Just as Hao was about to turn Old Tiger Zhao away, the door suddenly swung open. Lin Yijun walked in first, followed by Hua Feixue, Yue Xueyan, and Xiao Lianfeng.
They all greeted Hao as they entered – then paused at the same time.
“…”
In front of the counter was a ragged, shirtless old man on his knees, both hands raised as if begging a god.
Old Tiger Zhao turned around, still on his knees, and saw the four newcomers.
He waved.
“Oh hey, kids! You here for the cold miracle too?”
In their minds, the Old Tiger Zhao was already branded as something close to a beggar.
“Cold miracle?” Hua Feixue repeated, brow furrowed in confusion.
They weren’t so sure. The old man’s rambling could mean anything.
It could be referring to one of the canned drinks, perhaps the Peach Oolong Tea, a favorite of many older ones.
Old Tiger Zhao slowly stood up, dusting off his knees as if this behavior was perfectly normal. He then turned to Hao, a hopeful glint in his eye.
“Come on, kid. Look at my face. Look deep into these eyes.”
“Can you really turn away an old man in need?”
Xiao Lianfeng sent a mental transmission to the others.
’Isn’t he a body cultivator? Not a beggar?’
Hua Feixue, Yue Xueyan, and Xiao Lianfeng shared a silent exchange.
Xiao Lianfeng’s gaze never left Old Tiger Zhao, eyes scanning every inch of the man – every muscle, every fiber.
There was something about the way Old Tiger Zhao stood, something in the way he carried himself.
It wasn’t immediately obvious, but the old man exuded strength.
It was the type of strength that Xiao Lianfeng recognized – a subtle yet undeniable presence. It reminded him of the raw power that came from years of grueling training and battle.
This wasn’t the power that came from spiritual qi or cultivation techniques. No, this was something different altogether.
It was strength earned through sheer will, forged through countless hardships and relentless effort.
Xiao Lianfeng had felt it in himself after pushing his body beyond its limits for years.
Now, that same force seemed to radiate from Old Tiger Zhao.
He wasn’t sure how strong the old man truly was, but Xiao Lianfeng could tell that there was more to him than met the eye.
This was their first time seeing this old man in the store, and despite his strange antics, something didn’t sit right with him.
He might not even be from Sovereign City, but if he wasn’t, then where exactly was he from?
The four slowly shifted their eyes away from the strange old man.
Their gazes moved across the store.
Only now did they realize… the store had changed.
It was bigger. Much bigger!
Hua Feixue blinked several times.
Yue Xueyan tilted her head slightly.
Lin Yijun looked around and let out a soft whistle.
“Boss, did you expand the store?”
“Yeah.”
Like it was just another Tuesday.
Well, it kind of was for them.
But still, this was no small change.
The aisles were wider and been rearranged. The walls felt farther apart. There was more room to walk, to breathe.
The ceiling seemed higher.
It wasn’t just bigger.
It felt like a new place.
The four began scanning the shelves without another word.
New layout meant new chances.
And sure enough –
“There’s a new thing over there!” Hua Feixue pointed at the corner with both hands.
It was a strange silver machine, cold and boxy.
Her eyes sparkled.
“Senior Hao! Is that artifact for a new product?”
“It looks so cool!”
“Yeah.” Hao replied. “It’s for ice cream.”
“Ice cream?” Hua Feixue echoed, eyes wide.
“What’s that? Is it cold?”
Behind them, Yue Xueyan said nothing.
Her gaze was locked on the screen behind Hao.
It showed a smooth swirl of pale white, resting gently in some kind of crisp, pointed vessel. She didn’t know what it was made of… but it looked good.
Neatly shaped.
It looked flawless.
Elegant. Delicate. Clean.
“Soft Serve Vanilla Ice Cream.”
Yue Xueyan wasn’t sure how it would taste.
But just looking at it made her want to try.
She didn’t show it on her face.
But her hand was already halfway to her storage ring.
Two crystals, ready for payment.
They say “talk less, act more.”
Yue Xueyan took that to heart.
Ice cream first. Questions never.
Yue Xueyan stepped forward and headed toward the counter.
“One Soft Serve Vanilla Ice Cream, Senior.”
She placed two crystals. The sound of them clicking down was crisp.
The other three blinked.
Wait. Yue Xueyan’s buying it already?
Hua Feixue quickly bounced up to her senior sister.
“Senior Sister! Why didn’t you wait for me?”
She pouted and gently tugged Yue Xueyan’s sleeve.
Yue Xueyan pointed at the screen above.
“It’s two crystals, Feixue.”
“Ah – !” Hua Feixue fumbled inside her storage ring.
She quickly pulled out two crystals.
“Senior Hao! I want one too!”
“Also me, Boss.” Lin Yijun said, raising a hand..
He was already fishing his crystals out with his other hand.
The line for ice cream was forming fast.
But Xiao Lianfeng didn’t move yet.
Instead, he walked toward the old man, stretching near the corner.
He stopped in front of him, cupped his fists, and bowed.
“Greetings, Senior.”
Old Tiger Zhao raised an eyebrow.
Then he let out a deep chuckle.
“Heh… And here I thought kids these days forgot about old men like me.”
He patted Xiao Lianfeng’s shoulder with one hand.
No, not pat.
It was more like a friendly slab of thunder.
The casual tap from Old Tiger Zhao massive hand turned into a small earthquake.
Xiao Lianfeng’s legs buckled slightly under the sudden pressure.
His knee almost touched the floor.
But Old Tiger Zhao raised his arm just in time, easing the force with a sheepish chuckle.
“Oh – my bad, kid.”
“You need to train your body more! Haha!”
His laugh echoed like a carefree wind.
It wasn’t mocking.
Just loud.
Xiao Lianfeng straightened back up and smiled stiffly, the way a low-level player would after eating a boss hit and pretending it didn’t chunk 90% of his HP.
He looked solid on the outside –