Tech Hero in Another World
Chapter 80: [79] Busy Tuesday

Chapter 80: [79] Busy Tuesday

The next morning, the Mandaley desert greeted the dawn with a wash of orange light creeping over the dunes. The soft hum of Ren’s van cooling system signaled the machine’s slow awakening—ready to head straight back into the heart of chaos.

As they had agreed the night before, Ren now had one extra passenger—the rabbit girl sitting in the front seat, wide-eyed with curiosity and a posture just stiff enough to betray her nerves. Nea couldn’t hide her fascination; her eyes darted over every button, light, and digital readout in the cockpit with innocent wonder that made Ren chuckle.

"First time in a car?" Ren asked while typing a short command into the holographic dashboard.

Nea nodded quickly. "Yes! I’ve heard stories about iron-wheeled wagons in the big cities, but... this feels like riding some kind of beast from the future!"

Ren grinned, giving her a playful glance. "Just wait ’til we hit top speed. First-timers usually regret it real quick."

Nea didn’t even have time to reply before the van surged forward—slow at first, then accelerating rapidly with the help of mithril engines and magical suspension. The desert-hardened tires split the sand like a ship through water. Wind swept her hood back, sending strands of her hair flying—and the shine in her eyes slowly gave way to shock.

"Aaaa—we’re floating! Are we flying?!"

"Not flying, just drifting," Ren replied coolly as he pulled the stabilizer lever. The van dipped smoothly into the sand, gliding like a surfboard over golden waves. "Relax, it’s all under control. Unless, of course, one of those big worms shows up."

"Worms?" Nea spun toward him, eyes widening. Her pale face from the speed turned even paler from sheer dread. "You mean... Turab?"

Ren nodded casually, spinning the wheel sharply to the left and guiding the van into a deep sand trench. "Yeah. Sandworms. Big, mean, sound-sensitive. Wait—Turab? That’s their name?"

Nea’s expression turned grim. Her breathing quickened, and her long ears tensed. "Oh no. We’re in serious danger. That’s Ruh’al-Turab—the corrupted devourer of earth. We call it the World Eater. If we disturb it... there won’t be enough left of us to tell the story—except maybe as fossils."

Ren raised an eyebrow and glanced at him briefly. "Huh. True. I’ve survived frenzied hornets, 5-meter-tall lizards, and tank fire... but giant worms? That’s a new addition to my Tuesday list."

Then, suddenly, the van began to shake. Not just a gentle tremor—this felt like the heartbeat of the earth rising from slumber. The sand kicked into the air like mist, and in the distance, a massive bulge formed beneath the surface, coiling like the back of a buried dragon.

"Ultro... please don’t tell me that’s a worm’s back I’m seeing," Ren muttered as he eased off the accelerator.

『Visual confirmation. Three seismic activity points approaching from the west, south, and northeast. Probability: Turab are encircling.』

"So... not just one?" Ren’s voice pitched up half an octave. He turned to Nea with the look of a kid who just realized he’s swimming in a pool full of sharks.

"Usually just one, but sometimes... it’s mating season," Nea replied with innocent horror.

"Fantastic," Ren muttered, tapping the steering wheel. "They’re mating, and I’m the romantic dinner delivery. That’s just perfect."

The van suddenly jolted as one of the Turab breached nearby, blasting a geyser of sand into the sky. The shockwave slammed against the van’s side, rattling the windows as Nea shrieked and clutched the dashboard.

"I am not dying in a metal can with a bunny girl and five tigers!" Ren shouted, flipping the power boost lever.

『Tactical suggestion: maximum speed. Divert sound northward. Deploying audio decoys will increase escape probability by 43%.』

Ren quickly popped open a hidden compartment, pulled out a teapot-shaped sound drone, and tossed it out the window. The device lit up instantly—blaring a remix of... dangdut.

"Seriously, Ultro? That playlist?"

『Irregular audio frequencies maximize acoustic confusion in subterranean predators. Classic Pop yields optimal disorientation in Turab auditory pathways.』

Nea stared, caught between awe and complete bewilderment. "I don’t know what that is... and who sings during a chase!?"

Behind them, the once-coordinated Turab started to scatter, disoriented by the clashing rhythms of van engines and thumping techno-drum beats. One even collided with another, their hunting paths completely disrupted.

Ren spun the wheel again, steering the van out of the dune trench and onto a rocky northern flat. "Okay! We made it! Don’t tell me we—"

Just then, the rear wheels sank into soft sand. The van lurched and tipped sideways.

"—got flattened," Ren finished, deadpan.

Nea toppled into him, her shoulder slamming against his arm. She groaned, rubbing her head. "Ow! This isn’t part of the tour package, is it?!"

Ren slowly raised a hand, sand now pouring into his collar. His flat expression never changed. "No. But hey—relax. This is only the half-bad part of the plan. The other half is... we make it out alive."

Without waiting for any further explanations, the two flung the van doors open and rolled out, tumbling onto firmer sand. Dust billowed around them, clouding their view.

A moment later, from the tilted van, Alfred emerged first—a tiger roughly the size of a fat housecat, staggering like he’d just returned from a wild party. Behind him, Bella stepped out, lazily flicking her ears, followed by their three cubs—dazed and looking like they’d just ridden the world’s worst roller coaster.

Bella looked straight at Ren with an expression that clearly said, This is your fault. Her sharp green eyes sparkled with that distinct "I could claw your face off and still look fabulous" kind of energy.

Ren raised both hands in surrender. "This is out of my control, alright!" he shouted quickly—half defensive, half hoping Bella wouldn’t put him on her "claw priority" list.

Meanwhile, Nea staggered a few steps to the side and then stopped abruptly. "Ugh... I thought this would be a fun trip..." she said, voice trembling.

"Nea, are you—"

"Blurrgh."

And just like that, Nea emptied her stomach into the desert sand, becoming the fourth known victim of Ren’s infamous driving style.

Ren slowly wiped his face and glanced toward the hunched-over girl. "Hey, pretty girls usually don’t show their worst sides in front of guys, you know."

Without even looking up, Nea answered with a nasally groan, "Are... you even qualified to say that?"

Ren thought about it, then shrugged. "Oh. Probably not. Sorry."

Bella hissed low from behind them, seemingly agreeing with Nea for the first time ever.

The tiger cubs, still dazed, curled up in the van’s shadow, while Alfred sat like a disappointed monarch, surveying a kingdom that had failed him.

Ren finally stood and patted the dust off his pants. He looked off into the distance, where the desert still rippled and the ground continued to subtly tremble.

"Ultro, status on the Turab?"

『Movement receding. Audio bait appears to have been effective. Likely, they mistook your vehicle for a failed mating candidate.』

Ren blinked twice. "That’s... disturbing. But thanks."

He turned to Nea, who was still sitting weakly in the sand. "You able to walk?"

Nea raised a hand in a shaky ’gimme-a-minute’ gesture. "Give me... five minutes. And a glass of water."

Ren pointed to a metal supply box by the van, which—miraculously—had survived the incident. "Water’s doable. Five minutes? We’ll see if the worms agree."

After Nea had a drink and Alfred helped Bella reposition the van, they—through an impressive collaboration between one human, one rabbit, and five field tigers—managed to tip the van back upright. Ren didn’t dwell on the chaos inside: cooking gear, spare parts, and engine modules scattered like the aftermath of a luggage explosion in zero gravity.

Without further ceremony, he hit the gas and sped away from the danger zone. A plume of sand kicked up behind them, leaving the shadows of the retreating Turab far behind.

Unbeknownst to them, behind one of the taller dunes, three figures were watching. Two rode long-eared desert horses, while the third stood at the top of the dune, face wrapped in a fluttering veil. Sharp eyes followed the van’s retreating shape in silence.

---

Hours later, they found a safe spot—a wide rock crevice deep enough to park the van and tall enough to shield them from the night winds. Ren busied himself repairing the van’s dented body, replacing side panels and reconnecting control wires. He didn’t stop until every system was stable again.

"Alright, all good," Ren muttered, patting the hood. The van stood firm once more—still dusty and scratched, but solid. Not far off, Nea and the others had set up a small tent beside a large rock, enough shelter for the night as the sky dimmed.

As Ren approached the camp, Nea immediately pointed to the holographic interface band on her wrist. "Hey, did you make this talking thing?" she asked, wide-eyed with wonder. Of course, she was referring to Ultro.

Ren smirked, replying flatly, "Nope. I stole it from a group of scientists who spent ten years building it... in Sudan."

"Huh?" Nea blinked. Her face twisted into a mixture of confusion and ’I’m pretending I understand.’

Ren realized he’d just dropped a location no one in this world would recognize. He cleared his throat quickly. "Ahem, I mean... it’s old tech from another civilization. Point is, we’re safe now."

Nea nodded slowly, still looking a little puzzled but deciding not to ask more. "Then, do you want to know where Khan is?"

Ren stopped in his tracks and looked at her seriously. "Yeah. If we’ve already risked our lives dodging giant worms, I’d at least like the destination to be worth it. You know where he is?"

Nea nodded and pointed southwest, beyond two high dunes. "If I’m right, there’s an oasis near that region. The village around it is a common trade point for Khan’s group."

Ren folded his arms and stared in that direction. The night was creeping in, but the temperature was still comfortable enough for travel.

"Oasis, huh?" Ren nodded slowly. "Alright. After we rest, we head there. But if there are more worms at that place too, I swear I’m moving to the mountains and becoming a mushroom farmer."