Universe Infinite Canteen

After Little Huzi joined the team, the squad's numbers had reached four, still one shy of the final goal.

The fifth candidate Ma Lu had originally set his sights on was a Female Mage, one who could use blood as a medium to cast forbidden magic, and her power was quite formidable.

In just a short while, she had already killed four anglers, but by the time Ma Lu had recruited Little Huzi and turned back, he discovered that the Female Mage had died at some unknown point.

Since his attention had all been on Little Huzi, Ma Lu hadn't seen how she died.

But now, half of her head was gone, and the remaining eye still held shades of shock and unwillingness.

Though it was still possible to rollback, Ma Lu had no intention of committing suicide to bring the Female Mage back.

The two were strangers, and although Ma Lu indeed had an interest in her for a while, they were just a temporary pick-up group and were not on a quest to the Doomsday Volcano to destroy the Supreme Magic Ring, so it was not essential to have her and no other.

Since she was now dead, it would be better to just find someone else to fill her place.

At this point, Ma Lu was already searching for a new candidate, but just then, he saw a slight twitch in the corner of his eye from the body of the Female Mage.

Huh? Was that an illusion?

Ma Lu quickly shifted his gaze back and stared at the Female Mage's body. Less than five seconds later, the body moved again.

This time Ma Lu was sure it wasn't an illusion!

Yikes, could it be she was feigning death?

Considering that Prison 444 holds prisoners from various planes of the Multiverse, it seemed not entirely impossible for someone to come back to life after losing half a head.

If that were the case, Ma Lu wouldn't need to waste effort looking for someone else.

Thinking this, Ma Lu signaled the other three with a glance, hinting for them to come and check.

None of them objected. Dividing into two groups, Ma Lu and Battle Axe Muscle Brother approached from the left while Iron Can Man and Little Huzi took the right, intentionally slowing their pace, not in a hurry to get close.

This way, if Ma Lu and Battle Axe Muscle Brother encountered any danger, the other two could provide timely support.

Previously, a service vehicle had been blocking the view, so Ma Lu could only see the upper half of the Female Mage's body, from her chest upwards. Anything below that was a blind spot.

He hadn't even approached when he heard a strange noise, sounding very much like the slurping of noodles in a noodle shop—sizzling sounds.

Instantly, Ma Lu became alert, raising the rifle in his hand and sneaking forward on light feet.

Finally, he saw the scene behind the service vehicle.

A figure in a raincoat was crouching suspiciously in front of the Female Mage's body, doing something, the body still twitching intermittently.

The sizzling sound had come from him.

Ma Lu thought of some people's strange fetishes towards bodies, and his expression became oddly contorted.

He took a few more steps forward and pressed the rifle's muzzle against the person's back, whispering, "Don't move!"

Upon hearing this, the man indeed stiffened.

"Raise your hands, let me see them," Ma Lu commanded next.

And the raincoat-clad person complied obediently.

Ma Lu was worried he would see something strange on the guy's hands, but apart from being somewhat pale, there was nothing unusual about them—they were clean.

Ma Lu then said, "Now, turn around!"

But this time, the raincoat person did not comply until Ma Lu prodded his back with the rifle's muzzle again.

He then reluctantly turned around.

The next moment, it was Ma Lu's turn to be stunned because hidden under that raincoat was a dog's head.

He had thick black fur, two pointed ears, and a black nose.

That long mouth was still holding a piece of intestine, the lower half of its face stained red with blood, dripping down from the whiskers on its chin.

Ma Lu sucked in a breath of cold air; so the slurping sound earlier was really this fellow having a meal.

This kobold was a ruthless one, ignoring other parts and eating the intestines first, not even bothering to wash them. Was he not afraid of eating feces?

But then again, dogs don't seem to have that much aversion to feces.

While Ma Lu was thinking this, his hands did not stop moving and were about to pull the trigger.

But at this moment, Battle Axe Muscle Brother suddenly said from behind him, "Black Jack, what are you doing here?"

The black dog blinked and sucked hard, gulping down the remaining piece of intestine without chewing.

"Do you know him?" Ma Lu paused his finger that was about to pull the trigger.

"Sort of. We're not from the same area, but we've met a few times during previous fishing activities. He's always eating his teammates."

"......"

Ma Lu thought he might as well just shoot, but at that moment, the kobold across him spoke, "They all agreed to be eaten by me."

"Ha?"

"It's true," nodded Battle Axe Muscle Brother, "as far as I know, Black Jack is quite trustworthy."

"But who would agree to be eaten by him?"

"A lot of people actually," Little Huzi also leaned in, "They make a pact with this kobold; while they are alive, the kobold will help them fish, and all the catches belong to them.

"In return, if they die, their bodies automatically become food for the kobold. Corpse Eater Black Jack is quite famous among the anglers, haven't you heard of him before?"

"Corpse Eater Black Jack." Ma Lu repeated the name and looked at the kobold, "Why don't you want the catch when you collaborate with other anglers?"

"Because I'm only here to eat," replied Black Jack honestly.

"So you killed this woman?"

"I never harm my companions," the dog-headed creature raised a hand and swore, "She was killed by another angler, I'm just here to fulfill our agreement."

"There are so many unwanted bodies on the ground, isn't it simpler just to pick one, why go through the trouble?"

"No, it's a tradition from our homeland, only the bodies of our companions can grant the Black Kobold tribe courage and strength. And by eating the bodies of companions, they can always be with me."

"If you hadn't started from the intestines, I might have believed you."

Ma Lu said, but he still decided to invite the kobold to join the team.

Although Black Jack's family traditions were a bit strange, the team was short of one last member, and they couldn't find any other suitable candidates for the time being; they had to pull him in to make up the numbers.

"You can let me join you, but who is the team leader?" Black Jack blinked.

"It's me."

"I will listen to the team leader, but I also hope the team leader can promise me one thing: if you die, let me eat your body."

"No problem."

Ma Lu agreed very readily.

So they had to continue looking for new members.

And at that moment, he saw a raincoat-clad figure squatting beside the body of the female assassin.