The day had arrived.
I woke before dawn, not from anxiety—but from something I hadn't felt in a long time in my previous life.
Pure excitement for gaming.
Today, the Gaming Hall would officially open. But before I received any customers, there was something I had to do.
Something I'd been dreaming of since the moment the computer appeared.
To play it myself, like the old days.
In my old world, games weren't just business. They were my life. My escape. The only place I felt... real.
I spent sleepless nights playing Dark Souls, dying hundreds of times and loving every moment. I spent weeks exploring every corner of Skyrim. I was addicted, in every sense of the word.
And here, with this impossible technology?
"Let's see if it's as good as I remember."
I sat down, put on the headset, and took a deep breath.
"Alright, Resident Evil. Show me what you've got."
[Welcome to Resident Evil: The Beginning]
[Loading...]
The darkness receded—
And suddenly, I was there.
I was no longer in the back room.
I was standing in a forest, but not just any forest.
This was... real.
The massive trees towering above me, thick fog rolling across the ground, pale moonlight filtering through the branches.
But the thing that shocked me—
The smell.
Damp earth. Rotting leaves. Something putrid in the distance.
"How the hell..." I raised my hand, touched a tree. I felt the rough bark. "This is impossible."
In my old world, VR was good—but nothing like this. Nothing close to this.
"Alright," I smiled despite the creeping fear. "Let's explore."
I found a cabin—small, dilapidated, its door groaning in the wind.
I entered cautiously.
Inside, on a wooden table:
A strange metal tool with a hollow at the front
Six small shiny metal pieces
A green herb: Healing Herb - Restores 25% health
A bloodstained note
I picked up the note:
"Day 23. The virus has spread. The entire village has transformed.
Those creatures are no longer human. They eat flesh. Don't die easily.
The mansion on the hill—where it all began. Lord Spencer and his cursed experiments.
Don't go there. Never go there."
A chill ran down my spine.
"Good backstory. Not just 'kill monsters'—but reason."
I picked up the metal tool:
[Handgun - 0/6 bullets]
[Ranged weapon. Press trigger to fire. High damage but limited ammunition.]
A handgun.
In this world, firearms don't exist. Only swords, magic.
This would be completely new to customers.
I took the bullets, loaded them.
[Handgun - 6/6]
"Alright. Let's test this."
I stepped outside, and the fog was thicker now.
Then I heard it.
A groan.
No—groans. Multiple.
I turned—
And they emerged from the fog.
Three zombies.
Gray rotting skin, white empty eyes, mouths open revealing broken teeth.
And the smell—oh god—death, decay.
My heart raced—even knowing it was a game.
"Okay, okay. Stay calm." I raised the handgun, remembering thousands of hours of Call of Duty.
Aimed. Breathed. Pressed—
BANG!
The sound was deafening. The gun kicked back.
[Headshot! Critical Damage: -100]
[Enemy Defeated!]
The zombie's head exploded.
"Yes!" I pumped my fist.
BANG! BANG!
The second fell. The third got close—
I dodged, rolled—
BANG!
[Enemy Defeated!]
I stood there, breathing hard.
And smiled—a wide smile.
"This... this is what I missed."
I spent the next hour completely immersed.
I fought more zombies. Learned to conserve ammo—headshots only.
I found more notes:
"Lord Spencer invested in the Umbrella Corporation. They promised him immortality. Instead, they created hell."
"The T-Virus transforms humans into hungry monsters. No mind. Only hunger."
And I found the mansion—massive, dark, ominous.
I entered. The grand hall—chandelier, marble stairs, paintings with dead eyes.
And I found a puzzle.
Four statues of a family. A plaque:
"When the family looks toward their hearts, the path shall open."
"Their hearts... toward each other!"
I turned them to face inward.
Click.
A hidden door opened.
"Perfect!"
I explored more. Solved puzzles. Fought. Died once (room with too many zombies).
And I loved. Every. Second.
After an hour, I removed the headset.
My body was tired, but I felt... alive.
[Ding! Host has played for one hour!]
[Calculating rewards...]
[Achievements:]
Zombies killed: 23
Distance explored: 2.3 km
Puzzles solved: 3
Files discovered: 7
Deaths: 1
[Rewards Granted:]
+2.3% muscle strength
+1.5% reaction speed
+0.8% stamina
Technique: "Basic Aiming - Level 1"
[Note: Effects need 6-8 hours to integrate. You'll feel improvement gradually.]
I looked at my hands.
2.3% strength? Seems small. But for a weak body like mine...
I lifted the chair. It was... slightly lighter.
"Real." I smiled. "After hundreds of hours, I'll be strong."
Then I thought—
"Wait. If I'm getting stronger... what about my parents?"
In a world where power is law, my parents—ordinary humans, weak—were vulnerable.
But if they played...
"I'll make them play too. One hour daily. Slowly, they'll get stronger."
And me?
"I'll play in my free time. Every night. Hours."
Because I needed the power.
And honestly?
I missed gaming so badly.
[Ding! Detected: Host has set personal goals!]
[System approves! New goals set:]
Goal 1: Reach 50 hours total playtime
[Reward: Store decoration + 2 additional devices]
[Progress: 1/50 hours]
Goal 2: Get 5 customers to play the game
[Reward: Immunity inside the store - System will protect Host from any physical harm within Hall boundaries]
[Progress: 0/5 customers]
New Rule Imposed:
[Each customer has the right to play one hour daily maximum]
[Reason: To prevent monopolization. Must be fair to everyone.]
[Note: Host is exempt from this restriction. Can play whenever desired!]
I read the messages and nodded.
"Makes sense. One hour daily per customer. Fair."
Then I smiled.
"But I can play unlimited. Perfect."
A knock on the door.
"Chen? There are people!"
I opened the door—
Five people waiting.
Customer One: Kyle
A young man, about twenty, grinning widely. Childhood friend.
Cultivator, Qi Condensation stage.
"Chen! I came as promised!"
Customer Two: Marcus
A young man in his late teens, thin, glasses, carrying a book.
Scholar from the Academy.
Customer Three: Elena
A girl, early twenties, beautiful, cold. Black braid.
Cultivator, late Qi Condensation stage.
Customer Four: Thomas
A middle-aged man, broad-shouldered, stern-faced.
Blacksmith.
The Fifth: Derek
Most important.
A young man, twenty, luxurious silk robes—blue and gold. Long hair. Arrogant face.
A powerful aura.
Foundation Establishment stage.
Powerful clan.
He looked at the store with disdain.
"So, this is the famous 'Gaming Hall'? Looks like a failing shop."
Kyle frowned. "Derek, if you're going to be rude—"
"I'm just being honest."
He looked at me.
"Well, Liu Chen. You—a human without spiritual roots—claim to have something amazing."
He smiled coldly.
"Prove it."
I took a breath.
Every instinct from the original Liu Chen screamed: Be ashamed.
But I wasn't the original Liu Chen.
I smiled—calm, confident.
"Alright, Derek. I'll prove it."
I gestured to the back room.
"But first—if you're here to see, to try, to learn—you're welcome."
I looked into his eyes.
"But if you're here just to mock—"
I pointed to the door.
"—there's the door."
Silence.
His eyes widened—surprised.
Then he laughed.
"Bold. I like that."
He stepped forward.
"Fine. Show me."
[Ding! 5 potential customers detected!]
[Mission: Make them all play!]
[Reward: Immunity inside the store]
I led them inside.
They stopped at the sight of the computer.
"What is this?" Marcus asked, amazed.
"A machine. Takes you to another world."
"Another world?" Elena raised an eyebrow. "Like dimensional travel? But that requires—"
"Not literally. Your body stays. But your mind, senses—go elsewhere."
"A place where you're not a cultivator," I looked at Derek. "Where there's no qi. No power. Just you."
His eyes narrowed. "Are you challenging me?"
"I'm offering an experience."
Silence.
Then:
"Fine. I'll go first."
He sat. I put on the headset.
"You'll enter a dangerous world. You won't be a cultivator—just an ordinary human."
"Ridiculous."
"We'll see."
I started the game.
For a moment—silence.
Then:
"What... what is this?!"
His voice—usually arrogant—filled with wonder.
"Where am I?! This is real!"
On the screen—which the others could see—he walked through the forest.
He touched a tree.
"I can feel it!"
Then he realized:
"My qi... where's my qi?!"
He tried to summon it.
Nothing.
"No! I'm a Foundation Establishment cultivator! How—"
"I told you. Here, you're ordinary."
Long silence.
"So... I'm weak. Like you."
"Yes."
Then—a groan.
A zombie appeared.
"What is that thing?!"
It rushed toward him.
Derek tried to fight—punched—
[Damage: -5]
"Only five?! My punch usually shatters rocks!"
The zombie grabbed him. Bit.
[Health: -30]
Derek screamed—real, terrified—
His body jerked in the chair.
The others stared, shocked.
On screen, three zombies attacked.
[You Died!]
In the Real World
He tore off the headset, face pale, breathing hard.
The room was silent.
Kyle laughed—a short laugh.
"The great Derek... died to three monsters?"
Derek looked at him, then... smiled.
An embarrassed smile.
"I... didn't expect that."
He looked at me.
"Again."
"What?"
"Again. Those monsters humiliated me. I won't accept defeat."
This time, Derek was careful.
He explored. Found the cabin. The gun.
"What's this? 'Handgun'?"
He loaded it after several attempts.
When a zombie appeared—
BANG!
He missed.
"Damn!"
BANG! BANG!
Chest. Arm.
Finally—
BANG!
Headshot.
[Enemy Defeated!]
"Yes!"
The others—watching the screen—clapped.
Derek continued. Died several times. But learned.
He removed the headset, face flushed, eyes gleaming.
"That was... amazing."
He looked at me, respect in his eyes.
"Liu Chen. I apologize."
He bowed—small, but genuine.
"This is a treasure."
He pulled out a pouch.
"How much?"
"One silver per hour for cultivators."
He pulled out ten.
"Ten hours."
[Ding! Customer 1/5]
[Rewards granted: +3.1% strength, +2.4% speed, +1.8% stamina]
"My turn!"
Marcus sat, excited.
He entered the game—
And didn't panic.
Instead—he analyzed.
He read every note carefully.
"T-Virus... reanimates cells... this is real science!"
He explored the mansion. Solved puzzles.
Then—deep in the mansion—
He found a hidden room behind a complex puzzle (arranging books by publication dates).
Stairs descending.
A laboratory.
In the center—a cryo-box.
He opened it—
[Sample: T-Virus Prototype - Stable Version]
[Take it?]
[Warning: Unique. Removing it may have consequences.]
"Unique..." He hesitated.
Then—with scientific curiosity—
"Yes."
[Unique Discovery!]
After twenty minutes, he removed the headset.
His eyes wide.
Then—
Golden flash.
A vial appeared in his hand.
Light blue liquid, glowing.
"What... what is this?!"
He read the description that appeared in his mind:
[T-Virus Prototype - Stable]
[Effect: +15% permanent strength, +10% speed, +20% regeneration]
[No side effects. No zombie transformation.]
[One use per person.]
He stared, trembling.
He looked at me.
"This... from the game?"
"Yes. Its description says it's the T-Virus—which turns humans into zombies—but this is a stable version. No side effects."
His face paled.
"V-virus?! That turns—"
"But without side effects." I confirmed. "It'll only make you stronger."
He looked at the vial. His hands shaking.
"I... I don't want to risk it."
He extended it toward me.
"Take it. You... you need it more than me."
I hesitated.
Then took it.
"Thank you, Marcus."
I looked at the vial.
I needed the power. Desperately.
Without hesitation—I pressed it against my arm.
Click.
The blue liquid injected.
Blue glow spread through my body.
"Aaah!"
I felt it—every cell being rebuilt. Muscles strengthening. Bones hardening.
Ten seconds.
The glow faded.
I stood, breathing hard.
I lifted the chair—
Easily.
It was light as a feather.
"Oh... my god." I whispered.
15% permanent strength.
With the 2.3% from the previous hour of playing...
17.3% stronger than before.
Still weak compared to cultivators.
But for me?
Life-changing.
The others stared.
Derek whistled.
"So the game gives real treasures."
His eyes gleamed.
"I must play more. Explore everything."
[Ding! Customer 2/5]
Finally my turn!" Kyle shouted, jumping to the chair. "I saw everything on screen! I know what to do!"
I smiled. Kyle—the original Liu Chen's childhood friend—was always enthusiastic, reckless.
"Alright, Kyle. But warning—watching others is one thing. Playing is completely different."
"Don't worry! I'll be great!"
I put on the headset, started the game.
"Wooow!"
Kyle's voice exploded from the first moment.
"This is amazing! The trees! The fog! I can smell everything!"
On screen, the others watching—
Kyle ran through the forest without caution.
"Hey Kyle, slow down—" I started.
"No time to slow down! I want to find monsters!"
Derek snorted, watching the screen. "This idiot will die in thirty seconds."
He was right.
A zombie appeared.
"Ha! A monster!" Kyle shouted. "Let's fight!"
He rushed directly at it, fist extended—
Whoosh!
A punch with full force.
[Successful Hit! Damage: -7]
The zombie barely staggered.
"Seven?! Only seven?!" Kyle was shocked. "But I—ah, right. No qi."
The zombie turned, bit.
[Health: -35]
"Aaagh! That hurts!"
He tried to run—
But two more zombies appeared.
[You Died!]
In the Room
Everyone burst out laughing.
Even cold Elena smiled.
"Thirty seconds exactly," Derek said, looking at an imaginary watch. "New record for stupidity."
Kyle removed the headset, face red.
"That... that was harder than it looks!"
Everyone laughed.
But he smiled too—an embarrassed smile.
"Okay, okay. Let me try again. More carefully this time!"
This time, Kyle was more careful.
He explored slowly. Found the cabin. The gun.
"This metal weapon Derek used! Let me try—"
BANG!
He accidentally fired into the air.
"Whoa! Almost killed myself!"
The others laughed again.
But Kyle learned.
Slowly, with difficulty, after seven deaths—
He learned how to aim. How to dodge. How to survive.
And by the end of the hour, he was shouting with joy at every victory.
"Yes! That's for monster number ten!"
He removed the headset, eyes gleaming despite exhaustion.
"That was... the best."
He stood, stretched—
Then stopped.
"Wait. I feel... different."
He jumped—a simple jump.
And went higher than expected.
"What?!"
[Ding! Customer Kyle completed one hour!]
[Rewards:]
+1.4% muscle strength
+1.1% reaction speed
+0.7% stamina
"I'm... I'm stronger!" Kyle said, amazed. "From just one hour!"
"Yes. Play, get stronger."
He pulled out a small pouch.
"How much for ordinary humans?"
"Five copper coins per hour."
"I'll take... twenty hours!" He pulled out a full silver coin—probably all his savings.
"This is worth every copper coin!"
[Ding! Customer 3/5]
"My turn."
Elena stepped forward calmly, sat elegantly.
"Tell me all the important details."
I told her—about mechanics, enemies, puzzles.
She listened with focus, nodded.
"Understood. Begin."
From the first moment, Elena was... completely different.
No panic. No excitement. Just cold focus.
She moved through the forest in complete silence. Every step calculated.
She found the cabin, the gun, read the note.
"Virus. Village. Mansion." She muttered. "Objective clear."
When the first zombie appeared—
She didn't attack immediately.
She observed.
She watched its movement. Its speed. Its attack pattern.
Ten seconds of observation.
Then—with one precise move—
BANG!
Headshot. Clean. Perfect.
[Headshot! Critical Damage: -100]
[Enemy Defeated!]
On screen, everyone stared.
"What?!" Kyle said. "She killed it with the first shot?!"
"Calm. Calculated. No waste." Derek said, impressed. "She's... professional."
Elena continued.
Every shot—a headshot.
Every movement—calculated.
She didn't die once in the first twenty minutes.
She found the mansion, solved three puzzles, explored deeper than anyone else.
When time ended, she removed the headset—face calm as usual.
She looked at me, and for the first time, smiled—a small smile.
"This Hall deserves my time."
She pulled out a pouch, took out ten silver coins.
"Ten hours. I'll return tomorrow."
[Ding! Customer 4/5]
Only Thomas remained.
The broad-shouldered blacksmith, stern-faced, had watched everything in silence.
He finally looked at me.
"I'm not smart like them. Not fast like her." He pointed at Elena. "I'm just... a man who works with his hands."
"And that's enough."
"Can... can a game really make an ordinary man like me stronger?"
"Really."
He looked at his hands—covered in scars, calluses.
"Then... I'll try."
Thomas entered expecting combat.
But he found something different.
In the mansion, he found a room—an old blacksmith's workshop.
Anvil. Hammer. Tools.
A note:
"The mansion's blacksmith was making weapons to protect Lord Spencer. But when the virus came, he fled."
Thomas looked at the tools.
And felt something familiar.
He picked up the hammer.
Even in a virtual, weak body—
It felt right.
"Maybe... I can make something."
He found iron ore. Coal. A blueprint for an enhanced blade.
And he began working.
Unlike the others, Thomas spent most of his time...
Creating.
He heated the iron. Hammered it. Shaped it.
With patience. With skill honed over years.
And slowly—
[Item Crafted: Enhanced Sword Blade]
[Quality: Excellent]
[Damage: +30%]
[Special Note: Due to high craftsmanship, this blade will be transferred to the real world!]
On screen, everyone watched in silence.
Even Derek was impressed.
"He's... creating something. Not fighting. Creating."
Thomas removed the headset, face tired but satisfied.
"I didn't fight much. But I... created."
Golden flash—
A sword blade appeared in his hand.
Real iron. Cold. Sharp. Beautiful.
He stared at it, mouth open.
"This... is real. I made it in a virtual world. And now it's here."
He held it, felt the perfect weight.
Then—for the first time—
He smiled.
A wide, genuine smile.
"This Hall... isn't just for combat. For creation too."
He pulled out a pouch—small, light.
"I don't have much. Five hours."
He gave the money.
"I'll return. Every day. Until I craft everything in that workshop."
[Ding! Customer 5/5]
Mission Complete - Immunity
[Ding! Special Mission Complete!]
[All 5 customers tried the game!]
[Reward: Immunity inside the store!]
[Details:]
Inside the Gaming Hall (back room + silk shop), no one can physically harm the Host
System will deploy invisible protection barrier
Any attempt at violence will be automatically repelled
Warning: Outside the Hall, no protection!
I felt something—an invisible warm flash—flow through the room.
Protection.
I couldn't see it, but I felt it.
A thin layer of safety.
In a world where power is law, this was...
Priceless.
"Thank you, System."
[Ding! No need for thanks! This is a deserved reward!]
By sunset, I sat in the back room, exhausted but happy.
I pulled out the money:
From Derek (cultivator): 10 silver
From Elena (cultivator): 10 silver
From Kyle (ordinary human): 1 silver (20 hours × 5 copper)
From Thomas (ordinary human): 0.25 silver (5 hours)
From Marcus: 0 (trial session—but he gave me the virus!)
Total: 21.25 silver coins
In one day.
More than 20% of my family's annual income from silk.
I stared at the money.
"Unbelievable."
[Ding! First Day Statistics:]
Customers: 5
Playtime Booked: ~45 hours (over days)
Profit: 21.25 silver
Reputation Points: +50
Total: 50/100
After dinner with my parents—who were amazed by the money—
I returned to the back room.
I looked at the computer.
"Alright. I have goals."
Goal 1: Reach 50 hours playtime
"If I play two hours daily... 25 days. Less than a month."
"But I can play more."
Goal 2: Make my parents play
"I'll have Mom play an hour tomorrow. Then Dad. Slowly, they'll get stronger."
Goal 3: Complete the game
"I want to see the ending. Solve every puzzle. Defeat every monster. Understand the story."
And honestly?
I missed gaming. Badly.
In my old world, gaming was everything.
Here, I can play and get stronger.
"Perfect."
I put on the headset.
"Let's play."
I entered the game.
My character appeared where I left off—at the mansion entrance.
"Alright. Let's explore deeper."
Two hours passed.
I fought. Explored. Solved puzzles.
I found more files:
"The T-Virus was Umbrella's experiment. They tried to create a 'superhuman'. They failed. They created monsters."
"Lord Spencer was the first test subject. He transformed into something... worse. Something stronger."
A chill.
"So there's a final boss. The transformed Lord Spencer."
I continued.
I found a secret room (solved a complex piano puzzle).
Inside—a safe.
Code required.
I tried several guesses.
Then—I remembered a note I found earlier.
"Spencer's birth date... 1847!"
I entered the code.
Click.
The safe opened—
[Found: Enhanced Shotgun + 20 Shells]
"Yes!"
Better weapon!
I kept playing.
Three hours. Four.
I died twice (trap room with ten zombies).
But I learned. Improved.
And when I finally removed the headset—
Dawn was breaking.
"What?!" I looked at the window. "I played all night?!"
But I... didn't feel tired.
I felt alive.
[Ding! Host played 4 additional hours!]
[Total playtime: 5 hours]
[Rewards:]
+9.2% muscle strength (total)
+6.1% reaction speed
+3.5% stamina
New techniques: "Quick Reload", "Moving Aim"
[Note: With T-Virus (+15%), Host's total strength: +24.2% above baseline!]
I stood, feeling the difference.
My body—which had been weak, scrawny—
Was now... stronger.
Not as strong as cultivators.
But much stronger than before.
I lifted the wooden table—usually heavy—
With one hand.
"This... this is real."
I smiled—a wide smile.
"If I continue... if I play hundreds of hours... I'll be strong. Strong enough to survive."
I looked at the headset.
"But first... I need sleep. Even addicts need sleep."
I collapsed on the bed.
And for the first time since transmigrating—
I slept with a smile.