After three rounds of drinks and a feast of dozens of dishes, Russell and his companion, Caesar, devoured the food with the efficiency of two high-powered bulldozers. They weren't plowing through dirt, but rather leaving behind empty plates and skewers.
Even O'Neill, usually unfazed, was left staring wide-eyed. He finally understood why Russell insisted on eating at a street stall; if they were at a five-star restaurant, the bill for such ravenous eating would be astronomical.
Throughout the meal, O'Neill mostly watched as Russell and Caesar consumed huge quantities of meat and dishes, washing it all down with chilled beer.
"Boss, have you not eaten for half a year?" O'Neill couldn't help but ask with a hint of disbelief after seeing them finish kilograms of braised beef, along with hundreds of skewers of lamb, oysters, shrimps, and N servings of chicken wings and legs.
It wasn't just Caesar's large appetite that amazed him—Russell, typically a light eater, joined in such a culinary onslaught that it stunned O'Neill.
The shock extended beyond O'Neill to the stall owner and other patrons, watching in disbelief. This amount of food would overwhelm even a robust football team.
Were those two even human? Even with low street-stall prices, there was no need to wage a war against their stomachs!
The usually "hearty" stall owner was also nervous, worrying that Russell and Caesar might eat themselves into a medical emergency, which would be bad for business.
"That's about it. I'll likely continue like this for a while. Don't be surprised," Russell remarked casually, wiping his mouth with a napkin after taking a sip of Tsingtao beer.
Truth be told, he was genuinely hungry, and post-serum, even more so! His enhanced digestion was one thing, but this enormous intake was primarily due to the Hard Shell Technique.
The growth of the blue scales largely relied on converting massive food intake into organic nutrients for their development.
Russell's second blue scale finally matured, absorbing about 90% of his food intake to solidify, leaving only a small fraction for his body's actual needs. As for Caesar, well... it's hard to describe this polar bear of a man with earthly terms.
"Is the boss secretly practicing some skill that requires massive nutrition?" O'Neill speculated, his initial shock replaced with curious excitement.
"Uh... you guessed right." Russell had to acknowledge O'Neill's uncanny imagination, which saved him from a lengthy explanation, knowing this guy wouldn't believe him anyway.
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
"Hehe, I knew it! Boss, you're extraordinary. Look at this table—refilled several times over—how can anyone have such a powerful digestive system? It's enviable!" O'Neill exclaimed, beaming.
Russell noted O'Neill’s grin, recognizing it as a prelude to a request. This guy always had something up his sleeve when he smiled like a madam of a brothel.
"Out with it. And no, I won't be teaching martial arts or gambling techniques," Russell interjected, preemptively laying down boundaries.
"No, no, not at all. I know boss's secret techniques are family-taught, not for outsiders. What I actually want is..."
"Hold on, there seems to be something you haven't sorted out yet?" Russell interrupted, turning serious as he broached a matter concerning his family's safety.
"Ah, that guy seems to have vanished into thin air. I've exhausted all resources but haven't found his whereabouts. It's likely he fled abroad, back to his mother who remarried a foreigner. But don't worry, boss, I've got people watching over your family. They're safe," O'Neill explained earnestly, an unusual level of seriousness indicating the gravity of the situation.
"Is that so?" Russell pondered quietly before raising his head and addressing O'Neill with grave solemnity: "Take care of my family's safety, and consider it a personal debt I owe to your family."
This promise was not lightly given. Owing a favor to O'Neill personally was one thing, but to the Jiang family was significantly more weighty. Yet for his family’s safety, Russell made his stance clear without hesitation.
Russell wasn’t naive; he knew that while he and O'Neill got along well, no one helps for free. But with O'Neill currently on his side, he felt secure in his choice.
"You're too kind; it’s nothing. Helping the boss with small matters is my duty. Haha...oh," O'Neill responded, trying to downplay the matter, though his beaming face betrayed his satisfaction.
"Alright, so what's your small favor?" Russell asked, used to O'Neill's antics.
"It's not that big of a deal, really. Boss, I just need you to lend a hand. Here’s what’s happening..." O'Neill leaned in, whispering a long-winded explanation.
"That's it?" Russell asked incredulously. "That’s 'not a big deal'?"
"Really, that's all," O'Neill answered sheepishly, face flushed.
"Is it important to you?"
"Well, sure, kind of important," O'Neill replied, avoiding Russell’s piercing gaze, somewhat taken aback by his boss's newfound intensity.
"Alright, I'll do it. I could use the money, anyway," Russell agreed, smiling knowingly. "I guess you're not entirely irredeemable."
Russell had noticed a brief flicker of sincerity in O'Neill's eyes, prompting his decision to help. First, to repay the favor from the suet jade purchase and the help with the Chen brothers. Second, he genuinely needed money. A few thousand wouldn’t sustain Caesar and his growing needs for long, let alone fund more experiments with beast companions.
Third, Russell wanted to give his cheeky friend a helping hand, seeing that O'Neill had some ambition after all.
"See, I knew your millions were almost gone, boss. No worries! As long as Caesar participates, there's a guaranteed payout for each event, plus bonuses. It adds up," O'Neill explained gleefully, chugging a beer and inhaling deeply on a cigarette, clearly thrilled.
"Let's hope so. I’d like to see Caesar in action. Caesar, what do you think?" Russell inquired.
"Whatever you say, boss," Caesar mumbled through a mouthful of king crab, not lifting his head, though a glint of excitement betrayed his primal eagerness.