Ch 66: Guide to Running a Shop in Another World

The day before the black ring trade, Zhuang Liang met with Xia Zhiyi.

They arranged to meet at the most private tea room in the city.

Xia Zhiyi wasn’t originally in Yaoguang City, but he specifically cleared two days in his schedule for this trade.

When Zhuang Liang pushed open the door to the private room, he was momentarily stunned—it was indeed Xia Zhiyi himself.

The man sitting on the sofa had a delicate appearance, with a small tear-shaped mole under his left eye. He wore a blue pinstriped shirt, exuding a refined yet melancholic air.

This was Xia Zhiyi, the male lead actor who had recently starred in a blockbuster movie, which grossed a staggering 6 billion yuan at the box office.

As soon as the film exploded in popularity, Xia Zhiyi was thrust into the spotlight. His career was now at its peak, with a packed schedule and fame and wealth rushing toward him at an unimaginable speed.

But one night, after finishing his last engagement of the day, Xia Zhiyi found a white illusion ring in the pocket of his suit and subsequently learned about the park game and its forum.

On one hand, his career was flourishing; on the other, his impending death loomed closer and closer. How could Xia Zhiyi accept this?

Zhuang Liang remained indifferent to the famous actor’s situation, giving a slight nod to show he understood, then gestured toward him, saying, “I can accompany you for the trade. This is my usual rate.”

Xia Zhiyi was somewhat displeased with Zhuang Liang’s attitude, but he knew that Zhuang Liang had quite the reputation in the small circle of the amusement park game, especially after the recent account suspension incident.

He had been present at the trade scene back then and had seen Miss Lu, who was rumored to be a game administrator.

There had been much discussion in the high-level player groups about this mysterious seller afterward.

Some skeptics had boasted that they would find players who had claimed to see her in the game and uncover her real-world identity.

Zhuang Liang had stepped in and said, “If you want to get banned, go ahead and dig,” which immediately silenced anyone with such intentions.

Zhuang Liang had always been one of the “wild” players, rich and arrogant, acting solely based on his whims.

If even he showed hesitation, it was enough to prove that this “Miss Lu” was not someone to mess with.

Xia Zhiyi had his own plans, suppressing his emotions and offering double the price, asking, “I’ll pay you twice the rate if you tell me more about Miss Lu.”

Zhuang Liang had suspected there was more to this meeting when Xia Zhiyi had requested a face-to-face conversation, but he still replied coldly, “I don’t know her well, there’s nothing to say.”

The undertone of his words suggested otherwise, but Xia Zhiyi had no interest in playing games. He got straight to the point, “The forum says she can command NPCs and help players clear the third level of the black ring world. Do you think it’s possible to ask her for assistance?”

To be fair, this actor was quick to catch on.

Had Zhuang Liang thought about this before?

Of course, he had.

But did he dare to ask Lu Yao?

Absolutely not.

Zhuang Liang scratched his face awkwardly, clearly conflicted. “It’s hard to say. Posts on the forum are a mix of truth and lies; you can’t believe everything.”

Xia Zhiyi was disappointed. He hadn’t gotten any valuable information from Zhuang Liang.

But he wasn’t ready to give up. He had made a backup plan.

At the trade tomorrow, he would observe Miss Lu closely.

If the opportunity arose, he’d bring up the idea of her leading players.

Since she was selling rings and continuously raising the price, it showed that she had financial needs.

He wasn’t entirely without a chance.

The next day, Xia Zhiyi prepared five million yuan, and Zhuang Liang arrived at his city residence as scheduled.

At the agreed time, a black door suddenly appeared in Xia Zhiyi’s room.

This was different from the usual process, which required wearing the ring to enter the game. Both men were taken aback.

After a moment of stunned silence, they snapped out of it and, carrying the money, pushed open the door.

…

Lu Yao had finished lunch at the snack shop, and seeing it was about time, she grabbed the ring and headed to the amusement park, followed closely by a string of her staff.

Aside from Qi Chen, who volunteered to watch the shop, the rest of the staff went with Lu Yao.

Bai Jian was eating in the office upstairs, with a curry beef brisket rice dish that Qing had brought him from the snack shop.

Lu Yao went upstairs to tell him about the staff’s desire to accompany her.

After hearing her out, Bai Jian nodded and even suggested that Qing join as well.

Guards, he pointed out, could be more intimidating than the staff, and if anything went wrong during the trade, Qing could handle it on her behalf.

Lu Yao was speechless.

The door the amusement park had specifically opened for the store owner was located at the far end of the first-floor hallway, labeled “999.”

Judging by the number, it was probably the safest room in the amusement park so far.

Lu Yao pushed the door open and walked into a vast, empty black space. There were no random decorations, just an expansive void. Even though there was no light, she could see everything around her clearly.

She scanned the room and turned back, her heart nearly stopping.

The staff that had come in with her were gone, and in their place stood a row of terrifying amusement park NPCs.

Despite having seen the most gruesome game scenes and being exposed to the shocks of the magic world—dragons, demons, necromancers, and vampire ancestors—the first glance at the fully simulated staff and guards still took Lu Yao five minutes to adjust to.

“Bai Ming?” Lu Yao called out, trying to steady her heartbeat.

A massive black nightmare creature floated forward, its form like a ghostly apparition. “I’m here.”

“Xingzi?”

A body resembling a stitched-up doll bounced forward, with seams running across its neck, arms, and face. Its eyes were large and round, pitch-black without any whites, and its voice was shrill: “I love the store owner the most!”

Lu Yao shuddered. “…Xiao Qie?”

A glowing purple eggplant-sized pony squeezed through the larger figures to trot up to her. “Here I am!”

Seeing the familiar eggplant pony, Lu Yao sighed in relief and continued the roll call. “Chi?”

A foggy monster oozing blood and with twisted limbs, carrying a massive pair of scissors on its back, crawled out. “I’m here, store owner.”

Lu Yao: “…Uh-huh.”

Next to it was Qing, now transformed into a blood demon, along with All-Victorious, Mo Cheng, and Yu Cai—all resembling smaller monsters similar to Xiao Qie.

Because the guards’ soul power was much stronger, their simulations appeared larger and more terrifying than the average resident NPC. They also had stricter rules to follow within the game but always found loopholes to lure players into traps, leading to inevitable slaughter.

Xingzi explained that Xiao Qie usually roamed the Gray Ring and White Ring worlds in its eggplant pony form, but in the Black Ring world, its simulation would upgrade into a higher-level form.

Xiao Qie had been eager to demonstrate this transformation for Lu Yao but was stopped by her.

God knew, in its current form, the eggplant pony was already a comforting sight for her.

Xia Zhiyi and Zhuang Liang entered through the black door, arriving at the center of the dark space, where a round table with three chairs awaited them.

The two walked over and sat down, with Xia Zhiyi reminding himself to stay composed, aiming to appear experienced and mature.

After a bit of mental self-coaching, he allowed himself to daydream. Maybe Miss Lu had seen his movies. If she were a fan, things would be much easier.

That film had just exploded in popularity, gaining nationwide acclaim and even some overseas recognition. There was no way Miss Lu hadn’t heard of it.

Maybe, just maybe, she would recognize him right away and nervously ask for an autograph or even offer to help him clear the Black Ring world herself… The more he thought about it, the less anxious he felt.

“They’re here,” Zhuang Liang muttered, his face pale as he nudged Xia Zhiyi. Regret was already gnawing at him for coming here. He had known Lu Yao wasn’t to be trifled with, but his foolish hope had led him to this point, and now he felt like kneeling in fear.

Xia Zhiyi also heard footsteps and looked toward the sound, his face turning ashen in an instant.

Many years later, when Xia Zhiyi and Zhuang Liang recalled this moment, they would still feel an uncontrollable sense of dread.

As Xia Zhiyi described it: “In that single glance, it was as if I had looked into the abyss of hell.”

Lu Yao cast an illusion to create a bone mask, covering her face, and walked at the front of the group.

Behind her, a line of NPC bosses marched in perfect synchronization, following closely.

The NPCs moved silently, and in the vast, black space, the only sound was Lu Yao’s footsteps. Yet the atmosphere was one of an overwhelming army.

Xia Zhiyi’s hands gripped his thighs under the table, trying to stop his legs from shaking, only to realize his hands were trembling too. He glanced at Zhuang Liang, who looked even paler than he was.

Noticing the customers had arrived, Lu Yao quickened her pace, pulled out a chair, and sat down, greeting them, “Good afternoon, both of you. I hope I didn’t keep you waiting.”

The NPCs stood behind Lu Yao, observing the two living people outside the game for the first time with curiosity. It was a novel experience for them.

The two living people were trembling, like small, helpless animals caught in a predator’s trap.

Zhuang Liang was the first to regain his composure, struggling to control his emotions and appear calm. “Good day, Miss Lu,” he responded.

He had seen Lu Yao many times, and even though she wore a mask, he recognized her instantly.

Lu Yao wore the mask simply to match the team’s overall aesthetic, without any intention to hide her identity. “Mr. Zhuang, it’s been a while,” she said, taking out the illusion ring and pushing it toward them. “Please inspect the goods. If everything’s fine, we’re all set.”

Zhuang Liang glanced at the ring and gave Xia Zhiyi a nod, not daring to question anything.

Immediately, Xia Zhiyi pulled out four briefcases from under the table and pushed them toward Lu Yao.

Qing, Chi, Bai Ming, and Xingzi stepped forward and opened the cases to verify the money.

Zhuang Liang and Xia Zhiyi tried to keep their cool, but they were visibly shaking. They were sitting mere inches away from some of the most terrifying NPCs in the Black Ring world. It was overwhelming.

Zhuang Liang had heard Qi Jue talk about how Lu Yao could control NPCs and had been both shocked and envious. But until today, he couldn’t quite imagine what that looked like. Now, he understood completely.

Sensing their fear, Lu Yao kindly reassured them, “They mean no harm. They’re just a bit curious.”

Zhuang Liang & Xia Zhiyi: … We’re just ordinary people. Really, there’s nothing interesting about us! Please, don’t be curious!!!

Once the money was confirmed, the NPCs closed the briefcases and promptly took them away.

Lu Yao stood up, ready to leave. “The transaction is complete. I wish you both a pleasant day!”

Zhuang Liang & Xia Zhiyi: …

As the black door disappeared, Xia Zhiyi’s legs gave out, and he collapsed onto the floor. “Who is she? How do you even know someone like her?”

Zhuang Liang, drenched in sweat in his suit, leaned against the wall and let out a long breath. “Who is she? I’d like to know that myself. Do you get it now? Don’t mess with her.”

Xia Zhiyi nodded dumbly, unable to utter a word.

Any schemes he had in mind were now buried deep in his memory, never to be recalled.

…

Back in the amusement park, the NPCs, noticing the living people had left, became lively again.

Yu Cai imitated Lu Yao’s tone, laughing, “‘Please inspect the goods!’ It reminded me of those domineering CEO novels I used to read before I died. Haha!”

Xingzi also laughed. “When the boss said we meant no harm, I think those two became even more frightened!”

Bai Ming pondered for a moment before speaking. “One of the buyers seemed to be eyeing the boss with a strange look, like he had some kind of plan.”

Qing added, “After today, I doubt he’ll have any more plans.”

Chi and the others lagged behind, agreeing that this little outing had been a fun change of pace.

It felt like a brief vacation from their usual routine—just one that ended too quickly, “Whoosh—” and it was over.

Xiao Qie noticed Lu Yao hadn’t said much and nudged her with an elbow. “Why aren’t you saying anything, boss?”

Everyone immediately stopped and turned to look at Lu Yao, concerned that something might be wrong.

Lu Yao stroked her chin, thinking for a while before saying, “I was wondering… do I need to pay taxes on the money from selling those rings?”

System: [Since you’re selling illusion rings, probably not?]

Lu Yao shook her head and opened the store manager’s status panel. Her assets had changed from “1.35 million” to “6.35 million,” and a strange feeling settled in her heart.

The NPCs, having been disconnected from modern society for so long, had no clue about such matters, while the system thought it was unnecessary to worry.

Lu Yao didn’t hesitate for long and decided to report it all, including the previous one million. She typed into the system, “I remember we had to pay taxes when I inherited the shopping district, and you handled it. Can you take care of this too?”

System: […Yes.]

The system had assumed she wouldn’t notice such a small detail, but she had noticed everything.

As Lu Yao exited the amusement park, the system had already deducted the taxes, and her asset total updated to “5.15 million.”

“From now on, report all income, post-tax deductions,” Lu Yao instructed.

System: [Understood.]

With ample funds, Lu Yao decided to push forward with the night menu for the snack shop.

She mentioned the plan to the staff, and the response was overwhelmingly enthusiastic. Everyone was especially excited.

They agreed to open only the first floor, primarily selling barbecue, with business hours from 7 PM to 2 AM.

Initially, Lu Yao thought she’d need to hire two new people, but the staff insisted they could rotate shifts at night. They didn’t need sleep, and working late would make them feel more “real.”

Persuaded, Lu Yao started drafting new dishes, setting prices, and reconnecting with suppliers. While at it, she also completed the soul bond with Xiao Qie.

…

Back at the nail salon, Tina and Eugenia were attending to customers, while Clarissa and Mumu greeted guests and occasionally observed at the workbench to learn.

The two dragons, as usual, were hiding in the corner, slacking off.

Hearing that Lu Yao had finally returned, Edward immediately called her into the research room.

Ambrose and the twin fairies were also inside. On the lab bench were plastic nail tips, with various magical formations floating in the air, as if they had hit a dead end.

Lu Yao picked up a nail tip and inspected it. “Is this for Mumu’s nails?”

Edward nodded, his brows furrowed. “We’ve been trying to implement the idea you suggested. Unfortunately, it seems impossible.”

Ambrose, arms over his head, looked deeply frustrated. “We’ve tested every magic combination we could think of, and they all failed.”

Merulu and Puxia were leaning against a glass dessert bowl, with bits of grapefruit and yogurt still on the corners of their mouths.

Before heading to the snack shop, Lu Yao had made them a large fruit salad with yogurt and fruits that were about to expire from the fridge. The two tiny fairies had been eating it for a while and had only just finished.

For their small size, the fairies were quite gluttonous, now slouched with full bellies, unwilling to move.

Lu Yao reached out, intending to wipe their mouths, but Puxiu eagerly grabbed her finger first, snuggling against it with joy.

Merulu turned her face away haughtily but couldn’t help but watch. She had expected Lu Yao to wipe Puxiu first and then come over to her, but to her surprise, Lu Yao pulled her hand back and began reviewing the magic test results instead.

After a while, having reviewed all the attempts, Lu Yao rolled up her sleeves. “I think I understand. Let me give it a try.”

Edward took a step forward, incredulous. “We’ve tried every method. Do you have another idea?”

Lu Yao vaguely replied, “Something like that.”

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