After helping Ruan Qingyan familiarize herself with her newfound powers, Zhu Jiu didn't linger in the lab. Mounting the wolf king, he sped toward the teaching building.
Even before he stepped inside, a rich, tantalizing aroma wafted through the air.
"Old Wang's got some serious skills!" Zhu Jiu took a deep breath, savoring the fragrance, and felt an instant rush of satisfaction.
The scent brought back memories of childhood—coming home from school, stomach growling, only to be greeted by the smell of bone broth simmering in the kitchen.
He hadn't even tasted the snake soup yet, but it was already evoking that kind of joy.
Even the wolf king's nose twitched, its golden eyes alight with excitement as it sniffed the air.
"You greedy little thing, don't worry. There's some for you too," Zhu Jiu chuckled, patting the wolf king's side before bounding up the stairs toward the source of the aroma.
As Zhu Jiu strode through the halls, the patrolling team members greeted him with a mix of respect and admiration.
"Boss!"
"Good evening, Boss!"
Some even saluted, their actions earnest and sincere. Zhu Jiu nodded in acknowledgment, his pace unbroken as he headed straight for the meeting room.
Two female team members, watching him disappear around the corner, exchanged hushed whispers, their faces flushed with excitement.
"Boss is so handsome!"
"I know, right? Way more rugged and masculine than any celebrity I've ever seen. He's got that kind of raw, manly charm."
"Exactly! Strong, good-looking, and he's a badass fighter. I wish I could marry him."
"Ha! In your dreams. Boss is mine!"
The two women dissolved into giggles and playful banter, completely unaware that Zhu Jiu, the subject of their admiration, was already in the meeting room, blissfully unaware of their conversation.
Zhu Jiu grabbed a steaming bowl of snake soup, a spicy rabbit head, and a bowl of fluffy, fragrant rice. Sitting at the table, he began to eat with gusto.
"This is amazing!" he exclaimed between bites, savoring the tender meat and rich broth.
At a nearby table, Fatty, Wang Huannian, and Zhang Xinyu were devouring their food with equal enthusiasm, foregoing utensils entirely and tearing into the meat with their hands.
"Old Wang, your cooking is out of this world!" Fatty said, his mouth full and his face glistening with oil. "I've been craving food like this for ages! You're wasted as a teacher, I'm telling you—you should've been a top chef!"
Zhang Xinyu, struggling to handle the heat of the spicy rabbit head, wiped sweat from his flushed face. "Wait, Fatty, you've had Wang Laoshi's cooking before?" he asked, curious.
Wang Huannian, who was eating with slightly more decorum, shook his head. "I don't think so. This should be the first time."
Fatty paused, momentarily confused, before slapping his thigh and bursting into laughter. "Must be the food talking! It's so good it's messing with my head. Come on, cheers!"
Grabbing a beer, he downed it in one gulp.
"You're hopeless," Zhu Jiu said with a shake of his head. He raised his own cup, clinking it with the others before drinking deeply.
As Zhu Jiu finished his meal, he looked around the room. He noticed that while the people at his table had polished off their bowls of snake soup, most others had barely touched theirs, leaving the soup almost untouched while only the rabbit meat had been fully consumed.
"This snake soup is delicious," Zhu Jiu said, frowning slightly. "Why aren't you all eating it?"
One of the team members stood up, smiling wryly. "Boss, it's not that we don't want to eat it—it's that we can't. The flavor is amazing, but after just a couple of bites, we feel completely full. Our stomachs feel like they're going to burst, and our bodies feel hot and swollen."
Zhu Jiu paused, then quickly understood the issue.
"That makes sense," he said with a nod. "It's not your fault. This snake was a high-level mutated beast, which means its meat is packed with energy—more than your bodies can handle right now. It's like eating a super-rare treasure from a fantasy novel: small in size, but brimming with power. Your bodies just aren't ready for it yet."
He looked around the room and made a decision.
"Starting tomorrow, anyone who's not on patrol or assigned to other duties will train with me," Zhu Jiu declared. "Martial arts practice will help you build your fighting skills and, more importantly, strengthen your bodies. With proper training and this kind of food to support you, your strength will improve rapidly."
"Don't force yourselves to eat more if you can't handle it yet. Just focus on training, and your limits will increase over time."
Without waiting for objections, Zhu Jiu stood and motioned for everyone to follow him.
Outside, in the snowy courtyard in front of the teaching building, thirty or so team members lined up in formation. Some looked eager, while others seemed hesitant.
"Boss, isn't it bad to exercise right after eating? Won't it hurt our stomachs?" one team member muttered, his voice low.
Zhu Jiu's sharp ears caught the comment immediately. His gaze swept over the group, and he spoke with quiet authority.
"Who said that? Step forward."
The team member paled but obediently stepped forward, lowering his head in embarrassment.
Zhu Jiu crossed his arms and surveyed the group. Even the most confident among them felt the weight of his presence, their backs straightening under his stern gaze.
"You might not know this," Zhu Jiu began, his voice calm but firm, "but I've been training in martial arts my entire life. Before the apocalypse, I ran a martial arts school. Teaching people how to train is my expertise. Your job is to follow my instructions—nothing more."
He paused, letting his words sink in.
"I won't force anyone to stay. If you're unwilling to follow my orders, you're free to leave—except for the squad leaders."
His gaze shifted to the few squad leaders present. Despite their status as evolved humans, they felt a chill under Zhu Jiu's piercing stare.
"From the moment you took the evolution serum, you became different from everyone else," Zhu Jiu continued. "I've given you more power and privileges, but that also means you bear greater responsibility."
"Ordinary members can leave if they choose, but if any squad leader dares to abandon their post without my permission…"
Zhu Jiu's tone grew colder.
"…I will personally hunt you down and deal with you myself. Betrayal will not be tolerated."