Chapter 4: Stabilized Enhancement Potion

"Beep! Beep! Beep!"

An alarm-like sound rang out in the room, causing Third Fatty to furrow his brows deeply and halt his movements.

"Master, Hunter has arrived!"

The mechanical voice of the Smart Butler echoed. Third Fatty took a deep breath, clearly displeased at having his mood ruined. After hesitating for a moment, he put down the whip anyway.

The fat on his face bunched up into a vulgar smile. "Wait for me, baby."

There was no response. On the bed, a woman covered entirely in torn white tulle struggled with all her might to move her restrained head. Crystal-clear saliva slid down from her forced-open lips.

Third Fatty adjusted his clothes, the bloodshot redness in his eyes slowly fading as he left the room.

The woman on the bed stared blankly at the ceiling, her eyes dull and lifeless, completely unable to move a muscle.

Through the visual window on the door, before even stepping outside, Third Fatty spotted Li Yu following close behind. A surge of irritation rose in his chest.

The heavy doors slid open, and Third Fatty walked out with a dark expression. Without even glancing at Li Yu, he instantly snapped at Hunter. "Did you not understand what I said? How is he still alive and standing here!"

"He should be nothing more than a pile of dry bones chewed up by Taotie Dogs by now!"

Third Fatty was already annoyed by the interruption, and now his anger flared even higher.

Hunter tugged down the brim of his Cowboy Hat, looking somewhat helpless. "Mr. Third, I wanted to bring you a pile of dry bones too, but..."

He shook his head, thoroughly piquing Third Fatty's curiosity.

"I am here to make a deal with you," Li Yu interjected abruptly. Hunter simply threw his hands up, signaling his own helplessness.

"A deal?" Third Fatty sneered, the fat all over his body jiggling before his expression turned incredibly sinister. "A vulture that licks rotting meat thinks it is worthy of making a deal with me?"

Li Yu's expression remained indifferent. He wasn't the least bit angry. Over and over again, they only called him a vulture or a Taotie Dog, lacking even the slightest bit of creative profanity. It was far weaker than the verbal sparring he used to experience on social media in his past life.

"More accurately, the person behind me wants to make a deal with you."

Third Fatty reined in his exaggerated expression, becoming completely detached. He shot a glance at Li Yu and pulled a Purple-Gold Cigar Box from his pocket.

He picked out a gray Cigar as thick as a thumb and took a sniff under his nose. "Stuff from the Ancient Planet, five thousand Star Coins just for this one stick. You want to make a deal with me? Are you worthy?"

He clamped it between his lips and wiped a finger over the end of the Cigar. Crimson sparks flared up, and he exhaled a puff of smoke.

"Is it Taotie from the North Side, or the Brothel from the South District? Surely it can't be the Vampires from the West Side."

Female Stowaways, apart from locals like Widow, basically all ended up falling into the Brothels of the South District.

And the rare non-human Stowaways were either claimed by Taotie or taken by the Vampires. Either way, their endings were never pleasant.

"None of them," Li Yu shook his head. Hunter had already briefed him. Those four shared a competitive relationship; bringing them up wouldn't invoke much apprehension in Third Fatty.

Third Fatty's face was shrouded in curling smoke as he let out an ambiguous sound. "Oh?"

"It is... someone further inside," Li Yu spoke vaguely, hinting at a deeper connection.

"Heh," Third Fatty chuckled. "The people further inside are all Respectable People. Why would they use a Taotie Dog like you as a Pawn?"

Naturally, Third Fatty wasn't going to believe him so easily. He wasn't a fool.

Hunter remained silent. This was the tricky part. For Third Fatty to hold onto such a lucrative position for so long, even with backing, his own capabilities couldn't be lacking.

But Li Yu had said that making Third Fatty believe the story would be up to him to handle.

Underneath his Cowboy Hat, Hunter's eyes darted around, searching for the quickest escape route. Right at that moment, he caught sight of Li Yu raising his hand and making a classic gesture.

His pupils contracted. 'Damn it, you are going to get me killed! I told you not to attack Third Fatty!'

He instinctively wanted to break into a sprint and get far away from there.

But in the next split second, a deafening boom erupted from Third Fatty's Corporeal Form. His expression changed drastically as his legs swelled rapidly, bulging muscles tearing through his Suit pants. His feet sank deeply into the Ash-Stone Ground, plowing two trenches about half a meter long into the earth.

A purple barrier materialized over the surface of his body. A metal bullet, easily the length of an index finger, spun relentlessly right against the space between his brows, generating wisps of white smoke from the intense friction.

Fractures spread outward from the center of the purple barrier. Finally, the entire shield shattered apart, turning into a rain of light that scattered into the air.

However, the bullet had also lost its kinetic energy. It tumbled onto the Ash-Stone Ground with a crisp clatter.

Hunter's Adam's apple bobbed up and down, a drop of cold sweat sliding past the corner of his eye. Mo Duo also had her heart in her throat, discreetly slipping her hand into her clothes.

The scene fell into a dead silence. Yet, contrary to Hunter's expectations, the furious outburst he anticipated from Third Fatty never came. The hideous, elephant-like muscles on his legs slowly receded.

He bent down, picked up the distorted bullet, and held it up to the sun to inspect it carefully. "A magnetically confined kinetic Weapon. A single shot can deliver D-rank lethality. The bullet is quite unique. I have only ever seen this material used on an Engine casing."

"How many Cigars is it worth?" Li Yu inquired curiously.

Third Fatty was silent for a moment, various emotions flickering across his fleshy face. "The bullet is worth two. The Gun... is worth a few hundred..."

Hunter felt a jolt of sheer terror in his heart. 'Good heavens... that Gun is far more terrifying than I thought. D-rank... just how powerful is that?'

'And yet, Li Yu actually used it to kill four dogs... no, wait... five dogs. Truly...'

"Do you believe me now?" Li Yu offered a subtle smile.

"Ninety percent," Third Fatty replied, his demeanor turning far more solemn. "There is still a ten percent chance you just have heaven-defying luck and picked that thing up from somewhere."

'Just a little bit closer, and he would have guessed the right answer...'

The immense value of the Gun was one thing; the real issue was how incredibly difficult it was to obtain.

Similarly, anyone who could casually bring out this Gun would not have a low Status. At the very least... Third Fatty couldn't get his hands on one.

"What is the deal? Let us hear it," Third Fatty said, blowing out a smoke ring. He sat down on the chair by the door and kicked his feet up.

Li Yu's voice was calm. "It is very simple. Ten days from now, someone is going to arrive here. I want to kill that person."

He couldn't make overly outrageous demands. If he pushed too far, Third Fatty might reach out to his backers to verify the claim, and Li Yu's facade wouldn't stand up to any investigation.

Hearing such a simple request, Third Fatty frowned instead. "Which exiled Noble is it?"

His immediate thought was a political assassination. After all, nine times out of ten, anyone arriving here would be a temporarily disgraced Noble of the Star Glory Empire.

"I do not know," Li Yu replied honestly. He truly didn't know, because he had fabricated the entire thing.

Third Fatty pondered for a moment, his viper-like eyes locking onto Li Yu. "What do I get out of this?"

"My friendship?" Li Yu chuckled modestly. Third Fatty stared at him like he was looking at a dead man.

"And that Gun..."

Third Fatty's grim face abruptly trembled before he burst into uproarious laughter. "A pleasure doing business with you, my brother."

In the face of a Weapon worth a million Star Coins, Li Yu was his absolute best brother.

As for the risks involved?

Since they were exiled to this wasteland, the Noble in question clearly didn't have any backing left. The power behind Li Yu probably just wanted to Nip In The Bud, which was perfectly understandable.

"A pleasure doing business," Li Yu returned with a mild smile.

"Hahaha! Come, your older brother here just got a Blood Crocodile shipped in, and I was just worrying about having no one to share it with." Third Fatty stepped up and patted Li Yu's lower back. He was too short, so trying to pat his shoulder would have looked absurd.

"It would be impolite to refuse." Li Yu didn't decline, handling the situation with easy grace. He turned and smiled at Mo Duo and Hunter.

"Wait for me here. If you wander off, it is a dead end for you."

Mo Duo: "..."

'I only wanted to deliver an apple in the first place...'

Hunter: "..."

'Just my rotten luck!'

The two exchanged a glance, feeling a deep sense of mutual pity as companions in misery.

Third Fatty cast a casual glance at the pair before chatting and laughing with Li Yu as they walked into the house.

.........

Crackling flames roared nearly waist-high, swaying wildly in the air. Above the fire, a meter-long Blood Crocodile was skewered on an iron spit. It had already been skinned, revealing well-proportioned and tender meat.

The Blood Crocodile was roasted to a golden crisp. Fat continuously dripped into the fire, filling the air with a mouth-watering aroma.

A fair, slender leg brushed past Li Yu, and a faint fragrance mixed with the scent of Spice wafted into his nose.

They had set up an outdoor barbecue right in front of the Metal Apartment. Li Yu and Third Fatty sat together, while a woman wearing a nearly transparent white nightgown grilled the meat for them.

Not far away, Hunter and Mo Duo were practically drooling with hunger.

"My little baby is a master at the grill. You have to try some today," Third Fatty boasted, treating him like an old friend of many years.

Li Yu's gaze swept over the woman's body, noting the faint, reddish whip marks that peeked through the fabric. The woman, however, wore a faint smile and remained fully concentrated on roasting the Blood Crocodile.

"Scram! Can you not see that I am roasting meat with my brother? We are not collecting trash today!" Third Fatty suddenly roared into the distance. A few Scavengers carrying large sacks hurriedly spun around and scurried away in a panic.

The woman sliced off a piece of roasted meat, placed it on a plate, and handed it to Li Yu.

"Thank you, Sister-in-Law," Li Yu nodded as he took the roast meat. Third Fatty's eyes immediately glinted with a strange light.

"Brother, what do you think of your Sister-in-Law?" Third Fatty's sudden question left Li Yu slightly puzzled. He took a closer look at the woman and nodded. "She has a great figure and is very beautiful."

"Then..." Third Fatty chuckled darkly, looking exceedingly vulgar. "Are you interested in... having some fun with her?"

'Have some fun?' Li Yu's eyes widened in shock. 'I couldn't tell you were into cuckolding! Truly living up to your name, Third Fatty!'

Third Fatty made no effort to lower his voice, so the woman heard him loud and clear. The smile on her face stiffened slightly, and she pursed her lips, but she made no other response.

Hunter and Mo Duo, who were standing nearby, heard him clearly as well. Mo Duo's face darkened, her green eyes brimming with absolute disgust as she quietly spat out a curse. "Shameless bastard!"

Hunter, on the other hand, grew a bit more eager. 'Tsk, tsk... that woman, that figure, that face. Letting me have her for a night, even dying... no, dying would still be a bit too much of a loss.'

After all, there were hardly any women out here in the wasteland. Most men had to settle for scavenging mechanical toys to pass the time. It wasn't like they could just sleep with their fellow scavengers.

'As for this kid,' Hunter threw a sidelong glance at Mo Duo and shook his head in pity, 'he clearly doesn't know the true value of a woman yet.'

"However," Third Fatty suddenly shifted his tone and added, "I have to stay and watch from the side..."

"No..." Li Yu hurriedly waved his hands in refusal. "There is no need..."

Damn it! He definitely didn't have that kind of weird fetish.

The woman roasting the meat showed no reaction. Perhaps because the evening was drawing in and it was getting colder, she pulled her sheer nightgown a little tighter around herself. Her gaze remained fixed on the Blood Crocodile, never wavering.

Third Fatty narrowed his eyes, staring at Li Yu for a moment before bursting into laughter. "Just a joke! But with Brother Li refusing so decisively, aren't you afraid of breaking your Sister-in-Law's heart?"

Li Yu managed an awkward chuckle. Third Fatty guffawed and ruthlessly pinched the woman's body, drawing a sharp squeal and a scolding laugh from her.

The entire roasted Blood Crocodile emitted a tantalizing aroma, like a seductive siren taking turns serving the three of them.

Li Yu did not hold back. This was the most fulfilling and delicious meal this body had eaten in years.

The only pity was that there was plenty of meat, but no alcohol.

By the time the barbecue feast ended, it was already past midnight. Li Yu finally managed to extricate himself from Third Fatty's overwhelming hospitality and left with Mo Duo and Hunter in tow.

"You can't let Third Fatty bewitch you. All of this is just because you managed to bluff him. If he ever finds out the truth, the one roasting on the fire won't be that Blood Crocodile,"

Hunter kindly reminded him.

Li Yu shot him a profoundly meaningful look. "Relax. Do I not have the two of you—who both know the truth—by my side at all times?"

Hunter gulped, feeling as if a bullet was about to be lodged into his skull. He immediately fell a few steps behind, but then, remembering the five-meter rule, he hurriedly scrambled to catch up.

"Kid, there is no need to silence the witnesses..."

"And hey, Mo Duo... is your Friend, right? You don't have to be so ruthless..."

Hunter had long since lost the aloof, cool-headed persona he had cultivated over the years, muttering incessantly all the way back.

By the time they returned to their living quarters, it was just past midnight. The System Log had updated, prompting Li Yu to impatiently open the System interface.

[Day 2: As the only conscious person in the Red Queen Base, you were successfully suspected by the mercenary squad. However, you forcefully claimed that you had connections inside the Umbrella Corporation, making them too afraid to take action against you.

Thanks to Alice's ring, you spent the first few hours in an ambiguous flirtation with her, only to be treated with hostility later on.

But you were incredibly brave during the final fight against the Licker, successfully helping Alice kill the Licker and turning her impression of you back around.

However, you also successfully became infected. You chose to hide this fact in an attempt to further develop your relationship with Alice.

Because there was no antidote, the rest of your teammates helplessly died.

When the main gates finally opened, you were captured by the Umbrella Corporation...]

[Killed the Licker. Reward: Stabilized T-Virus Strengthening Agent (E)]

[Obtained Normal Talent - The Infected - Gold!]

Today's System Log was exceptionally long. Quite a lot had happened. Li Yu read through it with dark lines down his face, wondering if he should spit out a classic curse word.

After all, the Avatar was basically an extension of himself... He couldn't very well curse out himself, could he?

This Avatar truly pulled off all kinds of outrageous stunts—flirting with Alice, recklessly fighting a Licker, and ultimately getting infected. Most importantly, he even destroyed the T-Virus Antidote himself.

"He actually hasn't died yet..." Li Yu muttered. The Avatar got infected but didn't die, and was even captured by the Umbrella Corporation. Would he end up being modified into a Tyrant in the end?

"I wonder if being turned into a Tyrant counts as the Avatar's death..."