Playboy Cultivator in the Apocalypse Chapter 333 Unexpected Friendships

333 Unexpected Friendships

As dawn broke, the Lainwright soldiers stirred, roused by a divine scent they had never before experienced. It perated their barracks, invigorating each of them with electrifying energy.

"What is that aroma?" Denzel muttered, already dressed. Lainwright soldiers were accustod to waking early, so he, Eric, and Chen descended to the ground floor of their barracks. To their surprise, they discovered a sea of soldiers and Immortals had beat them, walking toward the scent like the undead, funneling into the ss halls past the town square.

While the Immortals had beco accustod to fine cuisine and soul at, the Lainwright soldiers were not. Their last soul at al had been prepared haphazardly in colossal vats with minimal seasoning, resulting in a surprisingly appetizing gruel to enjoy at a shipping yard.

Still, it wasn't a fairy tale.

"Che," Chen grumbled, crossing his arms when they reached the ss halls and found separate lines for Immortals and Lainwright soldiers, the latter unmoving despite being early. "We'll eat after them, huh? I bet we'll get the scraps too."

Both of Lainwright Military Base's ss halls accommodated 2,500 soldiers.

Their cafeteria-style design was practical, featuring long rows of tables and benches in an open layout with stain-resistant concrete floors and kitchens with industrial equipnt capable of frying 50 pounds of french fries, cooking 400 eggs, or baking 25 loaves of bread simultaneously.

Despite their size, there were over ten thousand stationed at the base, so als had to be served in two shifts.

"Bro, who cares?" Denzel retorted. "We're on our way to becoming Immortals and feasting on professionally cooked als."

"Exactly. We didn't complain when we arrived at this base as recruits and were treated like worms," Eric added, rubbing his bald head. "Just think of it like that."

"Yes, when we first arrived—past tense," Chen hissed. "We ca here when there was a clear hierarchy and a defined path to the top, and we climbed it.

Now, these newcors arrive, take over the ss halls, and we're left wondering if we'll get to eat while they sneer at us. Excuse if I'm irritated."

The soldiers grew quiet, aware of the resentnt from being perceived as murderers by so Immortals. The silent animosity went unspoken because it was "against the law," but was palpable.

"Still, we're going to be humble," Eric sternly ordered. "Complaining will cause issues, and issues will worsen our situation. Don't forget that General Skye is an Immortal and the emperor's partner — she won't prioritize us over them."

Click.

Everyone gawked when they watched Immortals exiting the second set of double doors, food-laden trays in hand, and heading toward the hangers.

"What's going on?" Chen inquired, his brow furrowing as the Immortals flowed in and out like a well-oiled machine. "No way."

As soon as the last Immortal entered the building, the door to the Lainwright line swung open, allowing the soldiers to join the sprawling queue that snaked like an amusent park ride.

"Allergies don't exist, so take what you get and like it," Hayden, a brunette with curly, auburn hair in a ponytail, sassed. "You're not special enough to treat as inferior, so don't bitch like the 'talentless.' We already got whiners here; we don't need more."

Chen's face lit up with a grin, "At last, soone who speaks candidly. That's just what I needed."

Morale lifted as they progressed through the line and received their cafeteria trays. Each held a quarter pound of at over rice, bread, a side of vegetables, and a can of soda, all wrapped in tinfoil. The soul at was expertly seared, emitting an intoxicating fragrance that made them question whether they had tasted food.

"This is absurd," Moe remarked, following the lines toward a vast hangar that once sheltered comrcial planes. It was vacant and furnished with seating for ten thousand.

While good-natured, many wished Immortal Skye separated them. Tension was in the air, as there was open seating, and the long tables made segregating impossible. Every Immortal had lost a family mber and a fourth due to General Payton's orders. Therefore, they gritted their teeth when the soldiers showed up, found open locations, and sat beside them.

A feeling of foreboding crept up, whispering that a conflict was inevitable.

However, as the tension increased, sothing amazing happened.

"DENZEL!" a young child shouted. "Co sit with us!"

The Immortals swiveled their heads towards the unfamiliar nas, spotting Larkin's little brother and mother waving at Denzel, who had just entered and was perspiring under the weight of the stares.

"I'm not sure if that's appropriate, Simon..." Denzel hesitated, feeling cold sweat trickling down his back.

A frizzy-haired brunette glanced at the Immortals at the table, which included Rein, Steve, their families, and several others. "Is it not acceptable for him to sit with us? This man and his group saved my son from cultivators..."

Her words sent a ripple of astonishnt through the room, which grew as more people entered. Everyone halted, creating an uneasy atmosphere threatening to ignite conflict among the various parties.

"There's nothing wrong with them joining the table," a soft voice intervened, drawing everyone's attention. "In fact, I'd be grateful if they did—may I join as well?"

"Layla, don't speak for them..." Denzel began, his voice faltering as he realized she was standing up from a group of Immortals.

"What kinda dumb question is that, Layla?" Larkin laughed. "Of course, ya'll can join. Holding things against ya'll was so ooooooold shit, ya—ow!"

Larkin's mother smacked the back of his head. "Watch your language, especially at the dinner table!" she demanded.

"Mom, it's break—" he tried to retort, but she lifted her hand again. "Yes, mooooooom."

Following a mont of stunned silence, laughter rippled through the room, reigniting the flow of movent like an engine coming to life.

"Leo, aren't you sitting with us anymore?" Will, Brad's father, inquired. "We've shared als together every day for the past month."

The blond man who had confronted Rein, Steve, and Larkin shuddered, feeling the sa weight Denzel experienced as the latter sat down at the table with Layla, looking puzzled. "If that's okay?"

"Of course, we'd like you to et Bradley, our son," Rena, Brad's mother, chid in.

"Alright," Leo agreed, moving to join the table.

Only then did the Immortals recall that their families, to whom they were so attached, had been living with the soldiers for months! It was only natural that they would form connections.

The Lainwright soldiers weren't the only ones with unusual relationships, either.

To everyone's surprise, cultivators were part of the mix as well.

"Hey, Martha!" Manny, the boisterous ddler from the battle at the shipping yard, shouted. "Co join us!"

"No, please join us," Riley, the redheaded lieutenant captain, implored. "I've been aning to express my gratitude and ask if there's anything we can do for you."

"You too, Calvin," Randy, her major during her ti protecting the Immortals, added. "We owe you both a great deal."

Martha and the other soldiers were taken aback by the invitations.

A frenzy ensued as everyone shuffled around to make room for one another.

The Immortals, anxious about their families' opinions, were quick to welco their friends to the tables and make concessions.

However, one group wasn't pleased amid the commotion—those who had lost their families entirely. They felt embittered by the constant requests to rearrange and locate vacant seats to accommodate others' families. They beca dark horses and shutouts because they didn't have families—it was cruel.

In no ti, an entire long table filled up with people who had lost their families, simring with resentnt. The group included the regular mbers and ex-special forces, adding to the tense atmosphere.

Nevertheless, it was impossible to accommodate everyone, so they filed in and awaited the ringing of a bell. Once it sounded, they temporarily forgot their lingering bitterness as they enjoyed the soul at that was new to them all.

This al imbued them with a vibrant energy that sparked lively conversations.

After everyone had finished eating, Kaze rose from his table, full of his partners' family mbers, and strode to the stage amid resounding applause.

"It's peculiar," he said with a smile, surveying the crowd filling the massive hangar. "The agenda is for people to share stories about each other, but that almost seems superfluous."

Waves of chuckles spread through the room as family mbers gazed at the soldiers with appreciation and children expressed their gratitude.

"Though that may sound sowhat political, I assure you it's not that simple,"

Kaze added with a smirk. "From what I've heard, my partner Kiera blew up a building with a few soldiers inside."

"Yeah, and it sucked!" Chen interjected, triggering a thunderclap of laughter.

"I'm sure it did," the emperor chuckled. "General Skye trained these soldiers, who in turn protected family mbers, while Martha, Calvin, and Crux safeguarded the soldiers. In essence, you're more interconnected than you realize."

Excitent rippled through the room as they acknowledged the depth of their connections.

"There is lingering animosity between Malta, Immortal Skye, and the cultivators," Kaze continued, glancing at the table without families. "Many have suffered irreplaceable losses and feel more pain than others. So are struggling with their new status. For this reason, we're giving everyone today to get acquainted. Then, tomorrow..."

The atmosphere grew tense and hushed as everyone awaited their emperor's next words.

"We'll engage in combat with each other, releasing our frustrations," Kaze declared with a grin. "No one will perish during our competition, so feel free to release your frustrations."