The Next Day.

That morning’s banquet was simple but not extravagant. The food was just as sumptuous as ever.

Although Major General Ross’s itinerary had been delayed by one night, the farewell party on the island was still full of enthusiasm. Two journalists from the Coastal Archipelago even showed up.

On the runway behind the banquet hall, the plane’s propeller had already begun to warm up and spin, its engine humming a prelude to departure. A mechanic and two men of the “family brothers ” recommended by Yang Zicang stood watch.

“How’s it going in there, Bro Force? “

“Your old man’s here, so nothing’s a problem. Don’t ask. ” The big bald man, connected telepathically with Yang Zicang back in the banquet hall, was full of aggressive confidence. It wasn’t every day you got a job like this.

Inside the lively banquet hall, Yang Zicang allowed a faint smile to play about his lips as he heard the bald man’s bravado echo through his mind.

……

At a small food station by a few tables, two of the island’s top chefs, dressed as waiters overnight, were busy making “wrap bread “.

Word had it this was a culinary skill learned from the Fogfolk.

Take a single sheet of soft, baked flatbread. Wrap it up with some clean, parboiled shredded vegetables—making sure no parasitic eggs lingered—then throw in some roasted meat, grilled squid, a few slivers of tomato, or drizzle it with salad dressing. That was apparently the secret to creating humble culinary perfection.

Seeing from a distance the roasted meat and squid being stuffed into the wraps, He Yishu, whose face was already far from well, suddenly turned sheet white with revulsion, making a direct line for the banquet hall’s terrace to seek some fresh open air.

“Are you unwell, sir, need some water? ” the attending Foglean pilot asked solicitously as He Yishu, himself a man from the Mistworld currents,**stumbled past him.

He Yishu just barely— he spared a single formal, pale-faced gesture, practically choked it with strain: “I fee…. ” (and here his carefully maintained control fully shattered) “HUURRTTTSS… So well… good.! “

He slammed his hand to his own mouth as it had betrayed his will by yawning and just sprang past that helping arm all the way from the festivity line.

“Sir, your delicious squid and fresh vegetable wrap. ” The chef said with a smile, handing the vegetable roll on the plate to a lady beside the counter whose eyes were gleaming with delight.

Yang Zicang withdrew his gaze. Holding a low-alcohol glass, he watched with great amusement as the chef, dressed like a waiter, continued working.

At the center of the venue, Li Senrui, standing beside Ross, drank the offered wine on the Major General’s behalf. Then Major General Ross smiled at Ka. Yunni, who was dressed in a suit in front of him, and said, “Mr. Ka. Yunni, your eyelids are so swollen. What were you doing last night? “

“I just didn’t sleep well. Please don’t think ill of it, Major General. “

“Heh, you must be exhausted from overwork these past two days. “

……

Yang Zicang crossed his arms and stared at the chef. This man had just refused a gentleman’s request for a different kind of food.

He kept making only this seafood version of the jianbingguozi.

At that moment, as if noticing Yang Zicang watching him, the chef, who looked about thirty, skillfully rolled up two jianbingguozi with identical fillings at the same time!

Amidst the bustling crowd, Yang Zicang lowered his folded arms.

Another chef beside him began preparing a fruit salad. However, he started picking up a third wrapper. Yang Zicang watched his movements closely… This man first placed moderately thick-cut potatoes, then shreds of carrot, and finally, the grilled squid wrapped in a leaf of lettuce.

After finishing the three portions, he laid them on their sides, revealing their neatly aligned cross-sections—the sequence of ingredients identical in each—then casually picked up a napkin.

The chef straightened up, glanced smilingly at the pilots chatting in the banquet hall, and never once met Yang Zicang’s gaze.

A bolt of lightning flashed through Yang Zicang’s mind.

The person who had been helping him all last night… warriors he had never met before… this pancake before his eyes… He cast a sidelong glance in the direction the chef had been looking.

The pilot was right then in the crowd, chatting with a band conductor who was on break.

Had he not noticed?

Yang Zicang glanced at the people around him again. No one else had noticed yet, but if it just kept sitting there—that wouldn’t stay true for long.

Moreover, reporters clutching cameras were filming all around. He couldn’t let these journalists from the coastal archipelago come over and capture this scene. If they did, this chef’s days of going on missions would be over. He was taking a risk too!

Yang Zicang at once turned with his glass in hand and walked toward the pilot.

Seeing Mistfolk approaching, the pilot, who had been chatting and laughing, turned his head and smiled, getting ready to greet him.

Yang Zicang gave the pilot a slight nod, and in that same instant, the young man’s eyes darted quickly to where the chef stood behind and to the side.

“…？“

Catching sight of this move, the pilot swallowed his greeting, shifted his gaze to the food table where the chef, conversing with a guest, was wiping his hands with a napkin and preparing to leave.

And those three pancakes (jianbing guozi) laid out in a row were still resting on the mobile serving cart.

The pilot withdrew his gaze, nodded at Yang Zicang, and then turned back to the band conductor, who had just taken a sip of his drink.

“Oh, by the way, Mr. Sinan, when do you plan to return to your hometown for a visit? “

“Given the current situation on the mainland, I’m thinking about taking a look next year. “

Relieved, Yang Zi-cang also made his way outside the banquet hall.

He had already caught sight of Xue Qi, escorted by two member brothers _”, running toward him in the sunlight, clutching a small paper tube.

……

Zeng Qingyan was pacing excitedly back and forth in the cabin.

He was now dressed in a new suit with a sharp cut and fine fabric. Although his withered skin was starkly highlighted against the fresh garment, making him look haggard, no one would dare underestimate him.

This wasn’t primarily because many here shared his temperament, but because these people, who had clawed their way up through those intersecting cities of the First Track of Fate, were, for the first time, acknowledging the value of artistic creation.

Most of those who had contributed their efforts to this batch of pigments have already begun receiving hints from the distributors!

“Ms. Xue has already sent that painting to your president. The result should be coming soon. “

“Military men came looking for that so-called president this morning. I knew that guy, always jumping around everywhere, would end up making a name for himself… I just didn’t expect it to happen this fast. “

“Keep your voice down! Those people calling themselves a ‘family’ are looking this way. “

Amidst the clamor, Zeng Qingyan looked at his own fingers.

-｛Distributor, Howard of January, is eagerly awaiting my supply.｝

On the ring worn on his middle finger, a shoddy gemstone no larger than a mung bean was set.

“It’s about to happen, ” Zeng Qingyan’s heart pounding.

Suddenly, someone in the cabin cheered, “It’s done, family! Go take a look! “

Another person spoke up excitedly, “My distributor told me I might have received the Radiance. I tried, and it really worked — it’s the ‘Collective Scroll.’ “

“Oh, really? Why haven’t I gotten mine yet? “

“I have it too! The Chairman must be looking at the painting! “

One after another, cheers and skeptical voices rang out from the crowd.

Zeng Qingyan tried investing in the ring, but it didn’t work. A few seconds later, he tried again — still no success.

Why is this happening? Growing more and more anxious, he thought,Those who contributed less have already succeeded — why is mine still silent?

……

Outside the banquet hall.

In the sunlight, Yang Zicang stared at the scroll, his entire head buzzing.

“A friend of the Chairman, ” one of the family brothers pointed at the oil painting Xue Qi had unfurled, “Tsk, tsk. He looks as divine as the reincarnation of the war god Mars. “

“He’s just… ” Yang Zicang’s voice grew quieter and quieter.

The sea breeze swept by…

But obviously, the two “family brothers ” were fully immersed in their appreciation of the art, their praises streaming without end. They had both seen the earlier sketch, and while the sketch was already excellent, it paled in comparison to the oil painting.

Zeng Qingyan not only gave the boy a resolute look in his eyes but also made his chin and neck appear even more determined.

He had also imagined from thin air a ragged yet majestic cape, as well as a faint trail of golden light descending from the heavens, as if an ethereal, sacred decree was descending through the clouds to the mortal world, commanding him to save the suffering masses. Yet this was not something one could see at a glance; the subtle golden glow, achieved by Zeng Qingyan using ground gold dust sparingly applied, could only be discerned when tilted and examined under the light.

Similarly worthy of close inspection were the textures of the boy’s skin and his expressions.

This was not just a portrait; it read like a heroic depiction from an epic saga, as though it revealed the overlapping impressions of the boy’s youthful innocence and the weariness of age.

One of the “family brothers, ” with his hands clasped in reverence, gazed at the painting and said, “Oh, President, who is he? A long-lost younger brother of yours? “

Xue Qi, stretching both arms to hold up the painting, cast a look of scorn down at the man.

“My enemy, ” Yang Zicang said in a calm, flat tone.

“Oh…cough… Uh… Ah, no wonder… He… looks so utterly tragic. “

The clasped-hands man nearly choked on his own saliva. “Avenger… always with that sense of destiny. Only an opponent like that is… worthy of you, President. “

Slap! The “family brother ” who had been walking beside him bit his lip hard, straining to control the muscles on his face, before giving the man a heavy slap on the shoulder and gripping it tight.

Xue Qi pursed her lips, her cheeks puffing up as she forced down a breath, then dropped her head.

“Have you seen this animal before? ” Yang Zicang asked coldly.

“Pfft… “

“Does… he really look like that? ” The clasped-hands man felt his own hands go stiff.

Then, with another squeeze from the hand on his shoulder, he finally snapped out of it and slowly released his palms.

“About the same. ” Yang Zicang grabbed the oil painting in one swift motion.

A tangible gloom settled over the small space.

“From now on, if you see this man, notify me immediately. “

“Yes, President! “

At the same moment, Zeng Qingyan, who had been tirelessly trying to invest in the ring, finally succeeded!

｛Invested 10N in the Silver Single-Crystal Agate Ring.｝

He nearly jumped for joy—that figure had acknowledged his painting!

｛Silver Single-Crystal Agate Ring: I- am- beginning- work-｝

｛I cataloged a new life experience.｝

｛-Glorious Light: The Unpaid Artist.｝

“I knew it! ” he shouted, pumping his fist excitedly toward the ceiling.

More cheers erupted from around the cabin.

“We did it! Our President is truly great! “

“Ahaha! “

Even the sketch artist boy, who had been cowering in a corner too ashamed to face anyone, couldn’t help but get excited now.

“I’ve got one too, yeah, I’m qualified to have one! Great, that’s great! I have my own Glory Radiance! “

The entire cabin erupted in festival-like jubilation. An old sailor carrying a bucket of bread at the doorway shook his head as he walked past.

Almost forgot there was something else I had to do today.