The bearded master pulled his car up next to Ethan and leaned out of the window with a grin.
"Come on, kid. This ride's on me. No charge this time."
But Ethan didn't even flinch.
Without a word, he pulled out his phone, opened a ride-hailing app, and began booking a taxi.
The bearded master blinked in disbelief. No one had ever rejected a free ride from him.
Sure, he had tried to cheat Ethan for a few extra credits before, but was that such a big deal?
He muttered to himself, "Seriously? You hold a grudge for a single coin? Come on…"
For the first time in his life, he was being ghosted by a male rookie. He could understand being snubbed by some high-maintenance newcomer girl, but a guy?
Feeling oddly challenged, the bearded master pressed on.
"Hey, kid. I admit I scammed you once, alright? From now on, every ride from me is free—whenever you see me."
Just as he was about to continue, Ethan slammed the car door shut, leaned through the window, and said, "You should've said that earlier. Let's go—Old Street in the city."
The bearded master sat there, stunned.
Me—an elite mentor from Ravenshade University, someone feared across the city—just got outplayed by a random newcomer?
He rubbed his temples.
"Fine. I'll let it go," he muttered as he started the engine. "Anyway, I drive for fun, not for money."
But I'm never driving around Darunhua again. That's for sure.
---
As the car rolled forward, a thought that had been bugging the bearded master finally spilled out.
"Hey, kid. Quick question."
"You remember that girl who shared a ride with you last time?"
Ethan's voice was flat. "Nope."
"...Excuse me?" The bearded master's brow twitched.
He took a deep breath and said, "Pull over!"
Ethan stayed quiet, barely hiding his smirk.
Just then, the bearded master's phone started buzzing again.
"You gonna answer that?" Ethan asked.
The man groaned. "Why bother? You'll probably just file a complaint."
But then he paused.
"Wait… this isn't even a platform job. What's wrong with me today?"
---
The bearded master rubbed his face, sighing hard.
"Must be all that dungeon stress from a few days ago. I'm off my game."
He glanced sideways at Ethan, his tone softening. "Honestly, it's kind of messed up, grilling you for info on a girl like that."
He scratched his chin.
"Alright, I'll level with you. I'm actually a tutor from Ravenshade University. That girl—she's got talent. I want to recruit her."
He pulled out his ID card and handed it over.
> Ravenshade University Faculty: Logan Shaw
"If your entrance scores fall short," he added, "drop my name. I'll help you get in through the back door. Call it a favor—for a fellow local."
Ethan looked at the card. It had the unique enchantment emblem of Ravenshade University—something impossible to fake.
He gave a small nod, tossing the ID back.
"A university professor moonlighting as a private driver? That's sketchy."
The bearded master nearly choked.
Did this punk just say that out loud?!
And right at that moment—screech!
The car in front of them braked suddenly. The bearded master reacted instantly, hitting the brakes hard. Their car stopped just inches away from a collision.
Steamed and full of pent-up rage, the bearded master rolled down the window and launched into a storm.
"DO YOU EVEN KNOW HOW TO DRIVE?!"
"Where'd you get your license—a bumper car arcade?!"
"This is my SEVENTH car this year!"
"Are you trying to die today?!"
His booming voice and huge frame made the other driver speed away like a frightened puppy.
Satisfied, the bearded master chuckled and leaned back in his seat.
Then he turned to Ethan and said calmly, "You see, after staying in dungeons for too long, it gets hard to tell the difference between game and reality."
"For me, driving is a way to let go of that pressure."
"There are lots of professionals like that. They take side jobs to balance life and combat."
"Fighting is our world—but too much killing messes with your head."
"You'll feel it soon enough. Once you clear a few more dungeons, you'll see what I mean."
He paused, then nodded at Ethan.
"Consider this a free life lesson—from your friendly private driver. No need to thank me."
---
Ethan actually found himself agreeing.
He'd stayed in the dungeon for days. While he hadn't fought constantly—he let Anti-Bone Boy do most of the killing—he still felt that weird fog in his mind after exiting.
Like he wasn't sure if the real world was real.
Compared to the bloody, eerie silence of dungeons, the city's chaotic streets and honking horns felt... surreal.
Still, Ethan's class gave him an edge. He didn't have to kill with his own hands. Anti-Bone Boy handled it all.
He smirked. "Her name's Lily Winters. She's from No. 3 High School. I'm telling you this, so you'll owe me a favor later."
The bearded master blinked.
Was this kid turning everything into a favor-debt?
But he didn't argue. In truth, even if Ethan hadn't told him, he could've found Lily eventually. But now the kid made it sound like he owed him a big one.
"Fine," he muttered. "You'll probably use that favor to ask me for help getting into Ravenshade, huh?"
"Just wait until you do. Once you're in my turf, I'll show you what real training looks like."
But then he remembered something else.
"Hey, by the way… your school's getting individual training rankings this year, right?"
"I heard they're ranking all new professionals the day after tomorrow."
"What do you think? Where will this Lily Winters rank? And where do you expect to land?"
Ethan stared blankly. "Ranking? What ranking? First I've heard of it."
The bearded master raised an eyebrow.
This kid's not confident, huh? Hiding it by pretending he doesn't know.
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