Venerable Demon Chef

Chapter 573: Chapter 570: Gu Zetao’s Arrival

One day, a young customer dressed in white and carrying a folding fan arrived at Uncle Niu’s Kitchen God restaurant.

He looked to be in his early twenties, with a face like polished jade and lips as red as cinnabar. His features were clear and bright, and a smile played on his lips. He had an ethereal, handsome air about him, like the wind, making people feel naturally drawn to him.

Unlike the other customers, he didn’t immediately find a seat and order. Instead, he strolled around the restaurant, curiously examining everything like a tourist.

Then, without lingering in the first-floor common area, he went up to the second floor and walked straight toward the VIP section.

Seeing someone approach, Gu Peng and Gu Lele immediately went to greet him.

"Welcome to the VIP section. May I ask..."

Gu Peng stopped mid-sentence. He stared intently at the young man before him, clenching his fists as his breathing grew heavy.

His gaze sharpened, finally coalescing into a tangible killing intent that shot toward the young man.

SNAP!

The young man’s smile didn’t waver. The moment he snapped open his folding fan, he dissipated Gu Peng’s killing intent.

"Brother Gu Peng, long time no see. Your temper has certainly grown. What, you don’t recognize me?"

Gu Peng took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the murderous rage in his heart. He gritted his teeth and spat out a name: "Gu Zetao!"

Gu Lele, standing to the side, was initially surprised, wondering why her brother was getting angry at a customer.

When she heard the name "Gu Zetao," her body trembled, and she took a step back reflexively.

’It’s him!’

’He’s the one who stole the special bloodline that was originally mine!’

Gu Lele had been very young when her bloodline was stolen, so she didn’t remember what had happened. Her memory of Gu Zetao was extremely vague.

If Gu Peng hadn’t called out his name, she wouldn’t have recognized him at all.

"Brother Gu Peng, I know some of the Patriarch’s actions were unfair to you, and you’ve already left the Gu Family. But given our relationship, you wouldn’t take your anger out on your brother, would you?" Gu Zetao said with a bitter smile, an innocent expression on his face.

Gu Peng sneered. "Don’t you dare insult the word ’brother’."

Gu Zetao paused, surprised. He reached out to pat Gu Peng’s shoulder, but Gu Peng dodged away.

"Brother Gu Peng, what is this?"

If Gu Peng hadn’t already known the truth, he might have been fooled by Gu Zetao’s acting—by that sincere gaze and those earnest words.

"Heh, you put on a good act. If you really saw me as a brother, would you have disregarded Lele’s life and stolen her bloodline?"

If this weren’t Mo Qi’s restaurant, and if Gu Zetao weren’t a customer, Gu Peng would have already attacked.

Hearing Gu Peng’s words, Gu Zetao was startled at first. Then the corners of his mouth turned up, his gentle smile twisting into a sneer. His entire demeanor underwent a dramatic change.

If a moment ago Gu Zetao had been a bright, sunny youth, he was now like a Yin Soul straight from Hell.

"Heh heh, so you found out."

Gu Peng’s heart sank. That last, unrealistic sliver of hope was completely shattered.

He didn’t actually have concrete evidence of Gu Zetao’s crime. Although he was ninety percent sure of his suspicions, he had always held onto a tiny bit of hope deep down.

He had so badly hoped he was wrong, hoped that the man who was once his good brother hadn’t deceived and schemed against him.

Unfortunately, human nature is often just that ugly.

"You’re worse than an animal, you dog!" Gu Peng cursed furiously, not holding back, as if venting something pent up inside.

Gu Zetao looked at Gu Peng with pity. "A special bloodline is a gift from the heavens. Lowly servants like you are unworthy of possessing it! Only a dragon among men like myself can unleash its full power, so it won’t be a pearl gathering dust, wasted by you."

As he spoke, Gu Zetao turned his gaze to Gu Lele and grinned. "A few years, and the little brat has almost grown into a young woman. What a pity, though. Look at that pathetic state you’re in. Are you worthy of a special bloodline?"

"Shut up!" Gu Peng roared. A massive Grotto Heaven rose behind his head, from which a Dragon Elephant surged, letting out a tremendous roar.

The VIP section was separated from the other two areas by an Array, so the other diners were not disturbed.

A powerful aura erupted from Gu Peng, causing Gu Zetao’s robes to flutter and rustle loudly.

He could tolerate Gu Zetao’s insults to him, but he could not accept Lele being humiliated.

Gu Zetao didn’t release his own Grotto Heaven to counter it. He shot Gu Peng a sinister glance. "If I recall correctly, your master, Mo Qi, has a rule: no fighting of any kind is permitted within the restaurant."

Gu Peng, who was about to strike, froze when he heard this. He dispersed his Grotto Heaven and retracted his aura.

’That’s right. This is Mo Qi’s restaurant. As a Waiter, I can’t act on impulse. And I certainly can’t attack a customer.’

"Hahaha." Gu Zetao laughed, an exaggerated and unrestrained sound.

He pointed at Gu Peng’s nose. "See? You were born to be a servant. You were one in the Gu Family, and you’re still one now that you’ve left. You used to serve our Gu Family, and now you serve Mo Qi. Tell me, what’s the difference between you and a dog begging with its tail wagging?"

As his words fell, the shadow behind Gu Zetao suddenly twisted, morphing into a black cloak that draped over his body.

The next second, Gu Zetao’s body from the neck down vanished right before their eyes.

It was as if he had turned invisible.

"Gu Lele, is it? Thank you for your special bloodline. See? It’s very powerful. I’m quite satisfied with it."

"Tsk tsk, how pathetic. I can tell you hate my guts. I’m standing right here in front of you, but what can you possibly do to me?"

Gu Peng trembled with rage, but he was helpless.

Tears had already welled up in Gu Lele’s eyes, not from sorrow, but from humiliation.

This only strengthened her resolve to walk the Martial Dao and become stronger.

Just then, a deep voice came from behind Gu Zetao.

"A life for a life, a debt for a debt. It’s the law of heaven and earth! Gu Zetao, I’ve been waiting for you for a long time."

"Who?" Gu Zetao’s face paled in shock, the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end.

’Someone got behind me, and I didn’t sense a thing.’

’This is terrifying!’

He quickly dodged to the side and looked back to see an honest-faced young man with a palm-sized fat pig resting on his shoulder.

"Mo Qi... Boss Mo?"

Seeing it was Mo Qi, Gu Zetao breathed a sigh of relief.

He and Gu Weitian faced the same problem: both had stolen someone else’s bloodline but were unable to perfectly integrate it.

Gu Weitian’s problem had already been solved—proven effective firsthand—so he had spent a huge sum to buy Gu Zetao a spot at the front of the line, allowing him to resolve his bloodline issue with Mo Qi’s help within a week.

Mo Qi’s restaurant was famously safe, and also fair.

Even Qin Hai and his group of four had been able to do business with him, so Gu Zetao believed he could too.

After all, there was no direct enmity between him and Mo Qi.

"Boss Mo, you really need to manage your subordinate. His service attitude is terrible!"

"First, he’s my brother, not my subordinate. Second, you have no right to call me Boss Mo, because you are not my customer."