Lan Jue's eyes lit up. "How do you know I'm hungry?"
The Gourmet shot her a sidelong glance. "Because I'm hungry.
Want some? "
Lan Jue stared at him with wide eyes. "Are you saying there's a condition?"
The Gourmet smirked. "I remember there was a wine cellar there when we destroyed the last pirate clan. It was empty by the time I saw it.
But I can vaguely see a familiar empty bottle. The mark on the bottle is a deer head made of pure silver. I don't know if I'm seeing it right? "
Lan Jue stared at him, speechless. "You're blackmailing me!
You want my Damo Whiskey for some flatbread? In your dreams! "
The Gourmet snorted. "What do you mean 'yours'?
Those are spoils of war. You're a captain, and you're stuffing your own pockets!
How dare you say that? "
Lan Jue looked at him helplessly. "What do you mean 'stuffing my own pockets'?
I didn't drink it. I was going to share it with everyone! "
The Gourmet looked incredulous. "You're going to share it with everyone?
Who knows how much you took? Did you keep a record of it? "
Lan Jue's mouth twitched. "Actually, not many people like to drink this stuff."
The Gourmet's voice was full of righteousness. "You have to be fair and just.
You're a captain, bending the law for personal gain. How are you going to convince the soldiers? "
Gabriel's eyes snapped open as he listened to the Gourmet's impassioned voice. There was a flash of pleasant surprise.
If the Gourmet and Zeus were to fight, he might have a chance.
After all, Lan Jue hadn't sealed any of his abilities.
Escaping on his own was much better than being captured by the other party.
Gabriel was quite confident in his own strength.
He also believed that the people of Skyfire Avenue couldn't destroy an entire planet.
Once they were gone, he'd have a chance to return to Europa.
Lan Jue was speechless at the Gourmet's self-righteous expression.
"How much?"
Out of nowhere, the Gourmet produced a plate and placed the flatbread on it. His hands glowed with a dark red light as he began to bake the flatbread. Before long, the room was filled with a rich aroma.
Lan Jue sniffled.
A look of surprise flashed in his eyes. "Is this baked with butter?
It smells so good! "
The Gourmet pulled out a piece of marinated beef and a small knife. The knife flew, and thin slices of beef fell onto the flatbread.
Gabriel, who was watching from afar, couldn't help but gulp.
It was early in the morning, and he hadn't eaten anything yet.
Lan Jue didn't hesitate to pick up a big flatbread, put the beef on it, and took a big bite. She said it was delicious.
Su Xiaosu joined them.
She looked pitifully at the Gourmet.
The Gourmet smiled and made an inviting gesture. "I've never been a stingy person.
Am I right, Jewelry Master? "
Lan Jue sighed as she ate. There was a flash of light in her hand, and a bottle appeared.
The bottle looked a little like a pendulum, and the wine inside glowed a dark gold under the light. Just as the Gourmet had said, there was a silver-white deer's head on one side of the bottle. It was a dazzling sight.
Damo Whiskey.
One of the most expensive whiskeys in human history.
It tasted rich and mellow.
Portland Elam was a top-notch whiskey, but when compared to Damo Whiskey, it was still a step below.
Damo Whiskey was produced in small quantities, especially old Damo Whiskeys.
The bottle Lan Jue brought out was clearly marked thirty years old.
Whiskey was different from other spirits. Its age was determined when it was bottled. In other words, it was as old as it had been in the barrel.
The age after bottling didn't count.
It was like China's white wine, though.
The longer it was aged, the more mellow it became.
When they'd defeated the last pirate clan, they'd found a small cellar in their treasure room. It was filled with whiskey.
The leader of the pirate clan was an avid whiskey lover.
In fact.
In the new era, many whiskey making methods had been lost.
No one knew where he'd found them, but the cellar was filled with rare whiskeys that couldn't even be found on Skyfire Avenue.
This bottle of Damo Whiskey was one of them.
The Gourmet picked it up without hesitation, ready to open it.
"Wait!
Do you have a glass? "Lan Jue asked helplessly.
It was a struggle.
A top-notch whiskey had to be tasted in a special whiskey glass. It had to be able to capture its aroma.
"Nonsense!
I'm a glutton.
How could I not? "Two standard Scotch whisky glasses appeared on the table.
Lan Jue sighed helplessly. She turned her head and continued to nibble on her flatbread and beef.
"Add another glass!" The Driver's booming voice rang out. He walked in, looking like a gangster.
"You two aren't right!
You didn't call me for such a good drink.
Have you no shame? "The Driver's face was full of anger.
Let's fight, let's fight!
Someone prayed silently.
Unfortunately, there were only three glasses on the table.
Only a little whiskey had been poured into each, filling the bottom.
The Gourmet carefully corked the bottle and put it away in his storage ring.
"You're robbing me!
Who said we wanted to be fair, open and just? "Lan Jue's voice was thick with anger.
The Gourmet's voice was calm. "Don't give me that.
I want this bottle, and I'll give it back to you.
I didn't argue with you about anything else. What are you complaining about? "
Lan Jue paused. The anger on her face faded quickly. She sighed. "You're old, I'll let you have it."
The Gourmet's eyes widened. "You don't have anything better, do you?" He couldn't think of a whiskey better than Dalmor.
The empty bottle he'd seen in the cellar was thirty years old.
He'd only been trying to trick Lan Jue, he hadn't expected her to actually produce one.
Lan Jue smiled wryly. "Tesska and Boomerang are still a little old. Do you think they can compare to Damo?"
Both of the whiskies Lan Jue had mentioned were excellent, but in front of Damo, they were nothing more than floating clouds.
The Driver didn't say a word. He simply lifted the glass to his nose and sniffed.
Soon, an intoxicated look appeared on his face.
Lan Jue and the Gourmet followed suit. They sniffed and took a sip.
The first thing they felt when the whiskey entered their mouths wasn't the taste of alcohol. It wasn't even liquid.
Instead, it was a rich, fragrant heat that filled every cell in their bodies.
Lan Jue had tasted Damo before, but this was the first time she'd tasted one this old.
It had been well preserved, and the taste was pure. Every pore seemed to exude its aroma.
What a shame they didn't fight!
Gabriel sat there, thinking helplessly.
He wasn't interested in the whiskey, but he did want to eat the flatbread and beef.
Unfortunately, no one remembered him.
Immersed in the delicious aroma of the whiskey, the three of them and Su Xiaosu quickly swept through the food.
When they were done, the Gourmet spoke up. "I'm going to find your Seamstress. She should be nearby. I got a message from her earlier."
The Seamstress looked as gentle as water, but she was a God-ranked pilot. She was one of the first to join the Star Alliance.
She was known as the Windbreaker, and everyone assumed she was a man. She hid her true identity well.
Her Demon King had caused the Four Divine Monarchs a great deal of trouble. He was the Controller of the Air.
Of course, she was also the Gourmet's wife.
The Gourmet had the whiskey in his hand, and the meal had been eaten. Of course the Gourmet had to go look for his wife.
The Driver watched as the Gourmet left. He sidled up to Lan Jue. Did you get anything? "
Lan Jue looked at him cautiously. "What about the cigar cellar you stole from me?"
"You got a share," the Driver replied.
"Fair enough."
Lan Jue smiled. "Alright, it's a deal!
We'll split the spoils when we get back. "
"I knew you two were up to something." There was a flash of light, and the Gourmet reappeared in the cockpit.
The Driver leapt to his feet. "Holy shit, he's coming back to kill us!"
The Gourmet snorted. His eyes were fixed on Lan Jue. "Tell me the truth!"
Lan Jue shushed him. "Quiet.
We're not the only ones who like this stuff.
How about this, when we get back, we'll split the spoils evenly.
Is that okay?
None of us are hiding anything.
But I want boiled Australian sprouts!
Gourmet, do as you see fit. "
The Gourmet's solemn expression melted like ice. He chuckled. "No problem. Let's have a deal.
I'm off! "With that, he turned and walked away.
Lan Jue and the Driver gave him the finger. The Driver grumbled. "That middle-aged scum!
He's a treacherous bastard! "
Lan Jue sighed. "It's all your fault. You should've held back a little longer."
Gabriel closed her eyes in anguish. These bastards …
The explosions on Moonfiend grew louder and louder. The battle was completely one-sided.
Especially when the two battleships and Zeus -1 appeared above the pirates' heads.
The battleships' cannons took aim at them.
The pirates' last vestiges of resistance began to crumble.
(To be continued.)
(Collected from a clear website. No pop-ups. Updates quickly.)