Chapter 2: Has the Savior Manifested?

“Food! Delicious food!”

A battle-hardened general, who had once lost an arm to a mutant beast without flinching, jumped up in excitement.

His face was filled with emotion as he reached out to taste the food, but then he hesitated, retracting his hand. He wiped it again and again, still feeling it was not clean enough.

Finally, he pulled out a pair of golden chopsticks—the ones he had prepared for his grandson’s full-month celebration.

No one in this era used chopsticks anymore.

Golden chopsticks were a relic, a symbol of nostalgia for the golden age.

That was how people in that era used to eat.

Unfortunately, his grandson never grew up, perishing from malnutrition in a world of scarcity.

Since then, he had kept these chopsticks close to his heart, polishing them daily.

He picked up a piece of chicken with the chopsticks.

“Is this… meat?”

His hands trembled as he looked toward the city lord.

This miraculous feast that had descended upon them felt unreal, like divine intervention.

If this was some elaborate trick by mutant beasts to lure them in…

Then he was willing to test it himself. If he died of poison, so be it—he would reunite with his ill-fated grandson in the afterlife.

Under the expectant gazes of the others, and the sound of gulping swallowing the silence, Song Lüfeng nodded.

Doubt lingered in his heart.

The arrival of this food was too mysterious.

Thinking back to the glowing antique phone… Could it be connected to his wish?

He had just prayed for the Savior to rescue his people, and the Savior had immediately responded.

With the most precious gift—food!

Eager to confirm his suspicions, he gestured for the old general to proceed.

The general placed the food into his mouth.

The tender, fragrant chicken filled his mouth as he chewed, awakening long-dormant taste buds. The pleasure of the flavor surged through his brain.

Delicious!

This taste—once eaten, it could never be forgotten!

Gulp.

Gulp.

In the silent conference room, the sound of swallowing was deafening.

“How does it taste?”

“Is it good?”

A crowd huddled around, eager for an answer.

“Good—too good!”

“I’ve never had food like this before. It’s absolutely divine!”

“Only in the golden age could food taste like this!”

The general, Shi Hai, was utterly captivated.

At once, someone shoved a bespectacled middle-aged man forward.

“Du Guan, you’re an expert on the golden age. Tell us—what kind of food is this?”

Du Guan took Shi Hai’s chopsticks with great care, picked up a piece of chicken, and chewed it slowly, as if trying to etch the flavor into his soul.

Then, he took a bite of a mushroom.

Seeing how everyone was practically drooling, he finally spoke.

“This tender, flavorful meat should be chicken.”

“And this smooth, aromatic brown umbrella-shaped ingredient is likely the legendary mushroom.”

“If my guess is correct, this dish is called ‘Stewed Chicken with Mushrooms.'”

“It was a famous dish in the Northeast cuisine of the golden age—rich, aromatic, and incredibly flavorful!”

“It’s non-toxic and highly nutritious—enough to replenish the city lord’s energy for one ability release.”

The crowd was stunned.

This was actually a dish from the golden age!

The ancestors of that time had eaten this well?

Upon hearing that the dish was safe and rich in nutrients, everyone held back their cravings and urged Song Lüfeng to eat first.

“City Lord, please eat some to restore your energy.”

Song Lüfeng looked at the group of people, mesmerized by the food’s aroma.

“Let’s eat together—everyone.”

They hesitated at first, but the fragrance was too overwhelming to resist.

Just as they were about to reach for the food, Du Guan stopped them.

“You can’t grab this food with your hands. Use chopsticks and serve it into bowls.”

“If we’re eating our ancestors’ food, we should follow their traditions.”

Rather than being offended, everyone chuckled sheepishly.

But then, they realized—

There were no bowls or chopsticks.

Since the era of cataclysm began, food had become so scarce that humanity had transitioned to consuming nutrient fluids and protein solutions. Bowls and chopsticks had long become obsolete.

But that didn’t stop them.

A mechanical engineer immediately forged metal bowls and chopsticks on the spot.

However, when they reached for the food, they found that the once steaming-hot dishes had frozen solid.

In the era of eternal frost, where temperatures outside reached negative one hundred degrees, even the insulated base was still at minus twenty degrees.

Of course, the food had frozen.

“Damn, we forgot! Unlike nutrient fluids, real food freezes!”

“Shi Zhuang, quickly, use your fire ability to heat it up!”

Shi Zhuang, an 8th-tier A-class fire ability user and a formidable warrior, was unfazed by the request.

This was golden age food—what an honor it was to warm it!

He immediately conjured a flame, reheating the dishes.

Gurgle, gurgle.

The aroma rose with the steam, setting off a symphony of stomach growls.

The men laughed awkwardly.

They invited Song Lüfeng to take the first bite before each cautiously picked out a dish.

Despite being hardened warriors, they handled the food with reverence.

Song Lüfeng took a bite of braised pork—and his soul soared.

He drifted into an intoxicating dream of rich, sweet flavors, unwilling to wake up.

His long-weakened abilities, drained from overuse, even showed signs of recovery with just one bite of meat.

Then, he tasted the stewed chicken with mushrooms, braised pork with glass noodles, stir-fried cabbage with lard, and sipped tomato egg soup.

He was completely submerged in a sea of flavors.

His body, too, welcomed the nourishment, rejoicing in newfound strength.

For a group of starving men, these few dishes disappeared within moments.

But no one dared eat too fast.

They savored every bite, afraid they would never taste such divine food again.

Some were so moved they wept.

This—this is real food!

What had they been eating before?

Garbage?

Even a small amount of this food made a difference.

Their bodies grew stronger, their powers surged, and even their abilities improved.

It was miraculous.

Some food was left.

Not because they didn’t want to eat more—but because they were afraid.

Afraid that if they finished it, they might never get another meal like this.

“General Shi, take this braised pork home.”

Shi Hai waved his hands frantically.

“No, no! It’s too precious—too precious!”

Song Lüfeng insisted.

“Your granddaughter-in-law is pregnant. She needs nutrition. That’s an order.”

Shi Hai turned away, wiping his tears in secret.

His first grandson had starved to death. His second was pale and frail, suffering from severe malnutrition.

This unborn child was his family’s last hope.

He couldn’t let history repeat itself.

The remaining braised pork with glass noodles was handed to Du Guan.

“This is for you. Don’t argue. Let the children eat.”

Du Guan took it in silence, his trembling eyes betraying his emotions.

“The rest—take it home to your families.”

Someone hesitated.

“City Lord, what about you?”

“I have no family—I need nothing.”

“Perhaps… I can pray to the Savior once more for another blessing of food.”

The Savior?

Everyone exchanged glances.

Did such a being truly exist?

If so—why had they abandoned humanity to the apocalypse?

But if not—then how could they explain the food?

Under countless gazes, Song Lüfeng took out the antique phone once more and made another plea.

“Great Savior, we have received the food. May you bless us again?”

“I am willing to offer all that I have in return.”