"Indeed, Xiao Jiu doesn't eat raw food."
Mr. Li looked at the maid with paternal affection.
"Young man, surely you wouldn't refuse such a simple request."
He said with a smile.
Liu Zheng looked at him, then at the maid.
One was a shriveled hunchback, the other tender and delicate - even injured he could easily handle them...
Even Delago couldn't casually attack restaurant staff, while Mr. Li could directly call the restaurant owner.
These two definitely weren't human either.
After a brief silence, Liu Zheng spoke.
"Any reasonable request will be granted."
Mr. Li said magnanimously.
Given his status and wealth, money, positions, properties, and women meant nothing.
As for what constituted an unreasonable request, only he would know.
"I want chopped chili peppers, garlic, soy sauce, and vinegar."
However, Liu Zheng's response took him by surprise.
"Some scallion oil would be even better."
"Haha, interesting young man, come inside. Xiao Jiu, get our guest what he needs."
Mr. Li laughed heartily.
The maid went to the kitchen while Liu Zheng followed the old man into the living room.
The interior decor wasn't elaborate but rather quite simple.
No crystal chandeliers, no gilded ceilings, nor the mahogany furniture elderly people typically favored - the color scheme was primarily black and white, making the spacious hall feel rather empty.
Yet the abundant greenery throughout helped soften the cold atmosphere.
Interestingly, after they sat facing each other, Mr. Li didn't initiate conversation but instead started reading a newspaper. ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ 𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹✦𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖✦𝓷𝓮𝓽
This relaxed Liu Zheng.
Not that he was socially anxious.
Okay, maybe a little.
But more importantly, this meant he wouldn't have to discuss anything restaurant-related.
Though Mr. Li seemed familiar with the owner, that rule should still apply.
Curious, he glanced at the newspaper but could only make out words like "arrival," "suppression," and "citizen rank reduction" due to the small print.
"Master, I've brought what our guest requested."
After a while, the maid returned carrying a large tray.
On it were the condiments Liu Zheng wanted, plus a pair of chopsticks and a bowl.
"Good work. Young man, your items are here - please eat."
Mr. Li set aside the newspaper.
He picked up the chopsticks and began eating heartily.
"Could you change the music?"
Mid-meal, Liu Zheng suddenly stopped and asked.
"Young man, we're not playing any music."
Mr. Li looked at him strangely.
"No music? Then what am I hearing?"
Liu Zheng looked up as the music grew louder.
So loud he couldn't hear what Mr. Li and the maid were saying.
"Auditory hallucination?"
Liu Zheng suddenly remembered drinking some Hell Rock Cola.
"But this isn't rock music?"
The music was ethereal and drawn-out, mixed with incomprehensible whispering that sounded like insects crawling through humus.
Nothing like rock music, more like...
He suddenly uttered a string of bizarre syllables.
Hearing this, Mr. Li let out a shrill scream before exploding.
His scattered flesh and blood flew like magnets into the maid's gaping mouth.
Then the maid tore off a shield-shaped pendant from her neck, engraved with what looked like a fishbone symbol.
"By N'tss-Kaambl's name!"
She shouted in an aged voice.
An invisible force dispelled the distant malice.
"Hell Rock Cola? Should I call you lucky or unlucky, young man?"
The maid smiled wryly, but with Mr. Li's voice.
In her pupils, Liu Zheng's reflection was rapidly distorting.
"Warning: Sanity decreasing."
"Warning: Sanity decreasing."
"Warning: 'Flesh Mutation' status acquired."
"Warning: Permanent sanity cap reduction."
"Temporary insanity 'Irritable Temper' acquired."
A series of system alerts jolted Liu Zheng awake.
He shook his head, feeling much clearer.
He instinctively raised a hand to check his wound, only to see a tentacle.
Liu Zheng tumbled off the sofa, scrambling backward until he hit the wall, but the tentacle followed relentlessly.
He had to accept this was now his arm.
"What... happened to me?"
Liu Zheng asked with a slight tremble.
"Don't panic, young man. You've just undergone some... cosmetic changes."
The maid reassured him.
"Mr. Li? You possessed the maid?"
He noticed the maid's voice.
"No, child. I was always Mr. Li."
The maid shook her head with kindly warmth.
"Wouldn't you like to see your new look?"
She pointed to the full-length mirror by the entrance.
Liu Zheng approached the mirror, face-to-face with the monster within.
The creature had four tentacle-like arms and powerful hoofed legs, with tumorous flesh spreading upward to its head.
Most horrifying was its face - ears, nose, and lips all gone, leaving only pitch-black eyeballs and a fang-filled maw.
After a silent moment, Liu Zheng smiled at the monster.
The monster likewise opened its maw, exhaling a strong odor of decaying vegetation.
"System, how long will this last?"
"After dungeon completion, can be removed using game points."
Liu Zheng sighed in relief.
Living permanently would be worse than death.
"Young man, will you finish eating?"
He shuffled his new hooves toward the dining table.
If I'm not human anymore, then damn it, I'll eat all I want.