Races: Online (VR Smartphone App)

Chapter 156: Interlude: Cracking Opening A Cold One With The Boys

He needed some time to think about thingsand since nobody was replying to his queries and concerns yet, he didn't know if the Wood Elf or the Moderator was busy or plain out ignoring him. Han Jing had decided to go out of the apartment again despite just arriving about twenty minutes ago. Because Han Jing was Han Jing. Or some other absurd reasoning, but the thing was that he had an urge. 

He needed to crack open a cold one and maybe forget about things for just a minute. He had a lot of things to consider and worry about, and he wasn't even talking about Races: Online. Han Jing knew about his situation at home and it made him more annoyed.

Where was hethe man stopped himself from thinking too hard or he'd ruin his mood for no good reason. "I need a drink, just one." And that was why Han Jing made his way to one of the nearest convenience stores.

.. .

There were a few things more boring than watching paint dry. Not that he was going to compare being a clerk to the mind-numbing task of watching paint dry on a hot summer's daybut it was still pretty darn boring. Nobody paid much attention to a clerk and on the occasion that they did, it was to yell at him for not doing his job properly, where the heck was his manager and why the fuck did this store run out beer?!

And that was the usual life of Cody Blake.

Well, the pockets of peace and silence for him were actually far and in between. In his beloved country, convenience stores were hounded by almost anyone. But that wasn't the end of it all. It didn't help that a lot of customers who visited the convenience store he worked at had a lot of people who still asked help in operating the slushie machineand don't even mention the pesky little kids! Little dipshits who think they can get away with filling their extra large cup and then licking the whole top off and then adding in some extra slush to get their drink for the same price.

He hated dealing with little kids.

But regardless of that, he didn't want to sound like a prissy dude who complained too much, he was just tired. The man balled his hands into fists and felt energy course through his veins. This was going to be the day where he changed his life for the better! He knew that today was going to be the day for him, he'd finally quit his job andthe glass doors opened as a customer walked in.

.. .

He pushed the glass doors open. Han Jing pocketed his hands into his hoodie once he stepped into the convenience store and tried to act natural. He threw a look at the bored look of the clerk and at the empty tables before he first went through the snack aisle.

Of course he wasn't going to head to the drinks section, not yet.

Maybe it was a challenge. Who knew? If he looked at the pair of tasty chips then perhaps his urge to drink would turn to an overwhelming desire for chips? Maybe he could scarf down some candies and enjoy the preservatives and additives? He could do it all by himself and he didn't even need to share it with his little sister.

"Root beer?"

It was a blasphemous declarationHan Jing wasn't going to stoop to that stuff to curb his need to drink. "Just a soda, or two. Maybe three." Now here was a thought that came to Han Jing as he reached for the bag of chips: If he had a healing potion, would it negate his horrible eating habits? Would the fantastical and magical world he lived in as Han change if he brought the wonder of saturated fats there? Would the people there ever get unhealthy if they kept drinking healing potions?

Han Jing was keenly aware that he was distracting himself.

But it was much better than reachingthe sound of the doors opening was vivid and clear to his ears. He was currently crouched down as he tried to get the good bag of chips that he knew was hidden in the back of the shelf. Han Jing finally plucked out the bag of chips and once again had the thought that it would have been nice to have his 'Inventory' right now.

He then stood upand then quickly got down again.

The reason was once again just stupid and it was too big of a coincidence? Han Jing didn't know but he braced himself and stood up to see that Chan Lee was also in the store. He distinctly remembered the cashier calling her cute, and he threw another look at the guy in front of the counter.

So what were the social cues "Hey?" Shit. He said that aloud didn't he?

"Oh, hi! I didn't see you there." Chan Lee waved at him and smiled lightly.

Han Jing was pretty sure that she had seen the pitiful disaster that was him, and he wasn't sure if he should feel thankful that she pretended not to see it. He coughed and waved back, "What's up?"

"I was planning to buy some snacks." She answered.

"Neat, nothing like buying some snacks before you get home huh?"

"Ah, I'm meeting up with a friend of mine here."

Friend.

It was probably that guy that took her back home, right? Han Jing nodded, "Sounds fun. Group study or something?"

"Mhmm, something like that."

That was probably some kind of code forwe're doing something else entirely. "Haha, I see. Well, I guess I'll uh, get going by myself now." It was pretty stupid that he had almost been willing to suggest that the two of them go to the apartment together. Han Jing deliberately turned around and ended the conversation there as he looked around the aisle and got a bag of cookies, a packet of candy and then he went for the beverage section.

He grabbed a can of soda and then marched to the aisle.

And man, she was right behind himhow fast could she pick up what she wanted? Han Jing unceremoniously dumped his things on the counter, saw the slightly ticked off look on the clerk's face and flashed them a smile. "Hah, my bad. How much?"

"Twenty-five yuan."

He paid for it and he was soon free from the awkward encounter. He awkwardly waved at Chan Lee and left the store. Mission accomplished? He started heading back to the apartment. If Han Jing had to pit himself against a Spectre or talking to a girlwell, he'd obviously just choose the latter.

There was no use fighting an actual ghost after all. But that was basically it. 

He soon arrived back at his place.

.. .

One often feared a lot of things, but the greatest of them was the fear of the unknown. Who knew what lurked in the deepest and darkest of the oceans? What lay beyond the starsunfathomable black holes and an unmistakable eldritch creature that sought to end the world. The last part was actually a tad too specific for him.

As far as he was concerned, the man was in space.

Well, he wasn't in space floating all by himself with no gravity and stark naked facing sub-zero coldness in one half of his body while the other part by being scorched by the heat of a thousand sunshe was in a spaceship. A pretty great and grandship if one were to ask him. It had almost everything needed to sustain himself. It had a freaking greenhouse, private rooms, an entertainment place, almost a paradise to him except he was in space.

Maybe once the earth had blown up to bits, or the planet was hit by some freak asteroidhe would have liked to stay in a place like this. The technological advancements around him were far greater than any human-made ones could. Well, he hadn't been in Area 51 but he didn't have much high hopes. But anyway, this was definitely top-notch, Galaxy Space Exploration fit technology that he wanted to ride if his home planet was destroyed.

Right now though?

The man was deathly afraid that he'd been abducted by aliens.

And the worst of it all they were all too drop dead gorgeous?! Something was definitely wrong. He was sure that underneath their skins, there might be something crawling beneath it.

.. .

He had actually been half-right. Not that Peach actually paid attention to the guy in the 'spaceship'. It was amusing to see him try to run away and escape through vents, but that person wasn't even under her jurisdiction but someone else.

And she would probably fight tooth and nail to declare server sixty-nine as the most enthralling one that the fucking universe had ever seen. She was biased like that.

The Moderator was currently on a bright white podium with her best smile on her face. The scene she had been watching earlier was on the largest and clearest of displays. It still featured the guy who was being 'hunted' down as she greeted the spectators and audience.

"It is with greatest pleasure that I present to you the collaboration of the Creators of Races: Online with the LoveStellar Organization. The Creators had so long wished for harmony among the multiple races and intelligent lifeforms across the entire universe and it coincides perfectly with LSO's motto to bring love among the stars!"

Peach had never wished as hard enough as right now to bring the Apocalypse than this very moment...