Feiyun Country was a small nation in the south of the Nine Heavens Continent, with only one city and one territory.
Though small, the country was very prosperous, with all sorts of towering, majestic buildings everywhere in the city; whether it was the Commercial Street or the residential areas, exquisite houses and pavilions stood in neat rows.
However, beneath the surface prosperity, most of Feiyun Country's citizens were rather short, with sallow, emaciated faces devoid of life, and when they walked, their steps were weak and feeble, as if they hadn't eaten their fill in a long time.
This was due to a famine.
The scenery was magnificent, but the people were like walking corpses.
...
"Out of a hunting team of hundreds, only twenty or thirty returned alive, and the meat yield from the wild beasts hunted was less than a hundred catties. Alas…"
A worried man walked along the Commercial Street. He was only one meter sixty centimeters tall, bone-thin, and his listless steps made him look as if he was about to fall apart.
The man was Zhao Tie, a member of the Feiyun Country's hunting team's tenth squad.
Yesterday, the tragic state of the ninth squad's return was still vivid in his mind, and with the tenth squad about to set off, facing certain death, his thoughts grew increasingly chaotic.
He couldn't help but quicken his pace, walking straight along the main street of the commercial district to its end, then turning into a quiet alley, arriving at a tavern he frequently patronized.
He pushed the door open, ready to order a strong drink, but then he froze.
"This… what is this place?"
At a glance, there were exquisite white porcelain tile floors, walls repainted with a gray-black base tone, eye-catching large glazed lamps hanging from the ceiling, and brand new bar counters and luxurious tables and chairs.
Everything was completely different from the old tavern he was familiar with.
Especially on the tables in the center of the hall, there were strange metal instruments placed on them, which made him feel that this tavern was somewhat out of place!
With an "iron lump" on every table, how was anyone supposed to drink?
Zhao Tie usually didn't like sitting at the bar when he drank; he preferred to find a spacious spot.
"Hello, esteemed guest!"
As if noticing Zhao Tie's arrival, a young man who had been leisurely sitting at the bar stood up and came before him.
The young man wasn't handsome, but he had a rather delicate appearance. However, his refreshing short hair and somewhat exotic attire made him look nothing like a local.
"Who are you?"
Zhao Tie scrutinized the unfamiliar young man before him, asking curiously, "Are you a new waiter at this tavern?"
"No!"
The young man shook his head and replied, "I am the owner of this establishment!"
"Owner?"
Zhao Tie was even more puzzled: "How is that possible? I know the owner of this tavern!"
The young man explained, "I took over this establishment two days ago!"
Zhao Tie was taken aback. The tavern had changed hands?
But then he heard the young man remind him again.
"And this is no longer a tavern!"
Zhao Tie subconsciously asked, "Then what is it?"
The young man smiled slightly: "An Internet Cafe!"
"An Internet Cafe? What is an Internet Cafe?"
Zhao Tie was full of questions. He searched his mind for the term for a long time but had no idea what an Internet Cafe was.
"You can understand it as a form of entertainment venue, where you can play games using a machine called a computer!"
"Play games?"
Zhao Tie still didn't understand this explanation, but upon hearing it was just for entertainment and leisure games, he lost interest.
He was going out of the city tomorrow to hunt wild beasts, facing certain death, and his heart was pounding with fear. He had come here hoping to drink some alcohol to drown his sorrows; he was in no mood to play games!
Zhao Tie turned to leave.
"Guest, please wait!"
Seeing this, the young man hesitated for half a second, then his eyes darted, seemingly making up his mind, and he suddenly spoke.
"As the first customer of this Internet Cafe, if you can complete a game achievement, you will receive a special reward from this Internet Cafe: one jin of pork!"
"What!"
"There's meat to eat?"
As soon as these words were spoken, Zhao Tie, who hadn't yet walked out the door, trembled all over, abruptly turned his head, and asked incredulously, "Is that true?"
Seeing Zhao Tie's excited face and rapid breathing at that moment, the young man let out a small sigh of relief.
The Internet Cafe's first customer, it seems there's a chance!
...
The young man's name was Su Ran, and he was from Earth.
As one of the countless transmigrators.
He lived up to expectations, descending upon this Nine Heavens Continent with his cheat ability.
However, other people's cheat abilities were enveloped in the protagonist's aura, so powerful they defied the heavens, allowing them to lie on a path of cheating, never to return.
But his cheat ability was a bit peculiar.
The Internet Cafe System!
As far as he knew, this Nine Heavens Continent was a genuine fantasy world, with hundreds of countries, thousands of sects standing tall, martial artists everywhere, and cultivators as common as dogs!
In such a vast and exciting differentworld, he could only cower in a corner and open an Internet Cafe?
It was quite depressing to think about.
But then again, he was just a weakling now. In such a dangerous world, he might die on the streets just by stepping outside.
Fortunately, the system had promised that as long as he ran the establishment well, he too would have a day when he became a peerless expert.
Su Ran had no choice but to accept this starting point.