CHAPTER 120: CHAPTER 120: SENIOR, DO YOU WANT ME TO SAVE YOUR WOMAN?

"Not long after she came out of the sewer, City Hall’s people took her away for investigation," said the sea girl.

"Isn’t this a pretty straightforward matter? What’s there to investigate?" Liu Zheng said.

It’s not like they did it on purpose. At most it could be considered accidental injury.

"City Hall doesn’t need to explain its actions," said the sea girl, imitating the mechanical and authoritative tone.

"Fine. But doesn’t she know people in City Hall? Shouldn’t she be able to get herself out?"

The nightingale wanted to use the Regicide Chess as their main product, all thanks to their connections with City Hall.

"Some people in her family don’t want her to come out," the sea girl said with a sigh.

"Oh."

It’s just another rich family feud, turning enemies out of friends.

That kind of drama is overplayed in real life.

"If you’re unwilling to accompany me to the Garbage Processing Plant, then try to help me get the nightingale out," said the sea girl.

"That’s your real purpose, isn’t it?" Liu Zheng caught on.

"Yes," admitted the sea girl frankly.

"I’d rather go to the Garbage Processing Plant with you."

He even wondered if the sea girl’s brain had gone haywire.

Liu Zheng, a delivery guy, was expected to bail someone out from City Hall?

Why doesn’t she just ask him to break into prison directly?

"If you do this favor for me, I can give you the most precious thing I have," the sea girl gritted her teeth and said.

"Ah, you non-humans are so feudal too, huh?"

"Where are you thinking to? I’m referring to the relic my mother left me," the sea girl said, sounding exasperated.

"Oh. What is it?"

"I don’t know. I never opened it after she gave it to me. My mother only told me to open it if the Chaos Club ever came looking for me," the sea girl explained.

"Hmm..."

Liu Zheng fell into thought.

If it had been any other item, even one of perfect quality, he wouldn’t have ventured into this messy business.

But if it was something specifically against the Chaos Club, then that was slightly tempting.

After all, he still had a Chaos Club gold card in his pocket.

It hadn’t caused any trouble yet, but it could explode any day.

"Let me think about it and get back to you," said Liu Zheng.

"Okay."

After hanging up the phone, he looked at Niu Ma.

"Boss, can you get someone out of City Hall?"

"Pfft!"

Niu Ma sprayed out all his beer.

Luckily, Liu Zheng was far enough away.

"I’ve not lost my mind, yet you’re sending me off the deep end? Me, a delivery guy, pulling someone out of City Hall?"

He was almost amused by Liu Zheng’s audacity.

"Just say you want me to help you break someone out of jail, why don’t you?"

"Ugh..."

Why did this conversation feel so familiar?

"I was just asking. After all, boss, you have such broad connections. Maybe you know someone who can handle it?" Liu Zheng said.

"Your connections are broader than mine. Isn’t your cheap father-in-law powerful? Ask him to get her out," Niu Ma suggested.

"He’s currently stuck in a sewer, probably can’t help right now," he shook his head.

"Don’t you also have a wealthy mistress?"

"She’s the one asking me to get her out," Liu Zheng blurted out before realizing Niu Ma was probably not talking about the sea girl.

"Boss, are you talking about the one who orders the delivery?"

"Yeah, who else did you think I meant?" Niu Ma caught on too.

"Damn, you have so many mistresses you can’t keep track, huh? Motherfucker, stay still, I’ll kill you right now, you greedy bastard," he cursed as he got up to hit Liu Zheng.

"I was wrong, I was wrong. Boss, wait, let me finish this call, then you can hit me," he pleaded continuously.

"Hmm."

Niu Ma lay back down, making a throat-slitting gesture with his hoof.

Liu Zheng chuckled wryly and dialed the novelist’s number.

"Do you have any instructions, mentor?" the voice of the novelist was as respectful as ever, yet hesitant.

"How’s the novel going?" he asked, using their customary opening.

"I’ve shown it to the editor. He said the hook and pace are good, it should work out," the novelist said excitedly.

"That’s good. Have you finished the outline?"

He inquired.

"No outline, but I’ve written an outline for thirty Chapters. Could you please have a look?" the novelist asked cautiously.

"Send it over."

Soon, a new message arrived on his phone.

Liu Zheng opened it to see a tremendously long text message.

He thought the technology in this world was as bizarre as its inhabitants.

You’d say it’s advanced, yet its phones can’t even send files.

You’d say it’s primitive, yet its phones can send messages far longer than those in reality.

Liu Zheng scoffed and started to review the novelist’s Chapter outlines.

His expression fluctuated between frowning, nodding slightly, and sometimes just looking exasperated.

Five minutes later, he called the novelist again.

"You have romantic escapades in twenty out of thirty Chapters?"

"Yes, is there a problem, mentor?"

"Then why write about rebirth in business? Just write about a rebirth harem," Liu Zheng sighed and said.

"Business and harem shouldn’t conflict. I see that bestsellers on rebirth business also have harems," the novelist defended.

"They don’t conflict, but there’s a matter of priorities. Your book’s title, synopsis, and the first few Chapters emphasize your protagonist reborn to do business. What do you think will happen when readers realize after ten Chapters that you keep writing about romance?" he asked.

"They’ll... be disappointed?"

The novelist hesitated before responding.

"Wrong, it’s cursing! Cursing that you’re hanging a sheep’s head but selling dog meat."

Liu Zheng said sternly.

"I..."

The novelist recoiled, frightened by his tone.

"A novel can lack Chapters or even an outline, but it must have a main thrill point."

"As the plot develops, you can add many secondary thrill points, but the plot that creates the main thrill points must dominate."

"Otherwise, it’s called thrill point deviation."

"Have you figured out what the main thrill point of your novel is?"

Liu Zheng asked.

"Rebirth to make up for the regrets of a failed previous life."

The novelist immediately replied.

"Then what are you writing now?"

He asked loudly.

"Harem."

"Do you understand what you should do now?"

Liu Zheng asked again.

"Senior, I’ve realized! I should greatly increase the plot line about the protagonist’s career."

"Right. You should also add some pretentious scenes occasionally to lighten the reader’s mood."

He added.

"Yes, senior, I understand!"

The novelist responded loudly.

"Your editor isn’t very good, change him."

Liu Zheng suggested.

"Okay, senior. I’ll have someone take care of him right away."

The novelist said without hesitation.

"Uh, that’s not necessary."

He was so caught up in his teaching, he’d forgotten that this guy was essentially a monster.

"Alright, let’s spare his life then."

The novelist compliantly agreed.

"Just out of curiosity, he isn’t actually a dog, is he?"

"Yes, a ’canine revertant’, no different from a dog except in intelligence."

The novelist said.

"Heh heh."

He shouldn’t have doubted the diversity of species in this world.

"There’s something I need to see if you can handle."

Liu Zheng transitioned to the main topic.

"Tell me, senior."

"A friend of mine was taken by City Hall for questioning, can you get her out?"

He cut straight to the point.

"Is she your girlfriend?"

The novelist’s intuition was sharp.

"She’s a female friend, but don’t worry, our relationship is purely business."

Liu Zheng didn’t know why he felt compelled to explain, but he did anyway.

"No worries, senior. For an outstanding novelist like you, having a few girlfriends is quite normal."

The novelist said magnanimously.

But he couldn’t tell if it was an illusion, as he felt a blade-like arm skim over the top of his head just then.

"Actually, she’s hardly even a friend; I helped her just to get something important from her girlfriend."

Liu Zheng explained further.

"A girlfriend, huh."

The novelist seemed to pause for a moment.

"May I ask why she was taken in for questioning by City Hall?"

"Well, we were fishing in the sewer, and I accidentally fished up the sewer’s ’eggs’."

He briefly described the incident.

"So, that huge commotion outside was caused by you, senior. As expected, you’re really cool!"

The novelist was even more excited than when they were discussing the manuscript.

"Keep it low-key, don’t spread the word."

"Mmhm. Well, if that’s the case, then rescuing her isn’t impossible."

The novelist pondered for a few seconds before speaking.

"What do I need to do?"

"A Star System Level private room of Bloody Restaurant and a first-class dinner."

The novelist thought for a moment before speaking.

"Okay, I’ll ask around. And you, what do you need me to do for you?"

Liu Zheng asked.

What goes around comes around, such interactions strengthen relationships.

"Senior has already done a lot for me. Novels are my only dream; there isn’t a greater reward than helping me advance on the path of novel writing."

The novelist spoke earnestly.

"No, I don’t think that’s enough."

His attitude was quite domineering.

"Then, when it’s time for me to publish my book, could you help me think of the title and the synopsis?"

The novelist gently said.

"No problem."

After hanging up the phone, Liu Zheng saw Niu Ma looking at him with a strange expression.

"What’s up? Big shot."

He asked curiously.

"Nothing, I was just wondering how much money you could make selling yourself on the black market as a gigolo for one night."

Niu Ma sized him up from head to toe.

"Didn’t you previously say I’m not fit to be a gigolo?"

"I underestimated you. It’s not that you aren’t fit for the black market gigolos, but that the black market gigolos aren’t fit for you."

"With your hook-up skills, Heaven Island is the place where you should make a big splash."

Niu Ma said solemnly.

"Then give me back my holiday voucher."

Liu Zheng stretched out his tentacle.

"Dream on. You’d be out of breath just talking about it, let alone handling a few clients; you’d be dried up into squid jerky."

Niu Ma rolled his eyes.

"Enough with the chit-chat, let’s talk business. Big shot, how can we arrange a Star System Level private room and a first-class dinner?"

He asked.

"What do you need that for? Got too much money to burn?"

"The novelist said it’s needed for rescuing someone."

"That partner of yours is no small fry then; that’s what legislators use for meetings."

Niu Ma commented.

"Just tell me how to arrange it."

"For a first-class dinner, just contact Napoleon, but the Star System Level private room is going to be tricky."

Niu Ma teased.

"Could it be..."

Liu Zheng had an ominous premonition.

"Exactly, you’ll need to contact Britain."