Lord Of Ashes

Although the previous options mentioned that the Vitality Apple can enhance defense and physical fitness, it did not specify the exact enhancement range. Therefore, John may only be able to learn more if a test is performed.

Of course, John may be able to evaluate this Vitality Apple from other angles. For example, the taste is not like apricot at all but rather like raspberry, with only a little sweetness. However, the taste is not important, as he didn't eat it because it was delicious. What he valued was its efficacy.

Lastly, there is one more critical point: although the Vitality Apple is produced on an apricot tree, it does not have apricot pits like ordinary apricots. This also means that John will not be able to reproduce this kind of fruit through artificial planting afterward.

Although John does not currently have the conditions to grow natural materials and treasures, people always have to have dreams.

...

My name is Emma, and I am an insignificant member of the millions of awakened people in the empire. After the revival of Aura, I gradually felt that my university major may no longer be useful in the future Aura society. I want to become an internet celebrity to avoid the embarrassing situation of unemployment after graduation.

Today, Emma is walking on the avenue of success to become an internet celebrity (in fact, the only way to go to school).

[TL Note: This seems to be a 'joke' made by the author. Presumably, the street she's walking on happens to be called 'success avenue.']

As she walks, she suddenly feels that the silk stockings on the toe of her right foot are a bit awkward. This awkwardness is mainly reflected in the deviation of the stockings' stitches from their original position.

On a typical day, Emma might endure it, but today is different. She feels more and more awkward as she walks.

Many people have likely experienced situations where they are suddenly concerned about something. The conditions for this situation are often quite random and inexplicable.

Emma was also caught in this situation at this time. She felt that if she didn't adjust the position of the stockings' stitches, she would feel uncomfortable.

So Emma found a public seat on the side of the road and began to sit, irritably adjusting the position of the stockings' stitches. The stitching cannot be adjusted too far below the toes or above the nail cover, as both extremes will make a person feel unusual. The only solution is to find a perfect balance point—only in this way can the uncomfortable feeling be dispelled.

This is why John previously commented that Emma was not proficient in picking her feet.

Although Emma was indeed picking her feet, she was technically adjusting the stitches of her stockings.

Just as Emma had adjusted the position of the stitches on her right foot, she suddenly saw a tall and burly young man in the distance running at high speeds toward her position.

Before Emma could react, the tall and burly young man had already rushed up to her.

"Wuhu!"

The young man made a strange cry and gave her sneakers a forceful kick.

The sneakers she was about to put on took off in a perfect parabola and landed at the top of a pine tree dozens of meters away.

Looking at the seven- or eight-meter-high pine tree in the distance and the white sneakers hanging at its top, Emma couldn't help but be stunned.

Unfortunately, it was this stunned state that delayed her reaction, and by the time she started looking for the suspect, the man who had kicked her sneakers into the air was gone.

"What just happened?" Although Emma was confused, her camera captured the whole incident.

She quickly replayed the video, watching the entire sequence of events unfold.

It showed, quite clearly, a strange man appearing a dozen meters away, sprinting toward her, and kicking her shoes.

Although Emma was shocked before watching the video, she was even more stunned afterward because she still couldn't figure out what had driven the man to kick her sneakers.

...

September 30, 2020, the day before the Moon Harvest Festival and National Day holiday, noon, 12:15.

John was on his way home. He was recalling the kick he had made earlier on a whim.

It had been unexpectedly accurate. He had thought the shoe would fall to the ground, but it hadn't. It was well-hung on that pine tree.

Of course, that wasn't the point—

When he had stood next to Emma, he had been hit by a strong, sour smell. If nothing else, it seemed to come from her soles and sneakers.

It was precisely because of this overwhelming stench that John had sent the shoes flying. It would have been even better if he could have sent her feet flying as well.

After kicking the sneakers, he quickly left before she even had time to appreciate his heroic act.

...

September 30, 2020, noon, 12:31.

As soon as John reached the entrance to Happiness Grove Apartments, he spotted a middle-aged woman dressed in heavy makeup, holding a purse, while a young woman thanked her.

The middle-aged woman took five hundred dollars from her purse and stuffed it into the young woman's hands.

There was some exchange between them, but John didn't care much about the details because he was already walking up the stairs by that time. Still, he took one last glance at the two people.

Even though it was just a brief glance, John gained quite a bit of information.

For example, the purse held by the middle-aged woman looked exactly like the lost 'wallet' from his previous choices.

The wallet, based on its intricately crafted design, seemed to be worth around four thousand five hundred dollars.

In other words, he hadn't lost five hundred dollars but five thousand?

"No, the point should be that a rich middle-aged woman was really waiting for me. It's terrifying, but thankfully, I didn't choose that option..." John felt relieved that he had made the right decision.

[TL Note- I am simply a translator/editor. Any frustration you feel comprehending the MC's thought process is due to the Author's thought process]

Although John didn't reject the idea of being supported by a wealthy woman, his ideal rich woman was one with white skin, long legs, and the beauty of a supermodel—or perhaps a cute girl with twin ponytails. It would be even better if she used dirty money to humiliate him constantly, without any restrictions on his freedom. Ideally, this rich woman would allow John to fall in love freely while maintaining their arrangement.