Chen Le blinked, his eyes back on the countdown panel. The numbers ticked slowly.
"Thirty minutes… what the hell am I supposed to do that long?"
He hadn't realized his eyes kept drifting toward Lia. Maybe because it was his first time seeing a real elf, or maybe because her aura just hit different.
Lia caught the glance. Her brow twitched. Why does he keep staring at me…? A strange flutter stirred in her chest, quickly smothered as she straightened her shoulders, feigning sternness.
"Come. Instead of standing around, let's take a walk."
Chen Le raised an eyebrow. "Huh? We can leave this place?"
"Yes," Lia replied flatly. She strode ahead, her white horse following like a shadow.
Chen Le shrugged and followed. When they reached the edge of the lot, his jaw dropped.
Outside, the scenery shifted constantly—one moment a city skyline, then a glowing forest, then a bustling fantasy market. Worlds stacked together, flickering like a cosmic slideshow.
Chen Le hissed. "Holy crap… multiverse screensaver."
They walked until they came across an old red vending machine glowing faintly, planted beside a row of iron benches.
Chen Le plopped down, still gaping. "A vending machine? Seriously? In this kind of place? Uh… do we even need drinks?"
Lia sat beside him, arms folded neatly. "No. As souls, we don't require food or drink. That machine provides mana-flavored illusions. You can taste the drink… but it's not real. Just to pass the time."
Chen Le smirked. "So basically… ghost cappuccino?"
Lia turned, eyes narrowing. "…You really are a strange human."
Chen Le kept staring at the vending machine, eyes glowing like a kid at an arcade. "Man… vending machines in the afterlife. Wonder if it even works."
Lia sighed sharply, like babysitting a restless child. "Move."
Before Chen Le could touch it, she pressed a button herself.
Ding!
A hologram appeared above the machine:
[ 2 Upgrade Points exchanged → Capumanawhite (Mana Beverage) ]
A frosted white can slid out, mist curling off its surface.
Chen Le gawked. "Wait—Upgrade Points can be spent on this?!"
Lia picked up the can and shoved it into his hands with a sharp glare. "Here. Drink. And stop staring at the machine like you want to marry it."
Chen Le scratched his neck sheepishly. "Heh… thanks." He sat straighter, still baffled. No wonder Upgrade Points vanish fast if you can blow them on snacks.
Awkward silence. Lia's expression was hard, but inside her chest stirred uneasily. Finally… I'm not the only Rider anymore. But why must it be this weak and weird human?
Meanwhile, Chen Le studied the tiny print on the can while Lia pretended indifference.
Pssst!
He cracked it open. A strange aroma wafted out—like premium coffee laced with cold cavern air. He took a cautious sip.
His eyes widened instantly. Sweet, faint bitterness, a warmth and chill spreading down his chest.
"Whoa, damn… this tastes expensive. Like cappuccino mixed with… I don't even know, some kind of energy magic."
Lia glanced, brow raised. His expression was too pure, too amazed. She finally muttered, "How old are you? Why do you look like a child tasting soda slime for the first time?"
Chen Le scratched his head, embarrassed. "Uh… twenty-four."
Lia paused, then deadpanned: "So. Still a child."
Chen Le nearly choked, half protesting. "Hey, twenty-four isn't a kid anymore!" He squinted at her. "What about you, then?"
Lia lowered her gaze briefly, her voice calm. "…Three hundred."
Chen Le spat his drink. "THREE HUNDRED?!?!" He almost leapt off the bench, stiff as a board.
Then his brain caught up, and he smacked his own forehead. "Right, right… elf. Normal lifespan. Not… uh, not sugar mommy territory."
Lia blinked, her eyes narrowing. "Sugar… mommy? What is that?"
Chen Le froze, the can nearly slipping from his hand. "Uh?! No, no—it's just… an expression."
Lia leaned in, brows arched high. "Explain."
Chen Le flailed. "It's… um… a woman who's… older, and, uh, spoils younger men… y'know, like that."
Color flared across Lia's face, even her pointed ears turning red. "WHAT?!" Her voice cracked sharp, startling her horse into stomping a hoof. "You… perverted child!"
Chen Le scrambled back, hands raised defensively. "Whoa, whoa, misunderstanding! I wasn't calling you that! Three hundred's totally normal for elves, I know!"
Lia's eyes stayed sharp, her breath heavy, like she was barely holding back a punch. "Say that word again, and you'll regret it."
Chen Le nodded furiously, cold sweat dripping down his temple. "Got it! Won't say it again! Promise!"
Silence lingered after the "sugar mommy" fiasco. Chen Le sipped the rest of the Capumanawhite slowly, eyes down, avoiding her glare. Things were fine, then I had to blunder.
Lia sat upright, gaze locked ahead, but the tips of her ears still faintly red.
Time crawled. The countdown panel hovered in the air. 00:05:00.
Finally, Chen Le stood, exhaling. "Alright… time to head back."
They walked together toward the parking slots. Back under the sterile neon lights, the parking lot felt empty again. His scooter idled in its slot, Lia's horse shook its mane.
A massive panel appeared before them. 00:00:30… 00:00:29…
"Ready," Lia murmured, already climbing into her saddle. As the portal burst open in blue light, she leapt in with her horse, vanishing gracefully.
Chen Le lingered, blinking. Weird… my first order threw me straight into it. No countdown like this.
The system voice spoke in his head:
[ Detected difference: The first order was mandatory and simplified, to allow new Riders to complete a mission, gain rewards, and apply upgrades. ]
Chen Le blinked. "So that was basically a tutorial? Damn, I thought it was a lucky break."
The portal widened, a sucking wind pulling. Chen Le mounted his scooter, revved it up. "Alright… back in we go. Please no more crowned crocodiles this time."
His headlight flared, and he eased into the glowing portal.