Chapter 3 :Where the dream begins

Looking at a close friend who had been so near yet not seen for ten years, being able to sit and chat with her like this, Sebastian felt a sense of happiness he had never experienced before.

There were no more misunderstandings between the two, and they remained good friends.

To somewhat make amends for the past misunderstandings, Sebastian ordered several more dishes.

The two of them indulged in a satisfying meal at the restaurant, eating until their stomachs were about to burst.

When it was time to settle the bill, Sebastian took out his phone to pay. However, when he opened his phone, he was dumbfounded.

He realized that he had no money in his Apple Pay, and even his credit card was maxed out. He wished he could casually take out precious spirit stones or gold bars and gems from his storage ring to cover the bill. But now, he had neither spirit stones nor a storage ring. All he had was an equally empty wallet.

Helpless, Sebastian, a Great Vehicle Realm expert, had to reluctantly ask for Isabella's help.

In the end, under Isabella's killer glare, the two of them paid the bill and left the restaurant.

"(╬◣д◢) Sebastian, you cunning little scoundrel! You promised to Treat to a meal me, but in the end, I ended up paying. Your tactics are really something!" Sebastian blushed, walked ahead, and couldn't face her.

"Emm... there was an unexpected situation. I checked my bill records, and my wallet was overdrawn yesterday."

Isabella smirked and taunted, "Who told you to act like a big shot? You spent so much money on Selena Venom's birthday gift and insisted on ordering so much alcohol. Now, even having a meal is a problem, right?"

Sebastian scratched his head, feeling very embarrassed. He wondered why he couldn't have been reborn a day earlier, so he wouldn't have done such a foolish thing. If he had realized it earlier, he could have stopped and saved a substantial amount of money. Now, with Isabella's remarks, he was indeed a little worried. He really had no money.

He had already prepared to rent a house to live in, but now it seemed like he could only stay in the dorm.

Wait a minute, he wouldn't be able to buy his gaming ring now!

Darn it!

Only now did Sebastian remember why he entered the game "Wild Valley World" a year after the public beta.

It was because his money had long been squandered on Selena Venom, this gold-digging woman. He had no money left to buy a gaming ring.

The more Selena Venom wanted, the more expensive the gifts she demanded, and his debts just kept piling up. That year, he was busy making money to pay off those debts.

Additionally, Sebastian's parents had passed away early, leaving him with no inheritance except for an old house.

With the support of relatives, he barely managed to complete high school. His scores were good enough to get into a prestigious university, but due to a lack of funds, he accepted the tempting offer of a full scholarship and stipend from the University of Crystalove.

Once in college, he worked in internet cafes doing power leveling for others and accompanying them in games to earn some pocket money.

Yesterday, he spent all his savings on Selena Venom's birthday.

The more he thought about it, the worse Sebastian felt. Why couldn't he have been reborn a day earlier? He would have saved a significant amount of money.

"Hand me your phone," Isabella suddenly spoke.

Sebastian instinctively handed over his phone.

Isabella took out her own phone and, after a series of clicks and beeps, Sebastian heard the sound of a transfer on the other end of the line.

He immediately understood.

"This was the membership fee for my gym for several years. Remember to pay me back on time. If you cause me to be unable to go to the gym, I'll use you as a punching bag during training," Isabella threatened with a clenched fist, her expression stern.

Sebastian took the phone and said, "Don't worry, I'll repay you on time."

"Forget it, I'm not in a hurry. Exercising at home is also an option. I'm too lazy to give money to the gym, and every time I go, there are a bunch of musclehead guys hogging the equipment, making us wait in line. It's better to work out at home," Isabella pretended to be indifferent.

Sebastian couldn't help but hear her comforting him.

So, he teasingly said, "Instead of using me as a punching bag, why don't you treat me like a piece of iron and work out with me?"

As soon as he said that, Isabella grabbed his ear and asked, "What did you say?"

Isabella's gaze was sharp, and she was ready to throw Sebastian out at any moment.

Sebastian quickly surrendered.

Darn, this woman dared to be so rude to a Great Vehicle Realm expert! Too audacious... Ow, that hurts!

After seeing off Isabella, Sebastian immediately left the school to find an apartment.

To make it convenient for Isabella to visit, he looked for apartments near the school.

In the end, he chose an apartment in a nice neighborhood.

It was a two-bedroom, one-living-room unit with complete furnishings and appliances.

Moreover, the price was reasonable, only 3,000 RMB per month.

For an apartment near the school, close to a transportation hub, and in a good environment, this price was quite affordable.

Sebastian had looked at other apartments that were even worse than this one, and their prices were several times higher.

This apartment was temporarily handled by an agency for rent because the landlord had gone on a trip and would only return in a few days. The agency was responsible for everything in the meantime.

Before signing the contract, the agency reminded Sebastian multiple times to keep the apartment clean, not to keep pets, and not to have more than two people living there. This was the landlord's requirement.

Additionally, the landlord would periodically inspect the apartment. If she was dissatisfied, she could unilaterally terminate the contract and evict him.

It was precisely because of these strict and demanding conditions that no one wanted to rent the apartment.

However, Sebastian didn't mind. He was a bit of a neat freak himself, so he was sure he could keep the apartment clean. Plus, it was just him, and at most, Isabella would be visiting, which still complied with the conditions.

Although the landlord would regularly inspect the apartment, it wasn't a big deal. As a grown man, he wasn't afraid of such a situation.

Sebastian was very decisive. He signed the contract and got the keys on the same day. He reviewed the utilities for water, electricity, and gas with the agency.

In the afternoon, Sebastian moved out of the dormitory.

The dormitory housed four people, but his three roommates always ganged up and excluded him.

As for the reasons, it had been ten years, and Sebastian wasn't sure. He vaguely remembered that one of the roommates had a secret crush on a girl he was pursuing, so they developed enmity. The three of them often played tricks on him.

Sebastian had never gotten along with them. In fact, he had already forgotten their names.

Now that he had moved out, both sides felt more at ease.

After moving into the neighborhood, Sebastian's first task was to order a gaming ring for "Wild Valley World," which cost 5,999 RMB for one.

In addition to the gaming ring, "Wild Valley World" also offered gaming capsules, but they were quite expensive, starting at a minimum of 50,000 RMB, which was beyond Sebastian's current budget.

He placed the order, and within just a few hours, the item arrived.

The game company's efficiency was extremely fast.

After receiving the familiar gaming ring, Sebastian played with it for a while before putting it away. The game hadn't started its public beta yet, so he couldn't play.

While waiting for the last moment, Sebastian cooked a bowl of egg noodles for himself in the kitchen and took a shower after eating.

He then checked the time; it was almost time.

On August 8, 2040, at 00:00:01, the global public beta of "Wild Valley World" began.

At this moment, countless players put on their rings and entered the world of "Wild Valley World."

Sebastian was no exception. He lay on his bed, put on the ring, and had his irises scanned to bind them to the game.

His entire being entered the virtual world, and he found himself in a vast celestial sea, surrounded by ethereal mist.

He stood inside a magnificent ancient palace.

After ten years, he had returned to this place—where the dream began.