You Wouldn't Even Spare a Fish

The tumorous flesh was devoured in huge bites by Gluttony.

Before long, Liu Zheng's chest exposed stark white bones, along with a purple-black heart beating beneath them.

"Your turn."

Gritting his teeth, he handed Gluttony to Garcia.

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

"If I refused this trade, would you have kept stabbing yourself, sir?"

"Yeah. What can I say? I'm just that 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 grin.

As they spoke, granulation tissue had already sprouted from Liu Zheng's wound, laboring to mend the hollow like living stitches.

Garcia watched the horrifying sight, his gaze flickering.

"I take back my previous assessment, sir. Even without receiving the Gospel, you are still the sort of talent the sect requires."

He spoke sincerely.

"We are willing to trade with you."

With a wave of Garcia's hand, the cultists immediately stopped packing the boxes.

"It would've been better if you'd agreed earlier. Stabbing myself hurts too."

Now that his goal had been achieved, Liu Zheng dropped the act and said through gritted teeth.

"Respect bought with blood is mutual."

Garcia said with a smile.

"Fair enough. Inspect the goods."

He nodded.

"Naturally."

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

He then dripped wax onto the ice block and drew a circle.

The circle gradually seeped into the ice and imprinted itself upon the mermaid's belly.

Garcia glanced regretfully at the candle, now only one-third left, before putting it away beneath his cloak.

"Break the ice."

He told a cultist.

The cultist whose mask bore two quarter-circles immediately pulled out a hammer and chisel and slammed them into the ice block.

A series 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.

"Get on the salmon."

Liu Zheng waved casually, looking utterly suave.

Cow-Horse's hooves itched at the sight.

Calico Cat, however, felt nothing of the sort and eagerly pounced on her.

It looked and felt its way over the mermaid's body, occasionally even sticking out its tongue for a lick or two.

Under Calico Cat's tyranny, the mermaid trembled helplessly. Unable to resist, tears streamed down her face as though they cost nothing.

"Inspection complete, meow. No problems, meow. She really is from the Mermaid Royal Family, meow. She tastes pretty good too, meow."

Calico Cat reluctantly climbed off the mermaid.

"What about her virginity?"

"I can't inspect that, meow."

Calico Cat spread its paws.

"I can. Let me do it."

Cow-Horse eagerly leaned closer.

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

Liu Zheng said contemptuously.

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

Cow-Horse sneered back.

"Then who's first?"

"In the latest issue, it's a white-haired fox-eared girl. But they say the results were rigged. The real number one is a human JK loli."

Cow-Horse said.

"You nonhumans really know how to play."

Liu Zheng sighed.

"Actually, there is no need for you to doubt it, sir. Mermaid's Tears is an ability 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 candlelight will produce an unknown effect.

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

Can be taken out of the instance: 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 end up seeing some Heavenly Father and Savior.

Hmm, 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 and let them tear each other apart.

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

Liu Zheng felt the world's deep malice toward him.

"Sure, sure. Hurry up and leave. No need to see you off."

He waved warmly.

Garcia took no offense and left with the cultists.

After the last cultist departed, the glowing circles around them immediately vanished, and the scene returned to normal.

"Tch, so we didn't fight after all. I thought you'd shut the door and let the dog loose."

Cow-Horse said regretfully.

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

Liu Zheng rolled his eyes.

Just look at all that sinewy meat on you. Even a dog would know to eat the good stuff first.

Of course, it might bite the salmon first instead.

After all, cats and dogs were natural enemies.

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

Cow-Horse declared confidently.

Ignoring its self-deluding 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 fulfill 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 transferred my power into the Heart of the Ocean. Please take it. And please wipe the wax from my body."

The Mermaid Princess said.

"Fine."

Liu Zheng snatched away the pendant, then scraped at 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 her, but you're taking advantage yourself?"

Hearing the commotion, Cow-Horse looked displeased.

"I'm just stealing something."

Liu Zheng shook the Heart of the Ocean.

"Boss, this belongs to me now, right?"

"You want to keep it all for yourself? Not a chance!"

Cow-Horse shouted.

"Hey, without me, this deal would've been ruined."

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

Cow-Horse sneered.

"Then I'd let the dog loose."

"Loose my ass. Without me holding them back for you, you'd have become a dead fish like her."

Cow-Horse pointed at the Mermaid Princess.

"This Cow-Horse is so rude! 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 into Cow-Horse's hand.

"Is this enough?"

"Now 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.

Bunch of bastards. They were even more money-grubbing than humans.

Liu Zheng cursed inwardly and looked at the Heart of the Ocean that had been strengthened by the Mermaid Princess.