When Josh led Hou Zheng into the tunnel, he stopped at the chamber with the excavated cars. He leaned against the tunnel wall, as if he was hoping to escape, and let Hou Zheng choose where to stand. The giant of a man leaned on one of the cars. It was a bit farther away from the tunnel than Josh was.

Perfect.

“So,” Josh said once they were both settled. “You work for the dragon.”

“On a temporary basis, thank the spirits,” Hou Zheng said, in a conciliatory tone. “Please, think of me as a mercenary.”

Josh raised an eyebrow. “A mercenary priest?”

That earned him a chuckle. “Indeed.”

“What do you get out of this?” Josh rolled his shoulders. He'd been down here working too long, and there was an ache that wouldn't go away. “Not sure how much glint and shine can get you if your boss eats the world.”

“I will be granted a currency that is worth much in the higher realms. Lord Wú Huǒyàn is nothing if not generous with his allies.”

Josh's brain stopped a bit at the name, but he had to assume it was the dragon. He focused on the other thing he had said. “Wait. Higher realms?”

“Of course. Did you think this was the only world?” Hou Zheng cocked his head. “Did Mizuno not tell you?”

Josh scowled. “He was a bit busy trying to kill me. We didn't have a chance for a real gab.”

“Oh. Well.” Hou Zheng shrugged. “This is an Earth-type world. Mizuno came from a Water-type world, and I come from a Fire-type. Along with Air-type, those are the four basic world types. Above us is at least one higher tier.” He paused. “I have never been to the realms beyond those, and have never met anyone who has. Their existence is mostly just a logical supposition.”

Josh rubbed his forehead, kneading the skin around his mask. “All right. All right. So you let this world drown—”

“Burn,” Hou Zheng corrected, as if he was talking about how to prepare soup instead of the death of an entire world. “I rather think that Lord Wú Huǒyàn will use fire more likely than water.”

“...sure. So you're just going to let this world burn because you're too much of a nob to get off your arse and help us?”

Hou Zheng hummed thoughtfully. “I believe we are getting off track,” he said at last. “This was supposed to be about what I can do for you, and why you might be willing not to interfere in my employer's plans.”

Josh scowled and waved his hand. “Have a go, then.”

“First, proper introductions are in order.” He stood up, bowed, and removed his helmet. “I am Hou Zheng, level 72 War-Torn Cleric. I am authorized to negotiate on behalf of Lord Wú Huǒyàn, also known as Flamebreak, for safety and compliance.”

Well, he definitely wasn't an elf.

He had pointed ears, but that was where the resemblance ended. He had dark green skin, like the depths of a forest, and sharp tusks jutting out from between his lips. Josh wasn't sure how he could even speak coherently, much less with such diction.

Past the alien skin color and tusks, he looked... almost normal. With his accent and name, Josh could see an Asian cast to his features, in the shape of his black eyes especially. He had black hair shaved down to almost nothing. In fact, Josh suspected that he had shaved his head clean, and it had simply been a few weeks since he had a chance to keep up with it.

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Josh stared for longer than was probably polite. Eventually, Hou Zheng stood up, quirking an eyebrow at him.

Josh coughed awkwardly. “So,” he said. “You're, what, a goblin?”

He laughed. “An orc, I think you would call me. Goblins are the people of air.” He grinned, and despite his large tusks, it didn't look predatory. “Of course, as you will learn, 'orc' is an insult. I am a human, of a Fire world. Call me a Fireworlder.”

“Right. Yeah, okay.” That remained the least insane bit of this whole mess. Also, level 72 War-Torn Cleric? An Exemplary-tier [Healer] class? That was a problem and a half all on its own, but bugger all if he knew how to handle it.

“I introduced myself,” Hou Zheng added. “It is only right you do the same.”

Josh scowled again. “Yeah, yeah okay.” He took a deep breath. “Joshua White, level 37 Stonecrafter.” He paused. “I am authorized to negotiate on behalf of the Eight Immortals, also known as the Eight Heroes, in matters pertaining to the safety and survival of the human race.”

Authorized was somewhere between a huge exaggeration and an outright lie, but he thought he'd be forgiven if he did manage to talk the dragon out of burning the City to the ground.

Hou Zheng raised an eyebrow. “Indeed? Well, perhaps this will be an even more productive negotiation than I was hoping for. You see, all my employer requires is access to the Tower. If you can grant that, then not one person need be harmed.”

“I can't, unfortunately.” He wasn't sure even the Eight could grant it, if they were here. “Leaving aside that the Tower is sealed up—you do know that the Tower is sealed, yeah?”

He didn't seem concerned. He just smiled like a patient father. “Lord Wú Huǒyàn is aware, and it will not be an issue.”

“Well, leaving that aside, there's all sorts of junk and muck around the Tower that can't just be moved.” In particular, there were enough traps right at the entrance to blow a dracobeast to smithereens. No one wanted more monsters coming out, after all, even if everyone was pretty sure that wasn't possible. “There's no way to just clear the way for him to waltz in.”

“Let us assume that my employer can compensate for any material loss caused by an... aggressive entrance,” Hou Zheng said smoothly. “Would you be capable of removing bystanders?”

Josh paused. He definitely didn't have the authority to do that, not even on his best day without a bounty hanging over his head. But if the alternative was a dragon burning the City to the ground on its way to its prize...

“Let us assume that I can,” Josh said. He'd have to call in every favor he had ever received and possibly fake a terrorist attack, but he might be able to get the area immediately around the Tower evacuated. Maybe. “What, exactly, are you offering?”

Josh almost expected him to say “your lives,” but instead the orc just spread his arms wide. “Please. Name your price.”

That made Josh narrow his eyes. “That's a shiny offer, but it's a trick and a half. I don't know what your boss considers expensive. I ask for half the planet on a plate, and he thinks it's cheap because I didn't ask for the moon and the stars too.”

“Most people ask for the safety of their friends and family, to start with.”

Josh gave him a flat look. “Call me daffy, but I thought that would be part of the package. Maybe dragons are a bit different, but most humans I've met assume not killing your partners and their friends is part and parcel of any deal.”

Hou Zheng smiled widely. “Ah, but you misunderstand. That is not a threat. Indeed, you are correct, you and yours will not be harmed by Lord Wú Huǒyàn if you make a deal. The payment is that you will not be harmed by anyone else, either.”

“Okay...” he said slowly. “And what exactly does that mean? All plain and simple words, if you please.”