04. A Delivery That Still Counts
Author: The LA
last update2026-05-03 00:41:46

Ken’s motorcycle slowed before finally stopping in front of a two-story house by the roadside.

Fortunately, the porch light was still brightly on.

He didn’t need to check the time on his phone twice, he was clearly late. Ken stared at the numbers for a few seconds longer.

Before, a number like that only meant one thing: complaints, rating drops, income cuts.

Now…

he glanced at the corner of his vision.

[Mission: In Progress]

“Whatever…” he muttered softly, more to calm himself.

He got off the motorcycle. As he stood upright, the pain in his ribs returned to greet him. It wasn’t as bad as before, but enough to make his steps feel heavy.

He lifted the delivery bag. The warmth of the food was still felt in his palm.

Strange. It had been this long, but the temperature hadn’t completely faded.

Ken walked to the door and pressed the bell.

There was no answer, but footsteps were heard quickly from inside before the door opened rather harshly.

A middle-aged man stood there, his face immediately hardening when he saw the delivery jacket Ken was wearing.

“Yes? What now?” his tone was sharp, clearly displeased.

Ken raised the bag slightly, showing a proper smile with a hint of apology.

“Dinner order, Sir.”

“Only arriving now?” the man cut him off immediately, his voice rising. “Did you check the time? I’ve been waiting for almost two hours!”

Ken opened his mouth, wanting to explain length x width x height, but he wasn’t used to that, so in the end he just said, “Sorry, Sir, I—”

“Don’t keep saying ‘sorry’!” the middle-aged man cut him off again, even louder. “I’ve been calling, complaining, and in the end I canceled it! Do you think I don’t have a limit to my patience?”

“And how do I know if this food is still edible? Or already spoiled?”

He pointed at the bag with disgust.

Ken stayed silent for a split second. Logically, he could leave after being scolded like this. The order had been canceled and his business was done. Besides, he had already been fired.

But the blue screen glowing at the edge of his vision made him unwilling to give up. He took a slow breath, holding back the urge to defend himself excessively.

“Sir, I understand you’re upset,” he finally said, calmer.

“Of course I’m upset! If you were in my position, you’d be angry too!” the man shot back immediately.

Ken gave a small nod and didn’t argue, simply accepting the criticism calmly and sincerely.

That attitude made the man pause for a split second, and Ken used that moment.

“If you don’t want to take it, that’s okay. But please let me check the food first.”

Without waiting for permission, Ken slightly unzipped the bag, and warm steam immediately escaped. The aroma of the food spread slowly—strange, because it wasn’t just warm, but stronger than it should have been.

Fresher, and definitely more appetizing.

The man narrowed his eyes slightly, his nose moving reflexively.

Ken also paused for a split second.

“It shouldn’t… still be like this,” he thought.

“It’s still warm, Sir,” he said, different from what he thought, his voice steady. “If the quality isn’t right, you don’t have to pay in full.”

The man didn’t answer immediately. His gaze dropped into the bag. The crease on his forehead didn’t fully disappear, but it wasn’t as harsh as before.

“I’m not forcing you, Sir. But if you’re willing… just consider this my apology.”

He paused briefly, then continued, “I’ll take responsibility if there’s any problem.”

The man lifted his head, looking at Ken again. This time his attitude was more approachable, especially when he noticed the tear at the corner of Ken’s lips.

“Where are you from?” he asked suddenly.

“Nearby, Sir.”

“Nearby but still two hours late?” his tone was still sharp, but not as high as before, if anything, it sounded slightly more lenient.

Ken was silent for a moment, then finally answered, “…there was a problem on the way.”

The man let out a long breath. Like someone still annoyed, but starting to get tired of being angry.

“Fine,” he said at last, extending his hand. “Here.”

Ken handed over the bag.

The man opened it slightly, smelled the aroma again, then gave a small nod, almost unnoticeable. In truth, he felt very satisfied.

He went inside while Ken remained standing outside.

A few seconds later, the man returned with some money in his hand.

“Here,” he said shortly. “It’s still edible, so I’ll pay in full.”

“Thank you, Sir.”

The man didn’t reply, instead turning back inside and closing the door.

Ken stood there for a few seconds, looking at the blue screen that had updated.

[Congratulations, mission completed]

[Reward available: 1x Lucky Draw]

Ken stared at it for a long moment, his fingers still slightly stiff.

“…so this is real,” he muttered softly. For the first time tonight, he felt very happy and eager to go home.

Continue to read this book for free
Scan the code to download the app

Latest Chapter

  • 11. An Unwelcome Return

    Ken was still sitting on the floor, leaning against the wall. Before he could process everything further, his phone vibrated on the floor.Usually, the unknown number like this were either loan offers or customers who sent the wrong address.For some reason, this time he answered. The voice on the other end sounded calm and professional.“Good afternoon. Am I speaking with Mr. Ken?”Ken immediately sat up a little straighter.“Yes. Who is this?”“I’m Freya from the legal division of Aurora Logistics Group. We are contacting you regarding a change in the company’s shareholding structure.”Ken’s heart beat a little faster, but he kept listening seriously.“There are several documents you need to sign as part of the verification and authorization process.”Ken didn’t respond immediately. His gaze went blank for a moment, as if connecting the pieces that had just happened.“…so,” he said slowly, “this is about those shares?”“That’s correct, Mr. Ken. You are currently registered as one of

  • 10. Shattered Glass and Rising Stakes

    The glass flew past him and slammed hard against the wall, shattering into pieces.Some people screamed in shock, while Ken only paused for a split second.In his heart, he quietly let out a breath.If his reflexes had been just a little slower, or if his luck hadn’t been slightly higher than that of an average person, the glass would have already hit his head.He didn’t turn around or curse. He simply opened the door and said lightly, “A bad temper, Sir. Be careful, it can shorten your lifespan.”Then he left. His steps quickened slightly as he walked away from the room.Ken still valued his life.A few provocations were enough. If it went any further, he might truly die there, and the small bit of luck he had wouldn’t be enough to save him.…From inside the room, the sound of something being smashed was followed by a roar full of anger.Miles stood in the middle of the room, breathing heavily, his jaw tightening. His gaze shifted sharply toward Lizzy, cold, piercing, and full of pr

  • 09. A Line Crossed

    Lizzy was the first to rise from her seat. Her face flushed, not just from embarrassment anymore, but also anger.“Ken, don’t be disrespectful!” her voice rose, sharp. “Know your place! Don’t make yourself even more embarrassing!”The room fell slightly silent. They glanced at Miles, waiting for his reaction, but he just stood there with an expression that was hard to read.On the other hand, instead of feeling offended or angry, Ken actually let out a soft chuckle. It wasn’t loud, but it shifted the atmosphere.He shook his head lightly, then looked at Lizzy calmly.“Embarrassing? The one who should feel embarrassed isn’t me.”His gaze shifted, sweeping across them one by one, before settling back on Lizzy.“The one who feels guilty is the one who should be embarrassed. I’m not wrong, and I’m not the one at fault, so why is it embarrassing? Besides, I’m not the one who wanted to come here.”The sentence sounded simple, but it clearly stung. Lizzy immediately fell silent, her face sti

  • 08. A Different Kind of Humiliation

    One of the men stood up, walked over to Ken, then patted his shoulder lightly.“Hey, but I respect you,” he said quietly, but clearly enough. “You’ve got guts, showing up in front of your ex’s new boyfriend like this. If I were you, I’d have disappeared from the city already.”Ken didn’t respond.The man clicked his tongue, then stepped back.“Ah, whatever. Different level anyway.”Ken was being humiliated, but Lizzy also felt embarrassed. Unfortunately, the woman couldn’t do anything but let out a small laugh, even though there was a hint of awkwardness on her face.After a moment, her hand grasped Miles’ arm.“Sorry…” she whispered softly, her voice slightly coquettish. “I know I was wrong. No need to drag this out, okay…”Miles turned to her, one eyebrow slightly raised.“You’re apologizing now because you’re afraid I’ll make trouble with your ex?”“No. I don’t care what you want to do to him. I just don’t want you to be mad at me again.”Lizzy immediately shook her head. She moved

  • 07. Greenhill Residence

    Ken’s motorcycle stopped in front of a large house according to the address. The yard was spacious, and the building itself looked magnificent with two floors full of glass and a wide balcony.Before he even had the chance to knock, the door was already open and a servant stood there, neatly dressed, his expression flat.“You’re from the delivery service, right?”Ken nodded and answered, “Yes. This is the order.”The servant glanced at it briefly. “Oh, okay, wait a moment.”Without waiting for a response, he went back inside and closed the door, letting Ken stand outside while holding a large bouquet of flowers in his hands.A few seconds passed and the door opened again.“We’ve confirmed it. Please follow me,” the servant said. “My master requested it to be handed over directly by you.”Ken frowned slightly, but said nothing and simply followed him inside.The interior was spacious and bright. Marble floors, expensive paintings, and the clean scent of the room. His shoes felt unwort

  • 06. The First Real Luck

    Ken stepped out of the bathroom wearing a simple t-shirt clinging to his body. The cold floor returned to his soles as he walked into the narrow room.The thick cloth that had saved him earlier was still in his hand.He looked at it once more, then let out a long breath.“…just a coincidence, huh?”But even he didn’t sound convinced.Ken tossed the cloth beside the folding mattress, then sat down on the floor. His back leaned against the wall. His eyes were empty for a few seconds before his hand finally reached for his phone.The screen lit up and several notifications appeared. Unread messages, promotions, ads, and things he usually ignored.His finger moved aimlessly, scrolling through the screen.Until one banner stopped right in the middle.“Daily Lucky Spin — Chance to win up to $5,000!”Ken stared at it, one eyebrow slightly raised.Usually, he would just swipe it away, but this time his thoughts paused.Luck.That word appeared again in his head. Ken snorted softly, half mocki

More Chapter
Explore and read good novels for free
Free access to a vast number of good novels on MegaNovel app. Download the books you like and read anywhere & anytime.
Read books for free on the app
Scan code to read on App