Chapter 57: I Love Easy Money!
"You really love the sound of your own voice, don’t you, Roy?" Rick stated coldly, his deep voice carrying a heavy, oppressive weight that instantly made the temperature in the hotel hallway violently drop, "But a dog should know how much they bark before they get beaten to death."
Rick took one slow, deliberate step forward, completely crossing the threshold and entering the hotel room, as the massive, terrifying aura of a true apex predator violently exploded from his body, entirely suffocating the air out of the small space.
Roy’s arrogant laugh was instantly cut off, as his knees physically buckled under the sheer, monstrous pressure, completely remembering the horrific sound of his own bones snapping under Rick’s heavy boots just hours ago.
"W-what are you doing?!" Roy stammered pathetically, as all the remaining color completely drained from his swollen face, frantically backing away until his spine hit the edge of a wooden dresser, completely abandoning his grip on Emily.
"I am just doing my job as a delivery boy," Rick mocked crudely, a dark, highly villainous smirk completely stretching across his face, as he casually held up the steaming thermal container.
"The price for this premium Vitality Recovery Broth is exactly five thousand dollars," Rick declared lazily, keeping his voice entirely flat, "And the late-night personal delivery fee to this trash-tier hotel is exactly forty-five thousand dollars."
"Fifty grand total," Rick demanded ruthlessly, extending his empty left palm directly toward the trembling young master. "Pay up."
Roy’s jaw literally dropped to the floor, as his bruised eyes widened in pure, unadulterated outrage, completely unable to process the absolute absurdity of the extortion.
"Fifty thousand dollars?!" Roy shrieked hysterically, completely losing his mind. "Are you fucking insane?! I already paid you a hundred and fifty grand today! I am completely maxed out! I am not paying fifty grand for a bowl of fucking soup!"
Rick did not argue, as he simply unscrewed the heavy lid of the thermal container in one swift motion, completely exposing the boiling hot, golden liquid inside.
He raised the container slightly, tilting it dangerously close to Roy’s heavily bandaged face, as a cold, murderous glint flashed entirely across his dark eyes.
"You have exactly five seconds to transfer the fifty grand right now," Rick whispered lethally, leaving absolutely no room for debate, "Or I swear to God, I will pour this boiling broth directly into your shattered nose and watch your face melt off your skull. And let me make one thing crystal clear to you—nobody in this hotel is coming to save your pathetic ass tonight."
Rick deliberately tightened his massive hand around the premium thermal container, as his system-enhanced strength physically crushed the thick plastic inward with a loud, terrifying crunch, completely proving he was absolutely ready to make good on his lethal threat.
Roy let out a high-pitched squeal of pure, unadulterated terror, as the boiling steam kissed his bruised skin, completely shattering his fake alpha ego into a million tiny pieces.
"Okay! Okay! I will pay! Don’t pour it! Please!" Roy wept hysterically, as his bladder nearly gave out from the sheer terror, frantically fumbling with his phone using his one good hand.
Roy’s fingers shook violently as he opened his banking app, completely draining the last remaining emergency funds his father had given him, eagerly scanning the personal QR code Rick pulled up on his titanium phone and transferring the fifty thousand dollars directly into Rick’s private account just to save his own pathetic life.
"T-transferred! It is done! I paid it!" Roy sobbed loudly, sliding down the dresser until he was completely groveling on the carpeted floor, holding his phone up as proof like a defeated, weeping dog.
Rick casually checked his own titanium phone, seeing the massive deposit instantly clear, as a highly satisfied, greedy smirk took over his face, entirely pleased with farming another massive payout from this pathetic ATM.
"Thank you for your generous tip," Rick mocked lazily, as he casually tossed the open thermal container directly at the groveling young master, completely ignoring Roy’s pathetic state as the heavy container bounced off his chest and violently splashed the remaining boiling hot, golden broth directly onto his bandaged ribs.
"Aaaargh! It burns! Oh god, it burns!" Roy screamed hysterically, as he frantically rolled around on the carpeted floor, desperately trying to wipe the scalding liquid off his ruined body.
Rick turned around without another word, completely turning his broad back on the weeping young master, and began walking out of the hotel room, completely ready to collect his system rewards.
"Rick... wait..." Emily whimpered softly from the corner of the room, her voice cracking with pure, agonizing desperation, as she clutched her sheer white robe tightly against her heaving chest.
She looked at Roy, who was pathetically weeping and screaming on the floor like a complete coward, and then she looked at Rick, who radiated raw, untouchable power, immense wealth, and heaven-defying dominance.
The realization violently crushed her heart into dust, as she fully understood that she had completely thrown away a literal god who would have given her the entire world, just to chase after a spineless, arrogant piece of trash who used her like a disposable toy.
Rick stopped in the doorway, slowly turning his head to look back at Emily over his broad shoulder, as his cold, deadpan eyes offered her absolutely zero sympathy.
"Enjoy your soup, Emily," Rick stated coldly, completely severing any remaining emotional ties he had to his former childhood friend.
He stepped out into the hallway and pulled the heavy wooden door shut with a loud, echoing slam, leaving Emily standing completely frozen in her revealing robe, entirely drowning in a suffocating ocean of pure, devastating regret.
[Ding!]
[Quest Completed: The True Master’s Service!]
[Objective: You flawlessly delivered the Vitality Recovery Broth and successfully extorted another massive sum from the arrogant trash!]
[Rewards: +3% Chef Occupation Progress, +3000 Mischief Points, $100,000 Cash Deposited into Inventory!]
[Chef Occupation Progress Updated: Current Mastery reached exactly 38%!]
Rick read the glowing blue text floating in the dim hallway, as he casually slipped his hands into his pockets, walking toward the elevator with a dark, confident laugh, fully prepared to return to his penthouse and entirely dominate whatever challenges the God of Mischief threw at him next.
"I love easy money!"