Chapter 2: Is This Neighborhood Scam?!
Donape lay on the pristine floor for a solid minute, waiting for his heart to stop hammering against his ribs.
It hurt. It hurt like absolute hell.
A normal person struck by that kind of localized cosmic phenomenon would have been rushed straight to the ICU, spending two weeks or a month rotting in a burn unit or an inpatient rehab ward.
Yet, as Donape slowly pushed himself up, he realized something bizarre.
Aside from the lingering, phantom sting and the faint smell of smoke clinging to his clothes, his body was completely intact. No broken bones. No third-degree burns. Not even a single blister.
[Heh! Now that you have tasted the Great Me’s power, you shall bow and praise me!]
A sleek blue text box hovered directly in front of Donape, mocking him with its smug, silent text.
But Donape wasn’t someone who stopped thinking just because he wasn’t smart. Fearlessly, he opened his mouth.
"Can you even kill me? I don’t think so," He spat.
"Despite all the pain, I’m completely fine. I’m not going to praise you. Why should I? If you aren’t the kind of System that I need, then disappear. Stop scamming a pathetic guy like me."
The System’s blue window flickered wildly.
Those words had hit a major sore spot, but the System was also deeply annoyed by the fact that its host was dumb as fuck.
Without warning, the System activated its ability.
Again, out of nowhere.
[Initiating: Divine Lightning!]
ZAP! ZAP!
A blinding bolt of lightning materialized, striking Donape with flawless precision.
Again..., he lay lifelessly on the pristine floor, the biting chill of the tiles soaking into his charred skin as he immersed himself in pure agony.
’Motherfucker! If I’m not dead, why does it feel like I’m sitting in the afterlife? Goddamn it!’ He cursed inwardly. He didn’t dare voice his frustration aloud.
[Sit, mortal, or do you want to be fried again?]
Donape immediately sat down sweetly and neatly, kneeling on the floor with his shins flat and his buttocks resting directly on his heels. He kept his spine perfectly straight, looking like a model student.
’Okay, this thing is a petty tyrant, and I need to shut up and cooperate,’ he thought.
His entire body ached. His eyes twitched violently—vacillating between wanting to blink and remaining wide open due to the residual effects of the lightning strike. His tattered and shabby clothes added to the pathetic impression.
The System longed to split the heavens upon seeing its host’s behavior. But the damage had already been done. They were already bound together.
[The Great Me has observed and studied the Blue Star and will present the most advanced technology ever created.]
[God-Tier Virtual Reality Capsule!]
[This is a far cry from the primitive VR headsets this world possesses.]
[Those plastic goggles merely trick the eyes. The Great Me’s technology connects directly to the human neural network, achieving an experience that transcends reality.]
[Inside, time flows differently. More importantly, any martial arts, skills, or reflexes mastered within the simulation will benefit the users in real life.]
Donape watched the text scroll, clearly not impressed. He simply maintained his bored, dismissive expression.
’Tsk, whatever. This thing thinks VR is some magical tool,’ he scoffed internally.
’No matter how advanced it claims to be, it’s not going to transport people to another dimension. If a user actually starts moving around inside a game, they’re just going to blind-tackle a wall in the real world. It’s a lawsuit waiting to happen. Besides, how can it simulate the five human senses anyway? You can’t fake smell, taste, or touch with a floating screen.’
[Mortal, you seem to doubt the Great Me.]
The sudden text made Donape flinch. He immediately pasted on a compliant smile and blurted, "Oh! Of course not. Those are all wonderful things!"
[Good. You will now assume the role of shopkeeper and sell everything listed on the display screen above the counter.]
A large digital monitor hummed to life above the desk, casting a sleek blue glow across the room.
[ ORIGINS VR CAFE – OPERATIONAL INTERFACE ]
[CURRENT TIME] 09:27 AM
[BUSINESS STATUS] OPEN FOR BUSINESS
- Monday to Friday: 08:00 AM - 08:00 PM
- Saturday & Sunday: 06:00 AM - 06:00 PM
[AVAILABLE PRODUCTS]
- VR Capsule Activation: FREE
- Hourly Playtime: 20 BC
- App:
[The Path of the Heavenly Martial Arts] — 80 BC
[ RULES ]
- Maximum playtime is strictly limited to 5 hours per customer, per day. Once time expires, the capsule will safely and automatically eject the user.
- All prices are set. No bartering, no discounts, and no tabs. Cash or digital credits must be processed upfront.
- Any mayhem, smoking, indecency, vandalism, or physical violence within the premises will result in immediate blacklisting and forceful eviction.
※ ALL REGULATIONS DISPLAYED ARE ABSOLUTE. YOU PAY TO PLAY, OTHERWISE GET OUT!
Donape rose from his stiff, painful position. He stretched his limbs and examined the five VR capsules neatly arranged and angled 60 degrees against the wall.
Moving away, he approached the front desk and looked up, squinting at the glowing digital board.
’This is incredibly expensive, I assume,’ he thought, rubbing his chin.
’If the virtual reality the System is touting is true, then this will be a promising business. It’s a goldmine!’ he rejoiced inwardly.
"Okay. I’ve read everything. With your electricity—er, I mean, your Divine Lightning—this place should definitely be safe from troublemakers. I’m ready to cooperate, and I hope our partnership bears fruit."
He said, instinctively extending his hand for a handshake.
Realizing a second later that the text was completely intangible, he awkwardly withdrew his hand and wiped it on his pants.
A cold chime echoed.
[Mortal, you seem to have misunderstood something here.]
[You and the Great Me are not partners. We are boss and subordinate. You work for me. Understand?!]
Donape swallowed hard, nodding quickly. "Oh, my apologies. Of course! That’s how it should be. System..., may I ask, how much is my salary as a shopkeeper?"
[Foolish mortal. Oh, truly foolish mortal.]
[Every penny of revenue goes directly to the System to maintain this divine technology. Not a single penny belongs to you.]
[Now, stop wasting time and open the shop. Retrieve the nameplate from the drawer behind the counter and mount it out front.]
[Ah! Before you harbor any deceitful thoughts, your first official mission will be shown once the nameplate is installed.]
[Heed the words if you don’t want to perish, mortal. Haha!]
Donape stood there bewildered. His mind desperately tried to process the words to make sure he hadn’t misread them.
’Did this shit want me to tent this place for free? The f*ck!?’
Glancing around nervously, he called out in a soft and cautious whisper, "Hey, System? Boss? The Great Me? Anyone?!"
But the floating screen didn’t reappear.
Silence filled the room.
He hesitated for a moment, wanting to swear and vent his frustration or even running away. But his survival instincts kicked in, preventing him from acting on his intrusive thoughts.
He took out a decent yet classic wooden nameplate behind the counter.
"Origins VR Cafe?" he muttered, tracing the carved lettering.
The name itself sounded a bit old-fashioned, but the material was undeniably premium to the touch.
It felt incredibly solid in his hands while also releasing the deep, rich scent of ancient wood.
Donape hauled a rusty ladder outside and climbed up to mount the nameplate above the entrance.
While the interior of his shop had been transformed into a sleek, sturdy fortress of luxury, the exterior hadn’t changed at all.
Below it on the left, the large glass window was completely obscured by thick, dusty curtains.
From the street, the five God-Tier VR capsules weren’t in clear view and were blurry, offering a mysterious vibe to anyone trying to peek inside.
With a dull thud, the nameplate locked into place.
Up close, the contrast was almost hilarious.
The exterior of his building was the weathered, fragile siding that looked ready to collapse in a stiff breeze.
Yet, right in the middle of the peeling paint and worn wood sat this impossibly luxurious, heavy nameplate, looking entirely out of place.
A sharp, digital chime violently shattered the silence.
Ding!
[Novice Quest: The First Venture]
---------------------------------
Objective: Secure your first customer and earn your first Gold Coin within 24 hours.
Failure Penalty: System Default. (The Host will be permanently deleted to recoup renovation costs).
Reward: Wait for the surprise!
---------------------------------
[SYSTEM WARNING: 21:57:12 REMAINING TO ACQUIRE FIRST CUSTOMER]
Donape furrowed his brows, his eye twitching incessantly as he stared at the screen.
’So this is what that bitch meant,’ he thought, his chest feeling tight.
He understood he’d been asked to be a shopkeeper, but the details and duties were completely vague.
And now, he was suddenly tasked with attracting customers and death if he failed?
’To hell with this System! You want me to just pull a customer out of thin air? Go screw yourself!’ he cursed aggressively in his heart, though he still didn’t dare to retaliate.
Fuming with silent rage, he marched back inside to grab a rag. He wanted to clean the filthy glass window, hoping the visible tech would lure some idiot inside before his timer ran out.
But as he squeezed out and wiped the rag on the glass, a shadow fell over the storefront.
A young man had stopped right near Donape.
The kid was practically dripping in wealth—decked out in a designer T-shirt, expensive jeans, a flashy branded watch, and a heavy gold necklace catching the light.
He squinted at the entrance, his voice dripping with condescension. "Origins VR Cafe? Is this the latest neighborhood scam?!"
Hearing those words, Donape’s knees nearly buckled. He almost fell to the floor right then and there, utterly weak.