SailorStar9: Well, I've uploaded Chapter 24, and here's Chapter 25. So, read and review. Come on guys and girls, is it so hard for you to leave a review other than put this on your favorited list and story alerts?

Disclaimers: Me no own, you no sue.

Chapter 25: China within a Fish

"It looks like both contestants are finished." Master Lou remarked. "The panel includes Elder Kuan, Elder Yien, Elder Sunfu, and...myself, Luo. The leaders of the Cantonese Cooking Alliance will be the judges! You start, Leon. Bring us your first dish."

"My first dish is sashimi." Leon presented his cold dish. "I used flesh taken from the gills, the dorsal fin, pelvic fins, and the caudal fin."

"All of which are extremely difficult pieces to remove." Elder Kuan gushed. "And you have removed them so perfectly!"

"Bring your second dish!" Master Lou instructed.

"Stewed fish head with vegetables." Leon introduced his soup.

"Next!" Elder Kuan demanded. "What's the next dish? Thin slices..." he looked at the translucent fish flesh. "But after having the sashimi for the first dish, it's also a bit anticlimactic."

"That's not true." Leon corrected. "The third dish is the main course. Dip the slices into this bream soup stock before eating."

"Leon, what is your fourth dish?" Master Lou asked.

"The fourth dish is my special steamed fish head." Leon replied.

"With that, we complete the tasting of Leon's four dishes." Master Lou declared. "Next is Mao. Bring out your dishes!"

"What's this?" the four judges gaped at the large fish the serving girls had unraveled.

"Liu Mao Xing. Is this your first dish?" Elder Kuan asked.

"No, Master Kuan." Mao replied. "This bream is the entire course!"

"Need I remind you that the theme was for four dishes?" Elder Kuan reminded. "If you are short of even one, it would mean your defeat."

"Yes sir." Mao nodded. "Ya Xue, come give me a hand! Let's cut the wire together from this and that side." he gestured. "Listen, we cut it together on my mark." he handed the maid-servant a knife. "Three, two..."

"The inside is spreading out like a fan!" Ya Xue gawked. "It's just as I thought... all four of your dishes are inside this sea bream, aren't they, Mao-sama? It's China within a fish!"

"C-China inside a Sea Bream..." Master Lou stammered.

"A Liu Mao Xing Special: Sea Bream Continental Seal is complete!" Mao declared.

"This... could it be?" Elder Yien gaped, each judge taking a separate piece.

"No doubt about it!" Elder Kuan confirmed. "This Red Sea Bream... it contains the taste from China's four major culinary regions!"

"This must be Peking!" Elder Yien took a bite. "A slice of roasted back meat with green onions, covered with a wheat wrap in the style of a Peking Duck."

"This must be Szuchuan!" Elder Kuan gaped. "Mouthwatering flesh from the middle, fried and covered with hot chili oil!"

"This is Shanghai." Elder Sunfu looked at his piece of fish flesh. "Shanghai crab roe is rolled with sashimi made from the tail!"

"And this is Canton!" Master Lou remarked. "Abdominal meat is mixed with Canton's fresh vegetables and seasoned with oyster sauce. The freshness of the red sea bream and vegetables combine so well. We will now declare the winner of this contest." he declared. "The four elders are in complete agreement with the results. The contest is..."

"A match of equals! A match of equals! The contest ends in a tie." all four judges chorused.

"We will settle this with an extension round!" Leon looked at Mao.

"You're on!" Mao responded.

"Very well." Master Lou relented. "This might be the best way for these two."

"If Master Luo is fine with that, then we are fine with it as well." Elder Kuan agreed. "But Leon, we have only one more red sea bream left."

"That will do." Leon remarked. "We'll settle the match with that."

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