What Meal Are We Even Supposed to Eat?

"Your Highness, I have not uttered a single falsehood!"

Hearing Rosalind's question.

The intelligence officer in charge of the reconnaissance was covered in cold sweat. "The western Frontier of Nine Provinces, that Gobi Desert that used to be right next to our border—is indeed gone, Take Their Place the sky."

I don't know where that forest came from—I only know that it was enormous, stretching for who knows how many kilometers along the Border Barrier, completely blocking our planned crossing route."

Upon hearing this, Rosalind astutely grasped the key point. "----Right against the National Border Barrier? Is it possible that that was the original Gobi Desert?"

"Possibly."

The intelligence officer hesitated for a moment, then said, "But this is too unbelievable, Your Her Royal Highness the Princess. Only a few days have passed, and a forest has already grown there—that doesn't seem like something that can grow in a day or two."

When I was investigating, I also met the intelligence personnel from the Red Tide side. They looked equally astonished, clearly having never seen that forest before, and the aura emanating from it was extremely strange.

Rosalind continued, "Can you see the people of Nine Provinces?"

"I can't see anything, I can only see dense trees."

Rosalind paused for a moment after hearing this, then sighed, "----A vast primeval forest was created overnight. It seems our neighbors still treat guests the same way as before."

"Your Her Royal Highness the Princess, do you know what happened?"

Upon hearing Rosalind's words, the intelligence officer cautiously asked a question.

"Astera."

Rosalind replied, then stood up, walked out the door, and gazed in the direction of the Frontier.

The intelligence officer was taken aback upon hearing this, then recalled a post on the Nine Provinces Forum —rumored that Lu Xiu, the chief Architect of Nine Provinces, materialized the Astera from the Monster Hunter dungeon into Jade Capital.

etc.

The intelligence officers suddenly realized what was happening.

Previously, because it was so unbelievable and he was in a hurry to return and report, he hadn't really thought about it in this way.

But if we consider the Astera, then everything makes sense.

The intelligence officer approached Rosalind: "Your Her Royal Highness the Princess, are you saying this was the work of the chief Architect of Nine Provinces?"

"Based on the available information, this is the only possibility: if that Architect can manifest Astera in Jade Capital, they can naturally also manifest other instance scenes."

Rosalind narrowed her beautiful eyes slightly. "It's just that we don't know which dungeon that scene is from. We only know about one Monster Hunter, and we know nothing about Lu Xiu's other dungeons. This is not a good thing. But our neighbor is still the same as before, liking to show off his muscles. He was like this a century ago, and he is like this a century later. But there's nothing wrong with that."

Four years without contact, no foundation of mutual trust—if Franca had Architect like that, they probably would have done the same.

The intelligence officer nodded with a complicated expression.

"Since we can't figure out the situation there, let's not investigate. Let's prepare and head straight there. No matter what kind of dangerous place lies ahead, we have to arrive on time since we agreed on a time."

Rosalind shook her head. "Besides, we're here as guests, so they shouldn't go too far. In some ways, Nine Provinces is still a benefactor to our Silver Fox Clan and other clans. Although a century ago they were mainly eyeing the land, they did objectively shake the foundations of the Long Tiger Clan and Gray Wolf Clan clans' rule."

The fact that our former slave tribes were able to overthrow the rule of the former two was largely due to Nine Provinces's entry into the capital. My Emperor Father had been mentioning this point before the game was made, wanting to bind Nine Provinces to the position of liberator, and his attitude had never changed from beginning to end.

Nine Provinces has always been aware of this; just don't be too arrogant, and there won't be any major problems.

The intelligence officer hesitated again upon hearing this, then said, "Your Her Royal Highness the Princess, I'm afraid Nine Provinces might try to intimidate us—"

"Then bear it. There's a saying in Nine Provinces: 'A true man knows when to yield and when to stand firm.'"

Rosalind stated directly. "Between nations, the weak always have to endure some injustice. If the weak want to survive, they always have to pay a price. Being weak is not scary; what is scary is being weak without realizing it and being arrogant."

That might not be as simple as paying a price, just like the Long Tiger Clan and the Gray Wolf Clan a century ago, who went to provoke the Nine Provinces, ultimately causing the entire foundation of their rule to be shaken.

Moreover, no one is strong from the start. Three centuries ago, Nine Provinces was almost destroyed due to internal strife, leaving only a single land where the dragon rose. They had to negotiate with every country they faced. At that time, they were also weak. A century ago, when we were kept as pets by the Long Tiger Clan and Gray Wolf Clan clans, we were also weak.

But later...

Rosalind gazed at the distant Horizon Zero Dawn and said softly, "After Nine Provinces recovered, it began to gradually reclaim all the lost land, dignity, and status."

We seized the opportunity presented by Nine Provinces's occupation of Franca and suppression of the old royal family, raised the banner of rebellion, and slaughtered the Long Tiger Clan and Gray Wolf Clan clans, who had once treated us as pets and slaves, leaving not a single one alive."

She turned to the intelligence officer. "So, temporarily bowing your head isn't so bad, as long as you don't kneel. If Nine Provinces wants to flex its muscles, then we'll watch closely, and we can even show our respect appropriately."

The intelligence officer took a deep breath. "Understood, Your Highness, but I'm afraid the people on the Red Tide side are not seeing the situation clearly."

According to intelligence, their delegation includes many top-tier players, and they fought a war with Nine Provinces twenty years ago, ceding territory but stubbornly refusing to admit it. They've probably been holding a grudge ever since. If they provoke us and cause trouble, and we're crossing the border on the same day, will we be caught in the crossfire?

"Won't."

Rosalind gently shook her head. "They shouldn't be that stupid. If they were, that would be perfect—we could see for ourselves just how terrifyingly powerful Nine Provinces truly is."

The intelligence officer nodded again.

After the intelligence personnel left...

Rosalind turned her gaze back toward the Frontier.

"Lu Xiu ----"

She murmured the name that had recently become a household name on forums across Nine Provinces and even the world, a hint of curiosity flashing in her eyes.

"What kind of person is this Architect in real life?"

The next day.

morning.

The strong wind whipped up dust from the wilderness, which slammed against the SUV, making a dull thud.

The convoy of the Franca delegation finally arrived at the border of the country with Nine Provinces two hours before the scheduled time.

And when they stopped.

The Red Tide convoy arrived just in time, stopping at the closest point to the Border Barrier Franca and China.

The car door opened.

Rosalind got down.

At the same time, Ulysses of the Red Tide Delegation also disembarked, along with a dozen or so top-tier players whose ranks were clearly not low.

The two delegations exchanged a glance across the Border Barrier of Faraka and Red Tide.

In fact, given such a long border, there was absolutely no need for the two missions to deliberately come to the same place to squeeze into Nine Provinces.

However, for various reasons, both Franca and Red Tide tacitly changed their original routes, choosing the point closest to each other as their final crossing point.

After all, facing the Nine Provinces together is better than facing them alone.

Even though both sides are currently separated by their respective National Border Barrier.

The top players of the Red Tide behind Ulysses looked at the top players in the Franca Delegation with undisguised arrogance.

Red Tide is also warlike, and even before the game was made into a game, it had constant clashes with Franca.

It only appears exceptionally docile because it is located next to Nine Provinces.

Ulysses glanced back, and only then did the top players avert their gazes.

Faced with the almost provocative gaze, the top players on Franca's side, though their eyes darkened slightly, remained quite restrained because Rosalind had previously warned them.

"It seems the Red Tide people aren't stupid after all."

Rosalind glanced at the subdued top Red Tide players, muttered something, and then looked ahead.

Ulysses also looked over.

Although they had heard about it from intelligence agents, the two still found it incredible when they actually saw the forest.

Outside that semi-transparent Border Barrier, its surface shimmering with a faint light.

The once desolate Gobi Desert has completely disappeared, Take Their Place by a deep, dark, and dense primeval forest.

Tall, sturdy trees are everywhere. Because they are so dense, the twisted branches and leaves of the trees intertwine like tentacles, forming a huge canopy, which, combined with their vast area that seems to stretch as far as the eye can see.

It's incredibly intimidating just to look at.

A gentle breeze rustled through the forest.

It really is a genuine forest.

"Is this... the Frontier of Nine Provinces? The environment is completely different!"

A top player from the Red Tide, who had been looking arrogant, was completely dumbfounded by what he saw.

Ulysses and Rosalind couldn't help but frown.

But now is not the time to think about these things.

"Let's go, let's get there first, it's almost time."

Ulysses forced down the excitement in his heart and strode toward the Border Barrier.

Next.

It was a chaotic border crossing.

Since the new expansion was released, the once impregnable Border Barrier have been significantly weakened, allowing living beings to squeeze through, but it is by no means a threshold that can be crossed with a single step.

In this situation, which country takes the initiative to visit other countries is itself a signal.

Because the border crossing was really a mess.

One of the top players from Red Tide stepped forward first, relying on his strong physique, gritting his teeth, and forcefully squeezing his body into the semi-transparent light screen.

Violent ripples spread across the surface of the barrier.

That feeling.

It was as if his entire body had been forcibly stuffed into a tough gel, with terrifying repulsive forces coming from all directions, causing the High Sequence player's face to turn red instantly, and the veins on his neck to bulge.

He could only wade forward with difficulty, using both hands and feet, as if wading through mud.

It took almost five minutes.

The player finally managed to squeeze through the barrier, covered in sweat.

These are top-tier players; staff with lower stats have it even harder.

Immediately afterwards.

The members of the Red Tide delegation, along with the Franca Delegation led by Rosalind, began to line up, gritting their teeth as they squeezed through the barriers into the Nine Provinces border.

These usually powerful and influential figures, who wield considerable influence in their respective regions, were now red-faced and visibly agitated.

"Call----"

Ulysses, struggling within the barrier and feeling the pressure from all sides, couldn't help but secretly rejoice.

fine.

Fortunately, the people from Nine Provinces didn't set up the reception area directly on the edge of the fortress.

Otherwise, if the Nine Provinces reception staff were to stand there and watch helplessly as their delegation, like babies in difficult labor, squeezed their way through the walls with contorted faces...

Contact hasn't even started.

We've already lost all face.

finally.

About two hours later.

Both missions finally managed to squeeze through the Border Barrier.

There was no communication between the two sides during this time, mainly because both were in a very awkward situation.

It wasn't until Rosalind and Ulysses, the two leaders, also squeezed in, sweating profusely, that the delegation was fully assembled.

After some minor adjustments.

The leaders of both delegations finally stood before each other.

Rosalind extended her hand. "Hello, I'm Rosalind."

"I have long admired your name, Her Royal Highness the Princess Rosalind."

Ulysses extended his hand and shook it lightly with the other, abandoning his arrogant demeanor from the Red Tide and instead becoming quite friendly. "Ulysses."

"I've long admired your name as well."

Rosalind smiled gently.

As the two leaders made contact, the top players behind them no longer displayed the same tense and confrontational atmosphere they had outside the barrier.

The main reason is that everyone just witnessed the other side's pathetic state, grimacing and looking ferocious as they were squeezed by the barrier.

It's completely lost its class.

No one is more noble than anyone else, so it would be a bit embarrassing to put on an arrogant attitude now.

The two sides did not exchange much information.

Because just as they squeezed through the Frontier and tidied themselves up...

Footsteps immediately followed.

Suddenly, a series of rhythmic, muffled footsteps echoed along the forest path ahead.

Rosalind and Ulysses' expressions hardened, and they turned their heads away.

Arrived so punctually?

The Nine Provinces reception staff arrived just as both delegations were crossing the Frontier.

Of course, there's no such thing as a coincidence in this world.

Were the people of Nine Provinces monitoring us from the very beginning?

Was it simply to avoid embarrassing the two delegations that they didn't appear?

Just as the thought crossed Rosalind and Ulysses's minds...

From the shadowy trees ahead, two rows of soldiers emerged in neat formation, seemingly an honor guard.

only.

Upon seeing the equipment worn by these honor guard members, everyone in both delegations present, especially the top players, immediately had their pupils shrink to pinpoints.

The same applies to Rosalind and Ulysses.

Because these honor guards wore the same deep red armor, intricately patterned, with hard plates protecting vital areas—

And this equipment.

The top players in both delegations knew each other.

That's none other than the Odogaron from Monster Hunter, the Odogaron Set in Nine Provinces recently!

I don't know what the real-life attributes of the Odogaron Set character are like.

Just by looking at it, you can tell that it must be very valuable and its strength must be quite high.

But such equipment!

They actually wore them in the honor guard!

And a full twenty soldiers!

Twenty people! And they were all wearing the same suits!

Rosalind and Ulysses thought it was a ceremonial guard because the soldiers were not carrying game weapons, but rather ceremonial rifles, and each wore a gold sash on their left shoulder, symbolizing Nine Provinces protocol.

They stood ramrod straight, like pine trees, lined up on both sides, forming a ceremonial procession of the highest rank.

Using imposing Monster Hunter armor to perform ceremonial tasks creates a chilling sense of absurdity, a juxtaposition of savage force and civilized order.

At this moment.

Accompanied by the steady sound of leather shoes, an elderly man in a suit with a kind face slowly walked out from behind the soldiers. Behind him, Yan Fushou and Li Shengkai, as well as several officials in suits and ties, and top players such as Wei Yidong followed half a step behind.

The leader's impeccable formal attire and disciplined stance, compared to the equipment of the surrounding soldiers, created a striking sense of incongruity, yet at the same time seemed to be silently proclaiming to them that Nine Provinces remained orderly and was still the same unshakeable and vast nation it had always been.

The old man stopped two meters in front of Rosalind and Ulysses, nodded slightly, and extended his right hand with a warm smile.

"Your Highness Rosalind, this is Ulysses' representative."

The old man's voice was gentle. "I am Zhang Qian, representative of the Foreign Affairs Committee. On behalf of Nine Provinces, I formally welcome the delegation from Franca and the Red Tide Delegation."

Just the right amount of etiquette.

Just like before it was gamified.

But it was precisely this perfectly timed etiquette, combined with the surrounding primeval forest and the equipment worn by the honor guard, that gave Ulysses a strong sense of absurdity.

Ulysses took a deep breath, barely suppressing the complex emotions within him, and extended his hand to shake the old man's. "Thank you for your welcome."

Rosalind took a deep breath and shook hands with the old man. "Thank you."

"You've all crossed the barriers and traveled a long and arduous journey; thank you for your hard work."

After they shook hands, the old man withdrew his hand, turned to the side, and said, "Please."

At the same time.

Twenty honor guard soldiers dressed in Odogaron Set stood at attention in perfect unison, making way for a wide passage.

And then they parted ways.

Rosalind and Ulysses then realized that the red carpet had already been laid out sometime before they knew it.

But just now, there was no sign of any staff setting up the red carpet. It seemed as if the carpet had appeared out of thin air, clinging to the decaying leaves and stretching all the way into the depths of the forest.

Not only that.

rustle----

Accompanied by a sound of trees rubbing together.

The tall, thick, and oddly shaped black trees that had been blocking the front of the red carpet suddenly disappeared.

There wasn't even a trace of its roots emerging from the soil; it vanished in the blink of an eye.

In just a few seconds.

This once dark and oppressive forest heartland, which seemed to have no way to go, has been transformed into a wide, flat, welcoming avenue that leads straight into the depths.

Even the massive, intertwined tree canopies seemed to be gently parted by an invisible hand, slowly receding to both sides.

The soft sunlight fell perfectly on the straight red carpet.

This moment.

It was as if the entire forest was welcoming their arrival in this eerie yet solemn way.

But this is too extravagant.

Instead, it exudes a sense of terror everywhere.

Especially the top players in the Red Tide and Franca Delegation, upon witnessing this scene, were so stunned that they held their breath.

This illusion might work, but it's clearly not an illusion, because everything looks too real.

So how did they manage to make the forest obey? Is this really a player-manipulated technique?

Can players control the world???

With such a large area, no talent or skill would be effective, right?

Ulysses ' facial muscles twitched uncontrollably twice, immediately dispelling the idea of having a particular Architect exclusively for the Red Tide.

That's too unrealistic.

The top players behind him even had clearer eyes.

In proper modern diplomatic protocol, everything is reciprocal, predictable, and demilitarized.

Those top players would disdain it.

After all, they've been battling it out for four years since the World Gamification, and their mindset is completely different now.

The Red Tide has no one to help hold off the monsters on the front lines.

But what if diplomatic etiquette were a procession dressed in Odogaron Set, or a primeval forest suddenly appearing, and this primeval forest obediently cooperating with the welcoming of guests?

Even knowing that Nine Provinces was demonstrating its strength, they still thought Nine Provinces was very polite.

Wei Yidong and the others glanced at them. Although they couldn't whisper to each other, they exchanged glances and smiled slightly.

On the other side.

Princess Rosalind of Franca also stiffened for a moment, but quickly recovered and subtly surveyed the area, not seeing the Architect.

Screenshots of Lu Xiu's arena battle were everywhere back then.

Moreover, Lu Xiu also appeared on camera during the katana teaching session.

Both delegations naturally remembered Lu Xiu's appearance.

only.

Lu Xiu wasn't in the welcoming party—was that her doing?

Rosalind couldn't help but think that her manners were impeccable.

The old man, Zhang Qian, seemed to be used to the strange movements in the surrounding forest. His smile remained gentle, showing no signs that this was his first visit to the Witch Forest. He turned around and stepped onto the red carpet first, and as the host, he took the initiative to introduce his officials and top players to the two delegations.

The two delegations then introduced their respective officials and players.

The atmosphere was fairly harmonious.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries.

The group followed the red carpet that seemed to have been given away by the entire forest, heading deeper into the woods.

"Due to limited resources, we can only hold a simple reception ceremony here. We hope you don't mind."

The old man politely replied, "The Border Barrier are not under the control of our three parties, and other means of transportation are unavailable. We've gone to great lengths to come. The formal reception will take place in Chen Capital, and we'll begin the specific negotiations Chen Capital, shall we?"

----You think this is simple?

The group walked on a flat red carpet.

Their thoughts, however, were completely different.

Ulysses and Rosalind, while not exactly walking on thin ice, certainly did.

But when the old man said that the reception ceremony was simple, I still really wanted to complain.

This is almost like a miracle!

If we really arrive at Chen Capital, the capital of Nine Provinces, what other amazing things await us?

Should we just have the goddess appear?

Thinking of this...

Ulysses and Rosalind both seemed to be losing their composure.

----never mind.

The gamification process should be similar for each country; highly sophisticated vehicles should be unusable.

It will take at least a day to get to Chen Capital. Let's process what we've seen here first.

This day is enough to allow people to calm down.

As they pondered these thoughts, the two continued forward along the red carpet.

As we went deeper, the trees outside the red carpet avenue became even more lush.

Just then...

Rosalind's gaze passed through the dense shadows of the trees on the right side of the red carpet, and her movements suddenly paused slightly.

Ulysses, along with the top players from both delegations, noticed something almost simultaneously and turned to look.

A few hundred meters away from the red carpet, a three-story log cabin stands quietly in an open space.

The Wooden Cabin looked very ordinary, even exuding a cozy, lived-in feel, which completely contrasted with the dark tone of the entire forest.

The reason it doesn't match is mainly because the visual contrast is too strong.

Along the way, the trees in the forest were all twisted and disorderly, and the ground was covered with decaying leaves, so little light could penetrate.

But around that Wooden Cabin, the thick, sprawling tree roots and vines stopped Wooden Cabin a dozen meters away. Even the tree crowns bent outwards, leaving the sky above empty, as if on purpose, wanting the bright sunlight to fall precisely on the grass in front of the Wooden Cabin.

This is really eye-catching.

Rosalind and Ulysses instinctively slowed their pace.

The top players from both delegations pricked up their ears, waiting for the Nine Provinces representatives to begin introducing this clearly special area and who lived there.

However.

The elderly man leading the way simply smiled as he looked at the red carpet ahead, his steps steady, as if he hadn't even noticed the conspicuous Wooden Cabin a hundred meters away.

Yan Fushou, Li Shengkai, and even Wei Yidong and other top players who were accompanying them all kept their eyes straight ahead, showing no intention of uttering a single word of explanation.

It was as if it were just an ordinary backdrop, not worth mentioning at all.

This uniform disregard only fueled the curiosity of both delegations.

Why not introduce it? Is it because you're not qualified to mention it? Or are you afraid to mention it? Or is there some hidden reason? Who exactly lives there? Are they dungeon characters? Are they dungeon NPCs like those in the Astera?

Or perhaps...

Is it the chief Architect of Nine Provinces?

That shouldn't be the case.

Even if the Architect of Nine Provinces were truly that skilled, it's impossible for them to simply build a house and place it along the route for receiving foreign guests, right?

Rosalind and Ulysses exchanged a curious glance, but neither dared to ask. They could only continue following the old man, filled with doubt and apprehension.

A few minutes later.

The red carpet has finally come to an end.

Ahead lay a clearing in the woods with a wide view.

However, to the surprise of both delegations, there were no convoys parked there for transportation.

In the center of the open space, there was only a Bonfire.

A simple, ancient-looking longsword with a spiral blade was stuck in the Bonfire.

The flames burning over the Bonfire were not strong, but they emitted a warm glow that brought peace to the mind.

"Gentlemen."

The old man stopped, turned around, and smiled at the puzzled delegations from both countries. He said gently, "The western Frontier is far from the capital Chen Capital. Even with smooth traffic, it would take a considerable amount of time to reach you by regular means of transport. To avoid causing you further hardship on the road—"

The old man turned to the side and pointed to the Bonfire with the spiraling longsword stuck in it.

"We will be teleported directly to the capital Chen Capital, via this Bonfire."

The words had barely left his mouth.

Everyone who had been thinking about the Wooden Cabin suddenly looked at the old man.

Even Rosalind and Ulysses, who had been maintaining their composure, finally couldn't hold back any longer. Their eyes widened instantly, and they gasped sharply.

Teleportation?!

A delegation of nearly a hundred people, plus reception staff from Nine Provinces, were they instantly teleported from the distant western Frontier to the capital?!

The World Gamification for almost five years now.

The most painful thing, besides the failure of modern weapons, is that large, sophisticated and efficient vehicles such as airplanes are all unusable.

Over the past four years, the cost of cross-regional travel has become outrageously high.

Even top players need to travel long distances to cross thousands of kilometers.

What's even more outrageous is that in this supposedly gamified world, there's no teleportation function!

That's outrageous.

Every time I go on a long trip, it becomes extremely painful.

This is actually one of the reasons for the instability of the two regimes.

The delegations from Franca and Red Tide also traveled a long distance to reach them.

They were all prepared, as they still had a long journey to the capital of Nine Provinces, and they were wondering where Zhang Qian was taking them.

But now!

The old man told them casually.

They have teleportation!

Moreover, judging from this momentum, they could even teleport a massive delegation of nearly a hundred people to Chen Capital all at once!

"This----"

Ulysses, staring at the Bonfire, couldn't hold back any longer and, disregarding his own intrusion, asked, "Excuse my bluntness, Director Zhang, but how exactly is this possible? Can this Bonfire teleport us all to Chen Capital? Is it a one-time consumable item?"

Rosalind also looked at the old man.

"Representative Ulysses is joking; it certainly isn't a one-time thing."

The old man's smile remained gentle, "These are fixed points; as long as the fire doesn't go out, we can move back and forth at any time."

I heard the words "fixed" and "at any time".

Ulysses and Rosalind felt a wave of dizziness.

Does this person even know what they're saying?

Is it that scary?

How did they manage to do that?

"May I ask one more question—"

Ulysses took a deep breath, forgetting all formalities. "How on earth did they do that?"

Upon hearing this, the old man did not feign profundity this time. Instead, he turned slightly to the side, his gaze following the red carpet he had come from, and looked at the Wooden Cabin in the distance that was deliberately avoided by the forest.

"These props were provided by Miss Lu Xiu, and Lin Yi, they are her private property."

That's all.

He didn't explain further, but smiled and extended his hand again in an inviting gesture, "It's getting late. A luncheon has been prepared in Chen Capital. Please, everyone."

Everyone:

-"

No, what you're saying!

What's the point of eating?!