Hell Game: Starting from Metropolis

Page 515

If I can't handle those two, I can certainly handle you.

"Well, maybe I was too capable and scared Uncle Hachijo."

Liu Zheng shrugged.

"Humph."

Hachijo snorted, but made no attempt to refute.

"You little rascal, you never seem to have a moment's peace, no matter where you go. Since you're so capable, would you dare take on a big job if one came your way?"

Thirteen Yao rolled her eyes at him.

"What's the job, Minister?"

Liu Zheng asked.

"Lord Okawa-ryu needs someone to perform gua sha on it."

"Great River Flow? Didn't Uncle Hachijo just boil all the water?"

he wondered.

"Yes, once your body is softened from soaking, you'll be ready for gua sha, right?"

Thirteen replied.

"So you picked me up specifically to get gua sha?"

"No, that's not it. I originally came to borrow those black dumplings from Uncle Hachijo, but you're quite capable, aren't you? Well then, I'll give you another chance to show off."

Thirteen said.

"Are you asking to borrow someone from me again? Are there other VIPs here?"

Eight frowned.

Each VIP has different needs; some don't require a large fire to boil medicinal baths, so we won't notify them.

"Yes, Kunguna is here too."

Thirteen's tone suddenly turned somber.

"Are you sure it's Kunguna, and not the young Kunguna?"

"His thing is all exposed, how could I possibly mistake it?"

Thirteen's tone suddenly became irritable.

"These two people actually came at the same time. Aren't you a fortune teller? How come you didn't predict today?"

Hachijo wasn't angry; he just made a sarcastic remark.

"I don't know anything about that. Isn't that something you use to fool young girls? Besides, even if I really did know, could I possibly predict the fates of these two?"

Thirteen said irritably.

What is the relationship between Shaoming Kunnagu and Kunnagu?

Liu Zheng asked with some curiosity.

"They are two sides of the same god."

"The youngest son of God, Kunnagu, is also the god of healing and exorcism. He is a benevolent god with a good temper and rarely makes things difficult for the bathhouse staff. If they serve well, they will be rewarded."

"Kunnagu is a hermaphroditic god, as well as a god of lust and humor. He is an evil god who loves to make things difficult for the bathhouse staff, playing pranks on them and subjecting them to sexual abuse. Every time he comes, the service department and massage department are severely weakened."

Yaoji explained on his behalf.

"Such a troublesome guest, can't we just not serve them?"

"That's easy for you to say. You're not from Bath Street, are you?"

Thirteen Yao glanced at him sideways.

"I am not."

Liu Zheng replied frankly.

"How do you think Bathhouse Street was built?"

"Isn't it because city hall officials and councilors hold shares?"

He said.

"Hmm? You know quite a lot, kid. Did Old Man Qing tell you?"

Thirteen Orphans was somewhat unexpected.

"If you want to get by in the bathhouse district, you definitely need to know more about the situation."

Liu Zheng did not give a direct answer.

"What you're talking about are the legitimate reasons; I'm talking about the underworld reasons."

"How to say?"

"The bathhouse street is open to the public. Demons, monsters, mountain spirits, and wild gods from all directions, as well as those who cannot easily enter the city, all have to come here to bathe."

"Who wouldn't be envious of such a lucrative place? Who wouldn't want it?"

"The reason why it is so orderly and peaceful now is because firstly, the bathhouse street itself is strong and united with the outside world, and secondly, it signed a contract with the gods of all directions at the beginning of its establishment."

"One of the clauses in the contract is that one cannot easily refuse to serve the gods."

Thirteen said.

"Those officials and members of parliament won't allow their purses to be ripped off, will they?"

Liu Zheng questioned.

"He's still a greenhorn, doesn't he understand this? Let me ask you, which is more important to them, the bathhouse street or money?"

"None of them matter?"

He replied instinctively.

"Idiot, of course they're all important. But all they want is the bathhouse district and the money. They don't care who controls the bathhouse district. Understand?"

"understood."

Liu Zheng nodded.

In other words, those behind-the-scenes shareholders will only help the Bathhouse Street solve official problems; as for the problems in the local area, the people of Bathhouse Street will solve them on their own.

The people of Bath Street alone are no match for the pack of hungry wolves outside the city; they must rely on the protection of the gods from all directions.

Similarly, they must also bear the demands of the gods from all directions.

"So, we had no choice."

Yaoji sighed.

"It's not easy to find work anywhere."

Liu Zheng also sighed.

"I can't help you this time."

Eight shook their heads.

He would never return the black dumplings once they were lent out. He could let it go with the ones from before, but he couldn't bear to part with these gold dumplings.

"Did you make these little things?"

Thirteen Yao and he were old acquaintances. After scanning the area, he immediately spotted the golden ball of people surrounding Liu Zheng.

"I only did some minor work."

The latter said modestly.

"Why are you always so restless, kid? Did you get fired from your last job for causing trouble?"

Thirteen looked at him suspiciously.

"No, I didn't, don't talk nonsense. I'm just a little capable, is being capable a fault of mine?"

Liu Zheng said, feeling wronged.

"You're so capable, aren't you? Since you're so capable, then go and give Da Chuanliu a gua sha treatment."

Thirteen Orphans sneered.

"Ah, actually, Uncle Hachijo still has a lot of work for me to do."

He said quickly.

"No, I'm all done here. You can take him away now."

Hachijo's voice came from above.

"Hey, old man Hachijo, isn't this just a case of biting the hand that feeds you?"

Liu Zheng protested.

"Did you hear me? You better come with me quietly, or I'll have to enforce the family rules."

Thirteen Yao clenched his fist at him.

"Then I'm leaving too."

"That's what Yaoji said."

With these two powerful figures arriving, the massage department is having a tough time, and the service department is under even more pressure.

Even if she doesn't leave now, her minister will come to call her soon.

"Then we can travel together, so we can look out for each other along the way."

Thirteen Orphans chuckled.

"Wait a moment."

As he spoke, Hachijo stretched out his arm and took out a fist-sized pill from the medicine cabinet.

The pills were yellowish-brown, moist, and had irregular indentations, making them look like they were made by hand from wet mud.

"Eat when you feel like you can't take it anymore, it might save you once."

He handed the pills to Liu Zheng.

"Uncle Hachijo, you're being way too biased. You didn't even give me this when I was a newbie."

Thirteen Orphans complained.

"This is something I just developed recently. Besides, all you did back then was help me organize the medicine cabinet, why should I give you something so valuable?"

"It's only natural," Hachijo said.

"Are those little things really that precious? Uncle Hachijo, these yellow-haired black balls are born from humans, and if you're talking about it, our massage parlor has a share in them. I'm not even asking for any, could you at least lend me a few as a token?"

Thirteen Yao rolled his eyes and said.

"No, not a single one. Get out of here now, or none of you massage therapists will ever be able to come here for a peaceful escape again."

"Tch, what a stingy old man. Let's go, Renhe."

Thirteen Yao waved to Liu Zheng.

"Oh, and there's also the 'One of Bamboo' (幺鸡)."

He put on a smiling face.

"Pooh."

Yaoji spat at him.

"crunch~"

The three of them left the boiler room, and the iron gate closed behind them.

"Tell me, do you want to get a massage from Kunnagu, or a gua sha treatment from Dachuanliu?"

As they walked, Thirteen asked.