"Okay class. That sums up everything you need to watch out for. Safety above all else."
Zane looked at the lecturer at the podium like he had grown another head.
Devils? Demons? What the hell were those? Since when did the curriculum allow such unfunny topics in class?
He looked around at everyone's grave expressions and felt like he was the one tripping.
Or was this one of those more advanced gaslighting moments that would end up on TikTok?
But looking around, nobody was recording. Pale faces showing genuine fear plus sharp eyes beyond their ages.
It was as if they had been under constant threat and had come out survivors from the masses.
Just this was enough to silence him.
The more Zane observed, the more he grew unsettled.
Was his easy transmigration going to turn into something else entirely?
Was this what happens when you spend time taking advantage of future knowledge to get rich without really knowing the environment?
But the more he thought about it, the more something seemed off.
Like how his mother kept nagging him to get him get home before it got dark.
In his previous life, she was very accommodating especially after he turned 18.
But now, he could not stay outside beyond 6 without his phone buzzing to death. Were he to stay out longer, he'd find her crying, thinking of all sorts of scenarios.
Whatever happened to his father must be soul-crushing.
The atmosphere quickly adjusted and everything returned to normal like nothing abnormal had happened.
Normal class flow, normal subject matter, normal boring economics.
Well, what made it boring was that he already knew this stuff. If asked, he'd preach it passionately, context be damned.
I mean, it feels pretty good as long as we don't look at empirical practicality and individual applicability.
That's what makes it an art. The more you sing it, the more it sounds perfect, the more you get addicted to preaching.
That shit must have cost him aura points somewhere but he just could not get enough of it.
When Zane awoke from his daydreams, the lecture was already over.
He looked at his classmate buzzing around planning all sorts of activities feeling rather nostalgic but kind of detached.
Being young again was good in every aspect except that his mind did not regress.
Just looking at some of the stuff they were doing was enough to make him cringe.
These youngins…
Collecting his things, he decided to go to work early.
Had to work part-time now that it was a single-parent household.
Not that he needed to help with the finances, but it was too embarrassing to borrow money for some small expenses.
Not to mention that his consumption patterns were hard to change after knowing what it felt like to have his own income and freedom to spend as he pleased.
That said, there is nothing more freeing than having someone else bear primary financial responsibility.
Not with the way the economy is going. Just thinking about future house and rental prices was enough for him to be content living at home.
Especially since it was more peaceful now.
In short, life was great. The city was the same, the world largely the same.
Just that there were notably more cases of unsolvable crimes and gas explosions that made no sense. More patrols maybe… but all this was far from his immediate surroundings. No cause for concern.
Zane arrived at the convenience store several minutes before his shift. His smile bright, missing the afternoon heat was a small win in his book.
The place was not anything fancy. Just your average copy paste store. Nothing special. Just that its location was a little more hidden and its store front was boring af.
He'd always wondered why someone would set up shop here but it was whatever.
This was perfect for him.
Low traffic was just right for staring into trading charts and forums and the pay was nice for the amount of effort he put in.
"Yo, you came early. Something happened?"
Sophie's soft voice cut through the air bringing his thoughts back.
Zane looked at the girl at the counter feeling a bit dazed for a second.
How to explain this?
Zane, for all his "experience" and "foresight", has never seen beauty like this.
Black straight hair shining under the ceiling lights naturally framed her delicate face, creating a contrast with her pale skin. You'd think she had never seen the day's sun.
Her face adorned with measured features that made her look angelic but the black lipstick and liner type shii she got going on made her look demonic.
She'd got the emo goth girl style down to an art, as long as you don't look further down.
I mean, her curves were too unholy and the law of attraction did its work just fine.
Once you saw her endowment, emo changed to big sis pretty fast.
Sometimes he'd catch himself wondering which was softer, hers or a bowl printing pad.
Weird knowledge finally useful.gif
Let's not even start with any lower or he'd have to talk about hips, thighs… thicc thighs, and feee… anyway.
Zane quickly caught himself and returned a casual greeting.
It was one thing to think about it, but conduct must be proper.
You never know these days. You can never be too safe.
He quickly walked behind the counter and picked up an apron.
When he turned back to face Sophie, that's when he saw it.
The slow dripping of a thick red substance from her left hand which she had hidden under the counter.
The thick smell of iron in the air made it clear what it was instantly.
"Blood?!" Zane blatted out before he could catch himself.
And that's when he knew he had effed up.
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