Shun Li’s body was shivering, and his face was lit with nervousness. Pacing back and forth within the confines of his room, he tried to shake off the giddy feeling however no matter what he did it persisted.
Opening his door, he walked down a wooden flight of stairs before entering a room about a hundred square meters in size. The room didn’t have much in it, merely a few couches and empty frames dotted along the walls. All in all it was fairly barren yet it didn’t take away from Shun Li’s excitement.
“The day has finally come”, he barely whispered to himself.
Shun Li was not an original habitant of the world, but instead took over the original body after he died. His name used to be Alex Jones and was merely a kid in High School before he died while he was on a school trip. He was listening to music while sitting on a school bus with some of his friends, when he looked out the window and saw a truck hurtling towards him, and that’s the last he remembers of his old life. His past however was not the focus of his attention but something else entirely.
[Sign in System]
[Credits: 6]
[Draw]
Looking at the interface available to him Shun Li couldn’t help but shake his head in wonder. The first time he selected [Draw] he received the deed to the store he is currently in. The second time he pressed it he was given enough rations to last a week, both in food and water.
Since then he had neglected pressing [Draw] in hopes of getting something better with more credits. Shun Li did not spend his days in sloth though. From what he quickly discovered this shop sold “pocket realms” or an experience much like virtual reality. The customer would be transported into the pocket realm and play through the scenario chosen.
Throughout the past several days Shun Li had worked tirelessly using a leftover artifact to design and create a beginning world for customers so that he could open for business. Though he was thankful for the system he didn’t want to be dependent on it any more than he needed to, so he needed a source of income.
Sitting down behind a counter near the front of the shop, Shun Li decided it was time to draw from the system again. Though it would be bad to be reliant on the system, part of being successful is to take advantage of opportunities.
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[Sign in System]
[Credits: 0]
[Draw]
After clicking draw Shun Li’s credits emptied out before his screen flickered to show his prize. A token that said [Upgrade Instance] appeared on the system window. Quickly understanding what the token was used for, he ran into his a doorway off to the side of the room. Pacing down a flight of stairs that led below the ground. Shun Li entered the workshop and stopped before his artifact, which was a stone that extended up to just above his waist.
The first time he touched the artifact, Shun Li nearly passed out, as he was transferred from the bare wooden room to a black void. Scared out of his mind, he managed to leave the void and stumble away from the stone. Eventually curiosity won over his fright though, and he touched the stone once again.
Standing alone in the void, Shun Li was heavily confused before his imagination took control, and he tried to work with the void. Land was created and mountains were constructed before being toppled once again. For hours he played around acting as a god before becoming tired and leaving the underground area. Later that day he found a manual hidden under his bed about how to use the room and what it was for.
Shaking his head from reminisce, Shun Li pressed the token to the stone. It swiftly melded onto the stone before disappearing entirely.
Before he could check the changes made to the pocket realm, he heard the jingle of the bell above the door to the entrance of the store. With a reluctant sigh and a shake of his head, Shun Li made his way back upstairs and into the main shop.
“Welcome to [Peering Through the Veil] customer. I’m glad to have you.” With the most business-like voice he could muster, Shun Li welcomed his first customer. In the doorway stood a young man, no older than twenty with billowing white robes and a sword strapped to his waist.
‘A cultivator’ Li thought to himself in excitement. Throughout his week-long stay, Shun Li found out about the existence of cultivators, and the fact that he was in a city that had a lot of them, by searching through his predecessor’s memories.
“What is it that you sell here shopkeep?” The young man spoke with confusion etched in every word he spoke.
Elated with himself for choosing such a name, Li began explaining. “We give the opportunity to experience a customized pocket realm. It is quite the experience and if you had time I would recommend attempting it at least once.”
Hearing the explanation, the young man grew contemplative before asking, “How much for an ‘attempt’ at this pocket realm?”
“It will be two gold coins an hour.” Shun Li quickly responded with a smile. The amount quoted was certainly a hefty price, as an average family could live on that amount for half a year, but he knew cultivators were rich and the young man could certainly afford it.
“Very well.” With a flick of his wrist six gold coins appeared in his hand before he dropped it on the counter.
“Just enter one of the doors on the wall, and you’ll be all set to go.” With clear instructions the young man walked into the first door and with the closing he entered the brand new pocket realm.