Rui Mengmeng still couldn't quite define what a "Super God King" was. She had simply heard Zhang Da Ye mention "Super God Academy" and the "Pirate King" in this world, then improvised a title she thought sounded cool.
Having declared she wanted to save the world with everyone, her chuunibyou tendencies were basically confirmed.
Zhang Da Ye could only offer her an awkward yet polite smile. But soon, that smile would be tested.
Thanks to Tom's efforts, a full-course meal appeared before them. With a new member joining, Tom had specially prepared extra portions.
"Welcome, Mengmeng, to the tavern!"
Raising teacups in lieu of wine, Zhang Da Ye greeted warmly: "Eat freely, as if you were at home—don't hold back!"
He knew the three of them had big appetites and worried Rui Mengmeng might not eat enough.
Half an hour later…
Zhang Da Ye rubbed his belly: "Tom, should we cook some more?"
Tom nodded and returned to the kitchen.
Rui Mengmeng lowered her head, tidying plates: "Sorry, sorry, I ate too much. I—I usually don't… Should I deduct the food cost from my salary?"
"No worries. You're a super soldier now. Using strength beyond normal requires plenty of energy."
"You mean from hitting that thug? Ah, I get it now!" Rui Mengmeng exclaimed. "Eat enough to match the work done. I'll work hard in the future!"
Probably it wasn't that extreme, but for now, Zhang Da Ye understood that obtaining resources in this world for a super soldier like her would be a big task.
Another problem: if Zhang Da Ye somehow absorbed any part of Rui Mengmeng's constitution, he might become an even bigger eater himself…
The tavern business had been steadily improving. With prices raised, profits covered food costs and even left savings. Occasional side income from street thugs or bounty hunting added to it.
Zhang Da Ye thought life would be comfortable, but now he knew that within a month, he'd be worrying about food again.
If worse came to worst, he could continue subduing human traffickers or work part-time as a bounty hunter; he was confident he could handle small-time pirates.
After finishing the welcome feast, Zhang Da Ye and Rui Mengmeng washed the dishes together.
"Boss, you wash dishes too?" Rui Mengmeng handed him a dish cleaned with detergent.
Zhang Da Ye rinsed and dried it: "Boss? Tom earned the money to buy this tavern. Technically, I'm working for him."
"Wait, isn't Teacher Tom your pet?" Rui Mengmeng first looked incredulous, then reconsidered. "Then how did you meet Teacher Tom?"
"About two months ago," Zhang Da Ye recounted their survival at sea together.
"Sounds tough."
"It was, but things are much better now."
After finishing the dishes, they went out to buy clothes.
The Shabody Archipelago at night was quieter than Earth before her arrival. The 59GR light pollution was minor, with only a few shops open late.
Some areas, like commercial and hotel districts, were brightly lit until midnight.
Shopping was uneventful, though Zhang Da Ye noticed Rui Mengmeng, though appearing timid, was surprisingly skilled at bargaining. He considered assigning her future procurement tasks.
On the way back, a few shady characters tried to approach Rui Mengmeng. Recognizing Zhang Da Ye and Artoria, they immediately backed off.
Their older gang leader had taught them whom to provoke and whom to avoid.
Stories had already spread: the beautiful guard at the tavern never used a second strike, and "Rampaging Da Ye" brutally knocked out his victims with folding stools. Those who had been defeated quietly referred to him as "Folding Stool Da Ye," in the same naming system as "Great Sword Sword."
Since only a few people had encountered him, the nickname hadn't become widely known.
Back at the tavern, Rui Mengmeng went to her room to organize her things, while Zhang Da Ye exercised.
Artoria trained briefly with Zhang Da Ye before attending to her own activities. She had recently bought a notebook to transcribe dishes from the food column in newspapers, offering her afternoon tea as payment for Teacher Tom's expertise.
Tom relaxed the most, lying on his side, propping his head with one hand, holding a snack in the other. He watched Zhang Da Ye train, then flipped through newspapers for comics and stories. His occasional mischievous laughter almost caused Zhang Da Ye to choke on his exercise.
Once energized, Zhang Da Ye started the lottery, anticipating a new prize pool:
[Congratulations! You obtained: Rui Mengmeng's Shoulder Armor, Ge Xiaolun's Personal Computer]
[Stored in the item inventory.]
Seeing the first item, Zhang Da Ye had a bad feeling—it reminded him of mobile games designed to drain money: one set split into countless pieces, requiring grinding or payment to complete.
[Rui Mengmeng's Shoulder Armor: Part of the Black Armor set for Warrior Rui Mengmeng. Incredible defense; maximum effect achieved only when the full set is collected.]
As expected, the full black armor had to be gradually collected. The next item:
[Ge Xiaolun's Personal Computer: An ordinary computer containing Ge Xiaolun's university games and study materials.]
The computer was practically useless here—no internet, games likely unplayable. Being humanities materials, it was mostly for passing the time.
After storing the items, Zhang Da Ye continued training before washing up and resting.