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For what felt like an eternity, Clara continued her foot massage.
Finally, the system's notification chimed, awakening Bochang from his blissful relaxation.
[Reward being distributed - Congratulations! Your physique has been enhanced by 100%.]
A warm surge coursed through his body relentlessly.
Unable to resist, Bochang took a deep breath and exhaled a thick cloud of white mist.
Clara's breathing had grown heavy; massaging his back for such a prolonged period was quite demanding for her.
Noticing this, Bochang uttered softly, "That's enough, Clara. You've done very well."
Upon hearing his voice, the silver-haired, red-eyed little girl stepped off the black-haired youth's back. Her bare feet left small imprints in the snow, revealing delicate arches with soft, ivory-like skin. The ten toes appeared as smooth as jade, especially the subtle blush at their tips, reminiscent of sun-kissed pearls, shimmering brightly.
Bochang recalled reading a passage once:
"Whenever I see tender, fragrant white rice, it reminds me of her feet. If this bowl contained her delicate toes instead, then here... just thinking about it makes me want to have another helping."
Once dismissive, Bochang now fully resonated with these words.
Sitting up, he draped his clothes over himself and said, "Feeling tired? Clara, come enjoy a delicious crab roe bun... It seems like your dinner tonight was quite simple too... You should really get some proper nourishment." With that, Bochang reached into his pocket, retrieving a mouthwatering crab roe bun from the system space.
Instantly, the air filled with the enticing aroma of food, stimulating everyone's appetite.
Rumor had it that these delicious crab roe buns could deepen friendships. If not used now, when would be a better time?
Clara, unaware of where Bochang procured such delicacy, initially wanted to decline. However, enticed by the fragrance, she accepted the bun, saying, "Thank you, Bochang Big Brother."
"No problem, go ahead and enjoy it," Bochang replied with a warm smile.
From nearby, Sophia exclaimed amidst the snow, "I want one too!"
As a life revived by the Mouse Talisman's power, Sophia could eat, but it held no real significance for her.
Her body's entire energy source was supplied by the magic of the Mouse Talisman.
While others consumed food to obtain nutrients, Sophia merely tasted it without deriving any sustenance, ultimately expelling it unchanged afterward.
"Hmm... Clara, share some with her too; otherwise, this little one will start fussing again." Bochang gently patted Sophia's head.
Clara nodded and said, "Okay, Big Brother Bochang."
And so...
Bochang sat on the snowy ground, watching as the two girls, one big and one small, enjoyed their delicious crab roe buns.
With the first bite, they both exclaimed in delight at how scrumptious they were, making even Bochang feel a bit tempted.
"Having resolved matters in Stellaron, we can now relax. Come to think of it... what's our next destination? Xianzhou? Hmm... I believe that's right..."
Feeling uncertain amidst his thoughts, Bochang's Spider Sense suddenly triggered.
Suddenly, he felt as if someone was maliciously watching him... Bochang swiftly turned towards the source but saw nothing.
"Was it just my imagination? No way... Spider Sense doesn't deceive me. Could it be one of the Underworld's Vagrants?"
Apart from them, Bochang couldn't think of anyone else who would harbor such hostility towards him.
Standing up, he scanned the surroundings but found no suspicious individuals.
"Could I have been mistaken with how quickly they disappeared?" Bochang began to doubt himself.
Meanwhile, sitting on the snowy ground, Clara happily enjoyed her delicious crab roe bun and asked, "What's wrong, Bochang-gege?"
"Nothing..." Bochang shook his head, "Let's finish eating and then go back to rest."
"Mm-hmm..." The silver-haired, red-eyed little girl nodded.
Already dressed, Bochang glanced at Clara's snow-white feet. Due to her fate path abilities, her feet remained pristine, never showing any signs of dirt or grime.
This was also why she instinctively offered to massage Bochang's back earlier.
«Should I consider getting Clara a pair of shoes as a gift? Unfortunately, there aren't any suitable options available at the moment.»
Bochang silently shook his head.
After both girls finished their food, Bochang led them back to their respective rooms.
On the way, he asked Clara, "If my back ever gets sore again in the future, can I come find you?"
Her response was...
"Yes, you can."
After safely returning Clara home, Bochang headed back to the room prepared for him by Svarog.
He quickly freshened up and lay down on his bed. Noticing Sophia perched on the bedside table, ready to rest, he addressed her, "In the future, don't speak out of turn, understand? Sophia, otherwise... you know the consequences."
"But... earlier today, I just wanted to help my master..." Sophia looked pitifully at him.
"Let this be a lesson," Bochang sternly replied.
"I understand, Master." Sophia nodded obediently.
Seeing her response, Bochang ignored her further, closed his eyes, and prepared to sleep. At the same time, he pondered whom to revive next using the power of the Mouse Talisman:
«Sun Wukong... Erlang Shen... Would figures like Buddha Sakya work? Or should I start with someone like Tang Xuanzang as a test?»
Bochang was uncertain whether characters from his original world's mythology could be brought to life using the Mouse Talisman.
If it were possible, things would certainly become interesting.
"However, I'd need to create appropriate statues first... Should I learn woodworking? No... Pascal can carve them too, as long as he downloads the relevant sculpting techniques online. I just have to provide the basic shape."
As Bochang pondered this, Sophia turned off the lights.
The room plunged into darkness.
Just then,
"Creak..."
Bochang's door suddenly swung open, letting the corridor light spill into the room.
Bochang opened his eyes and asked, "Who is it?"
"It's me, March 7th." The pink-haired girl flicked on the light. "Going to bed so early tonight?"
"It's not that early anymore," replied Bochang, shaking his head as he sat up. He wondered why she had come looking for him at this hour, instinctively taking note of her appearance.
Bochang sat up and shook his head, puzzled about why March 7th would seek him out at this hour. He instinctively glanced over her appearance.
Dressed in white pajamas, March 7th's slender figure was entirely concealed by their oversized fit. However... the subtle contours of her chest still hinted at her feminine charm.
"What brings you here?"
"Bored with nothing to do, I decided to take a stroll around," March 7th replied, placing one hand on her hip. "Just now...you returned from outside with Clara, didn't you?...I saw everything."
«Could those eyes earlier have been March's? But she shouldn't... Wait...it's not entirely implausible.»
Bochang formed such a suspicion in his mind.
March 7th continued, "Let me guess... You didn't actually get Clara to give you a foot massage, did you?"