Life is tough, so Honglong resorts to performing?

Chapter 11 The Ogre's Kebab Stand

It was already afternoon when Loren left the zoo.

His enclosure will require two or three more days of renovation, and the specific contract will be decided after Morris discusses it with the zoo owner.

But in any case, today was a good day. He not only found a decent job, but also made a windfall.

"Next, we need to find a place to stay."

Loren took out his magic crystal terminal, opened the map page, and found the address of the two-headed ogre that he had recorded on the train.

Even after making a small fortune, Loren still decided to go find them.

With the help of his uncle who runs a barbecue restaurant, he was able to find a relatively cheap and safe temporary place to stay in the lower part of Greenleaf City.

Based on Loren's experience living in the city of Linyue, the upper and middle parts of the city are relatively safe, but everything costs money.

Anything can happen in the lower city, but everything is cheap there, and you can find everything, such as black markets selling goods and gangs involved in gray-market activities.

Believe it or not, he offended a pickpocketing organization as soon as he arrived in Cuiye City at noon and was locked up in jail.

If he spends the night in the upper-middle district, wouldn't he have offended them for nothing?
The thought that even a few idiots could exchange for forty magic crystals made Loren somewhat excited.

"You'd better retaliate, my wallet is waiting."

With that thought in mind, Loren walked toward the queue for the teleportation array with a bright smile.

The familiar process, the familiar dizziness, after several changes, Loren arrived near the location on the map.

After several twists and turns, Loren finally found the location by following the aroma of cumin.

In a small shop of less than ten square meters, several tables were set up on the roadside. A three-meter-tall ogre was grilling a large handful of vegetables, while a clumsy two-headed ogre, dressed in work clothes, was holding plates and teasing each other...

There was a glowing sign next to the shop that read "Black Stone Skewers." Loren remembered that Black Stone was probably the name of the tribe.

However, what attracted Loren the most was a line of interesting small print below, which read:

This is a purely vegetarian barbecue restaurant. We can provide imitation meats such as mushrooms and beans, but we do not provide any real meat.

Loren laughed.

A vegetarian barbecue restaurant run by a cannibal?

That's interesting, but thinking about it carefully, it makes sense.

The second largest population in Greenleaf City is half-elves. Although they eat meat, vegetarian food also makes up a significant portion of their lives.

Of course, more importantly:

Few intelligent beings would be willing to eat roasted meat made by ogres.

No matter how much you emphasize that it's just regular meat, it's natural to feel disgusted.

Racial equality is something most people just talk about.

Nobody discriminates against cannibals, but if you dare to hire a cannibal to work for my company, then you, the recruiter, and the cannibal you hire will both get out of here.

"This shop doesn't look newly opened, so the taste and price must be pretty good."

Loren thought for a moment, then found a table and sat down, intending to try the vegetarian skewers first.

Even if it's a vegetarian restaurant, the fact that it survives given the widespread discrimination against cannibals suggests that the food must be quite good.

"He who takes a bribe is bound to be obligated to help; he who eats a meal is bound to be obligated to eat it." It's a basic courtesy in the lower city area to ask for help after receiving a gift. "Sikashidang, over here."

The red dragon greeted the other party, and Loren's bright red hair made the two-headed ogre remember him instantly.
"Oh, you're the short guy on the train!"

Sika and Sidang excitedly put down the skewers from the other tables and took small steps toward Loren.

"Friend, what would you like to eat?"

"I should have asked that! You were the one who asked last time!"

Before Loren could even speak, the two heads started arguing, so Loren had to step in and try to mediate.
"Wait a minute, have your uncle grill some of his best vegetarian dishes for me, we're rich now."

As he spoke, Loren took out the money bag he had taken from the bandit leader at noon from the storage area, opened it, and began to count his loot.

To be honest, when you count them, they're actually quite good; the dozens of banknotes together amount to about a thousand copper coins.

Sikka ran off to report to his uncle, while Loren sat there quietly observing the diners around him.

The crowds coming and going are basically similar to those in the lower city of Linyue, including humans, dwarves, and orcs. However, the difference is that the customers at this shop are likely to have higher incomes. Although not by much, they should at least be able to have a proper meat meal once a week, not the kind with roasted rats.

Besides that, his packing business is quite thriving. Some of the customers who come to buy his stuff are clearly the noble butlers and nannies of wealthy half-elf families. They cover their noses, pack their things, and leave in a hurry.

Loren observed this, and soon his meal was served.

He looked around and saw mushrooms, lots of mushrooms.

Perhaps it was because Loren ordered the signature dish, and mushrooms are clearly the signature dish here.

"To be honest, it tastes pretty good."

Loren tried several skewers and was pleasantly surprised.

Just as the green dragon elder said, the ogres' use of spices was indeed ingenious, bringing out the complex flavor of mushrooms perfectly.

After finishing one plate, Loren wasn't quite satisfied and ordered another. Only after eating to his heart's content did he wipe his mouth and get up.

"Thank you for your patronage, twenty copper coins."

Before Sika and Sidang could speak, the owner's somewhat somber voice came from beside the oven.

Although he didn't know Loren's exact identity—after all, Sika and Sidang hadn't heard or inquired clearly when they were on the train—what kind of good creature could be riding in a large, dangerous train carriage?
He actually harbored some apprehension and suspicion towards the red-haired boy in front of him, but he simply couldn't express it.

"Thank you for your hospitality. Your grilled mushrooms are delicious, I really enjoy them."

Loren placed the money on the register, then asked casually,
"I've just arrived in Greenleaf City and am hoping to find temporary accommodation in the Lower City. For your sake, I hope you can introduce me to a reliable middleman. Ideally, it would be a day-paid house, as I only need to stay for a few days."

Loren explained his needs in detail, while the kebab vendor, without even looking up, spoke.
"Go to the end of this street and find a pig-headed man called Old One; his house is nice."

"Pig-headed man, are you sure?"

Loren was somewhat surprised. Could you really rent a house from pig-headed people? Didn't they have to bathe three times a day to avoid bothering others with their smell?
"Old O'Neal is different."

Standing in front of the grill, the cannibalistic uncle suddenly paused, then said with some emotion,
"He was a castrato."

"WTF?!"

Loren was stunned; he felt he couldn't have received any more shocking news today.

(End of this chapter)