E17 - At the End of the Yangtze River

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(Please feel free to edit the speaker names if incomplete or inaccurate. Names are handled on a best-effort basis depending on the info on the source file. Dialogue is left as is.)
[00:04] (Flashback) Yakan
    Behold the land's largest fire!
[00:08] (Flashback) Like
    When he unleashes that heat,
[00:10] (Flashback) Like
    everything he touches
    is enveloped in flames!
[00:13] (Flashback) Yakan
    I see that you are a chef of an
    extraordinary scale, Liu Maoxing.
[00:18] (Flashback) Yakan
    But that's not enough to defeat me!
[00:25] (Flashback) Yakan
    Great Heavenly River of Fire!
SIGN    Great Heavenly
SIGN    River of Fire
[00:32] (Flashback) Mao
    The Yangtze River...
[00:33] (Flashback) Shirou
    ...is on fire!
SIGN    True Cooking Master Boy
SIGN    Flaming Chef
[02:08] Yakan
    I am the Cooking Underworld's
    Five Tiger Star Ya Kan!
[02:11] Yakan
    Liu Maoxing, if you'll burn a boat,
[02:15] Yakan
    then I shall transform the Yangtze
    River into a sea of fire!
[02:19] Like
    Explosive Twice Cooked Pork
    and Roast Suckling Pig.
[02:23] Like
    Maoxing, you're quite impressive.
[02:26] Like
    However, Lord Ya Kan
    is a bit more impressive.
[02:31] Yakan
    Let's go, Li Ke.
[02:32] Like
    Yes, sir!
[02:35] Meili
    Why is she acting like she's our friend?
[02:38] Xielu
    He's not taking any ingredients or utensils.
[02:41] Xielu
    What's he planning to do with that boat?
[02:45] Leien
    What's that sound?
[02:52] Xielu
    Look. A ton of fish
    are floating to the surface.
[02:57] Like
    Lord Ya Kan, how are these?
[03:00] Yakan
    You've chosen well as usual, Li Ke.
[03:03] Mao
    Look at that bluish black back.
[03:05] Mao
    She's chosen exceptionally fresh black carp.
[03:09] Narration
    Black carp.
[03:10] Narration
    One of four major Chinese freshwater fish
    and luxury ingredient in Chinese cooking.
[03:15] Narration
    Its powerful jaw as well
    as the tail it waves
[03:17] Narration
    when it uses said jaw
    are considered delicious.
[03:21] Shirou
    But why did all those
    fish rise to the surface?
[03:24] Xielu
    Gunpowder.
[03:26] Xielu
    They set off gunpowder underwater.
[03:28] Xielu
    The fish knocked out
    by the blast floated to the surface.
[03:32] Xielu
    It's an effective method for catching
[03:34] Xielu
    large numbers of black carp,
    which live on the riverbed.
[03:37] Meili
    It's raining.
[03:39] Meili
    I have a bad feeling about this.
[03:41] Shirou
    What are you talking about?
    That's lucky for us.
[03:43] Shirou
    This'll put out his fire.
    His dishes will be ruined.
[03:47] Leien
    No. If anything, the fire appears
    to be burning even higher
[03:50] Leien
    as though it's fighting back
    against the rain.
[03:56] Yakan
    Let's go, Li Ke.
[03:58] Like
    Yes, sir!
[04:00] Mao
    They've already removed the guts
    and made deep uniform cuts.
[04:05] Mao
    Such speed.
[04:06] Xielu
    He doesn't mind this rain at all.
[04:09] Xielu
    What an unbelievable guy.
[04:11] Xielu
    He's heading straight into the flames.
[04:14] Xielu
    Is he trying to kill himself?!
[04:18] Yakan
    Behold my fire dance!
SIGN    Great Heavenly Wheel of Fire
[04:27] Yakan
    Great Heavenly Wheel of Fire!
[04:34] Xielu
    What's this?
[04:36] Xielu
    Ya Kan is swinging a bundle
    of carp inside the fire
[04:39] Xielu
    while the girl splashes
    something on the fish.
[04:43] Meili
    This isn't cooking, it's more like
    an exciting and magnificent dance!
[04:49] Xielu
    The power it takes to swing the fish
    is certainly impressive,
[04:52] Xielu
    but we should be focusing on the point
    where the carp cuts through the flames.
[04:59] Shirou
    He's just swinging them
    around like a madman.
[05:02] Mao
    No, it makes sense.
[05:04] Mao
    He's making the most of the centrifugal
    force resulting from the carp's weight.
[05:08] Meili
    Centrifugal force?
[05:09] Mao
    Li Ke is probably splashing them with sauce.
[05:13] Mao
    Since the cuts on their bodies
    cut deep towards the head,
[05:17] Mao
    the force causes the sauce to be
     absorbed rapidly as the fish is cooked,
[05:20] Mao
    while any excess sauce is removed.
[05:23] Mao
    Repeatedly applying the sauce and
    cooking the fish deepens the flavors.
[05:29] Leien
    Looks like he's finished cooking.
[05:37] Yakan
    Have a taste
[05:41] Yakan
    of my Great Heavenly Grilled Black Carp.
SIGN    Great Heavenly Grilled Black Carp
[05:44] Shirou
    You put on quite the show,
[05:46] Shirou
    but all you did was fry
    some fish over a fire.
[05:48] Xielu
    No, grilling fish is incredibly
    rare in Chinese cuisine.
[05:53] Xielu
    Because grilling a fish is such
    a simple cooking method,
[05:55] Xielu
    it requires great skill in the use of fire.
[05:57] Xielu
    I can tell you're quite confident
    in your fire techniques.
[06:03] Xielu
    It's so fragrant, the mucus
    membrane of my nose is melting.
[06:21] Mao
    Xie Lu?
[06:24] Xielu
    It's good. It's delicious.
[06:26] Xielu
    I hate to admit it, but it's so good,
    it's giving me goosebumps!
[06:32] Xielu
    The centrifugal force allowed
    the sauce to permeate the fish.
[06:35] Xielu
    Hard to believe he achieved this depth
    of flavor with such a short time.
[06:38] Xielu
    The force may have cast
    the mud off the fish,
[06:40] Xielu
    because there isn't the slightest
    whiff of it on the fish.
[06:43] Xielu
    But most unbelievable of all...
[06:46] Xielu
    is how well it's cooked!
[06:48] Xielu
    It's lightly browned, as though
    it was slowly cooked.
[06:51] Xielu
    Not only that, but it falls apart
    no matter where I stick my chopsticks.
[06:54] Xielu
    It's so uniformly cooked!
[06:56] Mao
    Uniform? That's impossible.
[07:01] Shirou
    Impossible?
[07:02] Mao
    Uneven browning is a distinctive
    quality of grilling anything.
[07:08] Mao
    Swinging the fish around inside
    that blaze should've dispersed the flames,
[07:12] Mao
    making the browning even more uneven.
[07:14] Mao
    What technique did he use?
[07:18] Yakan
    It's not about my skill
    with fire, Liu Maoxing.
[07:23] Yakan
    Let's move onto the main dish.
[07:27] Shirou
    Well, Xie Lu? Which dish is better?
[07:31] Xielu
    You idiot! I can't make that decision
    until I've eaten Ya Kan's second dish.
[07:36] Like
    Who's currently winning, then?
[07:40] Like
    How does Lord Ya Kan's dish
    compare to Maoxing's dishes?
[07:44] Xielu
    Don't be ridiculous!
[07:45] Xielu
    The nation's best Super Chef cooked
     two incredible dishes for me.
[07:49] Xielu
    They can't be compared to a single dish.
[07:52] Xielu
    That would give Mao the advan...
[07:57] Xielu
    Sorry. Let me think about it.
[08:00] Mao
    Xie Lu.
[08:03] Xielu
    Think about Mao's Explosive
    Twice Cooked Pork.
[08:07] Xielu
    The crisp texture of the vegetables
    cooked in that red-hot pan.
[08:12] Xielu
    The rich pork that absorbed the fat
    and slightly sweet and spicy sauce.
[08:18] Xielu
    Then there's his Roast Suckling Pig.
[08:21] Xielu
    The flavor of the beef fat and browned
    suckling pig were to die for.
[08:25] Xielu
    There shouldn't be a dish that can
    stand against these two great dishes
[08:28] Xielu
    that utilized both high and low flames.
[08:31] Xielu
    But that flaming jerk's dish
    involved swinging fish around
[08:35] Xielu
    like a madman inside a fire.
[08:39] Xielu
    The sauce permeated the fish,
    and the fish itself was fragrant.
[08:42] Xielu
    It was delicately and
    uniformly cooked. That said—
[08:47] Xielu
    Huh? No, wait. That's not...
[08:50] Xielu
    Could it be?!
[08:52] Like
    They're evenly matched, aren't they?
[08:56] Like
    Maoxing's two dishes and
     Lord Ya Kan's one dish.
[08:59] Like
    It's reasonable to think they're
    evenly matched. Right, Xie Lu?
[09:02] Xielu
    Damn it!
[09:03] Xielu
    That's right! They're equal!
[09:06] Xielu
    I'm sorry, Mao.
[09:08] Xielu
    But as a chef, I can't lie to my tongue.
[09:12] Xielu
    When it comes to heat and flavor,
[09:15] Xielu
    your dishes can't compare
    to Ya Kan's individually!
[09:21] Shirou
    Why? Why would you rule in
    favor of the Underworld?!
[09:25] Xielu
    Use your head, Shirou!
    This is hardest for me!
[09:29] Shirou
    But...
[09:32] Shirou
    It's time for his second dish.
[09:34] Shirou
    What's that flaming jerk
    going to do this time?
[09:39] Yakan
    My second dish shall be
    fried and boiled fish.
[09:44] Shirou
    Boiled fish?
[09:45] Shirou
    But he doesn't have a pot.
    How's he going to boil a fish?
[09:50] Shirou
    What?
[09:51] Shirou
    Ya Kan's fire is causing the surface
    of the Yangtze River to boil!
[09:55] Shirou
    That shouldn't be possible!
[09:57] Leien
    No, Panther Head Ya Kan always
    does what he says he'll do.
[10:03] Leien
    The leaders of the Cooking Underworld
    are more powerful than we imagined.
[10:08] Shirou
    Since Mao's two dishes are equal to his one,
[10:10] Shirou
    if he makes a second dish...
[10:12] Meili
    Mao's undefeated record...
[10:15] Leien
    Not even Mao could overcome the Five
    Tiger Stars' undefeated record.
[10:26] Xielu
    The rain is suddenly coming down harder.
[10:27] Xielu
    Look, there!
[10:30] Xielu
    It's putting out Ya Kan's wall of fire.
[10:36] Leien
    Not even Flaming Chef Ya Kan can use
    his fire skills in this pouring rain.
[10:47] Yakan
    It's a tie.
[10:49] Like
    Indeed. Regardless...
[10:52] Like
    You're quite the lucky boy, Maoxing.
[10:55] Yakan
    You're wrong, Li Ke.
[10:58] Yakan
    I finally understand what's
    holding you up, Liu Maoxing.
[11:03] Like
    What do you mean?
[11:06] Yakan
    Mengzi once said,
[11:08] Yakan
    "Those who follow heaven live,
    while those who defy heaven perish."
[11:15] Yakan
    Liu Maoxing.
[11:16] Yakan
    You are beloved by the heavens.
[11:21] Yakan
    That is why the superior chef Shao An lost
[11:26] Yakan
    two contests that determined his fate.
[11:32] Yakan
    None can defy the will of heaven.
[11:36] Yakan
    The heavens are continuing
    to choose you for now.
[11:42] Yakan
    Let us leave for today.
[11:44] Yakan
    However, next time will
     be different, Liu Maoxing.
[11:48] Yakan
    You should hone your skills until then.
[12:06] Mao
    The Cooking Underworld's Five Tiger
    Star Ya Kan was an incredible chef.
[12:12] Mao
    I want to beat him.
[12:13] Mao
    To do that, Ya Kan,
    I'll unravel your mysteries!
[12:21] Meili
    We successfully defended
    the legendary utensils,
[12:24] Meili
    but the undefeated Mao nearly
    suffered his first loss.
[12:27] Shirou
    That Ya Kan guy seemed awfully different
[12:29] Shirou
    from the other Underworld
    Chefs we've met until now.
[12:32] Xielu
    Yeah. He's not only skilled,
    but he has a dignified demeanor.
[12:37] Xielu
    He knew when to quit, too.
[12:39] Xielu
    It's a shame he has to be our enemy.
[12:42] Leien
    He's a true Five Tiger Star, one of
     the Underworld's strongest chefs.
[12:48] Mao
    It's true that at my current level,
    I couldn't possibly compete against him.
[12:53] Mao
    But I'll train 10—no, 20 times harder.
[12:58] Mao
    Next time, I'll win!
[13:15] Xiang
    Panther Head Ya Kan went too easy on you.
[13:19] Xiang
    His weakness is his immovable pride.
[13:24] Meili
    This voice.
[13:25] Xiang
    I can't believe he left behind
     the utensils that were right before him.
[13:35] Leien
    Oh, no. The Holy Copperware!
[13:37] Xielu
    Who's there?!
[13:40] Xielu
    Ten Feet of Blue Xiang!
[13:42] Xielu
    I've been wondering where you went
    since you went missing in Shanghai.
[13:46] Leien
    You failed to learn your lesson
    and showed up again.
[13:49] Xiang
    Liu Maoxing, beloved by heaven?
[13:53] Xiang
    Then I'll change the will of heaven myself.
[13:59] Xielu
    You still don't get it, you vixen?
[14:01] Xielu
    No matter how many times you challenge us
    with your shallow wit, it's pointless.
[14:05] Xielu
    Return the utensil, now!
[14:13] Xielu
    Who are you?
[14:17] Luoke
    I am Luo Ke the Multicolored Tiger.
[14:20] Luoke
    Are these the chefs from Guangdong
    who defeated Shao An in Shanghai?
[14:24] Xiang
    That's them.
[14:27] Xielu
    Crap! Protect the maps!
[14:33] Shirou
    Mao!
[14:38] Mao
    Master Luo gave us these important maps.
[14:41] Mao
    We won't let you have your way.
[14:43] Xiang
    What's the point in resisting, weakling?!
[14:46] Xiang
    Let go of the maps, Liu Maoxing.
[14:50] Both
    Mao!
[14:55] Mao
    Lei En!
[14:56] Mao
    The maps!
[15:05] Xiang
    They're mine!
[15:10] Xielu
    Lei En!
[15:16] Mao
    Xie Lu, Lei En!
[15:20] Xiang
    Three more to go.
[15:22] Mao
    Why, Xiang?
[15:23] Mao
    How can you be so cruel?!
[15:26] Xiang
    Two thousand years ago, Liu Bang
    chased down and destroyed Xiang Yu
[15:29] Xiang
    after supposedly making peace with him,
    then founded the Han dynasty.
[15:33] Xiang
    Even so, future generations
    don't call him a coward.
[15:36] Xiang
    Heaven's favor comes to those
    who seize opportunities,
[15:38] Xiang
    are unconstrained by feelings,
    and stick to their purpose.
[15:42] Xiang
    I'll rip the utensils, the maps,
    and your divine favor
[15:46] Xiang
    right out from under you.
[15:50] Mao
    You'll pay for this, Xiang!
[15:55] Mao
    What?
[15:56] Leien
    Stay back, Mao.
[15:57] Xiang
    What?!
[16:00] Xielu
    You won't be taking anything!
[16:04] Xielu
    Mao! Hold onto the utensils
    and stay right there.
[16:08] Xielu
    I won't let you trash lay a finger on Mao!
[16:13] Leien
    He's the culinary world's last ray of hope.
[16:18] Mao
    Xie Lu, Lei En...
[16:21] Leien
    This is your last chance to go, Xie Lu.
[16:23] Leien
    I can settle this on my own.
[16:26] Xielu
    Idiot, you think I'd let you
    heroically die alone?
[16:31] Leien
    You truly are an idiot.
[16:34] Xielu
    Right back at you!
[16:36] Xielu
    Now move!
[16:39] Luoke
    What are you doing?!
[16:44] Luoke
    They severed the chains!
[16:46] Luoke
    The boats are drifting apart!
[16:47] Xiang
    Let's steal the remaining maps and utensils!
[16:50] Luoka
    Got it—
[16:55] Xielu
    Stay down, morons.
[16:57] Mao
    I'm coming!
[16:59] Xielu
    I told you to stay put!
[17:02] Leien
    Get to land and head to the next utensil!
[17:06] Mao
    Not like this. Xie Lu, Lei En!
[17:10] Xielu
    Don't worry, Mao. We've got two maps.
[17:15] Xielu
    If we split up, we'll be able to
    gather the utensils faster.
[17:19] Mao
    But, Xie Lu...
[17:23] Xielu
    Mao, let's hold another shumai contest
    in the Yang Spring Restaurant's kitchen.
[17:29] Leien
    Smile, Mao. You're best when you're smiling.
[17:34] Mao
    Xie Lu, Lei En...
[17:38] Xielu
    You know what do yo, Shirou and Mei Li!
[17:41] Xielu
    You've gotta support Mao!
[17:43] Shirou
    Xie Lu!
[17:45] Meili
    Lei En!
[17:46] Both
    Let go!
[17:47] Xielu
    I don't think so.
[17:49] Leien
    This is your destiny.
[17:54] Mao
    Xie Lu, Lei En!
[18:09] Shirou
    Mao, how much farther to
    the Chrysanthemum Tower?
[18:12] Mao
    We're almost there.
[18:14] Shirou
    You've been saying that for three days, Mao.
[18:20] Shirou
    Your home, the Chrysanthemum Tower...
[18:23] Shirou
    is Szechuan's greatest
    state-run restaurant, right?
[18:26] Shirou
    How are they managing without you?
[18:34] Mao
    The shop's closed for now.
[18:36] Mao
    Keling is supposed to be
    taking care of the shop.
[18:46] Shirou
    This is how you spin a bamboo-copter. There.
[18:55] Shirou
    You suck, Mao.
[18:57] Mao
    Now you've said it, Shirou!
[19:02] Mao
    You little brat.
[19:03] Shirou
    Ow. That hurts, Mao!
[19:07] Meili
    Why is Mao trying so hard to smile?
[19:12] Meili
    It's only been half a month since then.
[19:24] Shirou
    Hey, Mao.
[19:26] Mao
    Huh?
[19:30] Shirou
    Quit spacing out, Mao!
[19:32] Shirou
    A Super Chef shouldn't burn his cooking!
[19:38] Mao
    Shirou, your dinner is ready.
[19:40] Shirou
    You're making me eat this? You suck, for real!
[19:45] Shirou
    Jeez, Mao. I can't eat this.
[19:47] Meili
    Mao is doing his best to pretend 
    to be cheerful, but...
[19:50] Mao
    Hey, cut that out.
[19:56] Meili
    I want to do whatever I can to help Mao.
[19:59] Meili
    I'll harvest some rare and
    delicious mountain vegetables.
[20:05] Meili
    That's an unusual mushroom. Isn't that...
[20:10] Meili
    Oof.
[20:12] Meili
    I'm sure Mao will cheer up
    if I bring these to him.
[20:15] Meili
    Almost there...
[20:23] Meili
    I've been saved?
[20:29] Zhuqi
    That was close.
[20:32] Meili
    Who are you?
[20:35] Meili
    Thank you. I'm so clumsy.
[20:39] Zhuqi
    Indeed. Given how clumsy you are,
    it's no wonder you fell down that ravine.
[20:45] Meili
    Listen, you—
[20:47] Zhuqi
    Hey, you're hurt.
[20:50] Zhuqi
    What a hopeless girl.
[20:52] Zhuqi
    Not only are you injured,
[20:53] Zhuqi
    but your hair's a mess,
    and your clothes are ruined.
[20:55] Zhuqi
    You couldn't be less attractive.
[20:59] Meili
    What do you know?! I've got my reasons!
[21:03] Meili
    I've been through a dangerous
    journey to get this far.
[21:08] Zhuqi
    I'm saying you're putting your
    unparalleled beauty to waste.
[21:13] Meili
    What?
[21:16] Meili
    Don't tease me!
[21:20] Zhuqi
    So, what are you doing
    here in these mountains?
[21:23] Meili
    What?
[21:24] Meili
    I was trying to get those mushrooms.
[21:28] Zhuqi
    And if you'd safely gotten your
    hands on them, you would've died.
[21:31] Meili
    Why?
[21:32] Zhuqi
    Those are poisonous east
    Asian brown death caps.
[21:36] Zhuqi
    Put one in your mouth,
    and you'll be dead within minutes.
[21:40] Meili
    What? Who are you?
[21:44] Zhuqi
    I'm Zhu Qui, head chef of
     the Chrysanthemum Tower.
[21:49] Zhuqi
    Don't you forget it.
[21:51] Meili
    Head chef of the Chrysanthemum Tower?
SIGN    Next Time
SIGN    "Calamity at the Chrysanthemum Tower"
[23:57] Narration
    "Calamity at the Chrysanthemum Tower."