Chapter 36: Taking Money Instead Of Paying Up?

Chapter 36: Taking Money Instead Of Paying Up?

In the underground space of the ancient desert city, everyone was gathered together for a hotpot.

Of course, calling it hotpot was a stretch. It was really just a big pot cooking meat, with various vegetables thrown in.

Although Myza's farm grew a variety of produce, the only seasoning available was a dried fruit that tasted somewhat like pepper.

There was plenty of salt, which Myza said was collected and processed from the desert, though Liu Ji didn't know the specifics.

In any case, he was finally eating something savory after so many days, which greatly improved his mood.

Everyone else also seemed rather relaxed.

Yaine, who had been in a state of constant tension, was now lazily lying in a rocking chair, staring blankly at the glowing stones on the ceiling.

It was uncertain how long the blood moon anomaly would last, and since this place was safe, she had no other task besides increasing Liu Ji's daily homework. This had finally given her a reason to relax.

Mervant and Calidora, the couple, were being very affectionate, not even bothering with food as they found a secluded corner to be together.

It was understandable. They had worried about each other during their separation, with no way to communicate, and had even feared for each other's safety. Now reunited, they naturally wanted to make the most of their time together.

Meanwhile, Osar and Girunini were rather amusing. Osar, who in the past went crazy from not knowing how to use chopsticks, was now stopping Girunini from using her hands to eat!

And this was an extreme challenge for him. After all, he wasn't Yaine, and Girunini wasn't him. His attempts at forcibly teaching Girunini only resulted in the Miffy plucking several hairs from his waist in retaliation. This scene somehow reminded Liu Ji of an episode of Tom and Jerry...

To be honest, Liu Ji didn't think there was any need for Osar to go out of his way to teach Girunini chopsticks usage.Fôllôw new stories at novelhall.com

After all, they were having hotpot, and it was a standard Chinese hotpot, even if it was a clear soup rather than a spicy one.

But with hotpot, even if one didn't use chopsticks, using hands was still out of the question. Unless Girunini wanted to eat boiled nails and stewed fingers, she would have to give using chopsticks a try once it was time to eat.

Even Myza was already learning—and judging by his practice of picking up invisible food, he was getting quite good at it.

"Mr. Myza, the meat is almost done. Before we add other vegetables, would you like to try a bit first?" Liu Ji called out to Myza.

"Me? Oh, there's no need." Myza smiled and waved his hand. "I don't need to eat, and I can't taste the food anyway. Watching you guys eat is enough."

"Ah, is that so? Well, that's a shame..." Liu Ji was a little surprised.

Almost subconsciously, Liu Ji instantly turned into a potato and fell to the ground with a thud.

Seeing this bizarre scene, Girunini, who was messing around with Osar, wanted to cry out instinctively.

However, at that moment, Myza covered her mouth.

Then, everyone heard Myza's voice in their heads—Stay quiet, don't make a sound.

————

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A man in a scarlet cape and wearing a crown set with a ruby was strolling through the ancient desert city.

He casually approached a stone person's stall and picked up one of the "snacks" sold by the vendor.

It was a "roast meat" skewer made entirely out of stone, though the craftsmanship was so lifelike that if painted, it could pass off for real meat.

The "stall owner" watched him pick up the skewer and even took out a box for collecting payment.

The man looked inside the box, which was roughly half filled with coins that were also made out of stone. It seemed the "stall owner" wanted him to pay.

The man chuckled and put the "skewer" back, casually swiped a coin from the box, then walked away.

The "stall owner" was momentarily stunned, but returned to its usual state after a while.

The man twirled the coin in his hand, shifting his gaze away from the "stall owner," and looked ahead.

"I must say, even with all my experience, this city has the finest stone sculptures I've ever seen," the man said with a smile. "Taking a coin as a souvenir wouldn't be too much to ask, would it?"

"Of course not," Myza said, approaching with two iced drinks in hand. He raised one of the drinks and said, "I'm always generous to guests. Care for a drink? Of course, I'll drink the other one first."

"Ha, interesting. Hospitality from the host—how can I refuse?" The man took the drink, downed it in one gulp, then took a deep breath and sighed. "Delicious. The intense toxin's crazy flavor is just right. I needed something like this to perk me up."

Smiling at Myza, he continued, "Unfortunately, if you were hoping it would kill me, your wish might fall short."

"No, I wasn't hoping for that," Myza said, smiling as he downed his own drink. "I just think that this flavor is perfect for people like us."