A heretical cultivator in Bureau 749, I'm the fiercest at pulling out tendons and skinning peop

In a sheltered, open space in a mountain valley on the outskirts of Jinghai City.

The chilling iron torrents and smoke of battle that filled the daytime have long since dissipated.

Instead, there were a dozen or so crackling bonfires, and the mouthwatering aroma of roasted lamb and the crisp taste of malt beer filled the air.

Military lights illuminated the open space as bright as day, but the tension of wartime was gone.

Instead, it reflected faces that were both tired and beaming with joy.

Deputy Director Liu took off his heavy combat uniform jacket, leaving him in only a tight-fitting vest, revealing his granite-like, muscular arms.

He personally took charge, placing a whole, plump lamb over the campfire.

Skillfully flipping, brushing oil, and sprinkling ingredients, the oil drips into the fire, splashing up even stronger flames and an enticing sizzling sound.

"Get the hell out of here! Tonight, all you can have as much meat and drink as you want! No one's allowed back to the barracks until they're passed out! Anyone who tries to hold back, I'll have your company commander make you do an extra five-kilometer cross-country run tomorrow!"

His booming voice echoed through the mountain valley, drawing laughter and even louder responses.

Several young officers, carrying boxes of chilled beer, pried open the bottles with a "bang," and white foam gushed out joyfully, immediately being stuffed into the eager hands around them.

Ji Zuodao squatted beside the largest bonfire, a bottle of ice-cold beer shoved into his hand.

He imitated the person next to him, tilted his head back and took a big gulp. The icy and spicy liquid rushed down his throat, making him involuntarily exhale a breath of alcohol, but his eyes were sparkling.

He quickly became acquainted with several armored soldiers who had been working with him on the tank and were now surrounding him.

"Brother Ji, you're awesome! Watching you perform during the day... wow! Those huge black veins, swishing around like they're alive! And that mouth on your stomach... holy crap, this is truly eye-opening!"

A tank commander, his face blackened by gunpowder smoke, with only the whites of his eyes and teeth shining brightly, patted Ji Zuodao on the shoulder forcefully and spoke with a thick tongue, his eyes full of excitement and curiosity.

"Exactly! And that skinning technique... so efficient! Faster than our old sergeant chopping ribs!"

Another, slightly younger gunner came over and gestured to indicate his name.

Ji Zuodao was a little embarrassed by the praise, scratched his head, and his "shy" look returned:

"Heh heh, just a little trick, a little trick, enough to make a living. It can't compare to you guys, you're the real deal!"

He pointed to the array of tanks in the distance, lined up like silent behemoths in the night, his eyes practically overflowing with envy:

"That huge iron lump, that cannon barrel... wow, one shot and the earth shakes! This is the kind of thing real men should be playing with!"

"The feeling of firing a cannon... must be incredibly exhilarating, right?"

As he spoke, he reminisced about the taste of that one and only time he had sex during the day, and couldn't help but lick his lips.

"That has to be awesome!"

The train conductor perked up, spitting as he spoke:

"Especially during a salvo, wow, the whole vehicle was shaking, my ears were ringing, and I couldn't see anything but flashes of light! When the smoke cleared, there was nothing left on the other side! That feeling... tsk, it was more exhilarating than anything else!"

"that is!"

Gunners also joined in.

"But Brother Ji, your ability to fly and disappear into the ground is truly enviable! You soar into the sky in a flash, and disappear into the ground in a flash, even bullets can't catch you! If we had that ability, wouldn't we be invincible?"

"Exactly! It can even set things on fire and generate electricity, just like in the movies!"

Several infantrymen nearby gathered around, chattering amongst themselves, full of curiosity and longing for Ji Zuodao and his "experts from Bureau 749".

Ji Zuodao scratched his head, a little embarrassed:

"Flying is possible, but one must reach a certain level of skill or rely on magical artifacts or talismans. As for burrowing underground or passing through walls... that depends on the specific circumstances; it's not something one can just do casually."

"That's pretty awesome!"

A baby-faced young soldier couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, then looked somewhat dejected.

"Unlike us, we know nothing but this uniform and the guns we carry. Without our equipment, we're just ordinary people."

"You can't say that!"

Ji Zuodao said seriously, patting Squad Leader Wang on the shoulder.

"Brother Wang, that's what you call 'professional'! You believe me? That volley just now, anyone without a cultivation level of sixty or eighty years would have been blown to bits!"

He paused, then flashed that nonchalant smile:

"Our little tricks of flying and disappearing are just small-scale operations, like a lone wolf. Yours is a large-scale, industrialized business! It's a national strategic asset! How can you compare them?"

The words may be rough, but the principle is sound. Upon hearing this, the surrounding soldiers straightened their backs and their faces showed more pride.

"that is!"

Squad Leader Wang and Ji Zuodao clinked their wine bottles together.

"We each have our own path! You cultivate your immortality, we fire our cannons! We're all contributing to the country and serving the people!"

"Yes! Serving the people!"

A chorus of agreement erupted around them, mixed with laughter and the clinking of glasses.

As he was getting carried away with his boasting, Deputy Director Liu walked over, carrying a golden-brown, juicy, and fragrant roasted lamb leg. Hearing this, he chuckled and scolded:

"You little rascal, you've got quite the mouth."

As he spoke, he swiftly chopped off the fattest piece of leg meat, skewered it with the tip of the knife, and handed it directly to Ji Zuodao.

"Come on, try Uncle Liu's cooking!"

Ji Zuodao quickly took it, not caring that it was hot, and took a big bite.

Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with plenty of juice, the aroma of cumin and chili powder explodes in your mouth. It's so delicious that he squinted his eyes, nodded repeatedly, and couldn't say a word.

"Haha! Eat slowly, no one's going to take it from you!"

Deputy Director Liu laughed heartily as he watched him wolf down his food, and then distributed the meat to the soldiers around him.

"Eat and drink well, everyone! Today's battle was brilliantly fought!"

"Dry!"

The crowd responded with a roar, raised their bottles and lunchboxes, clinking them together, and then tilted their heads back to drink.

The flickering firelight illuminated every face, young or no longer young, yet equally full of vitality and contentment.

Dog Master somehow managed to get his hands on a whole half-roasted, charred lamb chop. He was lying on a large rock, munching away with grease dripping from his mouth, his tail wagging contentedly, and his eyes were squinted into slits with bliss.

The night wind blew through the mountain valley, bringing the scent of distant fields and dispelling the last trace of gunpowder smoke.

Noise, laughter, the aroma of grease, the foam of ice-cold beer, rough but sincere conversation...

All of these elements intertwine to form the most authentic and moving glimpse of human life after the war subsided.

Ji Zuodao held a piece of mutton in one hand and a bottle of wine in the other, looking at everything before him, his heart filled with an unprecedented, warm sense of fulfillment.

Is this what the masters meant by "peaceful days"?

They have meat to eat, wine to drink, companions to fight alongside and boast to each other, a "parent" who, though short-tempered, is protective and has decent cooking skills, and a dog that, though greedy, is reliable...

Furthermore, there is a powerful and reassuring support behind them that can "crush to dust" all demons, monsters, and historical remnants.

very nice.

He grinned, his teeth practically disappearing into his eyes, raised the bottle, and shouted at the tank commander and gunner beside him, who were still arguing about "whether artillery or magic is more powerful":

"Hey guys! Stop arguing! If you ask me, you're all awesome!"

"The cannons are powerful, the magic is powerful! But the most powerful thing—"

He paused, looked at Deputy Director Liu, who was heartily drinking in the center of the campfire, then looked around at these most lovable people, his voice slurred with alcohol, yet unusually clear:

"It's our group that's come together!"

"For this piece of meat, this sip of wine, this life..."

"Dry!"

"Dry--!!!"

Cheers once again echoed through the night sky.

In the more distant, brightly lit urban area of ​​Jinghai, the vast majority of people were completely unaware of what was happening in the suburbs that night.

They were either enjoying dinner, spending time with their families, or busy preparing for tomorrow.

All they knew was that another peaceful and ordinary day had passed.

This tranquility stems from the people in the distant mountain valleys who, with fire, steel, beer, and vows, have protected it all.

The night is gentle, and the world is at its best.