Chapter 95: Environmental Remediation Fee

Monday morning arrived with crisp sunlight streaming through the glass windows of Origins VR Cafe.

The familiar aroma of freshly ground Obsidian Roast Coffee filled the warm air as Donape sat behind the counter, maintaining a tranquil expression despite the turmoil in his mind.

For the past few days, the shop had been running at maximum capacity.

Most visitors were ordinary people caught up in the FOMO wave, yet they quickly became hooked on VR realism unique to Blue Star. Most were gamers seeking entertainment, but the regulars genuinely aimed to manifest mystical powers in the real world.

However, a major headache had been brewing since last Friday.

Donape had received an unexpected visit from municipal inspectors after a social media post about Origins VR Cafe went viral.

During the inspection, he couldn’t explain the spatial expansion using normal logic, so he simply told the truth.

The truth was so absurd that the inspectors struggled to believe it. Yet those hyenas smelled opportunity and logged the impossible details anyway—knowing that the more bizarre the violation, the more leverage they would have to extract money from the shop.

While absent-mindedly thinking about what he should do, the early-bird regulars began trickling in.

It was Young Master Baek Ji-Hong and his entourage of ten people, alongside Mareum and his group of bodyguards, also totaling ten.

Ji-Hong looked immaculate in his casual designer outfit, though his eyes carried the faint tiredness of a man who had spent his entire weekend theory-crafting martial arts paths inside the VR capsules.

"Morning, Boss Don," Ji-Hong greeted, walking up to the bar counter and sliding onto a stool. "Obsidian Roast Coffee for all of us, please. The weekend went by way too fast... Now it’s Monday."

Donape, clad in his usual neat hoodie and pants, set down a cup of warm Obsidian Roast Coffee with practiced ease. "You’re quite diligent, taking advantage of your freedom to come here so early."

Ji-Hong took a slow sip, sighing in satisfaction as the rich drink worked its magic.

"So, how about it? Should I accompany you to the government offices? I heard the inspectors came last Friday and stared at the shop with greedy eyes. Sadly, I was inside a VR Capsule at the time. Otherwise, I could have used my family’s influence to get your permit issued immediately."

"Thanks for the offer, but there’s no need," Donape replied, crossing his arms. "I’ll just go through the normal process like any ordinary citizen. I’m sure no complicated procedures will crop up. Though it is a bit suspicious that they claimed the permit would be issued in just three days."

Ji-Hong simply smiled, not pushing the matter, but threw a subtle glance toward Mareum.

Not long after, Ga-Eun arrived alongside Irene and Mira. With the first day of their two-week post-midterm break starting today, their weekday mornings were completely free.

While Irene and Mira settled at a table near the large window, Ga-Eun slipped behind the counter.

Having already discussed the plan with her beforehand, Donape spoke up. "It’s good timing that you’re on break. I’ll head out now to handle the permits for Origins VR Cafe."

"Got it, Boss Alexander. Be careful on the way!" Ga-Eun waved as Donape stepped out into the morning breeze, leaving the shop in her capable hands.

After taking a bus, Donape stood in front of the District Office.

Taking steps up the stairs, he entered the building leisurely.

The office smelled of cheap floor wax and stale coffee.

Donape stood in front of Counter 4—the Commercial Facilities & Zoning Licensing Division—holding up his smartphone to display his digital application documents.

Behind the counter sat Inspector Kang, a middle-aged bureaucrat with thinning hair, slouching in a leather chair while sipping tea.

He picked up Donape’s smartphone, scrolling through the pages with deliberate, agonizing slowness.

"Origins VR Cafe... situated in Sector 13, Alley... none?" Kang muttered, his voice carrying clearly across the quiet office.

He tapped his keyboard to pull up the information stored in the system. A greasy smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

"Mr. Alexander, the overall administrative fee comes to 7,000 Blue Star Credits."

"Huh? That high? I checked online, and converting a residential property into a commercial space is usually cheap—sometimes even free—and the highest fee is only a few hundred BC. Is that for some special permit? I don’t need one. Besides, I’m just here to pay the standard registration fee and collect the operating permit, as instructed during Friday’s inspection," Donape replied calmly.

"Instruc—?" Kang let out a short, nasal chuckle. "You thought it was that simple?"

Kang shoved the smartphone back harshly across the counter, leaning forward.

"First: Zoning. Your alley isn’t classified yet. You need to pay the classification fee first, and then pay again for Class-1 Low-Density Residential Fringe Zone status. Commercial entertainment venues are strictly prohibited without a high-level municipal exemption." He held up one finger.

Raising a second finger, he continued, "Second: Pricing. The F&B in your shop is overpriced beyond reason. What is this? ’Drink for Immortals to enjoy’? ’Delicacies for Cultivators’? ’Rarity for Mages’? That constitutes predatory pricing and market manipulation. Simply put, it’s a scam."

"And third..." Kang’s eyes gleamed with corrupt amusement. "...the spatial report."

He pulled out a blue blueprint sheet logged by Friday’s inspection team.

"Your outer building measures roughly 35 square meters. Yet inside, your floor space exceeds 300 square meters. When our inspectors asked for structural blueprints, you told them it was ’magical spatial expansion.’ Do you take the municipal government for a joke, Mr. Alexander?"

Donape shrugged, his expression unreadable. "I stated the physical reality of the building."

"Physical reality?" Kang leaned back, grinning openly now. "Look here, Mr. Alexander—no, kid, look here. With this many violations, you can’t establish a commercial shop in a residential house. If you insist on pushing this through, the fine alone for these infractions starts at 100,000 Blue Star Credits. Furthermore, we will issue an immediate permanent closure order and impound your equipment."

Kang lowered his voice, tapping his fingers against the wooden counter.

"Unless, of course... you understand how the world works. A special ’Environmental Impact & Zoning Remediation Contribution’ paid directly to our department could make these impossible anomalies... disappear from the record. So, is 7,000 BC still too high?"

Donape didn’t flinch. "So the three-day delay wasn’t for processing paperwork. It was to calculate how much you could extract."

In truth, Donape could easily afford it—he had nearly 40,000 BC in savings. But he utterly despised being extorted.

He was so frugal that he had bought a 400 BC suit instead of a 5,000 BC one, and more importantly, this situation brought back sour memories of his college days—when he was a weak, timid boy pushed around and extorted by his classmates.

Meanwhile, Kang’s greasy smile instantly vanished. His face darkened into cold arrogance.

"Watch your mouth!" Kang slammed his palm on the desk, drawing the eyes of several civil servants and citizens in the lobby. "Extortion? I am enforcing municipal code! Since you lack basic respect for public servants, forget 7,000 BC. The shop is shut down as of today! Security—"

"Is there a problem here, Inspector Kang?"

A sharp, authoritative voice cut through the room. Walking out from the inner executive offices was Chief Director Park—the head of the Municipal Zoning and Commercial Licensing Bureau.

Kang immediately straightened his spine, putting on a dutiful, righteous facade. "Chief Director! This brat from that rundown ex-warehouse is refusing to comply with zoning regulations and is making defamatory statements against our department after we cited his illegal operations!"

Chief Director Park frowned, looking at Donape with disdain. "An unregistered shop in a residential slum alley? Issue the shutdown notice immediately. We don’t have time for uncooperative small business owners."

"Understood, Director!" Kang sneered, flashing Donape a triumphant glance.

Before Kang could move, a man in a tailored charcoal suit stepped inside from the main entrance. "I wouldn’t recommend printing that order if you value your career, Chief Director Park."

He pulled out an official gold-embossed card and presented it directly to Chief Director Park as he stood beside Donape.

Park glanced at the card carelessly at first—then his eyes widened in instant horror.

|Baek Group — Chief Legal Counsel & Executive Director of Civil Affairs|

"B-Baek Group... Counselor Choi?!" Director Park’s voice cracked. The arrogant aura around him evaporated in a second. "What... what brings the Baek Family’s chief legal counsel to our humble district office?"

Counselor Choi didn’t even look at Park. Instead, he turned and bowed deeply and respectfully toward Donape.

"Sir. Great Guardian Mareum sent me to ensure your administrative matters are handled without unnecessary friction. I apologize for arriving a minute late."

"Ah, alright. It’s not an issue," Donape replied, inwardly surprised by the intervention, knowing Ji-Hong was the one doing him a favor instead.

The entire office went dead silent. Inspector Kang stood frozen behind Counter 4, his mouth hanging half-open.

Great Guardian? The right-hand man of Patriarch Baek himself?!

In that single moment, everyone on the floor realized they were completely ruined.

Counselor Choi opened his briefcase, pulling out a thick, official document sealed with the red emblem of the Provincial Governor’s Office & City Planning Board.

Director Park snatched the file and instantly used the heavy folder to smack Kang right across the head. "T-Take care of this immediately! Don’t keep our VVIP guest waiting!"

"D-Director Park, I... I was just following procedure—" Kang whimpered.

"Shut up! You absolute fool!" Director Park shouted, his face turning beet red. He turned to Donape, bowing so low his forehead almost touched the counter.

Before Park could offer any flattery, Counselor Choi stepped forward, blocking Director Park with an icy glare. "Skip the pleasantries. Just process the permit."