Meeting an Old Acquaintance in Another World, First Encounter with Bulma

The sky was just beginning to brighten.

Lin Fan slowly awakened from that mysterious state of meditation, exhaling a long, turbid breath that condensed into a faint, visible white streak in the cold air, lingering for several seconds before dissipating.

He stretched his limbs; although he remained naked and his wounds had yet to heal, the night spent circulating the supreme techniques recorded in the Great Dao Source Scripture to draw energy into his body had purged most of his exhaustion, and his hunger and thirst had eased slightly.

The thread-like flow of true energy within him, though nearly imperceptible, was circulating slowly on its own, continuously absorbing the thin spiritual energy of heaven and earth to nourish his nearly withered frame.

Most peculiar of all were his eyes; his vision was significantly clearer than before, to the point where he could even distinguish the veins on distant leaves.

This Great Dao Source Scripture is truly miraculous...

Lin Fan felt a sense of relief; having survived a desperate situation, he had finally found a glimmer of hope.

However, looking around, he was still in the middle of a vast wilderness, surrounded by hidden dangers.

The most pressing matter now was to find some clothing to cover himself and something to eat; if he could encounter a town with people, that would be best.

He identified his direction, vaguely recalling the path the farmer's Jeep had taken the day before, and began to move cautiously along the rough dirt road.

Along the way, his hearing and sight seemed to have sharpened; he could detect snakes and insects moving a hundred paces away, allowing him to avoid them in advance and save himself much trouble.

After traveling for the better part of the day, the sun grew increasingly intense, and the dirt road wound on without end.

Just as he was becoming parched and impatient, he suddenly heard a faint, continuous engine hum in the distance that felt completely out of place in this savage world—it was not the rough roar of yesterday's Jeep, but something far more refined.

Lin Fan's heart tightened, and he immediately ducked behind a cluster of dense bushes by the roadside, holding his breath.

After the events of yesterday, he knew well that this world was no safe haven, and since he could not discern whether the newcomer was friend or foe, he had to be extremely cautious.

Before long, a uniquely designed, bright blue single-seater motorcycle rolled into view from the other end of the road, kicking up a light trail of dust.

The vehicle was streamlined and full of technological flair. The rider was a young girl dressed in practical, short attire, with hair like a blue waterfall and skin as fair as snow. She was beautiful, and she was looking down at a palm-sized, flickering instrument, muttering something to herself.

"Strange... the signal is clearly strongest around here, so why can't I see a trace of it after searching for so long..."

This girl, this motorcycle, these words... Hidden behind the bushes, Lin Fan's pupils suddenly contracted, and his heart shook violently!

Bulma!

The eldest daughter of the Capsule Corporation!

The Dragon Radar!

Memories of his past life surged like a tide, instantly drowning him.

He never expected to encounter this key figure from the beginning of the Dragon Ball story in such a time and place!

Seeing Bulma approaching on her motorcycle, looking somewhat annoyed by her fruitless search, she slowed down and scanned her surroundings.

Lin Fan's heart hammered like a drum, and in a flash of inspiration, he made his decision.

The opportunity was right before him; if he missed this chance, who knew when he would encounter another person, especially someone who understood the state of this world!

He took a deep breath, suppressing the surging excitement and anxiety in his heart, and stood up abruptly from the bushes.

"Hey!"

His shout was abrupt, and combined with his mud-caked, naked, wild-man appearance, it gave Bulma, who was fully focused on the Dragon Radar, a massive fright.

"Eek--!"

Bulma let out a shriek, and her motorcycle swerved sharply, nearly tipping over.

She hurriedly steadied the vehicle and looked up to see Lin Fan's appearance. Her willow-leaf eyebrows immediately arched, her pretty face filled with shock and disgust, and one hand had already quietly pressed toward a uniquely shaped capsule at her waist.

"Wh... where did this wild man come from! You scared me to death! What do you want?"

Seeing her guard up, Lin Fan knew his current image was truly unsightly, so he quickly tried to make his tone sound as kind and harmless as possible.

"Miss, do not be afraid. I am not a bad person. I am a practitioner from the mountains; I encountered a wild beast yesterday and lost my clothes and belongings. I have wandered here and only wish to ask for directions; I have no malicious intent."

As he spoke, he deliberately adopted a calm demeanor naturally born from his cultivation the previous night, diluting some of the wild, frantic aura of a savage.

Hearing this, Bulma looked him up and down with suspicion.

She saw that although he was covered in filth and riddled with wounds, his eyes were exceptionally clear and bright, not like those of a common, foolish mountain dweller, nor did he show any signs of madness.

Her vigilance eased slightly, but her hand did not leave the capsule. She pouted and said, "Practitioner? Don't lie to me! In this wilderness, what kind of practice are you doing? And you ran into a wild beast... looking at you, it's hard to say if your power level is even five."

Even so, she did not immediately launch an attack or drive away; her curiosity had ultimately outweighed her caution.

Hearing the words "power level five," the corner of Lin Fan's mouth twitched slightly. He smiled bitterly to himself, but kept his expression calm.

He knew that if he didn't reveal something substantial, he would never gain the initial trust of this clever girl.

His gaze swept over the instrument in Bulma's hand that was emitting a steady "beep," and he smiled faintly, feigning profoundness. He pointed at the Dragon Radar and said slowly, "The item in your hand is exquisite and extraordinary. Are you looking for orange spheres with red stars?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the disgust and impatience on Bulma's face froze, replaced by immense astonishment. Her beautiful eyes widened, and she gasped, "You... how do you know?! Who exactly are you?"

Seeing her reaction, Lin Fan knew he had bet correctly. He secretly breathed a sigh of relief, his smile becoming even more inscrutable as he continued, "I not only know of this item, I also know your name. It should be... Bulma, correct? The eldest daughter of the Capsule Corporation in West City."

"Ah?!"

Bulma's shock was even greater this time; she nearly jumped off her motorcycle.

She knew she had never met this wild-looking man before. For him to be able to state her name, her background, and the secret of her search for the Dragon Balls in one breath was simply inconceivable!

She instinctively clutched the Dragon Radar to her chest, staring at Lin Fan with extreme suspicion. "Who... who exactly are you? How could you possibly know these things?"

Lin Fan knew the time was ripe, so he stopped acting mysterious. He sighed, his tone carrying just the right amount of helplessness and sincerity. "I am Lin Fan, a wanderer who traveled to this place while training. As for how I know about you... it is a 'divination technique' passed down by my sect, used to infer past events through the secrets of heaven."

His words were half-truth and half-fabrication; they explained the source of his information (blaming it on an ethereal sect) while subtly flattering Bulma, making him appear all the more candid.

Bulma listened, half-doubting. "Divination technique"? That sounded even more bizarre than her grandfather's technology.

However, the fact remained that the stranger had accurately stated her name and purpose.

She scrutinized Lin Fan carefully. Seeing his clear, open gaze—and noting that despite his disheveled state, he lacked any lecherous or malicious air—her vigilance waned, while her curiosity took the upper hand.

"Divination? Is that for real... does such a skill actually exist in this world?"

She tilted her head and muttered to herself, then waved a hand. "Forget it, forget it. Regardless of how you knew, looking at your miserable state, you don't seem capable of doing anything to me anyway. Hey, you said you were a traveler who got lost; do you know if there's a One-Star Dragon Ball nearby? I've been looking for ages and haven't found it."

Seeing her attitude soften, Lin Fan was overjoyed, though he remained calm on the surface. He shook his head. "The trail of the Dragon Balls is erratic; even I cannot divine their location precisely. However, if you are heading toward a town to rest, could you give me a ride?"

Bulma rolled her eyes, looking at Lin Fan's truly unsightly appearance, then thought about his miraculous "divination" ability. Ultimately, the young lady's kindness and pragmatism won out.

"Fine, fine. Consider yourself lucky to have run into me."

She patted the back seat of her motorcycle. "Get on! But I'm warning you, don't get any funny ideas! This young lady is not someone to be trifled with!" As she spoke, she brandished a Capsule in her hand as a show of force.

A heavy weight lifted from Lin Fan's heart. He quickly thanked her and, ignoring the embarrassment of his near-naked state, carefully sat sideways on the back of the bike.

The motorcycle let out a hum, carrying this strange duo as it sped along the dirt road. The wind whipped through Bulma's long blue hair and blew away the lingering gloom in Lin Fan's heart.

At last, in this perilous Dragon Ball World, he had taken his first difficult step.