The aroma of rendering pork lard slowly spread throughout the Banyan Forest. Everyone in the Peach Blossom Base smelled it and couldn’t help but start whispering among themselves.
"This smells like pork lard, doesn’t it? Is someone in our base rendering some?"
"I heard we’re raising two pigs on our farm. The Leader didn’t kill them, did he?"
"No way! Those two are supposed to be for breeding. They’ll probably have to produce at least a few litters before they’re slaughtered!"
"Then what do you think this smell is?"
"Could it be from the Aircraft Carrier Base? Something they sold us?"
"That’s very possible. After all, we offered up the Evolution Potion. It’s only normal for them to give us some pork in return."
"I wonder if we’ll get a chance to taste some meat!"
"You’re dreaming. We’d be lucky to get some chicken. Don’t even think about pork!"
"True. Minister Xin’s chicken is delicious, too."
As everyone was murmuring, Si Youqin walked over quickly.
"The Leader has spoken. That’s all for work today. Everyone is to go help prepare for tonight’s celebration feast!"
Hearing Si Youqin’s words, everyone grew excited and replied in unison, "Yes!"
Over at the slaughterhouse, Tu Chong had already processed all the poultry and livestock that needed to be butchered, cutting them into pieces according to Xin Wan’s instructions.
Xin Wan used the large pots at the slaughterhouse to pre-process some of the ingredients.
When Si Youqin arrived at the slaughterhouse with her group, everyone secretly swallowed as they smelled the aroma of meat in the air.
"Take all those buckets over there and move them to the yacht," Xin Wan said to Si Youqin, pointing to a row of metal buckets set to the side.
"Alright, Minister Xin!" Si Youqin nodded and immediately called for the others to help move the metal buckets.
Meanwhile, Xin Wan took Tu Chong with her to carry the remaining three metal buckets toward the shipping containers—or rather, what was no longer just shipping containers, but the Peach Blossom Base’s office.
Xin Wan carried two buckets, walking swiftly ahead. Tu Chong carried only one, yet he struggled to keep up with her pace.
Arriving at the office, Xin Wan paused for a moment. The old shipping containers were gone, replaced by a metal building.
"Don’t just stand there gawking. The dining hall is to the right as you enter. It’s connected to the kitchen," Ren Yuanyang said, noticing Xin Wan’s return.
"Okay!" Xin Wan replied, then asked, "Did Haonan build this?"
Ren Yuanyang nodded. "Yes. Since we have a Gold-Type Evolver now, we should make full use of his abilities. Using shipping containers for our office wasn’t exactly ideal, so I had him renovate it."
"Yeah, the shipping containers were too crude. This looks much more comfortable," Xin Wan said, carrying the metal buckets toward the kitchen.
Tu Chong followed closely behind.
"Just put it over there. You can go back and get some rest. Your tasks for today are done," Xin Wan said with a smile.
"Alright, Minister Xin. I’ll head back then." Tu Chong turned and left the base office, massaging his sore arms as he walked.
’That bucket of meat was so heavy!’
Watching Xin Wan carry two buckets so effortlessly, he couldn’t help but feel a pang of envy. His desire for an Evolution Potion grew even stronger.
’I have to perform well and earn an Evolution Potion as soon as possible!’
Tu Chong silently steeled his resolve.
Si Youqin and the others hurried toward the yacht with the metal buckets.
"Sister Qin, these buckets aren’t all full of meat, are they?" asked Huo Wu, who had joined the patrol team with her.
"They probably are," Si Youqin nodded. "The place we just came from is our base’s slaughterhouse."
"Can we even eat this much meat in one meal?" Huo Wu asked, surprised.
"You’re overthinking it. This is probably going into the yacht’s freezer," Si Youqin surmised.
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Xin Wan filled the refrigerator with the meat she brought to the kitchen, then hurried to the yacht.
Lin Mu had already delivered the various fruits and vegetables Xin Wan needed.
Most of the people from Peach Blossom Base had stopped their work and gathered on the yacht to help prepare for the evening’s celebration feast.
Si Youqin and her group ran a hose with clean water directly onto the yacht’s deck, and everyone started washing the fruits and vegetables together.
An awning had already been set up on the deck, so there was no need to worry about the rain.
"Are we using all these fruits and vegetables? Tonight’s meal is going to be so lavish!"
"There are a lot of us, so of course we need to prepare more!"
"With so many people preparing a meal together, it feels like New Year’s Eve!"
"Yeah... I just don’t know if we’ll ever have the chance to have a New Year’s Eve dinner with our families again."
"Sigh... we can’t go back."
A silence fell over the group.
Just as Xin Wan boarded the yacht, she overheard their discussion. Seeing the somber mood on deck, she spoke up. "No matter what, we’re still alive. And as long as we’re alive, there’s hope. Facing a flood like this, all we can do is look forward."
"Minister Xin is right! I believe that as long as we follow the Leader, we can conquer this overwhelming flood and find our families!" Si Youqin immediately chimed in.
Everyone nodded.
Even though they all knew an ordinary person’s chances of survival in such a flood were slim to none, they had to hold on to hope. What if?
Xin Wan picked three people to join her in the kitchen to cook, while the rest continued with the washing.
Night fell quickly. The yacht was filled with the aroma of various dishes, and everyone secretly swallowed. They waited with eager anticipation, hoping Ren Yuanyang would arrive soon so the celebration feast could begin.
"Chicken, fish, meat, eggs—they have everything! I’m starting to regret eating so much for lunch!" Gao Dian said with a pained expression.
"Tell me about it. The work this afternoon was so easy, it didn’t burn off any of the food in my stomach!" Aiti shook his head helplessly. "We really should have listened to Minister Lin."
Yu Ren found Lin Mu and asked with a look of astonishment, "Minister Lin, can we really eat as much of this food as we want?"
"Of course!" Lin Mu nodded affirmatively. "It’s like an old-fashioned buffet. Take as much as you can eat, just don’t waste any."
"Is the Leader eating with us too?" Yu Ren continued to ask.
Lin Mu nodded, then shook his head. "The Leader is eating here, naturally, but Minister Xin is preparing a separate meal for him. The food on those serving platters in the hall is for us."
Yu Ren nodded, sighing with emotion. "The Leader is so generous!"
"The Leader has never been stingy with food. As long as the base has it, he’ll share it with us," Lin Mu replied with a smile.
"Our Leader really is a good leader!" Yu Ren praised.
Just then, Ren Yuanyang walked in from outside, and everyone rose to greet him.
"You all must be getting anxious. Let’s just get started. Feel free to dig in and chat while you eat!" Ren Yuanyang announced with a smile, officially starting the banquet.
Everyone immediately grabbed their utensils and rushed impatiently toward the platters piled high with food.
"Just be careful not to eat too much meat, or you might get indigestion!" Ren Yuanyang added with a smiling reminder.
"Yes, Leader!"
Everyone responded to Ren Yuanyang while frantically piling meat onto their plates.
Spicy diced chicken, Dongpo pork, braised rabbit, stir-fried fish fillets, pigeon soup... There were nearly twenty different dishes, plus various fruit platters.
This was the most lavish dinner Ren Yuanyang had eaten since the flood, to say nothing of everyone else.
The yacht was filled with the sound of chewing; no one was speaking at all.
Ren Yuanyang knew he’d only get a chance to speak after they had eaten their fill.
Tu Chong and the others who had stuffed themselves at lunch could only manage a plate or two before they were too full to eat anymore.
They could only watch with envy as the others continued to enjoy the feast.
"I’m so stupid, really. I should have listened to Minister Lin and eaten less at noon!"
"Sigh, it’s too late for regrets now. We can’t just eat until we burst, can we?"
"We’ve only just started living the good life. I don’t want to stuff myself to death. I’m sure there’ll be more chances in the future!"
They could only console themselves with such thoughts.
Ren Yuanyang slowly ate the pork chop Xin Wan had specially fried for him while chatting with Hua Lingfang and the others.
"Elder Hua, about when can you have the three thousand portions of licorice soup for the Aircraft Carrier Base ready?"
Hua Lingfang pondered for a moment before replying, "We’ve already brewed a portion this afternoon. Give me another three hours, and I should be able to finish it all."
Ren Yuanyang nodded slightly.
Qin Haonan, holding a roasted squab, took a bite and asked indistinctly, "Does that mean I can set out to trade with the Aircraft Carrier Base tomorrow?"

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