Urban System in America-Chapter 140 - 139: I’m Starving

Ignoring the system’s annoying remarks, he took one last look at the view outside the window and staggered to his bed.

He clenched his hands into fists, trying to shake off the daze. Thoughts of everything he’d learned in the system space hit him all at once—Philosophy of Arts, Dürer’s engravings, Da Vinci’s sketches, Michelangelo’s masterpieces. He’d been through a lot, and yet, the fact that he’d spent 23 years in that damn system space still had him reeling.

Yeah, he’d known time moved differently, but 23 years? That was a hell of a lot longer than he thought. Almost a quarter of a lifetime.

It didn’t even feel like it though. Time had slipped away so fast while he was caught up in all that learning. But it wasn’t just about art; it was about life too. He’d grown in ways he couldn’t even put into words.

After sitting there for a bit, grounding himself, he finally dragged himself to the bathroom to the washroom to remove all that sweat and exhaustion. The cool water hitting on his face, made him realize that he was back, back again in the real world.

After a long satisfying shower, he slipped into his comfy clothes. Just then, his stomach made a sound that could only be described as a growl of desperation.

"Alright, alright, I know you’re starving," he muttered, patting his stomach as if coaxing a child.

"Let’s go grab something to eat."

Getting downstairs, he noticed Victor pacing around the room anxiously, while Kaelan sat there with his chin propped up in his hand, looking very serious. The air was thick with tension.

"Should I wake the boss up? It’s been, like, 20 hours already," Victor asked, looking more stressed by the second.

"You just checked not long ago," Kaelan said, sounding a little exasperated. "And can you stop pacing? I feel like I’m gonna get dizzy just watching you."

Victor froze mid-step. "But—"

"No buts," Kaelan interrupted. "We’ll wait a little longer. If he doesn’t wake up soon, then I’ll report back and have him transferred to a hospital."

Victor slumped onto the sofa with a big sigh. "Fine, fine, we wait."

Kaelan’s gaze flickered back to Victor. "By the way, you checked the whole place, right? Nothing suspicious?"

Victor nodded. "Yeah, I have already checked it multiple times and didn’t find anything suspicious."

"What about you? Are you sure the boss is just sleeping? And not compromised in any way?"

"Of course, I have already checked the boss’s condition, everything is normal, no sign of drugs or stuff like that. "Kaelan said, his voice sharp." Let’s just hope that he wakes up soon, otherwise we’ll have to take some actions."

Victor gave a quiet grunt in agreement.

Then, out of nowhere, the sound of footsteps echoed through the hallway.

Both of them turned, almost like they were programmed to do it.

"Sup!" Rex grinned, strolling into the room like he had woke up from a leisurly beauty sleep.

Victor and Kaelan’s eyes went wide, and they rushed over to him.

"Boss, are you okay?" Victor asked, relief mixed with a bit of worry in his voice.

"Yeah, what happened? You’ve been out for so long," Kaelan added, looking serious.

He just smiled. "I’m good. Was tired due to some stuff. freeweɓnovēl.coɱ

Sensing the tense atmosphere he added a joked, "Just starving enough to eat a whole cow."

They both exhaled, visibly relieved. But he waved them off. "Let’s not get into the serious stuff right now. I’m so hungry, I could eat a whole buffet."

Victor rolled his eyes but couldn’t hide the small grin on his face. "Okay, okay, we’ll get you something to eat. No need to act like you’ve been starving for a month."

He just smiled, thought to himself that, ’it’s not just a month, I haven’t eaten anything decades.’

And pulled his phone out, ready to order takeout, but Kaelan stopped him. "How about I just grab something from a nearby place? It’ll be faster than waiting for delivery."

He thought about it for a second and handed Kaelan his card without hesitation. "Here. Take my card. Get enough for yourself too, just make sure to bring a lot, I’m not kidding, I’m really starving right now."

Kaelan held his hands up. "No, no, I got it. I can pay for this much easily."

Rex raised an eyebrow. "You think I care about the money? Just take my card and get a lot of food. I’m not joking. I haven’t eaten in—well, let’s just say it’s been a long time."

Kaelan just shook his head with a chuckle. "Fine, fine, boss. You got it."

—

Soon enough, Kaelan came back, carrying bags full of food from a nearby restaurant. The smell of freshly cooked dishes wafted into the room, making Rex’s stomach growl louder than ever.

Kaelan spread the food across the table with a satisfied grin, his grin widening as he watched Rex’s eyes light up. "Here you go, boss. Hope this hits the spot."

Rex didn’t need any more convincing. He was famished—no, more than that. His body was ravenous, as though it hadn’t felt hunger in a lifetime.

His gaze scanned the bounty of food laid before him. There was a juicy rib-eye steak, perfectly seared with that crispy, charred edge that screamed perfection. its pink interior almost calling out to him. Alongside that, a pile of crispy fries, golden and perfectly salted, , just begging to be dipped into ketchup or mayo.

He spotted a bowl of creamy mac and cheese, the cheesy sauce clinging to the elbow pasta with gooey goodness. A huge portion of BBQ ribs sat next to the mac and cheese, covered in a sticky, sweet glaze, the meat practically falling off the bone. He didn’t care about the mess. He just wanted it.

And then there were sides—garlic bread, toasted and crisped to a satisfying crunch, a fresh bowl of coleslaw that would cool his burning hunger, and a big, fluffy cornbread that smelled like pure comfort. To wash it all down, a glass of iced tea with a wedge of lemon.

He didn’t even hesitate. His hands were already reaching for the rib-eye, cutting into it without ceremony. The moment the steak hit his tongue, it was like his senses came alive again. The real world. This was real.

"Damn..." he muttered, shoveling a forkful of fries into his mouth. The salt and crispiness hit the spot like nothing else. It wasn’t just food. It was life—something he hadn’t fully experienced in... well, forever.

Next, he dug into the mac and cheese, savoring the creamy texture that clung to the pasta. He barely noticed the sauce on his lips as he reached for the ribs, tearing into them, not caring that his fingers were covered in BBQ sauce. Hell, he didn’t even notice the napkin at his side. He was here, he was back, and this was food like it was meant to be.

He dug into the fried chicken tenders next, licking his fingers afterward without a second thought. "Man, I’ve missed this..."

Victor watched in a mix of amazement and amusement as Rex devoured the food. "Boss, are you sure you’re really okay? You’re eating like it’s your last meal."

Rex glanced up at him, a mouthful of cornbread in his cheeks. "It might as well be, man. You have no idea how long it’s been since I’ve eaten anything real."

Hungry. That was putting it lightly. It was like his body had forgotten what it was to eat, to taste, to feel alive. The sensation of food in his mouth, the heat of the steak, the crispiness of the fries—it all felt like a sensory overload. It was like every bite was a reminder that he had finally returned to the real world.

Victor raised an eyebrow, watching Rex inhale dish after dish. "You’re gonna eat all that yourself?"

He didn’t even answer. He just shoveled more food into his mouth, his focus completely on satisfying the hunger that had built up over the years. After all, 23 years of learning and growing had worked up an appetite.

By the time he finally sat back, panting slightly, the table was nearly empty. He wiped his hands on a napkin and sighed contentedly. "Now that’s what I call a meal."

Kaelan and Victor exchanged amused glances, and Rex just smirked.

(End of Chapter)