"Now it seems we have no choice but to face it. The only way to leave the eighth floor must be in its hands. If we don't defeat it and get the method to leave from it, we might be trapped here forever."
Fang Ming and the others passed through the stairs back to the eighth floor again. Looking at the familiar markings, Fang Ming knew that simply climbing the stairs would not allow them to leave this floor.
The breakthrough point was definitely with "it," which was the man holding the dark cuisine.
"Nannan, can you sense the strength of that man?"
Nannan nodded, "His strength is roughly close to an ordinary half-fiend. Purely in terms of strength, he shouldn't be my match. But No. 1 said his abilities are very strange. I won't know until we fight him."
"Half-fiend..." Fang Ming rubbed his chin, contemplating a strategy. If it were just a simple half-fiend, Fang Ming wouldn't be too afraid. He couldn't defeat a half-fiend, but he could definitely escape.
However, judging by No. 1's description, the man's bizarre abilities were definitely not that simple.
Zheng Zhu Liu stepped forward, "Fang Ming, I think it seems to have a certain intelligence. Why don't we try to communicate with it first?"
"Communicate..." Fang Ming calculated the feasibility of the matter. "Then let's try to communicate with it first. If we can't communicate, then we'll have to fight."
"Nannan, No. 1, prepare for battle. Sixth Master, you stay behind and retreat if things go south." Fang Ming began to assign tasks. Zheng Zhu Liu's strength was not high, and there was no need for him to rush into danger.
"Alright." Zheng Zhu Liu nodded solemnly. He wasn't one for melodrama. Knowing it's impossible yet charging ahead was something only found in dramatic novels. This was reality, and there was only one life!
"Let's go!" Fang Ming led the way, others following closely behind.
A few minutes later, they arrived at the door of the room where the man was cooking. The smell of burning still lingered in the room, and the man was busy inside.
"Knock, knock, knock."
Fang Ming politely knocked on the door. The man paid no attention.
"Knock, knock, knock."
Fang Ming knocked again. The man still ignored him.
"Let's just go in," Fang Ming said to the others. Since they were already prepared for a fight, they weren't afraid of angering the guy.
"Creak." The door was pushed open. Fang Ming cautiously peered inside and saw the man busy in the kitchen. Billowing black smoke merged into the darkness, gathering at the ceiling.
"Be careful."
Fang Ming walked in slowly, his right hand transforming into a scale shield, adopting a defensive stance.
As they entered the room, the imagined sneak attack didn't happen. In fact, they reached the man's back very smoothly, watching him busy at the counter.
"Cucumber, eggs... Good heavens, where did this guy get all these ingredients?" Fang Ming and Zheng Zhu Liu were surprised. Looking at the wide variety of ingredients on the counter, they exchanged glances—this guy definitely knew the way out!
The man was still diligently cooking, paying no attention to the people behind him. Nannan winked at Fang Ming, asking if they should launch a surprise attack.
Fang Ming subtly shook his head. It wasn't that he was afraid of angering the man, but rather that the man's brazenness made Fang Ming feel that things were not that simple.
So, they stood behind him, silently watching him cook.
However, what they saw next couldn't help but elicit a sigh of exasperation from Fang Ming.
Have you ever seen scrambled eggs with tomatoes and half a bottle of vinegar? Have you ever seen stir-fried green peppers with shredded pork and half a bowl of sugar? This wasn't just dark cuisine anymore; it was pure abandon.
"Are you making stewed tomatoes and eggs with vinegar?" Fang Ming couldn't help but retort, his urge to complain overwhelming him.
"It's tomato and egg stir-fry," the man replied softly, his voice surprisingly clear.
"!" Fang Ming was astonished. The guy actually spoke?
"Do you know how to leave the eighth floor?" Fang Ming quickly pressed.
But the man ignored him again and continued with his cooking.
Fine, Fang Ming looked helplessly at Nannan and the others. This guy was so impolite!
After some thought, Fang Ming figured the man was only interested in cooking. An idea sparked in his eyes, and he decided to provoke him:
"Don't you think your cooking tastes terrible?"
"Impossible," the man immediately denied.
Fang Ming smiled slightly upon hearing the reply. He was afraid the man wouldn't speak. As long as he spoke, things would be easier.
"Have you tasted your own cooking? How does it taste?"
"I only like to cook, not eat, but the taste is definitely not bad," the man said, his tone confident as he busied himself with his work.
"You can try it now." Fang Ming subtly gestured towards the plate of tomato and egg stir-fry, inviting the man to taste it.
"No need." The man put down his cleaver, and in an instant, the entire kitchen counter froze, even the flickering flames seemed to halt for a moment.
Fang Ming's pupils constricted. This guy's ability... even Nannan frowned slightly at this sight, clearly finding it a bit tricky.
"Follow me." The man elegantly picked up two prepared dishes, tomato and egg stir-fry and stir-fried green peppers with shredded pork. However, Fang Ming, seeing the faint black smoke and burnt smell rising from them, thought to himself that there was no need for poison; anyone who ate this would surely die.
The man led the way, and Fang Ming and the others followed. They soon arrived at the living room.
"You can try it." The man placed the two dishes on the coffee table, inviting Fang Ming to taste them.
"..." Fang Ming and Zheng Zhu Liu exchanged glances. Could this stuff be eaten? Nannan and No. 1, on the other hand, showed no reaction. They had never seen human food in reality and had no concept of these things.
"Nannan, can you sense its location?" Fang Ming cautiously watched the movements around them and asked Nannan.
Nannan frowned, looking troubled. "I can't find its location either. Its attacks originate from another dimension. Unless we have the ability to deal damage across dimensions or can pull it out, we won't be able to harm it. However, I can predict its attack locations in advance and block them."
"You block its attacks first, and I'll find its weakness," Fang Ming instructed.
"Mhmm, Fang Ming, don't worry. Its attacks are very weak. There will be attack fluctuations before it attacks, which my hair can sense," Nannan replied obediently.
"Pay attention to the direction of No. 1 and Zheng Zhu Liu. Be careful they don't get ambushed."
"Mhmm, I know."
With Fang Ming's instructions, Nannan devoted her energy to defense, causing its attacks to miss frequently. This was within Fang Ming's expectations, after all, Nannan was a fierce fiend, and the attacker was merely a half-fiend.
For the next period, Fang Ming began to carefully observe the surrounding environment, looking for a way to attack it.
"Hmm? Is that blurry phantom still there?" Fang Ming stared at the phantom left behind before it disappeared, recalling No. 1's earlier description of it.
"No. 1 said earlier that when it enters some kind of mirror world, it leaves a mirror image of its real body in reality, serving to observe reality and provide vision. Doesn't that mean this phantom is its eyes?"
Fang Ming's thoughts raced.
Could this phantom be destroyed? After all, it seemed to be the only breakthrough point now.
"Nannan, cover me."
"Okay, Fang Ming."
Fang Ming leaped up, using the terrain of the room to quickly approach the phantom. It sensed Fang Ming's intention and began to frantically attack him, but Nannan, having predicted it, blocked each attack.
"Clang clang clang..." A sound of metal clashing rang out, growing more rapid. Fang Ming sneered. Sure enough, the weakness was here!