For the first time since arriving in this world, Arin felt warmth.
Not the physical kind—but something deeper.
A sense of closeness.
A sense of… belonging.
The four serpents were coiled together nearby, bodies overlapping as they slept peacefully, breaths slow and steady. For a brief moment, the cave felt less like a den and more like something resembling a home.
A family.
Then Arin's gaze dropped.
And the warmth vanished.
His inventory was empty.
Completely empty.
"…You've got to be kidding me."
He stared at the four sleeping serpents, irritation slowly creeping up his spine.
"These mindless maggots," he muttered, massaging the space between his eyes with the tip of his tail. "Eat, sleep, eat again… do you have no worries in life?"
His stockpile of food—what little he had—was nearly gone.
A dangerous thought slipped into his mind.
Should I run?
Leave them here. Save himself.
For a heartbeat, the idea tempted him.
Then something uncomfortable stirred within his chest.
A remnant of humanity he hadn't completely shed.
"…No," he sighed. "That'd be a real d**k move."
His eyes flicked back to the serpents.
"But am I supposed to be a mama bird now?" he muttered anxiously. "Am I really responsible for four bottomless stomachs?"
With no other choice, Arin hesitated—then opened his karma tab.
He didn't want to look.
Not even a glance.
But desperation left him no room for pride.
[Karma: 35]
His pupils shrank.
His heart skipped.
Thirty-five.
More than he had ever possessed before.
A smile tugged at his lips—brief, fleeting—before reality crashed down on him.
With system prices… it wouldn't be enough.
Not for them.
He swallowed and opened the shop.
---
Shop (E-Tier)
Refresh: 2
[Karma: 35]
1. Poor-Quality Healing Potion — Cost: 7 Karma
Still weak. Still diluted. May heal you… eventually.
Tastes like mud. But mud that heals.
2. Low-Grade Spirit Meat (Rare) — Cost: 5 Karma (Stock: 5)
Provides energy for 24 hours. Slightly beneficial for cultivation.
You rolled this only because the odds favored you.
3. Poor-Quality Qi Refinement Pill — Cost: 20 Karma (Stock: 1)
Assists cultivation.
Completely out of your league. Know your limits.
4. Rotten Beast Meat — Cost: 1 Karma
Rotten. Smells worse than it looks.
May attract flies. May cause diarrhea.
5. Snake-Skin Patch — Cost: 3 Karma
A fragment of shed skin. Can be absorbed to slightly strengthen scales.
Very slightly.
---
"…F**k."
Arin's eyes widened.
"So expensive," he muttered hoarsely.
"How is this E-tier?" he demanded, genuinely offended.
His gaze lingered on the list.
"I want to…" His voice dropped. "…buy everything."
The words tasted bitter.
He inhaled deeply and closed his eyes.
That single breath contained enough curses to last a lifetime.
Even the four serpents stirred, sensing his agitation.
After a long moment—like a monk emerging from forced meditation—Arin exhaled.
"…Alright," he said grimly. "Let's calculate."
"One piece of rotten meat lasts about four hours for one of them," he muttered. "I have one left. That's minus three karma already."
His tail twitched.
"The pill costs twenty. That leaves twelve."
"Two spirit meats…"
His expression darkened.
"That leaves… two karma."
"Holy hell."
[Wow. You must've used all your brain power for that. Good job, mama bird.]
Arin ignored the system.
His tail trembled as he hovered over the confirmation.
Then—
He pressed it.
The items vanished from the shop and reappeared in his inventory.
Relief flickered—
And died instantly.
[Sucker. Who's going to feed your children while you're in a 48-hour cultivation period?
You currently possess four hours' worth of food.]
Arin froze.
Color drained from his face.
He looked moments away from collapsing.
The serpents, sensing distress, slithered closer and coiled around him instinctively, their bodies warm and concerned.
"Hahaha… I'm fine," Arin muttered weakly. "Don't worry."
But he wasn't fine.
After long minutes of silent contemplation, only one option remained.
"…We move."
The words came out calm. Heavy.
He looked at the four serpents seriously.
"Do you understand?" he said slowly. "We're leaving. Somewhere with enough food to survive."
They stared back at him.
Blank expressions.
Tongues flicked.
Food clearly occupying every thought in their heads.
A low thrill coiled in Arin's chest—fear, anticipation, curiosity—all twisted together.
Survival demanded movement.
They began to slither forward, leaving the cave behind.
Yet unease lingered.
Is it really okay to abandon this place?
The thought passed.
Survival came first.
This was not the time for nostalgia.
Arin led them toward the unexplored path.
The right one.
He had already tested the left.
He was stronger now—but still inexperienced.
Elsewhere.
At the edge of a dangerous forest, a group of young cultivators stood tensely.
"Our destination is close," Ren said calmly, walking ahead. "This forest is divided by danger zones."
He glanced back at them.
"We're only entering a minor beast territory."
His voice steadied them.
"Now move."
Yet as they stepped forward, the unease in their hearts refused to fade.