Forge a path to success.

Chapter 182 Don't Underestimate Comedy Characters
In less than half an hour, the settlement warriors had made all the necessary preparations. They laid out "picnic blankets" woven from animal hides at the foot of the bare tree to create a banquet area. Various fruits and vegetables served in earthenware bowls and plates were the first to be served, followed by appetizers such as cured meat, dried insects, and semi-liquid "cakes" made from plant root powder.

The banquet was small, attended only by Chongming, Silar, Qingxia, and the other outsiders. After everyone had entered, the main course was served. Two adult warriors carried in a whole roasted "blind bird," which was about the size of a person and had four wings. It needed to be pierced through with a wooden stick from end to end to be cooked.

The warriors carried the meat on small knives, while the best wings were given to the four members who had personally participated in the battle against Vaklo. Chu Hengkong and Ji Huaisu received two extra hind legs because they had participated in the battle against the Fallen Souls. After the best meat was distributed, they gave the breast meat to Silar and Chongming. Then they carefully chopped the blind-feathered bird and placed it on several large platters for the guests to take.

"It smells pretty good..." Ji Huaisu muttered softly.

Chu Hengkong took a bite of the bird's leg, his first bite consisting entirely of crispy, charred skin. The bird was quite large, and its skin was much thicker than that of ordinary poultry. The soldiers had marinated it inside and out with spices beforehand, allowing the flavors to penetrate the skin. With each bite, the oil and aroma burst in your mouth, like eating thick-cut potato chips made with chicken fat.

He quickly ate his second and third bites. The meat of the blind bird was tough, with a distinctive gamey smell, far inferior to the skin, but definitely several times more delicious than sandworm meat. After wandering for so long, being able to eat such a meal was a true blessing.

The aroma of meat wafted through the air as it was torn apart, and everyone was so engrossed in eating that they forgot to talk for a moment. Chu Hengkong's pocket twitched, and the demon in the eye, awakened by the sight of meat, exclaimed, "Wow! What are you eating? Give me some, give me some!"

As soon as it came out, it was met with angry stares from everyone. Chu Hengkong shoved it back in with one hand: "You, have no, right."

Van Der protested loudly, "Why should I! I've rendered meritorious service by defeating the Soul-Shattering Demon, I've shed blood by fighting the Immortal Machine! I want to sit at the table, I want to eat!"

Van der finally got a wingtip (twice as big as him), and he pounced on the golden bird skin, sucking away happily, like a silver parasite on a pile of fat.

After observing for a while, Silar quietly spoke to Qingxia: "What kind of demon is that?"

"Grandpa, are you seeing things? That's not a demon, it's an eye demon," Qingxia said in her normal voice.

Slar hit his granddaughter on the forehead with a piece of fruit: "Idiot. Keep your voice down!"

Qingxia switched to a very soft voice: "Grandpa, have you forgotten you're hard of hearing again? Can't you hear me when I speak softly?"

Grandpa Slar twitched his rabbit-like ears and glared with wide eyes: "What did you say?! Speak louder!"

“You’re sitting so far away, even we old folks can’t hear you clearly…” Ji Huaisu’s lips twitched.

Miss Centaur sat alone at the edge of the hall, far from the others, looking like a socially awkward person who wished she could just retreat to her own home for a meal. She strolled over to the others: "The Holy Pillars are especially strict with us knights, so I can't sit this close~"

"What does 'strict' mean?" Qingye asked.

"Well... to be specific, it's difficulty breathing, slowed thinking, and weakened vital functions..."

Qingxia reached out and touched the pillar of light, and her fingertips burst into flames.

"Then if you touch it, it will suddenly burst into flames," she said.

"This is clearly not a matter of being strict or not! The Holy Pillar looks like he wants to kill you! Seriously, the fire's already burning your arm, stop grinning like an idiot and put it out!!" Qingye screamed.

The old man was also getting impatient: "We'll perform the acrobatics after the banquet!"

"No way, old man, this isn't just a matter of occasion! It's really burning! It's even smelling burnt!" Van der exclaimed in shock.

Ji Huaisu quickly splashed a ball of ice water, barely managing to extinguish Qingxia's anger. Qingxia blew on it a couple of times, and her burned skin immediately healed completely. She sat down next to Chu Hengkong, holding her bowl, and casually tossed some dried insects she didn't like into Ji Huaisu's bowl, saying, "Grandpa, shouldn't we get down to business?"

Slar stroked his beard and laughed at everyone, "Haha, please don't mind! The Holy Pillar is extremely strict with itself, so you should all be able to touch it normally."

“No, who would dare touch it? I would never touch that piece of junk,” Van der said.

Slar remained unfazed, raising his wooden goblet: "Let's get back to the point... Today is truly a wonderful day, with so many things to celebrate. Let me confirm one more time: Does everyone here possess the will to fight against fear?"

Everyone nodded in agreement. Slar laughed heartily, raising his glass: "Although it would be presumptuous of me to say this... please allow me to welcome you all to the 'Allied Forces'!"

People clinked glasses and drank the fruit wine in one gulp. Chu Hengkong put down his glass and asked, "Were you also a member of the 'Allied Forces' back then?"

"This isn't a matter of belonging to just one or two people, like me or Qingxia. Did Qingxia just show you all the knight's icon?"

Ji Huaisu's expression was quite interesting. Qingye replied for her: "I've seen it. It's very beautiful."

“That icon depicts the history of the Allied forces saving the ancestors of the settlement during the Great War,” Slar said proudly. “Before the Great War, the battle settlement ‘Volcaso’ was a dusty island dominated by demons. But the knights led the Allied forces to sweep away the heretics, restore our ancestors’ freedom, and left behind the great holy pillar to protect us from the invasion of the heretics.”

"To repay this kindness, our ancestors joined the Allied Forces and fought alongside the knights. Those unable to participate in the battles used the passages between the Dust Isles to supply the Allied fortress 'Halvira' from the rear. There were many, many small Dust Isles like ours during the Great War... We all received the Allied Forces' kindness and volunteered to contribute to the war. In a broad sense, we are all part of the Allied Forces."

"Don't take it too seriously!" Chongming said lazily. "The Allied Forces aren't an organization in the traditional sense. They don't have a specific structure. Just think of them as a school club. Join if you want to fight, and quit anytime you don't want to fight anymore."

Silar smiled wryly: "Commander Chongming, at least be more serious in front of the newcomers..."

"Huh? What's with this newbie I personally trained acting like a seasoned veteran, you bastard?!" Chongming slurred, "Nobody knows the Allies better than me!"

Slar shook his head and sighed, "Sigh, my image is beyond saving."

"What the hell did you say? You want to fight, old rabbit?!"

Ji Huaisu and Fan De chuckled, it seemed that Commander Chongming's way of interacting with each new recruit was pretty much the same. Chu Hengkong touched the rough wine cup and said, "Old sir, aren't you a man of the mist?" Those who are men of the mist can't provide any information about the past. Silar explained the settlement's past in just a few words, something Chongming and the others couldn't do.

"Decades ago at this time, I was the 28th batch of newcomers. My batch had no achievements to speak of... I survived the war by sheer luck and have remained in the settlement ever since." Silar smiled. "As you can see, I am a forest dweller. How is my homeland, the city-state of Thorn Robe, doing now?"

Having worked as a detective in Huilong City for several months, Chu Hengkong already knew how to distinguish the races of the Submerged Realm. The old man was short, with two rabbit ears on his head and large eyes; this kind of race either came from the Divine Tree City-State or the Land of Seeking Joy. Ji Huaisu answered for him, "They are still thriving. This time, some 'Thorn Robe' forest people have come with us."

"Oh!" The old man was pleasantly surprised. "Not to brag, but the throwing skills of our Senmin people are no less than those of Longquan Township. To be traveling with such strong individuals as you, is he a master of blowguns or a skilled archer?"

Ji Huaisu recalled the smug boast of a certain furry little animal and chuckled, "A second-level professional gardener and a first-level plant cultivator..."

Grandpa Silar jumped three feet high, his eyes almost popping out of their sockets.

"That's amazing?!?"

"Huh? No, is this something really amazing?"

"You just found out? Guli Bobo's professional skills are top-notch." Vande said while eating, "The professional titles in the Divine Tree City-State are divided into four levels: Special Level 1, Special Level 2, Special Level 3, and Special Level 4. Level 2 Gardeners can make anything grow incredibly fast; they can even cultivate a garden in the desert. Level 1 Plant Cultivators are qualified to water the Thorn Sacred Tree and can handle the transformation of low-level divine trees all by themselves. In the Ancient Dragon Totem System... that's equivalent to your Huilong City's Chief High Priest."

Everyone's faces turned ashen, as if they'd discovered their pet rat of ten years was actually a professor from the prestigious university next door, supervising postdoctoral fellows. Slar excitedly rubbed his short paws together: "This is wonderful! Could this Gulibobo be the city-state's new councilor?"

"As far as I know, it's currently doing odd jobs in small bookstores," Van der said.

Why?

Van Der added mercilessly, "Moreover, its fighting strength is weaker than that of an adult chicken. If it hadn't been helped by a noble person, it would probably be resting peacefully under the white sand."

"No! Please, please save it!!!"

Grandpa Silar clutched his cheek and let out a shrill scream, resembling a large, distraught guinea pig. Qingxia patted its head and comforted it, "Grandpa, calm down. Let's try to reincarnate it as the White Bone Demon."

"Fool, don't talk about it based on the premise that it's dead!" The old man waved his short paws. "Seriously, it absolutely has to live! It's too important for us!"

Chu Hengkong's heart stirred. Silar had always been quite calm, but when this topic came up, his excitement was palpable, showing that it was not just about helping his fellow villager.

"Is the settlement currently in dire need of plant cultivation nurses?"

“More than that…” Slar rubbed his head in exasperation, “This concerns the very survival of the settlement.”

"Actually, we had already planned to hold the banquet before you all arrived. Because another good thing happened recently..."

He drew a small tree-like symbol on the ground with his cane and poked it. The enormous tree of light standing beside the picnic area instantly became ethereal. Only then could everyone see clearly that the entire tree of light was not a solid entity, but a projection formed from condensed light elements. At the center of the projection was a golden altar, upon which was enshrined something round and plump…

"During the last counterattack, our sacred pillar lost its power due to some accident." The old man sighed. "The safe zone where the settlement is located could not be maintained after the war. But Qingxia brought back a noble life, and its arrival has given the settlement a new lease on life!"

Slar excitedly raised his hand, completely exposing the altar to everyone. The round, oval-shaped object, about the size of a rugby ball, was as hard as stone—it was—

The type of stone that people throw around in Kinyo City.

"Hello everyone, we meet again," Shi Zhong wrote on the ground. "I've been meaning to say hello, but haven't found the right moment. Could someone please get me a glass of water?"

"Okay." Qingye jogged over and poured some fruit wine on it, the translucent liquid flowing down the altar.

[Such a high prescription...!]

"No, this is a beverage."

Grandpa Slar jumped up again: "You know Lord Stone Seed?!"

"Ah, how should I put it?" Ji Huaisu's expression was subtle. "Qingxia snatched the stone from us."

Qingxia finished the roasted bird wing in two bites, then tore off a large piece of bird meat and stood up quite naturally: "Well then, I'll go patrol outside the settlement now~"

"Stop right there, you bastard! Tell me honestly what you've been doing outside?! You dare laugh?! Don't run away!!" The old man shouted hoarsely.

Silar got up and tried his best to catch up with Qingxia, but he couldn't catch up because his legs were too short. Chu Heng took a sip of fruit wine and said to Shi Zhong, "We're back to this kind of atmosphere."

"It's rare these days; I've been so nervous I can barely breathe. Even though I don't need to breathe," Shi Zhong replied. "But seriously, I still need to ask everyone to save Guli. If he were here, I could level up."

"So what if your seed gets promoted?" Van der scoffed.

"We can contact Huilong City now," Shi Zhong said.

(End of this chapter)