Chapter 136: The Celebration Banquet

Gu Zhiyu said, “Yeah, they’d been conducting animal mutation experiments for a while, and apparently had some impressive results. But the disaster struck so suddenly, I’m sure the experiments were forced to stop.”

Hearing this, An Nan couldn’t help but think of the mysterious mutated animals Bai Wenbin had mentioned before.

She wondered if it had anything to do with the Taiyu Group...

She silently made a note of Taiyu Group and Xiao You in her mind. If she ran into them in the future, she’d have to be on guard.

The group quickly made their way back to the mountain base.

As soon as they entered the inner compound, they were directed by Hou Jianming’s bodyguards to keep moving forward, straight to the iron gate An Nan hadn’t been able to enter before.

Now the gate stood wide open. The courtyard was brightly lit, with tables and chairs lined up on both sides. A group of kitchen aunties bustled back and forth, carrying trays of food.

What’s all this? An outdoor banquet?

Just then, Hou Jianming walked out from the innermost villa, followed by Zhu Dazhuang, who had returned to the base earlier to report.

Both men wore broad smiles as they went straight to the main seats and sat down.

Hou Jianming raised his arm and called out:

“Welcome back, brave warriors! Tonight’s celebration banquet has plenty of good food and drink—eat and drink your fill!”

The tables were already piled high with delicious dishes, all sorts of meats cooked in every way imaginable.

If someone from outside suddenly walked in and saw this scene, they’d think they’d traveled back to the pre-apocalypse days.

After the disaster, people could barely dream of eating instant noodles, let alone feasting on meat and wine. Only the wealthy could manage that.

The crowd immediately cheered and scrambled to find seats, digging in with gusto.

An Nan and Gu Zhiyu exchanged a glance and, with tacit understanding, found an inconspicuous corner to sit down.

An Nan whispered, “Looks like Hou Jianming was pretty confident about this fight. The banquet was all prepared before everyone even got back.”

Gu Zhiyu replied, “After the last battle, they figured out the situation at Longhu Base. This time, they were fully prepared.”

An Nan looked at the inner compound residents around them, their mouths greasy from the feast, and couldn’t help but sigh,

“Pity those outer compound folks. All they get to do is walk into traps—they’re not even allowed to eat or drink here.”

Gu Zhiyu was noncommittal. “Survival of the fittest, that’s all.”

An Nan leaned closer and whispered, “If I’d known there’d be a celebration banquet tonight, we could’ve acted at the well ahead of time.”

If they’d slipped the drug into the water before the kitchen used it, half the people here would be dropping like flies right now.

Gu Zhiyu replied quietly, “No worries. There’s still another chance.”

An Nan asked, “What chance?”

Gu Zhiyu said, “Hou Jianming’s birthday banquet.”

“Birthday banquet?” An Nan looked at him in surprise. “How do you know when his birthday is?”

“I overheard one of the kitchen aunties talking about it when I picked up food yesterday.”

An Nan nodded in understanding.

She’d been cooking these past couple of days, but Gu Zhiyu was the one going downstairs to fetch the meals.

The aunties all liked chatting with him since he was good-looking.

“So did they say which day the birthday banquet is?”

“Nine days from now.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah.”

Gu Zhiyu frowned. “That auntie was complaining for ages, saying there were only ten days left and most of the vegetables she’d planted wouldn’t be ready in time.”

An Nan stifled a laugh. She could just imagine Gu Zhiyu patiently enduring the aunties’ complaints.

Then she glanced at the table, piled with braised, stir-fried, pan-fried, and deep-fried meats, and muttered,

“What vegetables? It’s all meat.”

Gu Zhiyu snorted softly. “Vegetables are precious. Of course they’re not giving them to the lower ranks.”

As they were talking, they suddenly heard Hou Jianming call out from the front:

“Miss An, Brother Youcai, why are you sitting so far away? Come up here!”

The two exchanged a look and slowly made their way to the front.

Hou Jianming watched the handsome man and beautiful woman walking side by side from afar, and for some reason, found the sight a bit irritating.

He narrowed his eyes, but quickly returned to his usual self and greeted them warmly.

“I heard from my deputy that the biggest hero in taking down the enemy base this time was actually Miss An’s dog?”

As he spoke, he glanced at the imposing dog sitting by An Nan’s leg.

Not bad, he thought. Strong, good teeth, and smart. If only it were his.

Fugui, hearing himself mentioned, turned his head away in annoyance.

Ugly monkey, what are you looking at? You’re an eyesore!

An Nan used her leg to shield the dog. “You flatter us, Boss. The dog doesn’t know much—he was just being protective, that’s all.”

Hou Jianming turned his gaze to her. “I heard it was because you killed Fan Long’s younger brother, Fan Xiaoyang, that he was forced out of hiding?”

Younger brother?

An Nan couldn’t help but glance at Zhu Dazhuang out of the corner of her eye.

What am I, some kind of brother-killing maniac? Always running into people’s little brothers.

She twitched her lips. “I didn’t know that Xiaoyang guy was his brother. I didn’t even know he was from Longhu Base.”

Hou Jianming nodded.

He’d heard from Zhu Dazhuang that it was Fan Xiaoyang who’d suddenly rushed out of the crowd and attacked An Meili.

He asked curiously, “Did you have a grudge with Fan Xiaoyang?”

An Nan replied, “We just had a little conflict before, while looking for supplies.”

Hou Jianming laughed. “What a fool, picking a fight with Miss An. He got what he deserved!”

He’d heard that this beautiful woman had snapped Fan Xiaoyang’s neck with her bare hands—in just one move, she’d ended him.

He looked at An Nan with satisfaction.

Only a woman this strong was worthy of him.

This woman—and her dog—he wanted them both.

He smiled at her. “Come on, eat! Why aren’t you touching your food? Don’t like the dishes?”

An Nan glanced at the meat on the table and thought, I’m not as bold as you—I wouldn’t dare eat just anything.

She replied casually, “Thank you for your hospitality, Boss. I just killed someone, so I’m not really hungry.”

Hou Jianming chuckled. “Fair enough. Then have a drink!”

An Nan looked at the alcohol on the table—probably homemade, with a weird smell.

“I’m allergic to alcohol.”

Hou Jianming awkwardly tugged at the corner of his mouth. “Guess I wasn’t thoughtful enough, making Miss An sit here on an empty stomach.”

An Nan replied perfunctorily, “You’re generous and openhanded, Boss, giving everyone so much good food and drink. I’m just not lucky enough to enjoy it.”

Hou Jianming was pleased by her words and his mood instantly improved.

She’s a beauty—being a little picky is normal. If she doesn’t want to eat, so be it.

He turned, about to say something to Gu Zhiyu, when just then, a troupe of dancers entered.

The women wore revealing outfits, beating small drums as they danced gracefully.

Hou Jianming’s attention was immediately drawn—he leaned back in his chair, content to enjoy the show.

These dancers were specially trained by the base for entertainment.

They performed a lively dance in the center of the courtyard, then gradually spread out.

Moving to the beat of the music, they drifted toward the men eating and drinking around them."