The world has turned into Hell's Game, why should I stay human?
Chapter 419 - 357 Liu Zheng: Now It’s Really a Solid Iron Squid_2

Chapter 419: Chapter 357 Liu Zheng: Now It’s Really a Solid Iron Squid_2

For these unwelcome challengers, the process naturally required some adjustments.

"Since that’s the case, I won’t stand on ceremony."

He nodded.

Though his injuries had healed quickly under the effect of the special badger oil,

it was naturally better to face challenges in full health rather than injured.

Since it was a halftime break, it was natural that no formal arrangement was set.

They simply prepared some skewers and had a few beers.

Of course, Liu Zheng’s energy reserves were still abundant; all he needed was time.

"Come on, try this breastplate oil; it’s the best in Bathhouse Street."

Old Fourth handed over a skewer.

The white-yellowish fat on it bubbled and sizzled, with a ring of charred edges around it. Liu Zheng took a slight inhale, and a scent that had undergone a complete Maillard reaction rushed into his nostrils.

He picked up a skewer of breastplate oil, gulped down several chunks in one bite, and then chewed vigorously.

The richness of the fat and the springiness of the soft tissue simultaneously pressed against his tongue, completely occupying his tastebuds with the most primal and carnivorous flavor.

"Delicious, but this isn’t beef breastplate oil, is it?"

Liu Zheng smacked his lips and spoke after he couldn’t detect the distinctive taste of beef fat.

"Impressive, Manager Liu really knows his stuff. This isn’t beef breastplate oil; it’s pork breastplate oil," Old Fourth said as he gave a thumbs-up.

"Pork breastplate oil? Pork fat can have this texture?"

He was in disbelief.

"Other places don’t have it, but the pigs raised here on Bathhouse Street are different. And we always purchase the best ones from the same batch each time," Old Fourth said proudly.

"Uh..."

Liu Zheng looked at the remaining breastplate oil on the skewer, momentarily at a loss for words.

From the information he obtained from Red Pig and Jinzi, he knew that Bathhouse Street could turn people into pigs.

Of course, considering the low proportion of humans among the residents outside the city and that city dwellers generally did not wander outside, there surely were other species transformed into pigs.

Then, was the skewer he held one transformed from a person?

"No matter what you once were, into the stomach for safety," Liu Zheng said quietly, then gulped down the skewer of breastplate oil.

"Try this too, the real egg skewer; you really can’t find this outside," Old Fourth handed over another skewer.

Each egg on the skewer was oval and seemed like chicken eggs, but they were green and had a more gelatinous texture than boiled eggs.

"Hmm, feels more like rubber," Liu Zheng commented after a bite.

It wasn’t bad though, better than regular boiled eggs.

That was mainly because he didn’t like eating egg yolks, and in this real egg, he didn’t detect the presence of the yolk.

"Is this a chicken egg?"

He asked.

"Yes, but not a normal chicken egg. You have to beat the egg liquid first, then add lye water to mix well, and steam it back in the eggshell," Old Fourth generously revealed the cooking method.

"Quite ingenious."

Liu Zheng commented.

"Rural areas, where both ingredients and skills can’t compare to those in the city, have to focus on these little tricks," Old Fourth said modestly.

"Actually, the culinary skills in city restaurants are just so-so, relying merely on high-grade ingredients and fancy techniques,"

Whether it’s Guo Koutangzi’s soup pot or Feather Chicken’s array of knives, they all fall into the category of fancy techniques.

"Hey, you can’t say that much; financial power is also a part of strength," Old Fourth said seemingly generously.

After joking about the city folks for a while, the halftime break ended, Liu Zheng’s injuries had also basically healed, and the three returned to the sauna room area.

"The difficulty in the next room is going to increase again, does Manager Liu still want to continue?" Old Fourth asked.

"Continue. The path gets steeper as one goes on, and one climbs higher as one walks; I’ve known this since the day I became a deliveryman," Liu Zheng said as he stood before the third sauna room, his hand touching the door.

There was no abnormal feeling; it wasn’t hot, cold, or irritating.

But the more this was the case, the more it suggested danger within.

"Could it be a sudden attack?"

Liu Zheng heightened his alertness and pushed the door open.

However, the expected attack did not happen, and inside was only an old man squatting on the ground.

The old man’s face looked exactly like the one from the previous room but was more robust, and he had a normal beer belly.

At that moment, he was intently staring at the ceramic basin in front of him.

In the clay pot, two crickets were engaged in combat, one shimmering in black, the other with a red head and a green body.

Their sizes were far greater than any real-life cricket, each half the size of a palm.

When their large mandibles clashed, they emitted a sound of metal striking metal.

Liu Zheng didn’t disturb the old man and just quietly watched.

The old man also made no movements, squatting there like a statue.

After more than ten minutes, the black-headed cricket finally began to falter and took a step back.

The red-headed cricket seized the opportunity, lunged forward, and then forcefully swung its head.

Taken by surprise, the black-headed cricket was flipped into the air and landed on its back.

The red-headed cricket immediately leapt onto it, its large mandibles relentlessly tearing at it until the black-headed one was ripped into pieces and completely devoured.

"Chirp chirp!"

The red-headed cricket raised its head and let out a loud chirp toward the old man as if to claim credit for its victory.

"Good boy, well done."

The old man commended it and then reached into the clay pot.

The red-headed cricket crawled into the palm of his hand and burrowed into it after biting a hole.

"Do you understand cricket fighting?"

The old man, fist clenched, asked Liu Zheng.

"No."

He admitted honestly.

"Then why did you watch for so long?"

"Even if I don’t understand cricket fighting, I could feel your concentration, grandpa. It’s not in my nature to disturb someone when they are focused."

Liu Zheng explained.

Of course, it also depends on who the other party is.

If it’s an enemy focusing on a powerful spell, then he would have to teleport and face them head-on.

"Not a bad fellow, would be even better if you understood crickets."

The old man nodded.

"Would you, grandpa, be willing to teach me a thing or two?"

"You wish! This is a family secret. If you want to learn, you either acknowledge your ancestors or become an apprentice."

The old man sized Liu Zheng up and continued.

"Or, marry into my family as a son-in-law."

"How many daughters do you have?"

Liu Zheng casually asked.

"One, so if you are willing to marry in, you’ll be no different from my son. Then, both the family position and the secret skills will all be yours."

The old man explained.

"How many people have you told this to?"

"Do you think this old man is desperate to marry off his daughter, willing to accept just any man as my son-in-law? In the years I’ve been here, you’re the first."

The old man said angrily.

"Don’t be angry, sir. I just didn’t see myself as anything special, being suddenly favored by you, I was a bit startled, that’s all."

Liu Zheng calmly explained.

"Well, that sounds more reasonable."

The old man nodded.

"Don’t sell yourself short, lad. Being a delivery man for Bloody Restaurant isn’t something the average person could handle."

"Knowing I’m a delivery man at Bloody Restaurant and still wanting me as a son-in-law, aren’t you setting your daughter up to be a widow?"

He wondered aloud.

"No worries, since you haven’t died yet, you won’t be dying anytime soon. I have a secret remedy that ensures you leave an heir. Whether you live or die after that isn’t important."

The old man waved his hand dismissively.

"What’s in it for me, then?"

Liu Zheng said, exasperated.

"At the very least, you’ll leave behind an heir. If you have two, I might even let one of them carry your surname. Also, if you can win over my daughter’s heart, I have a way to let you be reborn after death and escape Bloody Restaurant."

The old man explained.

"Oh? Now I’m interested. Could you reveal what this method of reincarnation is?"

His eyes lit up.

Even though he had grown accustomed to being a delivery man, it wasn’t as if he enjoyed it.

Moreover, any means of preserving his life were of course welcome additions.

"Did you see those two crickets just now?"

The old man pointed to the clay pot and asked.

"I saw them."

Liu Zheng nodded.

"I can allow you to reincarnate as a cricket after you die."

The old man stated.

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