The cramped room was thick with the musk of recent activity.
The rhythmic protest of the wooden bed frame had finally ceased, leaving behind a heavy silence.
Rustle.
The woman, who had been lying prone and motionless across his lap, managed to prop herself up. She reached down, retrieving pieces of black lace lingerie scattered across the floor.
After dressing, she bit down on a hair tie, sweeping her golden locks up into a messy bun.
"I suppose that counts as my breakup fee?"
Rod lit a cigarette, exhaling a long, gray plume of smoke.
"Rod, you know how it is. Physically, we're a perfect match. You satisfy me in ways no one else can."
"But life cannot run on love alone. No matter how much pleasure you give me, it won't keep my stomach full."
"Buck might be a savage brute compared to your tenderness, but his father is the chairman of the board. He can secure me a real career."
Emma lowered her head slowly, her finger tracing a line down Rod's chest.
"Just because we're breaking up doesn't mean the door is closed. If you ever have needs in the future, you know where to find me. You're leagues ahead of Buck in bed, after all."
Pop.
She planted a soft kiss on Rod's cheek, then turned and walked out without a hint of hesitation.
"Damn it. What a mess."
Rod stood by the window, watching her swaying silhouette disappear into a waiting sedan.
His expression was sullen, though not exactly heartbroken.
He was, after all, a transmigrator. He had only arrived in this world three days ago. To him, the original host's girlfriend was little more than a tool for stress relief. There might have been lingering feelings from the original body, but they were faint.
His only regret was that he hadn't managed to test out every position he'd imagined during their three-day sprint.
Fortunately, there would be other opportunities.
Rod scratched his head, pushing the thought aside. His mind drifted to his "Golden Fingers."
As a transmigrator, he naturally came equipped with cheats. In fact, he had three.
He couldn't help but recall the moments before his death. He had been sitting in front of his computer, watching the latest pure-love melodrama from Studio Raika, a wad of tissues in hand for his... allergies.
Then, a runaway dump truck smashed through his wall, ending his life instantly.
When he opened his eyes, he was here.
Over the last three days, he had awakened three distinct abilities.
The first was a Dimension Door capable of opening a portal to an unknown location.
The second was a Personal Inventory, a massive storage space capable of holding anything.
The third, which he had only fully awakened today, was unique: Equivalent Exchange. The ability to sacrifice an item and receive a gift of equal value in return.
He didn't know where the Dimension Door led or if it was dangerous, so he hadn't dared to explore it yet.
The Personal Inventory, however, had been thoroughly tested. It accepted both living and non-living matter. Whatever he stored inside remained in stasis, emerging exactly as it was when it went in.
Furthermore, he didn't need to physically touch the objects. As long as something was within a one-meter radius, he could store it with a mere thought.
There was a caveat for living creatures, however. They had to offer no resistance, or be unconscious, to be stored.
As for the third ability, he was eager to test it.
"Sacrifice any item, receive an equivalent return."
Rod rubbed his chin, scanning the room.
There didn't seem to be anything of particular value.
He walked to the kitchen and pulled two slabs of fresh beef from the refrigerator. Placing his hands on the cold meat, he silently commanded: Sacrifice.
Shing!
A flash of light, and the beef vanished.
Simultaneously, Rod felt a surge of raw energy materialize out of thin air, flooding his limbs and settling deep in his bones. In an instant, he felt his physical strength jump a notch.
Hiss!
It had stripped the nutritional essence of the beef and integrated it directly into his physiology, converting calories into raw power.
Having grasped the mechanic, Rod felt a rush of excitement.
This ability was game-breaking.
If a few steaks provided this much visible improvement, what if he bought a whole cow? He'd be able to knock out a heavyweight champion with a single jab.
"Let's try something else."
Rod took the clock down from the wall, his interest piqued.
Sacrifice!
Another flash of light.
The modern, mass-produced wall clock vanished. In its place sat an ornate, antique table clock.
"Hmm..."
What was the logic here?
Rod clicked his tongue, unsatisfied. He took off his mechanical wristwatch—a slightly more complex device—and initiated the ability.
Sacrifice!
Clatter!
A pile of loose gears, springs, and screws scattered across the floor.