to him by Sakazuki, dipped the beef in it, and put it into his mouth with a tragic expression.
"!?" Lindbergh's narrow eyes suddenly widened, and a trace of disbelief flashed in his ice-blue pupils.
The oyster sauce and vinegar reduced the spiciness wrapped around the beef, and the fresh and sweet taste of the oyster sauce further expanded the aroma and tenderness of the meat in the mouth.
The fragrance of sesame oil added a diverse flavor to the hot pot-boiled meat.
"Delicious!" The fox, having tasted the sweetness, put a large chopstick-full of beef into his dish.
Onigumo and Gion followed the fox's method, putting the beef into the dipping dish and then into their mouths.
"Delicious!"
"It's not so spicy anymore!"
Robin nodded, but remained unmoved: "Big Brother Fox, you deserve to be called the [Deceiver]. You can actually turn the feeling of spiciness that reaches the heart into a complex expression of surprise and joy. I won't be fooled again!"
The girl commented on Lindbergh's acting skills, but before she could react, Gion quickly put the yellow throat dipped in her own bowl into Robin's mouth.
"Mmm! Sister Gion...huh?" The smoothness of the entrance and the crispness between the teeth and cheeks formed an indescribable rhythm. It was moderately sour and spicy, and incredibly delicious.
Robin swallowed the food in her mouth in surprise. Once she adapted to this spicy taste, the girl found that this cooking method of boiling and blanching in red oil had an incredible addictive quality.
"It smells so good!"
Seeing that everyone had gradually begun to get used to this diet, Sakazuki began to talk about official business with the three mid-level management officers of the expeditionary army.
"Are the pirate ships that we previously requested the various branches of the Grand Line to monitor along the way heading in the direction we expected?" Sakazuki picked up a can of beer and clinked glasses with Onigumo.
Onigumo nodded, and also used his hair to hand two cans of beer to Lindbergh and Gion respectively: "Although such large pirate groups are rare on the Grand Line, they are not non-existent. Although most pirates have only one pirate ship as their entire fortune, there are also pirates who have formed fleets."
He looked at Sakazuki: "Vice Admiral, do you think they are ready?"
"No," Sakazuki shook his head. He looked at the boiling soup of the hot pot: "The restorative training of these veterans is almost complete, but they are still not mentally prepared."
Onigumo frowned. This was the third time he had heard the words "not ready yet" from Sakazuki.
He couldn't help but be a little puzzled: "Vice Admiral, forgive my bluntness, but in my heart, Navy soldiers can be roughly divided into two types."
"Oh? Tell me," Sakazuki hoped that his subordinates could use their own brains.
"Some people regard joining the army as a means of making a living, either for military pay or simply to save their lives. Of course, the vast majority of marines join the Navy because of their adherence to justice." Onigumo carefully chose his words, trying not to be too blunt.
"Which of these two types of people do you think accounts for the majority in our legion?" Sakazuki knew what Onigumo wanted to say, but he still asked back.
"Uh, I dare not say," Onigumo recalled the veterans who were inquiring about when their military pay would be issued, and did not speak.
Gion was reminded by Onigumo of the veterans who had returned to the army from the East Blue a while ago. She hesitated for a moment, but still decided to say it: "There is a veteran named Bellemere who very frankly stated that she came for the legion's highest military pay, but strangely, she also said that she was willing to be the first to die in battle with pirates..."
"Bellemere?" Sakazuki felt that this name was somewhat familiar, but he couldn't quite place it for a moment. "Do you know why?"
Onigumo and Gion looked at each other and shook their heads.
But obviously, eighty percent of the veterans recruited into the expeditionary army were attracted by the high pensions of the legion.
Sakazuki took a swig of beer: "The two types of marines that Onigumo just mentioned are well summarized. The soldiers who come for money and life, and the soldiers who dedicate themselves to dreams and perseverance are essentially not superior or inferior."
"But..." Onigumo wanted to refute. In his heart, marines with a sense of justice were good soldiers, not warriors who went for money.
"Ideals can't be eaten, Onigumo," Sakazuki shook his head. "Soldiers need ideals, but they can't absolutely rely on ideals. There will always be a certain gap between life and ideals, there will be waxing and waning."
"From the perspective of low-ranking marines, relying on that meager allowance, is it wrong for marines to want to live a better life?" Sakazuki asked back.
"This..." Gion seemed to understand Sakazuki's point, but she always felt that there was a layer of paper covering the answer she was looking for.
Sakazuki took out a Beri from his pocket: "We can't completely separate these two, my generals. While looking up at the stars, we also need to be down-to-earth."
The fox was thoughtful. Borsalino seemed to have said something similar to him when recruiting among the giants.
He couldn't help but interject: "Vice Admiral, can we understand it this way: we must give the marines sufficient material foundation so that they will not be impoverished by joining the army and make them willing to fight for heavy rewards, but at the same time, we must also give them spiritual support and belief, so that they know what they are fighting for?"
Sakazuki clapped his hands: "It seems that you really learned something from Borsalino! Absolutely correct!"
He looked at Onigumo and Gion, who suddenly understood, and continued along Lindbergh's words: "The legion's high allowance is to attract soldiers to join. Under heavy rewards, there must be brave men."
Onigumo nodded. He completely understood why Sakazuki always thought they were not ready: "Sufficient material but no firm belief, this is a group of aristocratic soldiers who will only fight easy battles!"
"Sakazuki, what do you think their belief is?" Gion asked a question. "For justice?"
"Justice is just a vague framework." Sakazuki revealed his view of the word justice for the first time. "Some people join the army to protect their families, that is their belief. Some people want the weak to not be bullied by the strong, that is their justice."
"Justice is a big banner that brings together countless people who are searching for answers." Sakazuki's eyes were filled with a strange light. "What is justice? The veterans have their own answers in their hearts. What they lack is a heart that is eager to fight!"
"And in the legion, I want to reignite their passion!" Sakazuki slammed his fist on the table. "Tomorrow we set out! It's time to let them [wake up]."