Luke hung the transparent umbrella on the hook of the doorpost, then sat down in front of the counter and put his hands on his knees. "I didn't ask for Mr. Ping's title at the high table last time?"
The bald chef's expression turned serious. "Zero."
Luke nodded. "Nice to meet you, Zero."
Zero lowered his head again. "Nice to meet you, Night Devil."
Luke smiled. "No, please call me John."
Zero didn't mind.
There were a lot of eccentrics in this line of work.
It wasn't like he didn't have a nickname for a freak who would immediately kill an entire family.
He nodded. "What would you like to eat today?"
Luke said, "Pufferbone ramen is fine."
Zero said, "Please wait a moment."
Luke took out an old silver lighter and a metal cigarette case. He opened it and took out a cigarette. "Is that okay?"
Zero smiled. "Feel free."
If it were anyone else, he certainly wouldn't have allowed it.
However … those who were capable would always receive preferential treatment.
Besides, he was probably the only chef in the world who could make Night Devil return to eat ramen again.
A year ago, this "honor" might not have been much.
Because back then, Zero didn't think he was any worse than Night Devil.
In the hitman industry, anyone could kill ordinary people; there was nothing to brag about.
Only by killing professionals could one truly prove their status.
And their peers were the most professional of professionals.
The famous hitmen of the Fraternity were all considered "quasi-Legendary" existences in the industry.
Sloan was one of the most mysterious Legendary hitmen — to be able to live to seventy years old and still be able to suppress a bunch of famous hitmen under his command was even rarer than a Legendary hitman.
But it was precisely such a top hitman organization that eighteen hitmen and their leader, Sloan, were blocked in their nest by Night Devil. They were all killed in one night, along with a hundred fully-armed regular hitmen.
Word gradually spread.
Night Devil went from being a "suspected" Legendary hitman to a "suspected" God of Killers who surpassed the Legendary level.
Secondly, in the last two years, superheroes and all kinds of villains had appeared in front of people all over the world.
In the hitman industry, it was publicly acknowledged that Night Devil could fight these extraordinary existences.
That was because everyone suspected that Night Devil was also an extraordinary existence.
What could Zero ask for from such a person?
Since the other party could ask him politely, he could only say, "As you wish."
Luke flicked open the lighter, lit the cigarette, and took a puff. Then, he put the cigarette on the table and let it burn.
Gusts of wind blew in from outside. The red dot on the cigarette butt flickered, and bits of ash fell with the wind.
Ling concentrated on making ramen.
This was the most serious work he had done in several years.
Even so, steaming hot ramen was served in less than ten minutes.
Luke flicked the cigarette that only had a filter left on the edge of the table into the puddle outside the door, and the last bit of red light instantly extinguished.
He took the chopsticks and began to eat the bowl of noodles.
Just like eating other food, he didn't seem to be in a hurry, but he finished it within two minutes. He even drank all the broth.
Luke put down the bowl and nodded. "This is the best food I've eaten in Tokyo."
Zero's eyes were filled with joy. "Thank you for your praise, Your Excellency."
Luke took out a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his mouth. "Zero, for the sake of this bowl of noodles, I'll ask you one last question."
Zero's expression turned solemn. "Please go ahead."
Putting the handkerchief back in his pocket, Luke asked in a low voice, "If I asked you to never kill anyone again and focus on being a promising chef, would you accept it?"
Zero was silent.
Staring at the knife on the chopping board for a long time, he finally took a deep breath. "I'll accept it. But, I hope that you can officially fight with me once, please! "
Luke's lips curled up. "You'll die."
Zero, however, bowed calmly. "Please give me this chance."
Luke said, "When and where?"
Zero said, "Now, here."
Luke raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure?"
Zero smiled. "I'm sure."
As he spoke, he placed a kitchen knife on the table in front of Luke. "This is your weapon. Is it okay?"
Luke looked at the kitchen knife and nodded a moment later. "Yes."
Zero stretched out his left hand. "Please."
Luke raised his eyes. "You first! Otherwise, you won't have a chance to pick up that knife. "
Zero's right hand moved slightly. Next to it was the knife that he had used to cut the fish.
Compared with the kitchen knife in front of Luke which was 25 centimeters long, this knife looked old and only 15 centimeters long.
In terms of human size, Luke's knife was an adult model, while Zero's was a primary school model.
But for a professional expert, familiarity and suitability were the most powerful weapons.
Zero's eyes flashed as he said in a low voice, "Thank you."
There was silence. Three seconds later, his right hand blurred.
The old knife left a faint gray trail in the light as it cut at Luke's neck.
There was a flash of cold light.
At that moment, Zero's knife finally brushed past Luke's neck.
The gray knife was less than a centimeter away from his neck, but that was Zero's limit.
If he wanted to go further, his movements would change, and the knife would slow down, giving Luke even less of a chance to touch him.
Zero chose to continue this almost perfect attack until his arm returned to his side.
He looked down at the kitchen knife on the table again and smiled bitterly. "How much effort did you put in?"
Luke tilted his head and thought for a moment. "Half."
"Only half of it." Ling sighed calmly. "Thank you for your guidance. I am very grateful."
Luke nodded slightly. "Sayonalala, Mr. Zero."
A smile appeared on Zero's face. "Sayonalala, Johnny."
As he spoke, he suddenly collapsed on the table.
A dark red color gushed out from his neck and spread across the clean kitchen counter.
Luke took out a pack of cigarettes again, lit one, and blew out a smoke ring.
He didn't smoke in this life, but he did in his previous life.
Looking at the smoke rising into the air, he placed the cigarette on the edge of the table in front of Zero. "On the road to hell, have a safe journey!"
After that, he got up and picked up the transparent umbrella hanging next to the door, before he slowly walked out into the crimson rain.
There was no longer any sound in the food stall, except for the wet wind, which made the cigarette in front of Zero's bald head flicker.
Suddenly, a strong gust of wind swept in.
The half-burnt cigarette rolled on the edge of the table and fell to the ground.
A foot stepped in at that moment and instantly crushed the cigarette under the sole of the shoe. A drunken voice rang out. "Ping Jiasan, we're here again. Hm, are you sleeping, Ping Jiasan? Ahhh ~ ~ ~ "
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