Chapter 6: Vanilla Pudding

"If I had to say whether there's anything worth holding onto… well, there is." Joshua paused for a moment as if lost in thought. "What is it that you miss the most?" Alice couldn't help but ask, her heart pounding. "When I left home, my sister gave me a stuffed pig, but I forgot to bring it. Should we turn back and get it?" The moment Joshua finished speaking, the slight shyness on Alice's face vanished, replaced by an icy expression. Without a word, she twisted her motorcycle's throttle to full speed and raced straight for the airport. At the airport, Alice stood and watched the flight to Regalburg take off, feeling an inexplicable sense of loss. She wasn't sure if it was because Joshua was leaving or she might never see him again. Either way, an ache settled in her chest. After a three-hour flight, Joshua arrived at Regalburg Airport. The first thing he did after stepping out of the terminal was buy a vanilla pudding. As he walked, he ate, completely unbothered. Anyone from his flight who saw him would probably be dumbfounded. After all, from the moment he boarded, he'd been ordering food nonstop for the three-hour flight. Even the gorgeous flight attendants were on the verge of rolling their eyes at him. With a military-style backpack in one hand and a cup of vanilla pudding in the other, Joshua leisurely scooped up spoonfuls and savored the taste. It was a simple pleasure, but in the apocalyptic world he had once lived in, where wars raged between nations, between people, and even between humans and mutant beasts, food was a luxury beyond imagination. Clean drinking water alone was precious enough for warriors to fight to the death over. Engrossed in his pudding, Joshua wandered until he realized he had no idea where he was. Looking around, he found himself in a narrow alleyway. Regalburg was full of alleys, but he wasn't worried. He knew where home was. He wasn't in a rush. First, he needed to satisfy his appetite. Suddenly, just as he reached the middle of the alley, a tall woman dressed stylishly in a black cap and oversized sunglasses sprinted toward him at full speed. She nearly crashed into him. She had already grabbed his arm before Joshua could even turn his head to get a good look. "Hey, handsome! Someone's trying to kidnap me. Stall them while I call the police!" "Huh?" Joshua blinked, finally looking closer at the woman clinging to his arm. She was about 5'9", just a little shorter than him. Her large sunglasses obscured most of her face, and she radiated a star-like presence. He couldn't see her features, but her beauty was palpable. Just as she pulled out her phone to dial, a dozen men in black suits flooded in from both ends of the alley, surrounding them, some even leaping down from the walls on either side, closing in fast. Before the woman could make the call, one of the suited men rushed forward, snatched her phone, and smashed it to pieces. "You… what do you want?" Despite trying to sound composed, her voice had a hint of fear. "Ms. Stewart, come with us. Otherwise, don't blame us for using force." The man who spoke also wore sunglasses, his tone icy and commanding. "Didn't you see my boyfriend standing right here? If you try to kidnap me, he won't let you get away with it!" In panic, the woman instinctively tightened her grip on Joshua's arm, raising her voice. The lead bodyguard turned his gaze to Joshua, eyeing him skeptically. Meanwhile, Joshua was exasperated. He had no connection to this woman, yet she had suddenly declared him her boyfriend. Judging by the situation, this was turning into a major headache. Joshua had never been one to seek out trouble—he avoided it whenever possible. As for playing the hero to save a damsel in distress, he'd seen too many beautiful women in the apocalypse. If he had rushed to save every single one, he would've died from exhaustion. "Don't look at me. I don't even know her. Bye." Shrugging, Joshua turned to leave, completely unfazed. The woman gripping his arm was so furious she wanted to bite him. Was this guy even human? Any other man would jump at the chance to play the hero for a stunning, distressed woman. But this guy? He was foolish. "Hey! Are you even a man? I can't believe I misjudged you!" Joshua didn't even look back. He kept walking, eating his vanilla pudding, determined to escape this mess. He wasn't afraid. He didn't see the point in getting involved. Just as he was about to leave the alley, the lead bodyguard blocked his path. In one swift motion, he smacked the pudding cup right out of Joshua's hand, splattering it onto the ground. "I don't remember saying you could leave." The bodyguards, who hadn't taken Joshua seriously, saw him as an insignificant nuisance. The lead bodyguard knocked the vanilla pudding out of Joshua's hand before turning to grab the stunning woman nearby. With a sneer, he said, "We're not here to hurt you. We want a little chat with your father." Bam! When the bodyguard reached out his hand, he was sent flying several feet by a powerful kick to his backside, landing in a heap on the ground. Everyone froze. All eyes turned to Joshua, shocked that he had dared to fight back. "You can hit and insult me, but knocking over my vanilla pudding? That, I cannot forgive." Joshua pointed at the lead bodyguard, his voice filled with rage. "What are you waiting for? Kill him!" the lead bodyguard spat, blood dripping from his mouth as he roared the order. More than a dozen bodyguards charged toward Joshua. The woman hurriedly stepped aside, watching anxiously. Joshua was already irritated. With his skills, the bodyguards were no match for him, but he had no interest in playing the hero. However, he didn't hold back since they had angered him. He threw punch after punch, sending each attacker flying. All the while, he roared, "Give me back my vanilla pudding!" The lead bodyguard, his face now covered in blood, along with the woman standing to the side, stared at Joshua as if he were a monster. No one had expected him to unleash such overwhelming strength. Not a single bodyguard managed to get close—each one was knocked to the ground with a single blow, left writhing in pain and unable to get up. In less than two minutes, the entire group of bodyguards lay sprawled on the ground, completely incapacitated. Joshua, however, looked down at the ruined vanilla pudding with a tinge of sadness. With a deep sigh, he slung his bag over his shoulder and left the alley. Realizing what had just happened, the woman quickly ran after him. She was defenseless. If even one of the bodyguards managed to get back up, she'd be in trouble. "Hey! Wait! Wait for me!" she called as she ran after Joshua. "My name's Valentina Stewart. What's yours?" Joshua didn't respond. Without even looking back, he crossed the street and disappeared. Valentina stomped her foot in frustration, grinding her teeth. Puffing out her cheeks, she muttered, "Am I less important than a vanilla pudding? What a heartless jerk." To Joshua, this little incident wasn't worth dwelling on. If that lead bodyguard hadn't knocked over his vanilla pudding, he wouldn't have even bothered to get involved. Hailing a cab, Joshua headed home. He had been an orphan in his previous life. But in this life, he had a family. He was looking forward to experiencing the warmth of home. The taxi pulled up in front of a modest two-story villa—neither luxurious nor shabby. As he stepped out and gazed at the house, a smile played on his lips. Just as he was about to knock on the door, he heard crying from inside. His raised hand hesitated as he listened in. "Mom, stop crying. If the Miller Family wants to call off the engagement, let them. We, the Yale Family, don't care!" That was the voice of his younger sister, Julie Yale. "Julie, I'm not upset about the engagement. I'm worried about Joshua's safety," their mother, Madeline Linnit, said through tears. "Your uncle said that Joshua's team was ambushed on their mission. He... he might not be coming back." Madeline was a housewife, and the Linnit Family was mid-tier in Regalburg. "Don't worry, Mom. Joshua will be fine. He's coming back," Julie said, puffing up her cheeks indignantly. "As for the Miller Family, they can do whatever they want. Joshua can find someone way prettier." Madeline sighed, wiping the tears from her eyes. Joshua had always been a troublemaker—fighting, flirting, and stirring up chaos. However, after the incident with the Lashbrook Family, he had changed completely. He even dropped out of college and insisted on joining the military. And now, this was the result. "Your grandpa and uncle said that if the Miller Family cancels the engagement, we must leave Regalburg and never return. The Lashbrook incident already brought enough shame to the Yale Family. If the Miller family backs out too, we won't be able to show our faces here anymore." "Mom, then we'll leave! We're a family and don't need to stay in that old house. No matter what happens to Joshua, he's still my brother. We'll always be together," Julie said firmly, trying to comfort Madeline. Joshua felt a lump in his throat. He forced a smile as he pulled his keys from his pocket, unlocked the door, and stepped inside.