Among the Mole People, warm and hospitable welcomes were practically unheard of.
Perhaps it was because cities were competitors, or perhaps they simply did not want outsiders delving too deeply inside to gather intelligence.
In any case, everyone lived with extreme caution, barely scraping by. Even the alliances in the southern suburbs remained wary of one another.
When he heard that first-time visitors could enter and stay as guests,
Wang Qian did not refuse.
For one thing, he really wanted to enter this aboveground village and take a look around, meet these curious villagers, and compare it with the life he had imagined aboveground.
For another, he had caught a faint, indistinct fragrance in the air.
It was very light, but even that trace was far more tempting than the salty ration meal they had eaten before setting out that morning.
After eating too much of that stuff, one could even chew a hint of sweetness out of tree bark.
"Thank you for your kindness and hospitality!"
Wang Qian bowed again in gratitude.
The convoy set out. Instead of entering the village directly, it drove along the outskirts toward the Second Phase Project.
The village had already built a reception center here, specifically for accommodating outside guests.
The overall building was a sturdy square, three stories tall, with sixty-six rooms inside.
The first floor was a dining hall divided into four separate sections.
Although the interior was still made of rough concrete and had not yet been decorated,
the moment they sat down, a rich fragrance made every one of Wang Qian's companions stare wide-eyed.
"What an amazing smell! What is that?!"
Because it was breakfast, the village was serving ordinary Quick Vegetable Buns as the staple food, along with two simple side dishes.
Pickled vegetables, and Plant-Based Meat Crumbles