"Huh?"
The girl first looked disdainful, then seemed to realize something.
"Girlfriend's betrayal, silently breaking up via text, that's rough."
Liu Zheng continued.
"Why? Are you still going to be with such a lousy girl?"
The girl asked in confusion.
"Of course, we break up, but it's already someone else's car; you gotta stand up and pedal hard."
He let out a cold laugh.
"That's disgusting,"
The girl gave him an even more disdainful look and quickly took notes.
"The protagonist plans to get rich by writing web novels, extremely toxic."
"Why is that toxic?"
The girl was even more puzzled.
"Where do you get conflict in web novels, where are the character relationships, how do you unfold the plot later?"
Liu Zheng fired off three consecutive questions.
"Seems like you're right. Then how should one get rich?"
The girl asked for advice.
"Sell adult toys."
After a moment of thought, he said.
"Huh?"
The girl was stunned.
"Just write it like that, guaranteed to pass the review."
Liu Zheng said confidently.
Even the Legendary delivery man can only plant trees, this must be a blue ocean market.
"Alright, okay."
The girl, overawed by his aura, had no choice but to agree.
"Can I sign for the delivery now?"
Liu Zheng pointed at the delivery bag at her feet.
"Hmph. I'll submit my work later. If it gets through, I've got a gift for you. If not, you can wait for your doom."
The girl picked up the delivery bag and turned towards the bedroom.
He stood at the door waiting until the deadline.
"Done,"
Liu Zheng hummed a tune as he walked towards the elevator.
Back at the community gate, the security guard was honestly waiting in the kiosk.
"So obedient,"
He patted the kiosk glass and said with a smile.
The security guard stared straight ahead, ignoring him.
"I just had a fight with the psycho from 606 and got seriously hurt. Want to try getting your face back?"
Liu Zheng tempted him.
The security guard turned his head, not speaking but his eyes said it all.
Are you trying to fool an idiot?
"If you don't want to try, forget it,"
He shrugged and headed towards the Bloody Restaurant.
The security guard watched his receding figure, the mix of black and white hair rising and falling, eventually settling down.
"Phew,"
Turning a corner, Liu Zheng let out a breath.
The weakness from losing the attribute boost made him uncomfortable, but at least he survived again.
All effects of the Legendary delivery man's vest only worked during deliveries; he had suspected the return trip would lose the effects, and it seemed he was right.
The harsh words to the security guard and the provocation earlier were all part of Liu Zheng's plan, not just outbursts from his temper.
"I need to take a different path,"
He glanced at the map and chose a different route than before.
The shimmering light was an unknown entity, but as things stood, the residents of this world seemed to be quite vindictive.
Taking a detour cost him some time, but Liu Zheng made it back to the Bloody Restaurant.
In the lounge, there was no Niu Ma, only a meticulously cleaned staff meal.
"There's food again,"
He opened his locker, and sure enough, there was a staff meal and a bottle of drink inside.
"Name, Bloody Restaurant Staff Meal"
"Type, Tool"
"Quality, Ordinary"
"Effect, Restores stamina."
"Note, A family needs to be neat and tidy."
"Can it be taken out of the instance, No"
The meal box contained an oyakodon, with chicken, eggs, and also a skewer of grilled chicken eggs.
"Huh, untouched,"
Liu Zheng was somewhat surprised.
He didn't think Niu Ma would look at him differently.
Could it be that Niu Ma also can't arbitrarily open lockers that belong to others?
Liu Zheng immediately thought of a possibility.
The more he thought, the more he felt this was very likely.
He stared at his Yellow Vest for a moment, then took it off and put it in the locker.
"Time to eat,"
Liu Zheng picked up the staff meal, sat on the small stool, and began enjoying his dinner.
The drink was just a regular bottle of tea; guessing that a French Plane Tree wouldn't be interested, he simply drank it himself.
After eating and drinking to his fill, he leaned against the wall and took a nap; Niu Ma returned from outside.
"Quick, quick, what did you exchange with that tree?"
As soon as it came in, it couldn't wait to ask.
"The vest of the Legendary delivery man."
"Wow! Where's the vest? Let me see."
Niu Ma's eyes widened.
"I put it in the locker."
Liu Zheng replied.
"Crazy, why put clothes in the locker if you're not wearing them?"
Niu Ma asked incredulously.
He didn't say anything, just gave a polite smile in return.
"Oh, so you figured I can't open your locker?"
Niu Ma wasn't stupid and quickly caught on.
"You're wise, Boss,"
Liu Zheng flattered.
"Hmph, just playing clever tricks. Even if I beat you to death, I can still open the locker,"
Niu Ma said disdainfully.
"Boss has such a sense of honor, that won't happen,"
He said with a smile.
"Honor? When did you get the delusion that we're close?"
Niu Ma mocked while raising its hoof.
"I've already told Dai Legao, if I don't find it tomorrow, it'll spread the word about your Heaven Island Double Vacation Voucher."
Liu Zheng said calmly.
"You're bluffing,"
Niu Ma stated with certainty.
"I wouldn't dare bluff you, Boss,"
He pretended to be aggrieved.
"Even if it's true, so what? Even if I wear the voucher on my forehead, let's see who dares to take it,"
Niu Ma said proudly.
"Of course, but Boss, you wouldn't want the only remaining half of your horn to break, right?"
Liu Zheng glanced at its head; while other injuries had healed, the horn was still only half there.
"Don't mention my horn!"
Niu Ma suddenly became furious.
"Alright, alright,"
He made a zip-it gesture.
"Forget it, you can keep it for yourself. Anyway, it's only of sentimental value to me."
Niu Ma snorted.
"Actually, it's not impossible to gift it to you, Boss,"
Liu Zheng said again.
"You'd be that generous?"
Niu Ma squinted at him.
This guy had been trying various ways to trade since he started, more like a middleman than a delivery man.
"Boss takes good care of me, offering tribute is necessary. Of course, it'd be nice if you could compensate me a bit,"
The item description said the Legendary delivery man's vest couldn't be taken out of the instance, better to trade it for something else instead of wasting it.
"What do you want? Just so you know, I don't have as much as that tree,"
Niu Ma curled its lips.
"Whatever you think is reasonable, Boss, just something to help me survive a few more days,"
Liu Zheng said.
"You've got some high standards,"
Niu Ma assessed him.
"I'm surprised you've survived this long,"
It said seriously.
Most people would've died on Mr. Li's order, high tips aren't easy to come by.
Green Garden Mad City isn't a good place either; it's not an upscale community, but it's a mixed bag.
"It's all thanks to your protection, Boss,"
Liu Zheng said respectfully.
"I can't protect you; I really don't have anything suitable for you,"
Niu Ma shook its head.
Unlike that tree, it didn't have a collecting hobby; things were either used or traded away.
"Two bottles of Heavenly Moss wine would do,"
He said generously.
"Dream on, if I had it, I'd have drunk it myself. The last time I got the Vlad III bottle, those kitchen guys nearly killed me for it,"
Niu Ma glared.
"Then there's no way, I'll just trade it with Dai Legao after all,"
Liu Zheng said with regret.
"Don't you dare!"
Niu Ma roared.
"Boss, I still need to survive,"
He said calmly.
After a few moments of staring each other down, Niu Ma snorted.
"I don't have any items, but I can offer you an opportunity to earn some extra cash,"
It pondered for a moment before speaking.