In the neon-lit alleys of New Eridu, a crisis is quietly simmering—and we’re not just talking about the broth. The beloved Simmer Hot Pot Restaurant, a staple for Proxy comfort food, has found itself in a flavor fiasco. A notorious food critic named Stephen has descended upon the establishment, armed with an impossibly refined palate and a sharp tongue that could slice through the toughest meat. His damning reviews threaten to reduce the restaurant’s star rating to absolute zero. But fear not, for from March 25 to May 5, 2026, Proxies get the chance to grab a ladle and join the culinary counterattack alongside the ever-resourceful Nan Gong Yu.

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This isn’t your average run to the grocery store. The event, officially titled “The Simmering Pot,” transforms a simple kitchen mission into a full-blown gastronomic showdown. To join the fray, Proxies must first reach Inter-Knot Level 20 and complete the Main Story Chapter 1 – Intermission. Once those requirements are met, the next stop is the video store. There, a special TV program serves as the gateway into the event’s narrative. From that moment onward, the Proxy becomes Nan Gong Yu’s right hand in a frantic attempt to overhaul the restaurant’s soup base and ingredients before Stephen’s next surprise inspection.

🥘 How to Stir Things Up

The gameplay loop revolves around gathering feedback, tweaking recipes, and mastering the art of the hot pot. Proxies will dive into a series of missions that require more than just combat prowess—this is a test of resource management, timing, and maybe a little bit of spice tolerance. Nan Gong Yu provides guidance, but the real challenge lies in balancing flavors to appease the masses while simultaneously shutting down Stephen’s nitpicky critiques. Think of it as a rhythm game where the beat is the bubbling of a spicy mala broth.

While earlier content is accessible with minimal story progress, the event description suggests completing Main Story Season 2 – Epilogue "New: Eridan Sunset (A)" for the best narrative experience. Characters and plot points introduced in that chapter may add extra layers of flavor to the interactions with Nan Gong Yu and the beleaguered restaurant staff.

🎁 Rewards Worth Simmering For

What’s a high-stakes cooking battle without some loot? The centerpiece of the limited-time rewards is the event-exclusive W-Engine “The Simmering Pot.” Imagine a piece of equipment that literally looks like a bubbling cauldron strapped to your character—it’s both hilarious and potentially devastating in combat. Alongside this unique W-Engine come its exclusive enhancement materials, ensuring the pot can be maxed out to its full fiery potential. Other rewards include:

  • Hamster Cage Pass – because even the mightiest heroes need adorable hamster-themed items.

  • Polychromes – the universal currency of Gacha dreams.

  • Various upgrade materials – essential for keeping the whole roster in top form.

All these goodies are gated behind limited-time reward missions that can be completed during the event window. Proxies who snooze on these objectives will lose access to the exclusive W-Engine and its materials permanently once May 5, 2026, at 03:59 server time rolls around. There is no backup pantry—claim everything before the clock runs out.

📺 Post-Event: Ridu Chronicles Archive

For those who miss the urgency or simply want to relive the aromatic adventure, the event content gets preserved in Ridu Chronicles after the period ends. Proxies can revisit the story and gameplay at their leisure, though the limited-time rewards will no longer be obtainable. It’s like being able to smell the broth long after the restaurant has closed—pleasant, but not filling.

🔥 Flavor-Enhancing Pro Tips

  • Prioritize the exclusive W-Engine – it’s unlikely to return any time soon, and its oddball appearance makes it a trophy of culinary warfare.

  • Check the in-game schedule for daily mission refreshes. Optimizing ingredient gathering will save brain cells later.

  • Don’t ignore the story prerequisite. Running into a narrative you don’t fully understand is like biting into a Sichuan peppercorn unprepared—disorienting and slightly numbing.

In the end, Stephen the critic might have the vocabulary of a seasoned food writer, but he faces an army of Proxies armed with flaming soup ladles and a W-Engine that probably violates several health codes. The Simmer Hot Pot Restaurant’s fate hangs in the balance, and only a well-timed broth adjustment can stop the one-star reviews from flooding in. So grab your chopsticks, fire up the TV show, and help Nan Gong Yu turn this hot pot purgatory into a paradise of five-star flavor.