Wu Ji Tian’s lips slowly curled into a smile.

  He stood at the entrance of the shop, staring in awe at the transformation before him.

  The stained, dusty wooden floors, once covered in years of wear, were now repced by smooth, polished tiles that gleamed under bright ceiling lights. The unsteady wooden shelves that used to line the walls were gone, making the space feel open and modern. Even the air smelled different—fresh, crisp, and cool, courtesy of the air conditioning humming softly in the background.

  Yes. A fully functional air conditioning.

  He let out a disbelieving chuckle.

  In his past life, he barely had a fan in his tiny apartment, and now he had a shop with AC?

  “System, you sure know how to treat a guy right,” he muttered, running a hand through his hair as he stepped inside.

  The pce wasn’t just clean—it was sleek. The smooth walls, the minimalist lighting, the faint glow of embedded energy lines tracing the edges of the floor—it all screamed high-end and futuristic.

  And yet…

  His smile faltered as he took in one undeniable fact.

  It was empty.

  No decorations, no furniture, and aside from the spotless counter near the entrance, there was nothing. Not a single chair, table, or piece of equipment in sight.

  It was like a perfectly renovated house that hadn’t been lived in.

  A low huff of amusement escaped him.

  “This feels like one of those real estate ads—‘newly renovated space, endless possibilities,’” he joked to himself.

  His gaze flickered to the empty counter, and for a second, his excitement dipped.

  This wasn’t just a ck of items—this was a bnk ste.

  Would he really be able to build something from this?

  The doubt was brief but instinctual.

  He had spent years feeling stuck. Whether it was in a tiny convenience store or a cultivation sect, he had always been at the bottom, struggling just to keep up.

  His mind flickered back to long nights of standing behind a register, watching customers tap their cards without hesitation while he counted every st coin to afford a simple meal. To all the times he stared at streamers pying full-dive VR, wishing—just wishing—he could experience even a fraction of what they had.

  But now…

  He wasn’t stuck anymore.

  A slow grin spread across his face.

  Because this time, he had something they didn’t.

  A system.

  His system.

  And as if responding to his thoughts, a soft chime echoed in his mind.

  [New Mission: Name Your Shop]

  Wu Ji Tian blinked.

  Then, he burst into ughter.

  Of course. Of course. He should’ve expected this.

  "A futuristic shop, and my first mission is... giving it a name?" Wu Ji Tian chuckled, shaking his head in amusement.

  Still, he wasn’t compining. Compared to the life-or-death trials that most protagonists faced after getting a system, this was practically a gift.

  He leaned against the counter, tapping his fingers on the smooth surface as he thought.

  A name, huh?

  His eyes wandered around the empty yet impossibly advanced shop.

  A pce beyond this world’s standards. A pce that could change everything. A pce that only he—and he alone—could own.

  There was only one name that made sense.

  "Virtual Haven," he decred.

  [Shop Name Confirmed: Virtual Haven][Mission Complete!][System Fully Activating…]

  The air hummed.

  A rush of energy swept through the shop, and for a brief second, Wu Ji Tian swore he felt something—a pulse, a spark, a shift in reality itself.

  Then, at the farthest section of the store, two rge capsule-like machines materialized out of thin air—sleek, futuristic, and glowing faintly with an unknown energy.

  Not only that, but three VR stations appeared near the center of the shop. Each consisted of a sturdy tabletop with a high-tech virtual helmet resting on top, accompanied by a plush reclining chair designed for comfort.

  Wu Ji Tian’s eyes widened.

  No way.

  Before he could even react, a voice—smooth, crisp, and dripping with sarcasm—rang in his mind.

  [System Online.][Oh, finally. Took you long enough.]

  His jaw dropped.

  Did his system just… sass him?

  Wu Ji Tian blinked, still processing what had just happened. Then, as if something finally snapped in his brain, he let out a frustrated groan.

  “Wait, wait, wait—hold on! You’re telling me I had a system all this time, and it just now decided to activate? After two whole years?!” He threw his hands up. “Do you know how many protagonists get their golden finger the moment they reincarnate or transmigrate? Instantly! Some even before they’re born! And I had to suffer for two years? TWO YEARS?!”

  The system let out an exaggerated sigh.

  [Oh, please. You’re acting like that’s my fault.]

  “IT IS!”

  [No, it’s yours.]

  Wu Ji Tian felt his eye twitch. “Excuse me?”

  [Let me break it down for you, oh ‘main character.’] The text on the screen flickered as if the system was rolling its nonexistent eyes. [The moment you inherited this shop, I was supposed to activate. BUT—someone decided to run off to a sect like a delusional shonen protagonist instead of staying put.]

  Wu Ji Tian choked.

  [You know, the usual: ‘I will become the strongest! I’ll prove myself! I’ll rise from nothing!’] The system’s text practically dripped with mockery. [Yeah, how did that go for you?]

  Wu Ji Tian clutched his chest as if struck by a critical hit. “I—I didn’t know! How was I supposed to know staying here would trigger the system?!”

  [What did you THINK was going to happen? That you’d go to the sect, get bullied, awaken some heaven-defying power, and become the chosen one? Oh wait—you DID go to the sect. You DID get bullied. And guess what? NO heaven-defying power. Shocking.]

  Wu Ji Tian groaned, rubbing his face. “I feel personally attacked.”

  [Good. Because you wasted TWO YEARS when you could’ve been running a cutting-edge shop with my guidance. Instead, you were out there scrubbing floors for inner disciples and getting treated like trash. Bravo, Host. Bravo.]

  Wu Ji Tian wanted to cry.

  “So you’re telling me… if I had just stayed, I could’ve had all of this earlier?”

  [Yes.]

  “Two years of struggle… for nothing?”

  [Correct.]

  He slowly colpsed onto the floor.

  “…I hate everything.”

  [Oh, don’t be so dramatic.] The system huffed. [At least you’ve got me now. And unlike those ‘instant OP’ protagonists, you’ll actually have to work for your success. Won’t that be fun?]

  Wu Ji Tian stared bnkly at the ceiling.

  “…I want a refund.”

  [Denied]