Chapter 19: Chapter 19 - A Crook's Daydream And Nightmare
Lucas's footsteps slowed as he arrived at a lush city park. The morning sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting beautiful shadow patterns along the jogging path. Around him, people passed by—mostly young women in tight athletic wear that showcased their curves clearly. With Lucas's magical glasses, he took in the breathtaking view.
Leaning back on one of the park benches, Lucas crossed his legs casually while putting his glasses back on. His gaze immediately locked onto a woman in tight gray leggings and a short black sports top. Her long hair was tied back, and every step she took seemed to have a mesmerizing rhythm.
"Wow… every step is like a heavenly dance," Lucas muttered, stroking his chin.
But the peace didn't last long. As time passed, more and more men began jogging past him—most wearing overly loose gym shorts, ironically giving Lucas a "view" he absolutely did not want to see.
"Oh no… why… why does this have to happen too?" Lucas groaned, quickly turning his face away.
One man in a sleeveless neon shirt and loose shorts jogged past, and from his "strategic" angle, Lucas caught a glimpse of something no human eyes should ever have to see.
"Dear God! That's disgusting!" Lucas cried internally, covering his face with one hand.
But the visual nightmare reached its peak when an old man appeared from the corner of the park. The man jogged slowly, breathing heavily, wearing bright pink women's lingerie—a lace bra and matching underwear, which absolutely did not suit his old, wrinkled body.
Lucas turned his face away in horror, nearly choking on his own saliva at the sight.
"Crazy old man!"
The old man waved at him with a friendly smile, as if what he was wearing was the most normal thing in the world.
"No, sir! Please don't come any closer! I've had enough trauma to last a decade!" Lucas screamed internally while pretending to be busy on his phone.
But the visual tragedy wasn't over yet. The old man began stretching in poses that, honestly, no one wearing such an outfit should ever attempt in public. Lucas gritted his teeth, desperately trying not to look.
"I need holy water… or maybe an instant memory eraser!"
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[ System Notification ]
Host, the system has detected increased stress levels.
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Lucas stared at the notification with a face full of suffering. "Of course I'm stressed! That horrifying sight makes me want to vomit."
Quickly, Lucas stood up from the bench and walked away, trying to refocus his gaze on the women jogging in the distance. The refreshing and beautiful scenery slowly began to restore his shaken sanity.
Not long after, he spotted a blonde woman with a perfectly athletic body. She wore black yoga pants and a white sports top that highlighted her silhouette beautifully.
"This… this is what I'm supposed to see. Balance is restored."
Lucas followed her with his eyes, but this time he was careful not to look like a stalker. Occasionally, the woman glanced back, and Lucas hurriedly pretended to look elsewhere, whistling unconvincingly.
He quickened his pace, hoping to find more "beautiful sights" to erase the traumatic images left by the old man. But unfortunately, at every corner of the park, he began seeing more and more men—and more sights he absolutely did not want to see.
Lucas let out a long sigh and stopped under a large tree, leaning back with an exhausted expression.
"Is this the price of this 'heavenly gift'? Must every beautiful sight be accompanied by unavoidable visual hell?"
Suddenly, from the corner of his eye, Lucas noticed a long-haired woman sitting on a park bench. She wore a white summer dress with open shoulders, her long legs crossed elegantly. A gentle breeze caused her dress to flutter slightly, but from Lucas's perspective, he only saw the beautiful curves of her body with only underwear.
Lucas swallowed hard. "Alright… maybe this is the universe compensating me for my earlier suffering."
Cautiously, Lucas approached the bench, trying to look casual despite his flushed face.
"Jeez… this morning feels like an emotional rollercoaster. From heaven to hell and back to heaven again."
Lucas sat on a nearby bench, staring from behind his glasses while pretending to check his phone. However, the woman suddenly looked at him with sharp eyes.
"Oh no! She noticed! The disguise plan failed completely!"
Quickly, Lucas stood up and walked away, scratching his head awkwardly.
"I need a better strategy… or maybe I need glasses with 'stealth mode' features."
As he continued walking, Lucas smiled faintly. Despite the surprises, this morning felt like one of the best days of his life.
"The adventure is far from over… and I'll enjoy every moment of it!"
Lucas continued walking deeper into the park, ready to face the next surprise—whether heavenly… or perhaps hellish again.
As he strolled out of the park, occasionally glancing left and right, most of the morning views felt like "heavenly rewards," yet the mental scars from the old man in lingerie still lingered in his mind.
Just then, his phone buzzed in the pocket of his black hoodie. Lucas pulled it out and saw a message notification from Lena.
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[ Lena: ]
Lucas, mom's friend found an apartment for me. It's pretty close to Brightville University. I'm going to check it out now.
Oh, and the apartment building owner, Mrs. Evelyn, said she wants to talk to you. She mentioned something important.
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Lucas stopped at the edge of the road, frowning as he read the message again.
"Evelyn wants to talk to me? About what?" he murmured quietly.
Lucas felt a little uneasy.
"Is she planning to flirt with me again?"