Chapter 14: What is Turkish simit, how is it made…

Meanwhile; roughly a few minutes; in the kitchen section of The Immortals Shopping Mall: Street Food Shop, Jin Kai had begun preparing the Turkish simit and Turkish ayran that he would soon start selling. On the counter, the ingredients necessary for making the Turkish simit were carefully arranged: flour, salt, yeast, water, molasses and roasted sesame.

Everything appeared ordinary, but anyone who looked closely could sense an oddity beneath this tranquil scene. Jin Kai’s movements were so swift, so rhythmic, that it was difficult to fathom how an ordinary mortal could perform them (!)

Yet those watching this spectacle perceived his work not as magical or flamboyant, but merely as a modest show by a skilled mortal.

He took a deep breath and began opening the flour sacks, pouring them into a large kneading bowl. He did not use any measurements; yet the quantity was exactly right every time. He created a well in the middle of the flour and added water, yeast and salt into it. Rolling up his sleeves, he began kneading the dough. With every touch, the dough became smoother, acquiring its proper consistency. Though he appeared not to be in any hurry, the kneading process was completed in the blink of an eye.

He divided the dough into 1000 equal pieces, but he did so in such a natural manner that one would have to look repeatedly to realize that each piece was perfectly the same size.

He took the dough balls and rolled them into long, thin strands, then twisted them into the round form of Turkish simit. He began dropping the shaped simits into the boiling molasses-infused water in the large cauldron beside him. After each one stayed in the boiling molasses water for a few seconds, he started removing them one by one in rapid succession.

He took the simits that had emerged from the molasses and placed them onto the sesame tray beside him. Instead of methods such as sprinkling or pouring the sesame on top, he gently dipped the simits into the sesame, then lifted them. Each time, it was evident that the sesame had adhered perfectly to the simits.

He proceeded towards the stone oven beside him. The oven was an old, simple stone oven of the type you might see in many shops. He carefully arranged the simits on a wooden scoop and slid them into the oven. Now, all that remained was to wait for the simits to bake.

For this reason, he decided to make use of this idle time, washed his hands, and began preparing for his next task: making Turkish ayran. He moved to the other corner of the kitchen and reviewed the ingredients he had prepared for the ayran: fresh yogurt, cold water and salt. On the counter, everything was neatly arranged.

He began by adding the yogurt into a large copper pot. He did not use any measuring cup; he simply poured the amount he held into the pot, yet the quantity was always precise. Then he started stirring the yogurt with a wooden ladle to achieve a smooth consistency. His movements were calm, yet equally swift.

While slowly adding cold water into the pot, he continued stirring. The yogurt and water merged effortlessly, as if eager to blend together. He increased the speed of his stirring slightly to create a frothy mixture and added a pinch of salt. The salt was the final touch that balanced the flavor of the ayran.

Jin Kai watched the ayran froth for a while. Even in this waiting there was a sense of tranquility. When he felt it was ready, he filled a large pitcher with the ayran and arranged the glass bottles he had taken from the refrigerator one by one on the table.

Filling the bottles with ayran was like a ritual. Jin Kai carefully filled each bottle, then wiped it with a cloth and sealed its cap. The bright white color of the ayran inside the glass bottles possessed a dazzling pearly brilliance.

Once the bottles were filled, Jin Kai gave an approving glance and headed towards the stone oven; it was time to take the simits out of the oven. Meanwhile, Picockyo was arranging the ayran bottles one by one into the ayran section of the food counter in the sales area.

When Jin Kai reached the front of the stone oven, he took a large wooden scoop in his hand. He opened the oven door and saw the golden light emanating from inside. This light signaled that the simits had baked perfectly. He paused for a moment, raised the scoop, and then plunged it into the oven in one swift motion.

At that moment, something strange happened.

The movement of the scoop appeared as ordinary as ever, but the result was anything but so.

When Jin Kai withdrew the scoop, 1000 simits had formed a perfect pyramid all at once. A broad base at the bottom, a structure tapering upward, and a single simit at the apex…

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They were all in harmony, as if they were created to be arranged in this very manner.

Anyone who witnessed this peculiar sight might rub their eyes and think that their mind was playing tricks on them. Yet there was no change in expression on Jin Kai’s face; as if it were entirely normal, he set the scoop aside and cast one final glance at the simit pyramid.

Meanwhile, Picockyo, having completed arranging the ayran bottles, came over to him. He looked at the simit pyramid and hesitated for a moment. Then, as if nothing had happened, he took the simit at the very top. His movements were as meticulous and orderly as Jin Kai’s. He began placing each simit one by one into the simit section of the glass counter.

As the simits were placed one by one, a flawless display formed on the glass counter. When he put the final simit in place, the resulting image was not in the least inferior to the Mountain and Sea Painting.

After Jin Kai had taken one last look at the food stand on the glass counter, filled with simits and ayran, he moved to the other corner of the kitchen. Next, it was time to prepare the tea. Although making tea might seem like a simple task, it actually required great skill.

On the counter, there was a small wooden box containing tea leaves. He opened the box’s lid and took out leaves that were thin, long and of a deep green hue. Although these were not the leaves of a mystical herbal tea, they were the highest quality mortal tea leaves. Moreover, they had been carefully gathered and meticulously dried. The art of brewing tea was not solely about the quality of the tea; the methods of harvesting, drying and brewing were also of great importance.

Jin Kai went to the water boiler and began filling the large copper teapot with water. Although the water appeared to be coming from an ordinary tap, a careful glance could have discerned a peculiar purity in its clarity. Then he placed the water-filled teapot on the stove. As the flames beneath the boiler slowly came to life, Jin Kai paused silently and waited. Even in this moment of waiting, there was a strange significance; it was as if he were engaged in an ordinary task, yet the flames of the stove seemed to dance with the rhythm of his breath.

When the water began to boil, Jin Kai poured the boiling water into the upper part of the teapot and, after waiting for the water to cool slightly, placed the tea leaves he held into the upper compartment of the teapot. He added the tea leaves with such a touch that each movement seemed as if it were awakening the spirit of the tea. As the steam formed by the tea leaves in contact with the hot water rose, it filled the kitchen with a subtle aroma of tea. The scent was neither overpowering nor unpleasant; on the contrary, it possessed a soothing fragrance that drew one in.

Jin Kai let the tea brew for several minutes. He fixed his gaze on the surface of the tea, remaining motionless. At that moment, it appeared as though he were connecting with something. As time passed, the tea leaves on the surface moved in perfect harmony within the water and slowly settled at the bottom. This signified that the tea was ready.

He took out a tea cup and, carefully straining the tea, filled approximately one-third of the cup. Then, he filled the remaining empty space with water that was nearly at boiling temperature. There was neither overflow nor deficiency in the cup. Although no immortal energy or magic was overtly apparent in this process, the serenity in Jin Kai’s movements evoked deep admiration in anyone watching the tea.

Jin Kai lifted the tea cup, carefully inhaled its aroma, and took a sip. His eyes closed slightly. This could not be an ordinary tea. Almost no one who drank this tea would suspect that it was made from mortal plants. Only a great tea master could be aware of some of the secrets behind this tea.

After savoring the tea, Jin Kai took the teapot and placed it onto the tea stove on the sales counter. After savoring the tea, he took the teapot and placed it onto the tea stove on the sales counter. Now, everything was ready; fresh Turkish simits bathed in a golden hue, Turkish ayran as cold as ice, and newly brewed tea… At that moment, they were all waiting for their customers.

But there was one problem; at that moment, no one was in the mood to purchase anything from the Street Food Shop. On the contrary, everyone now wanted to see Jin Kai being torn to pieces.

For this reason, Jin Kai took his newspaper and sat on his rocking chair, beginning to read it. It was as if he were waiting for the chaos outside to subside. He did not appear as though he would interfere in any way.

Picockyo, on the other hand, closed his eyes and… I had no idea what he was doing.

As for Zamazingo, he was nowhere to be seen. I had no idea where he was.

(Suck it, is this how storytelling is supposed to be? How can it be that I don't know where they are, what they are doing, or what they are thinking? How can I only have information about them to the extent that they allow me to know?! Why do my powers not work on them? Why do these absurdities only happen to me?! I was supposed to know everything! Why didn’t they mention any of this during my training?!!)

Jin Kai looked at me with a contemptuous expression, as if he had seen my thoughts. I felt my hair stand on end. (Fuck, he’s scaring the hell out of me!)

Fortunately, in the very next moment, as if nothing had happened, he resumed reading his newspaper, and I was able to take a deep breath.

I looked at the newspaper, but I could see nothing but blank pages.

As I looked at the newspaper, Zamazingo also looked at me with disdain and snapped his fingers.

Stop-

I hadn't even been able to react.

?!!!

I stared in horror at the scene before me.

FUCK, WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS?!!

Picockyo, with a snap of his fingers, had chased me out of The Immortals Shopping Mall!

HOW THE FUCK COULD THIS HAPPEN?!

I heard a voice in my mind.

And the owner of that voice was none other than Picockyo.

He said to me: "You cannot enter until the events outside have finished. If you try to enter, I will kill you!"

I felt a dreadful shudder rising within me. I realized that if I did not obey, he would truly kill me.

…