"Brother Xu, what happened?"
Chen Ping sat down beside Xu Sanshi with practiced ease and motioned for the manager to bring him a basin of water first.
"Ah, it's you, Brother Chen."
Even speaking seemed to sap Xu Sanshi's strength. He turned to glance at Chen Ping, his eyes filled with despair.
Over the past three months, Xu Sanshi and Chen Ping had actually gotten along fairly well.
Although Chen Ping had extorted a sum from him, that money really wasn't much to Xu Sanshi. Besides, he had been in the wrong to begin with, so neither of them had dwelled on it.
These days, Xu Sanshi was not only a regular at Huo Yuhao's grilled fish stall, but also often came to the shop for a relaxing foot soak after fighting Bei Bei in the Soul Fighting Arena.
But this sorry sight today, drawing more breath in than he let out, really was rare.
"Ah, you have no idea. Your big brother here has been pressed into service these past few days."
Xu Sanshi sighed. He would rather have Chen Ping squeeze tens of thousands of Gold Soul Coins out of him every day than keep doing this.
For no other reason than that it was sheer torture.
"Hm?"
Chen Ping couldn't help feeling puzzled. Why did Xu Sanshi look as though his body had been completely drained?
Before Chen Ping could think it through, a figure came storming in, ignoring the shop manager's questions and charging straight into the shop.
Chen Ping turned toward the figure. The scarlet school uniform, devilish figure, and pale pink eyes all plainly identified her.
It was none other than the Flame Maniac, Ma Xiaotao, whom Chen Ping had met once before beside Sea God Lake.
"Have you rested enough? Shall we go?"