Banquet

"When did I ever say I intended to infringe upon their rights?" Ye Luo flicked his finger, and the magic core vanished instantly. He looked at Robert with a playful glint in his eyes. "Or is it your belief that we are only capable of pillaging and slaughter?"

Robert was left speechless, unsure of how to respond.

Ye Luo chuckled softly. "Go on, help me prepare a sumptuous banquet. Tonight, I shall host all the nobles and wealthy merchants in the city. The location will be the banquet hall of the City Lord's Mansion... ah, you do have a banquet hall here, don't you?"

Robert took a deep breath and nodded. "We do. However, Your Majesty, I hope you are mentally prepared; I suspect not many will attend this banquet."

Ye Luo nodded. "Rest assured. After tonight's banquet, those who chose not to attend will regret it to their deaths."

Robert was startled, fearing that Ye Luo intended to use coercion to threaten the nobles and merchants. He immediately wanted to offer counsel, but seeing Ye Luo wave his hand to dismiss him, he could only sigh and slowly retreat.

Ye Luo then turned his gaze toward Ye Zhang and said with a smile, "Ye Zhang, in taking Morton and crushing the Third Legion of the Keren Kingdom, your Iron-Armored Cockroach clan has rendered invaluable service!"

Ye Zhang knelt before Ye Luo, trembling with excitement. "Your Majesty, to serve our race is the greatest honor for the Iron-Armored Cockroach clan!"

"Very good. Ye Zhang, take one thousand Iron-Armored Cockroach and spend an hour burying them deep beneath Morton. The deeper, the better. If all goes well, they shall slumber in the earth forever, but should an emergency arise in Morton, they will be there to quell the chaos for us!" Ye Luo instructed solemnly. This contingency plan was vital for maintaining stability in the rear as their controlled territory expanded.

Though Ye Zhang was a man of few words, he understood the gravity of the task. He bowed to Ye Luo and immediately set off to make the arrangements.

Ye Luo then shifted his focus to Ye You. "The items I asked you to prepare—are they ready?"

Ye You struck an elegant pose, reminiscent of a human noble. "My Emperor, the task you commanded is naturally my top priority. One hundred carcasses of the Iron-Claw Green-Spine Shrimp have already been delivered to the warehouse of the City Lord's Mansion."

"Excellent..."

As night quietly descended, this chaotic and complex day drew to a close. Many commoners had retired early, exhausted in body and spirit by the day's events, yet the City Lord's Mansion remained brightly lit.

In the banquet hall, a red carpet stretched from the main entrance deep into the room, while the entire floor was covered in red velvet—an expensive silk fabric usually reserved for clothing and hats, now relegated to a carpet. The southern half of the hall served as a dance floor. In one corner, a dozen musicians were performing "Ode to Karal." The melody was beautiful, tinged with a hint of high-pitched intensity. Legend had it that a bard named Karal composed it after witnessing the tragic love story between an elf maiden and a human, and it had since spread widely across the continent.

Surrounding the dance floor were various drinks and desserts; for food to appear here, being visually and aromatically perfect was merely the baseline requirement.

The northern half of the hall featured a massive oval dining table, surrounded by smaller circular tables. The tables were draped in gold cloths and set with silver plates and cutlery. Twenty waiters, dressed in red jackets and white trousers, stood in a neat line, waiting to serve the distinguished guests.

Robert, dressed in his finest attire, was greeting each arriving guest. For a major city with a population of a million, the number of nobles and merchants present was truly meager, making the vast, spacious banquet hall feel empty and desolate. Even those who had arrived wore complex expressions, devoid of smiles; many, in fact, looked as though they were under a dark cloud.

At approximately 8:10 PM, Ye Luo, clad in magnificent robes and accompanied by Ye You, Ye Meng, Ye Zhang, and seven others, arrived slowly. His robe, dominated by blue with white and gold threads woven into patterns of the sun, moon, and stars, looked less like formal banquet wear and more like a mage's robe. Yet, this very garment softened the martial intensity of Ye Luo's face, blending strength with grace to create a unique charm. Even though most of the guests were men, they couldn't help but steal a few extra glances at him.

With the host's arrival, everyone turned their gaze toward him. Ye Luo wore an elegant smile. "Gentlemen, this is our first meeting, though I believe I need no further introduction. To be honest, the fact that so many distinguished guests have come today has exceeded my expectations. Believe me, when you leave this hall tonight, you will feel that your time was well spent. Please, take your seats."

The hundred-seat capacity was far from full; even the thirty-eight seats at the oval table were barely occupied, and that was only after Ye Meng and his nine companions joined the banquet.

Once everyone was seated, the prepared delicacies were served, yet all the food was arranged along the outer perimeter of the table, leaving a massive, empty void in the center.

Ye Luo smiled at everyone, resting his elbows on the table and clasping his hands before his face. "Gentlemen, just before we occupied Morton, I happened to harvest a 'big guy.' It is said that consuming this creature not only provides a massive boost to the nutrients the human body requires, but the energy contained within its flesh can even prolong life. Of course, such claims hold no appeal for us Zerg, but the reason I have saved it until now is its legendary flavor!"

As Ye Luo spoke, four waiters carried in a massive oval platter. When they lifted the lid, everyone present widened their eyes in shock.

"By the God of Light! Is... is this a lobster? Or a magical beast?"

"Heavens, the energy fluctuations in this flesh..."

"...I have lived a long life and attended kingdom-level banquets, but such... a luxurious feast, this is the first time I have ever encountered one..."

More than twenty nobles and merchants, who prided themselves on being well-traveled and knowledgeable, could not help but marvel at the food before them.

Indeed, it was a giant lobster—the leader of the Iron-Claw Green-Spine Shrimp clan, a Tier 6 Sea Race creature! Unlike magical beasts, the Sea Race possessed no magic cores; their energy was stored entirely within their flesh, which imbued their meat with an alluring aroma and immense vitality.

"Gulp..." One or two foodies had already begun to salivate. However, the biggest foodie of them all was Ye Di.

Robert kept casting inquiring glances at Ye Luo, seemingly asking if he should introduce the distinguished guests.

Ye Luo ignored him entirely. He raised his glass, his gaze sweeping across the faces of every guest. "Elina and Caroline of the Crimson Rose Chamber of Commerce, as the only two ladies at this banquet, your presence brings great luster to this hall. Adonis and Lucian of the Sri Lanka Chamber of Commerce, as well as Adolph and Latin of the Barute Chamber of Commerce—everyone knows of my excessive passion for magic cores, so I believe we shall have a very pleasant cooperation in the days to come. And Count Sahat, as the only Count among our distinguished guests, you shall receive even greater power and benefits than before starting today. Of course, I also hope you will continue to set such a fine example as you have by attending today..."

Ye Luo named the guests one by one, calling out their identities or the factions behind them as if he had completed a thorough investigation beforehand. It sent a chill down everyone's spine, yet they felt a sense of relief that they had chosen to attend.