The Man Leans on His Dog's Power

"Did that even need thinking about?"

Liu Zheng smiled.

"Of course I'd keep delivering takeout."

Free food and lodging without having to work—where else could he find a deal like that?

If it wasn't a scam pitch, it was a cult.

Singing hymns to the stars every day—after enough of that, would he still be himself?

He had to personally apply for dungeon settlement.

If he lost himself and remained in this dungeon world day after day,

then was he dead or alive?

"Then we have nothing more to say."

Garcia shook his head and prepared to leave with the cultists.

"Did I say you could leave?"

Liu Zheng said.

"Cow-Horse alone cannot stop us. As for you, sir, you are merely a mantis trying to stop a chariot."

Garcia looked at him contemptuously.

He was nothing but a vessel that had recorded the Gospel. Did he really think he was somebody?

Liu Zheng looked at Cow-Horse.

"I didn't expect this birdman to come personally."

Cow-Horse shook his head.

Normally, the Round God Sect would send, at most, a priest to lead a transaction like this.

Garcia had originally been a priest, and his mask bore three quarter-circles.

Liu Zheng looked at Calico Cat again.

"The head chef said I'm not allowed to help you fight, meow."

Calico Cat likewise indicated that she was unable to help.

"Then there's nothing I can do. You can leave."

He sighed.

The kitchen staff themselves were not putting in any effort. Why should he, a mere deliveryman, worry about it?

"We will meet again, sir."

Garcia drew a quarter-circle toward Liu Zheng.

Liu Zheng narrowed his eyes. This guy seemed to be threatening him.

Just as he was wondering whether to say something harsh, a voice as faint as a mosquito's buzz entered his ears.

"Save me, please."

"Hm?"

Without betraying any reaction, Liu Zheng shifted his gaze toward the ice.

"Save me, please, save me."

The voice grew a little louder.

Liu Zheng looked at Cow-Horse and Calico Cat, but neither seemed to notice anything.

"Are you that mermaid?"

He tried replying in his mind.

"Yes. I am Kova, the Mermaid Princess. I am speaking to you through telepathy."

The mermaid replied.

Telepathy? Had she eaten Garlic Mi-go Brain too?

Liu Zheng thought with a strange expression.

"I have never eaten Mi-go Brain. This is an innate ability I possess as a daughter of the sea."

The Mermaid Princess answered.

"You can hear even that? That's kind of disgusting."

He frowned.

"I'm sorry, but I cannot control it."

The Mermaid Princess immediately apologized.

"Forget it. Let's get straight to the point. What do I get for saving you?"

The Mermaid Princess was a fish too. His kindness had not yet reached the point of crossing species.

"Send me back to the sea, and my royal father will grant you countless rewards."

The Mermaid Princess said.

"Not interested."

Setting aside whether the Mermaid Princess would keep her promise, the prerequisite alone was impossible.

Send her back to the sea? Without delivering takeout, he could not even leave this street.

"Then I can take human form and marry you."

The Mermaid Princess said somewhat shyly.

"Even less interested."

He was not Deng Chao.

"Then I can give you this."

After struggling for several moments, the Mermaid Princess said.

A faint glimmer suddenly flickered within the ice and entered Liu Zheng's sight.

It was the pendant on the Mermaid Princess's chest, a blue heart-shaped gemstone.

"Name: Counterfeit Heart of the Ocean"

"Type: Equipment"

"Quality: Fine"

"Effect: Movement speed in water increased by 50%; allows free breathing underwater."

"Note: You jump, I keep."

"Can be taken out of the dungeon: Yes"

This was actually a pretty good item.

Liu Zheng was tempted.

Seen from another angle, this was really a life-saving item.

If the land became too dangerous, he could jump into the water and hide for a while.

However, obtaining this item did not necessarily mean saving the Mermaid Princess.

"The Heart of the Ocean is bound to my life. If I die, it will shatter as well."

The Mermaid Princess hurriedly said.

Damn, he had forgotten that she could hear his thoughts.

"Even if I snatch you from the Round God Sect, you'll still be made into a dish by the Bloodstained Restaurant."

Liu Zheng thought of another problem.

"You needn't worry about that. You only need to buy me."

The Mermaid Princess replied.

"Besides the Heart of the Ocean, I have another gift for you, but I cannot tell you what it is yet."

"Fine."

He shrugged.

Originally, Liu Zheng had wanted the Mermaid Princess to remove Mermaid's Tears first so he could inspect the goods.

But on second thought, inspecting goods was not his job, so he let it go.

"Hey, we're buying this fish."

Liu Zheng called out.

"Oh?"

Garcia, who had been watching the cultists pack the crate, turned around. A strange glint flashed across his iron mask.

"You spoke too late, sir. The people from the Black Market have just confirmed their purchase of this item with me."

He took out his phone and waved it.

"You don't understand first come, first served? How do you even do business?"

Liu Zheng said unhappily.

"If I remember correctly, sir, you just told us to leave, didn't you?"

Garcia smiled.

"That's right. I told you to leave, not the merchandise."

He said it with complete confidence.

"There is no point arguing over words. Sir, it would be best for everyone to part on good terms."

Garcia shook his head.

"What if I insist on buying it?"

Liu Zheng gripped Gluttony in reverse.

Garcia looked at Gluttony, a trace of wariness appearing in his eyes, but he still spoke firmly.

"Then we'll see how capable you really are."

"Good! Cow-Horse, Salmon, get them!"

He took a large step back, placing the two of them in front of himself.

"Why the fuck are you ordering me around?"

Cow-Horse cursed.

"The head chef won't let me fight, meow."

Calico Cat said as well.

"Then I have no choice."

Liu Zheng shrugged, then took out Tindalos Chew Toy.

"Then I can only shut the door and unleash the dog."

He held the bone high as though he were holding a grenade.

"Fuck!"

Cow-Horse was so frightened that his eyes and mouth twisted out of shape.

"Meow meow meow!!!"

Calico Cat was even more terrified. Every hair on her body stood on end, and she arched so hard that she was nearly folded in half.

"What are you doing?!"

Calico Cat's owner finally showed himself.

"Sir... must it come to this?"

Garcia spoke with difficulty.

The design on his mask had bunched into a mess, clearly showing that he was terrified as well.

Was the Hound of Tindalos really that frightening?

Even Liu Zheng was startled by their reactions.

"Yeah, it's just helping out in the kitchen. Was it really worth this, you little bastard? Is Napoleon your fucking father?"

Cow-Horse cursed too.

"Boss, you know me. Whatever I do, I have to do it perfectly."

Liu Zheng said solemnly.

"You won't let me inspect the goods, and you won't sell them to me. You're making this very difficult for me."

He turned to Garcia, his smile carrying a trace of chill.

"It is merely a transaction. I do not believe you would risk dying together with us over this."

Garcia gradually calmed down as his intelligence reclaimed the high ground.

"You can tell I've heard the Gospel, but can't you tell that I'm already insane?"

Liu Zheng said unhurriedly.

Then, without warning, he thrust his knife at Garcia.

Garcia swayed aside, about to evade the blade.

"Don't move. If you move again, I'll throw the bone."

Liu Zheng waved the chew toy.

Faced with his threat, Garcia's eyes turned cold, but he still stopped moving.

Gluttony pierced Garcia's shoulder, immediately devouring a large chunk of his flesh.

"Consider this strike the end of the matter. If you continue to press us, we will have no choice but to fight to the death."

Garcia said through the pain.

"The end? How could it be?"

Liu Zheng grinned.

Garcia's gaze darkened. The four quarter-circles on his mask gathered toward the center, on the verge of forming a complete circle.

"This is only the beginning."

Liu Zheng burst into manic laughter and plunged Gluttony into his own chest.

All the way to the hilt.