You must know that ever since the catastrophe struck, the food that is planted now is not enough to feed the survivors, let alone the consumption of food resources for brewing alcohol.

Besides the main ingredients necessary for brewing, the quality of yeast is also a critical issue. In this era, the weather has become extremely unpredictable, so the vast majority of ordinary people simply don’t have the conditions to store yeast for long periods.

That’s why even if some people are intent on storing yeast, over time, that yeast will deteriorate.

Having experienced several rounds of natural disasters, any alcohol produced before the catastrophe, as long as it has been preserved until now, whether it was once high-end or low-end, its value will have soared countless times over, simply because it’s not easy to have preserved it until the present day.

Mr. Thompson was one not to be happy without wine before the catastrophe, it’s just that due to the disaster, he had to reluctantly give up drinking. Although Zachary would occasionally bring some high-proof spirits for Mr. Thompson, most of the time Mr. Thompson would dilute the alcohol with water. This practice reduced the alcohol content but also effectively increased the volume of liquor.

Mr. Thompson did not wait for the younger ones at the table to open the wine; instead, he carefully opened the box himself, afraid that someone might accidentally break the bottle.

The Taylor family’s two children were not very old, and everyone was afraid that the kids might not hold the bottle steady and smash it, so the task of pouring naturally fell to Ye Liuyun.

Mrs. Thompson, looking at the Taylor family’s golden boy and jade girl, couldn’t help but ask Zachary, "Son, where is Walker Violet now, why aren’t you two together?"

Hearing his mother inquire about Walker Violet, Zachary suddenly froze, only then remembering that he had brought her along in the past to avoid his mother’s urging him to go on blind dates.

To be honest, back then, Walker Violet fit quite well with the image of the perfect daughter-in-law in his mother’s mind, and she immediately captivated his parents. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

Moreover, Walker Violet was his own Canary, and she had also been living in Cave all this time, so from any aspect, she really was a very suitable choice.

Zachary didn’t actually dislike Walker Violet after all, since originally they had both rushed towards each other, and they had given their first times to one another.

Seeing Zachary suddenly freeze up, Mrs. Thompson suddenly got a bad feeling. After all, in this world, even survivors living in the city could sometimes disappear without warning.

So after seeing Zachary’s expression, Mrs. Thompson felt that something unfortunate might have happened to Walker Violet, otherwise, Zachary wouldn’t have just stood there dumbfounded upon hearing her inquire about Walker Violet’s whereabouts.

Mrs. Thompson was feeling a little guilty at that moment, chiding herself for asking about Walker Violet at this time.

Zachary had only been stunned momentarily, quickly recovering to normal. Once he had, seeing the self-reproach in his mother’s face, he understood why she had that expression and immediately said, "Mom, Walker Violet is fine; she’s very safe. The company doesn’t lack food, so there’s really no need to worry about her."

Although everyone didn’t quite believe Zachary’s explanation, they collectively and tacitly moved past the topic.

Once they had moved past that awkward subject, the atmosphere at the table grew gradually lively again, since no one on the ship was on duty, and Zachary hadn’t brought out much wine.

Thus, after only drinking a small cup, Zachary stopped, and the table promptly cleared the sumptuous dinner.

After the meal, the old comrades stood up from the table and went together to the deck to smoke.

Zachary had always believed that the saying "a cigarette after a meal is better than a living immortal" was actually just an excuse to avoid cleanup after eating.

The pretext of smoking was too all-encompassing, serving as an excuse for any delay or alternative motive.

At that moment, under Zachary’s control, Wave Rider was smoothly sailing toward Magic City’s third district. The group enjoyed the gentle sea breeze, leisurely puffing on their cigarettes on deck.

"Zachary, how long will it take us to get there?"

Hearing Master Ye’s question, Zachary pondered for a moment before responding, "If there are no accidents, it should take about three to four days."

Hearing Zachary’s reply, Robinson William couldn’t help but ask the question he cared about most, "How are things over there? Will there be a suitable place for me to stay?"

"Robinson, you don’t need to worry so much. Honestly, with your past experience, they should be very welcoming to your joining. After all, with your credentials, they’d really like to recruit you."

"However, I have to remind you that there is a strict seniority-based system there. After all, there are only so many positions on the Platform, and under these circumstances, there’s no possibility for external transfer."

"So many people will stay in their positions their whole lives as long as they don’t make any mistakes. So if you do decide to join the Officials in Magic City, it will be easy to get in, but climbing the ladder will probably be tough. There’s a slot for every turnip; unless you accomplish some extraordinary feat, promotion will be almost out of the question," Zachary explained.

Hearing Zachary say this, the others could only remain silent; even before the catastrophe, this kind of thing was a common occurrence.

Even before the catastrophe, within the same organization, some people’s promotions were limited by rules, while others relied on the rules to ensure their steady advancement.