Surviving the Apocalypse with my Multiplier System - Chapter 64

Chapter 64: Dinner Party
Anna walked over to Noah, her expression polite yet curious.

“Ah, hello, Secretary Mathews! What can I do for you?” she asked, thinking the he was in need of her medical expertise.

Noah didn’t feel like the invitation was important enough to find a secluded room to discuss, so he quickly passed along Rayne’s message. “Rayne is inviting us to a home-cooked dinner tonight and asked me to pass along her invitation. Meet us in our communal kitchen at 6 tonight if you’d like to join.”

Anna’s face lit up with a warm smile. “That’s very kind of her; I’ll definitely be there.”

When Noah left, Anna turned around to see Jess staring at her with an unreadable expression.

Jess had heard the entire conversation and flared up with jealousy and anger.

She was jealous because of the rare opportunity that Anna got—getting to share a meal with the boss and Secretary Mathews! At the same time, she was angry that this new girl not only got to live in the same area as the boss, but she was also trying to show off in front of him with her cooking skills!

Anna glanced at Jess, then quietly walked back to her bunk. She had already gone out of her way to remind Jess not to get on the boss’s bad side, but whether or not Jess listened wasn’t her problem.

Jess sat down on her bed, her mind racing with ideas on how to get in on this dinner. She wanted to see what this new girl was all about.

After a few minutes of thinking, she came up with a plan. Her eyes lit up as she went to the small Alpha Team kitchen and began to brainstorm on what she wanted to cook!

—-

Back in the communal kitchen, Rayne was currently looking through the refrigerator and pantry to see what sort of ingredients were available.

She frowned upon seeing that most of the vegetables were lifeless and close to wilting. There were also very few eggs and meats left in the fridge and freezer.

Rayne looked around the room, making sure no one was watching her, and secretly added a few fresh vegetables to the basket, as well as a few eggs and different proteins to supplement the current stock.

She practiced restraint, carefully keeping her actions subtle so no one would catch on to the fact that she was replenishing their supplies, but just enough to make a difference. She didn’t want to risk drawing suspicion by overdoing it.

The pantry, on the other hand, was an easier task. Most of the items she added were ones she already had access to through her system—things like dried spices, canned goods, and grains. She noticed that the instant noodles seemed to be the most popular item in the kitchen and shook her head. It seemed none of the men here had much of a cooking skill and relied on these easy meals, like instant noodles, to get by.

She carefully added a few more packets of noodles, deciding to spend more time in the kitchen making prepared foods. Cooked food seemed to be what they lacked the most in the base, and she was more than happy to fill that role while she lived here.

Not only would it give her something to do, but she would also feel better about staying here if she contributed.

Since the dinner she planned on making tonight was a “thank you” dinner, she decided to make it a little fancy.

She took out a large chunk of beef, deciding to make a nice hot pot roast. It was a warm, nutritious meal—a perfect counter to the cold, wet weather outside.

Thankfully, the kitchen was fully supplied with pots, pans, and utensils, so she didn’t need to worry about being questioned about where everything came from later on.

She carefully seared the chunk of beef on all sides until it had a nice golden color, then placed it in a Dutch oven to roast in the oven for a few hours.

As the beef cooked, Rayne took her time preparing the rest of the vegetables. She peeled and chopped carrots, potatoes, and celery with care, making sure she had enough potatoes to make creamy mashed potatoes to accompany the roast.

Once everything was prepared, she added the carrots and celery to the pot with the beef, along with a variety of herbs and spices. She poured in three cups of rich beef broth, the scent of the spices mixing with the savory broth as it all came together. She returned the pot to the oven, where it would cook slowly for another 2-3 hours.

—-

Three hours later, Julian emerged from the lab, his nose catching a fragrant, mouthwatering scent wafting from the communal kitchen. This was the first time something smelled good while being cooked in the bunker. Most of the time, it was just them making a packet of instant noodles or burning something.

On his way back to his room, he stopped to take a peek at the situation in the kitchen. He saw Rayne working diligently, chopping and stirring. Smiling at the scene, he took a few more minutes to enjoy the appetizing aroma in the kitchen before turning to head back to his room.

By the time he finished showering and getting dressed, Rayne had finished setting the table. Julian came over and marveled at the delicious-looking food, making his stomach growl.

Rayne glanced over at him and giggled, her smile warm and gentle as she heard his stomach growl.

“Come on over and take a seat; I’ll pull out the main dish from the oven once everyone is here!” she said enthusiastically. She enjoyed cooking, but she found that cooking for others was even more enjoyable!

As Julian took a seat, both Ian and Noah walked in, looking impressed at the appetizing food.

“Wow! Ms. Weston, I wasn’t aware you had such culinary talents,” said Noah happily. He quickly took a seat to the left of Julian.

“Ah, please call me Rayne!” said Rayne as she opened the oven door.

Noah nodded. “Then please call me Noah, and this here is my older brother Ian!”

Ian nodded in response and took a seat next to Noah, his eyes glued to the food on the table.

Just as Rayne brought the Dutch oven to the table, Anna entered and sat down beside Ian, inhaling deeply.

“Ah, it smells so good! Everyone in the dorm was wondering where such an appetizing smell was coming from!” she said, laughing.