Zi Mou brought us to the Forge Bureau. The sprawling bureau occupied quite a bit of land and looked like an industrial park from the Middle Ages. Chimneys belched thick smoke, while all kinds of strange noises drifted out—some from inside the buildings, others seemingly from underground. The Forge Bureau used earthfire and all sorts of grinding tools, so this was hardly surprising.
Once inside the Forge Bureau, we merely sat in the reception room. Before long, the hunters here brought out plate after plate of roasted meat. This time, it was not the Imperial Heaven Armored Dragon meat from before, but various dishes made from Mountain-River Ants, along with Thorn Dragon Boar skin, turtle meat from Siege Beasts, and more. They filled the entire stone table. Underground vegetables and Shattered Jade Sand were scattered across it as garnishes, making everything look quite appetizing.
Blue Blood Wine was also poured for us. Each cup was about the size of a small rice bucket, which made me sweat with embarrassment, but Blue Stone and Chu Ruo were clearly used to it. Both of them could not help swallowing hard.
"These were specially prepared by the director of the Forge Bureau to entertain you. You mustn't stand on ceremony." Zi Mou smiled and gestured for me to begin with the Mountain-River Ant limbs.
I looked at the roasted meat, which had been cooked in every color imaginable and coated with special sauce. The food here really never strays far from the word 'roasted.' And apparently, everything under heaven could be thrown on the grill!
Still, so be it. Since they dared to eat anything, I could hardly put on airs and pretend to be above it all. I picked up a Mountain-River Ant leg as thick as a human thigh and examined