Chapter 37: The Bungee Jumping Challenge Without a Cord

"Is that Wolf Knight strong?" Liu Zheng asked.

"The Wolf Knight isn't particularly strong, but the three-headed hellhound he keeps is brutal."

"More importantly, he is the sworn brother of *that* person," the London Plane tree said, its tone heavy.

"That person?"

"Exactly, *that* person. We don't dare speak his name, because to a tree, he is even more terrifying than a lumberjack." The leaves rustled, as if the tree were shivering.

"He must have a nickname, at least," Liu Zheng suggested.

"He has many nicknames: City Ranger, Wandering Master, the Man Who Pets the Bear’s Balls..."

"But we trees usually just call him the Fire Mage," the London Plane tree said slowly.

"Fire Mage?"

"Yes, because he loves setting things on fire wherever he goes. Lumberjacks chop our flesh, but that man burns our souls." The tree shook even more violently.

"It seems I won't be able to get this hat, then," Liu Zheng said with regret.

"Not necessarily. They say the Fire Mage and the Wolf Knight are quite fond of fine cuisine. If you can procure perfect-grade meals or a large quantity of excellent-grade ones, they would likely be willing to trade," the London Plane tree said, calming down.

"A large quantity of excellent-grade meals..." He glanced at his Legendary Delivery Box. It didn't seem entirely impossible.

"Wouldn't they just rob me instead?" Liu Zheng thought of another problem.

"Probably not. This city has rules, and those two don't have a reputation for being pure villains," the London Plane tree shook its branches. "Compared to them, the landfill itself is far more dangerous."

"I heard from Niu Ma that someone named Black Claw had his guts spilled in the landfill." He recalled the conversation between Niu Ma and Oink.

"I know Black Claw. It used to scurry around this street and pee everywhere. I haven't seen it in a long time; so it was slaughtered," the London Plane tree realized.

"What exactly is the landfill?" Liu Zheng asked.

"The landfill is where they dump trash," the London Plane tree looked at him strangely. Why could this human ask such an idiotic question?

"When I finish the Legendary Deliveryman set, I’m going to host a grand appreciation gala. Guess who won't be getting an invitation?" Liu Zheng said expressionlessly.

"You wouldn't dare!" The London Plane tree was furious.

"I certainly would. If you don't want Niu Ma to be the first one to appreciate them, answer my questions patiently," Liu Zheng threatened.

"That stupid donkey wouldn't know the first thing about appreciation!" the London Plane tree shrieked reflexively.

However, Liu Zheng’s threat worked, and its explanation became much more earnest.

"The landfill is just a massive cesspit. The City Hall dumps all the inedible and hazardous waste in there."

"Those who can't survive elsewhere and those with ulterior motives congregate there, which makes it even more dangerous."

"Don't let the fact that Niu Ma dared to take you to the black market fool you; if it dared take you to the landfill, you'd be turned into beef jerky in a heartbeat," the London Plane tree said in one breath.

"Is there no safe way to enter the landfill?"

"There is, but only if you build a good relationship with the Fire Mage. Then, entering and leaving the landfill is like going home."

"You're just going in circles," Liu Zheng rolled his eyes.

"Listen to me first," the London Plane tree complained.

"Go ahead."

"The reason the Fire Mage is called the City Ranger is because he appears in various parts of the city. Whether you run into him or not depends on your luck," the tree said.

"Luck, huh?" Liu Zheng’s eyes flickered. He had already returned the Lucky Joker card to Niu Ma; it seemed he would have to find a way to get it back.

***

"Stop right there."

Upon arriving at the entrance of Jiahe New Residence, the security guard stopped him as expected.

"Spit it out. Meat or cigarettes?" Liu Zheng sighed. He had to go through this every time; he was tired of it, and he was sure they were too. If a security guard in reality dared to pull this, he would have smashed their walkie-talkies to pieces.

"Who are you calling a name?" The cross-eyed guard was instantly enraged.

"How about... this?" He pulled out a few banknotes. Liu Zheng could now control his tentacles to secrete sticky fluid; it was useless for fighting, but quite convenient for daily tasks.

"You're insulting my character!" The cross-eyed guard gritted his teeth, his hand moving toward the baton at his waist.

"My apologies, it was my 'dog eyes' that looked down on you. Please, don't take offense," Liu Zheng immediately apologized.

"That's more like it," the cross-eyed guard huffed. "I am a security guard with ideals and aspirations. Don't lump me in with the trash of this industry."

"Understood, understood. Can I go in now?"

"No," the guard said flatly.

"You won't take the money, and you won't do the job. You're making this very difficult for me, brother," Liu Zheng said helplessly, while secretly gathering strength in his body.

"The residential area is hosting its tenth-anniversary celebration. Outsiders are not allowed to enter."

"Unless?"

"Unless you complete a challenge or perform a talent," the guard said.

"What kind of challenges?"

The guard pulled out a few posters.

"Pirate Ship Deck Single-Leg Standing Challenge"
"Flying Saucer 99-Lap Straight-Line Walking Challenge"
"Carousel 10x Speed Lyric-Matching Challenge"
...

There were ten challenges in total, each more outrageous than the last. Liu Zheng picked up the final poster, which showed a gray-faced middle-aged man in a suit standing on the edge of a rooftop.

"Rooftop Bungee-less Vertical Standing Challenge."

Bungee-less my foot; this is clearly just jumping off a building.

"I choose this one." He handed the poster to the guard. In his "Flesh Rebirth" state, what Liu Zheng feared most were crushing injuries, followed by lacerations. Blunt force trauma was basically irrelevant as long as he protected his brain.

"Follow me." The guard took the poster and led him into the complex. The moment he crossed the gate, Liu Zheng’s vision blurred. When it cleared, he found himself on the rooftop. Judging by the set decoration, it was identical to the poster.

"Dear residents, this delivery guy has voluntarily signed up for the Rooftop Bungee-less Vertical Standing Challenge! Let’s applaud his courage!" the guard shouted. As soon as he finished, thunderous applause erupted from all directions.

"Thank you, thank you," Liu Zheng waved at the air.

"Alright, challenger, take your place." Under the guard's direction, he walked into a painted circle. Liu Zheng looked down and saw a pool of blood. It probably belonged to that middle-aged man in the suit.

"The resident committee will score you based on your performance during the jump. If your score is high enough, you’ll even get a small prize," the guard said.

*You just said 'jumping off a building,' didn't you? You’re not even pretending anymore, are you?* Liu Zheng squinted at him.

"I’ll count down from three, two, one, and you jump." The guard took a step back.

"Three."
"Two."
"One."
"Jump!"

"Jump! Jump down!" The audience's urging turned into a massive sound wave, pushing Liu Zheng from behind. He curled his lip and took a leap.