I woke to the sound of screaming.
"**Chen! Chen! Come quickly!**"
My mother's voice—not fear, but... pure astonishment?
I jumped out of bed, heart racing.
Ran downstairs, barefoot.
"What happened, Mother?!"
I stopped at the back room door—
And **froze completely**.
My mouth opened. My eyes widened.
"What... **what**...?"
**Everything had changed**.
The walls—which yesterday were cracked, faded, ugly—were now **perfectly smooth**, painted in a **deep royal blue** that looked luxurious, elegant.
The floor—which had been worn, broken wood—was now **polished like a mirror**, reflecting the golden morning light from the windows.
The lighting—no longer struggling dim candles—but **crystal lanterns** on the walls, illuminating the room with **warm, soft, perfect light**.
The windows—**crystal clear**, without cracks, without dirt, sparkling in the sunlight.
And most important of all—
The original device in the left corner.
And two new ones—in the center and right—on **beautifully carved wooden tables**.
Each device looked like a **work of art**.
"Oh... oh my god." My mother whispered, walking slowly into the room, eyes scanning every detail. "Chen, this... this is **impossible**. How?!"
I smiled—a wide, proud smile.
"The System. The 50-hour reward."
I touched the smooth wall. "50 hours of total gameplay... and this was the reward."
Mother looked around again, then touched one of the new devices carefully—as if afraid it might disappear.
"This place..." She paused, searching for words. "Looks like a training hall for a noble clan."
"I know." I walked inside, breathed in the fresh air. "Now, when customers arrive, they won't see a failed silk shop. They'll see a **real professional gaming hall**."
---
My father—Liu Wei—entered behind us, carrying a teapot.
He saw the room—
**And dropped the teapot**.
**Crash!**
The porcelain shattered on the new polished floor.
But he didn't even notice.
He was staring—mouth open, eyes wide as saucers—at the completely transformed room.
"This... this..." He tried to speak. Failed.
Tried again. "Chen, I... the walls were cracked **yesterday**! The floor was **broken**! How—in one night—"
"The System, Father." I said simply. "A reward for reaching a certain goal."
He looked at me. Then at the room. Then at me again.
His mind was trying—and failing—to comprehend what he was seeing.
"The System that gave you the game?"
"Yes."
"It can... **renovate entire shops overnight?!**"
"Apparently so."
Very long silence.
Then—my father started laughing.
A deep, genuine laugh, full of relief and wonder and joy.
"For years—**years**!—I tried to fix this place. Spent money. Hired workers. And failed." He looked around, a wide smile on his face. "And you, son, did it in **one week**."
He walked toward me and placed his heavy hands on my shoulders.
His eyes—usually tired—now gleamed.
"I'm proud of you, Chen. **So very proud**."
I felt something warm in my chest.
"Thank you, Father."
---
By eight AM—an hour before official opening—
There was a **crowd** at the door.
**More than twenty people**.
I looked out the window, amazed.
"All of them?!"
At the front:
- **Kyle**, waving enthusiastically
- **Derek**, standing with dignity
- **Elena**, cold as usual
- **Lily**, shy behind Kyle
- **Thomas** the blacksmith
- **Marcus** the scholar
- **The guards**
- And at least ten **new** faces
And at the end, slightly late—
**Victoria**.
Wearing **light purple** silk robes today, her hair tied in an elegant braid.
Even from afar, her aura was **crushing**.
I opened the door—
And the crowd rushed inside, excited, all talking at once—
Then—
**They all stopped**.
**Total silence**.
Every eye widened. Every mouth opened.
Kyle was the first to speak—barely a whisper:
"Is this... the **same place**?!"
Derek looked around, completely stunned.
"Master Liu... this place..." He walked slowly, touched the smooth wall. "Looks better than the **main training hall** in my clan!"
Elena—who rarely showed emotion—raised an eyebrow, looked at the three devices.
"Complete renovation. In one night." She looked at me with genuine curiosity. "**How**?"
I smiled—but didn't answer.
"Trade secret."
Thomas walked forward, touched one of the new wooden tables.
"This wood... **aged oak hardwood**. Usually costs dozens of gold coins!" He looked at me, eyes wide. "Where—"
"A gift." I said simply.
Marcus pushed his glasses, examining the crystal lanterns.
"These crystals... glow without fire, without oil, without visible spiritual energy." He whispered in amazement. "The technology behind this... **completely beyond my understanding**."
Then—**Victoria** entered.
She stepped through the door—
And stopped.
For one moment—one very brief moment—
I saw **genuine surprise** on her usually cold face.
Her eyes widened slightly. Her lips parted slightly.
Then—as usual—she regained control.
She walked slowly through the room, eyes scanning every detail with professional precision.
The walls. The floor. The lighting. The devices.
She stopped in front of me.
Looked directly into my eyes.
"Improvement... **very notable**, Master Liu." Her voice was smooth, but with a new tone of respect. "It seems my investment was **extremely wise**."
She looked at the three devices.
"Three devices now. That means—"
"We can serve three customers simultaneously." I finished the sentence.
"Excellent." She smiled—a small, satisfied smile. "Efficiency improved **threefold**."
She pulled out her embroidered silk pouch.
"In that case, I'll take **twenty additional hours**."
She took out—
**Twenty gold coins**.
Placed them on the table—one by one, with calculated movements.
**Clink. Clink. Clink...**
The crowd **gasped collectively**.
"Twenty gold coins?!"
"**Two thousand silver coins**!"
"That's... a fortune!"
But Victoria didn't turn to them. Only looked at me.
"I don't like waiting in queues, Master Liu." She said smoothly. "This ensures my priority **for the coming weeks**."
I nodded, trying—and failing—to hide my astonishment.
*Two thousand silver coins. One payment.*
*This woman... truly wealthy.*
"Understood completely, Lady Victoria. Your priority is guaranteed."
---
And for the first time since the gaming hall opened—
**Three people played simultaneously**.
**Device 1:** Victoria
**Device 2:** Derek
**Device 3:** Kyle
I put the headsets on their heads and started all three devices.
**[Three monitoring screens light up simultaneously]**
I watched the screens—
**Victoria**: Progressed with amazing speed, reached the dark basement, found the **Skull Key** (the third and final for her!)
**Derek**: Fought hellhounds, died once, but succeeded on the second attempt.
**Kyle**: Explored the library, solved the book puzzle (with a little help from me), found the **Shield Key**.
After one hour—
**[Ding! Three customers completed one hour!]**
**[Total: 3 hours!]**
The efficiency was **amazing**.
What used to take 3 consecutive hours, now done in **one hour** only!
---
**Device 1:** Elena - her usual cold efficiency, killed 20 zombies without wasting a single bullet.
**Device 2:** Thomas - returned to the workshop, crafted a **beautiful longsword**.
**Device 3:** Marcus - read every file in the library, took notes enthusiastically.
**[+3 total hours!]**
---
In the afternoon, it was Mother's turn.
"Today, I'll take the virus." She said with solid determination.
She sat down, put on the headset.
Entered the game—
With the three keys, she reached the laboratory door.
**Click. Click. Click.**
The door opened.
She entered.
And found the screen:
**[T-VIRUS PROTOTYPE - SAMPLE 005]**
She pressed the button—
**[DISPENSING SAMPLE...]**
The green vial appeared.
**[Obtained: T-Virus Prototype!]**
**[Do you want to use it?]**
"**Yes!**" Mother shouted without hesitation.
**[Confirming...]**
**[Injecting virus...]**
---
I saw Mother's body spasm slightly in the chair.
"Mother! Are you okay?!"
"I'm... fine..." Her voice trembling but strong. "I feel something... something **powerful** flowing through my body!"
Her muscles contracted. Her veins bulged for a moment—a very faint green glow passed through them.
Then—everything calmed.
She removed the headset, eyes wide, gleaming.
"Chen... I..."
She stood—
And punched the air forcefully.
**Whoosh!**
The **sound of the punch** was clear, sharp—faster and stronger than anything she'd done before.
She looked at her hand, utterly amazed.
"I'm... **strong**. So strong!"
She lifted the heavy wooden table—
**With just two fingers**.
Tears—tears of pure joy—began flowing down her cheeks.
"All my life, I was weak. Ordinary. **Nothing**."
She looked at me, voice trembling with emotion.
"And now... I'm **stronger than most people in this city**!"
**[Ding! Customer Liu Mei used T-Virus Prototype!]**
**[Permanent Effects:]**
- **+15% muscle strength**
- **+10% speed**
- **+20% cellular regeneration**
**[Liu Mei's Total Strength:]**
- From gameplay (4 hours): +6.1%
- From T-Virus: +15%
- **Total: 21.1% stronger than baseline!**
I hugged her—a tight, warm, proud embrace.
"You were always strong, Mother. Now, everyone can see it."
---
The rest of the day passed quickly—
Three customers at a time, session after session.
**New customers** (10 people) played, one after another.
Each left **amazed**, **excited**, promising to return tomorrow.
By six PM—
**25 hours** played today!
---
6:30 PM.
The last session ended. Customers began preparing to leave.
Victoria stood, carefully placed the headset on the table.
Derek, Kyle, Elena—all started moving toward the door.
But then—
They saw me sit on the chair.
**Pick up the headset**.
Kyle stopped. "Chen? You're... going to play?"
"Yes." I put the headset on my head. "I have something to finish."
Derek raised an eyebrow. "At this late hour?"
"Yes."
Victoria—who was almost at the door—stopped.
Turned around, looked at me.
"Master Liu... what exactly are you going to do?"
I smiled—a confident smile.
"I'm going to defeat the **final boss**."
**Silence**.
Then—Kyle shouted:
"**Final boss?!** There's a final boss?!"
"Of course." I said simply. "Every game has a final boss. And I... reached it."
Derek hesitated, then said:
"Can we... stay to watch?"
I looked at them—at the curious crowd.
"Of course. Sit down."
---
One by one, they returned.
Sat on chairs, on the floor, standing—all looking at the large monitoring screen.
**15 people** at least.
Kyle. Derek. Elena. Marcus. Thomas. Lily. The guards. The new customers.
And in the back, standing elegantly—
**Victoria**.
Her eyes—deep black—completely focused on the screen.
I took a deep breath.
"Alright. Let's begin."
I started the game.
---
**[RESIDENT EVIL - FINAL BOSS]**
My character appeared in a **large hall**—the celebration hall in the mansion.
Massive chandeliers hanging. Paintings on the walls. Red carpet.
And at the end—on a golden throne—
Sat **something**.
It had been human once.
Now?
**A monster**.
**[Transformed Lord Spencer]**
**[Level: BOSS]**
**[HP: 5000]**
Its body was massive—3 meters tall, abnormally swollen muscles, cracked gray skin, glowing red eyes.
And from its back—
**Bone claws** grew, sharp as swords.
It stood slowly from the throne.
**"Who... dares... enter... my hall?!"**
Its voice was deep, distorted, terrifying.
---
On screen, everyone saw the monster.
**"Oh my god!"** Lily gasped, hand covering her mouth.
"That's... **huge**!" Kyle said, eyes wide.
Derek leaned forward. "This boss... looks **stronger** than anything I've seen in the game!"
Marcus pushed his glasses, taking notes rapidly. "The design... incredibly complex. The muscles, claws, glowing eyes..."
Elena—usually cold—looked with intense focus. "How much HP does it have?"
"5000." Said one customer reading the screen. "**Five thousand**!"
"That's... impossible!" Another shouted. "The zombies only have 100!"
Thomas shook his head. "Master Liu... will need at least 50 headshots!"
And in the back—
Victoria stood completely still, eyes never leaving the screen even for a moment.
---
Lord Spencer **roared**—a terrifying scream that deafened ears—
And ran.
**At frightening speed**.
But I was ready.
I dodged—**rolled** right—
His claws struck the ground where I'd just stood.
**Crash!**
The marble floor **shattered**.
"Oh my god!" Kyle gasped. "He almost killed him on the first hit!"
I raised my assault rifle—the weapon I found yesterday—
And aimed.
**Bang! Bang! Bang!**
Three shots to the head.
**[-75]**
**[-80]**
**[-85]**
**[HP Remaining: 4760]**
"Only 240 damage?!" Derek shouted. "He'll need at least 20 attack rounds!"
Lord Spencer turned—
And threw **something**.
A piece of shattered marble floor—huge, heavy—
**Flying** toward my character at terrifying speed!
*No time to dodge!*
I jumped—**rolled** in the air—
The piece passed beneath me, hit the wall.
**Boom!**
The wall **partially collapsed**.
I landed, ran—
Kept firing.
**Bang! Bang! Bang!**
**[-90]**
**[-85]**
**[-95]**
---
Everyone was **riveted** in place.
Wide eyes. Open mouths. Held breaths.
"This... **amazing**!" Marcus whispered. "The movement, timing, accuracy..."
Elena leaned forward more. "He's... not wasting a single movement. Every dodge calculated. Every shot precise."
Thomas slowly shook his head. "I played 3 hours... and died dozens of times. And he... fights the **final boss** like it's... a dance."
Kyle slapped his thigh. "That's Master Liu! **The strongest player** in the gaming hall!"
But the most affected person—
Was **Victoria**.
She stood in the back, arms crossed, face calm as usual.
But her eyes—
Her eyes were **completely focused** on the screen.
Tracking every movement. Every decision. Every tactic.
And slowly—very slowly—
Something changed in her gaze.
From simple **curiosity**...
To genuine **interest**...
To something deeper.
*This young man...* she thought, without realizing it.
*Not just a lucky merchant.*
*This... real skill. Intelligence. Calm under pressure.*
*Even some cultivators in my clan... don't have this level of focus.*
She didn't realize her lips had parted slightly.
And didn't realize she had stepped forward once... then again... until she was in the front row, looking at the screen closely.
---
**[HP Remaining: 2500 / 5000]**
Suddenly—Lord Spencer **roared again**.
His body began **glowing** with terrifying red light.
**[Warning! Boss entered Phase Two!]**
**[Speed +50%!]**
**[Power +100%!]**
"No!" Derek shouted. "He became **stronger**?!"
Lord Spencer ran—**much faster now**—
His claws swinging—once, twice, three times—
Fast, lethal, consecutive strikes!
But I—
Dodged. **Rolled**. **Jumped**.
Every movement with **perfect timing**.
The claws passed by my character—by **centimeters** only.
"How?!" Lily gasped. "How does he dodge so fast?!"
"He's... predicting the attacks." Elena said in an impressed tone. "Watching shoulder movement, eye direction, body position... **reading the boss** before it attacks!"
Victoria—now in the very front row—nodded slowly, eyes still fixed on the screen.
*Yes. That's exactly what he's doing.*
*Like a seasoned warrior.*
*But... how? He's just an ordinary human, without spiritual roots. Where did he learn this?*
---
The battle continued—
Lord Spencer attacked relentlessly.
But I wasn't just dodging.
I was **planning**.
**Waited** for the right moment—
When Spencer finished his triple attack—
There was a **small gap**. One second. A rest moment before the next attack.
And in that moment—
I ran **toward him**, not away!
Got close—very close—right under his arm—
And raised my rifle **to his head**, from below, a blind spot he couldn't defend—
**Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!**
Five shots—all to the head—from **zero** distance!
**[-150! Blind spot shot!]**
**[-150!]**
**[-150!]**
**[-150!]**
**[-150!]**
**[Total Damage: 750!]**
Then—**rolled away** before his counter claws hit me.
In the real world—
**Everyone erupted in cheers!**
"**Magnificent!**" Kyle shouted, jumping from his seat.
"Seven hundred fifty damage in **two seconds**!" Marcus exclaimed, eyes wide. "That's... **amazing efficiency**!"
Even Elena—always cold—smiled a small admiring smile.
"Excellent tactics. Exploited the weakness at the perfect moment."
Thomas laughed loudly. "And I thought Master Liu was just a lucky shop owner! This... **professional fighter**!"
And Victoria—
Her lips curved.
A **very small** smile.
But it was there.
*Smart. Brave. Precise.*
*Rare qualities.*
*Especially in someone without spiritual roots.*
And for the first time in... **years**...
She felt something.
Something light, warm, strange.
*Interest.*
Not as a customer.
But as... **a woman**.
She shook her head slightly, dismissing the thought.
*No. Focus on the game.*
But her eyes didn't leave the screen.
And didn't leave **Liu Chen**.
---
**[HP Remaining: 300 / 5000]**
Lord Spencer was staggering now, body full of wounds, moving slowly.
**"No... I won't... die... like this!"**
He gathered all his remaining strength—
And raised **both hands** high—
**[Desperate Final Attack!]**
**[Crushing Strike - Damage: 500 - Range: Full!]**
"Watch out!" Kyle screamed. "He's going to hit the entire floor!"
But I—
Was **ready**.
I'd seen this attack before (played this game hundreds of times in my past life).
**Ran**—not away, but **toward him** again!
Right beneath him—the only safe zone!
And while his hands were up high, his body completely exposed—
I emptied **all remaining ammo** into his head!
**Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!**
Eight consecutive shots—
**[-120] [-120] [-120] [-120] [-120] [-120] [-120] [-180 final critical shot!]**
**[Total: 1020 damage!]**
**[HP Remaining: -720]**
**[Boss Defeated!]**
Lord Spencer **froze**.
His hands fell. His body swayed.
Then—
**Fell**.
**Boom!**
His massive body hit the ground, slowly turning to gray smoke.
**[Victory!]**
**[You defeated: Transformed Lord Spencer!]**
**[Congratulations! You completed RESIDENT EVIL: THE BEGINNING!]**
---
**Total silence** for one moment.
Then—
**The room erupted in cheers and screams!**
"**He did it! He did it!**" Kyle screamed, jumping and waving his arms.
"Defeated the boss!" Derek shouted with pride, as if his friend had won.
Lily clapped enthusiastically, face flushed with excitement.
Marcus wrote frantically in his notebook. "Amazing! Incredible tactics! Must document everything!"
The guards clapped hard, wide smiles on their faces.
Even Elena—always cold—clapped. Slowly, but she clapped.
Thomas laughed loudly. "Never seen anything like this in my life! Master Liu, you're a **legend**!"
And Victoria—
Clapped too.
Slowly. Gracefully. But sincerely.
Her eyes—for one very brief moment—met mine across the room.
And she looked away quickly.
But not before I saw something in that look.
**Respect.**
**Admiration.**
And maybe... something else.
Something she wouldn't admit even to herself.
---
I removed the headset, a wide smile on my face.
[Ding! Ding! Ding!]
[Congratulations! You are the first person to complete RESIDENT EVIL: THE BEGINNING!]
[Special Reward: Legendary Item!]
Suddenly—
Golden flash filled the room!
On the table in front of me—
Something appeared.
A weapon.
A gun—but not ordinary.
Shotgun.
Short double-barrel hunting shotgun, dark carved wooden handle beautifully made, polished shiny metal.
Real. Heavy. Actually existing in the real world!
Total silence in the room.
Everyone stared.
Then—
"This... a real weapon?!" Kyle gasped.
"From the game... to reality?!" Marcus whispered, completely shocked.
I picked up the shotgun—felt its weight, the coldness of the metal.
100% real.
And beside it—
20 shells.
I looked at the stunned crowd.
"Completion reward." I said simply. "The first person to finish the game... gets a special reward."
Derek stepped forward, examined the shotgun carefully.
"This... high-quality weapon! Worth at least ten gold coins in the market!"
Elena looked at the shotgun, then at me.
"So... items from the game can become real?"
"Yes. But only very rare items or major achievement rewards." I explained.
Announcing New Challenges
I stood, holding the shotgun, and looked at everyone.
"Listen everyone. This isn't the only one."
I hung the shotgun on the wall—in a prominent place where everyone could see it.
"This is the first completion reward. But there are other challenges. Other rewards."
Everyone leaned forward, completely attentive.
"Challenge One: The first person to complete the game without getting hit even once."
"Reward: Full knight armor - Legendary quality."
Collective gasp.
"Without getting hit?!" Kyle said. "That's... almost impossible!"
"Almost. But not completely impossible." I smiled. "Sufficient skill, patience, focus... it can be done."
"Challenge Two: The first person to complete the game using only the knife. No firearms."
Shocked silence.
"Knife only?!" Derek screamed. "That's... insane!"
"Yes. But the reward is worth it: Folded steel sword - Legendary quality."
Thomas's eyes widened. "Folded steel sword?! That's worth hundreds of gold coins!"
"Exactly. Difficult challenges... deserve great rewards."
I looked at everyone.
"There are other challenges too. Secret challenges. You'll discover them while playing."
"But remember: Excellent performance is always rewarded."
Victoria Steps Forward
Victoria—who had been silent until now—stepped forward.
"Master Liu."
I turned toward her.
"Yes, Lady Victoria?"
She looked at me—directly in my eyes—with a look... different from usual.
Warmer. Less cold.
"Your performance today was... exceptional."
She paused, as if choosing her words carefully.
"You fought with the skill of a seasoned cultivator. With the calm of a military commander. With strategic intelligence."
"And you're... just an ordinary human, without spiritual roots."
A small smile—very rare—appeared on her lips.
"Very impressive indeed."
I felt my face heat slightly.
Did... did she just compliment me?
Victoria, always cold?
"Thank you, Lady Victoria. I just... played a lot."
"A lot?" She raised an eyebrow. "You played only 11 hours. But your level... surpasses those who played double that."
She looked at the hanging shotgun.
"Perhaps... true talent doesn't need spiritual roots."
Then—she turned and began walking toward the door.
But before leaving—
She turned slightly, looked at me over her shoulder.
"Tomorrow, Master Liu. I'll do my best to complete the game too."
In her eyes—
I saw a challenge.
But also... something else.
Something I couldn't quite identify.
"I look forward to it, Lady Victoria."
She smiled—a small, mysterious smile—
And left.
End of Day - Reflections
After everyone left—
I sat alone in the renovated back room.
Looked at the shotgun hanging on the wall.
Then opened the System interface:
[Day Six Statistics:]
Gameplay hours today: 26 hours (triple sessions + my two personal)
Total hours: 50 + 26 = 76 hours
Today's income:
Victoria: 20 gold coins = 2000 silver coins
Other customers: ~30 silver coins
Total today: 2030 silver coins!
Total income (6 days): ~3680 silver coins = 3.68 gold coins
Regular customers: 20
New customers today: 12
Total customers: 32
I put my head on the table and laughed quietly.
"More than three gold coins. In just six days."
Then—a new notification:
[Ding! Special Notice!]
[New Goal Unlocked!]
[Goal: 7 people complete the game]
[Current Progress: 1/7 (Liu Chen)]
[Reward upon completion:]
New game unlocks!
Special shop upgrade
Secret reward for Host
I smiled.
"Seven people. Alright."
I looked at customers who could complete it:
Victoria - closest, has all three keys, will reach soon
Elena - very efficient, will complete within a week
Derek - strong but reckless, needs more time
Kyle - enthusiastic but dies a lot
Mother - got the virus, improving rapidly
Within two weeks, maybe three... seven people will complete.
Then... new game!
I wondered what it would be.
Dark Souls? The Witcher? God of War?
Whatever it is... will be amazing.
Night - Victoria's Thoughts
In her luxurious mansion, on the other side of the city—
Victoria sat in her private chamber, looking out the window at the night sky.
Her mind—usually calm, organized—was... slightly confused.
Liu Chen.
The young man without spiritual roots.
Who built something... exceptional.
She remembered how he fought today.
The calm. The precision. The confidence.
I've never seen an ordinary human move like that.
Even some disciples in my clan—real cultivators—lack this level of control.
She touched her lips, where she smiled today.
A real smile. Unintended. Without official reason.
When was the last time I smiled like that?
For someone not from my clan?
For a man?
She shook her head.
No. This is just... admiration for skill. Respect for talent.
Nothing more.
But as she closed her eyes to sleep—
His face appeared in her mind.
His confident smile. His focused eyes. His skilled hands on the virtual controller.
Liu Chen.
Strange.
But... interesting.
Very interesting.