C4 The Appearance of the Pet

"It's absolutely scrumptious! Immortal, you're truly divine!" Lin Ke'er exclaimed, her face flushed from the heat, yet her praise was heartfelt.

Yang Zhiming watched Lin Ke'er devour her meal with gusto, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth. His roast chicken was a hit, a culinary success that seemed to work even on Mars.

He passed Lin Ke'er a glass of water and, once she caught her breath, he inquired, "Ke'er, how much do you think my roast chicken should sell for?"

Lin Ke'er, her mouth glistening with grease, felt a surge of warmth when she heard Yang Zhiming refer to himself as omnipotent. Clearly, the Immortal considered her a true friend.

"Immortal, this roast chicken is incredibly delicious. I think it could sell for any price and still be worth it—it's an invaluable gem!" Lin Ke'er exclaimed with enthusiasm.

Yang Zhiming chuckled and replied, "Come on now, every item must have its price."

After pondering for a moment, Lin Ke'er finally voiced the cost of the most expensive food she knew, "The priciest food I'm aware of is the Six-legged Steak, which goes for a whopping 100,000 yuan. Your roast chicken tastes way better than that steak, so it could easily fetch 200,000 yuan!"

Internally, Yang Zhiming was astounded. He had come to understand Martian prices; 100,000 yuan was roughly equivalent to 100 modern-day dollars. His cost for the roast chicken was a mere 20,000 yuan, and he had sourced the utensils and seasonings for free.

Could this simple barbecue really yield a tenfold profit?

A wave of excitement washed over Yang Zhiming, as he glimpsed what could be the first step towards striking it rich on Mars.

"Okay, Ke'er, since it's not appropriate for me to be involved directly, I'll entrust the restaurant business to you. How does that sound?"

Lin Ke'er nodded emphatically, grasping Yang Zhiming's gesture. He had crafted the essential roast chicken and was now generously sharing a portion of the substantial earnings with her as a way to settle her debts.

Determined, the young girl resolved to give her all in selling the roast chicken for the Immortal.

The resourceful Lin Ke'er quickly devised a tentative plan, but she hit a snag when considering the number of people needed.

"Immortal, just my father and I won't be enough, and even with you, it's still insufficient. Your roast chicken is bound to be a hit and sell out on the first day. Where can we find reliable help?" She gazed at Yang Zhiming with hopeful eyes.

Yang Zhiming, upon hearing this, realized she was right. A novel culinary delight on a planet starved for good food would indeed cause a frenzy among the people.

Staffing the restaurant had become the most pressing issue.

Just then, the Lin family courtyard gate was kicked open once more. Yang Zhiming looked up to see a familiar figure among the crowd and his lips quirked into a smile. "Ke'er, our free labor has arrived."

Lin Ke'er looked over to see Gold Tooth, who had earlier fled, returning with a new group of menacing individuals, all armed and pushing a massive cart filled with unknown contents.

"Immortal, they... they're back!" Lin Ke'er ducked behind Yang Zhiming, her face etched with fear.

Yang Zhiming reassured her with a pat and stepped forward with a cold huff, "Gold Tooth, no more wrist pain? Looking for another round of trouble, are we?"

Gold Tooth let out a derisive laugh. This time, he wasn't leading the pack but cautiously trailing behind a man. "Boss Lang, that's the creature, neither human nor ghost. Transformed from an ancient mystical cube, its powers are incredibly fearsome. If we can conquer it, it would be priceless!"

Yang Zhiming now understood that Gold Tooth had brought his boss for revenge. His eyes moved to the person known as Boss Lang, expecting a hulking brute, but instead, a tall figure emerged.

Yang Zhiming raised an eyebrow, momentarily taken aback, "A woman?"

Indeed, Boss Lang removed her hat, unveiling a pale, delicate face with striking features and an aura of sheer force. She even sported a pair of animal-like ears.

At that moment, Lin Ke'er tugged at Yang Zhiming's sleeve and warned, "Immortal, you need to be cautious. Boss Lang is a Half-Orc with terrifying speed and strength. She's the leader of this slum."

Yang Zhiming almost let out a shout upon hearing this.

Damn, what kind of insane world is this? Half-Orcs exist? And this beautiful girl is the offspring of a human and a wolf?

Mars, a thousand years in the future, is truly mad!

While he was lost in his wild thoughts, a chilly female voice cut through, "Hey, Blockhead, I'm giving you two options. Either come with me, or I'll beat you into a cube and take you anyway."

Gold Tooth, standing behind her, snickered menacingly, "What does it matter if you're bulletproof? Do you think you can take on our Boss Lang?"

"She even snatched our money earlier today, Boss Lang!"

Hearing this, the statuesque Wolf Girl arched an eyebrow and retorted, "You've got some nerve. Hasn't anyone told you we're not living in ancient times anymore? You must have a death wish, messing with my money."

Yang Zhiming narrowed his eyes, fixating on the Wolf Girl's ears. They didn't seem right for a wolf; they looked more like... a dog's ears!

Having once worked part-time at a pet store in his past life, he was familiar with training dogs. It was clear to him that the Wolf Girl was actually a half-dog.

So he inquired, "Ke'er, in this era, what's the difference between dogs and wolves?"

Yang Zhiming was still getting to grips with this world, so he made sure to clarify everything before acting. In this lifetime, he wanted to avoid any mishaps, focusing solely on making a fortune.

Lin Ke'er paused, then explained, "Immortal, dogs became extinct during the planetary relocation. There are no dogs left in the world now."

A look of sudden understanding crossed Yang Zhiming's face. If that was the case, canine behaviors must be universal. He could probably handle the Wolf Girl using the same techniques he'd learned at the pet shop.

With his newfound clarity, Yang Zhiming's confidence surged. Abruptly, he conjured a silver pistol in his hand and fired a shot right beside the Wolf Girl's feet.

"Awoo~" In contrast, Wolf Girl instinctively recoiled, her hair nearly bristling.

Witnessing this, Yang Zhiming was convinced that this woman truly possessed canine traits—after all, dogs are known to be frightened by loud noises!

"You're asking for it!" Wolf Girl, snapping out of her daze and fueled by her embarrassment, let out an enraged roar and charged at him. Her speed was significantly faster than that of an average human.

Yet, to Yang Zhiming, the metal man, her movements seemed somewhat sluggish. A smirk played at the corner of his mouth as he murmured, "A pet should act the part."

In a blur of motion, and before the onlookers could regain their bearings, Yang Zhiming was astonishingly perched atop Wolf Girl's back.

​