Chapter 398: Overheated

Chapter 398: Chapter 398: Overheated

Ancient Hamman snorted.

"I’m not bullying him. I’m challenging him to a contest of a man’s pride!"

"A man’s pride? Don’t tell me it’s about... stamina?"

"Whoa, they’re taking it that far!"

"The question is, which girl is willing to make the sacrifice?"

"If it was for Long Ming, I bet some would volunteer. But where is Ancient Hamman going to find someone?"

...

The male officers all started chattering amongst themselves.

"Ugh, perverts!"

"Have you no shame?"

...

The many women in the crowd laid into Ancient Hamman.

"What in the world are you all thinking? I’m talking about a drinking contest!"

Ancient Hamman said, his face dark.

"Drinking?"

Long Ming was also a bit surprised.

"That’s right! If you’re a real man, you’ll compete with me. Bring out the liquor!"

Ancient Hamman shouted to his subordinates.

One after another, his subordinates carried over cases of high-proof liquor.

When Jing Chuan saw the liquor, his face darkened as he said to Long Ming,

"Long Ming, don’t drink with him! He’s clearly relying on his Genetic Potion, which gives him a high alcohol metabolism. He’s trying to drink you to death!"

"What? Are you scared? If you’re going to chicken out, then from this day forward, you just have to admit you’re not a real man!"

Ancient Hamman taunted Long Ming.

Seeing that Ancient Hamman wouldn’t let it go, Long Ming said in a low voice,

"Fine. I’ll drink with you!"

"You’ve got guts! Bring it over!"

Ancient Hamman shouted to his subordinates.

His subordinates opened the cases and placed ten open bottles of high-proof liquor in front of both Long Ming and Ancient Hamman.

Ancient Hamman took the lead, grabbing a bottle and chugging it straight down.

GLUG GLUG GLUG~

In an instant, the bottle was empty.

"Yeah!"

The surrounding crowd burst into applause.

’So that’s why he’s so arrogant. He actually has some skill,’ Long Ming thought, a bit surprised to see how fiercely Ancient Hamman drank.

"Your turn."

Ancient Hamman looked at Long Ming excitedly.

Long Ming immediately picked up a bottle of liquor and chugged it down.

After he finished, his stomach felt like it was on fire, but it was just barely tolerable.

"Amazing!"

Fenma and the others clapped excitedly for Long Ming.

"Not bad. But just drinking like this with no snacks is boring."

Ancient Hamman said, a cunning glint in his eyes.

"Whatever you want."

Long Ming replied nonchalantly.

"Good! Straight to the point. Bring them out!"

Ancient Hamman shouted to his subordinates.

Two soldiers brought out two plates, each holding ten black peppers.

At this, the eyes of the officers watching the show all lit up.

"Whoa, Ancient Hamman is pulling this trick again!"

"This move never fails. He’s gotten several people with it."

"This guy is in for a world of hurt."

...

"Kid, one pepper for one bottle of liquor. Whoever pukes or gives up is a little bitch!"

With that, Ancient Hamman picked up a pepper and began to chew it.

Seeing this, Long Ming also picked up a pepper and took a bite.

He instantly froze. A freakish spiciness shot straight to his brain. His face started to flush, and a fine sweat broke out on his forehead as his tongue throbbed with excruciating pain.

’There’s something wrong with this pepper.’

"What’s wrong? Cat got your tongue?"

Ancient Hamman looked at Long Ming smugly.

In fact, these peppers were cultivated by Ancient Hamman’s civilization. They were known as "Death Devil Peppers," and just a tiny bit was enough to nearly kill a person. An ordinary person couldn’t handle it at all.

"I’m eating!"

Long Ming continued to eat the pepper.

"Let me teach you. The best way to eat a pepper is to wash it down with liquor. One swig of this stuff, and I guarantee you’ll be on cloud nine! Of course, that’s assuming you can handle it. Otherwise, your stomach and your asshole are in for a world of hurt!"

Ancient Hamman grabbed his liquor and started chugging.

Long Ming also picked up his liquor and drank. The moment it hit his stomach, his mind went blank, and beads of sweat dripped from his forehead.

"Long Ming, maybe we should stop."

Jing Chuan couldn’t bear to watch anymore.

"No."

Long Ming replied through gritted teeth.

Just then, Hilic’s voice suddenly echoed in Long Ming’s mind.

’Useless. You can’t even handle a small matter like this.’

Long Ming was in no mood to reply to Hilic. He just silently drank his liquor and ate the pepper. But then, he suddenly realized the pepper had lost its flavor, and the liquor in his stomach felt like plain water.

He froze for a moment, but then he realized what had happened. ’It must be Hilic.’

These peppers and this liquor were deadly to him, but they were completely useless against a monster like Hilic.

After all, with its constitution, it could drink poison without even batting an eye, let alone alcohol.

The corners of Long Ming’s mouth curved up slightly. He then finished the second bottle of liquor in one go, ate the rest of the pepper, and looked provocatively at Ancient Hamman.

"What’s taking you so long?"

"Don’t get cocky, kid."

Ancient Hamman immediately sped up and finished his.

Grinning, Long Ming picked up the third bottle of liquor, drained it, then stuffed the entire third pepper into his mouth, chewing and swallowing it in one go.

This display made Ancient Hamman’s expression falter.

He also stuffed the whole pepper into his mouth. Instantly, his face turned beet red, and sweat poured from his forehead.

"Keep going."

Long Ming picked up the fourth pepper and bottle of liquor and started on them.

The muscles on Ancient Hamman’s face twitched continuously as he followed suit.

"Whoa, the fourth one!"

"This kid’s got something. It’s the first time I’ve ever seen someone keep up with Ancient Hamman to the fourth pepper."

...

The crowd marveled.

After waiting for Ancient Hamman to finish, Long Ming immediately picked up the fifth pepper and began eating.

Ancient Hamman ate his as well, but his entire face was contorted, and his pace had slowed.

Seeing that Ancient Hamman was struggling, Long Ming quickly taunted him.

"Don’t tell me you can’t eat anymore? That would be pretty unmanly, wouldn’t it?"

"Bullshit!"

When had Ancient Hamman ever lost this much face? He forced himself to keep eating.

The sixth pepper, then the seventh.

Ancient Hamman’s mouth was so swollen from eating that he couldn’t close it. Drool streamed out, and his face was completely twisted in pain.

"Keep going. I’m already done."

Long Ming said with a chuckle, looking at Ancient Hamman.

"I..."

Ancient Hamman couldn’t even speak properly.

"Haha!"

Jing Chuan and the others burst out laughing at the sight.

But just then, a piercing alarm suddenly blared throughout Blacktan Fortress, followed by a sweet-sounding broadcast announcement.

"Emergency announcement: The front line is under attack by the Insect Race. The battle is extremely fierce. All logistics personnel, please proceed immediately to the Dawnstar and other designated areas to recover resources..."

The officers who had been laughing and watching the show all turned pale.

"We have a combat mission!"

"Stop messing around, let’s go!"

...

In an instant, everyone scattered and left in a hurry.

Long Ming’s brow furrowed as well.

Jing Chuan quickly said to Long Ming,

"Long Ming, we have to go, now!"

"Right!"

Long Ming was no longer in the mood to deal with Ancient Hamman and quickly left with Jing Chuan.

At that moment, Ancient Hamman’s team members hurried over to him.

"Captain, we need to go."

"Go where?! Get me to the medical bay, now!"

"Ah, but what about the mission? We’ll be disciplined if we mess it up."

"How am I supposed to go on a mission like this? My ass is about to start bleeding! Take me to the medical bay, quickly!"

"Yes, sir!"

The panicked officers carried Ancient Hamman away.