The next day at noon, the blazing sun scorched the earth, waves of heat rippling through the air. Many elderly villagers, kind and cheerful, stood chatting under the sunlight, their laughter blending with the hum of cicadas. Some trimmed flowers and plants, others fixed pipes... the whole scene buzzed with life. The scorching sun above seemed to have no effect on them at all.
Down the narrow village road came an old, battered RV, looking out of place and drawing curious glances from the elders.
Grandpa Max held the steering wheel and grinned.
"Better watch your faces later—Vera's got quite the grip when she pinches cheeks."
"Oh, man…" Ben slumped in his seat, staring out the window.
Just then, an old man standing on a rooftop suddenly performed a backflip. To Ben's horror, he landed steadily on the ground.
"No way! A martial arts grandpa?" Ben gaped in disbelief. Jumping from that height and still landing perfectly—was that even possible for an old man?
"Where?" Gwen followed his gaze but saw nothing unusual—no martial arts grandpa anywhere.
"I think the heat's cooked your brain," Gwen said, resting her chin on her hand as she gave her Dweeb Cousin a helpless look.
"It's real!" Ben yelled, clenching his fists.
Lucian's calm eyes didn't waver. From the fragmented memories in his mind, he knew something was off about this desert town. But before he figured out what was happening, he couldn't risk alerting anyone.
His presence had already altered the story's original flow. Vilgax and Dr. Animo were proof enough—some details had clearly changed.
Lucian turned to Ben.
"Alright, Ben, I believe you. But before anything else, you might want to think about how to survive Aunt Vera's face-pinching."
"Oh no!" Ben smacked his forehead.
The town wasn't big. Soon, they reached Aunt Vera's house.
As they stepped out of the RV, Aunt Vera came up with a bright smile.
"Max, it's been so long! You haven't changed a bit."
"Yeah, Vera," Grandpa Max said with a warm chuckle. "I brought Ben and Gwen this time to visit you."
He paused for a moment, then added, "And I brought someone else along. I think you'll be quite surprised."
"Oh? Let me see—who's the special guest?" Vera laughed, covering her mouth.
Lucian opened the car door and stepped out.
"Hello, Aunt Vera."
Vera's eyes widened in shock, then filled with delight.
"My goodness, it can't be! Is that really you, Lucian? Heaven must have sent you back to us!" She rushed forward and pulled him into a tight hug.
Lucian rubbed his nose lightly and smiled.
"Yeah, Aunt Vera. It's been a long time."
According to the memories of his body's original owner, he had been missing for nine years—vanished with his parents into the endless sea, never to be heard from again.
"You haven't changed at all, child."
Aunt Vera smiled kindly and reached out to pinch Lucian's handsome cheeks. Lucian instinctively wanted to dodge but forced himself to stay still.
Ben and Gwen stood nearby, watching him get his cheeks pinched, struggling to hold back their laughter. But soon enough, they too fell victim to Aunt Vera's merciless cheek-pinching.
Not long after, Aunt Vera led everyone into the house...
"Oh my gosh, why do old folks' houses always have this weird smell..." Ben muttered, pinching his nose.
He spoke so softly that Aunt Vera didn't hear him.
Gwen tapped him on the head and whispered, "Jerk, don't say things like that."
Lucian shook his head with a wry smile. Ben was only ten, still at that age where kids spoke their minds without thinking.
And truthfully, he wasn't wrong. A strange scent filled Aunt Vera's house—the kind people often called "old person smell."
Aunt Vera, ever the gracious host, cheerfully led Lucian and the others to the dining table, motioning for them to sit.
The table was covered with coffee-colored, jelly-like dishes she had prepared early that morning, made especially to welcome Ben and his cousins.
"Everyone, dig in! Don't be shy," Aunt Vera said with a warm smile.
Ben picked up a fork and poked one of the coffee-colored jellies. To his horror, it quivered and bounced with unsettling elasticity, making him shiver.
"Vera, what are these brown chunks?" Grandpa Max asked curiously.
Aunt Vera giggled. "Oh, these! I made them just for you all—dried pork. They're delicious!"
Lucian's mouth twitched slightly. Turning dried pork into something jelly-like... her cooking definitely rivaled Grandpa Max's.
"Lucian, eat more! There's plenty more in the fridge," Aunt Vera said kindly.
"Thanks, Aunt Vera." Lucian let out a dry laugh.
He looked down at the "dried pork" in his bowl, took a deep breath, and scooped up a small piece. Slowly, he put it into his mouth.
It wasn't as bad as he'd expected, but the texture was strange—like pork-flavored gelatin. One bite was enough to know he didn't want a second.
"Ben, you too. You're growing boys; you need to eat more meat."
As she spoke, Aunt Vera scooped a large helping of the "dried pork" into Ben's bowl, piling it high.
"Oh, come on~" Ben groaned, rubbing his forehead.
Then came the chatting between Grandpa Max and Aunt Vera—reminiscing about old times, sometimes laughing, sometimes falling into nostalgic silence.
Lucian and Ben had no way to join the conversation, so they sat quietly on the side, occasionally exchanging helpless looks.
At one point, when Aunt Vera and Gwen weren't paying attention, Ben dumped all the "dried pork" from his bowl into Gwen's.
Gwen's face turned red with fury, and her reaction made everyone burst out laughing.
"I'm going to the bathroom," Ben said, standing up.
He was bored out of his mind. Sitting with a bunch of old folks felt like torture for someone his age.
Lucian's eyes narrowed slightly as he watched Ben's retreating figure...
...
Sunlight poured down, the breeze soft and warm.
Ben stepped outside, breathing in the fresh air like a bird finally freed from its cage.
"Finally free!" he stretched with relief.
Suddenly, a delicious aroma drifted through the air, making his stomach rumble.
"That smells amazing! There must be something good nearby!" His eyes lit up, and he followed the scent eagerly.
Just the thought of Aunt Vera's pork jerky made him shudder, killing any appetite he had. But this smell—it was the difference between heaven and hell.
Before long, Ben found himself standing before a window where a steaming cheese pizza sat inside, releasing waves of mouthwatering fragrance.
A middle-aged woman was inside, swatting at flies. Ben was about to call out to her but hesitated.
"Better wait until she's done with the flies..." he muttered.
But the next moment made his eyes go wide in shock...