A butcher chopping meat!
His prestige in the city may not be as high as the other three veteran "near-gods", but he controls all the meat products in the city!
All other butchers are apprentices of this butcher. If you want to eat meat, you absolutely cannot avoid the butcher, because no one else sells meat except the butcher.
Once, an apprentice tried to break free from his control, and the next day the apprentice appeared on the butcher's dinner table, as food.
The other important figures were either ambassadors, generals, or a deputy city lord; in comparison, the butcher's status seemed rather insignificant.
It seems that his ideal was just to sell meat, which is really not respectable. So the other three subconsciously ignored him at first glance, which shows that the butcher's status in the city is somewhat awkward, neither high nor low.
But he was still a near-god!
Identity is relative. Perhaps compared to those three, the butcher is indeed somewhat inferior, but in front of these three, he is still the strongest!
"Butcher!" one of them greeted with a smile. "We've already discussed it. That kid will definitely kill us all without any mercy, so we have to join forces and eliminate him first!"
"When the time comes, you will be the next city lord, and the three of us will assist you!"
The butcher's gaze swept over the group, which displeased the three of them. After all, they were near-gods. They were giving the butcher face, yet he still put on such an expression. Did he think he could take on three of them by himself?
"Where is he?" The butcher raised his broadsword. "Even if he didn't kill those three, the position of city lord will definitely be mine. As for you, if you behave yourselves, you can serve as officials under me."
The butcher's arrogant words made all three of them frown.
You're exaggerating too much. Corno, White Dove, and Collins—even if you take them out individually, they're not people you, the Butcher, can handle. They're all dead, so what are you bragging about?
Moreover, the reason the three of them were willing to let the Butcher ascend to the position of city lord was simply because the Butcher was the only one among the four who was a veteran [near god], and he had a considerable amount of prestige in the city, at least better than the three of them.
But what did the butcher say? He wanted them to be lowly officials under his command? They were near-gods! Even the newly promoted ones were far superior to the "Demon King"!
Even if they can't become the city lord, what they want is the position of deputy city lord, or the position of Iron General. Do they think they can just send some minor official to get rid of them? Then why don't they go and join Jiang Ran's cause!
“Butcher, we call you senior as a sign of respect, but you seem to be showing us a little disrespect!” One of them stepped forward, lowering his eyes. “I hope that in this alliance, we are equals!”
Unexpectedly, the butcher burst into laughter upon hearing this: "Equality? Why should I be equal to you? What are you?!"
Upon hearing this, the three of them instantly flew into a rage!
"I thought you, Butcher, were someone of importance, but I never expected you to be so arrogant!"
"Alright, alright, today the three of us will show you what it means for the younger generation to surpass the older one!"
"Even if we kill you, the three of us are enough to deal with that person!"
They are three near-gods, are they afraid of a butcher?
The next moment, the butcher raised his right hand and snapped his fingers.
The three men's expressions changed simultaneously. They clutched their stomachs, knelt on the ground, and their faces were contorted with pain!
"Ah! What's going on?!"
"Do you think I've been selling meat all these years? Hahaha! If I really wanted to sell meat for the rest of my life, why would I be running for city lord!"
The butcher finally bared his fangs: "For so many years, everyone in the city has eaten my flesh! But no one ever imagined that I had planted a seed inside it!"
"With just a flick of my wrist, the remaining flesh within you will destroy your bodies from the inside out! What, do you still think you're equal to me?"
Who would have thought the Butcher was playing such a grand game, aiming to control everyone in the city! Ridiculous! The three thought his ambition was the smallest among the four veteran [Near-Gods], but it turns out it's the greatest!
But what exactly is this fleshy thing? They had never heard of it before!
The excruciating pain emanating from their bodies told them that if this thing called the Flesh Seed were to be fully detonated, even if it didn't kill them, it would be enough to reduce their strength to less than one-tenth. At that point, the Butcher could easily kill them one by one with a single strike!
"From now on, the three of you will serve as my guards."
The three complained bitterly, but could only nod in agreement. They secretly plotted to do something to break free from the shackles of the flesh, which would be the butcher's death day!
But the butcher had his own agenda. Of course, he didn't intend to actually make these three his guards. Guards should be trustworthy people. He planned to execute the three of them after seizing the position of city lord!
As long as he is the only one left in the entire city who is near-godlike, then he is invincible!
"You still haven't answered my question. Where is that guy?"
"Sir, I saw him go that way earlier..."
On the other side, Jiang Ran stayed in Lin Zhi's talent space for a full two minutes, finally managing to restore his mental energy to a level sufficient to sustain the battle.
If Lin Zhi's ability is used for protection in battle, it is a very strong ability. However, if you only consider the restoration of mental energy, its cost-effectiveness is not very high.
Therefore, Jiang Ran only stayed for two minutes, and Lin Zhi's talent still has less than three minutes left to use.
Who are the remaining four people?
Just as Jiang Ran was struggling with the identities of the remaining four people, a flying knife pierced through the wall and shot towards him, only to be caught by the mountain god's vines!
The house collapsed with a crash! Jiang Ran shielded Lin Zhi and looked outside. Four people surrounded him, staring at him with murderous intent!
"Did you specifically choose a secluded place to hide?"
"This place is indeed very suitable as a grave!"
The butcher stepped forward, dragging his cleaver on the ground with a clanging sound.
"So you guys teamed up. Good, that saves me the trouble of finding you one by one."
Jiang Ran stared at the butcher, recalling that rule.
[Rule Eleven: Beware of butchers. It's best to stay far away from them, don't buy meat from them, and don't eat any meat you buy from them.]
Let alone eating meat, Jiang Ran has never eaten anything. Have you ever seen anyone who needs to eat to maintain their physical strength in their dreams?
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