Luck burst into another world, limbs tingling, the feeling of cold still lingering on his tongue.
It took half a disoriented minute to realize he was in the motel's office, with the flickering light above giving the sensation of a bad dream stuttering on replay.
The flush of adrenaline had not yet drained from his body.
He wanted to believe it was all a hyper-real gaming session, but the raw, embarrassing ache in his frozen crotch and the bruises along his side told a much different story.
The system window hovered above the desk.
[Welcome back, Owner. You have collected 112 Black Tears and suffered a minor genital injury. Would you like guidance?]
"Get lost!" He barely had a moment to breathe before the system began spitting out dark jokes.
Nevertheless, it brought him back to reality. His new objective was clear: become stronger, gain more power, and go back for Neve.
