Chapter 84: Warhammer: What Do You Mean You Conquered the Zerg

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Protagonist:

Lin En

Lena

The banquet was held in the hall behind the front hall.

It was the place the guild held major projects, with enough area to accommodate over a thousand people.

At this moment, three or four hundred people had already gathered in the hall, mostly presidents of other guilds, high-level figures, or merchants who had business dealings with the Ryan Guild.

They stood in small groups, holding wine cups in their hands, talking in low voices.

The topics were nothing more than grain, orders, production lines, and the increasingly close Green Skin threat.

Lin En and the other two entering caused a commotion.

Dou Dou's huge body and fully armed appearance were too eye-catching.

Although Lin En dressed ordinarily, his composed temperament and the beautiful female companion beside him made him stand out.

"Who is that?"

"Never seen him, probably someone from a noble family."

"Is he the one who shouted 'Kaili Ten Thousand Tons' outside just now?"

"Ten thousand tons, quite a grand gesture."

"Which Kaili? I've never heard of this person."

Amidst the discussion, a figure walked from the depths of the hall.

He was a man in his fifties, not tall, but sturdy.

He wore a black work-style formal robe, his hair white, with unmistakable fatigue on his face.

Cui Fu Rui En.

His gaze quickly swept over the guests, finally landing on Lin En's face.

In that instant, his pupils shrank slightly; he recognized him.

He had also been present at the State Religion Mass three days ago.

Although seated in the back rows, he clearly remembered that young governor standing on the Preacher's Platform, raising the scepter in the Imperial Light.

Keli Feng.

The new ruler of Brevis, the Emperor's Divine Chosen.

Cui Fu's heart jumped fiercely when he first learned the name Kaili from the Iron Guard.

He had wondered who it was, but never expected the governor to really come here.

Although his mind was full of doubts, Cui Fu still put on an enthusiastic smile and quickly stepped forward to receive Lin En.

"Welcome, welcome! I am Cui Fu Rui En, the host of this shabby banquet today."

He did not expose Lin En's identity.

Lin En took his hand and smiled: "Kaili, a small gift, not meant as disrespect."

Cui Fu breathed a sigh of relief inside; at least, this governor seemed to have no ill will.

"You are too polite, please come inside, please come inside." He made a "please" gesture.

He led Lin En and the other two toward the depths of the hall.

The people around made way for them, their gazes following them.

They were also curious who had such face to make this old fellow Cui Fu be so courteous.

Cui Fu brought Lin En to a relatively quiet rest area on one side of the hall.

There were only simple sofas and tea tables here, separated from the main banquet area by a row of display cabinets, quiet and secluded.

"Governor's Excellency," Cui Fu lowered his voice, tentatively speaking.

"I don't know why you came today, is it...?"

His tone was respectful but carried obvious wariness.

Lin En waved his hand and sat on the sofa.

"Don't be nervous, Chief Cui." Lin En smiled, "I am not here today as governor."

He pointed to his casual clothes:

"Just heard today is your birthday, came over for a cup of wine, to share in the joy."

Cui Fu looked at him, not believing a word.

The governor handled countless affairs of state every day, would he specially come to attend the birthday banquet of a down-and-out guild president?

And give a gift of ten thousand tons of grain?

Lin En leaned against the back of the sofa, posture relaxed: "When does the banquet start?"

"Right away, right away, there are still a few guests who haven't arrived." Cui Fu hurriedly said.

"No need to wait." Lin En stood up.

"I see almost everyone has arrived, let's start, don't keep everyone waiting."

Lin En's tone was very natural.

Cui Fu was stunned for a moment, then nodded: "Okay, okay, as you say."

He walked to the very center of the hall and announced the start of the banquet.

But people were no longer as enthusiastic and unrestrained as before, all seeming somewhat restrained.

It seemed he had learned of Kaili's true identity, and Cui Fu sighed.

Inviting a god is easy, sending one away is hard — and crucially, this great god wasn't even someone he had invited himself.

Until Lin En walked out of the room and found everyone looking at him.

Their eyes carried the sort of "restraint" students feel when the homeroom teacher makes rounds during self-study.

"What are you all looking at me for?" Lin En spoke up.

The workers who had been secretly sizing him up subconsciously averted their gazes.

Lin En smiled, raised his wine cup, and said loudly:

"Keep the music playing, keep the dancing!"

Afterwards Lin En downed the distinctive "coal-slag wine" in his cup in one gulp.

Seeing that the Governor had no airs and even took the lead in drinking, the atmosphere finally became lively again.

People surged toward the long table, picked up food and wine cups, gathered in twos and threes, and talked and laughed loudly.

The band finally came to their senses and immediately struck up the music.

It was the "Forging March" popular in Middle City — a strong rhythm, a simple melody, full of a sense of power.

Dou Dou became Lin En's dedicated "drink-blocking escort."

This burly Ogryn escort quickly became the focus of the entire gathering.

"Come on! Big guy! I toast you!"

A forging worker nearly two meters tall, all muscle, raised a cup and held it out in front of Dou Dou.

Dou Dou looked at Lin En, and saw Lin En nod.

Dou Dou grinned, casually picked up a wine barrel by his foot.

"Gulp gulp gulp gulp~"

Ten seconds, a five-liter barrel of coal-slag wine, not a drop left.

"Good!!!"

Cheers erupted all around.

Even Lin En was stunned for a moment; just now he had finished that cup of coal-slag wine and took a long while to recover.

It was way too strong.

The forging worker was also stunned, then laughed heartily and downed the strong liquor in his cup in one gulp.

"Again!"

"Come on then!"

Dou Dou refused no one who came.

Although only eight years old, his digestive system had undergone gene optimization, and with his huge body, he basically couldn't get drunk.

And so, a revelry of "knocking down the giant" began.

One worker after another stepped forward to challenge, and Dou Dou drank cup after cup, barrel after barrel.

Knocking down one after another, the atmosphere in the hall boiled over completely.

The workers who had originally been somewhat restrained now all let loose.

They surrounded Dou Dou, cheered loudly, shouted encouragement, and themselves drank until they were falling over.

By the latter half of the banquet, the hall was already strewn with people lying down.

The aftereffects of the coal-slag wine were immense; less than half could still stand.

More than ten empty barrels were piled beside Dou Dou, but he was still standing, just a bit flushed.

Lin En had also drunk quite a bit, but his constitution was likewise extraordinary, and at this moment he was still sober.

Even Chief Cui had slumped to the ground, his gaze already somewhat unfocused.

This union chief had come today to drown his sorrows in drink, and had drunk an especially large amount.

"Governor Kaili," Cui Fu said with a thick tongue.

"You came today, but what exactly is it for?"

His wariness, under the wash of alcohol and this revelry, had been reduced to almost nothing.

Lin En set down his wine cup and looked at him.

"I already said, I came to drink."

"I don't believe it," Cui Fu shook his head.

"Someone like you wouldn't come to this kind of broken place for no reason."

"What kind of person am I?" Lin En asked.

"A big shot," Cui Fu said.

"You're very young, and in your eyes, ambition is hidden."

His voice lowered:

"Are you also, perhaps, thinking of my ten factories?"