Chapter 89: Cross-Game Connectivity

The next morning, the usual routine resumed the moment Donape flipped the sign on the front door to ’OPEN’.

Ji-Hong and his entourage arrived early, joined by Mareum and five additional men dressed in sharp black-and-white suit uniforms.

They were the only ones waiting outside at dawn. The other regulars never bothered to rush because the shop’s fifty capsules were rarely fully occupied, giving everyone the luxury of arriving whenever they pleased.

"Why are you all here so early?" Donape asked, tilting his head as he unlocked the glass door. "It’s not like there’s any competition for the VR Capsules."

"Hehe," Ji-Hong chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "It’s just a habit now."

"Well, I won’t complain if it brings in more business," Donape shrugged lazily, turning back toward his spot behind the counter.

A-Ji and Ji-Ga took the lead, guiding their team of seven original bodyguards along with the five newly attending bodyguards straight into the pod bay.

With the bodyguards settled in, Ji-Hong and Butler Lee took their usual spots at the counter to chat with Donape, now joined by Great Guardian Mareum, who was quietly taking in the relaxed atmosphere of the world’s most dangerous shop.

While savoring his cup of Obsidian Roast Coffee, Mareum was thoroughly convinced that the food and beverages served in this shop were, without a doubt, the absolute finest in the world.

As someone who had traveled the globe for decades before settling and tasted the rarest local specialties across countless nations, he dared to make that declaration without a shred of hesitation.

It wasn’t just that the flavors were exquisite—their restorative effects on the human body and internal organs were unmatched by anything else in existence.

Specifically, he recalled his experience with the Celestial Sparkle Sprite, which he had tried for the first time yesterday.

It offered staggering physical benefits, yet cost a shockingly modest 16 Blue Credits.

Yesterday evening, right after returning home from Origins VR Cafe, the Sprite’s cleansing effect had forced him into a desperate dash to the estate bathroom. But as the foul impurities were purged from his body, he was met with a sudden, overwhelming wave of vitality.

The deep wrinkles etched across his skin smoothed out. His muscles tightened with fresh density, and his entire physical frame felt renewed—as if he had suddenly been stripped of ten years of age and restored to his physical prime.

With his body cleansed, Mareum knew that executing his martial arts forms now would yield a level of explosive power he hadn’t possessed in decades. His bone density had solidified, giving him the structural foundation to withstand extreme physical strain and unleash full-force strikes without tearing his own joints apart.

That singular experience was the final nail in the coffin.

Mareum was now one hundred percent convinced that fiction was no longer just a tale, all thanks to Origins VR Cafe.

At this point, if Donape casually claimed that the shop could summon a mythical Dragon straight out of a NovelPhoenix or fantasy movie, Mareum would simply nod and accept it as absolute fact.

That was how completely his rigid, lifelong logic had been flipped upside down.

"Boss Don, do you have any more Gold Coins left?" Ji-Hong persisted, looking at him with hopeful eyes.

"I’m sorry, I only had those 300 Gold Coins to spare," Donape said apologetically—completely unbothered by the fact that his remaining in-game fortune still amounted to a staggering 1,021 Gold Coins.

Ji-Hong let out a heavy sigh. After calculating the total cost, he realized he needed a colossal amount of capital. Under the System’s rules, he had to win and acquire the item in-game first before he could even pay the materialization fee to bring it into the real world.

"Young Master, what item are you trying to buy?" Mareum asked, curious.

"A Spirit Weapon—the Heavenly Demonic Sword," Ji-Hong explained, his eyes burning with excitement. "It’s being put up for auction in a few days in-game time. I need enough capital to win the bidding war first so I can materialize it later. Securing enough auction funds is my most urgent problem right now."

Mareum simply nodded, though the term Spirit Weapon went completely over his head.

In his current state, Mareum needed to focus entirely on mastering internal energy and fundamental martial techniques, so high-tier divine weapons weren’t a priority yet. Besides, he couldn’t offer financial aid even if he wanted to—his entire in-game net worth sat at a humble 17 Silver Coins.

In the game’s economy, 17 Silver Coins was already a substantial sum—enough for a commoner to live comfortably for over a year.

That fact alone put into perspective just how terrifyingly massive a fortune hundreds of Gold Coins truly was.

Donape leaned against the polished counter, swirling the remaining Obsidian Roast Coffee in his mug as he listened to Ji-Hong’s distressed calculations.

"If you’re that desperate for gold before the auction," Donape said, his voice smooth and nonchalant, "I can give you a shortcut guide to the game. Consider it a free bonus for buying my 300 Gold Coins at that high price."

Ji-Hong perked up instantly, practically leaping off his stool. "Boss Don! You really are the best! What’s the shortcut?!"

"Since you have completed the first game, log into The Path of the Heavenly Martial Arts 2," Donape replied calmly, setting his mug down. "It shares character stats, inventories, and dimensional storage with the first game."

Ji-Hong tilted his head, confused. "Huh? But the auction is in Part 1!"

"The first and second parts are interconnected," Donape explained. "They share the exact same virtual world and timeline. You can participate in Part 1’s live auction even while logged into Part 2."

Donape tapped his smartphone, sending a file over to Ji-Hong’s phone.

A detailed, fully mapped-out projection of the southern region of The Path of the Heavenly Martial Arts expanded before their eyes.

It was an priceless guide—Donape had meticulously marked high-reward quests, secret hidden routes, and high-yield premium dungeons.

"If you want fast money right now, target the Black Blood Ravine," Donape pointed out, tapping a jagged mountain area. "It’s a level 55 region containing the Sunken Treasury of the Blood Dragon Sect—a forgotten faction. Most players ignore it because it’s completely isolated from the main southern sects."

He zoomed in, highlighting a narrow subterranean fissure. "Use this hidden path. Do not light torches; flame draws the elite creatures in the dark. Instead, buy a Light Jade Pendant from the secret merchant in the neighboring town. Its faint glow is just enough to guide you through without alerting the mobs."

Donape looked at Ji-Hong. "Since you’re in a hurry, fighting and leveling aren’t your priorities. Slip past the guards straight into the inner vault, and look for the ordinary, shabby-looking burlap sacks in the corner. Each sack contains Blood Sect Elder Badges worth 25 Gold Coins at the regional merchant. There should be around five to seven sacks waiting there."

Ji-Hong’s jaw dropped. "25 Gold Coins per badge?!"

"That should be enough to get you started," Donape said. "And if you ever need more capital, remember what I said earlier about getting promoted to First-Grade Disciple and taking on regional quests."

With a gleaming, excited expression, Ji-Hong nodded vigorously and dashed straight toward the pod bay to dive into his VR Capsule.

Even if his group finished their five-hour daily playtime early, they could always spend the afternoon trying out the shop’s menu items alongside their bodyguards. After all, the cafe was spacious enough to comfortably accommodate twenty or more people for lunch.

As the chatter died down, silence briefly returned to the shop—only for the chime above the entrance to ring out once more, proving that true quiet was a rare luxury at Origins VR Cafe.

It was Mislaine and her three top operatives.

Mislaine stepped through the entrance clad in an impeccably tailored navy coat over an elegant business suit, flanked by Viktor, Morgan, and Kassandra. Though dressed in high-end civilian attire to avoid drawing unnecessary public attention, their disciplined, sweeping gazes instantly betrayed their high-level military backgrounds.

Viktor’s eyes swept the room first, instinctively checking corners and potential firing lanes before locking onto Donape standing behind the counter. For a brief second, his posture stiffened—a lingering phantom reflex from yesterday’s display of absolute, unbothered power.

"Good morning, Shopkeeper," Mislaine greeted smoothly, her voice carrying an easy composure as she approached the counter.

Donape offered a simple nod and a casual smile. He refrained from a lengthy reply, still keeping a polite distance since Mislaine and her crew were not yet considered regulars.

"Four cups of Obsidian Roast Coffee, please," Mislaine ordered, her polite smile failing to reach her sharp, calculating eyes. "Also... have you ever considered opening a branch inside the Starfall Federation? I can personally secure the administrative licenses, zoning permits, and prime commercial locations for you. What do you say?"

There was a protocol regarding branch stores, though the finer details were still greyed out. The manual explicitly stated that once the main branch of Origins VR Cafe reached a designated milestone, the Shopmaster would be required to expand and fund new branches.

Donape replied. "There will definitely be branch stores in the future. But that will only happen after this main location reaches the required Shop Level."

"Shop Level?" Mislaine inquired, her interest instantly piqued.

"Yes," Donape said, gesturing toward the spacious interior. "As you can see, every time the store levels up, its physical capacity, features, and system inventory expand with it."