88: Divine Kingdom Feast

The countdown continued. [11:2:00]

A strange aura emanated from the northwest, approaching at an extremely fast speed, causing an inexplicable palpitation, as if foreshadowing some threat to Skydome City.

He rose from the divine throne, released the armrest, his gaze sweeping over the copper gear on his cuff, then turned and walked towards the hall door.

Outside, the sun shone brightly, and everything in the city was as usual. Hammers clanged in the Blacksmith Shop, children ran and played in the streets, and work chants rose and fell on the construction sites.

He raised a hand, and a translucent communication interface quietly appeared.

“Lilith, Lilia, come to the Main Hall.”

Less than a minute after the message was sent, the sisters hurried around the corner of the alley. They wore aprons, their hands covered in flour.

“My lord,” Lilith said softly, bowing her head.

“Everyone loves the food you make,” Shen Xiaochuan said directly. “Tonight, I’m hosting a banquet for over thirty people. The main course will be prime Canglan Tiger meat.”

Lilia’s eyes widened: “That’s a rare material!”

“I can afford it.” He took out a cloth bag, which contained a green cleaver and a gleaming golden pot.

“This Green Scale Cleaver can perfectly cut meat only three times a day; any more, and its blade will dull. The Golden Turtle Pot can lock in Spiritual Qi when stewing soup, but it can only preserve one serving per pot; any more is ineffective. I’m entrusting them to you now.”

The two stood frozen in place.

“This isn’t a task,” he said calmly. “It’s a reward. You two are the first to rise and the last to sleep every day. This meal must be personally prepared by the best chefs in the entire city.”

Lilith’s eyes instantly reddened, and she nodded vigorously.

“Go prepare. Time is short. If you need anything, write a list, and I’ll allocate resources immediately.”

The two turned and ran, their steps hurried and firm, their backs full of vigor.

Shen Xiaochuan opened the communication panel again, and messages were sent one after another.

“Zhou Mingrui, stop work for two hours. You must be present tonight.”

“Shen Yan, come directly after training. Don’t wear armor; change into clean clothes.”

“Ling Feng, bring the White Tiger Legion roster and check who should be promoted.”

“Karl, have you finished the talent registration? If so, come to the Main Hall; there’s a position waiting for you.”

“Yang Lie, you are the Gate Guard General. You don’t need to be on duty tonight. I invite you to dine in the hall.”

The replies were swift and uniform.

“Yes, sir!”

“Received!”

“Coming right away!”

Everyone was in motion.

He also named Zhang Heng, White Snow Princess, Huang Lu, and Chen Zhanbei—not a single old member of the Dawn Group could be missing.

And Anna. She had just finished treating a batch of injured people in the medical area.

“Anna, Lolia will also come after finishing the last batch of equipment. Help her tidy up and dress more presentably.”

Anna replied: “Understood. Her work clothes really need changing.”

Shen Xiaochuan closed the panel and waited quietly at the door.

As dusk fell, the stone steps in front of the Main Hall lit up in sequence. Floating lanterns rose one by one, forming a path of light leading directly to the city gate.

The first to arrive was Zhou Mingrui. He wore a newly made gray robe, his hair meticulously combed, and he carried blueprints in his arms.

“My lord, the Commercial Street can open tomorrow. The promotions have been posted.”

“Put down the blueprints. No official business tonight.”

“But I want to record every word you say.” His eyes were bright, his tone serious.

“Then did you bring a pen?”

Shen Yan was the second to arrive, still clad in armor, with a long saber at his waist. He stood at attention and gave a standard military salute.

“Relax,” Shen Xiaochuan said, patting his shoulder. “Today isn’t a meeting.”

Shen Yan smiled and placed his saber on the steps.

Next was Ling Feng. He moved silently, appearing like a gentle breeze. Upon seeing Shen Xiaochuan, he nodded slightly.

“Wait until everyone is here,” Shen Xiaochuan said.

Karl was the last to arrive, sweating profusely, his clothes disheveled. He panted, “Sorry, my lord, the registration took too long…”

“It’s good that you’re here.”

People gradually gathered. A total of thirty-five, filling the plaza in front of the Main Hall. There were those responsible for engineering, those commanding armies, those managing medical care and forging—each one an indispensable pillar of Skydome City.

The Main Hall was brightly lit. A long table had been set, chairs neatly arranged. The table was empty, awaiting the delicacies.

Sounds came from the kitchen.

Lilith and Lilia emerged, pushing a dining cart. The first dish was Spirit Spring Stew, steaming hot; the second was a colorful Level 4 Field Vegetable and Fruit Platter; the third was covered by a silver dome, carried out jointly by the two.

“It’s here!” someone whispered.

The silver dome was lifted.

Golden-brown meat chunks lay on the plate, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. A rush of heat released an exquisite aroma, causing everyone to involuntarily take a deep breath.

“Canglan Tiger Ribs,” Shen Xiaochuan announced. “The first bite, to them.”

He walked to the sisters, picked up a wine glass, and offered it.

“Thank you both for always cooking for everyone.”

Lilith took the wine glass, her fingers trembling slightly. Lilia pursed her lips, finally smiling.

As they retreated, their backs were ramrod straight.

Everyone took their seats, the banquet began, and the clamor gradually rose.

“This soup is so nourishing!”

“The vegetables are different; they taste sweet!”

“The meat is too fragrant; I could eat three pieces!”

Shen Xiaochuan did not rush to pick up his chopsticks. He surveyed the scene, waiting for the commotion to subside slightly.

Just then, Lolia arrived.

She was still wearing her old work clothes, her face smudged with oil, and she carried a hammer in her hand.

“Sorry, my lord, the last batch of swords just finished quenching…”

Before she could finish, Anna pulled her from behind.

“Come on, let’s go change first.”

Ten minutes later, Lolia returned.

She wore a light gold dress, her hair styled in a high bun, adorned with a crystal hair ornament. She kept her head down, not daring to look directly at the crowd.

Anna followed behind, smiling and nodding.

The entire hall was silent for a moment.

“This is our Great Master of Skydome City!” Zhou Mingrui suddenly shouted.

Applause followed.

Lolia looked up, saw Shen Xiaochuan nod gently at her, and finally, her lips curved into a smile.

The banquet continued, filled with laughter.

Suddenly, there was a commotion outside, as if something had happened.

Everyone was startled, looking towards the hall entrance.

Shen Xiaochuan’s expression remained unchanged. He slowly rose: “Keep eating, I’ll go check.”

A moment later, he returned and slammed the table: “It was a small group of enemy scouts trying to test us. They have all been annihilated!”

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, and the atmosphere became lively again.

Shen Xiaochuan raised his wine glass and stood up.

The entire hall immediately fell silent.

“This meal is for every one of you present,” he said in a steady voice. “Without your mining, building, fighting, healing, and blacksmithing, there would be no countdown today. But starting tomorrow, we will no longer just be executors, but co-builders.”

He paused briefly.

“After tonight, we will hold our first ‘Skydome City Development Roundtable Meeting.’ Anyone can propose ideas. How the city is built, how roads are repaired, how resources are allocated—I will no longer decide alone; everyone will decide together.”

No one responded.

A few seconds later, Karl raised his hand: “My lord, may I ask a question?”

“Speak.”

“From now on… will we, the people here, be called ‘Elders’?”

Shen Xiaochuan did not answer.

His gaze slowly swept around.

Zhou Mingrui was writing furiously, recording without stopping.

Shen Yan held his wine glass, his eyes gleaming.

Ling Feng laughed softly, looking down.

Yang Lie sat in the corner, his fingertips tightly gripping the edge of the table.

Anna gently nudged Lolia’s arm and whispered something. Lolia nodded emphatically.

Zhang Heng spoke: “My lord, I suggest we first establish rules of deliberation, such as a voting mechanism.”

White Snow Princess added: “The intelligence System also needs to be upgraded; currently, relying on human transmission is too slow.”

Huang Lu said: “The medical area should be expanded; the number of injured continues to increase.”

Chen Zhanbei said: “Defensive fortifications cannot cease; that aura in the northwest has not dissipated yet.”

Zhou Mingrui’s proposal received enthusiastic support from everyone. Shen Xiaochuan suddenly stood up and loudly announced a grand reward—bestowing upon him rare Materials and Advanced authority. Zhou Mingrui laughed heartily, and everyone else looked on with envy.

The discussion officially began.

Shen Xiaochuan sat down, picked up his chopsticks, and put a piece of meat into his mouth.

The taste was excellent.

Night had deepened, and the city lights formed a continuous expanse. Inside the Main Hall, everyone spoke enthusiastically, topics ranging from grain production to military strength, from construction to diplomacy.

The countdown was still ticking: [1:48:17]

He took a sip of hot soup, and warmth entered his heart.

Just then, Lilith quietly approached and whispered in his ear: “My lord, the second round of dishes will be served soon. Would you like to try our new ingredients?”

“Serve it,” he said. “Let everyone eat more.”

Lilith nodded and left.

Shen Xiaochuan looked towards the end of the long table, where Lolia was talking with Anna, a smile on her face. Zhou Mingrui was still diligently recording, and Shen Yan and Ling Feng clinked their glasses, drinking heartily.

He reached out and stroked the copper gear on his cuff.

Suddenly, his fingertip trembled.

The Scale in his embrace began to heat up.

It turned out that the leader of the dark force, who had long been an enemy of Skydome City, chose to launch an attack at the critical moment when the Divine Kingdom was about to upgrade, intending to seize resources and suppress the protagonist!

Shen Xiaochuan’s eyes suddenly turned cold, and he quietly ordered: “All units enter Level One Combat Readiness! Those who disobey will be executed!”

What terrifying enemy was hidden within that approaching aura from the northwest? Could Shen Xiaochuan lead Skydome City through this crisis and towards glory?