When Luo Cheng entered Manhattan Cafe's support card story, some people mysteriously disappeared, but the world still seemed relatively normal. There were clerks in shops and pedestrians on the streets; it felt like a different timeline.
But in this support card story, there was no one else besides him and Tokai Teio. The streets were empty, and there weren't even any cars.
"I can't wait to go to the arcade, Trainer," Tokai Teio said, holding Luo Cheng's hand, her tail wagging excitedly.
"Hmm... Teio, don't you think it's strange?"
"Strange?"
"It's too quiet around here."
Following Luo Cheng's gaze, Tokai Teio looked around. "It really is. Is there some kind of event today?" When Luo Cheng pointed it out, Tokai Teio also noticed the oddity.
"There's no way there would be an event for everyone." Luo Cheng walked up to a shop and peeked inside. There was no one there. He grabbed the handle and pulled, but the door wouldn't budge.
"Trainer, the shop is closed."
"Teio, can you open this door?"
"But that would be robbing them!"
"Look, the door isn't even locked."
"Oh, you're right."
Tokai Teio gripped the handle and pulled hard, but her face turned red from the strain and she still couldn't open the door.
You've got to be kidding me. This is a horse girl! She can pull a stone weighing several tons, but she can't open a small iron door?
Luo Cheng could only come to one conclusion: it was the system. There was an invisible wall. The support card stories, just like the game world, had strict boundaries. Luo Cheng just hadn't noticed before because he hadn't gone far. But the boundaries in this support card story were very clear.
Thump!
Luo Cheng punched the glass, which produced a dull sound, but the glass didn't even shake.
"Trainer?"
Well, a break-in is out of the question. Even though it was just a thin layer of glass, its strength was like a dimensional wall. Unless he could find a way to glitch through it, it was impossible to get in. But what if he got trapped inside while glitching?
"Do you want to buy something, Trainer?"
"No... it's fine. Let's go, Teio." Luo Cheng took Tokai Teio's hand. He still had a mission to complete and couldn't deviate from the main path to do too many other things. If he did, he wouldn't be able to change anything.
"Trainer, is today... a little strange?" Tokai Teio blinked. "All the stores are closed, and there's no one on the streets... and... ah!" Tokai Teio pointed to a yellow food truck. "Honey Special Drink!" With that, Tokai Teio ran over.
"Can I please have a large, extra sour, extra concentrated!"
Luo Cheng's eyes widened. In this empty world, the yellow food truck stood out, alone in the middle of the park. Most importantly, there was a clerk whom Luo Cheng had seen countless times.
"Large, extra sour, extra concentrated. Coming right up," she said with a smile, then began to make the drink.
Luo Cheng leaned against the counter. "How's business today?"
"Not great, Trainer Luo Cheng."
"You know me?"
"Teio and her Trainer. You're regulars around here. How could I not know you? Do you want one too, Trainer?"
"I'll pass." Luo Cheng shook his head. "Has no one else come by today?"
"Normally, a lot of kids and their parents come here, but today they're all gone. They must have something going on. Your Honey Special Drink is ready, Miss Teio."
"Thank you!"
Tokai Teio happily took a sip, then looked at Luo Cheng and offered the drink to him. "Trainer, you try some too."
Luo Cheng didn't refuse. He took a sip and his face instantly scrunched up from the sourness. Tokai Teio burst out laughing.
These people definitely have human consciousness, but there's something wrong with this world. These people could recognize that something was wrong, but they didn't understand it and didn't care, always coming up with some excuse to fool themselves. Luo Cheng was probably the only one who truly understood this world was a game, and he didn't plan on telling anyone about this desperate reality. Sometimes, ignorance was a form of happiness. At least Luo Cheng envied their happiness.
"Maybe business will boom for you tomorrow."
"I'll take your word for it, Trainer Luo Cheng."
"Oh, by the way, can I pre-order some Honey Special Drinks? I'd like some when I come back tonight." With the invisible walls, Luo Cheng could only buy his supplies here. He wondered why there was no one else in all the other places, but there was someone here. Was it because this was Teio's support card story? After all, when you think of Tokai Teio, you think of Honey Special Drinks, and Hachimimi. Perhaps the items in the support card story were related to the character.
"Certainly. What flavor would you like?"
"Doesn't matter. What's the shelf life?"
"Three days if refrigerated."
"Then I'll take twenty."
"Twenty?"
"Trainer, are you stocking up?! Why do you need so many?"
"I have my uses."
Luo Cheng wasn't going to go back empty-handed after triggering a story. He figured the support card items must have some special effect. If they were food, they might restore stamina. After a horse girl's training, he could give them a Honey Special Drink and have them train again, maxing out their stats.
"You'll get a stomach ache if you drink too much, and the taste won't be good after a while..."
"Then I'll take ten for now. I'll come back tonight to pay you."
"Alright. Thank you for your patronage."
The clerk smiled, looking a bit grateful. She thought he was just trying to support her business.
After buying the drinks, they went to the arcade. As soon as they got close, Luo Cheng heard a noisy clamor coming from inside.
People?
He opened the door and saw that the arcade was full of people playing games.
"Trainer! So this is where everyone went!" Tokai Teio's eyes lit up.
No way. How many people could an arcade hold in a city? Looking at the engrossed players, Luo Cheng confirmed that support card stories were completely character-driven. The system would only render as many people as the story required, and everyone else would be hidden. This was why there were characters like Agnes Tachyon in Manhattan Cafe's story, along with the students running from the rain and the crowds heading home in the fog. The same applied here. The arcade needed players.
"Oh, if it isn't Teio! And... Trainer Luo Cheng?" A gentle voice reached his ears. Luo Cheng turned his head and saw a horse girl with the aura of a young lady, wearing a Tracen uniform, with long purple hair and purple eyes.
"McQueen?"
"I didn't expect to run into you here, Trainer Luo Cheng," Mejiro McQueen said with a smile.