“Instructor Zhao, it’s dinnertime now, and as the saying goes, ‘Man is iron, rice is steel; one meal missed, and you’re weak.’
“Since you’ve come to our 369th Regiment, why don’t you eat something at the mess hall? It won’t be too late to get down to business after we eat.”
Zheng Renyi warmly said, pulling Zhao Yi’s hand.
The several regimental-level cadres behind him couldn’t help but subtly smile knowingly when they heard this.
These cadres had been with Zheng Renyi for years, and they could all guess what their Regimental Commander was plotting.
Zheng Renyi intended to drink Zhao Yi under the table.
Zhao Yi, after all, was just a young man. If they led him to the mess hall, got him drunk with a round of toasts, and then sent him back while he was unconscious.
This way, Zhao Yi’s plan to take people would naturally fall through.
Moreover, Zheng Renyi was notoriously good at drinking in the Military Region, known for his immense capacity; half a catty of liquor wouldn’t even make his teeth chatter.
Zhao Yi and Ma Ping’an, two young men, couldn’t outdrink him even if they teamed up, not to mention with the help of the others present.
The men looked at Zhao Yi with knowing smiles.
Zhao Yi, however, seemed completely unaware of Zheng Renyi’s hidden intentions. He sincerely thanked Zheng Renyi with a genuine smile and did not refuse his ‘kindness.’
“What are we waiting for? Let’s go.”
Seeing that Zhao Yi hadn’t caught on, Zheng Renyi’s smile widened. He gestured for Zhao Yi to head towards the regimental mess hall, simultaneously beckoning a clerk over:
“Xiao Wang, come here!”
“Regimental Commander.”
Zheng Renyi winked at his clerk: “Quick, run to the kitchen and tell them to prepare a few more dishes. We’re welcoming Instructor Zhao from the Special Forces for a work exchange.”
“Yes, Regimental Commander!”
Soon, Zheng Renyi led Zhao Yi to a private dining room in the 369th Regimental Headquarters’ restaurant.
The large dining table in the private room was covered with a red tablecloth, already set with several cold dishes, and… a dozen cases of alcohol, both beer and liquor.
“Regimental Commander Zheng, this is…”
Zhao Yi looked at the alcohol in the private room, his face expressionless, but a smile formed in his heart.
He had pretty much guessed Zheng Renyi’s intentions.
However, Zhao Yi wasn’t afraid of Zheng Renyi getting him drunk. To be honest, if Zheng Renyi hadn't invited him to drink, he would have considered inviting Zheng Renyi for a drink himself.
He had the system’s ‘Indomitable Drunkard’ skill activated; unless someone was immune to alcohol, no one could outdrink him!
“This is all a tradition of the Military Region; a little drink is pleasant.”
Regimental Commander Zheng explained with a smile, then changed the subject, provoking Zhao Yi: “Instructor Zhao, you wouldn’t refuse me this small favor, would you?”
“Regimental Commander Zheng, what are you saying? As a guest in your esteemed regiment, I naturally follow the host’s arrangements, entirely at your discretion.”
Zhao Yi feigned ignorance, responding with a smile.
“What are we waiting for then? Please, take a seat.”
Regimental Commander Zheng enthusiastically led Zhao Yi to the main seat, while he himself sat in the host’s accompanying seat. The other seats were occupied by Zhao Yi’s clerk, Ma Ping’an, and the several regimental-level cadres Regimental Commander Zheng had brought with him.
“I also attended the discussion meeting for the establishment of the Special Forces recently. Instructor Zhao’s theories astounded me! With talent like yours in our Military Region, our future will surely flourish and improve!”
“Come, Instructor Zhao, I toast you.”
With that, Regimental Commander Zheng raised his cup, which had just been filled with about two liang of liquor.
Zheng Renyi didn’t say a word, directly downing it in one gulp.
Ma Ping’an’s eyes widened beside him; he was stunned:
That was two liang of liquor!
Down in one gulp?
Didn’t he say ‘a little drink’?
With this drinking style, would Zhao Yi and he be able to walk out of this private room standing later?
Seeing Ma Ping’an’s somewhat shocked and bewildered expression, the cadres exchanged smiles:
Once you entered the door of their private dining room, don’t even think about walking out.
Not only would Zhao Yi be drunk and knocked out, but his clerk, Ma Ping’an, couldn’t be let off either!
“Regimental Commander Zheng, you’re too kind!”
Zhao Yi, beside him, stood up, feigning “flattered surprise.” At Zheng Renyi’s signal, though seemingly hesitant, he also raised his cup filled with liquor and drank it down.
Seeing the atmosphere set, a hint of a successful scheme appeared in Zheng Renyi’s eyes. He waved for the kitchen soldiers to bring out the hot dishes and then, along with a few of his cadres, took turns toasting Zhao Yi, launching the first round of attacks.
They also made sure to include Ma Ping’an in the drinking.
Ma Ping’an, a young man who had just turned eighteen, couldn’t drink at all. After a few cups, he became disoriented and collapsed under the table.
“Regimental Commander Zheng, drink!”
“Chief of Staff Hao, drink!”
Although Zhao Yi was clear-headed, he feigned a bit of drunkenness on his face. Otherwise, if he became more energetic with each drink, and Zheng Renyi and the others noticed something was off and stopped drinking with him, what would he do?
“Hmm? This dish tastes good!”
“Haha, as long as it suits your taste, Brother Zhao!” To get Zhao Yi drunk, Zheng Renyi had also drunk quite a bit himself. At this moment, his head was less clear and a bit muddled.
Zheng Renyi turned to look at the cook who had just entered to serve a dish, and asked:
“Who made this dish?”
“Reporting, Regimental Commander, I made it!”
The young cook serving the dish quickly stood at attention and responded to Zheng Renyi.
“Well done!”
Zheng Renyi loudly praised the cook, then turned to Zhao Yi:
“Instructor Zhao, if you like it, I’ll have this kid go to your Special Forces to cook for you, how about that?”
Zheng Renyi said with a smile. This was called sacrificing a pawn to save the king. If Zhao Yi, in his muddled state, took his cook, it would be equivalent to owing him a favor, and he wouldn't be able to scheme for their 369th Regiment’s Soldier King anymore.
Zhao Yi chuckled softly. How could he not understand Zheng Renyi’s intentions? He then looked up at the cook in front of him:
“Hmm?”
Zhao Yi originally intended to say a few polite words to refuse, but his Insightful Eyes ability helped him display the panel of the cook in front of him:
“Name: Gao Huowang”
“Age: 23 years old”
“Morality: 53”
“Intelligence: 41”
“Stamina: 55”
“Appearance: 43”
“Labor: 68”
“Potential Value: 8.5”
“Talent: Dexterous”
‘Such a high potential value?’
Zhao Yi was momentarily stunned.
In his opinion, the panel of this cook named Gao Huowang was only average; the slightly higher labor ability shouldn't be entirely related to firearms, and a part of the value should be attributed to cooking.
But a potential value of 8.5 immediately astounded Zhao Yi.
Since gaining the Insightful Eyes ability, Zhao Yi had seen the panels of at least thirty to forty people along the way, and he had never seen a soldier with a potential value exceeding 8 points.
Soldier King Li Daniu’s potential value was only a little over 7 points.
Currently, in their private room, besides Gao Huowang, the highest potential belonged to a regimental staff officer next to Zheng Renyi, with 6.9, and Regimental Commander Zheng himself only had a potential value of 6.5.
Clearly, if this Gao Huowang were seriously nurtured, his future prospects would definitely be excellent.
Moreover.
This cook, Gao Huowang, also had a hidden talent.
Zhao Yi immediately opened Gao Huowang’s ‘Dexterous’ talent panel:
“Dexterous: Gao Huowang is more meticulous and careful in his work than ordinary people, excelling at fine operations; he learns various skills faster than ordinary people; Gao Huowang has only been a cook for three years, yet he possesses excellent culinary skills. Not only that, but born into a family of traditional Chinese medicine practitioners, Gao Huowang, with the aid of his talent, is also proficient in Tui Na and acupuncture.”
Zhao Yi’s inner self couldn’t help but grin crookedly:
He didn’t expect to stumble upon such a treasure just by eating a meal.