Hell Game: Starting from Metropolis

"I'd better forget about it. After taking a bath more than ten times, my skin will be all soft."

Liu Zheng stretched, subtly avoiding Jinzi's harassment.

"whee."

Sumireko went back behind the counter and took out a pair of slippers.

She returned to Liu Zheng and knelt down to wipe his hooves with the corner of her clothes.

"These are genuine, traditionally handmade leather slippers that I bought specifically from the Skinning Ghost Leather Shop. They're quite expensive."

As she introduced them, she helped Liu Zheng put on his slippers.

I must say, it feels really good underfoot, just like a cat kneading milk.

"Don't worry, this is definitely not human skin."

"Seemingly knowing what he was thinking," Sumireko added.

"And this bathrobe, I also specially went to the Spider Tailor Shop to buy it for you, Masakazu."

After she finished speaking, she took out a white silk bathrobe from behind the counter.

"Could it be from the Box Weaver Spider's shop?"

Liu Zheng asked.

"Does Zhengjiang often buy clothes from this store?"

Sumireko asked in surprise.

"No, I've only been there once. But the weaving style looks somewhat similar."

he replied.

"Zhengjiang has such keen insight."

Sumireko said admiringly.

Since he hadn't taken a bath yet, he couldn't change his clothes, so Liu Zheng simply took the bathrobe and tucked it under his arm.

"Since you're being so attentive, there must be something you want to discuss with me, right?"

he said with a smile.

"Zheng-chan is amazing, she guessed that."

Sumireko looked up at him with adoration.

"Haha, so-so. I'm just a tiny bit smarter than my big boss, Niu Ma."

Liu Zheng touched his neck and said.

"."

So cows and horses have become units of measurement for intelligence?

Sumireko was momentarily speechless, after all, she was quite familiar with Ushima and knew his personality.

If that guy finds out she's speaking ill of it, he'll definitely come looking for trouble.

Given the temperament of oxen and horses, it's astonishing that they would allow their subordinates to slander them so much without even sending them to the kitchen.

Either the two people have an extraordinary relationship, or this human has an extremely powerful background.

With this in mind, her resolve strengthened.

"So what does Sumire-chan want to talk to me about? Just so you know, I have plenty of time today."

Liu Zheng stared into her eyes as he spoke.

"In that case, Zhengjiang, why don't you take a nice bath and get a massage first? I'll arrange a table full of high-class food for you, and we can eat and chat slowly."

When the word "eat" came up, Sumireko licked her lips.

Aren't you going to give me a bath yourself?

He gave a wicked smile.

"That won't do, that's someone else's job. But don't worry, I'll definitely make sure you're satisfied, Masakazu."

Sumire took his tentacle and pulled him to the entrance of the men's changing room.

"Oh, by the way, are those guys from the Extreme Flavor Group around?"

Liu Zheng asked.

"They're not here. But I'll call them now and tell them you've arrived."

"Sumiko said."

"Ah."

He nodded and lifted the curtain.

"Oh, right, Masa-chan."

Jinzi tugged at the corner of his clothes.

"what happened?"

Liu Zheng turned his head and asked.

Sumire's gaze lingered on his vest, the medals and brooches on his chest, and finally settled on his face.

"Be sure to pray sincerely later, and good things will surely happen."

She spoke forcefully, as if she had made up her mind.

How sincere should one be?

Liu Zheng countered with a question.

"Be as sincere as you can be, and Kamisama (the divine being) will not disappoint a devout believer."

"Sumiko said."

"Okay, I remember."

He nodded.

"Well then, have a pleasant hot spring bath."

Sumire loosened her grip on his clothes, bowed, and stepped back.

Liu Zheng gave her a deep look, then walked into the men's locker room.

After showering and changing his clothes, he went into the men's bath.

It must be said that the yukata that Sumireko bought for him was really nice; it felt both as smooth as silk and as soft as cotton against the skin.

I'll buy a few more sets another day and give them to the novelist and the female divers, then bring them to the Yakuza bathhouse.

Well, forget about Hii Shikibu.

Liu Zheng shook his head, recalling the image of Hiiro Shikibu in her twelve-layered kimono.

Although Hishikibu and yukatas go well with public bathhouses, his intuition told him that giving her gifts wouldn't bring anything good.

After placing his bathrobe on a shelf, Liu Zheng stepped into the hot spring.

He took a deep breath and submerged himself in the water.

This water was just changed today; he could smell it.

Feeling the heat and the sulfur, Liu Zheng groaned comfortably and exhaled a string of bubbles.

Although he has gradually gotten used to the pace of the metropolis, it doesn't mean he isn't tired.

In reality, most people in the metropolis may be worse off than him, but they certainly aren't as exhausted as he is.

After the biggest crisis was over, Liu Zheng was inevitably a little tired, so he took the opportunity to relax in the hot spring.

He stayed in the water for a full hour before finally bringing his head completely above the surface.

Then he saw a shrine floating toward him.

However, this time the shrine no longer features a fat man holding taiyaki, but a wealthy goddess dressed in feathered robes, holding a round fan, with flowing ribbons.

Liu Zheng thought for a long time, but still couldn't remember which deity it was.

The deity was also observing him, its gaze seemingly gentle.

"Your Majesty, this is a small offering, I hope you will accept it with a smile."

"Never mind if you can't remember," he said, bowing slightly. Then he took out all the banknotes from his system space and presented them to his four tentacles.

Since Sumireko has said that there will definitely be no loss, then we'll give away as many as we can.

Anyway, we're about to close a big deal. Even if it doesn't work out, we still have the bonus from the last time we got the old vampire coins. If all else fails, we can borrow money from Wang Manni and the others.

Seeing the thick wad of banknotes in Liu Zheng's hand, the goddess did not accept them with a smile, but instead gradually lowered her gaze.

"Uh, my goddess, I perform, I don't sell my body."

He squeezed his legs together to block it.

"Pfft~"

Liu Zheng seemed to hear a soft chuckle.

An undercurrent surged within the water, lifting his golden belt above the surface.

"Oh, this is what you want."

Liu Zheng suddenly realized.

Yes, indeed, his golden belt looks much better than the belt around the goddess's waist.

“No problem, you suit it better than me. It is its good fortune to be worn by such a beautiful goddess as you.”

After hesitating for a moment, Liu Zheng put away the banknotes, took off his belt, and placed it on the shrine.

A flash of white light appeared, and the golden belt vanished into thin air. Then, a smaller version of the golden belt appeared on the statue's waist.

The goddess's lips curled into a strange smile before she vanished from the shrine.

The back panel of the shrine slowly opened, and what was seen through it was not a hot spring, but a clear river.

In the river, a woman radiating golden light is bathing.

Her body was already spotless, so the river water not only failed to wash away the filth on her body, but instead stained her with her radiance.

Sensing Liu Zheng's gaze, the woman suddenly opened her eyes.

Within his narrow, phoenix-shaped eyes, two golden tomoe swirled.

Upon realizing that the person opposite them was a man, the two tomoe immediately emitted golden light like arrows, heading towards Liu Zhengshe.

Before the arrow even hit Liu Zheng, he felt the destructive power carried by the golden light.

Liu Zheng had no doubt that his "rebirth of flesh and blood" would be ineffective, because the golden light would burn all his flesh and blood to ashes.

Almost instinctively, the cosplay outfit appeared in his hands.

Faced with such an attack that was beyond human resistance, Liu Zheng could only rely on superhuman strength.

The cosplay outfit was almost finished beforehand, and only the pair of bull horns were needed to complete it.

Although he knew many powerful people, Niu Ma was still the one who made him feel most at ease.

Just as Liu was about to finish shaping the cow horns and put on his cosplay outfit, golden light shot out.

However, after the arrow struck the shrine, an invisible barrier blocked the golden light, shattering it into countless sparkling stars.

"Ok?"

The woman voiced a question.

She slightly lifted her leg, and the next second she appeared high in the sky.

The blazing sun cast countless flames, weaving a feathered robe for the woman that resembled the previous goddess statue, only with a more intricate design.

"Why would Kikurihime do something like this?"

The woman looked at Liu Zheng with a puzzled expression.

Her expression quickly changed from anger to surprise.