When the countdown hit zero, the familiar [Ding!] echoed again. This time, a glowing panel appeared before Felinara. She reached in and pulled out a slip of strange-looking paper.
Chen Le squinted. What's that? Amulet? Strange symbols and intricate patterns were drawn all over it.
Without saying much, Felinara handed it to him.
"This is the buff," she explained.
Chen Le took it, bewildered. "Buff? This…?"
She didn't waste time with small talk. Calmly, she told him how it worked—once he entered the portal, all he had to do was throw the paper forward. It would activate on its own.
Chen Le nodded, slipping the talisman into his jacket pocket. He revved the throttle lightly and rode straight into the shimmering portal.
The system's voice rang out:
[ Ding! ]
[ Pickup complete ]
[ Destination: Goblinian City ]
[ Customer: Arthurion ]
[ Delivery Route Established ]
[ Distance to Destination: 10 km ]
A stretch of barren land unfolded ahead of him. Unlike the rocky paths from his earlier deliveries, this road was paved—though the center line zigzagged in odd patterns. Out of curiosity, he glanced behind him—and froze. The entire landscape had turned into endless, arid desert.
First time I've ever checked behind me during a delivery, he thought. He let off the throttle with one hand and fished the strange slip of paper from his pocket.
Pinching it between two fingers, he muttered, "Just throw it, right?" Then he tossed it forward.
Instead of fluttering away, the paper stood rigid in midair, as if pressed against an invisible wall. A rectangular glow bloomed from it, the size of a doorway. The symbols and patterns lifted off the paper, reshaping themselves to fit the glowing frame.
The light-door slowly advanced, passing over Chen Le and his scooter. The symbols clung to both of them, leaving faint traces along the metal and his skin.
"What the—?" Chen Le stared at his hand.
Another notification appeared:
[ Ding! ]
[ Buff applied ]
[ Mount defense reinforced ]
[ Mount speed tripled ]
[ Rider granted temporary wind-element control ]
[ Rider granted the ability to transform an object into a weapon… ]
"Huh?" Chen Le frowned. "Transform an object… into a weapon?"
He considered using a mana core—but then noticed the scooter key dangling in the ignition. On a whim, he selected it.
[ Object chosen ]
[ Rider may transform the scooter key into a magic weapon based on visualization ]
Chen Le swallowed. Slowly, he pulled the key out.
Clink!
The moment he visualized a dagger, the key shimmered and shifted into a sharp blade. With another thought, it reverted back into the ordinary scooter key.
"…Heh. Kinda cool." He slid it back into place with a grin. "Better keep it here—easy to grab, and it won't fall off."
He gripped the handlebars again, ready to accelerate.
Chen Le was just about to twist the throttle when his eyes caught a glimpse ahead—the strange paper still floated there. A moment later, it crumbled into dust, scattering into the wind. The glowing symbols that had clung to his body unraveled into faint motes of light, then dissolved completely.
"A one-time use, huh…" he muttered under his breath.
He eased the throttle, the scooter's engine growling low. The atmosphere felt odd—not empty, but eerily quiet. A dry wind swept across the barren land, carrying the sharp scent of sand. The hair on his arms stood on end.
"Feels like a cowboy movie…" he clicked his tongue, glancing around. The ground stretched flat in every direction, endless and lifeless, so flat it made his head ache just staring at it.
For now, Chen Le didn't speed up. He let the wheels roll slowly, watching the road ahead. It was perfectly straight—as if someone had carved it with a ruler. Far in the distance, two black mountains loomed, rising like twin sentinels guarding a narrow pass.
"…Hmm." He lifted his chin, studying them. The closer he looked, the more it felt like a colossal natural gate. His mind made the connection instantly: the road had to lead straight through that gap. Judging from the distance, it couldn't be more than a kilometer or two away.
He glanced at the arrow glowing on his scooter's speedometer—it pointed straight toward the pass.
"Guess I'd better go full throttle. Looks like that's where I'm supposed to head."
He drew in a steady breath, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "Let's go."
This time, he twisted the throttle hard. The scooter's tires kicked up fine dust as he shot forward, racing toward the gap between the two looming mountains that grew larger with every second.
He slammed the throttle to the max. The scooter shot forward, the wind stabbing through the gaps in his helmet. The speed was so intense he instinctively ducked down like a pro racer, trying not to get blown off.
"Damn… if this wasn't a scooter, I'd actually look badass right now," he muttered with a wry smile.
The gap between the twin mountains grew closer, looming larger and larger.
But then—
BRUUUAAAKK!
A massive boulder came crashing down from the cliff, dropping straight toward him.
"Shit!" Chen Le jerked the handlebars hard, the scooter swerving at a sharp angle. The rock barely missed him, smashing into the ground behind. But with that kind of insane speed, his tires lost control.
"Whoa, whoa—!"
The scooter flipped, throwing him off. Chen Le tumbled across the ground, rolling until dust billowed around him. Pain shot through his whole body.
"Ughhh… what the hell was that…" He grimaced through clenched teeth as he forced himself up. "Seriously? I'm just a soul, but the pain still feels real!"
Before he could fully recover, a heavy thud shook the ground.
BRUGHHH!
Several figures landed in front of him. Thick, muscular legs surrounded him in a circle. Instinct kicked in—Chen Le scrambled toward his scooter.
"Hahahaha!" Harsh laughter echoed all around.
He turned his head, eyes narrowing. Pointed ears. Green skin. Bulging muscles. Each one wielded jagged weapons of black iron.
"Aliens?" Chen Le blurted out.
Their expressions darkened instantly. One stepped forward, voice heavy with hatred.
"Aliens? You foolish courier. We are the trueborn goblins of this land! We will crush the rotten technology that stripped goblins of their glory—and return our kind to purity!"
"…Great. Just what I needed," Chen Le muttered under his breath.
He rushed to his scooter, yanking it upright and slamming the stand down. His hand pulled the key from the ignition—instantly, it gleamed and stretched, transforming into a longsword wreathed in whirling wind.
Chen Le raised it, flashing a crooked grin. "Wind element and a sword, huh? Guess that makes me one of those so-called heroes who vanish whenever they're actually needed…"
He exhaled long, shaking his head to clear away the stupid thought. "Focus, idiot. If I go down here, I'll really end up being a False Rider."
The goblins roared with laughter, their eyes brimming with disdain. Chen Le lowered his stance, mimicking the fighting poses from the games he used to play—because right now, that was all he had.
The robed goblin pointed a clawed finger at Chen Le, his words dripping like venom.
"Each parcel you carry strengthens that rotten civilization. Each road you ride drives goblins further from the soil, from the truth of our blood! You are no servant of nature—you are its enemy."
Suddenly—
BRGGHHH..... BRUGGHHH...
The cargo box on his scooter rattled violently, he glanced at it.
"What the—" His eyes went wide.