Love Me Tender is the fifty-seventh chapter of the Black Lagoon spinoff series Dismemberment Galore! The Gore Gore Girl. It was originally released on May 17, 2024.
Plot[]
Late at night at an outdoor dining place, Frederica Sawyer eats some food as Shenhua orders some doujiang, jianbing guozi, and baozi from a nearby food stand. Walking to the table, Shenhua notices her and greets her, noting that it is dawn yet again. Stating that she is taking a break from work, she adds that she is glad such food stands are available in the early morning. Shenhua looks at what Sawyer is eating and compliments the oatmeal but is immediately disgusted by the dish of organ meats. Recalling that Sawyer seems to eat organ meat on occasion, she asks if she can try a piece and wonders if it is a good menu item. However, Sawyer's face turns sour as she takes another bite, dissuading Shenhua. The latter woman says that she saw a person dressed in an unusual outfit while working.
Near them, they overhear Rock order a bowl of rice and soup stock with crab, tao jiao and cilantro. As he walks to the table, he awkwardly blushes upon seeing the women, causing Shenhua to ask why he is frozen. Rock answers that he has a feeling of déjà vu because he just finished a hard day where a cargo dispute ended in a shootout. As Shenhua is weirded out by his meal, Rock adds that Revy elbowed him in the face when he tried to calm her down. He gulps down his food after adding cilantro and tao jiao, claiming that his makeshift Thai-style chazuke is not that bad. Nonetheless, Shenhua professes that it is better than pouring tea on his meal, repeating her distaste for the Japanese eating style. Sighing with relief, Rock compares eating the food to his first time eating hitsumabushi, intriguing Shenhua. He tells her that the food is compiled of eel and rice with broth poured at the end. At that moment, Sawyer tries covering her mouth but ends up vomiting to the side, causing Rock to assure her and Shenhua that the dish is more delicious than it sounds.
At the same time, Rico orders a grilled beef sandwich with high-sugar coffee while Eda buys eggs over medium, bacon, cornbread and orange juice. As they walk to the eating area, Eda agrees with Rico that the mysteriously dressed person whom they saw earlier was definitely Elvis Presley. Eda sees Sawyer's group and wonders why they have baffled faces, to which Rock asks what she just talked about. Thinking he was inquiring about the food at first, the nun excitedly claims that she saw Elvis in the middle of the crowd of "nonbelievers" whom she was fighting. Although silent for a second, Rock and Shenhua confess that they also saw someone earlier who looked like Elvis. Shenhua believes that the man was probably someone in a costume, though the three of them learn that each one of them witnessed Elvis disappearing without a trace in their respective encounters. Eda wonders if the "urban legend" is true, confusing Shenhua. Rock explains that there are speculative rumors about Elvis still being alive after his death in 1977, saying that eyewitnesses make claims such as Elvis being at movie theaters, at a hot dog stand, being abducted by aliens, or he was an agent of a secret U.S. agency. Amused at the last account of being a secret agent, Eda laughs and scoffs at the idea of Elvis being spotted in Roanapur of all places.
Moving on from the topic of Elvis costumes, Rock remarks that he has always wanted to try an Elvis sandwich, elaborating to Shenhua that the dish is said to be the cause of Elvis's obesity and death. Before Rock can describe the ingredients in the sandwich, they hear someone order a bacon sandwich fried in butter with peanut butter, a grilled banana, and blueberry jam. At first, Sawyer and everyone else are surprised by the description but lose their surprise upon seeing that the person is merely Lotton. To their shock, the five of them are in disbelief at seeing Elvis stand behind Lotton, who clarifies that he met the man at a bar and will be treated to a sandwich by him. Smiling at everyone, the Elvis lookalike is pleased that they are friends with Lotton and even offers to buy Elvis sandwiches for them too. As Rock reaches for one of the sandwiches, a bullet suddenly hits the dish and table, scaring him.
Several armed men warn the group to stay put and hand over Elvis to them. The boss directly tells Elvis to come with him, but the costumed man replies that he already cut ties with them. Pulling out two revolvers, Elvis exclaims that he is now happily a freelancer, quickly dispatching of the boss's three men. Angered, the leader retorts that he will not stop pursuing him, to which Elvis confidently responds that it would be futile. Declaring his leave, Elvis apologizes to Lotton and the others for causing a ruckus, promising to buy them an Elvis sandwich some other time. Embarking his pink Cadillac, Elvis bids them goodbye, shocking Rock since he believes the Cadillac further confirms his identity of Elvis Presley. Whereas Rock suggests that everyone go to bed, Eda is left amazed and infatuated with the Elvis lookalike.
Notes[]
- The chapter title is a reference to the 1956 ballad song "Love Me Tender" by Elvis Presley.
- The plot of this chapter involving the same characters dining in public and talking about their work mimics the plot of Gore Gore Girl Chapter 08.