Chapter 92 – Only After Losing Do We Realize the True Value of Flavor

Di Ping paid no attention to the crowd's exclamations of surprise. Retracting his leg, he looked at everyone and spoke loudly, "Some of you will also possess the same incredible strength! Do you want it?"

"Yes!"

Many people, though stunned, responded excitedly. A number of young people, in particular, shouted eagerly.

At this moment, Di Ping pointed toward the five large iron barrels of stewed meat and spoke again, his voice carrying across the crowd.

"As long as you follow me, you will grow stronger, and you will have meat to eat! Tell me, do you want to eat meat?"

"Yes!"

A substantial number of people responded this time, and while the crowd's voices were still muddled and chaotic, there was a clear shift in tone.

"Do you want to eat meat?"

Di Ping shouted again, his voice ringing out with even more authority.

"Yes!"

At last, the crowd seemed to comprehend, and a loud, unified response erupted, particularly from those who had participated in the earlier battle. Even the original team members from the base raised their weapons in a fervent display, their eyes gleaming with a mixture of eagerness and admiration. They were clearly enthralled by the display of power and their growing belief in Di Ping. The thirst for strength and admiration for powerful individuals had made them blindly loyal to him. The air was filled with fervent shouts.

"Good. Please trust me. As long as we unite, we will overcome all obstacles, defeat the mutated beasts, and I promise that this meal will be the first, but not the last! Do you believe in this?"

Di Ping raised his right hand, gesturing strongly, his voice brimming with passion and motivation.

"We believe!"

The crowd erupted into an even more synchronized and louder chorus. Although some were weak, they exerted themselves to join in, driven by the contagious energy of the scene. Especially the younger individuals, having witnessed Gina's mysterious magical powers and Di Ping's tyrannical strength, they were now fervently shouting, their blind belief in him growing by the second.

"Good! We will eat meat!"

Di Ping looked at the crowd's enthusiastic response with a satisfied smile.

However, he noticed that some of the weaker individuals were starting to falter, and thus, he did not say anything more. He waved his hand, signaling for the cheering to stop. At that moment, the crowd immediately fell silent, responding to his command.

Ge Zhongping, standing below the stage, wore an ashen expression on his face. He realized that Di Ping had effectively cemented his hold on the crowd. It would now be much harder to seize power back, especially considering the strong allegiance of those who had fought today. Reclaiming authority seemed a distant possibility—unless…

A dangerous gleam appeared in his eyes, and he clenched his fists tightly.

Meanwhile, Han Zhongguo and Lu Guoliang exchanged a look, both shocked and helpless. They had not anticipated that this young man would prove so formidable. He had swiftly won over the entire crowd and had them under his influence.

With his immense strength, the immediate benefits, and the tempting aroma of the stewed meat, how could anyone remain resolute? Moreover, their own positions had faltered—they had not been able to provide the people with basic safety or food, so why would anyone follow them?

But let's leave their internal struggles aside.

At this point, Di Ping had already instructed the staff to serve the meat into bowls and place them on the prepared tables. The rich aroma of the meat filled the air, making it almost impossible for Di Ping to resist a deep inhale—the mutated dog meat smelled incredibly appetizing.

As soon as the smell wafted through the air, the crowd grew more restless, pressing forward eagerly to get their hands on the food. Fortunately, there were enough people stationed at the front to prevent anyone from breaking ranks and rushing forward.

When the first person was handed a bowl of meat soup with a few slices of meat, they did not even wait to move away before reaching into the bowl with their hands to grab a piece of meat. Not caring about the scalding temperature, they quickly tossed the meat into their mouth, wincing as they sucked in a sharp breath, but unable to spit it out, unwilling to let go of the food.

One by one, people received their bowls of meat soup and moved to the side to begin eating. Those still in line stamped their feet in impatience, urging those ahead to hurry up.

Finally, as more people began to consume the meat, tears started to flow. These were tears of joy, of being overwhelmed by the fulfillment of a basic need. The satisfaction of having this meal seemed to give them a profound sense of contentment.

Before the apocalypse, such a life might have seemed monotonous. The food was bland, the meat tasteless, and people took everything for granted. Now, a simple bowl of meat soup felt like a divine gift, and many were moved to tears at the act of nourishment.

More and more people received their share of meat soup, and the underground mall fell silent except for the sounds of people eating, the occasional gasps from the hot food, and the contented murmurs from the satisfied diners.

Each person was so focused on their meal that there was no room for conversation, while those who had already eaten watched enviously, their eyes fixed on others with longing. Their lips constantly moved as they seemed to savor the taste of the meal all over again.

Half an hour later, everyone had been served. Many had already finished eating, though everyone was limited to a single serving and no one dared to return for more. Some were regretful, wishing they had eaten more slowly to better savor the flavor.

The base team members and the soldiers from today's battle, however, were allowed to take more meat. Their bowls were filled with a generous portion.

The enjoyment was palpable—everyone was smiling with satisfaction, their expressions radiating happiness as though this meal were a rare delicacy, indescribably fulfilling.

At this moment, Han Zhongguo, Ge Zhongping, Lu Guoliang, and Lu Hai finally breathed a sigh of relief. The situation had gone smoothly, and thankfully, there were no mishaps. They made their way back to Di Ping.

At the same time, several people had already brought over bowls of meat soup for Di Ping and his companions. With a smile, Di Ping took a bowl and turned to the others.

"Come, come! Let's eat too. It smells so delicious! I've been craving it for a while!"