Chapter 040 Surviving The Apocalyptic Era

　　They were nearly full, and Brother Ma drained his cup completely. He had toasted everyone present, acquaintances and strangers alike. After that, he returned to sit beside Youyou and helped himself to food.

　　Youyou glanced around and asked curiously, “Brother Ma, why isn’t the young lady here?”

　　“No idea. Probably won’t come. She never likes seeing the lord take new wives and gain more stepmothers. You know what she’s like.” Slightly drunk, Brother Ma spoke freely. Youyou hung her head after hearing this.

　　“What’s wrong?” Chu Mufan noticed her low spirits.

　　“Nothing much, Brother Chu. The young lady is quiet and stubborn, but she and I are close. It must hurt her to see the lord marry his ninth wife today...” Youyou said softly with sorrow, considering the stubborn lady.

　　“There’s nothing we can do... It’s the lord’s family business after all...” Chu Mufan mumbled with his mouth stuffed full of rice as he filled another bowl.

　　Youyou let out a faint sigh. Seeing her gloom, Chu Mufan set down his chopsticks awkwardly. “The lord managed to build such a large survivor camp. He is no ordinary man. He must have thought things through instead of acting on impulse.”

　　Youyou gazed into the distance thoughtfully. “You don’t know the whole story. Our group didn’t settle here at first. We were small and wandered constantly, fleeing hordes of zombies and watching out for vicious human gangs hiding in the shadows!

　　My adoptive parents passed away back then. Everything changed only after the lord rescued Captain Star, who suffered severe head injuries and lost his memory.”

　　She bowed her head and recalled the past.

　　“This land was actually conquered single-handedly by Captain Star. It was once seized by brutal outlaws who enslaved countless innocent survivors.

　　Unable to bear the cruelty, Captain Star snuck into their base alone one night and eliminated their leaders. That was how our people finally gained this safe shelter. They kept taking in survivors from surrounding areas, and gradually grew into the large camp it was today.

　　Yet the lord had grown increasingly lazy lately. He indulged in extravagant pleasures in his villa all day long, turning a deaf ear no matter how the young lady tried to persuade him...”

　　“Everyone walks their own path. Don’t be too upset. Let things unfold naturally.” Chu Mufan comforted her.

　　Just then, Hu Gao walked over to their table with his bride. Everyone stood up the moment they spotted him. Hu Gao approached with a smile, holding a wine cup in hand. “I hope you all enjoy the feast to the fullest today!”

　　“Certainly! Congratulations, Lord!” The burly men in camouflage had already drunk quite a lot. They cheered enthusiastically, acting as if it were their own wedding...

　　Judging from their words, they hoped the lord would remarry often, so they could have regular feasts and wine...

　　Hu Gao wore a forced smile, nodding and greeting everyone casually. His gaze fell on Chu Mufan, and he asked doubtfully, “This young man looks unfamiliar. May I know your name?”

　　“Lord Hu, my name is Chu Mufan. I was recently rescued by Captain Star.” Chu Mufan replied calmly!

　　“Now I know. So, you are Chu Mufan. Star told me to arrange proper care for you. Heh, you truly have an unusual bearing.” Hu Gao exclaimed in sudden recognition. He was clearly adept at social etiquette. Most people would get startled at first sight of Chu Mufan’s gaunt appearance, yet the lord chose to praise him as extraordinary—a fitting remark indeed, for he looked nearly zombie-like!

　　After toasting the whole table, Hu Gao clinked cups with Chu Mufan personally. He glanced at Youyou beside them and asked, “Little Chu, has Youyou taken good care of you?”

　　Chu Mufan answered with calm composure, “Thanks to her thoughtful care, I have recovered well.”

　　“Excellent! That’s wonderful! Little Chu and Youyou, you feel free to turn to me if you need anything! We are all family here, so don’t hold back.” Finishing talking, Hu Gao drained his cup in one gulp.

　　“Understood!” Chu Mufan nodded, and Youyou did the same. Everyone finished their drinks. Hu Gao told them to enjoy their meal and moved on to the next table, casting several lingering glances at Chu Mufan before leaving...

　　After Hu Gao finished toasting every table, he left the cafeteria. With the lord gone, the crowd grew increasingly unrestrained and noisy...

　　Amid the noise, a burly heavy-set man broke into an argument with several other strong men at an adjacent table. Chu Mufan had nearly finished eating. While watching Youyou dine slowly, he casually listened in and soon figured out what had happened.

　　One young man at their table refused alcohol, so the others planned to split his cup among themselves.

　　By the time it was the stout man’s turn, not a single drop remained. Fond of drinking, he grumbled in dissatisfaction, which drew harsh retorts. “What are you muttering about, Fat Zhang? You perk up only for alcohol yet slack off when work comes!”

　　“You used to herd cattle, yet you freeload food and drink here. We barely have enough ourselves, why should we spare you any?”

　　“Go back to tending your cows!” The men knew one another well and joined forces to criticize him relentlessly.

　　Unfazed by their scolding, the stout man simply picked up a big chunk of meat and chewed heartily. His indifferent attitude only fueled their anger, and their insults grew harsher.

　　The stout man looked completely unfazed. He swallowed the meat in his mouth, raised his cup high, tilted his head back and drained the last few drops of liquor. Wiping his mouth, he spoke loudly in Wuhan dialect. “You guys talk a good game about sharing fairly, yet you hogged all the drink yourselves. I’m full, and I won’t waste words on you.”

　　After snapping back at them in Wuhan dialect, the burly man rose abruptly and stormed off. As he stood to his feet, Chu Mufan felt as if a solid wall loomed right before his eyes. Clad in camouflage uniform, the man stood no less than 1.9 meters tall. Stocky and heavily built with a dark swarthy face, he looked every bit like a robust human bear.

　　Chu Mufan felt a sense of closeness hearing the Hubei accent, and couldn’t help admiring his formidable build. “What a sturdy fellow!”

　　The burly man left the table in anger. Seeing his towering figure, the group who had picked the quarrel fell silent. Aware they were also at fault; they quietly went back to their food...

　　The man stopped at the cafeteria entrance. The tempting aroma of wine stirred his craving, so he wandered over to other tables, hoping to get some liquor from those who did not drink...

　　However, he had a bad reputation in the camp. The quarrel just now revealed his lazy ways, so no one was willing to associate with him or share any wine.