In an instant, a rich, savory aroma of fried goodness merged with the crisp, distinct flavor of the potato chips. It was a unique, addictive explosion of taste that immediately conquered Luo Yuanxing’s palate.

  His eyes widened in disbelief. He glanced at Qin Shi and found his friend wearing an identical expression of shock. This was a level of deliciousness neither had experienced in their entire lives. Compared to the delicacies they had grown up with, a single one of these chips felt like it was leagues ahead of any gourmet feast.

  "How can something be this good?!"

  "See? I told you I wasn't lying," Han Ming said smugly from the side, acting as if he’d personally cooked the chips himself.

  "Wait, hold on—I haven't fully grasped the flavor profile yet. Let me have a few more," Qin Shi coughed, his hand already darting toward the bag in Han Ming’s hand.

  "Yeah, me neither. I need a more thorough tasting," Luo Yuanxing added, not missing a beat as he lunged for the snack.

  Han Ming dodged them both, retreating a few steps. "If you want more, buy your own. I only gave you a sample to prove my recommendation was solid."

  "It’s just five Spirit Crystals. I'll buy the damn bag!" Qin Shi snapped. Realizing he couldn't rob Han Ming, he turned and sprinted toward the snack vending machine. Luo Yuanxing, sensing he might be left behind, scrambled right after him.

  "Just so you know," Han Ming called out leisurely, "the other snacks are just as good."

  "Buy them all!" Qin Shi barked.

  "Oh? Look at that," Tiger Hunter called out from the sofa, his voice dripping with mock surprise. "Our young lords are actually eating the 'pedestrian food' of us bottom-tier mercenaries?"

  "They're probably just 'experiencing life,'" Blood Wolf chimed in, playing along with his partner. "After all, how could such common food possibly taste good?"

  Qin Shi and Luo Yuanxing’s faces flushed a deep crimson. The worst part was that they had no way to refute them.

  "Manager, you're in the starter village? Do you have a moment to help us out? Maybe carry us through a run?" Han Ming asked, sitting down in the booth next to Kael while clutching his bucket of instant noodles.

  "Oh, it’s you. Sure," Kael replied after a quick glance.

  He had been planning to start a livestream to drum up some hype for the New World Mode anyway, and he was looking for a "cast." Ying Feng had already dragged his sister and Ke Minglang off to start their own dungeon run, so Kael was free.

  "By the way, Manager, these are the two newcomers I brought today. Like me, they have no aptitude for cultivation," Han Ming introduced Qin Shi and Luo Yuanxing as they approached.

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  "I can tell," Kael said flatly.

  Three guys with zero talent. However, looking at Qin Shi, Kael felt the face was somewhat familiar—he looked remarkably like the City Lord, Qin Ming.

  "Han Ming, is this the thing that’s supposed to let us learn magic?" Qin Shi sat down in the booth, eyeing the crystal ball with a mix of fascination and lingering doubt.

  "Well, the instant noodles were great, so even if this is a bust, the trip wasn't a total waste," Luo Yuanxing muttered. He had already started treating Han Ming’s promises of magic as a joke.

  "Stop talking and just get in," Han Ming instructed, guiding them through the login process for the New World Mode.

  Suddenly, the large screen mounted on the shop wall flickered to life. The movement caught the attention of almost everyone in the store.

  "Is the Boss starting another tutorial video?" Blood Wolf asked. He was currently waiting for players in a Multiplayer lobby and had some time to kill.

  "Let’s see what he’s got," Tiger Hunter added.

  "Wait, aren't those the two new guys from this morning?" Blood Wolf noticed the figures on the screen immediately.

  "The two talentless rich kids," Tiger Hunter clarified.

  "Wait, it's not a boss challenge tutorial?" Jing Qingyun looked up, noticing the scenery on the screen wasn't the usual arena. Instead, it was a quaint village and a mountain range they had never seen before.

  "Sister Wuji, look! The Manager is live-streaming again!" Shuangshuang said, pushing a bag of chips toward her companion.

  "Let’s watch," Wuji replied. She was convinced that a powerhouse of Kael’s level wouldn't do anything without a deeper purpose.

  "It's the Big Brother!" Lan Zier chirped from the sofa. The rest of the Orchid Leaf Squad paused their own activities to watch.

  "Wait... isn't that Qin Shi?" Lan Ye blinked in surprise.

  The "Seven Stars of Beauty" (the Orchid Leaf Squad) were quite famous in Cloud City, mostly due to those who wished to catch a glimpse of their looks. As a socialite, Qin Shi had crossed paths with them before. He knew his place and had never been forceful, so they were on decent terms.

  "He can't cultivate. Why is he in there?" Lan Qing'er asked. Qin Shi’s lack of talent was common knowledge. If he had even a shred of aptitude, his powerful father would have turned him into a master long ago.

  "Maybe the Manager has a new product," Feixue mused.

  "What on earth were you thinking with your class choices?" Kael stood on the cobblestone street of the village, staring at the three men in front of him with an expression of pure exasperation.

  All three of them were wearing novice mage robes. One Wind Mage, one Fire Mage, and one Earth Mage.

  Are you guys insane? Kael thought. A party of three squishy mages? How are you supposed to clear a dungeon like that?

  "Manager, becoming a mage has been our dream for as long as we can remember!" Qin Shi and Luo Yuanxing shouted in unison. They were trembling with excitement.

  The moment they entered the New World Mode, they felt a mysterious power surging through their veins—the mana they had dreamed of. This world had already shattered their understanding of reality.

  "Manager, please, teach us magic!" The two of them didn't care about their status anymore; they bowed with utmost respect.

  "I’m only going to say this once: I don't 'teach' magic here. If you want spells, you go into the dungeon and find skill books," Kael said, then glanced at Han Ming.

  Han Ming took the hint and began explaining his own experience. Hearing it from a fellow "talentless" peer finally calmed them down.

  "You don't need to grind for levels yet. Without spells, you’ll just be dead weight in a dungeon," Kael said. He hadn't planned on power-leveling them anyway; Ying Feng’s group was already busy in the mountains.

  "This is the unique feature of the New World Mode—world encounters."

  "The first map is the Goblin Mountains. Your enemies are various types of Goblins. There are countless ways to play; it's up to you to discover them."

  "And right up ahead is the most unique thing about this mode."