Chapter 8: Hidden Profession
Mia felt a warm flush creep up her neck as Ryan pulled her into a hug. Mature beyond her years, she knew his embrace carried a kind of comfort that was dangerously addicting. Yet, instinctively, she pulled back—not because she didn’t want it, but because part of her feared how much she did.
Meanwhile, Molly—still just a kid at heart—burrowed into Ryan’s chest, her small body trembling with joy. She let out a squeal of excitement and squirmed like a puppy in his arms.
"Ryan, you really made money?" Mia asked, still not quite believing it. Her tone was laced with cautious hope. After all, he had only logged into the game a couple of hours ago. How could he have made anything significant in such a short time? Even a few dollars would’ve been impressive—anything to show they were finally catching a break.
"I did! Five hundred bucks!" Ryan grinned, releasing Molly as he walked over to the tiny cabinet by his bed.
He pulled out an old bank card—something they barely used anymore—and swiped it through the slot on the old virtual setup. The device lit up with a soft hum. In seconds, a notification chimed, confirming the transfer from Sky Dragon Iris into Ryan’s bank account.
"Mia, take the card and head to the bank. Withdraw everything and buy as much meat as you can. You both need real food in your system."
He pressed the card into her palm and looked at Molly, who was practically vibrating with joy at the mention of meat. Her eyes sparkled like she’d just won the lottery.
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"Meat! Meat!" Molly chanted as she twirled around the room, giggling uncontrollably.
Mia rolled her eyes and gave her a playful smack. "You’re not a baby anymore. Act your age."
Ryan chuckled. "You two head to the market. I’m jumping back into the game. If things go our way, we might be out of this dump in a few days."