Gourmet Hunter - Chapter 7 (Patreon)

Chapter 7: Picking a Fight

Meteor Street's population is close to ten million, and its layout forms a cross with four wide and straight streets dividing it into four areas.

Here, there's no government interference; the entire Meteor Street is managed by the Elder Council, which consists of four elders each governing one of the four directions: north, south, east, and west. Although there are factions, there are no factional disputes.

Machi's residence is located in the Western District. Just by crossing several narrow lanes, one can reach the main road of the West Street, leading directly to the exit of Meteor Street, outside of which lies nothing but garbage. Trucks occasionally drive in from outside, dumping garbage without any care.

Luo and Machi walked side by side to the main road of West Street.

There were quite a few people on the street, and upon seeing Luo, they looked at him with disdain and scorn. Some even spat at him, though no further outrageous actions were taken.

"What's going on?"

The hostility shown by the residents along the way baffled Luo. Was it because he was a foreigner? But Meteor Street accepts anything, it didn't make sense to reject him. Could it be just because he wasn't a baby?

Moreover, if it was a rejection of his arrival, his past twenty-something days here wouldn't have been so peaceful.

"Machi, what's going on?" Luo was puzzled and a bit annoyed, quietly moving closer to Machi to whisper.

Machi glanced at him and replied indifferently, "They don't know about you since you've been staying in my house without going out. So, you might be considered a 'kept man'."

Self-reliance is a fundamental quality for survival in Meteor Street. From the moment one is discarded here, the principle of self-reliance is engraved in their bones. Even infants who are born limbless find ways to survive by the age of four or five, not to mention able-bodied people, and age is not a privilege to act spoiled.

In such an environment, it's not surprising for Luo, who has been hiding in Machi's house for nearly a month, to be spat at. If someone were more hot-tempered and straightforward, they might have wanted to give Luo a lesson right away.

"Kept man..." Luo twitched his mouth. Honestly, being called a 'kept man' by a little girl in such a bland tone felt very weird, and he couldn't even refute it.

Luo let out a bitter smile, habitually rubbed his forehead with his index and middle fingers, wishing he could knock down these ignorant folks with a slap. However, that wouldn't change anything.

"It seems I need to shed this 'kept man' label before improving the diet." Luo grimaced. In a few days, he would show them by his actions how wise it was for Machi to bring him back - no, not bring back, but invite.

As his mood gradually calmed, Luo no longer paid attention to the surrounding gazes.

Machi, seeing Luo's calm demeanor, raised her eyebrows slightly. She had never asked about Luo's past because Meteor Street doesn't reject anything, naturally not caring about these matters.

But she felt that Luo, seemingly about the same age as her, faced so many contemptuous gazes without reaction, lacking the sharpness expected of his age group.

How could Machi know that the body of a teenager like Luo was housing the soul of an adult?

"Aren't you angry?" Machi asked.

"Pfft, how could I possibly stoop to the level of these shortsighted people." Luo replied, shrugging off carelessly, but then he saw a middle-aged man in a thin shirt up ahead giving him the middle finger, his face darkened instantly.

The universal gesture works everywhere, it seems.

Without saying a word, Luo returned the gesture.

Machi watched Luo's response speechlessly, then turned her gaze to the middle-aged man, her eyes narrowing slightly.

Seeing Luo's reaction, the middle-aged man's face showed anger, but a hint of cunning flickered in his eyes as he aggressively approached Luo.

"Machi, if he starts it, knocking him down shouldn't be a problem, right?" Luo saw the angry man coming and thought it a good opportunity to test the results of his half-month's cultivation.

You can't even outmatch me, yet you want to knock him down...

Machi thought silently, not answering Luo's question, but stepped in front of him, then quietly faced the middle-aged man.

Seeing Machi's action, Luo was slightly touched that she was willing to block trouble for him, but he couldn't possibly hide behind a little girl.

The surrounding residents of Meteor Street, anticipating a spectacle, placed Luo even lower in their esteem upon seeing him behind Machi.

They wished to see the middle-aged man teach Luo a lesson. If not for Meteor Street's iron rule against harming one's fellow residents,

 they would have liked the middle-aged man to twist Luo's head off to spare them the annoyance.

Residents of Meteor Street generally have good physical condition, and this middle-aged man, towering over Machi, was significantly taller.

The middle-aged man clenched his fists, making a cracking sound, and said coldly to Machi, "This is between him and me."

Machi silently pulled out a thin fishing line, responding to the middle-aged man with action.

This middle-aged man, named Marza, had some disputes with her. She knew his real trouble was with her, and although he hadn't acted in their previous encounters, this time he seemed unable to restrain himself.

"My strength is absolutely inferior to Marza's. I can't afford to be hit or to resist bluntly, the margin for error is too high. So, I need to find a way to entangle his lower body with the line, restrict his mobility, then go on the offensive," Machi's thoughts raced.

"So, you're taking this upon yourself," Marza's eyes slowly widened, showing a cold smile.

"It has nothing to do with him," Machi stated flatly.

Marza's gaze suddenly turned icy, and without warning, he swung a punch at Machi, not showing any mercy or hint of holding back.

Machi's eyes narrowed sharply.

The punch was as large as a pot, not so fast that it was impossible to react, but Marza's sudden attack, combined with their close proximity, didn't give Machi enough time to dodge.

"I have to block it!"

As thoughts flashed through her mind, Machi decided against a hasty dodge, instead raising her delicate arms to cross in front of her.

Marza's eyes showed disdain.

At that moment, Luo suddenly moved, pushing Machi aside with a faster reaction.

Machi, pushed by Luo, fell to the side, her eyes wide as she watched him calmly face the punch, thinking, "Is this guy tired of living?"

The punch, aimed at Machi, now headed straight for Luo.

"Looking for death!" Marza bared his yellow teeth.

"Thud!"

A dull sound, Marza's large fist was stopped by a small hand, unable to advance further.

"Huh?" Marza was stunned.

So were the onlookers, surprised that the so-called 'kept man' easily blocked Marza's punch, and he seemed quite at ease.

Knowing Marza's strength, the people of West Street were shocked to see his punch so easily caught.

Luo, covered by a thin layer of Qi, felt no pain or pressure from catching Marza's punch, thinking his half-month of cultivation was indeed useful.

"Uncle, that's quite a punch!"

Luo chuckled, his praise laden with heavy sarcasm.

"You little brat!" Marza gritted his teeth, eyes nearly shooting fire, feeling utterly humiliated.

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