Twilight - Dimensional Traveler

Mark had just finished getting ready for his date with Edythe.

He wore a long-sleeved gray shirt, black pants, and Nike sneakers.

Grabbing the car keys, he headed to the garage. Looking at his car, which still resembled a heap of scrap metal, Mark felt it wasn't worthy of Edythe—he wanted something newer.

He opened the system shop and searched for abilities or items that could restore his car to pristine condition.

Spotting the first item, which looked like a playing card, Mark selected it and read the description:

[Item Name: Restoration Card]

[Description: Restores any object to its perfect condition. There's no size limit to what can be restored, but the object must be at least 70% intact.]

[Price: 100P]

Mark felt this item would do the trick. After buying it, he opened the system's inventory.

Extracting the item, a translucent card emitting a mysterious glow appeared in his hand.

He wondered how to use it, but then instructions flowed into his mind: Just throw the card at the object you want to restore, and it will activate automatically.

Mark looked at the card in his hand, then at his rusty Mustang. He stepped back a little.

He took a deep breath and threw the card at the car—just like a professional pitcher.

When the card hit the vehicle, there was no sound, only a bright light that covered the entire car. Mark squinted and watched.

The restoration took only a few seconds before the light faded, revealing a sleek new car.

Mark approached and examined his freshly restored Mustang—paint, interior, wheels, and engine were all brand new, just like a fresh purchase off the lot.

Sitting down in the new seats, Mark breathed in the scent of new leather and felt deeply satisfied.

After a quick inspection, Mark started the car and drove to the location Edythe had sent.

They planned to meet in front of the city cinema.

...

Mark was the first to arrive. Looking around, he didn't see Edythe anywhere.

Checking the time on his watch, he noticed there were still 30 minutes left until their scheduled time.

Just as he was about to find a place to wait, Mark heard a voice near his ear.

"Mark, what are you doing here? Waiting for someone?"

Mark turned and saw two people—a man and a woman. It was Su Chen and someone he didn't recognize.

But Mark remembered her—she was one of the cheerleaders at school.

Seeing Su Chen irritated him, but he hid it well behind a smile.

"I'm waiting for someone to see a movie. Didn't expect to bump into you—you're on a date too, it seems," Mark said.

"You know how it is. This is Ana, she's a cheerleader at school," Su Chen said, introducing her with a smile.

Mark simply nodded at the girl.

"You guys here to watch a movie?" Mark asked.

"Yeah, we haven't decided which yet. Just got here—we're browsing for something interesting," Su Chen replied.

"We're not watching horror. I'm terrified of those," the girl said, her voice playful.

For some reason, Mark disliked her voice. And Su Chen... Mark felt a trace of hostility hidden beneath his friendliness.

Su Chen always spoke with a warm tone—but Mark had read enough online romance novels, especially Chinese ones, to recognize certain character types.

He wondered if Su Chen was one of those characters who hid pettiness and scheming behind a smiling mask.

This game could be played by two—as long as the other side didn't try anything sneaky.

Mark didn't want to care—but if Su Chen pushed too far, he'd show who had the sharper fangs.

Su Chen, realizing Mark didn't want to chat, decided to say goodbye. But the hateful glint in his eyes was well concealed. Or so he thought.

I'm the protagonist of this story. Anyone who stands in my way must die, Su Chen thought to himself.

He hadn't done anything to Mark yet—only because the system warned him Mark was no ordinary person.

"Well, see you around. Have a great date," Su Chen said and walked ahead with his partner.

Mark just nodded and kept waiting for Edythe.

He'd seen the hatred behind Su Chen's eyes. Mark silently said to himself: Let's just hope you don't go looking for your own death.