Chapter 398: Enraged Officers
Ren retreated back into the kitchen, leaving Caitlyn to exhale a shaky sigh of relief. Across from her, Lucifer was pouting with theatrical flair, stabbing a piece of fruit with her fork like a disgruntled hamster and stuffing it into her cheek.
Vi held back for a moment, but the dam of her composure quickly broke. A bark of laughter exploded from her. "Hahaha! Oh, Caitlyn! You finally got what was coming to you! Hahaha! I swear, if the criminals you've locked up could hear this, they'd laugh themselves right into the infirmary! Hahaha!"
Caitlyn snatched off her formal hat, shaking out her dark blue hair as she shot Vi an irritated glare. "Then they will never know! Vi! You know how to keep a secret, don't you!"
Vi waved a dismissive hand, wiping a tear of mirth from her eye. "Of course, of course... Don't you worry. Your secret's safe with me. Whether it's the flustered little officer who can't take a compliment, or the powerful and considerate 'bad man'... Hahahahaha!"
A hot blush crept up Caitlyn's neck. "Vi! That's enough!"
"Hey, kid! Chef!"
At Vi's shout, Ren poked his head out from the kitchen. She grinned, "Almost forgot. Get me some booze, the strongest you've got! I'm not as delicate as Caitlyn here."
Caitlyn gritted her teeth. "I am a woman! What's wrong with being a little 'delicate,' Vi!"
Vi just smiled and waved her hand again, a clear sign she had no interest in that particular argument. Caitlyn let out another breath, forcing herself to calm down. On the job, enforcing the law, Vi was assertive, aloof, and possessed a notoriously short temper. But in private, especially with her, she reverted to the boisterous, thrill-seeking rogue from the stories—a lover of good food, strong drink, and endless jokes.
"Well now," Lucifer chimed in playfully. "You two little officers aren't so bad. I do believe you're the only two I've taken a liking to in all this time."
Vi eyed the Queen of Hell, who was still nibbling on her fruit salad with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Hey, in your world, are all cops called 'little officers'?"
Lucifer shook her head. "I wouldn't know. I haven't seen any of your kind there. I did meet one crazy officer here who actually believes in me, though. You'd consider him a disgrace to the force. Ren calls you that because he finds it amusing. As for me... that's part of it. But more, to me, you really are just children."
Vi was about to retort when Caitlyn cut in, her voice low and serious. "Vi, so you can't say I didn't warn you... let me remind you, she is the Queen of Hell I told you about."
"Ha... Vi! You're not doing so well yourself! Didn't you say you could handle the heat? How come you're crying? The great Sheriff of Piltover, brought to tears by a little spice?"
"Caitlyn, I pray you never find a boyfriend in your entire life."
"Pfft! That's just cruel! Cough, cough, cough!"
The spicy retort caught her off guard, and Caitlyn choked, her pretty face turning crimson. She grabbed a glass of champagne and gulped it down, finally catching her breath. The fiery kick of the food still lingered, a pleasant but dangerous burn, yet she found herself wanting more. It was then that her eyes fell upon the lighter dish she had ordered: Steamed Sea Bass.
It's often said that if one were to seek a world of culinary treasures—stratified by rarity, as countless as the stars, and dizzyingly diverse in flavor—they would find it in the bounty of the sea.
Setting aside the vastness of the ocean, freshwater creatures alone could inspire an endless menu. Among them, freshwater fish are a universe unto themselves. But even in that universe, some stars shine brighter than others, and one of them is the sea bass. Confusingly, the name applies to both freshwater and saltwater varieties. For this particular dish, Ren had chosen not the saltwater fish that lent its name to the sea, but its freshwater cousin.
Thanks to its habitat, freshwater sea bass lacks the strong, earthy taste of carp, possessing instead an exceptionally clean and delicate flavor. It also boasts one of the highest DHA contents among all freshwater fish, earning its reputation as a true delicacy.
The name, Steamed Sea Bass, was deceptively simple, broadcasting its cooking method for all to see. But this simplicity was a proof of the inherent perfection of the ingredient itself. The steaming process was a masterclass in preserving freshness, locking in every drop of moisture and juice within the pristine, white flesh.
The preparation, however, was far from simple. The sauce and marinade were as complex as the main ingredient was pure, a stark contrast to a dish like Coconut Chicken where the broth does all the work. Here, the inseparable duo of scallions and ginger was essential. They were used to marinate the fish thoroughly with cooking wine, and a squeeze of lemon juice was added to brighten the flavors even further.
Once the fish was perfectly prepped—scored, scaled, and gutted—it was placed in the steamer. A carefully balanced sauce of oyster sauce, steamed fish soy sauce, and other secret ingredients was poured over the top.
Then came the wait. A quiet anticipation built as the first wisps of fragrant steam escaped, a promise of the deliciousness to come. Just before it was done, a dense layer of shredded scallions and ginger was scattered over the fish to steam alongside it.
Through alternating high and low heat, through the deep marination of scallion, ginger, and wine, through the layered enhancement of soy sauce and mirin, the brief yet seemingly eternal steaming process concluded. When the final drizzle of sizzling hot oil hit the skin, the dish was complete. Steamed Sea Bass—a simple name for a creation that demanded perfect mastery of heat and flavor.
The first bite was a revelation. The pristine flesh flaked away effortlessly, releasing a fresh, clean aroma. The taste was a perfect harmony of savory and delicate sweetness. The fish was so tender it didn't require chewing; it simply melted on the tongue, a sensation best described as 'sipping' the meat.
Each flake of fish had fully absorbed the sauce, showcasing its own deliciousness while being elevated by the marinade. It was tender, smooth, and utterly sublime. Dipping a piece into the sauce at the bottom of the plate, Caitlyn tapped it gently on the rim. The excess dripped away, leaving the flesh still pearly white, but now imbued with a different magic. This bite was all about the sauce—the sweetness of rice wine, the umami of soy sauce—which made the fish feel even more tender, more impossibly soft. Every mouthful was an absolute pleasure.
Caitlyn felt her appetite surge anew. After several pieces of the fish, she couldn't decide which dish held more sway over her heart. At that moment, she reached for her glass to take a sip of wine, only to find it empty.
Just as she was about to call out, she noticed the glass was full again. Bewildered, she looked around. Vi, wiping sweat from her brow, her lips a fiery red from the spice, grinned at her. "The manager came by a minute ago. Refilled my beer and your glass, but you were so lost in your food you didn't even notice~ Hahahaha! Cough, cough, cough! Damn, this stuff is spicy, but I love it!"
Caitlyn's head turned towards the kitchen, where Ren was looking at his phone with Lucifer, the two of them studying something intently. She froze for a second. Had she been rude? The thought made her heart flutter strangely. She looked back at her plate and whispered softly to Ren's back, "You troublemaker..."
"...Thank you."
Her voice was so quiet that even she could barely hear it. But Ren smiled without turning around. "It's nothing. A customer enjoying the food is the highest praise a chef can receive. Just be careful not to choke again. Doing that too often with spicy food can hurt your throat, and a hoarse voice wouldn't suit your image. Just call me if you need anything~"
Vi raised an eyebrow, watching as Caitlyn turned back to her food, suddenly and exceptionally well-behaved. Well, well, isn't that interesting. She was sure she'd seen a blush on Caitlyn's cheeks, but Ren hadn't seemed to notice at all.
He was too busy studying a chat screenshot Sōryūin Shion had sent him. Lucifer peered over his shoulder. The message was simple enough: "This Saturday and Sunday, Hiratsuka Shizuka is going drinking with Sōryūin Shion. Knowing that Shion's lover runs a restaurant, she wants to come over for dinner to meet Ren. She claims she wants to see what kind of man could make Shion so submissive... and to test him."
Lucifer tilted her head. "Ren, do we need to prepare a room for the weekend? I have a feeling that Hiratsuka Shizuka might... no... she will definitely get drunk."
"Sigh... What a hassle."
Vi's mouth twitched. "Hell... Seriously?"
Lucifer sighed, a sound of pure boredom. She casually wiggled a single, elegant finger. In the next instant, a vice clamped around Vi's heart. A cold sweat beaded on her brow as she gasped, her hand flying to her chest. "You're not the first to be confused," Lucifer said casually, "nor the first to require proof."
Vi clutched at her chest, her breath coming in ragged pants. "What did you just do? I feel like my heart is going to explode..."
Lucifer thought for a moment. "To put it in terms you can understand, I used a bit of magic to grasp your heart. With just a thought, you'd be a corpse."
Vi exhaled slowly, the pressure vanishing as quickly as it had come. "That... is a terrifying existence."
"Lucifer, bring your bowl over when you're done eating."
At Ren's command, Lucifer quickly finished the last few pieces of fruit and carried her empty bowl into the kitchen without a word. Vi stared, dumbfounded. "She's... that obedient?"
Caitlyn rested her head on her hand, a weary look on her face. "I believe I mentioned that the Queen of Hell is that troublemaker's lover."
"While I agree with 'troublemaker,' in some ways, Ren is still very good."
As soon as Caitlyn finished speaking, Lucifer emerged from the kitchen with a tall glass of juice. Ichihara Yuko had once remarked, "It's a good thing Lucifer has magic and isn't human. Otherwise, with her love for late-night snacks and all things sweet, she'd have become a perfect sphere long ago."
Caitlyn whispered, "What do you mean by 'in some ways'..."
Lucifer took a delicate sip of her juice and tilted her head. "Hmm... Has he done anything bad besides disarming you? Er... and being two-faced, though you haven't seen that side of him yet..."
Caitlyn paused, opening her mouth to argue, but then closed it. It seemed that, aside from the incident with her rifle, he really hadn't done anything wrong. In fact, everything else had been... quite good.
Vi propped her head on her hand, looking bored. "Compared to that, I'm more interested in what you meant by 'a disgrace to the police force'."
Caitlyn shot her a grateful look. For all her brashness, Vi could be surprisingly thoughtful. She was clearly changing the subject to save her from further embarrassment, and while it was a bit clumsy, it was appreciated.
Lucifer sighed and recounted the story of Akoya Seishu and Hiyama Shunka. As she spoke, she watched the expressions on the two officers' faces curdle into pure, unadulterated anger.
Clearly, Vi's claim of not being "like a woman" was just talk. And as for Caitlyn... she slammed her fist on the table, her voice tight with fury. "That's not an officer! That's a monster! A criminal hiding behind a badge! A psychopath!"
Vi's knuckles turned white as she clenched her fist. "That scumbag! How can a guy like that be allowed to enforce the law?! And what's this 'evil seedling' crap? I really, really want to punch him!"
Lucifer tilted her head. "With or without your gauntlets?"
"With them, of course!" Vi growled, her voice a low rumble. "Otherwise, what's the point?! A disgusting piece of work like that wouldn't even get a trial in Piltover. The enforcers would deal with him on the spot, right, Caitlyn!"
Caitlyn nodded sharply. Lucifer smiled faintly. "The fact that your sense of justice isn't twisted is one of the reasons I like you two... Don't worry. That man has already been traumatized by Ren, but it only exposed an even more disgusting side of him. Ren said he'll handle it."
Caitlyn nodded, then froze, her professional instincts kicking in. "But... private use of force is illegal!"
Lucifer waved a dismissive hand. "There are legitimate ways to handle things; you don't need to worry about that. Besides, if I see that man again, I might not be able to resist the urge to crush his heart."
Caitlyn and Vi both swallowed hard. Did the Queen of Hell really have to say such terrifying things while casually sipping a fruit juice? They decided not to press the issue. Just then, a new, incredibly rich aroma wafted out from the kitchen.
Vi's eyes widened, her anger momentarily forgotten. "What is that? It smells amazing!"
Lucifer didn't pay it much mind, as she didn't know either—only that Ren was cooking something from Sichuan. Still, she was rather curious to see what kind of "light-flavored" dish he was preparing now.
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