Kraft Lee

"Jingle jingle jingle jingle!!!"

The ear-piercing alarm clock rang madly, shattering the early morning tranquility.

In a slightly messy room, a small, somewhat rough hand emerged from the covers, skillfully grabbing the alarm clock by the bedside and silencing its ringing.

"Click."

As the alarm clock was silenced, a monkey doll by the bedside was pulled, falling straight backward. Its back of the head accurately hit an inconspicuous button behind it.

Immediately after, there was a light mechanical whirring sound, and the bed the owner of the small hand was on suddenly collapsed. Kraft Lee, still in a daze, fell without any suspense.

Then...

"Ah————!!!!!"

Screams even more piercing than the alarm clock echoed continuously. Dazed and disoriented, Kraft covered his ears and sat up abruptly from a pile of rubber chickens.

Kraft rubbed his messy hair and stumbled down the stairs. His head was still buzzing, and combined with the low blood sugar from waking up early, he probably wouldn't be able to snap out of it anytime soon.

Dizzily, relying on habit, Kraft walked with drunken steps to the dining table and sat down, staring blankly at the tabletop, yawning from time to time.

It wasn't until his adoptive father, Mr. Lee, placed breakfast in front of him that Kraft jolted, returning from his reverie.

"Looks like your new wake-up method worked well," Mr. Lee took two bottles of milk from the refrigerator, placed one in front of Kraft, and added, "It's just a bit noisy. I was startled downstairs."

"Bread and milk again..."

Kraft ignored his adoptive father's topic, picked up a baguette, took a big bite, and complained indistinctly, "We're Chinese immigrants, even if we don't have century eggs with lean meat porridge and Jianbing Guozi, we should at least have something like steamed buns and soy milk!"

"I'm sorry, Kraft, I don't know how to make those things."

Mr. Lee chuckled, sat down opposite Kraft, and also picked up a baguette to chew on.

"That's why you should hurry up and find me a mom," Kraft urged, waving the gnawed baguette, "She must be a Chinese immigrant woman who can cook."

"You keep rushing me to get married just to find yourself a cook?"

Mr. Lee's face darkened, and the baguette in his hand suddenly lost its appeal.

"Uh... isn't there a saying that goes something like..." Kraft shrunk his head, stubbornly arguing, "Um... 'The one with milk is the mother'? That's right! That's it!"

"Sigh... that's not how that saying is used..."

Mr. Lee let out a helpless sigh, his voice full of exhaustion.

"Oh, it's pretty much the same meaning," Kraft waved his hand with a grin, "Just get the spirit of it."

"If you really want steamed buns and fried dough sticks, I can order from Fu Man Lou for you."

Although Kraft was only his adopted son, the bond between them was more than just that of an adoptive parent and child, so Mr. Lee treated Kraft no differently than he would his own son.

"Forget it then," Kraft decisively refused, "Fatty Liao's shop is too expensive, I can't afford it, I can't afford it."

"You can afford it," Mr. Lee's face showed a gratified smile, "I'm considered a wealthy person now, I don't have to be as frugal as before, and you can earn money yourself, can't you? If you're really craving something, go eat well at Fu Man Lou yourself."

"I'll pass, bread is fine," Kraft wolfed down the baguette in his hand, then took two gulps of milk to swallow it, "The money I earn isn't even enough to buy new materials, and as for your money, Martin, keep it to help those people in FEAST."

After quickly finishing breakfast, Kraft picked up his schoolbag placed to the side and hurried towards the door.

"I'm off to school."

He completely ignored Martin Lee's roar from behind.

"Hey! You haven't even washed up yet!"

"Washing my face and brushing my teeth is too much trouble..."

Stepping out of the house, Kraft took a piece of gum from his pocket, popped it into his mouth, and chewed. Then he haphazardly wiped his face and hair with his hands, considering it done.

At this moment, the school bus that picked up students appeared around the street corner.

"Hmm, right on time."

Kraft glanced at the time on his watch and nodded with satisfaction.

"My rubber chicken operation was a complete success~~~ it was just a bit too shocking..."

Recalling the terrible experience of struggling to get up from a pile of rubber chickens just now, Kraft couldn't help but shiver.

"Indeed, it needs further optimization."

"Hey! Kraft! Over here!"

Upon boarding the school bus, a familiar person immediately greeted him. The person calling out to him was also of East Asian descent, the young master of Fu Man Lou mentioned earlier, whom Kraft referred to as Fatty Liao.

"Good morning, David."

Kraft greeted his other classmates as he walked over and sat next to David Liao.

"You're actually here waiting for the school bus early today, so was the rubber chicken operation successful?"

Fatty Liao, with a smile plastered on his face, asked impatiently before Kraft could even sit down properly.

"It was successful... it just left me with a bit too much psychological trauma... still needs some improvement."

Kraft's face showed an indescribable expression.

"Oh... what a shame. I was hoping to help you sell this awakening system to Ferris and the others sooner," Fatty Liao said with regret.

"Give me a break," Kraft rolled his eyes at him. "Didn't I tell you long ago that I'd have to go to their house to modify this thing? It's too troublesome, not worth selling at all."

After a pause, Kraft glanced at Fatty Liao and asked, "Are you, Young Master Liao, short on cash again? You're actually eyeing my small commission... Have there been any new games released lately? The manga was just released three days ago... Have you set your sights on some new treasures?"

Hearing Kraft's question, Fatty Liao, who had been smiling, instantly changed his expression. With a look of grief and indignation, he complained to him, "It's all my mom! She decided to do a big spring cleaning, and all my treasures were discovered! But after my persistent arguments, my parents agreed to let me buy them back at the original price!"

The "treasures" Fatty Liao was referring to were actually copies of a certain well-known magazine, Playboy. However, Fatty Liao was very picky; he absolutely wouldn't collect issues with cover girls he didn't find appealing.

It was surprising that Uncle Liao and Aunt Liao were willing to let him buy those magazines back...

Truly worthy of running a shady business! They wouldn't even spare their own child!

"Serves you right!"

Kraft, who had only recently celebrated his fourteenth birthday and whose interests hadn't yet shifted to girls, couldn't understand Fatty Liao's pursuits.

A woman who can't cook is less useful than a hex wrench!

"Don't you have any new inventions lately?"

Fatty Liao, with teary eyes, hugged Kraft and refused to let go.

"If all else fails, why don't you make some more 'brain-popping' gadgets and mechanical locks? I can sell them at other middle schools!"

"No!"

Kraft flatly refused. He had made so many brain-popping gadgets and mechanical locks to raise funds before that he was sick of it. Just hearing the names made him nauseous now.

"Don't be like that... I can't live without my treasures!"

Fatty Liao wrapped his arms around Kraft's waist and began to wail.

"David, don't worry. When you're about to die, I can lend you my treasures for a look to extend your life. How about that? Am I a good friend?"

An African-American student with the same hobby as Fatty Liao teased him gleefully, speaking at the rapid-fire pace characteristic of his race.

"Get lost!"

Fatty Liao gestured a middle finger at his sarcastic friend and then said righteously, "I can't appreciate those big-butted black girls you collect!"

"Hey! David! I won't let you insult my goddesses!"

Then, the two perverts of different skin colors began to debate their respective aesthetic standards.

However, Fatty Liao was quickly "killed" by the black brother's remark, "What's the point of you saying all this? Your treasures have been confiscated anyway."

Only then did he remember his original purpose and once again hugged Kraft's waist, starting to cry pitifully.

Kraft was truly getting impatient with Fatty Liao's nagging. He said to him, "Brain-popping gadgets and mechanical locks are definitely out. But I've had some new ideas recently. Once the equipment I ordered arrives in a few days, we'll start working on it. After it's done, we'll upload the video online to see the reaction."

"Then I'm counting on you, brother!"

Fatty Liao slapped Kraft hard on the back. Kraft returned a roll of his eyes, too lazy to bother with him.

However, the other students became excited at this point, crowding around to inquire.

"Kraft, do you have a new invention?"

"Can you tell us what kind of invention it is?"

"Please don't make it too expensive. The toilet robot you invented last time was too pricey; I couldn't afford it."

"That thing wasn't originally meant for us, you know. It was for the customers of the Clever Hands Channel. I heard quite a few people bought it."

"It's great to be rich..."

"Yeah, yeah..."

Vantas Middle School, where Kraft attended, wasn't a prestigious school. Most of the students came from ordinary families. The rest were children of other ethnicities, like Kraft and Fatty Liao. Because the school's board of directors was mostly composed of Asians, many Asian families in New York were willing to send their children to this school.

Although America constantly chanted slogans about human rights and equality, it was all bullshit in reality. Non-whites were treated differently in this country.

When Kraft escaped from the Maggia with Martin Lee back then, he had encountered their ugly faces more than once. That's why, after Martin Lee made money, he established the FEAST homeless shelter to help the poor. Kraft had suggested not accepting white people, but Martin refused.

If only I had the ability to create those magical items now, I would definitely make those Maggia guys pay!

Recalling the tragic experiences of the past, Kraft gritted his teeth in his heart against the Maggia, the culprits.