Lately, Zhou Hu and his group had become far more restrained in their spending.
They still indulged in the virtual world, but when it came to luxuries like instant noodles?
They had learned to resist.
At least, that's what they told Zhang Yu—to save face.
In truth, it was simple: they couldn't afford it.
As they walked through the store, one of the mercenaries suddenly stopped.
"Huh? Commander, there's something new on the shelf!" he called out in surprise.
Zhou Hu, who had been lost in thought, snapped back to attention.
"…Something new?"
His eyes immediately brightened.
Could it be a new product?!
The mere possibility was enough to excite him.
"Brothers, let's go check it out!"
The entire group rushed forward.
A simple glass bottle sat neatly on the shelf.
The label read: Mineral Water.
"…What kind of name is that?" one of the mercenaries muttered.
"Everything in the Boss's shop has a strange name," another replied. "You should be used to it by now."
"…Fair enough."
Their curiosity deepened as they read the description.
'Improves innate talent and aptitude.'
"…Wait. This thing can actually improve talent?"
"Doesn't that mean—?"
"Yes. It literally increases your potential."
The realization sent a wave of excitement through the group.
…But Zhou Hu had already skipped ahead to the most important part.
The price.
10,000 spirit crystals.
Silence.
A long, painful silence.
Then, Zhou Hu turned away without a second glance.
"…Let's not dwell on it."
The others quickly followed suit, pretending they had never seen it.
They had actually dared to think about buying a bottle.
What a joke.
---
In the end, they settled for something within their budget:
Instant noodles.
Lining up in a neat row, they ate while watching other customers play games.
It was a strangely familiar scene—
The way they sat side by side, quietly slurping their noodles while observing the virtual battles unfolding before them.
If Luo Chuan had been there to witness it, he might have felt a sense of nostalgia—
A memory of childhood, shared among friends.
For Zhang Yu, this was his first experience with instant noodles.
And he was stunned.
The moment he took a bite, an inexplicable energy surged within him, ten times more active than usual.
His body reacted instinctively, absorbing the essence within the broth.
He was no fool.
At that moment, he understood everything.
This was why Zhou Hu's mercenary team had been progressing so quickly.
They weren't just training harder.
They had access to something completely beyond reason.
A place that defied logic, granting strength as if it were a mere convenience.
A store that functioned like a real-world cheat code.
After finishing his meal, it was time for the main event:
The game.
At first, Zhang Yu was outraged when he realized he needed to pay a white spirit crystal just to create an account.
But then—
He saw the rules displayed on the wall.
He saw the dimensional rift flickering at Yao Ziyan's fingertips.
He saw the way every customer treated this place as something sacred.
So, without another word—
He silently handed over the payment.
Zhou Hu, watching from the side, smirked.
You're scared, aren't you?
---
Not long after, a group of students from Soaring Cloud Academy arrived.
Leading them was Murong Haitang.
They were regulars at Origin Mall, so they knew the routine well.
But today—
They, too, discovered the new product.
At that moment, there were only three bottles of mineral water left.
However, the group consisted of nearly ten people.
Clearly, there weren't enough to go around.
Although the product description mentioned that the shop restocked ten bottles per day,
For these students, one day of improved talent was still one day gained.
No one wanted to wait.
"…So how do we decide who gets them?" Gu Yunxi asked, frowning.
A moment of silence passed.
Then Jiang Wanshang shrugged.
"The usual method?"
At once, everyone nodded in agreement.
And so, in the middle of Origin Mall,
A group of elite students from one of the most prestigious academies in the Nine Stars Empire—
Began an intense match of rock-paper-scissors.
---
Meanwhile, Murong Haitang had no interest in competing with her students.
Instead, she chatted with Yao Ziyan, casually observing the commotion.
Her gaze swept across the store, taking in the sight of customers enjoying their meals, the hum of virtual battles, and the laughter of students playing a child's game.
She sighed, shaking her head in wonder.
"The things in this shop… are truly incredible."