"Phew."
It took Liu Zheng a full thirty seconds to swim through that fog of grease.
"I thought you were going to drown in there."
Niu Ma said with schadenfreude.
"Drowning is unlikely, but greasing to death might have been possible."
He said while taking in his surroundings.
Contrary to his expectations of a bustling scene, the interior of the black market was still silent and void of people.
Only faint lights shone through the cracks of various doors lining either side of the road.
"Which door do we go through?"
Liu Zheng asked.
"It depends on how you plan to raise your start-up funds."
Niu Ma said.
"Don't you have money?"
"I spent what little I had on red wine last time, or did you really think it was stolen?"
Niu Ma retorted.
"You spent money and still got beaten up so badly?"
"Well, you have to take a beating for a discount price, don't you?"
Niu Ma said as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"Oh. So, what's your plan?"
He asked.
"Two options. One is to pawn your vest to earn some cash, and then buy it back later."
Niu Ma suggested.
"No way."
Liu Zheng flatly refused.
Without the enhancement of the Legendary Delivery Man vest, his abilities would be reduced by at least two-thirds.
"Then you're left with the second option, to sell meat."
Niu Ma shrugged.
"Sell meat?"
Liu Zheng's expression shifted.
Life is precious, dignity even more so.
"Let's get one thing straight, I'm only playing the gigolo."
He bit his lip.
"In your dreams, I'd like to do that too. Male succubi are the lowest grade gigolos you'll find in the black market; you think a tentacle freak like you would stand a chance?"
Niu Ma said disdainfully.
"So what are you talking about? Oh, you mean actually selling meat."
Liu Zheng suddenly realized.
He remembered the security guards who had asked him for "meat".
"Exactly."
Niu Ma confirmed.
"You're too overweight now; it's the perfect time to slim down."
Amid the mockery, the two made their way to the third door on the right.
Upon entering, they were immediately hit by a blast of heat.
Liu Zheng squinted as the blazing fire inside stung his eyes.
A dozen furnaces lined up one after another, each with a large iron pot set on top.
Countless chunks of meat hung from hooks, dangling from the ceiling beams above the pots.
There were thighs, arms, spines, and even half a human head with eyes wide open.
Behind the pots, a towering figure was busy turning the iron poker in the fireplace, his back to them.
He was so huge that his frame nearly eclipsed the fireplace's glow.
Pink muscles bulged, crisscrossed with an array of scars.
It was hard to imagine someone could have so many scars; it was as if he had endured every punishment this world could inflict.
"Oynk."
One more second, Niu Ma, I'm almost done with these cuts."
Niu Ma greeted him.
The respect in its voice was so rare that it made Liu Zheng take notice.
When Oynk heard his name, he turned his head.
The head that faced them resembled a Yorkshire pig.
But the eyes were those of a human: deep and resolute, surpassing those of most humans.
"Long time no see, Niu Ma. I thought by now you'd have been turned into takeout."
Oynk said calmly.
His voice was deep and powerful, so much so, that without seeing his face, one could easily imagine a charismatic and mature man.
"No one can turn me into a dish except for you."
Niu Ma said proudly.
"So you're here to sell meat again today? Which part are we cutting this time, hooves, intestines, or the tongue?"
A faint smile appeared on Oynk's face.
"I've run out of parts for you to chop. The meat's coming from him today."
Niu Ma pushed Liu Zheng to the front.
"Oh, he looks like some good meat."
Oynk examined him, propping up his chin.
"A bit of humanity, a bit of deformity, along with the tang of Black Mountain Goat."
He spoke slowly, as if savoring a fine dish.
"Have you heard the Gospel?"
Oynk suddenly asked.
"More or less."
Liu Zheng responded.
That memory was somewhat vague, as if it had been washed over by something.
"Not bad, I haven't seen ingredients of your quality in a long time."
Oynk nodded, seemingly excited.
"So, how much are you selling?"
He stared at Liu Zheng as he spoke.
"What's the price?"
Liu asked.
"For meat of your quality, I can give you two thousand per jin."
Oynk pondered for a moment before saying.
"How many jins do I have?"
Liu Zheng didn't know his own weight.
"Fifteen jins."
Oynk replied.
Thirty thousand yuan, the equivalent of two and a half years' salary for him.
"Is this price fair?"
Liu Zheng asked Niu Ma.
"You should be laughing up your sleeve, I can only sell for one thousand five hundred a jin."
Niu Ma said enviously.
"To become an empty shell for two and a half years' salary doesn't sound like a good deal."
He shook his head.
"Meat can be eaten back, employees of your restaurant should have many opportunities like this."
Oynk said.
Liu Zheng knew that he was probably referring to those foods that could make up for deficiencies.
"I remember, if you sell all your meat at once, the purchase price doubles, right?"
Niu Tou suddenly spoke up.
"That's right."
Oynk nodded.
"The madness under desperation makes the meat firmer and the flavor more unique."
It stuck out its greyish tongue and licked its own pig nose.
"Then he sells it all."
Niu Ma hastily said.
"When did I..."
Liu Zheng was about to object when he saw Niu Ma frantically signaling to him with his eyes.
He hesitated, then remembered the prop advanced to him by French Plane Tree.
So that was it, quite the gamble.
But, that works.
"The reason?"
Oynk looked at Liu Zheng with interest.
"He..."
"Shut up."
Niu Ma was about to speak when Oynk cut him off.
The pig-headed person slowly stood up, facing both of them.
In its hand, an iron chisel was skewering an entire front leg, the surface already roasted golden brown.
Drops of fat continuously fell, sizzling on the charcoal fire.
"I'm asking him,"
Oynk said sternly.
The standing pig-headed person grew even taller, nearly reaching the roof beam.
Liu Zheng noticed an old strangulation mark on its neck.
Niu Ma shrugged his shoulders and closed his mouth.
It was apparent he did not want to confront Oynk.
"The reason?"
The pig-headed person asked again.
"Obviously because I need money,"
Liu Zheng looked at it strangely.
Who sells meat if not for lack of money?
"What do you want to do with the money?"
Oynk kept asking without getting angry.
"Buy the Bloody Restaurant and make it work for me,"
He pointed at Niu Ma as he spoke.
"Hey, you little..."
Niu Ma was about to hit him when Oynk's gaze stopped him.
"You've been squeezed dry to the point of selling your meat, and with the money, you plan to squeeze others?"
Oynk's tone seemed to carry a hint of coldness.
"Just bluffing. Living is hard enough as it is, I have to keep some practical thoughts in mind."
Liu Zheng said with a smile.
"Interesting. I'll take your meat,"
Oynk laughed heartily three times, then carelessly tossed the iron chisel into the fireplace.
The orange flames surged suddenly, turning the front leg into ash.
"Such a waste,"
Liu Zheng slurped his saliva.
He recognized that it wasn't a front leg.
"Hungry? Choose one,"
Oynk pointed to those iron pots.
"I always offer a bowl of soup to every guest who sells themselves out completely."
"Now it's up to your luck."