The dust hadn't even fully settled when Lian's screen flashed again.
[ New Feature Unlocked: Driver Evolution ]
> You have exceeded the system's expectations. Evolution is now possible.
Choose one evolution path:
– Coin Warden: Control economy-based skills. Store energy as currency.
– Road Breaker: Shatter road laws. Unlock speed-based combat.
– Fate Diver: Challenge fate. Higher chance to trigger anomalies, buffs, and story-altering events.
Lian didn't even hesitate.
> Chosen Path: Fate Diver
Effect: Increased anomaly attraction, plot disruption chance +100%, story-interference perks unlocked.
His chest glowed. The Black Widow Walker shifted—gaining a new form with sleeker armor, prismatic wheels, and a glowing sigil etched on its back: a twisting symbol that flickered between past, present, and maybe… the future.
"Alright, Fate," Lian muttered, gripping the controls. "Let's dance."
But then—*
[ System Alert – Incoming Survivor Detected ]
ID: ???
World Status: Hidden Protagonist – Future Knowledge Holder
Affiliation: Earth-Bound | Title: "The Lucky Clown"
Vehicle: Golden Ice Cream Truck (Modified)
Special Skill: Comedic Fate Manipulation
Note: System humor anomaly. Proceed with caution. Or don't. He's hilarious.
A shining golden truck burst from a sudden portal, trailing rainbow exhaust and playing circus music. It hit a pothole, did a front flip, and landed perfectly—with fireworks.
The door slammed open and out stepped a guy with bedhead, aviator goggles, and a T-shirt that read: "I DIED AND ALL I GOT WAS THIS STUPID DESTINY."
He pointed at Lian and winked.
"Yo! Name's Jayce! Future protagonist of this season of hell. Saw everything coming, still late. That's just on-brand."
Demist blinked. "...Who is this guy?"
"I'm the guy who knows when you die," Jayce said cheerfully. "But don't worry, today's not that day!"
He tossed Lian a cold drink from the truck fridge. "You earned this, Time Biker."
Lian caught it mid-air. "Wait—you have a fridge?"
Jayce opened the back of his truck. It had everything. A mini-kitchen. A small library. A mounted turret shaped like a rubber duck. And at least seven bobbleheads of Jayce himself.
[ Survivor Joined: Jayce – "The Lucky Clown" ]
Buffs Applied to Party:
– Luck +500
– Morale +100
– Coin Drop Chance +300%
– Nearby Enemy Aggro -50% (Due to confusion)
Demist stared. "Is this guy for real?"
Jayce pointed to the sky. "I once farted and made a stormcloud explode. Reality bends when I sneeze. Stick with me and we'll either die funny or live as legends."
Lian couldn't help but laugh.
"Alright then, Jayce," he said. "You say you know the future. What's next?"
Jayce's smile dropped slightly. Just for a moment.
"A prison world," he said. "One where the road is alive. And it doesn't like us."
The clouds overhead twisted into spirals.
[ World Shift Detected: Entering Realm – Carcera Exile ]
> Tier: 3 | Sub-level: 4
World Law: Motion equals survival. Stop moving, start dying.
Warning: Sentient environment confirmed.
Jayce slapped the dashboard of his ice cream truck.
"Well boys," he said. "Hope you like cursed roads, monster wardens, and endless chases. Because the next level's literally a high-speed prison break."
And with that, the team rode forward into a new nightmare—with a lucky lunatic at the wheel and fate trembling in anticipation.
---
To Be Continued…