149: A lavish dinner

At 6:30 in the evening, the afterglow of the setting sun plated Lujiang Base with a layer of warm gold. The members of the Honors Conferment Group arrived early at the Administrative Building within the Military Zone. Guided by reception staff dressed in uniforms with a neither humble nor arrogant attitude, they stepped into a massive reception hall that was spacious beyond imagination.

The decoration style of the reception hall was simple yet grand, exuding a practical luxury. Six large round tables covered with snow-white tablecloths were arranged neatly. In the center of each table sat a cluster of meticulously trimmed, delicate fresh flowers, forming a wonderful fusion with the cold and hard military style of the surroundings. To the even greater surprise of the Honors Conferment Group members, many types of alcohol that would have been considered prestigious even before the apocalypse were displayed on the tables—white liquor from Huaguo's Guitai, red wine from France, and whiskey from Prussia, all shimmering with an enticing luster under the lights.

Everyone took their seats cautiously according to the guidance, their movements subconsciously light as if afraid of disturbing something. Soon, the high-ranking officers of the Red Alert Legion began to arrive one after another. Familiar faces like Zhang Long and Zhang Lei went without saying, but the most eye-catching were two stunning female officers.

Tanya was not wearing her military uniform today; instead, she had changed into a simple yet exquisite set of casual clothes. She wore a high-quality white silk shirt with the collar slightly open, revealing her slender collarbones; on her lower body was a pair of perfectly tailored black slim-fit trousers that outlined her incredibly long legs to the fullest. Her height of 178 cm was already impressive, and this outfit made her posture even more upright and her aura more powerful. She wore only very light makeup, and her deep, intelligent brownish eyes seemed to contain endless wisdom and stories. A faint smile played at the corners of her mouth, and her light brown short hair swayed with her steps. That intellectual, capable, and slightly mysterious temperament was simply a fatal attraction for the men present.

Natasha's appearance brought a completely different visual impact. For the first time ever, she had applied exquisite makeup—lightly brushed eyebrows and a touch of red on her lips, making her already three-dimensional features look even more beautiful beyond words. She wore a simple blue-and-white knee-length dress made of soft, flowing fabric that perfectly fit her 180 cm elegant yet curvaceous figure. Her pale gold long hair cascaded like a waterfall over her fair shoulders, and her ice-blue eyes were like Siberian glacial lakes—clear and carrying a hint of aloofness. Her beauty had a cold, ethereal quality that instantly quieted the entire reception hall; both the Honors Conferment Group members and the Red Alert Legion officers were involuntarily drawn to her. Although the Red Alert officers were summoned by the system, they possessed real emotions and desires. At this moment, their hearts were all stirred, but they didn't dare to show it too much due to discipline and the occasion. This Sniper, who usually lived in seclusion, possessed a charm on par with a nuclear bomb once she dressed up slightly today.

The Red Alert officers all knew that Tanya and the Commander had an ambiguous relationship, so this beautiful Sniper, who had no scandals, naturally became the focus of all the officers' gazes at this moment.

Unlike Tanya's mixed-race face, Natasha had a standard Northern European beauty's face. Seeing this beautiful woman with a foreign face, everyone in the Honors Conferment Group was somewhat amazed. Did Lujiang Base actually have such a beautiful foreign woman?

Zhang Lei, Zhang Long, Tanya, Natasha, Li Xian, and Ye Anhe were led to the main table to be seated. Ye Anhe originally wanted to sit next to Zhang Lei, but Natasha beat her to it, elegantly and naturally occupying that spot. The central seat of honor was naturally reserved for Jiang Xin. Ye Anhe could only curl her lips inwardly and sit somewhat dejectedly in the seat next to Li Xian.

As soon as everyone was seated, well-trained waiters entered in a line, softly and quickly bringing the cold appetizers to the table.

There were peanuts fried to a golden crisp with a fragrant aroma; emerald-green, refreshing cold cucumber strips with a strong garlic scent; Kyoto Roast Duck sliced thin as a cicada's wing with crispy skin and tender, juicy meat, served with translucent lotus leaf pancakes, sweet bean sauce, and scallion shreds; oil-drenched young chicken with shiny skin and incredibly tender meat; soy-braised beef with a rich sauce and clear marbling; and poached pork with a refreshing taste that maximized the original flavor... Every dish was exquisitely plated, served in generous portions, and perfect in color, aroma, and taste—completely the standard of a high-end banquet before the apocalypse! The enticing aroma instantly filled the air.

Except for Li Xian and Ye Anhe, who came from extraordinary families, the members of the Honors Conferment Group generally held low positions. In the apocalypse, they had long been accustomed to thin soup, watery porridge, and wild vegetables; even going hungry was a common occurrence. Even for Li Xian and Ye Anhe, it had been difficult to enjoy such complete and exquisite meals for every meal since the outbreak of the apocalypse. Looking at these delicacies that almost only existed in their memories, they felt their saliva secreting wildly, and the gluttonous urges in their stomachs were completely stirred up. However, since the host, Jiang Xin, had not yet arrived, no one dared to lose their manners. Each of them could only forcefully suppress the urge to feast immediately, sitting upright while their eyes occasionally glanced at the dishes and their Adam's apples rolled uncontrollably. The scene was somewhat awkward and amusing.

Shortly after the appetizers were all served, the doors to the reception hall were pushed open again.

Jiang Xin arrived together with Jiang Feifei.

The Jiang Xin of today was no longer the slightly green youth of a few months ago. Dressed in a well-tailored dark youth Zhongshan suit made of high-quality fabric, his tall and straight figure looked even more heroic. The experience of ruling a region and making life-and-death decisions over the past few months had stripped away all his childishness. A superior's majesty was hidden between his brows, and his gaze was sharp. With every glance, he already possessed the bearing of a king. His steps were steady and powerful, each one seemingly treading on everyone's heartbeats.

And Jiang Feifei, who was elegantly holding his arm, was like a flower in full bloom. A custom-made violet long dress perfectly showcased her 168 cm slender figure. Although she wasn't as tall as Tanya or Natasha, she was equally graceful in high heels, with a curvaceous and exquisite figure. Her makeup was exquisite and elegant, and her temperament was sweet yet carried a hint of a noble lady's poise, complementing Jiang Xin's majesty perfectly and instantly attracting the attention of the entire room.

“Everyone, sorry to keep you waiting.” Jiang Xin's voice was clear, carrying a convincing and steady power. He smiled and nodded to everyone, while gently patting Jiang Feifei's hand. “This is my fiancée, Ms. Jiang Feifei.”

“Officer Jiang is too polite!” Li Xian stood up almost like a projectile, his face covered in a respectful and even slightly flattering smile as he stepped forward quickly to shake hands with Jiang Xin. Ye Anhe followed closely behind, greeting Jiang Xin and Jiang Feifei with an elegant posture. Her gaze lingered on Jiang Xin for a moment, inwardly praising that his bearing was indeed extraordinary, and then she exchanged friendly greetings with Jiang Feifei.

After the pleasantries, Jiang Xin and Jiang Feifei took their seats at the head table. His gaze swept over the appetizers on the table that had barely been touched and the longing yet restrained looks of the Honors Conferment Group members. He couldn't help but laugh heartily, raising his hand to signal. “Everyone, don't be stiff. Consider this place your home. Come, pick up your chopsticks! Try the skills of our Lujiang Base chefs; I hope it suits your tastes!”

As soon as Jiang Xin spoke, it was as if a seal had been lifted.

Except for Li Xian and Ye Anhe at the main table, who barely maintained their final bit of reserve, the Honors Conferment Group members at the other tables instantly entered 'frenzied scavenging' mode! Chopsticks fell like raindrops!

“Crunch!” The crispy peanuts were quickly divided up.

“Mmm! This roast duck is so authentic!” someone praised indistinctly while busy rolling a pancake.

“This young chicken is so tender! Oily but not greasy!”

The several plates of exquisite appetizers were cleared at a speed visible to the naked eye, like a whirlwind sweeping through clouds. Their eating manner was simply as if they had been hungry for three days and three nights, making the accompanying Red Alert officers unable to help but smile, while also feeling a bit of heartache—this was perhaps the reality of other bases in the apocalypse.

While everyone was eating, Jiang Xin, Zhang Long, and the others chatted with Li Xian and Ye Anhe about the specific procedures and details of tomorrow's honors conferment ceremony. The atmosphere seemed harmonious.

Just then, the door to the reception hall was pushed open once more.

Six chefs wearing snow-white tall hats and clean chef uniforms walked in with steady steps, each holding a large rectangular tray covered with a metal lid. Instantly, everyone's attention was drawn to them.

The lead chef walked to the main table and said in a booming voice, “Distinguished guests, this is what Officer Jiang Xin specifically ordered to welcome the National Government commissioners—Charcoal-Grilled Crispy-Skin Mutant Suckling Pig. Please enjoy!”

As the words fell, the lids on the trays were lifted simultaneously!

“Whoosh—!”

A rich aroma, a mix of fruitwood fragrance and the charred scent of meat fat, instantly exploded, filling the entire reception hall! On the trays were whole suckling pigs roasted to a jujube-red color, shiny with oil! The pig skin was covered in translucent bubbles, presenting an extremely crispy texture. Unlike ordinary domestic pigs, the meat texture of this mutant suckling pig was finer, and the color was brighter and more enticing, emitting a unique energy aura.

The chefs skillfully used knives and forks to carve the pigs on the spot. When the sharp blades cut down, they made an extremely pleasant 'crunch' sound. The pig skin cracked at the touch, revealing the pink, delicate, and juice-filled pork inside. Soon, every table received a large plate of fragrant, crispy-skinned, and tender roasted suckling pig.

That wasn't all!

Not long after, the six chefs brought out new dishes again. This time, it was an exquisite, covered purple clay soup tureen for each person.

“Distinguished guests, please taste this—Clear Stewed Sturgeon Dragon Tendon.” The chef's voice carried a hint of pride. “The main ingredient of this soup is taken from the Mutant Sturgeon, a specialty of the Lujiang section of our Huaguo Mother River, the Shenlong River. This soup is a top-tier broth made by simmering mutant wild chicken, pig trotters, old duck, morel mushrooms, and other ingredients for over ten hours, then slow-stewed in a water bath. The section of dragon tendon inside is taken from a giant Mutant Sturgeon weighing four hundred pounds and exceeding five meters in length. Its dragon tendon is a full five centimeters in diameter, translucent, rich in collagen, and extremely rare and precious!”

The lids of the soup tureens were lifted one by one.

In an instant, an indescribable, extremely fresh aroma exploded like a bomb! The aroma was mellow and long-lasting, carrying the wild charm of mountain delicacies and the elegance of high-end aquatic products, perfectly fused together, making the gluttonous urges in one's stomach roar wildly!

Inside the small soup tureen, the broth was clear with an enticing milky white tint, yet it appeared incredibly thick. A section of translucent dragon tendon, like white jade soft glue, lay in the soup, trembling slightly and emitting a warm luster, as if it were not food but a piece of art.

Subsequently, the chefs brought out Steamed Sturgeon, meticulously steamed with the same kind of sturgeon meat cut with decorative patterns; the fish meat was white as garlic cloves and fragrant. There was also 'Dragon and Phoenix Bringing Prosperity,' a dish made by braising Mutant Sturgeon with mutant wild chicken, with a bright red color and rich soy aroma. Next was Stir-fried Mutant Wild Beef, with clear muscle fibers, great chewiness, and an extraordinary meat fragrance; Mutant Goat Shabu-shabu paired with boiling snow-white goat soup, fresh without being gamey; Beer Duck made from mutant wild duck, with firm meat and a mellow flavor... There were even various strange fruits grown from mutant plants that had never been seen before, as well as fresh vegetables rarely seen after the apocalypse.

Every table was filled with over twenty dishes! Among them, dishes featuring various mutant rare birds and exotic beasts as the main ingredients accounted for more than ten!

Facing this dreamlike feast, the last bit of reserve among the Honors Conferment Group members completely collapsed!

What image? What etiquette? In the face of extreme deliciousness and a long-lost sense of happiness, everything was thrown to the back of their minds!

The entire reception hall was left with only the crisp sound of chopsticks clashing with bowls and plates, suppressed sighs of satisfaction, and the sound of hearty chewing. Each one ate until their mouths were covered in oil and their cheeks were bulging, yet they still couldn't bear to stop their chopsticks, their eyes shining, wishing they had an extra stomach.

Even Li Xian and Ye Anhe, who considered themselves well-traveled and having tasted countless delicacies, completely dropped their elite pretenses at this moment. Li Xian ate until his forehead was sweating, repeatedly using his chopsticks, with no image to speak of.

Ye Anhe also didn't care about maintaining her lady-like demeanor. Her beautiful eyes were fixed on the dishes on the table; her movements were elegant, but her speed was not slow at all. she had three helpings of rice in a row, and the bones in front of her piled up into a small mountain.

The luxury of this dinner once again demonstrated the terrifying strength of Lujiang Base!