"That feeble man wanted dozens and i delivered him more than what he required. A job well done indeed. Time for me to return."
Lilith stopped the wreckage above and beckoned the ranting peoples with a finger. She then turned around and disappeared from the eyes of the masses.
"Are you sure we can't take her out, old Mu?"
"She's stronger than me. What do you think?" The three friends of the beggar that were the only ones privy to his words was stunned.
It was after the second breath that they followed along the crowd into the rundown shack in question.
With how easily the first hundreds had entered, the rest knew right then and there that this was certainly the doing of that unnamed expert.
The woman who had a divine mien and an unmatched sexy body to top it all. And most importantly, the mysterious stranger also had unbelievable power to back her up.
"You have customers waiting below, host." Rake heard the familiar female voice of the system.
"Wait a second." he whispered and clicks, taps, and pushes resounded in the air. Not only that but there was also streaming grunts and crashes of people that were killing each other in merciless fun.
The seconds turned to minute and the minutes turned to more minutes. It was fifteen minutes into the wait that Rake finally roared.
"K.O.!" he laughed outrageously in his victory and felt the rumbling on his belly a few breaths later.
He recalled that he had not eaten anything since he arrived in this world. So that was from lunch till this moment. And now his body was telling him to eat up or go die starving.
"Are my meals free?" Rake checked.
"Affirmative, host." He remembered that he was not alone in this place.
"How about my summons?" Rake asked.
"Affirmative, host. They belong to you and the system has also allotted proper food and dwelling for them." He decided that he will have to eat later during the sale on his wares.
This was his house here and nobody was going to disallow him from doing anything he wanted to. Especially when it concerns about eating when this was a venue for such precise undertaking.
Rake smiled and was about to meet his guests. But then he paused and thought for a bit.
"Can i be killed inside my restaurant?" Rake double checked. The will for self-preservation was strong in him as he had yet to meet Heaven again in his lifetime.
This obsession wouldn't have driven any man this hard but then again, they hadn't yet seen Heaven in their lives. A pity.
"Negative, host. The abode was specially designed to protect its occupants at all cost.
The intruders will have to destroy the Dwelling of the Hermit first before they would be successful in their wish to murder inside the establishment."
"Good. That's what i wanted to hear. Thank you." Rake said his piece and vanished to meet his fated visitors.
Rake reemerged before thousands of people. He was only surprised that the grand palace has also accommodated the rise of its occupants.
More tables and chairs were added from the last and the sea of gathered souls were vast and numerous indeed.
"Welcome!" Rake greeted but no one stood up from their comfortable postures. Only the eyes of the multitudes observed Rake's body with open curiosity.
"A mortal? Impossible!"
"Should we take him as hostage and perhaps take this mystical place all for ourselves?"
"Don't be stupid! We'll get killed before we can reach him. That Lady expert is that strong." Some discussed in whispers while others exchanged through their divine senses.
But in the end, no one was stupid enough to take inappropriate action in the domain of these mysterious cultivators.
These were the leaders of this world and were seasoned veterans in the game of life and death. All were aware that acting prematurely was a certain path to failure.
"Did they hear me?" Rake queried inside.
"Affirmative, host. All the people inside heard you, loud and clear."
"Good." Rake calmed down and decided to say his piece even without the invitation of the masses.
"I am Rake Stevens. Most of you must now know me and that's because i came from a faraway land. I am here to do business and if you would let me, i'd like to introduce the first of my merchandises."
Again. Only silence. And perhaps muted mutterings. So Rake continued.
"This item is called the Peanut of Longevity. Anyone who eats a piece of it can have an additional year into his life." Rake said and looked at the hoary persons in the scene.
There was definitely no shortage of white haired men and women in the field before him. He smiled before he continued.
"I understand that you have doubts about its effectiveness. But i can assure that this will shatter your understanding about longevity pills and similar products."
"How so?" an aged voice finally reached the ears of Rake. He turned his head to look for the speaker and with the help of the system he found the person after three breaths.
This was a regal man who wore corresponding emperor's garbs.
Around him was his retinue as they all donned on similar hues in their robes and most especially the obvious tell was the insignia on their apparels.
A sitting dragon with the image of the sun and the moon on its palms.
"Why don't i show you instead? I want a volunteer. The requirement is simple.
Someone whose life is at the end and the usual precious medicines, manmade and naturally sprung in the world, are no longer effective. This one comes for free. Take it or not, the decision is solely yours."
"BANG!"
Rake waited for the commotion to die out. The people around were definitely like what he used to read about.
Were the authors in those books immortal cultivators themselves to be able to paint a realistic picture of what this world was truly about?