Chapter 40: This Place is a Hazard
Jin-Man hadn’t come to play games, despite the social media posts raving about the shop’s hyper-realistic VR technology.
In his mind, true, fully immersive virtual reality didn’t exist. His plan was simple: play along, lie low, and gather information through casual conversation. However, ordering more food and beverages was no longer viable due to the shop’s bizarre daily limits, leaving him with no way to create a natural excuse to linger and chat.
"Fine. Give us the tactical shooting package and one hour of machine time," Jin-Man said, pulling his card from his wallet.
Nine of the fifteen VR capsules were currently occupied by Ji-Hong’s bodyguards—including A-Ji and Ji-Ga, who were busy playing The Path of the Heavenly Martial Arts—meaning six pods remained available. With six regulars still lingering at the counter, enjoying their morning coffee and relaxing, Donape stepped out to escort the two officers to the VR capsules.
He didn’t bother explaining complex game mechanics—he simply instructed them to follow the system’s built-in tutorial upon entry.
Moments later, the sleek glass lids of two empty capsules sealed shut, and a gentle neural pulse swept over them.
When Jin-Man opened his eyes inside the virtual space, every single one of his five senses screamed that he was standing in reality.
"This... How the hell does this feel so real?!" Jin-Man muttered under his breath, his hands trembling slightly.
A sudden spike of panic seized his chest.
The absolute, hyper-realistic weight of the environment made him feel trapped, and for a brief second, he frantically wanted to escape the pod. It was only his years of experience as a hardened homicide detective that allowed him to suppress the surge of fear, forcing himself to stay rational and view the situation as an investigation.
Meanwhile, Ji-Woo... looked like a complete country bumpkin.
Struggling to process the line between illusion and reality, the rookie cop stood there with his eyes wide and mouth agape, completely losing his composure.
"Whoa! This is insane! Why does it feel so real?! Wait, is this real or a simulation? Ugh, what’s happening? Why did the lights dim? Eh? Why is that guy standing over there dressed like a Special Forces operative?! What unit is he from?!"
A barrage of clueless, excited questions poured out of Ji-Woo’s mouth like rapid rifle fire. He knew about commercial VR headsets, but he never imagined technology existed that could blur the line between real life and fiction this seamlessly.
From this moment on, the two detectives from the violent crimes unit were about to experience Counter-Injustice in a way no normal gamer ever could.
On the other side of the glass, Donape returned to his quiet counter, completely oblivious to the officers’ internal chaos. His mind was occupied with a far more pressing problem.
How was he supposed to secure an invitation to the Baek Family Patriarch’s birthday banquet without raising suspicion?
The main issue was simple—he was a complete outsider. How could a humble VR cafe shopkeeper justify knowing about an exclusive, top-tier noble event in the first place?
Talking his way in?
That route was only possible through Ji-Hong. But with Butler Lee constantly at the young master’s side, any nonsensical excuses Donape made would be torn apart instantly. After all, Donape wasn’t some silver-tongued schemer who could talk circles around a sharp, seasoned veteran like Butler Lee.
’Ah, damn it. My mind feels completely fried, even after drinking that coffee. I can’t think of anything right now,’ he thought, shaking his head.
Still, the banquet was still a ways off, giving him plenty of time to brainstorm a proper ruse. In the meantime, he could focus on converting his virtual martial arts skills into real-world muscle memory—even if he had already cleared The Path of the Heavenly Martial Arts. After all, within the Heavenly Cloud Sect, there were still plenty of elite first- and second-grade disciples he had yet to surpass.
Plus, he could steadily accumulate his Qi Perception day by day simply by drinking Origins Fountain Water.
Meanwhile, far from the tranquil atmosphere of Origins VR Cafe, Baek Si-Yeon returned to the main estate of the Baek Family with a thoroughly sour, irritated expression.
Even the maids and guards stationed around the mansion were taken aback. It was the very first time they had seen their youngest miss look so visibly disgruntled—a face entirely unbefitting a proud martial artist.
Hoping to retreat to her room and vent her frustration over failing to sneak into Origins VR Cafe, Si-Yeon stepped through the grand foyer, only to freeze dead in her tracks.
Baek Si-Jin was slowly descending the main staircase from the second floor.
Under Si-Jin’s calm yet piercing gaze, a surge of panic and nervousness welled up in Si-Yeon’s chest. No matter how thoroughly she believed she had covered her tracks regarding her secret outing, her complete inexperience in deceit left her utterly exposed.
At the end of the day, despite her martial talent and ability to beat up street thugs, she was still just an naive, inexperienced kid.
"Where have you been, Si-Yeon~ah?" Si-Jin asked casually.
Yet to Si-Yeon’s guilty ears, those simple words sounded impossibly heavy, laced with quiet suspicion.
"Ah... nowhere! Just taking a stroll nearby," Si-Yeon lied, quickly averting her gaze.
She tried her absolute best to act natural, but her stiff, robotic movements didn’t escape Si-Jin’s sharp, observant eyes for a single second.
"Sit down then. I’ll outline the plan to snatch that small alley shop near the campus—the strategy your uncles, your seniors, and I mapped out after the meeting," Si-Jin said, gesturing for Si-Yeon to take a seat in the living room.
As he walked over, Si-Jin smoothly pulled out his smartphone with his other hand, quietly firing off a quick text instructing his personal bodyguards to pull surveillance footage and verify his granddaughter’s exact whereabouts over the past hour.
As Si-Jin outlined the takeover strategy, Si-Yeon struggled to focus, her anxious mind missing half the details.
Her fidgeting didn’t escape Si-Jin’s sharp eyes for a single second.
"Si-Yeon~ah," Si-Jin said casually, leaning back against the leather sofa. "You seem distracted. Mind telling your Grandpa what’s on your mind?"
Unable to bear the suffocating guilt and anxiety any longer, Si-Yeon lowered her head. "Grandpa... I made a mistake. You strictly forbade anyone from going near that shop, but... I went there this morning anyway. I even ran into that wastrel, Ji-Hong."
She squeezed her eyes shut, resigning herself to severe punishment.
Si-Jin’s phone buzzed in his pocket—his bodyguards confirming the occasion—but he let out a low chuckle.
"I was planning to put you under house arrest for a week," Si-Jin said, a subtle sneer on his lips. "But since you had the sense to confess, four days will suffice. Remember this lesson: do not disobey my word again. Understood?"
"Y-Yes, Grandpa..." Si-Yeon murmured, rising wearily to leave for her quarters.
Yet, before taking a step, she hesitated and turned back. "Grandpa... will this plan really work? I know I wasn’t paying full attention, but... is it really that simple?"
Si-Jin frowned, his fingers slowly rubbing his chin.
Her question was simple, but the answer was frustratingly complex.
Before today, Si-Jin had been absolute in his confidence.
Between the lightning-resistant tactical suits imported from the Sovereign State of Tang and the high-grade combat exoskeletons sourced from the Starfall Federation, he believed his branch faction possessed more than enough force to pressure a small alley shop.
Furthermore, his three sons and two older grandsons had unanimously agreed: Origins VR Cafe was an asset they had to seize at all costs.
The hyper-realistic virtual capsules weren’t just a gimmick—they were the ultimate training ground for elite martial artists and soldiers. Real-combat experience was invaluable, and Donape’s shop offered it in infinite supply.
If their branch family could control the cafe, they could secretly cultivate an army of top-tier fighters, finally breaking their reliance on the main family’s resources.
Yet, as Si-Yeon’s hesitant words echoed in the quiet room, a cold knot formed in Si-Jin’s stomach.
He also one of the living witnesses to the shop’s unnatural, terrifying power. No matter how meticulously he, his sons, and his grandsons had planned this operation over the past twenty-four hours...
Could technology and martial force truly bend a place like that to their will?
Shaking his head, Si-Jin dismissed the fleeting doubt. The plan wasn’t finalized yet anyway.
"Just go to your room and focus on your training," he said, massaging his temples. "This matter will be handled by us adults."
As the sun began to set, the late afternoon light painted the city in shades of amber.
In an opulent estate easily as grand as the Baek Family mansion, Jin Do-Jun sat comfortably in his study, listening to a briefing from his personal aide—freshly relayed from Captain Jeong Jin-Man following his visit to Origins VR Cafe.
"According to the background check provided by Captain Jeong, the shopkeeper’s name is Alexander Donape. He’s an orphan," the aide reported, reading off a tablet. "He was unemployed until roughly two to three weeks ago, when he suddenly opened a high-end internet cafe."
"Oh? That was quick," Do-Jun chuckled, taking a slow sip of wine. "This is trivial then. The kid is a complete nobody. Have you sent our men to drag him here yet?"
The aide hesitated, looking visibly uncomfortable as he glanced down at the remaining notes.
"Out with it," Do-Jun nudged.
"Well... in the second half of Captain Jeong’s report, he explicitly warned that the establishment is extremely anomalous," the aide stammered. "He suspects a powerful, unseen backer operates behind the scenes. Furthermore, Baek Ji-Hong—the wastrel of the Baek Family—is a daily regular at the shop. Captain Jeong strongly advised against making any reckless moves."
Do-Jun’s smooth, arrogant smile froze. In an instant, his face twisted into a sour, furious scowl.