The Closing Disciple

“And… she is also the closing disciple of a retired master chef from the state banquet kitchen.”

Cheng Shuili had only recently learned of this additional identity. At the time, it was Xinxue who had been holding her rice bowl, pondering the matter and finding that something didn't quite add up.

Black Feather was no longer the organization it had been when Wanyi was the only chef; they had since recruited several first-tier chefs.

However… the dishes they prepared always seemed to lack that certain something compared to Wanyi’s cooking.

An average person might not have been able to tell the difference, but Xinxue and the others, who ate Wanyi’s cooking every single day alongside Cheng Shuili, could essentially be said to have had their “palates spoiled” in the truest sense.

Thus, after a session of “rigorous interrogation,” Wanyi finally confessed.

She had felt quite aggrieved while explaining, muttering things like, “Boss, I wasn't hiding it from you on purpose…”

She had kept her head down at the time, twisting the edge of her apron, “I just felt that saying it now wouldn't really be of any use. It’s not like I can actually cook state banquet dishes for everyone, right? Think of how many rare ingredients and seasonings that would require…”

If Cheng Shuili had possessed the identity of a state banquet master’s closing disciple, she would have wanted to carve it into her own forehead for everyone to see.

Yet Wanyi had actually kept it hidden and tucked away.

Back to the present: as soon as Cheng Shuili uttered those words, a collective gasp echoed through the dining room.

The closing disciple of a state banquet master?!

In the previous world, this status alone would have been enough to make people look up to her with reverence!

No wonder… no wonder this table of food was so exquisite, the flavor so superb, and why it carried traces of top-tier craftsmanship from the old era in every bite.

The effect of such a meal turned out to be far greater than Cheng Shuili had imagined.

Setting aside the fact that the cooperation agreement was now a foregone conclusion, this meal had also hooked the appetites of the lone wolves. Upon hearing that the people of Black Feather could eat like this every single day, the eyes of the group lit up instantly. Even A Gentle Kiss, the leader of the four great lone wolves, could not remain unaffected.

“We can eat like this every day?” A Gentle Kiss leaned forward slightly, her beautiful eyes burning bright under the lights. “At this level, like today?”

Cheng Shuili met her gaze and nodded calmly: “Yes.”

She then added slowly: “Though the ingredients vary from day to day, Wanyi’s skill is what counts. Even ordinary ingredients can be transformed into extraordinary flavors. Just like this table today; the ingredients themselves weren't anything rare.”

She said it nonchalantly, but it only made her appear more confident.

Drafty could no longer hold back: “In the treatment for special invited combatants… does it include room and board?”

He asked bluntly with no expression on his face, but the longing in his eyes was practically overflowing.

Gulu Gulu Bubbling nodded frantically beside him, gazing at Cheng Shuili with eager eyes.

Cheng Shuili chuckled and was just about to answer when White Tiger shouted out first: “Hey, no way! Crow, shouldn't our alliance have some kind of food subsidy? No, no, it doesn't have to be as good as your internal Black Feather meals, but once a week… no, once a month! I’d be perfectly satisfied with that! Our Little Green Dragon is willing to provide extra supplies!”

Although the other faction leaders weren't as exaggerated as White Tiger, they all cast eager looks in her direction.

Except for Undying War Wolf Soul and Qingping Le; they were serious people, and it was absolutely impossible for them to surrender over mere food.

The two sat with calm expressions and determined gazes, as if the intoxicating aroma of the delicacies had never existed.

But if one looked closely, they could see the Undying War Wolf Soul’s Adam's apple roll imperceptibly when Cheng Shuili mentioned that they ate like this every day.

And the fingertips of Qingping Le, folded over her knees, also twitched unconsciously for a brief moment.

Yet, the self-control cultivated by years of holding high positions allowed them to firmly suppress this instinctive desire beneath a facade of composure.

Cheng Shuili’s lips curved upward as her gaze swept across the group: “This is the daily supply within Black Feather. It is our guarantee for our core members and is not open to outsiders for the time being.”

Her voice was crisp with a playful lilt, yet it held a strong sense of boundaries.

It was like gently putting a lid on a candy jar—indicating that the candy was sweet, but also making it clear that it was her own jar.

She had made everyone crave it, yet she was unwilling to offer even a scrap.

Gulu Gulu Bubbling immediately tugged on the hem of A Gentle Kiss’s clothes and whispered: “Sister Kiss, Sister Kiss! Help me ask if Black Feather is still recruiting!”

Her voice wasn't loud, but it certainly wasn't quiet either.

Everyone present had top-tier attributes, and upon hearing this, their gazes shifted immediately.

For a moment, all eyes—except for Cheng Shuili’s and A Gentle Kiss’s—fell upon Gulu Gulu Bubbling.

Cheng Shuili didn't know what had happened between the two, but Gulu Gulu Bubbling was at most sixteen or seventeen; she was too young and timid, which gave her an almost instinctive dependence on A Gentle Kiss.

Gulu Gulu Bubbling’s voice sounded exceptionally clear in the suddenly quiet dining room.

She seemed to realize it herself and shrank her neck, but her round eyes still gazed at A Gentle Kiss, sparkling with pure longing.

A longing for good food, or perhaps, for a wonderful life where one could eat like this every day.

Focused by so many gazes, A Gentle Kiss didn't show the slightest bit of embarrassment.

She didn't even rush to reply to Gulu Gulu Bubbling; instead, she raised her eyes to look at Cheng Shuili at the head of the table, her lips curling into a smile that wasn't quite a smile, her voice clear: “Crow, look, the resolve of our little friend here doesn't seem very firm anymore.”

Cheng Shuili met her gaze, her smile unchanged, even becoming a bit gentler: “An unfirm resolve sometimes precisely shows that she possesses the instinct and courage to pursue a better life. That is a very precious quality.”

A Gentle Kiss was slightly taken aback, clearly not expecting Cheng Shuili to respond in such a way.

Her eyes danced, and she immediately laughed out loud: “It seems Crow is not only good at winning people over, but also very good with words.”

Cheng Shuili’s smile remained as she pretended not to hear the subtle probing, turning her gaze instead to Gulu Gulu Bubbling with a sincere tone:

“The doors of Black Feather are always open to partners who have strength, have conviction, and recognize us. However…”

She changed the subject, her tone carrying the gentleness of an elder, “Gulu is still young. Perhaps you should look around and think about it more. If you ever want to eat something, feel free to come over anytime.”

A Gentle Kiss’s eyes flickered, and she didn't say anything more, simply raising her hand to soothe Gulu Gulu Bubbling by patting her head.

Gulu Gulu Bubbling had been pouting, but her eyes lit up again when she heard “feel free to come over anytime.”

But such matters could not be discussed in front of these leaders. Although it was just a subtle tug-of-war, the atmosphere had become somewhat frozen.

Just as no one was speaking, Drafty asked with a smile: “Crow, Gulu Gulu is also considered one of our special invited combatants. She can come to eat anytime, so I should be able to as well, right?”

Before Cheng Shuili could even speak, A Gentle Kiss rolled her eyes and raised her hand to press it against Drafty’s mouth, the force neither light nor heavy, carrying a touch of disdain: “Eat, eat, eat, all you know is eating. She was talking about a kid. How thick is your face that you dare to squeeze into the pile with the kids?”

Her movement was natural and fluid, carrying a touch of familiar teasing that instantly broke the subtle standoff from a moment ago.

Drafty was silenced, but he wasn't annoyed, only laughing muffledly as his shoulders shook: “Well, food is the heaven of the people… Besides, isn't this for me to enhance the internal relations of the alliance and move around more…”

A Gentle Kiss let go and glared at him irritably: “I could hear the sound of your scheming from eight hundred miles away.”

The atmosphere became lively again, and White Tiger took the opportunity to join in the fun, stroking his chin and laughing: “I think that works! We're special invited combatants, after all; we need to communicate more with your alliance’s core members to coordinate better, right? As for the location for communication, I think Black Feather’s canteen is quite suitable!”

A roar of laughter broke out among the group.

Cheng Shuili also shook her head with a smile and didn't take the bait, but she didn't shut the door completely either, merely picking up her teacup and taking a light sip with a calm demeanor.

After all, the main purpose of this meal was alliance cooperation. After the jokes, the topic naturally returned to business.

The subsequent negotiations went incredibly smoothly.

With the skills of a state banquet disciple and the temptation of meals comparable to feasts, finalizing many of the detailed clauses became exceptionally easy.

The alliance charter was drafted preliminarily, and the intention for cooperation was basically reached, awaiting only subsequent refinement and formal signing.

By the time the meeting broke up, the sunset had already gilded the building outlines of the Black Feather base with a warm golden edge.

After seeing the last person off, Cheng Shuili was finally free.

She glanced at the empty conference room. The leftovers had been cleared away silently, and a faint, lingering fragrance seemed to remain in the air.

Cheng Shuili didn't leave immediately.

She stood alone on the terrace, watching the lights of the Black Feather base gradually turn on outside the window, like stars falling into the mortal world, outlining the silhouette and vitality of this newborn force.

The evening breeze slipped in through the slightly opened window, carrying the cool, grassy scent of the night, blowing away the last traces of the banquet’s smoke and fire that had clung to her.

That will do.

She can rest today.

Cheng Shuili stretched, greeted Wanyi, and returned to her vehicle.

The sky on the highway was completely different from the safe zones; it wouldn't go dark before eight o'clock because Su Rui was still working.

Cheng Shuili knocked on the driver’s cabin door. Just as she pulled it open, before she could say a word to Su Rui, she saw Su Rui’s body tense up violently, as if she had stomped on something with great force.

A harsh screech of metal friction instantly tore through the silence of the highway!

Cheng Shuili was caught off guard and lunged forward due to inertia, but fortunately, she reacted quickly and stabilized herself by bracing her hand against the door frame.

Outside the window, the blurred scenery on both sides of the highway suddenly stopped moving.

The vehicle came to a complete stop amidst a teeth-grinding screech.

“What’s going on?” Cheng Shuili frowned slightly and immediately looked at Su Rui.

Su Rui didn't answer immediately.

Her hands were still gripping the steering wheel tightly, her knuckles turning slightly white from the force.

She stared fixedly at the empty highway surface illuminated by the headlights, her eyes showing a gravity Cheng Shuili had never seen before, or even… a hint of shock.

Cheng Shuili’s heart sank as well.

“Ahead,” Su Rui’s voice was somewhat dry as she pointed about fifty meters forward, “Just now, there was something.”

Cheng Shuili looked in the direction she was pointing.

The asphalt surface reflected a cold light under the headlights, but there was nothing there.

“What was it?” Cheng Shuili asked in a low voice, while tilting her body slightly toward the window to observe the surroundings vigilantly.

She held her breath and listened carefully.

In the sound of the wind on the highway at night, there was only the faint crackling of metal cooling after the engine had been shut off, and a long, low wail coming from the distance, though she couldn't tell if it was the wind or some creature.

Beads of sweat seeped from Su Rui’s forehead, and her voice dropped even lower: “It looked like a person… but its movements were very strange. I mean, I saw it very clearly just now. It suddenly rushed out from the side of the road, threw itself directly at our hood, and then disappeared.”

Cheng Shuili scanned the road ahead and the shadows of the sparse, withered trees on both sides with sharp eyes. There were air walls on both sides of the highway. It rushed out from there? And threw itself at the hood, then disappeared?

How this sounded was like nonsense, but Su Rui had always been reliable, and seeing how frightened she was, Cheng Shuili felt that this must have actually happened.

She asked: “Disappeared? Was it because it was so fast that it looked like it disappeared, or did it truly vanish?”

Su Rui realized the focus of this question instantly. She grabbed Cheng Shuili’s wrist, her voice rising sharply: “It was directly…”

Having said those three words, she finally realized the weirdness of that statement, but after thinking about what kind of place this was, she suddenly calmed down and resumed her usual tone, “It just scattered right before my eyes.”

“Like smoke, or a pile of sand blown away by the wind. The moment it threw itself at us, I could even see its face… it had no features, just a blur of gray-white.”

Cheng Shuili became more confused the more she listened. She didn't rush to reach a conclusion but frowned, recalling everything that had just happened.

If Su Rui had seen this “ghostly shadow” at the exact moment of braking, Cheng Shuili should have already opened the door. That is to say, if this thing truly existed, she should have been able to see it too.

Of course, it couldn't be ruled out that Cheng Shuili had been turning to open the door, her attention not fully focused on the road ahead.

By the time she recovered from the sudden braking and stabilized herself to look at Su Rui, Su Rui had already finished saying there was something.

She had just happened to miss seeing it with her own eyes.

Either way made sense, and Cheng Shuili couldn't figure it out.

She frowned and patted Su Rui’s shoulder as if to comfort her, saying: “If it’s some kind of monster, we’ll just kill it. Don’t be afraid.”

The driver’s cabin was very quiet. After a long while, Su Rui muttered to herself: “Afraid?”

She seemed to have been scalded by the word and turned her head abruptly: “Boss! Do you know those videos on the internet that look very normal? When you’re staring at them intently, a ghost face suddenly jumps out.”

Cheng Shuili nodded. She had used the internet in her past life, so of course, she understood.

Seeing her flat reaction, Su Rui became anxious: “Don’t you think these two things are somewhat similar? Both happen when you are staring intently, and both involve something terrifying appearing suddenly.”

Cheng Shuili understood, but she still felt very confused.

Did Su Rui mean that someone used some kind of prop or other method to scare her with this tactic?

No, the one being scared wasn't Su Rui, but the driver of this vehicle.

This thing was targeting Cheng Shuili.