“Boss.”

He called out once, but there was no response.

He knocked on the door again, and after half a minute, the door opened.

“What do you want?”

Bullhorse asked impatiently.

“Does the restaurant not provide transportation?”

Liu Zheng asked.

“No. We don’t need that.”

Bullhorse shook its big head.

After all, its lower body was that of a horse.

Judging by the length of its legs, its running speed probably rivaled that of the real-world Akhal-Teke horse.

“What about those human employees?”

“You should leave now. If you’re any later, you really won’t make it.”

Bullhorse closed the door.

Liu Zheng sneered; it seemed he couldn’t squeeze more benefits out of it.

He picked up the takeout bag and headed toward the delivery passage.

The passage was pitch black, without any light source.

The ground seemed made of special material; when he walked on it, there was not a single footstep sound.

In such an environment, it was hard enough to keep your bearings, let alone maintain clarity of mind.

Liu Zheng tentatively raised his arms horizontally and just managed to touch the walls on both sides.

The texture was strange, somewhat like a slime stress toy but much harder.

If one wanted psychological support, walking forward while holding the walls would be a good idea.

But he didn’t plan to do that.

Liu Zheng lowered his arms, allowing himself to be immersed in the boundless darkness.

While learning about “amyotrophic lateral sclerosis,” he had also studied many other medical concepts, including one called “desensitization therapy.”

Simply put, it involved repeatedly injecting allergens into patients to gradually induce tolerance and stop allergic reactions.

Liu Zheng thought this “desensitization therapy” might also apply psychologically to light and darkness.

Of course, if the system warned him about “declining rationality,” he would stop in time.

Fortunately, Liu Zheng’s tolerance for pure darkness and silence was surprisingly high. ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs, ᴘʟᴇᴀsᴇ ᴠɪsɪᴛ novel⁂fire.net

Moreover, the passage wasn’t completely silent.

Every so often, he couldn’t help but cough and gasp for breath.

At the same time, his lungs and throat sent strong discomfort signals, announcing his existence.

Physical pain had become an anchor for his mind—a kind of dark humor indeed.

After the seventh cough, Liu Zheng finally exited the passage.

Gentle sunlight shone into his eyes, giving a surreal feeling as if entering another world.

He felt some sympathy for his former colleagues; he only had to endure three days, while they had to work for months or even decades.

Although, they might not live that long.

After a moment of silent tribute for those human strangers, Liu Zheng set off on his delivery journey.

Just like when he arrived, the streets remained empty.

No pedestrians, no vehicles, not even traffic lights.

If there were a small electric scooter, he couldn’t imagine how joyful riding it would be.

Unfortunately, he couldn’t ride one.

“Hee hee hee…”

An eerie musical sound started.

Liu Zheng took out his phone and saw it was a ringtone.

“13871XXXXXX.”

He checked with his memory—sure enough, it was Bullhorse’s number.

“Boss, what’s up?”

He pressed the answer button and asked.

“There’s something I forgot to remind you: when you go to the bathroom outside, you must do it next to a plant, preferably a tree or a green belt.”

Bullhorse’s loud voice rang out.

“I thought only dogs did that.”

Liu Zheng teased.

“They have separate rules and can only do it facing cylindrical objects.”

Bullhorse hung up.

Wow, such a stereotype.

Don’t let dog lovers hear this, or they’ll pee on your leg.

Liu Zheng chuckled and kept walking forward.

Actually, Bullhorse didn’t need to remind him so urgently. Before entering the dungeon, he had neither eaten nor drunk anything; his stomach was completely empty.

Even if forced to metabolize, he would just…

Hmm, that’s strange.

Liu Zheng stopped, clenching his sponge-like organ tightly.

Damn, he really felt it.

He looked around and realized that the dungeon world corresponded to reality in many ways—for example, the types of street trees were the same, mainly camphor trees and London plane trees.

He even spotted several photinias. Fortunately, it wasn’t flowering season, or the streets would be filled with the breath of life.

Liu Zheng hurried to a camphor tree, unzipped with one hand.

A faint yellow arc fell, splashing a few droplets on the bark.

“Been feeling pretty fiery lately.”

“Yeah, eaten too much barbecue.”

Liu Zheng replied casually, then turned his head.

Not far away, a London plane tree was staring intently at him and his “tool of the trade.”

“Smells like alcohol, is that hairy moss?”

The London plane tree twitched its nose, shedding some bark.

“Ascending Hairy Moss 53°.”

Liu Zheng silently pulled up his pants.

“Good stuff, hurry, flash it in my mouth.”

The London plane tree opened its mouth eagerly.

“Answer me one question first.”

“Hurry up, hurry up.”

“What exactly are you?”

“Isn’t it obvious? I’m a tree.”

The London plane tree looked at him strangely.

Are humans really this dumb nowadays?

“Then why can’t it talk?”

Liu Zheng pointed to the camphor tree beside him.

“Because it’s mentally disabled.”

The London plane tree answered.

“Mentally disabled?”

“Exactly. All the trees on this street are mentally disabled. I’m the only unique genius.”

The London plane tree said proudly.

“Even if they’re mentally disabled, why don’t they have faces?”

He found a weak spot.

“Mental disability doesn’t mean they can talk. Why would they need faces? That’d waste nutrients.”

The London plane tree said confidently.

Admittedly, it made some sense.

“Fine.”

Liu Zheng shrugged and turned to look for another place.

“Hey, didn’t I tell you to flash it in my mouth?”

The London plane tree shouted.

“I’m not into flashing things in mouths.”

He replied without looking back.

“I’m not human.”

“Not a tree either.”

“So troublesome. Just tell me, what will it take for you to let me drink?”

The London plane tree said.

“I want a vehicle.”

Liu Zheng stopped and cautiously asked.

“No.”

“An electric scooter?”

“No either.”

“A bicycle at least?”

“No, no. I’m a tree, do you understand what a tree is?”

The London plane tree shook its branches vigorously, scattering leaves everywhere.

“Then what can you give me? Hurry, I have deliveries to make.”

Liu Zheng urged.

“All I have is this.”

A thick, long tree root broke through the soil and threw a white cane onto the ground.

“Name: Human Bone Cane”

“Type: Equipment”

“Quality: Excellent”

“Effect: Increases movement speed by 10%.”

“Note: There was once a big con artist who loved selling canes to normal people. Later, he got his leg broken.”

“Can it be taken out of the dungeon: Yes”

One pee for an item—a very cost-effective trade.

But Liu Zheng didn’t immediately go to pick it up; instead, he looked at the root that hadn’t withdrawn.

“I’ll ask you this—you're not planning to eat me, are you?”

He asked with a flicker in his eyes.

This human bone cane couldn’t possibly have grown out of the ground.