The universe's invisible hand only ever seed to favor a handful of chosen individuals.
Superheroes.
The lucky few around whom fate itself revolved.
Everyone else was background scenery.
Which ant that controlling superheroes was practically the sa thing as guaranteeing victory.
At least, that was Drex Valen's conclusion.
As for what he had been doing recently?
Living the life of the absurdly wealthy.
To put it another way:
He had been thoroughly indulging himself.
Morgana expertly picked up a steaming bun with her chopsticks and took a bite.
The filling was lamb and onion with a touch of finely diced carrot.
The rich flavor of the lamb blended perfectly with the sweetness of the vegetables. The thin dough wrapper had trapped every drop of savory broth inside, soaking up the juices until every bite carried the aroma of the at.
Originally, lamb-filled dumplings and buns often used green onions.
But after arriving in Arica, the recipe had been adjusted to suit local tastes.
Onions and carrots had replaced them.
Interestingly enough, similar recipes were common throughout Central Asia and the Middle East, where lamb, onion, and spices had been paired together for centuries.
Food was funny that way.
Many Westerners disliked green onions but had no issue with onions.
The won around Drex had gradually co to the sa conclusion.
This was probably the most ti he had ever devoted exclusively to them.
Every day, Umbrella Corporation prepared extravagant buffet spreads.
At least thirty dishes.
Five soups.
Three desserts.
Everything made by professional chefs.
Not just ordinary chefs, either.
These were culinary specialists with access to ingredients gathered from countless worlds under the Kryptonian Empire's control.
Aside from the first day's legendary ultra-spicy hot pot disaster, which had nearly wiped out everyone's taste buds, every al afterward had been an overwhelming success.
Esdeath had beco obsessed with a slow-cooked beef stew that combined roasting and braising techniques.
Morgana and Angel Yan adored the endless variety of ice cream and mousse cakes.
Lyra Yan couldn't get enough of the bowls of premium nuts that appeared at every al.
Pistachios.
Cashews.
Macadamias.
The list went on.
Everyone was happy.
Then Drex took things even further.
Spa treatnts.
Hydrotherapy pools.
Fully automated therapeutic massage beds.
The entire residence had slowly transford into a luxury resort.
Clare lay back in a heated spa pool.
Warm water flowed over her skin while carefully calibrated currents massaged sore muscles she hadn't even realized she possessed.
Nearby, scented candles filled the air with a relaxing fragrance.
A massive one-hundred-and-twenty-inch television occupied the opposite wall.
It was currently playing the first season of A Song of Ice and Fire.
Clare felt herself sinking deeper into the water.
This...
This was life.
No battles.
No monsters.
No survival.
Just comfort.
Absolute comfort.
She had been completely conquered.
The best part wasn't even the luxury.
It was the fact that Drex was there with them.
Drex himself was seated in an oversized massage chair.
Calling it a chair hardly seed fair.
Compared to first-class airline seats, this thing belonged to another species entirely.
Its design wrapped around the body with gentle pressure, creating the strange sensation of being embraced.
Heating systems.
Massage functions.
Perfect ergonomic support.
It was dangerously comfortable.
Nearby, Tifa was enjoying a heated sand bath.
Layer after layer of warm sand covered her body.
Most people would have found the experience bizarre.
Tifa loved it.
After everyone finished their various treatnts, dinner arrived.
One of Drex's oldest ranches had supplied the main course.
Premium M9-grade beef.
The steaks had been carefully dry-aged before preparation.
A chef lowered them onto a sizzling iron griddle coated with high-quality butter.
The instant contact produced a sharp hiss.
The at's surface contracted imdiately, sealing in the juices.
Fresh thy and onions cooked nearby, releasing their fragrance into the air.
They weren't intended to be eaten.
Only their aroma was needed.
Finally, the steaks were seasoned with mineral salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
Simple.
Elegant.
Perfect.
The finished steaks were nearly two fingers thick.
When sliced open, the interior revealed a beautiful pink center.
Because of the aging process, there wasn't an explosion of liquid as inexperienced diners often expected.
The juices remained locked inside the at itself.
One bite was enough.
Tender.
Rich.
Explosively flavorful.
The al didn't stop there.
Umbrella's chefs prepared cuisines from around the world.
Hong Kong-style barbecue pork.
Spanish ham.
German beer.
British fish and chips.
Anything the guests desired.
The corporation had even established an entire food research departnt dedicated to studying alien ingredients.
"Drex, why don't we just keep living like this forever?"
Ada Wong spoke while holding a slice of pizza.
Technically, half a slice.
The other half had already disappeared.
The pizza had just co out of a newly completed brick oven.
Electric ovens worked well enough, but certain foods benefited from traditional thods.
This particular experint involved lychee wood as the fuel source.
The idea had been borrowed from Cantonese roast duck techniques.
The wood added a subtle fruitwood smokiness.
Not enough to dominate the flavor.
Just enough to enhance it.
The eighteen-inch pizza had been divided into four distinct sections.
One featured roast duck.
Another contained spicy Cajun-style chicken.
The third used roasted beef short ribs.
The final section was topped with fresh fruit.
Large pizzas had advantages.
Variety was one of them.
The leftover duck had been sliced separately.
The remaining chicken and beef were served as side dishes.
Even the duck carcass had been transford into a crispy seasoned snack.
Nothing went to waste.
"So you've finally fallen victim to luxury."
Kaisa spoke with lofty dignity.
The effect was sowhat weakened by the fact that she was actively eating pizza while saying it.
"If anyone should be complaining, it's ."
Hexi stirred a bowl of fragrant rice porridge with an engraved stainless steel spoon.
Unlike the others, she had skipped the pizza entirely.
In front of her sat a bamboo stear filled with shrimp-and-pork soup dumplings.
Beside it were several small dishes.
Marinated egg tofu.
Shredded spicy pickled radish.
Simple comfort food.
"I'd prefer Drex spent more ti helping with research."
She glanced up.
The complaint lacked any real force behind it.
Drex chuckled.
"I can probably stay like this for a while longer."
Hexi looked surprised.
"Really?"
"Weren't you planning to start that Thousand Stars Project?"
"I was."
Drex leaned back comfortably.
"But there's no rush anymore."
For the first ti in a very long while, there truly wasn't.
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