105: Eastern Magic Potions

Three hours later.

Twilight had arrived, and the sky was bleak.

The surface of the sea took on an unsettling, grayish hue; even the waves were lifeless and sluggish.

The temperature plummeted.

The gray mist was as thick and viscous as unmelting corpse oil, seeping into nostrils at every turn.

"Cough, cough... this smog is seriously off the charts."

Chen Du waved his hand and covered his nose and mouth. "Whose factory is pumping out exhaust like this?"

"Su... such thick fog."

On the observation tower, Xia Xin shrank her neck from the cold.

Through the high-powered binoculars, she saw a massive shadow slowly emerging from the mist ahead.

Even through the fog, a cold, harsh aura of decay rushed toward them.

As the distance closed, more details were revealed like close-up shots in a horror movie.

Countless rusted iron chains stretched across the air.

Thick iron hooks hung from the depths of the mist, creaking as they swayed in the sea breeze.

Some were still dripping a dark red liquid.

Drip, drop... it fell into the sea.

Attracting a school of small fanged fish to fight over it frantically.

Dark red foam churned on the water's surface.

A strange scent of spices drifted over.

It was a bit like... the cumin aroma of late-night roadside barbecue.

"Smells so good..."

Standing by the ship's railing, An Nuonuo's expression suddenly changed.

Her nostrils flared, and her eyes gradually lost focus.

"It's... it's the smell of roasted meat..."

A string of saliva flowed uncontrollably from the corner of her mouth, dripping onto the lace collar of her maid outfit.

"Such a big pork hock... braised... I want to eat it so badly..."

It wasn't just her.

Beside her, Lin Keke, Zhou Qian, and the others also began to look dazed.

Lin Keke walked toward the railing step by step, a hint of greed in her eyes.

"It really smells amazing... a buffet... it's a buffet..."

"That's mine... don't anyone try to take it from me..."

Even Tang Ran's Adam's apple was bobbing.

Was this the dungeon rule—[Gluttony]?

As long as one smelled this scent, their sanity would be devoured bit by bit by appetite.

An Nuonuo had already stepped one foot over the railing.

Her eyes rolled back, and she opened her mouth, actually trying to gnaw on the iron railing!

"Meat... big pork hock... the skin is so crispy..."

Her teeth clattered against the iron pipe.

The sharp sound caught Chen Du's attention.

"Wake up, you foodie!"

Slap!

He went up and delivered a heavy slap to the back of An Nuonuo's head.

A physical wake-up call!

"Ah!"

An Nuonuo cried out and snapped back to her senses.

She found half her body leaning out of the ship; below was the churning black sea and strange fish fighting over carrion.

"Oh my god!"

Terrified, she plopped down onto the deck and wiped the drool from her mouth. "I... what happened to me just now?"

"I thought I saw a whole roasted lamb waving at me... it even told me to eat it while it was hot..."

"Pathetic."

Chen Du glanced at her and casually pulled a small green glass bottle from his pocket.

This was a national-brand wind oil essence he'd found in a coffin a couple of days ago.

"Catch!"

Chen Du tossed the wind oil essence to Xia Lai.

"One drop each, apply it to your temples and the philtrum. This stuff works better than any Heart-Cleansing Incantation."

Xia Lai scrambled to catch it and quickly unscrewed the cap.

A chill that shot straight to the crown of her head instantly spread, forcefully overpowering the sweet, greasy scent of meat in the air.

"Hiss—! This kick!"

After applying it, Xia Lai shuddered, her eyes clearing. "Homegrown stuff is the best; it feels like the top of my head was blown off."

The small green bottle was passed among the women.

"Ah! It stings my eyes!"

Lin Keke applied too much and was in tears, but she was now completely awake.

The seductive aroma of meat in the air was suppressed by this domineering herbal essence.

This wind oil essence could practically be called an Eastern Magic Potion! Those who've used it know!

"Refreshing~~"

Xia Lai sniffled. "This scent clears the mind and refreshes the spirit. As expected, you have to fight fire with fire."

They hadn't even entered yet and were almost wiped out just by smelling a scent?

This place really is a bit sinister.

"Everyone, get ready."

Chen Du drew the long saber from his waist with a backhand grip.

The blade reflected a cold, eerie glint in the dim light, slicing through the thin mist in front of him.

He looked at the bottomless factory entrance as if staring into a giant maw waiting to feed.

"Since the host is so hospitable, treating us with such potent stuff, let's not be polite."

The corners of Chen Du's mouth curled up, his golden pupils shining brightly.

"Tonight, we feast!"

Thud!

ferry no. 0819 jolted violently!

The side of the ship bumped against a concrete pier covered in tire marks.

The massive impact echoed through the port, startling a few Carrion Birds perched on the cranes.

Just then.

The hidden red moon in the sky seemed to brighten for a moment.

A cold, grand voice with the crackle of static abruptly rang out in everyone's minds.

[Welcome to the new pier: Mist Meat Processing Plant.]

[This was once the famous Happiness Processing Plant, dedicated to providing every customer with the freshest and highest quality meat protein.]

[Foreign visitors detected: 36.]

[Triggering temporary rules:]

[1. Operating Hours: This plant is only open at night. Please leave before twilight the following day. Those who fail to leave on time will be automatically deemed to have voluntarily joined the production line to become glorious raw materials.]

[2. Engine Rule: Docked vessels must not shut off their engines. Once the engine cools, a tsunami will be triggered, swallowing the entire area.]

[3. Keep Smiling: This is the Happiness Factory; please control your emotions. Once your SAN value reaches zero, you will find that you have also become quite delicious.]

The voice vanished.

A deathly silence fell over the surroundings.

Only from deep within the factory in the distance could the faint, heavy sound of bone-chopping be heard.

Thud, thud, thud... extremely rhythmic.

Like a butcher processing ribs on a cutting board.

"The rules this time... why do they sound so creepy?"

Lin Keke swallowed hard, the wind oil essence unable to suppress the cold sweat on her forehead. "What does it mean to become raw materials? We're here to stock up, not to be the stock!"

"Risk and reward go hand in hand. If you want to eat meat, you must be prepared to be meat."

Chen Du stopped smiling and quickly issued commands.

"Xia Mo, Tang Ran."

"Present."

The two stepped forward.

Xia Mo's expression was cold, her hand resting on the hilt of [sword name].

Tang Ran was full of fighting spirit, carrying a reinforced Spiked Club custom-made for her by Xia Lai.

"You two take ten people and stay behind to guard."

Chen Du lightly tapped the ship's railing. "This ship is our retreat and our base; it must not be lost!"

"Make sure the engine never stops! If anything dares to approach..."

He made a throat-slitting gesture.

"Understood."

Xia Mo nodded, her eyes as cold as ice. "Kill them as they come."

Tang Ran was unhappy upon hearing this, slamming her Spiked Club heavily onto the ground.

She looked dissatisfied. "Huh? I want to go in and hack monsters too! My big club is already thirsty for action! And I want to eat meat..."

"Behave!"

Like soothing a grumpy lion cub, Chen Du patted Tang Ran's sturdy shoulder. "Guarding the home is more important."

"Don't worry, I'll bring you back a medium-well bone-in steak and two portions of luncheon meat."

Tang Ran's eyes lit up, and she swallowed her saliva. "Deal!"

"If there's one piece missing, I'll hang you from a lamppost!"