Endless Extraction in a Game-Like World

[Ding! You have become a Tier 2 Regional Lord City.]

[Ding! You now have access to new city features.]

[Ding! You may now receive Wonder of the World starting from this moment.]

Sylvia’s crimson eyes widened as the next notification appeared.

[Ding! Wonder of the World Update Acquired: Tavern of Endless Food and Drinks.]

[Ding! A Builder is required to install this Wonder of the World update.]

Caelus read through the information carefully, his expression shifting from curiosity to genuine excitement.

The Tavern of Endless Food and Drinks was something he had from the Abyss, a Wonder that had provided incredible benefits to his territory back then.

Now it was coming to Genesis City.

His mind immediately began analyzing the business potential.

"This is perfect," he said with a growing smile. "Every visitor who enters the Tavern can be charged an entrance fee or service fee and we will profit from it."

Sylvia tilted her head. "How much should we charge?"

"Since the Tavern is a Wonder of the World, demand will remain extremely high." Caelus crossed his arms thoughtfully. "People will pay premium prices just for the experience."

He calculated the numbers in his head.

"We should start with 100 Origin Credits per customer, that alone would generate massive income if we have consistent traffic."

"Even that price would be accepted," Sylvia agreed. "Wonders of the World are rare, people will come from everywhere just to see it."

Caelus nodded with satisfaction.

Unless the Abyss, other players could enter the city and even explore the Wonder of The Worlds.

If he had enough Wonder of the Worlds, he might as well make this a tourist spot.

Genesis had just obtained another stable source of long-term income, and combined with their Origin Ore Vein, the city’s financial future looked incredibly bright.

Sylvia then pulled up the complete city status window.

[Genesis City Status]

[Tier: 2 (Regional Lord City)]

[Owner: Sylvia Reign]

[Population: 27,305]

[Merged Territories: 11]

[Wonder of the World: Origin Ore Vein (Active), Tavern of Endless Food and Drinks (Pending Installation)]

[City Features: Market Access, Blueprint Function (Unlocked)]

Before they could continue their discussion, more System notifications appeared.

[Ding! The City Blueprint Function has been unlocked.]

[Ding! A Builder is required to utilize Blueprints.]

Caelus’s expression became serious as he read the new messages.

Builders had appeared twice now in these notifications, and the pattern was impossible to ignore.

Without a Builder, they could not install the Tavern of Endless Food and Drinks.

Without a Builder, they could not use the Blueprint Function.

"Builders have become indispensable," Caelus said firmly. "They are no longer a luxury, they are a necessity."

Sylvia nodded in complete agreement. "We need to find one as soon as possible."

"Obtaining a Builder has become one of Genesis City’s highest priorities," Caelus declared. "We should start searching immediately once we return."

Before they could plan further, a familiar notification echoed through the entire Domain.

[The Origin Ascension Domain will close in 60 seconds.]

[All players will be returned to their original locations.]

[Please prepare for transportation.]

Caelus sighed. "Looks like our time is up."

Sylvia stepped closer to him, her hand finding his. "We accomplished a lot today, hubby."

"We did," he agreed with a soft smile.

Their vision began blurring as the transportation phenomenon activated, and without any resistance, they were pulled back toward Earth.

The Domain faded around them completely.

Caelus opened his eyes to find himself back in his apartment, the familiar ceiling greeting him as reality settled back into place.

His body felt heavy with exhaustion, the accumulated fatigue from everything that had happened finally catching up to him.

The battle against Crimson Fang and Shadow Halberd had drained more energy than he realized.

He pulled out his phone and sent a quick message to Sylvia.

"Get some rest, we earned it."

Her reply came almost instantly.

"Already in bed, hubby. Sleep well."

Caelus smiled tiredly and set his phone aside.

Without bothering to change clothes, he collapsed onto his bed and closed his eyes.

Sleep claimed him within seconds.

While Caelus and Sylvia rested peacefully, the internet was anything but calm.

Social media platforms exploded with activity as clips from the battle spread like wildfire.

[BREAKING: Two unaffiliated players destroy Crimson Fang and Shadow Halberd Guild forces!]

[Level 50 guild geniuses ELIMINATED by newcomers!]

[Who is Caelus Kross? The player who killed Reign Bloodfang!]

Discussion forums filled with thousands of comments within hours.

[I watched the whole livestream, this guy is INSANE.]

[How is this even possible? He’s not backed by any guild!]

[Sylvia Reign retired from singing for THIS? She’s a monster!]

[Genesis City is going to become a powerhouse, mark my words.]

[The way he countered Reign Bloodfang was beautiful, pure skill.]

News outlets scrambled to cover the story, each network trying to be the first to provide exclusive analysis.

Livestream clips were replayed millions of times, every moment of the battle dissected and discussed by viewers around the world.

The names Caelus Kross and Sylvia Reign were trending on every major platform.

....

In Queens, at the Kross family home, the atmosphere was relaxed and warm.

Caelus’s parents sat in the living room with his uncle and aunt, cups of tea resting on the coffee table between them.

They were talking about their daughter.

"She’s been doing incredibly well," Caelus’s uncle said proudly. "Her talent awakened at Lower B-Rank, and she’s been climbing the ranks ever since."

Elena nodded politely. "That’s wonderful to hear, you must be very proud."

"We are." The uncle leaned back with a satisfied expression. "She’s already reached Level 40, can you believe it? At her age, that’s exceptional progress."

"She also joined the Golden Light Guild recently." His wife added with obvious pride. "They only accept the best of the best."

Victor listened with a calm expression, neither impressed nor dismissive.

The uncle eventually turned the conversation toward Caelus, since they were boasting about their daughter.

"So how has Caelus been doing? I heard he finally started taking the Domain seriously."

Victor took a sip of his tea before answering. "As long as he’s happy, that’s enough for me."

The uncle frowned slightly. "Brother, you can’t think like that, surviving in the player world requires strength."

He gestured as if explaining something obvious.

"My daughter has already reached Level 40 and joined one of the top guilds, that’s the kind of progress that ensures a secure future."

His expression softened into what he probably thought was generosity.

"If Caelus wants, I can recommend him to the Golden Light Guild, they might accept him if I put in a good word."

Victor shook his head gently. "I appreciate the offer, but such a decision should be left to Caelus himself."

"He’s an adult now, he can choose his own path."

The uncle looked like he wanted to argue further, but he held his tongue out of respect.

Instead, he reached for the television remote.

"Let’s see what’s on the news."

He changed the channel to the local Queens News broadcast.

A breaking news banner immediately filled the screen.

[BREAKING: Domain Incident Shocks New York]

The news anchor spoke with urgency in her voice.

"Today’s events inside the Origin Ascension Domain have sent shockwaves throughout the player community, footage from a livestream has captured what many are calling the most dramatic confrontation of the year."

The screen switched to recorded footage.

The first clip showed Caelus walking calmly toward a massive army of guild players, his expression completely fearless with the world itself bending around from Telekinesis.

The uncle’s tea cup froze halfway to his lips.

"Wait, is that..."

The footage continued.

Caelus engaged Reign Bloodfang directly, their exchange creating shockwaves that scattered nearby fighters.

The news anchor continued her report.

"The two players shown are Caelus Kross and Sylvia Reign, the retired singer who disappeared from the entertainment industry weeks ago. They single handedly defeated two level 50 geniuses of the Crimson Fang and Shadow Halberd Guild. This is a testament to a player’s true potential."

"These two have proved to the world that even without a Guild you can achieve what most can’t even without a Guild."

More footage played as she spoke.

"Both guilds have now been publicly exposed as heretical organizations with ties to demonic factions as of today," the anchor announced. "Authorities are expected to pursue surviving members in the coming days."

The television continued broadcasting, but no one in the room was paying attention to the anchor’s words anymore.

Victor stared at the screen with wide eyes, his tea cup forgotten in his hands.

Elena’s mouth hung open slightly, unable to form words.

The uncle had gone completely still, his earlier pride evaporating into stunned silence.

His aunt gripped her husband’s arm tightly, her expression frozen in disbelief.

None of them could reconcile the ordinary Caelus they knew with the overwhelming player displayed on television.

The news continued playing footage of his victory as the family sat in complete silence.