Employee Meal

"Food's up, food's up."

Cow-Horse shook his horns excitedly, drool dripping from both sides of his mouth onto the floor.

Seeing this, Liu Zheng also walked over to his own locker.

When he opened it, he found a box identical to a takeout container inside, except it lacked the Iris logo.

Just as he was about to open it, a sudden force knocked him aside.

"What are you doing?"

Cow-Horse glared at him with a hostile expression.

"Eating."

Liu Zheng replied, somewhat confused.

"Don't you know the rules? You eat whatever the senior employees leave behind."

Cow-Horse shouted.

"Then please, go ahead."

He obediently handed over the meal box.

"At least you know what's good for you."

Cow-Horse arrogantly used a horn to lift the lid and peek inside.

"Tch, lucky you. I don't like spicy food, so you can have it."

He curled his lip in disgust.

Liu Zheng took a look as well. Inside was a plate of curry-like mush, its surface heavily sprinkled with red chili powder.

"Name: Bloodstained Restaurant Employee Meal"

"Type: Item"

"Quality: Excellent"

"Effect: Restores stamina and makes up for deficiencies."

"Note: She had lost everything, leaving only these scraps behind."

"Can be taken out of the instance: No"

Seeing the note in the system prompt, his expression shifted unpredictably.

"What? You don't eat spicy food either?"

Cow-Horse asked, seemingly curious.

"I don't like curry."

Liu Zheng said, suppressing his nausea.

"You'd better learn to like it. Employee meals of this quality don't come around often."

Cow-Horse shook his head.

"Aren't employee meals fixed?"

"Of course not. The employee meals are random every day. For a newbie like you to get a meal like this, you must have hit the jackpot."

Cow-Horse stuck out his dark brown tongue and licked his upper lip.

Hit the jackpot?

Maybe.

He had only just become incomplete, yet he had received an item that could make up for that incompleteness.

Besides, the note was only a vague description. It might not be what he imagined.

The scent of spices and minced Flesh filled Liu Zheng's nostrils, and his empty stomach twitched with excitement.

"Just eat it. No one will know. Finish the whole plate and keep your mouth shut."

A voice circled by his ear.

"Eat your mother."

Liu Zheng snapped the lid shut.

"Got a light, boss?"

He looked at Oxhead.

"What do you need it for?"

"To burn something."

"If you're not eating it, don't waste it. Give it to me, and I'll trade it for something for you. I'll just take a small handling fee."

Cow-Horse suggested.

"No trade."

Liu Zheng shook his head.

"You really are a freak, kid."

Cow-Horse shook his large head, then coughed up a key.

"That locker. Get it yourself."

Liu Zheng took the key, walked over to the locker Cow-Horse had indicated, and opened it.

Inside were a lighter, solid alcohol, and an alcohol stove.

He tossed the solid alcohol straight into the meal box, then lit it.

Blue flames rose, gradually roasting the yellow Flesh paste into blackened charcoal.

Liu Zheng silently watched the scene, as though something was burning in his eyes as well.

"You need to get used to it, kid. This world is eat or be eaten. If I turn into mush someday, I'd just hope you eat me clean."

Cow-Horse said calmly.

He nodded without saying anything.

Cow-Horse ignored him after that and lay down nearby to begin eating.

Liu Zheng glanced at the food in his meal box: a large steak made of Flesh, fried to medium, though he could not tell what kind of Flesh it was.

There was also a huge cup of beer, with suspiciously thick foam floating on top.

"Oh, right. Something to drink."

He returned to his locker and, sure enough, found another Ra can.

"Name: Hell Rock Cola"

"Type: Item"

"Quality: Excellent"

"Effect: Restores stamina and sanity. Randomly causes auditory hallucinations related to rock music."

"Note: Life is rock, and fuck."

"Can be taken out of the instance: No"

Liu Zheng licked his dry lips and slipped the Ra can into his pocket.

With nothing to eat or drink, he simply moved his small stool into the corner and leaned against the wall, pretending to sleep.

Amid Cow-Horse's rhythmic chewing, Liu Zheng drifted into sleep.

"Wake up, wake up."

After an unknown amount of time, a violent shaking woke him.

Liu Zheng opened his eyes to find Cow-Horse's enormous head right in front of him. He could even make out the texture of his nose.

"Uh, what is it?"

He suppressed the urge to punch him.

"An order came in. Get up and work."

Cow-Horse backed up a few steps, allowing Liu Zheng to see the delivery slips stuck on his horns.

Two of them.

"Don't say I bully rookies. You pick first."

Cow-Horse said generously.

Liu Zheng looked carefully. Both slips were facing backward, so he could not see what was written on them.

"Then I'll take the one on your left—"

He deliberately drew out his words while staring at Cow-Horse's face.

The moment he said "left," Liu Zheng noticed Cow-Horse's nostrils flare.

He had no time to think and could only trust his instincts.

"—the one on the right."

"Damn it!"

Cow-Horse abruptly flared his nostrils, blasting out two streams of scorching air.

His reddened eyes glared at Liu Zheng like a bull about to go mad.

Liu Zheng merely returned a calm expression.

"Hmph, crafty little human. Take it."

In the end, Cow-Horse did not turn hostile.

"Thanks, boss."

He pressed his palms together and spoke sincerely.

Then he removed the delivery slip from Cow-Horse's right horn.

"Meal: One large serving of Supreme Black Goat Kid Eye Sashimi"

"Address: First-Class Sky Villas, 301"

"Customer: Mr. Li"

"Time limit: Thirty minutes."

Liu Zheng opened the map. The destination was three kilometers from Bloodstained Restaurant.

"What's so great about this order?"

He said speechlessly.

There was a customer, and the time limit was short.

"What the hell do you know? Mr. Li is the restaurant's super VIP and tips generously. Besides, take a look at mine."

Cow-Horse shook his horns.

Liu Zheng reached out and removed the other delivery slip.

"Meal: One serving of Hell Maggot Mixed Rice"

"Address: Building 6, Room 1502, Splendid Residence"

"Time limit: Twenty minutes"

He found Splendid Residence on the map. It was twenty-five kilometers from Bloodstained Restaurant.

"Hard work, boss."

Liu Zheng cupped his fists.

"Hmph, good that you know."

Cow-Horse lifted his head arrogantly.

"But if I had picked this order, wouldn't I definitely fail to complete it?"

He thought of a problem.

"For weaklings like you humans, you can apply to use transportation for distances over ten kilometers, but it costs money."

Cow-Horse replied.

"What a scam."

Liu Zheng said sincerely.

At least those delivery apps in the real world charged monthly rental fees.

"Even then, we don't get the chance to rent them."

Cow-Horse said unhappily.

Even though he could not use one after renting it, it still annoyed him that others had one while he did not.

"Enough nonsense. Get moving."

He kicked Liu Zheng with a hoof.

"You're not coming with me?"

"Delivery workers can't set out together."

Cow-Horse shook his head.

"That's a rule too?"

"No. That's my principle."

Cow-Horse said seriously.

"Walking with dead people like you is bad luck."