The Delivery's Here

Standing in front of the elevator, Liu Zheng checked the time.

Four minutes remained.

Fortunately, the elevator was already on the first floor. He should make it in time.

"Ding!"

The elevator doors opened, and he slipped inside, frantically hammering the close-door button.

Thankfully, nothing went wrong during the elevator ride.

Twenty seconds later, the doors opened.

Liu Zheng charged out like a runaway wild horse and rushed to the door marked 503.

"Hello, your delivery is here."

He knocked on the door and called out.

There was no response from inside, nor did anyone open the door.

"Hello, your delivery is here."

He raised his voice and shouted again.

There was still no response.

"Open up, your delivery is here."

Liu Zheng's pounding grew increasingly wild, and he even started kicking the door.

After a minute-long standoff, the person inside finally could not take it anymore.

"Stop yelling. This isn't my delivery."

"You know it isn't your delivery without even looking?"

Liu Zheng challenged.

Perhaps realizing that he had a point, the door to 503 finally opened.

A grotesquely obese man appeared before Liu Zheng, reeking of intense body odor.

He smelled like a large dog that had spent an entire day rolling around outside without bathing, then eaten half a pound of shit.

"Give me the delivery slip."

He stretched out a large, hairy hand.

"Here."

Liu Zheng handed him the delivery slip.

"This isn't my delivery. I'm not accepting it."

Fatty said after glancing at it.

"Is this Merlin Residential Compound?"

"Yes."

"Is this Building 3, Room 503?"

"Yes."

"Since this is Building 3, Room 503 of Merlin Residential Compound, what right do you have not to accept it?"

Liu Zheng's voice rose again.

"I don't care. I didn't order this delivery, so I'm not accepting it. Unless... hehehe."

Fatty let out a strange chuckle.

"Unless what?"

"Unless you give me a piece of Flesh."

Fatty licked his lips, revealing a mouthful of rotten yellow-and-black teeth.

"Heh."

Liu Zheng looked him up and down, weighing the possibility of using violence to complete the delivery.

The conclusion was that it was unlikely.

Setting supernatural powers aside, the other man weighed at least four hundred pounds.

In a barehanded fight, a weight-class advantage was absolute.

Not to mention that Fatty's vital spots were protected by layers upon layers of fat, leaving extremely little room for technique.

"What, thinking of hitting me? Heh, ptooey!"

Fatty sneered, then spat a glob of thick phlegm right in front of Liu Zheng.

"You're just a stinking delivery boy. I won't accept it, so what can you do about it?"

He opened his mouth wide, wantonly blasting breath foul enough to qualify as a biological weapon.

Liu Zheng held his breath and checked his phone.

One minute remained.

"Running out of time, aren't you? Don't hesitate. One piece of Flesh for one life. That's a great deal."

Fatty's voice suddenly became gentle.

Low-frequency sound waves resonated through Liu Zheng's brain, bringing an inexplicable comfort.

Thirty seconds remained.

"Why didn't you spit on me just now?"

Liu Zheng suddenly asked.

"I'll spit wherever I want. None of your business."

Fatty said viciously.

"You didn't dare, did you? You were afraid of spitting on my uniform."

"Bullshit!"

Fatty's expression changed drastically.

Before he could react, Liu Zheng suddenly hurled the delivery box into the room.

Five seconds.

"No!"

Fatty let out an earthshaking scream and lunged for the delivery box.

"Either way, I delivered the food. Eat it or don't, I don't give a damn."

He slammed the door shut and braced himself against it sideways.

Almost the very next second, an enormous force came from behind the door.

Liu Zheng was instantly blasted away and smashed into the wall.

A metallic sweetness surged into his throat, while searing pain spread across his back.

Still, nothing seemed broken.

The door was forced open as well, slamming against the wall to one side. The tremendous crash echoed through the hallway.

Fatty's massive body appeared again, still holding the delivery box.

"This, is, not, my, de-liv-er-y."

He said each word separately, his teeth chattering in his mouth.

His eyes rolled desperately upward, as if trying to avoid looking at the delivery box.

"I don't care what you think. What matters is what I think."

Liu Zheng supported himself against the wall and straightened up.

"And time's up."

He said with a smile.

The first delivery had taken fifty-nine minutes and fifty-nine seconds.

"No!"

Fatty let out a terrified roar, but it abruptly cut off.

His expression gradually turned blank, and his body odor grew even stronger.

"Thank you."

Under Liu Zheng's wary gaze, Fatty said mechanically before closing the door.

Only a stench resembling corpse rot lingered in the hallway.

"This delivery seems pretty pricey."

Liu Zheng glanced at the 503 plaque and slowly headed toward the elevator.

"Congratulations. You survived your first delivery."

Back at the Bloodstained Restaurant, Cow-Horse stomped a hoof in encouragement.

"Thank you, boss. Your reminder was very useful."

Liu Zheng said politely.

"Of course. I'm a three-time Outstanding Employee of the Bloodstained Restaurant."

Cow-Horse said proudly.

"But you didn't tell me customers could refuse delivery."

He frowned slightly.

"I have no obligation to tell you everything. Besides, extra information comes at a price. What else do you have to offer?"

Cow-Horse said indifferently.

"You're right."

Liu Zheng nodded.

"You're a sensible kid. Besides, didn't you complete the delivery? Though you paid a small price."

Cow-Horse looked at his arm.

"You can see it?"

Liu Zheng raised his arm. There was not the slightest abnormality on it.

"Everyone can see it except you."

Cow-Horse said.

"Why?"

"Only those who are whole can see what is incomplete."

Cow-Horse looked at him with a gaze that seemed both pitying and mocking.

"Since you know what's what, once you've been eaten hollow, I can let you choose how you die."

"Then I choose to drink myself to death on Maotai."

"You wish. If something that good were available, do you think it would be your turn?"

Cow-Horse rolled his eyes.

"By the way, boss, do you still have any Maotai?"

Liu Zheng asked casually.

"No Maotai, but I do have Maozai. Want some?"

Cow-Horse snorted.

"That sounds irritating. Forget it. Can you get another bottle?"

"You addicted already?"

Cow-Horse shot him a sidelong glance.

"No. I want to trade it for something."

Liu Zheng told the truth.

"I can get one. What are you planning to trade for it? I don't accept credit anymore."

Cow-Horse did not ask further.

"Flesh?"

"With that little Flesh on you, it wouldn't even be enough for a bottle of Maozai."

Cow-Horse looked him over with disgust.

"Then name your price."

Liu Zheng said bluntly.

"How about this? Go beat Snake Game. No matter what the clear reward is, I'll trade you one bottle of Maotai for it."

Cow-Horse thought it over.

"Ascension Hair Moss 53°."

He emphasized.

"Fine, fine, Ascension Hair Moss 53°. You humans are so damn petty."

Cow-Horse said unhappily.

"What if there's no reward?"

"I'll still trade. Happy now?"

Cow-Horse was getting impatient.

"Fine."

Liu Zheng nodded.

"Oh, right, boss. If an order only has an address, does it count as long as I deliver it there, even if no one signs for it?"

Remembering his earlier delivery, he asked another question.

"That's right. That's why I said you were lucky. Those orders are the easiest to deliver."

Cow-Horse replied.

"What if they won't open the door?"

"If they won't open it, trick them. If you can't trick them, scare them. If you can't scare them, climb in through the window or smash the door down. There's always a way."

It said without hesitation.

"Impressive, impressive. As expected of an 'Outstanding Employee.'"

Liu Zheng was filled with respect.

"Three-time 'Outstanding Employee.'"

Cow-Horse raised three legs to emphasize the point.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Suddenly, loud pounding came from inside the locker.