You Won't Even Spare Fish

The lumpy flesh was devoured in great bites by Gluttony.

Before long, Liu Zheng's chest exposed stark white bones, and beneath them, a purple-black heart that still beat.

"Your turn."

Gritting his teeth, he handed Gluttony to Garcia.

Garcia stared at Liu Zheng for a long time before finally speaking.

"If I refuse this trade, do you intend to keep stabbing yourself?"

"Of course. Who told me to be this dedicated to my job?"

Liu Zheng said proudly.

"Besides, I'm healthier than you. You'll definitely die before I do."

He said with a smile.

As he spoke, granulation tissue had already sprouted from Liu Zheng's wounds, like living stitches desperately mending the holes.

Garcia watched the horrifying sight, his gaze flickering.

"I take back my previous assessment, sir. Even if you have not received the Gospel, you are still the sort of talent the sect needs."

He said sincerely.

"We are willing to trade with you."

With a wave of Garcia's hand, the cultists immediately stopped sealing the crate.

"This would have been easier from the start. Stabbing myself hurts too."

With his goal achieved, Liu Zheng stopped pretending and said through gritted teeth.

"Respect paid in Bleeding must be mutual."

Garcia said with a smile.

"Fair enough. Check the goods."

He nodded.

"Naturally."

Garcia took a candle from beneath his cloak and lit it.

Then he dripped wax onto the ice and drew a circle.

The circle gradually seeped into the ice, imprinting itself on the mermaid's belly.

Garcia glanced regretfully at the candle, now only one-third remaining, then tucked it back into his cloak.

"Break the ice."

He said to one of the cultists.

The cultist whose mask bore two quarter-circles immediately pulled out a hammer and chisel and struck the ice viciously.

A string of sounds like shattering glass rang out, and the ice vanished like foam.

"The mermaid has been suppressed by Drawing the Ground into a Circle. Please inspect the goods, sir."

Garcia said.

"Salmon, get on it."

Liu Zheng waved casually, looking utterly dashing.

Cow-Horse's hooves itched just watching him.

Calico Cat, however, did not think much of it and happily pounced forward.

She looked and felt around the mermaid's body, occasionally sticking out her tongue for a lick or two.

Under Calico Cat's tyrannical intimidation, the mermaid trembled uncontrollably but could not resist. Tears poured from her eyes as though they cost nothing.

"Inspection complete, meow. No problems, meow. She really is Mermaid Royal Family, meow, and she tastes quite good too, meow."

Calico Cat reluctantly climbed down from the mermaid.

"What about her purity?"

"I can't inspect that, meow."

Calico Cat spread her paws.

"I can. Let me do it."

Cow-Horse eagerly leaned over.

"Wow, you won't even spare fish? That's disgraceful for a Cow-Horse."

Liu Zheng said disdainfully.

"What the hell would a country bumpkin like you know? Mermaids have ranked in the top three of the Black Market courtesan charts for ages. They're insanely popular, okay?"

Cow-Horse sneered back.

"Then who's number one?"

"In the latest ranking, it's a white-haired fox-eared girl. But they say there was shady business behind it. The real number one is a human JK loli."

Cow-Horse said.

"You non-humans really know how to have fun."

Liu Zheng remarked.

"Actually, there is no need for you to doubt her, sir. Mermaid's Tears is an ability that only mermaid priests with pure bodies can use."

"Since she can use Mermaid's Tears, she must be a virgin."

Garcia spoke up.

"Fine, I trust you."

He nodded.

"Thank you, sir. Please accept this. Should you change your mind, it will provide guidance."

Garcia smiled and handed Liu Zheng a piece of hide cut into a circle.

"Name: Round God Cult Token"

"Type: Item"

"Quality: Excellent"

"Effect: Displaying this item prevents attacks from members of the Round God Sect. Lighting it with candle flame will produce an unknown effect."

"Note: All things form rings, and all matters become round."

"Can be taken out of the dungeon: Yes"

I knew that old bastard was up to no good.

Looking at the item's description, Liu Zheng sneered inwardly.

If he burned this piece of hide, he might just see some so-called Heavenly Father and Savior.

Hm, that might not necessarily be a bad thing.

Liu Zheng seemed to realize something.

If he heard that so-called Gospel again, he could summon Round God into the fray and let them tear each other apart.

Why did he keep getting these mutually destructive sorts of items?

Liu Zheng felt the deep malice this world held toward him.

"No problem, no problem. Hurry up and leave; no need to see you off."

He waved warmly.

Garcia took no offense and left with the cultists.

Once the last cultist had left, the glowing circles around them immediately vanished, and the scene returned to normal.

"Tch, so we didn't fight in the end. I thought you'd shut the door and unleash the dog."

Cow-Horse said regretfully.

"If you really let the dog out, you'd be the first one it bit."

Liu Zheng rolled his eyes.

Did it not see how appetizing all that sinewy meat on its body looked? Even a dog knew to eat the good stuff first.

Of course, it might bite Salmon first instead.

After all, cats and dogs were natural enemies.

"Let it come. Grandpa Cow-Horse will squash it into dog-meat paste with one sit."

Cow-Horse declared confidently.

Ignoring its self-consoling nonsense, Liu Zheng called out to the Mermaid Princess in his mind.

"Hey, the Round God Sect people are gone."

"Thank you so much for helping me. You truly are a kind human."

The Mermaid Princess said excitedly.

"Cut it out. Hurry up and make good on your promise."

He said impatiently.

"Uh, all right."

The Mermaid Princess said somewhat aggrievedly.

A moment later, light shone from her chest again.

"I have given my power to the Heart of the Ocean. Please take it. I also ask that you wipe the wax from my body."

The Mermaid Princess said.

"Fine."

Liu Zheng snatched the pendant away, then scraped across her belly.

His movements were extremely rough, and the Mermaid Princess could not help letting out a soft cry.

"Hey, you wouldn't let me inspect the goods, but you're taking advantage yourself?"

Hearing the commotion, Cow-Horse looked displeased.

"I just stole a little something."

Liu Zheng shook the Heart of the Ocean.

"Boss, this is mine now, right?"

"You want to keep it all for yourself? No chance!"

Cow-Horse shouted.

"Hey, without me, this deal would have fallen apart."

"Bullshit. If I hadn't been there, Garcia would have tied you up as a god-slave the moment he saw you."

Cow-Horse sneered.

"Then I'd unleash the dog."

"Unleash my ass. Without me holding them back, you'd only end up becoming a dead fish like her."

Cow-Horse pointed at the Mermaid Princess.

"That Cow-Horse has no manners at all! It's the ugly, ugly piece of smoked meat."

The Mermaid Princess protested, cursing in Liu Zheng's mind.

"Stop! Quit yapping, all of you. You're making my head spin."

Liu Zheng howled, then pulled several banknotes from his pocket and stuffed them to Cow-Horse.

"Is this enough?"

"That's more like it."

Cow-Horse was satisfied.

"This share is yours."

He pulled out several more bills and stuffed them into Calico Cat's apron pocket.

"Huh, I get some too? Then thank you, meow. I can buy dried fish again, meow."

Calico Cat was delighted as well.

A bunch of assholes, even more money-grubbing than humans.

Liu Zheng cursed inwardly and looked at the Heart of the Ocean, which had been enhanced by the Mermaid Princess.