Chapter 168: Back In Front Of The Quick-Mart One Year Later!

Chapter 168: Back In Front Of The Quick-Mart One Year Later!

I look down at the glowing screen of my smartphone and smile, seeing that the display has just ticked over to exactly 11:30 PM.

I am currently wearing a worn pair of blue jeans, a plain white t-shirt reminiscent of my absolute poorest days, and some casual high-tops, sitting entirely alone on that familiar, lonely bench situated right in front of the Quick-Mart store before my official midnight birthday.

The bench positioned right across the street underneath the flickering glow of the streetlight brings back a flood of heavy memories. Right at this exact moment, the local Star High School is hosting its annual Prom Night event.

"Linda, Nichole, and Nadia looked absolutely beautiful in their dresses last year," I murmur softly to the quiet air. "It is so incredibly difficult for me to truly believe everything that has successfully unfolded across our network in just one short year."

In all honesty, I don't entirely know what sudden impulse got into my head tonight. I had chosen to return to my old, dilapidated apartment to clean up the space, and I ended up throwing on some of my old garments from that era. Unhappily, the fabric now feels incredibly tight and restrictive against my heavily developed, athletic body, sigh.

But I had felt an overwhelming urge to return to this exact geographic coordinate tonight, so I deliberately left my luxury vehicle behind, shifted my smartphone over onto silent mode, and traveled here strictly on foot. I walked the entire distance and refused to drive a single block. I just intuitively felt that I absolutely needed to be stationed here tonight—the exact night, one year later, that my original System quit.

Tonight, I didn't even bother to pack any hidden firearms with me, primarily because I no longer require their presence now that my personal martial and shooting skills are almost fully seated exactly where they need to be. I quietly watch a handful of local prom students pull into the lot to buy some commercial beer and wine for their scheduled after-party festivities.

What exactly am I waiting around for? Why on earth am I sitting here entirely alone instead of being wrapped tightly within the loving arms of one of my incredible women back at the mansion? The answer is simple: I never actually got to purchase that damn can of beer I had waited for on this exact bench one year ago. Sure, I am officially of legal age now and can easily march past the glass doors to grab one, but the internal context is entirely different. That original night was completely packed with bitter regret and agonizing physical pain. I feel that by executing this specific ritual tonight, I will successfully close another hidden wound buried deep within my psyche.

I lean back against the wooden slats, mapping out what has transpired across our household recently.

Vicky and I truly had a long, profound conversation that evening following her exit from the vault. I simply held her tightly within my arms and laid out absolutely everything regarding my past-life origins, explicitly omitting the specific intelligence involving Lucy and Mei's hidden operations. That particular secret is simply not mine to share out loud. Following our lengthy session of questions and answers, she spent the remainder of the night making love to me with an incredibly slow, intense passion.

On a slightly melancholy note, Victoria has officially decided to end her teaching job at the institution the exact moment final exams conclude in two weeks. Her escalating responsibilities as the newly seated Head of the Long Clan, alongside her expanding private businesses and her ongoing pregnancy, make it physically impossible for her to maintain her teaching schedule.

Mary is already back on her regular street beat, aggressively solving cases across the districts before she gets officially saddled with her upcoming Sergeant administrative duties. In a spectacular twist of pure irony, she is working a shift tonight, exactly like she was last year. She was actually the one who had explicitly sent me back to our old apartment to clean up the rooms for our upcoming anniversary night celebration.

Pam and Sam Sun are currently locked in a state of absolute operational panic because the numbers indicate I am on track to completely outperform Sam in our high-stakes betting arrangement, sigh. Yeah, a significant part of me simultaneously wants and doesn't want to star in the upcoming second vampire movie installment. But then again, do I actually possess a bizarre vampire fetish, or is that pull strictly centered around Kate's charms?

Jean and Kate are absolutely over the moon regarding the fact that I secured a significantly higher performance grade and rating than Sam. He has been incredibly preoccupied in class and heavily distracted ever since finalizing his marriage to that Chinese beauty. It seems his new spouse had aggressively barred him from physical intimacy for an extended period during her training, and now that they are officially wed, it has transformed into an every-night occurrence. His overall concentration has taken a severe hit from the exhaustion. Mei could only let out a series of giggles when she first intercepted the intelligence reports regarding Sam being systematically drained of his energy every single night.

Just last week, our university Kung-Fu club traveled to the National Tournament, and we completely cleaned the clocks of every single competitor on the mats. Love Triangle looked significantly happier than a virgin losing their purity the exact moment our team officially clinched the championship trophy.

Thinking back to the vivid memory of Linda standing in her white prom dress last year, I am grounded by the reality that in only five short weeks, she will officially give birth to our baby girl. A genuine smile slowly carves its way onto my lips as I process our lengthy history together, reflecting on how she hardly ever smiles in public. Yet, behind closed doors, she stands right next to Lucy as the most vocally expressive lover in my bed.

Reflecting on our expanding nursery reminds me of Tina, whose pregnancy was officially confirmed shortly after our formal wedding ceremony concluded. She is also projected to deliver a healthy baby girl.

Speaking of my wedding with Tina, I am scheduled to officially marry Linda the exact moment our university exams are finalized for the term. Her traditional mother is currently panicking to get the paperwork pushed through, given that our child is right around the corner. For a woman of her traditional background, a child born completely out of wedlock represents an absolute face-slap to her family's social standing. I find it slightly amusing how Linda's father always flashes me a silent thumbs-up behind her back whenever her mother begins to spiral into a panic.

Oh, and the newly developed Lang-Lee Raceway infrastructure is scheduled to be completed very soon. The design team completely rejected the traditional, oval-shaped stock car tracking layout, opting instead to construct a twisting, hyper-complex street-racing course engineered to challenge a driver's technical skills to their absolute limits. The terrain is incredibly dangerous and is guaranteed to attract the high-speed downhill racing crowd from across the province. Head Long has already secured the rights to televise the events, while the underworld syndicates will handle the entire digital online betting infrastructure, yielding a significant financial kickback straight to the Long family assets.

Kim has been incredibly stressed out over formatting her final exams for the student body, and I had to personally step in to help her set up the curriculum grid. She has been completely scatterbrained lately, knowing full well that right before the start of the upcoming university year, she will officially assume the title of my wife. During our lectures, she will occasionally space out entirely at her podium, a stupid-looking grin plastering her face as she visualizes our future family.

Her parents and I have been actively corresponding to finalize the logistical preparations for transferring the entire Smith & Wesson manufacturing infrastructure directly to Eurasian soil. However, their biological sons recently discovered the corporate migration strategy, and they have been throwing absolute tantrums over the loss of their inheritance leverage. Those brothers are guaranteed to represent a massive thorn in my side the exact moment I execute my travel plans to America, that is for sure.

Hana has officially taken an extended leave of absence from her emergency room position to focus entirely on taking care of her body and nurturing our newborn boy. She wants to enjoy a long, uninterrupted summer break before returning to resume her path as a pediatric student alongside us at Star University. She has explicitly hung her favorite vinyl miniskirt outfit directly over her closet door to serve as a daily visual reminder of her ultimate goal to melt the baby weight off and get back into tip-top physical shape. She wants to remain my ultimate trophy wife. Naturally, she told me to stuff my opinion when I explicitly told her that such extreme measures weren't necessary. That drive is just her personal thing.

Glancing through the reinforced glass window to watch the store clerk working inside the store, I can't help but laugh internally. Jim is actively ringing up local customers with an incredibly happy expression plastered across his face. Even though he is technically my wealthy neighbor living inside the illustrious Garden Estates and remains married to the incredibly powerful Ashley, he explicitly insisted on keeping his low-wage Quick-Mart job. When Akeno aggressively questioned his logic, he looked her straight in the eye and told everyone, "Rick and I are on track to build a massive business empire, and I absolutely need to analyze commerce from the bottom up! I have already been officially promoted, and my ultimate goal is to become the store manager before university concludes in three years. This is my personal Business Way! Believe it!"

Yeah, absolutely no one in the room caught the blatant Naruto reference he pulled out, but Akeno looked incredibly impressed by his dedication nonetheless. Oh, and she and Jim recently welcomed a beautiful baby girl into the world. Akeno regularly brings her over to the mansion to play alongside my son, Rick Jr. I highly suspect that if the two infants get along well in the future, Hana and Akeno will actively plot to arrange their marriage down the line, sigh. I am incredibly sorry in advance for your future freedom, son!

Ashley Tong also managed to get pregnant during the exact same timeline that Tina did, prompting me to jokingly rename our localized neighborhood block the Nursery Garden Estates.

Just as my eyes drift over to trace the dark mouth of the alleyway where I had been brutally beaten one year ago, my smartphone begins to vibrate aggressively in my palm.

Ring. Ring. Ring.

I glance down at the digital display to check the time and caller ID; the screen reads exactly 11:40 PM, and Lucy's name is flashing across the screen.

I slide the toggle to answer, greeting her, "Hiya, Lucy. How are you doing tonight?"

[Seeing you return to that specific bench to remember last year's trauma is completely tearing me up inside,] Lucy’s voice answers through the receiver, her tone tight with emotion. [I want nothing more than to hold you right now.]

"No, don't worry, I am actually sitting here thinking about entirely good things," I answer smoothly, trying to ease her worry. "I am simply stationed here tonight to finally purchase that can of beer that completely eluded my grasp last year. You calling my line was more than enough to ground me. I love you."

[I truly hope you enjoy the specific birthday present I am actively sending to your coordinates right now. I love you, Rick. Click... do do do...]

I pull the phone away from my ear, looking a bit confused by the abrupt sign-off. What on earth kind of birthday present is she talking about? How did she even know I would venture out to this specific convenience store tonight? I hadn't even consciously planned the trip until the last second. Does her mind truly track my behavior so flawlessly that she can successfully predict exactly where my feet will end up before I even make the conscious choice to move?

Woo. Woo. Chirp!

Down at the edge of the street block, the distinct strobe of a squad car's emergency lights flashes for a brief second accompanied by a quick siren chirp before the marked vehicle pulls smoothly against the curb.

Mary, dressed in her full law enforcement police officer uniform, steps out from the driver's side door. She makes her way across the asphalt toward my position with a massive grin plastered across her face, her steps confident as she signals that she knew from earlier today exactly where I would end up.

Yeah, she clearly understands my internal logic even better than Lucy does. Mary slides onto the bench right beside my frame, wrapping her arm securely around my shoulders with a warm smile.

"I was an incredibly bad sister to you last year, and I wasn't there to stand by your side when everything collapsed," she whispers, her eyes locking onto mine. "So, my little brother, I have officially caught you red-handed in the middle of the act tonight. Are you going to come along quietly into my custody, or am I going to be forced to radio the dispatcher for immediate backup?"

She leans in to press a firm kiss against my cheek, her eyes sparkling with a look that tells me she is actively up to no good, prompting me to question her, "Officer Lee, what backup are you actually talking about—"

Right on cue, echoing from the left side of the road—the exact opposite direction from where Mary’s cruiser had initiated its approach—a massive, gleaming black luxury limo pulls smoothly into the convenience store parking lot. The vehicle anchors itself directly in front of the Quick-Mart entrance, looking exactly like Linda's transport from last year.

The driver's door and the front passenger side swing open simultaneously, allowing two bodyguards dressed in sharp black suits and tacky sunglasses to step out onto the concrete, mimicking the exact security deployment Scott's team had utilized during our initial encounter. The two operatives are Mercy and Mei. Mei is completely unable to hide her playful, mischievous smirk as she scans my expression. Mercy steps around the long chassis, extending her hand to open the heavy rear passenger door to let out the four distinct occupants waiting inside the cabin

The first to emerge from the vehicle was Kim, dressed in a sleek men’s black tuxedo, followed immediately by Linda, wearing her white prom dress that had been expertly fitted to accommodate her beautifully pregnant belly. Right behind them, dressed in stunning silver dresses, Nadia and Nichole stepped out onto the concrete, wicked grins flashing across their faces as they took in my expression of absolute surprise and pure joy.

Kim’s cheeks flushed a bright red as she explained her embarrassment, stammering, "I was explicitly instructed by the girls to play the role of Scott tonight, um, but I refuse to say what they actually wanted me to say. So, just please do not go out and hire any prostitutes! You already have us, cough."

Even the normally stoic Linda cracked a genuine grin watching Kim struggle to execute her role-play lines, while Mary was sitting right next to me on the bench laughing hysterically at the display. Kim quickly turned her attention toward Mercy and Mei, directing, "You two, go and take proper care of Rick right now. I am heading inside the store with the ladies."

With wide smiles spreading across their faces, Mei and Mercy marched straight toward my position. Each of them grabbed one of my arms with a firm grip, while Mary stepped up behind my frame to aggressively push my back forward.

The exact moment the two women pulled me around the dark corner of the building, Mei locked her arms securely around my waist from behind, rising up onto her tiptoes to whisper directly into my ear, "Now stay perfectly put, you little troublemaker. Let us show you exactly how to break your willpower, fufu~!"

Mei playfully licked the edge of my ear, prompting Mercy to grin as she stepped into my front field of vision to kiss me deeply on the lips. She took my hand, sliding my palm flat against her belly to remind me of the second son currently growing inside her.

After about five continuous minutes of intense making out in the shadows, Mercy finally broke the kiss, whispering, "Now stay right here in the alley for just a minute, Rick. We need to head back out front to coordinate. Love you, Master~!"

With that parting shot, the two wonderful maids turned and left me entirely alone in the dark alleyway, leaving me completely at a loss as to what in blue blazes they were all plotting tonight.

Clink!

The metallic echo of the Quick-Mart’s rear employee door swinging open cut through the quiet night air. Stepping out into the alley wearing a standard store uniform, her tinted red hair catching the light, Lucy emerged with a soft, melancholic smile on her face. She rushed forward to hold me with an unyielding tightness, pointing a slender finger toward a hidden security camera mounted further down the brick alleyway.

"That night one year ago, I could only watch from the screens, helplessly dialing the police and an ambulance to save your life," she whispered, her voice tight with a deep, lingering guilt. "I was utterly helpless to do anything else for you during that crisis. I constantly claim to be the one on this earth who loves you the most, but I simply wasn't prepared to protect you back then. I was actively spying on the grid to witness the exact moment your abilities emerged, but I had absolutely no idea Scott would launch such a brutal assault on your body. My heart completely broke..."

I pulled Lucy tightly against my chest, leaning down to kiss her deeply to cut off her painful words, refusing to let her spiral into guilt any further. Right in the middle of our embrace, her phone alarm suddenly began to chime a cheerful happy birthday melody the exact microsecond midnight struck, signaling the official transition into my birthday. The dazed, love-struck expression on her face brightened instantly, and she looked up at me through her lenses.

"Happy birthday, my Golden Dragon, my Emperor, and my ultimate love," she murmured softly against my lips. "I will always and forever remain standing right at your side."

I stared down into her brilliant blue eyes, finding the sight of her slightly fogged-up glasses incredibly cute as I answered, "I really wish I possessed the power to bring you along with me when I eventually leave for the distant future. I love you deeply, Lucy, so please stop carrying that guilt in your heart. You have given me absolutely everything a man could ever ask for, and I love every bit of it. This specific surprise present you arranged for me tonight has made my heart feel the best it has in a long time."

She pulled back with a bright grin, teasing, "Now march back out there to purchase your stupid can of beer, and I will see you some other time. You have a full roster of beautiful prom dates waiting on you out front, ufufu."

The moment I stepped out from the dark alleyway, I noticed that Mary and the rest of the girls were no longer stationed outside the building. Realizing they must have already migrated inside the Quick-Mart, I pushed through the front glass doors to follow them.

"""""""""HAPPY BIRTHDAY, RICK!"""""""""

The massive shout echoed off the convenience store walls. There wasn't a single random customer inside the building; the entire retail space was completely packed with my closest friends, family members, and lovers.

Jim, Jen, Ashley, and Akeno were all stationed behind the main checkout counter, grinning broadly at my entrance.

Jenifer, Mei, Mercy, and Hinata were clustered off to one side, standing right by the commercial magazine racks.

Victoria, Hana, Nichole, Nadia, Linda, Tina, Kate, and Kim were lined up perfectly along the back wall housing the cold drink displays. Mary was standing directly in front of the glass beer refrigerator door, her finger pointing straight at the exact bottle of Lite beer she knew I preferred, a knowing grin splitting her face.

I scanned the room, the warmth in my chest completely expanding as I addressed the crowd, "Thanks to absolutely everyone gathered here tonight. I am incredibly happy."

I strolled down the aisle toward the glass display door that the police officer was holding open for me, reaching inside to grab a full forty-ounce bottle.

I marched over to the checkout counter, setting the heavy bottle down right in front of the silly-looking monkey, who immediately put on a deadpan expression.

"I am going to need to see some official identification, kid," Jim stated, maintaining a perfectly straight face.

I chuckled internally at his commitment to the bit, pulling out my wallet to flash my ID for the show. He offered a solemn nod, reached beneath the counter to pull out a small cardboard box, and slid it right next to my forty-ounce bottle, explaining, "It is Prom Night, after all. If you had successfully managed to acquire this beverage last year, you might have ended up in an entirely different place tonight, he-he. Consider this my personal gift to you, completely on the house."

The exact moment I picked up the box to inspect the label, every single woman in the convenience store burst into loud, mocking laughter at my expression. I held the box up in the air, admitting defeat as I read the text, "A twelve-pack of condoms..."

After the ladies finished having their fun laughing at my expense, Akeno turned to lean over the counter, poking at her husband as she questioned, "But Monkey, didn't you always proudly claim that real men don't use condoms?"

The moment those words left her mouth, Nadia marched over, snatched the cardboard box right out of my hand, and threw it straight into the garbage can. She puffed her chest out with absolute pride, announcing, "Nicky and I have already trained his body perfectly well!"

Nichole automatically raised her hand to face-palm at her sister's blatant public embarrassment, but as the memory of our very first intimate encounter flashed through her mind, she simply stopped herself and offered a quiet, compliant nod.

Jim quickly moved across the floor to secure the front entrance locks, killing the primary fluorescent store lights while activating a high-end sound system that began pumping dynamic dance music through the space. He flipped his convenience store hat around backward, stepping into the center aisle to announce, "Alright ladies, it is officially Rick’s Prom Night! Now go get him!"

For the next full hour, the girls took turns rotating to dance with me in the dimmed aisles, while Jim operated as our personal live DJ from behind the counter. Mary was forced to officially excuse herself to head back out to her street beat after completing her designated dance, slipping back out into the night.

As the music began to wind down and we prepared to conclude the celebration, Hinata stepped forward from the magazine rack, asking softly, "Sensei, I never actually had the opportunity to experience a real high school Prom growing up. Would it be perfectly fine if I requested a short dance as well?"

While the rest of the household began moving across the floor to clean up the packaging and restore the Quick-Mart to proper retail order, I took Hinata's hand and slowly danced with her in the center of the store. Every movement she executed was incredibly elegant and disciplined. I caught her red eyes drifting down to trace the inscription on her gold bracelet a few times during our turns, but I chose to keep the observation to myself, never mentioning it out loud.

And that stood as the final memory of my nineteenth birthday celebration—exactly one year after my original cosmic System had quit.