The world has turned into Hell's Game, why should I stay human? Chapter 3: Rules for Delivery Personnel

"Why?"

Liu Zheng questioned.

"Explaining the reason counts as a forbidden act."

Niu Ma shook his head.

"Alright, what are the other rules?"

"Second rule: stay in the break room until you get an order."

Niu Ma went on.

"And for bathroom breaks?"

"Meals for employees arrive in your locker daily on schedule, and for the toilet, use the delivery moments wisely."

Niu Ma shrugged his shoulders.

"That's fairly considerate."

Liu Zheng nodded approvingly.

"Count your blessings; before the boss switched, there were no employee meals—just scraps and slop to eat."

Niu Ma caught the sarcasm.

"When did the boss change?"

Recalling that alluring noblewoman, Liu Zheng pressed urgently.

With Si Xue's presence, she had to be either the top boss or a crucial NPC.

"Thre..."

Niu Ma had just started the word when he halted.

His thick lips clamped shut unnaturally, body rigid like after an overdose of tranquilizers.

Yet his eyeballs rolled wildly, red-veined and protruding.

A rotten, stinking odor hit Liu Zheng's nose, and glancing at Niu Ma's crotch, he spotted a fresh pool of dark yellow fluid on the floor.

Liu Zheng sensed trouble brewing, but his info was too scarce right now.

Better to stay calm and observe.

"Bang!"

After five minutes, Niu Ma's eyes finally steadied.

The moment he recovered, he slammed a hoof into Liu Zheng.

With truck-like power, Liu Zheng flew back, crashing into the wall, unable to fight it.

"Cough!"

Liu Zheng gagged, tasting blood's metallic tang in his throat.

"You damn bastard, you nearly got me killed."

Niu Ma swore.

"Not on purpose."

He clarified.

"I figured; else you'd be dead already."

Niu Ma snorted.

"Never inquire about the boss again."

"Understood."

Liu Zheng nodded.

He attempted to rise, but chest agony exploded, stars bursting in his vision.

That hoof strike had snapped at least three ribs.

"You're screwed, human brat."

Niu Ma eyed him with pity.

With injuries this bad, Liu Zheng couldn't handle work.

"Is this truly a newbie instance?"

Liu Zheng grumbled inside.

Death flags popping randomly, sanity crumbling anytime, anywhere, and the sole talkable NPC ready to slay you instantly.

If this sets the bar for beginner difficulty, this game's survival odds are grim indeed.

"I'm done for, but how about you?"

He coughed, then spoke.

"Handling every delivery solo would be rough, no? Plus, no more massages for you."

Niu Ma fixed his bloodshot gaze on Liu Zheng, hunting for cracks in his calm.

But found none.

"First human like you I've met."

Niu Ma murmured, heading to the lockers.

He spat a key and unlocked one.

Liu Zheng spotted a photo inside the door—Niu Ma in a maid costume, it seemed.

"Down this."

Niu Ma used his horn to hook a bottle, swinging it before him.

The clear glass held over half a bottle of cloudy, thick fluid, with faint wriggling hairy worms inside.

"Name: Ascending Mao Tai 53 Proof"

"Type: Prop"

"Quality: Fine"

"Effect: Rapidly heals the user's injuries, slightly increases strength and constitution, slightly decreases Spirit and perception, with a chance of entering a drunken state."

"Note: Ingredients include sorghum, wheat, water, hairy bloody worms, Moss, and those things you don't want to know."

"Quality is sorted from low to high as follows: Inferior, Common, Good, Fine, Perfect, Legendary, Epic, Mythic."

"Ascending Mao Tai..."

Liu Zheng grabbed the bottle, face twisting oddly.

He sensed the system dropping hints, and he had proof.

Without delay, Liu Zheng twisted off the cap and chugged a large swallow.

The acrid burn like pure hydrochloric acid dazed his head, but worse were the worms sliding down his throat.

They gnawed at muscles and lining with their jaws, then oozed sticky slime to mend the damage.

That agonizing itch faded only when stomach acid dissolved them fully.

That brief hell would break even the toughest spy.

Post-agony, warm currents surged through his body.

Liu Zheng scratched his bare skin compulsively; he felt bloated, like a fattened roast piglet.

"Thrilling, huh? Snagged this prime booze secretly—you're fortunate."

Ignoring Niu Ma's brag, Liu Zheng just found it annoying and pulled up his Character Card.

"ID: Liu Zheng (modifiable)"

"Level: lv1"

"Strength: 17"

"Constitution: 15?"

"Spirit: 9"

"Perception: 8"

Strength and constitution rose by 3, Spirit and perception dropped by 2.

Numerically a win, no drunken haze—pure luck.

He prodded his chest; ribs mended, though faint ache lingered.

In reality, top meds couldn't match this, yet here it was just a deliveryman's secret stock.

No surprise it's a game for the elite.

Liu Zheng grew optimistic about what lay ahead.

"You owe me two grand now."

Niu Ma shattered the mood.

"What's the pay?"

He inquired.

"Thousand monthly, plus bonuses."

"Fine, settle at month's end."

Liu Zheng agreed smoothly.

Debt without real payback felt nice.

"Back to work talk."

Niu Tou nodded, acting like nothing occurred.

"Rule three: no chatting with meal deliverers."

"Wrong order?"

"Return it to the cart and head back to the break room for the next delivery."

Niu Tou answered.

"Got it."

Liu Zheng noted it barred speaking, not all contact.

"Rule four: silence after 7 PM."

"Rule five: keep Bloody Restaurant secrets from outsiders, and skip outside topics with staff except me."

"Overlaps with rule three?"

Liu Zheng queried.

"Means no meal server talk, but other employees okay—though I advise minimizing to dodge issues."

"That covers it; no need to spell out don't eat deliveries, don't tamper, deliver promptly—you get it."

Niu Tou licked its lips, parched from the spiel.

Liu Zheng shoved the bottle into its maw.

Niu Tou gulped down the rest, head thrown back.

"You're adapting quick, kid—here's extra advice."

"Act bolder outside; you rep the restaurant."

It raised a hoof, slapping Liu Zheng's shoulder.