Hell Game: Starting from Metropolis

"grumble!"

The black lumps shook their heads together, like a field of black wheat swaying in the wind.

"No, what's there to be happy about?"

Hachijo shook his head with his back to him.

"Uh, Hyakki Gyo Bathhouse is the best bathhouse in Bathhouse District. Shouldn't you be happy to get a job here?"

He asked, puzzled.

If it's a new employee, that's one thing, but if someone like Hachijo, who's more senior than Thirteen Orphans, also thinks Hyakki Yagyō is bad, then why doesn't he just quit?

"The compensation isn't the best."

Eight said calmly.

"Then why don't you switch jobs?"

"I was young and naive back then, and I was tricked into signing a lifetime contract. The penalty for breaking the contract is enough for me to open a new bathhouse. How can I switch jobs?"

Hachijo's tone was filled with deep resentment.

"Ok."

Liu Zheng shrugged.

He didn't feel any sympathy; it was already good enough that he could leave by paying the penalty for breach of contract, since Bloody Restaurant didn't even have a standard for leaving employees.

If he hadn't gotten special permission from Si Xue, Niu Ma would have been in serious trouble if he had wanted to quit.

"grumble!"

The little black balls started urging them on.

"So, does it count if I just beat up the customer?"

Liu Zheng thought for a moment and then said.

"grumble?"

"Oh? Tell me carefully."

Eight turned around, a sliver of fire still lingering in their pupils.

"Just now, on my way to the elevator, there was some idiot..."

"You must not insult guests in the bathhouse."

Eight interrupted him.

"Oh, well, so there's some customer whose brain is dirtier than his guts, trying to lure me in with a dead waitress."

Liu Zheng rephrased the story.

"Oh, it's this one."

After listening, Hachijo nodded.

"Do you recognize it?"

"Yes, a regular customer. He's always in the top ten of the most unpopular customers list every year."

Hachijo turned his head back.

"Our bathhouse even has these ranking lists? Are they public?"

Liu Zheng asked in surprise.

"You idiot, of course it was arranged in private. What are young people thinking these days?"

Hachijo turned around and glared at him.

"Oh. Then why not just kill it?"

he asked.

Since Liu Zheng was able to cut off one of its intestines without any problems, others should be able to as well.

"We are a bathhouse, not a shady business. How could we possibly overcharge our customers?"

"You'd better pray you didn't kill it. Although Ten Intestines doesn't like this idiot son either, he won't allow it to die at someone else's hands."

Eight said.

"Didn't you just say that we shouldn't insult guests?"

“That’s you guys. I can yell at whoever I want in the boiler room.”

Hachijo flicked his beard and said.

"You're the boss, you make the decisions."

Liu Zheng shrugged.

He didn't take the eight reminders to heart.

His few stabs probably wouldn't have killed that idiot son. Even if he had, he could have just run away when the other party came looking for him.

Liu Zheng didn't believe that the so-called Ten Intestines Servant would dare to come to the city to find him. If he really dared to come, he would just pack him up and sell him to his Pajama Guy. Maybe he could even make a fortune that way.

"Humph."

Hachi glanced at him, then ignored him and continued boiling water.

"Chi chi chi~"

The little black balls returned to the pipes, satisfied, and the boiler room became quiet again.

"Really, there's no work for me, Uncle Hachijo?"

Liu Zheng felt a little bored and sat up.

I've been working at a high intensity all this time, so it's really hard to adjust to having a day off.

"No, if you're bored, leave here."

Eight shook their heads with their backs to him.

"Well, it's actually quite nice to just lie here like this."

He lay down again, and even turned over.

"That guy Thirteen Orphans keeps bringing in weird people."

Eight eyes hidden in the hair at the back of his head saw Liu Zheng's actions clearly and were speechless.

But since they're not his subordinates, he doesn't care as long as they don't cause him trouble.

The constant sounds of the kettle boiling and the boiler burning are quite soothing to the ears after a while.

Liu Zheng lay there, not asleep, but in a semi-conscious state.

"crunch~"

Suddenly, the sound of a door being pushed open rang out.

He instantly regained his senses, rolled over into a half-squatting position, and simultaneously took out a butcher's knife and a boning knife and held them in his hands.

"Minister Hachijo, Minister Tenko sent me to inform you that Lord Okawa Nagare will be arriving soon."

The woman who came in only glanced at him before speaking directly to Hachijo.

"Dachuanliu?"

Eight turned to look at the newcomer, his brows furrowing into a deep frown.

How much longer until He arrives?

he asked.

"About five minutes left."

The visitor replied.

"Five minutes? What's the difference between that and already being here?"

Hachijo's voice grew louder.

"Can your general affairs department be a little more reliable? You always remind me when people are about to arrive. Do you really think making a medicinal bath is so simple?"

"I'm sorry, Minister Hachijo, it's because we didn't do a good job."

The person bowed decisively, at a perfect 60° angle.

"However, there's nothing we can do about it; we can't dictate when customers come to spend money."

"Moreover, someone like Lord Ōkawa is not someone we can afford to offend."

she explained.

"Hmph. Tell your minister that the subsidies will be doubled this time."

Seeing that she bowed properly and her reasons were sufficient, Ba Tiao didn't say anything more.

"Okay, I will definitely pass it on."

The visitor bowed again, this time at a 30° angle.

After bowing, she did not leave immediately, but looked at Liu Zheng.

"What's your name? Which department are you from? What are you doing here?"

she asked.

“I’m from the massage department. Our manager sent me here.”

Liu Zheng replied.

"What are the massage therapists doing in the boiler room? Are you having a lot of staff in your massage department now?"

The visitor frowned.

"You asked me, so I'll ask you too. Which department are you in, and what's your name?"

He asked rhetorically.

"Now it's my turn to ask you."

"And I've already answered you. If you want to ask anything else, that's a different price."

Liu Zheng said.

"Are you new here?"

"Yeah, so what?"

He stood up and dusted himself off.

"No wonder. Didn't anyone tell you when you came in that you should stand at attention when you see a senior, and answer whatever they ask?"

The newcomer said coldly.

"No. Only someone told me to watch less, listen less, and talk less, and to ignore those weirdos who strike up conversations with me."

Liu Zheng replied calmly.

"Very good, massage therapist, I'll remember you."

"You want to know who I am? I'm Men Qianqing from the General Affairs Department. You'd better remember that."

"When we meet again, I will teach you how to respect your seniors."

Men Qianqing gave him a sinister smile, then turned and left the boiler room.

"Why set yourself up with a death flag when everything is fine?"

Liu Zheng looked at her retreating figure with pity.

When they meet again, that will probably be the time for him to lay his cards on the table.

Although he doesn't particularly enjoy killing, if he had to kill someone, he would definitely prioritize killing someone he knows.

After all, taking advantage of acquaintances is a well-known practice.

"Why did you provoke her?"

Hachijo suddenly said.