Lin Ge was so furious he… became a little more furious.

The forum allowed users to reply mentally or to summon a private white light screen—an old-school option that provided Sages with multiple ways to interact.

For the full experience of being a keyboard warrior, Lin Ge went all out. His fingers flew across the light screen with the crisp tap-tap-tap of righteous indignation.

Code 666: ?

A single question mark, representing the culmination of his life’s wisdom and wit.

Code 965:

What’s with the question mark? Anyone with common sense knows you can just rip a Return Scroll to get back to Honmaru. If you’re not fishing for reactions, what are you doing?

Before Lin Ge could respond, another message appeared:

That said, your ID is pretty nice. Selling it? DM me a price.

Lin Ge: “…”

So even in such an advanced civilization, ID culture is a thing, huh?

Still, Code 965’s second message inadvertently helped him out.

Closing the light screen, Lin Ge rummaged through his personal storage and retrieved a Return Scroll.

So I just rip this, and I’ll teleport straight back to Honmaru?

I’ll give it a try after tomorrow’s shopping trip.

Sigh… but this bed isn’t as soft as the luxurious mattress I bought for 399 koban.

I wonder if Yamanbagiri Kunihiro remembered to harvest the crops after they ripened.

The Next Day

Miyagi Prefecture, a top-tier administrative region in the country, boasted a vibrant culture and thriving economy. With an abundance of local currency exchanged from koban, Lin Ge indulged himself by hailing a taxi and boldly asking the driver to take him to the most luxurious shopping mall in the area.

The driver, a balding middle-aged man, was momentarily taken aback. His dark eyes gleamed with opportunism.

You only stated the type of destination but not the specific one?

Haha, jackpot!

Let’s see if I can drive you from the northernmost point to the southernmost!

Noting Lin Ge’s frail frame and prematurely white hair, the driver casually struck up a conversation. “Here for sightseeing in Miyagi Prefecture?”

The answer would determine how much he’d overcharge. Too much for a local might cause trouble. But for an outsider? No problem! After all, they’re already on vacation—why would they care about a bit of extra fare?

Lin Ge, now seated in the back and fiddling with the unfamiliar seatbelt, heard the man’s question and casually responded, “Yeah, are there any fun spots around here? …Hey, is your meter broken?”

The fare counter was spinning wildly, as if it was ready to sacrifice itself in the name of this fare.

Lin Ge stared, incredulous. His butt had barely touched the seat! The wheels hadn’t even started turning!

The driver scratched his thinning hair, as if drawing courage from those few remaining strands. “What nonsense are you talking about? It’s always been like this!”

Then, in a tone tinged with pity, he added, “Look at you, so skinny and ghostly. Do you ever reflect on your own problems? I’m over here, busting my ass at my age, and you’re blaming me?”

Lin Ge: “…”

Lifting himself from the seat he hadn’t even warmed, Lin Ge deadpanned, “There’s no need to insult my appearance. Imagine how you’d feel if you looked like me.”

“What do you think? Do you think I chose to look like this? You’ve just shattered my fragile psychological defenses. Are you happy now? What about me? What about me?”

“How could someone as heartless as you exist? Saying that to me—what’s the point of me living anymore?”

“I’m calling the cops! I’m reporting you!”

The driver: “…”

Oh no. A professional.

I’ve encountered someone crazier than me.

His face shifted through various shades of green and white before he spat out, “Puke in my car, and it’ll cost you 4,000 yen!”

Lin Ge grabbed at his hair, looking utterly distraught. “No, you don’t understand what I want! I’m falling apart, and I can’t put myself back together!”

The driver clenched the steering wheel. “How am I supposed to know what you want?!”

Work was already stressful enough! Now I’m the one who feels like breaking apart!

I thought I’d picked up a cash cow, but it turns out I got a calamity!

Unable to bear it any longer, the driver handed Lin Ge 1,000 yen and begged him to get out.

Lin Ge ended his dramatics, nonchalantly pocketed the money, and strutted away with the air of a carefree man.

He’d ordered a phone last night, using the inn’s Wi-Fi to download a few essential apps. Opening the navigation app, he discovered the nearest shopping mall was only 1.5 kilometers away. Shielding his face from the sun with one hand, Lin Ge figured walking there wouldn’t be too bad.

The roadside greenery was lush and well-maintained. The weather was perfect: clear skies, a gentle breeze brushing his cheeks, filling him with a rare sense of peace.

Clutching the 1,000 yen gifted by the driver, Lin Ge felt his ghostly body warm up a little.

Ah, there’s still kindness in this world!

He made up his mind to use this unexpected windfall to buy a bucket of fried chicken for himself—and to bring back some for his coworkers.

Though… how many coworkers did he actually have in Honmaru? If he only brought enough for two, would the others get upset?

The Sage forum was full of people flaunting their sword collections, and Lin Ge couldn’t help but feel envious. He still hadn’t figured out where the button to access his sword ledger was.

Also, weren’t there supposed to be horses in Honmaru, too?

That fox messenger had seriously scammed him. Not only did it give him a downgraded system panel, but it also disappeared after leading him to Honmaru.

If it weren’t for the kind-hearted Yamanbagiri Kunihiro, Lin Ge wouldn’t even know how to farm.

Oh well, that’s a problem for later. Maybe I can file a complaint against that deadbeat fox with the government.

For now, the most important thing is my date with fried chicken.

Lin Ge was happily imagining his reunion with Miss Fried Chicken when a tantalizing scent drifted past his nose, ensnaring him.

This aroma…

It’s Strawberry shortcake!

Fried chicken was immediately forgotten. Lin Ge’s radar pinged to full alert.

Lin Ge zeroed in on the tall, slender figure in the crowd. His legs moved so quickly they could have outrun a rowboat, and with a swoosh, he was standing in front of the man.

Oh my…!

Strawberry shortcake looked stunning today!

No blindfold this time—he was wearing sunglasses. His hair was down, softening his usual high-and-mighty demeanor.

“So coincidental!” Lin Ge greeted enthusiastically.

Carrying a box of freshly baked desserts, Gojo Satoru had been about to leave when a familiar voice stopped him.

Startled, he turned his head and saw last night’s so-called janitor.

Fast.

For someone with such a frail body, this speed was almost unbelievable.

What secrets does he hide?

Recalling how he couldn’t detect anything unusual about this person last night, Gojo Satoru politely replied, “Fancy seeing you again. Do you live nearby?”

In the daylight, the man’s face was more defined—and much thinner than he remembered.

Lin Ge sidled closer, smiling. “Something like that.”

Exhale, sniff-sniff-sniff-sniff!

Just smelling him feels nourishing. Imagine if I took a bite!

Of course, his little movements didn’t escape Gojo Satoru’s notice.

Their eyes met, and Gojo Satoru saw the same unmistakable hunger in Lin Ge’s gaze as the night before.