Chapter 73: The Queen and the Beast’s Dance at the Banquet

Chapter 73: Chapter 73: The Queen and the Beast’s Dance at the Banquet

Although the long table banquet didn’t feature an imperial feast like the endless list of dishes Liang He had rattled off earlier, the carefully prepared cuisine still conquered everyone’s stomachs. They gorged themselves, eating heartily and to their hearts’ content.

Especially when Liang He, dressed as a witch and wearing the Little Black Snake transformed into a dark purple crystal bracelet, brewed a pitch-black cola ginger soup and made everyone line up to test the "poison," the crowd burst into laughter. They jokingly cried out, "Lord Witch, please spare our humble lives!"

"HISS... Liang He, this soup is so spicy. My throat feels like it’s burning."

Although the cola ginger soup looked like some kind of cursed dish, out of trust for Liang He, quite a few brave souls still asked for a bowl. However, as soon as the soup hit their stomachs, they felt a bit unwell. The bizarre taste caused their faces to scrunch up like steamed buns.

"This is cola ginger soup, meant to ward off the cold. After all, our activities are all outdoors, so we still need to stay warm."

Hearing Liang He’s explanation, everyone didn’t want to let her good intentions go to waste. Gritting their teeth and steeling their resolve, they chugged the soup down.

"Huh? I have to say, after one bowl of this soup, my whole body feels warm and toasty!"

"You’re right! I originally thought it was a bit chilly tonight, but now I’m actually breaking a sweat!"

"I knew Liang He wouldn’t harm us. This soup is actually pretty good. I’ll have another bowl!"

Winter nights were always exceptionally cold. Although the bonfire had been lit long ago, unless one sat extremely close, they still had to bundle up tightly. Otherwise, the biting wind would seep through the gaps in their clothes—just thinking about that freezing sensation was enough to make one shiver.

"Haha, I’m glad it works. But don’t drink too much of this soup. Everyone, go eat some other hot food to warm yourselves up."

Today, she and the chef had prepared a plethora of Blue Star delicacies. Aside from the hot pot and whole roasted lamb that everyone had been craving, there were also roast duck, roast goose, grilled chicken, and grilled fish. They even prepared the famous "Buddha Jumps Over the Wall" stew.

After everyone had eaten their fill, they began to change into their costumes, preparing to join the outdoor bonfire masquerade ball.

When Liang He appeared in a spectacularly gorgeous, voluminous red velvet gown, everyone gasped in awe. It turned out that someone could actually look this stunning in such a complicated dress.

"Liang He, this red velvet dress makes you look just like Snow White from a fairy tale!"

Because of Liang He’s subtle influence, everyone had gradually learned quite a bit about Blue Star culture. When Liang He made her entrance, her fair and delicate skin accentuated by the crimson red, no one could fathom that this was the same Breeder Liang He who usually wandered around in her work uniform. If someone claimed she was the queen of a nation, they would absolutely believe it! The contrast was simply too stark!

"Umm... I think I’d better put my mask on first."

Unaccustomed to being the center of attention, Liang He bashfully slipped on a black feather mask. It was studded with crushed diamonds that sparkled dazzlingly in the flickering light of the bonfire.

"My beautiful queen, would you care to dance with me?"

A bold and passionate attendee had already stepped forward to ask Liang He for a dance, promptly followed by countless other outstretched hands. At a loss for what to do, Liang He’s gaze eventually landed on the well-behaved, adorkable Xuan Jiao standing off to the side.

"Thank you, everyone, but I’m planning to perform a dance with Xuan Jiao for you all."

Acting on her words, Liang He grabbed the Iron-eating Beast’s paw as if clutching a lifeline and led him toward the center of the bonfire. Looking completely bewildered, the Iron-eating Beast didn’t understand Liang He’s intentions, but out of unconditional trust, he obediently matched her steps.

"Jiao Jiao, dance with me for a bit, okay?"

Bears were incredibly intelligent creatures with exceptional learning abilities. Black bears, for instance, could even mimic human movements to lure people close before closing the net on their prey.

"Mhm~"

The gentle Iron-eating Beast softly responded to Liang He. Despite his confusion, he allowed Liang He to place her hands on his large paws. Following her gradual guidance, the human and the bear actually began to dance.

"Wow! This is the first time I’ve ever seen a human dancing with a fierce beast!" Ever since Xu Yi had started sticking by Liang He’s side, he found that she was a treasure trove of wonders, offering him new surprises and shocks every single day.

"I’ve got to admit, Xuan Jiao is coordinating really well! He’s like an agile chubby guy."

Xuan Jiao thought, "How rude! I’m pleasantly plump, not fat!"

"However, I think Liang He’s move is a bit risky. Is she sure this won’t make the Canglan Hunting Eagle and the others jealous?" Hoder clear-headedly pointed out the crucial issue. As soon as his words fell, the fluffy beasts made their grand, flashy entrances.

"ROAR!"

The fierce beasts thought indignantly, "How dare you dance with our two-legged creature behind our backs! And to think we trusted you to protect Liang He! Sure enough, the one who pretends not to compete is the most scheming of all!"

"Huh? Leopard, you guys are finally back! Hurry up and join the dance!"

Liang He had been stressing over how to keep dodging the other people’s invitations, as dancing exclusively with the Iron-eating Beast wasn’t a long-term solution. Seeing the Mojin King Tiger and the others return, she quickly waved them over to join the dance floor.

Hearing Liang He’s call, the fluffy beasts, who were just a moment ago filled with grievances, immediately gathered around her. Like the queen’s beastly knights, they protected her with unwavering loyalty.

A two-person (or beast) dance was turned into a massive group dance by Liang He. Within a five-meter radius, no one dared to approach. They were afraid of ruining the fierce beast bosses’ mood and disrupting this rare, beautiful harmony.

Meanwhile, at the Federal Animal Research Institute’s Medical Department, an emergency meeting was being held right in the middle of the festive celebrations, all because of the report Xu Yi had sent earlier.

"From the report submitted by Dr. Xu Yi, we can see that a mutation has occurred within the Silver Moon Wolf’s body."

At first, everyone assumed that the Silver Moon Wolf simply had a strong inherent healing ability, allowing it to recover to eighty or ninety percent of its health index in such a short time. However, in the latest test report, they were astonished to discover a mysterious energy within the Silver Moon Wolf that was actively enhancing its strength.

After careful evaluation, they even began to suspect that the Silver Moon Wolf was undergoing an evolution. Of course, unlike the evolution of an SSS-level Beastman, the Silver Moon Wolf’s evolution primarily manifested in its attack power and healing capabilities.

"If our hypothesis is correct and the Silver Moon Wolf is indeed evolving, then its post-evolution strength could very likely rival that of an A-level or even an S-Class Beastman."

Although this was a far cry from an SSS-level Beastman, its strength could not be underestimated. The Rebel Army’s Fierce Beast Army currently relied entirely on numerical superiority. In reality, their individual attack power peaked at the B-level, with the vast majority falling into the C-class or lower.

"As far as I know, this Silver Moon Wolf had prior contact with the Rebel Army and was rescued while critically injured. I suspect this might very well be a new technology developed by the Rebel Army."

As soon as these words were spoken, the expressions of everyone present turned solemn. If this were true, it would be the worst-case scenario. The Federation was already greatly troubled by the Fierce Beast Army. If the Rebel Army had truly developed Fierce Beasts with strengths universally reaching the A-level, or even S-Class, it would inevitably trigger an unprecedented, catastrophic war.

"Minister Yiding, what are your thoughts?"

As the head of the Medical Department, Yideng actually didn’t know much about research and development. However, since the Director had directly asked him, he did have an idea.

"I believe our immediate priority is to conduct close-up research and observation on the Silver Moon Wolf. Perhaps the situation isn’t as dire as we think."

In Yideng’s view, this might just be a gift from nature, allowing a critically injured Silver Moon Wolf to find a new lease on life.

"That makes sense. It just so happens that the reserve submitted a personnel dispatch request a while ago. Who do you think is suitable to send?"

The Director’s question truly stumped Yideng. The Federal Animal Research Institute primarily consisted of two major branches: the Medical Department and the Research and Development Department. When it came to the matter of the Silver Moon Wolf, the R&D Department would undoubtedly want to get involved. If any new discoveries were made, it would bring them both fame and fortune.

Yideng pondered for a moment before finally thinking of the most suitable candidate. "Director, what do you think about Lan Zhuo?"