Two minutes later, Noah was still half-asleep, dazed, and trying to figure out why he was suddenly yanked out of bed by his older sister, Snow.
"Noah, listen up. Starting today, you're running every morning. No excuses."
Snow was dressed in a sleek tracksuit, her long hair tied high in a no-nonsense bun. Even without makeup, she radiated that commanding, queen-like aura that made people want to fall in line. Her delicate-looking fingers hid a deceptively strong grip, and before Noah could protest, she had dragged him all the way to the bedroom door.
"Seriously, Snow? I get why you make me study… but why the hell do I need to go for a morning run?" Noah groaned.
It wasn't even six yet! Was she trying to kill him?
He clung to the door handle like it was his last defense against an invading army—his final stand as a man.
Snow's eyes narrowed. "Are you really this clueless, or just pretending? Last night, the Demon-Slayer broke through the newbie map's boundary. Now, every player who reaches level 50 doesn't need to complete a breakthrough quest anymore. This is your golden opportunity!"
"And what does that have to do with running?"
"It has everything to do with running," she shot back. "Now let go of the door before I make you regret it."
They were locked in a tug-of-war, neither side willing to yield.
Noah couldn't help but notice… her thin sportswear wasn't doing much to hide her… assets. Every pull, every shift made her curves bounce in a way that was way too distracting for this early in the morning. A hint of her snow-white chest peeked through the slightly open collar, looking like it might spill out at any moment.
Noah's focus slipped for just half a second—and that was all it took. His grip on the handle loosened, and Snow dragged him straight toward the bathroom.
Damn it! I got careless!
"You have ten seconds to splash water on your face and wake up," Snow ordered, shoving him inside.
Leaning against the doorframe with her arms folded, she tilted her head slightly, the loose strands of her bangs brushing against a beauty mark at the corner of her eye. That little smirk on her lips made her look every bit the victor.
Caught staring, Noah quickly shook his head. "Uh… Snow, I… kind of need to pee."
She rolled her eyes, cheeks tinged red, and stepped back. "You're impossible."
Minutes later, he had no choice but to follow her downstairs and out of their apartment complex. The morning run had officially begun.
Snow set an easy pace along the sidewalk, explaining as they jogged. "Sure, you don't need a breakthrough quest anymore. But with your talent, just cramming on theory isn't enough. You need overall physical conditioning if you want a chance at passing the university entrance exam."
The early sunlight bathed her in a warm glow, her healthy, fair skin seeming almost luminous. Every movement made her curves flow like they were carved for motion—deadly to the eyes of any man following behind.
Noah mumbled an "Uh-huh," his gaze glued to her perfectly round hips. His brain, unfortunately, had taken a different route than the conversation.
If he compared them to Tang Xia's… yeah, Snow was winning.
Tang Xia, of course, would never want to know that she had become Noah's unofficial measuring unit.
"You seem pretty motivated," Snow said over her shoulder, not noticing his wandering thoughts. "Let's make it twenty kilometers today. That sound good?"
That snapped him out of it.
Physically, Noah's current stats were far beyond any other person his age—not even Snow could match him. She just didn't know it. For him, twenty kilometers was nothing.
"Sure. Whatever you say, Snow."
With a beautiful woman like her for company, he'd happily run all day.
By the time they hit downtown, the streets were nearly empty. Their destination: Jiangnan Park, the largest in the city. After half an hour, Snow was still running like she'd just started, her breathing steady and posture perfect.
Noah glanced at her and asked casually, "Snow, what level are you now in the Land of Divine Punishment?"
"Why the sudden question?" she asked without slowing.
"Just curious."
"I hit level 150 last night," she said lightly. "Got there thanks to the new SSS-rank skill I learned from watching the Permanent Sword Insignia."
Noah's eyes widened. "One hundred and fifty?!"
He wasn't faking the shock—he meant it. When Snow entered Capital University, she had only been level 50. In just one year, she'd climbed a hundred levels. And the higher the level, the harder it was to gain experience.
From level 50 to 100 took ten times the effort of going from level 1 to 50. From 100 to 150? Another tenfold jump. Her progress was insane by any standard.
"You taken the Soldier Rank exam yet?" he asked.
Snow gave him a quick look. "Surprised you know about that."
"Please, I've been in school long enough not to be completely clueless," he said with a grin.
After reaching level 50 and completing the breakthrough (or now skipping it, thanks to last night's event), players could attempt the Soldier Rank exam. Passing meant officially registering as a First Rank Soldier and enjoying perks like a monthly salary, housing subsidies, and other benefits.
"Fifth Rank Soldier," she answered simply.
Noah's eyes lit up. "Damn, that's impressive. You must be one of the top players in your school."
Snow shook her head, her voice cool but tinged with frustration. "Doesn't matter. Compared to the Demon-Slayer, I'm still nothing."
That ambition in her tone made Noah raise an eyebrow. Competing with someone like him, a guy with nine SSS-tier talents? She was either fearless… or crazy.
The park entrance came into view. Normally, Jiangnan Park was buzzing at this hour—joggers, old folks doing tai chi, kids running around. But today… silence.
The vast space was eerily empty.
Noah's instincts prickled. Something was wrong. Very wrong.
Without warning, he caught a faint presence—fast, predatory—closing in on them. His muscles tensed, ready to shield Snow.
But she moved first, shoving him behind her and drawing her weapon in one fluid motion.
"Noah, stay sharp. We've got trouble."