"When you think it can't get any worse, it will."
Neo was finally getting a glimpse of what his dreadful future looked like—a future cursed with bad luck. A future where one dared not utter the phrase, "This can't get any worse," because it undoubtedly would.
And it would get even worser...
A future so bleak that Neo couldn't see himself lasting a week.
He was sitting in the comfortable seats of a smart cab, which on a normal day would have had him beaming from ear to ear at the new and wonderful experience.
But how could he feel such emotions when he was wearing nothing but a black scarf tied around his waist?
How he managed to wrap the flimsy fabric around his waist in a way that preserved his decency was a Herculean task in itself.
Don't know why?
Because, obviously, this scarf came with his spear, and it was barely ten inches wide.
To put this into perspective, Neo was seven feet tall. He was almost a giant!
The material couldn't even fully cover his... essentials.
Neo could only be grateful that, at least, smart cabs existed, or he would have had to walk the walk of shame to his house.
This was the New Age, after all, and technology had advanced to shocking levels.
Smart cabs, controlled by artificial intelligence and capable of reaching any part of the city, had existed for hundreds of years.
And damn, were these seats comfortable!
Neo glanced at the interior of the cab and patted the fluffy blue seats in amazement.
From the outside, these cabs looked like grey-coloured cylinders. They seemed to be rolling but were actually floating.
He had thought they resembled coffins and had convinced himself back then that they weren't worth their freakish price when he could simply walk. But now, he was almost beginning to see them in a new light.
Almost.
Neo was too broke to ignore the cost of this ride.
In fact, he currently felt like he had been robbed of his organs...
'These bloody rolling pins are ridiculously expensive!' he thought. 'A whole credit for just one ride! A whole credit!'
His house wasn't even that far!
Neo had five credits before this, but they had been reduced to four before his journey even really began.
It was so painful that he was forced to waste his hard earned money due to something completely ridiculous but extremely necessary due to the situation!
It was frustrating!
He needed money too much to be wasting it like this!
He had many necessary things to do before he could put his money-making plans into motion. And those things also came with price tags.
Closing his eyes, Neo began sorting his priorities, ruthlessly eliminating options from his list that could either wait or would outright make him a beggar with nothing to his name but a single... black scarf.
Seriously, the life of an orphaned young man was too difficult!
After five minutes of serious contemplation, Neo had organised his needs and wants based on his current situation.
First on the list was to get a compatibility test and certificate.
This was necessary if he wanted to know his elemental affinity and soul tier, as it was impossible to fuse with a spirit legally without knowing these things and having a copy of this document.
Second, he also needed to buy a basic spear manual...
Seriously, Neo could do nothing with either of his long poles but pierce and thrust. And he had zero experience with both of them. His plans involved him going to the Spirit Realm, and in the Spirit Realm, anything could happen.
Especially when you're cursed with bad luck. A little self-defence was necessary, thank you.
So, Neo had to buy a cheap spear manual and some simple footwork manuals too.
All of which would sweep his imaginary vault clean!
'Or should I just find a sugar mummy?'
Neo's thoughts were getting more and more desperate.
Besides, what sugar mummy would willingly spend credits on a lanky boy lacking in both sexual experience and pupils in his eyes?
Either a not-so-rich one or a diseased old hag, for sure!
Neo would rather die!
'Or even worse, a blind one!'
Beep! Beep Beep!
"We have arrived."
Neo was roused from his crazy thoughts by the androgynous voice of the cab's artificial intelligence.
He swept his gaze upwards and glanced out of the window.
Neo was checking to see if there were any pedestrians by the roadside before he made a run for it, but his gaze suddenly fell on a complex that was definitely nowhere near the vicinity of his apartment building.
'Huh, what's goi—'
Neo grimaced.
He felt his heart stop briefly in his chest.
No f*cking way!
'The legendary glitch...'
Neo looked around frantically and confirmed that he was indeed a block away from his neighbourhood. His brows furrowed as he cursed all seven generations of the cab bot.
He had heard of the legendary glitch before. A phenomenon so rare that it was usually called impossible.
His smart cab had glitched and dropped him off at the wrong spot. And he couldn't change it even if he wanted to, unless he was willing to pay another credit for rerouting, as the bot already considered it had reached its destination...
Neo couldn't do that, even if dared.
It was a choice between social death and complete death—one was still better than the other, no matter how one looked at it.
Slowly, he stepped out of the smart cab, retrieved his spear and other gifts, and then walked down the pedestrian lane with a serene expression on his face.
Neo had come to a realisation just then that, at the end of the day, it would only get worse.
His gaze remained stoic as he walked down the 'surprisingly' busy streets and made his way towards the building where his house was located.
'Day one of being cursed: If it can get worse, it WILL get worse.'