SailorStar9: Well, I've uploaded Chapter 18, and here's Chapter 19. So, read and review. Come on boys and girls, is it so hard for you to leave a review other than putting this on your favorited lists and alerts?

Disclaimers: Me no own, you no sue.

Chapter 19: Mysterious Invitation, Ambush By A Masked Chef

"It's addressed to Chouyu-sama and Mei Li." Ya Xue blinked, untying the slip of paper attached to the arrow that was shot in the backyard's wall.

"You are hereby invited tonight to the mansion in front of Sea Bell Park." Chouyu read the letter. "We await you for dinner with the season's finest meat and vegetables. We look forward to your joining us."

"It's weird." Mei Li remarked. "That mansion has been abandoned for a long time."

"Who is it from?" Chouyu wondered. Turning the letter over, his eyes widened at the 'Ultimate Submission' seal. "This insignia!"

"If that insignia is present, then you really have no choice." Master Lou noted.

"What's the importance of that insignia?" Mao asked.

"This insignia represents compulsory obedience in the Cantonese cooking world." Chouyu explained.

"But why invite me along with Dad?" Mei Li was confused. "Something's fishy here. And why was the note attached to an arrow? Hey Mao, could you please come with us?"

"Mao, Ya Xue, accompany them." Master Lou instructed.

"We're here." Chouyu stopped before the deserted mansion. "Let's see if anyone's in here."

"We've been waiting for you." the gatekeeper greeted the group. "Please come with me. Dear honored guests who represent the Cantonese cooking world." he addressed the gathered guests. "Welcome to our humble abode. My master entreats you to enjoy his special brand of cooking tonight. Please eat to your heart''s content. This is our main course." he pushed in the serving table after the entree was served. "It's sauteed pigeon marinated in oyster sauce."

"Stop it!" Mao slapped the plate away from Mei Li's hands. "Everyone, stop eating that! This isn't pigeon!"

"You fool!" Chouyu slapped the plate away from one of the other guest's hands. "Mao speaks the truth. What's the matter, Mei Li?" he looked at his gasping daughter.

"That was poisonous red frog meat." Mao remarked, the other guest who had consumed the dish had fallen onto the ground after a gust of win blew out the lamp.

"Exactly." Chouyu agreed. "It's texture is similar to that of pigeon. The spices were used to mask the taste."

"But why?" Mao wondered. "What was the purpose of all this? Who's there?" he demanded, hearing a chuckle when the door creaked open.

"Did you cook this dish?" Chouyu pressed.

"It's been a long time, Chouyu." the masked chef greeted. "Don't tell me you've forgotten me."

"That voice." Chouyu blinked. "It can't be! So it was you. First, you used a fake letter to lure me here. Then you served poisonous red frog meat as the main course. What's the meaning of this?"

"Revenge." the masked chef declared. "Chouyu, I lived only for this day when I can finally take my revenge. We'll settle our score, Chouyu. This time, you can't refuse. This poison I served them is very potent." he added, the gatekeeper bringing out an hourglass. "If they don't take the antidote before the blood in the hourglass runs out, they will certainly die. If you don't defeat me, you'll never get this antidote." he brought out a vial of clear blue liquid. "You have no choice but to accept this challenge, with your daughter's life at stake."

"How do you want to do this then?" Chouyu barked.

"Need you ask?" the masked chef snorted. "Same as before, we'll use lobster. Best two out of three. Our match will be a three round contest with lobster as the main ingredient." placing the antidote bottle before the hourglass, he removed his gloves and the two former rivals faced off in the small kitchen arena.

"Ya Xue, what are you doing?" Mao looked over at the bond-servant who had bitten her middle finger and started to draw a circle on the tile floor with her blood.

"It's done." Ya Xue nodded, finishing the star-within-a-circle alkahestry circle. "Mao-sama, can you please put Mei Li here?" she pointed to the alkahestry circle. "It might not be much, but I can slow down the poison."

"As you well know, the first round tests our skills of handing a knife." the masked chef reminded Chouyu. "We'll prepare these lobsters under the same conditions." he then tossed Chouyu a piece of cloth.

Throwing his headband to Mao, Chouyu tied the cloth over his eyes, the masked chef doing the same.

"While sightless, prepare live lobsters in the dark." the masked chef continued.

"Why bother with such a meaningless contest?" Chouyu asked. "Listen, you can't defeat me no matter how many times you try."

"Cut that out!" the masked chef snapped. "Chouyu, you've always been like this. You've always looked down on me. But I'm not the same man I used to be. Don't forget, I hold the key to saving your daughter's life."

"Enough." Chouyu cut him off. "Let's get started."

"Your voice annoys me and even further deepens my hatred." the masked chef hissed. "Chouyu, you have no chance of defeating me today."

"Hang in there, Chouyu-san!" Mao tried to shake Chouyu awake, the older chef having stopped in the middle of the contest and stumbled toward them, before collapsing on the floor. "What in the world happened?"

"A scorpion." Ya Xue's eyes spotted the scorpion that had crawled out of Chouyu's body.

"What's wrong, Chouyu?" the masked chef taunted. "Abandoning the contest? What happened to your stern cooking spirit just now? This is very unbecoming of you. As you can see, I'm finished. Due to default, I claim victory in this lobster contest."

"What victory?" Mao retorted. "You wanted to win so badly that you resorted to cowardice. You hid a scorpion among the lobsters."

"Boy, are you calling me a cheater?" the masked fighter accused. "Then know this. This man Chouyu did the same thing to me when we last had our contest. On that fateful day of our competition... my revenge is complete. It's all over, Chouyu." he redressed himself. "Now it's your turn to suffer the years of torment I endured."

"Wait a minute." Mao stopped the laughing chef from leaving. "The score isn't settled yet. If it's best two out of three, then there should be two more rounds. I, Master Chouyu's best student, will fight you in his place. So..." he pulled off the cloth that covered his Super Chef emblem. "This Super Chef, Liu Mao Xing, challenges you!"

SailorStar9: Now that's done, read and review.