The Banquet

"When did I ever say I was going to infringe on their rights?" Ye Luo moved a finger, and the Demon Core immediately vanished. He looked at Robert with an amused expression. "Do you really think all we do is plunder and kill?"

Robert was at a loss for words. He didn't know how to answer.

Ye Luo chuckled. "Go and prepare a lavish banquet for me. Tonight, I'm hosting all the nobles and wealthy merchants in the city. It'll be held in the banquet hall at the City Lord's Mansion... Uh, you do have a banquet hall here, don't you...?"

Robert took a deep breath and nodded. "We do, but, Your Majesty, I hope you're prepared. I'm afraid not many people will attend this banquet..."

Ye Luo nodded. "Don't worry. After tonight's banquet, those who didn't come will regret it terribly..."

Robert was startled. He thought Ye Luo intended to threaten the nobles and wealthy merchants with force, and was about to try to dissuade him when Ye Luo simply waved for him to leave. Robert sighed and could only withdraw slowly.

Ye Luo turned to Ye Zhang and smiled. "Ye Zhang, your Iron-Armored Cockroaches have been indispensable in capturing Morton and crushing the Keren Kingdom's Third Legion!"

Ye Zhang knelt before Ye Luo, overcome with excitement. "Your Majesty, serving our clan is the greatest honor my Iron-Armored Cockroach Clan could ever have!"

"Excellent. Ye Zhang, take a thousand Iron-Armored Cockroaches and give them one hour to hide beneath Morton. The deeper, the better. If all goes as planned, they'll remain asleep underground forever. But if an emergency ever arises in Morton, they'll be able to help us quell any unrest!" Ye Luo instructed him solemnly. This contingency plan would be crucial to maintaining stability in the rear as the territory under their control continued to expand.

Ye Zhang was a man of few words, but he understood how important this was. He bowed to Ye Luo and immediately went to make the arrangements.

Ye Luo then turned to Ye You. "Have you prepared what I asked for?"

Ye You struck an extremely elegant pose, like a human noble. "My Emperor, I naturally made the task you assigned me my top priority. The bodies of a hundred Iron-Pincer Green-Spine Shrimp have now been delivered to the City Lord's Mansion storeroom."

"Excellent..."

As night fell, the tumultuous and complicated day drew to a close. Many commoners had gone to bed early. The day's events had left them both physically and mentally exhausted. Yet the City Lord's Mansion remained brightly lit.

The City Lord's Mansion's private banquet hall had a red carpet stretching from the entrance all the way into the room. Red velvet, an expensive fabric usually used to make clothing and hats, covered the entire floor. The southern half of the hall held a dance floor. In one corner, more than a dozen musicians played "Ode to Karal." Its beautiful melody carried a hint of grandeur. Legend had it that the song was composed by a bard named Karal after witnessing a tragic love story between an elf woman and a human. It had since spread throughout the continent...

All kinds of drinks and desserts were laid out around the dance floor. Any food served here had to meet the basic requirement of being a feast for the eyes, nose, and palate.

The northern half of the banquet hall contained a huge oval dining table surrounded by several smaller round tables. The tables were covered with golden cloths and set with silver plates and cutlery. Twenty servers in red tops and white trousers stood in neat rows, waiting to serve the guests...

Dressed in formal attire, Robert greeted every guest as they arrived. For a huge city with a population of a million, the number of nobles and wealthy merchants who had shown up was pitifully small. The vast, spacious banquet hall seemed almost empty. Even those who had come wore complicated expressions, with few smiles to be seen. Many had dark clouds hanging over their faces.

At about ten past eight, Ye Luo arrived in a magnificent robe, accompanied by Ye You, Ye Meng, Ye Zhang, and seven others. The robe was predominantly blue, with white and gold threads woven through it to form the shapes of the sun, moon, and stars. It looked more like a mage's robe than formal wear for a banquet... Yet it softened the martial bearing of Ye Luo's face, blending strength and gentleness to give him a unique charm. Even though most of the guests were men, they couldn't help taking a second look...

The moment the guest of honor appeared, everyone turned to look at him. Ye Luo smiled gracefully. "Everyone, this is our first meeting, though I suppose there's no need for me to introduce myself. To be honest, I'm surprised so many distinguished guests came tonight. Believe me, when you leave this hall, you'll feel the evening was well worth your time. Please, take your seats..."

There were a hundred places set, but the tables were nowhere near full. Even the oval table with its thirty-eight seats was only just filled—and that was with Ye Meng and the other nine joining the banquet.

Once everyone was seated, the dishes they had prepared were brought out one after another. They were arranged around the outer edge of the table, leaving a huge empty space in the middle.

Ye Luo smiled at everyone, rested his elbows on the table, and clasped his hands before his face. "Everyone, just before we captured Morton, I happened to acquire a real behemoth. I hear that eating it not only provides the body with a tremendous amount of nutrients, but that the energy in its meat can even prolong one's life. Of course, these claims hold no appeal for us Zerg. But the real reason I've saved it until now is the taste it's said to have!"

As Ye Luo spoke, four servers carried in a huge oval platter. They lifted the lid, and everyone present stared wide-eyed.

"God of Light above! Is this... is this a lobster? Or a Demon Beast?"

"Good heavens, the energy fluctuations in this **..."

"I've lived a long life and even attended banquets held by kingdoms, but I've never seen a feast this... lavish..."

The more than twenty nobles and wealthy merchants who prided themselves on being worldly couldn't help marveling at the food before them.

That's right: it was a gigantic lobster, the leader of the Iron-Claw Green-Spine Shrimp Clan, a sixth-tier sea creature! Unlike Demon Beasts, sea creatures had no Demon Cores. All their energy was stored in their flesh, giving it an irresistible aroma and tremendous energy...

"Gulp..." One or two food lovers were already swallowing hard. But the biggest glutton of them all was Ye Di.

Robert kept glancing at Ye Luo, as if asking whether he should introduce the distinguished guests who had arrived.

Ye Luo ignored him. He raised his glass and let his gaze sweep across all the guests, calling out their names one after another. "Elina and Miss Caroline of the Crimson Rose Chamber of Commerce: as the only two women at tonight's banquet, your presence does me great honor. Adonis and Lucian of the Sri Lanka Chamber of Commerce, and Mr. Adolph and Mr. Latin of the Barute Chamber of Commerce: everyone knows my excessive fondness for Demon Cores, so I expect we'll work together very happily in the days ahead. And Earl Sahat, the only earl among our distinguished guests: today, you'll gain far greater power and benefits than before. Naturally, I hope you'll continue to set an example, just as you have by attending tonight..."

Ye Luo named each guest and identified their title or affiliation, as if he'd already investigated them all in advance. It sent a chill down everyone's backs—and made them glad they had come...