Apocalypse Base, compared to the rough and chaotic state when Lilith first established it, now presented a unique and orderly landscape.
The streets had been planned and widened, lined with buildings of a uniform style.
The characters on the signboards were uniformly bold Chinese characters, with English annotations in small print below, making the theme exceptionally clear.
Most of the pedestrians passing by wore combat uniforms or casual clothes with the Tianqi insignia; they walked hurriedly but had sharp eyes, exuding a lean aura honed through strict selection and dungeon tempering.
And at this moment, the most eye-catching thing was undoubtedly that petite yet absolutely striking figure on the street.
Lilith still wore her signature black and red Gothic military uniform, its wide hem and exquisite silver ornaments fluttering gently in the breeze.
Her snow-white long hair was tucked under her military cap, flowing softly over her shoulders.
Unlike her usual deliberate restraint, at this moment, the three-meter-long bone tail behind her, its tip covered in a crimson metal blade, swayed naturally and casually with the crisp click-clack of her military boots.
The arc traced by the bone tail was elegant yet dangerous, the crimson metallic luster on the tail blade glinting with a cold, sharp light under the sun.
Wherever it passed, the air seemed to fall silent for a moment.
Whether they were residents in conversation, logistics personnel moving supplies, or patrolling guards, their eyes were involuntarily drawn to that flexibly swaying tail.
Then they quickly looked away, either bowing their heads in greeting or continuing their work, though their movements now held a trace of imperceptible awe mixed with complex emotions.
Lilith seemed oblivious to the gazes around her, or perhaps she was long since used to them.
Her crimson eyes calmly swept over the shops and pedestrians on both sides of the street. Without pausing her steps, she walked straight toward a spacious restaurant with a prominent sign.
As her military boots crossed the threshold, they made a slight tapping sound.
The originally somewhat noisy chatter inside the restaurant instantly dropped eight decibels.
Almost everyone's gaze converged on her. After seeing who it was, their looks quickly turned into respect and eagerness.
"Lord Leader!"
"Hello, Leader!"
Greetings rose one after another, filled with sincere respect.
Lilith merely gave a slight nod, her gaze landing on a quiet spot by the window.
She walked over, pulled out a chair, and sat down with crisp, efficient movements. The bone tail behind her, as if possessing a life of its own, skillfully coiled around her thigh and extended down to her calf as she sat.
The crimson tail blade was tucked into a scabbard manifested on her military boot.
Lilith didn't look at the menu. Instead, she looked toward the kitchen and spoke directly, her crisp, youthful voice forming a unique scenery within the restaurant.
"Waiter, one hundred steaks, medium-rare."
As her voice fell, a faint sound of people swallowing saliva echoed in the restaurant.
The Lord Leader's appetite had long since become one of the well-known legends in the base.
With such a seemingly small body, she could pack away such a massive amount of food; one really wondered what her stomach was made of.
Was this the unique appetite of a Beast-type Hunter?
The sound of footsteps approached. The one who answered was not an ordinary waiter, but the restaurant owner—a slightly chubby, amiable middle-aged man.
He jogged over, his face covered in a genuine, enthusiastic smile. Rubbing his hands together, he spoke in slightly accented but quite fluent Chinese.
"Right away! Lord Leader, please wait a moment. I'll mobilize all the kitchen staff to prepare it for you at top Speed! I guarantee it'll be the freshest steak, cooked exactly to your favorite doneness!"
He knew the Leader had extremely high standards for food quality, so he kept a large stock of freshly slaughtered beef every day.
This fresh beef was usually quite expensive, but when the Leader dined, it was naturally the top priority for supply.
The smile on the owner's face carried a respect that was almost doting.
After spending some time together, the core members of the base and even these service industry workers had more or less figured out this loli Leader's temperament.
As long as one didn't violate the rules or harbor ill intentions, she was actually very easy to serve.
Aside from that'strangers keep away' ice-cold demeanor in meetings and on the training grounds...
In daily life, she was like an extremely picky, somewhat withdrawn, but never willful... well, powerful child.
This realization made people feel a sense of responsibility to take good care of her, in addition to their awe.
"Oh, right, Lord Leader,"
The owner seemed to remember something, his eyes lighting up as he lowered his voice, speaking in a tone like he was presenting a treasure.
"The shop has newly developed a special drink—the [bloody mary]. It uses the freshest special-supply ingredients. The taste is mellow with a long-lasting aftertaste. Would you like to try a few glasses?"
bloody mary.
This name held a special meaning in the base.
Ever since Lilith had hidden her identity and torn off the arm of that [Godslayer Guild] member in the restaurant, casually catching and tasting some of the spraying blood...
Rumors about the Leader having special dietary preferences had spread throughout the base.
After William found out, instead of banning the rumors, he decisively launched a High-Quality Blood Source Supply Plan.
The core of the plan was to screen and provide stable, safe, and high-quality special-supply blood packs for the Leader.
However, the screening standards for the blood packs were extremely rigorous: donors had to have decent looks, be healthy with no diseases, and have high blood energy activity.
And the most important unwritten rule was—females only.
This rule was personally finalized by William. His reasons were vague, but everyone accepted it with a tacit understanding.
Perhaps because certain qualities of female blood better met the requirements, no one looked into it further.
As one of the core members of the base, with outstanding talent and both beauty and strength, Leah was naturally the first to volunteer as Lilith's number one blood pack.
Providing a small amount of blood periodically was no major issue for her; instead, she gained extra Points subsidies and resource prioritization for donating blood.
This wave of activity directly triggered a small amount of 'involution,' as many eligible female members secretly hoped their blood would also meet the standard to become part of the special supply.
Therefore, when the owner mentioned the bloody mary, everyone understood what it meant.
It was a special drink made from strictly tested, top-quality special-supply blood pack blood, mixed with certain natural plant essences, exclusively for the Leader's enjoyment.
Hearing this, Lilith subconsciously licked her upper lip with the tip of her crimson tongue.
It was an extremely subtle movement, yet it made that pale lip color instantly come alive, her soft lips carrying an almost demonic attraction.
But she quickly realized this slightly unseemly little action. Her red blood-eyes swept over the surroundings once, and she quickly composed herself.
Her exquisite little face returned to that flat, emotionless expression. She cleared her throat and said in her usual cold tone,
"Mm, then bring a few portions."
"Right away! Coming right up! Have some water first!"
The youthful voice made the smile on the owner's face grow even wider, as if he had received some great reward. He turned and rushed toward the back with great vigor, shouting with a full voice,
"Everyone in the kitchen, listen up! Priority processing for the Leader's order! One hundred portions of top-tier medium-rare steak! Bartender! Prepare ten portions of the special bloody mary, use the best ingredients!"
The restaurant soon returned to a moderate level of bustle, but in people's conversations, they couldn't help but steal glances at the figure by the window.
Lilith's crimson vertical pupils looked out at the base through the window, then she glanced at the system time projection in the corner of her vision.
Less than ten hours until the next dungeon opens... SP: Next chapter will be updated later.