Ch 80: Guide to Running a Shop in Another World

The snack shop on the third floor usually serves set meals, opening for customers around 11:30 a.m. and closing at 4 p.m. With time to spare before any customers arrive, Lu Yao stayed on the third floor to handcraft packaging for the instant noodle blind boxes, especially preparing the special hidden items.

The last batch had 200 instant noodles, with only 10 containing hidden items. This time, she slightly increased the odds—out of 250 blind boxes, 25 would have hidden extras. First, she prepared the special ingredients for these, then started crafting the packaging boxes. If she had a machine, she could mass-produce the blind box packaging. However, due to the preservation, freshness, and eco-friendly requirements of her magical packaging, it had to be handmade.

Just as she was thinking about the workload, Xingzi came up from the first floor with two people. “Boss, these two are here to apply for the job.”

Perfect timing! Without looking up from her work table, which was covered with noodles, ingredients, and half-finished packaging, Lu Yao invited them in, “Apologies, I’m a bit busy. Feel free to take a seat.”

A young man and woman sat across from her. The woman introduced herself first: “My name is Ning Yun. You might not remember me, but I once had soul-loss syndrome, which cleared up after a meal here. I saw the job ad on the train this morning and came over right away.”

The recruitment ad had originally been posted outside the snack shop, and that morning, conductor Gao Yang had asked for a couple of flyers after having breakfast in the shop. Lu Yao planned to send a small holiday gift to both the conductor and the head guard for their continued support.

She looked up at Ning Yun, a faint smile appearing. “I remember you. You were with your boyfriend and asked for a flower when you left.”

Ning Yun was surprised. “I can’t believe you remembered.”

Lu Yao nodded but moved back to business. “The position is for a packaging assistant—crafting cute packaging boxes using illusions. It’s a repetitive job, so please make sure this is something you’re comfortable with.”

Illusion magic was common among Dreamland residents, so technique wouldn’t be an issue. Lu Yao’s concern was the newcomers’ reliability since, in essence, this job was to produce packaging for the blind box shop.

Seeing the boxes Lu Yao was making, Ning Yun quickly caught on. She crafted a box similar in style and handed it over. “We only have to make these kinds of boxes to work here? And we can eat here too?”

Once again, Lu Yao wasn’t surprised that the shop’s food was the main attraction for applicants. Ning Yun’s skill with illusions was impressive; her box looked about ninety percent like the ones Lu Yao made. Satisfied, Lu Yao said, “Yes, the only difference is the job duties; the pay and meals are the same as for other staff here. Three meals a day and a salary.”

Ning Yun immediately accepted the offer, and her boyfriend, Meng Qin, who had come with her, demonstrated his skill by crafting an even more refined box, nearly identical to Lu Yao’s.

Ning Yun mentioned that Meng Qin was quite the enthusiast, even capable of crafting detailed model luxury cars, down to the last part, that were road-safe—all using illusion magic. Lu Yao figured he might have been a car aficionado in his past life. After a brief consideration, she hired them both, setting a seven-day probation period to confirm their fit.

Excited, Ning Yun and Meng Qin wanted to apply to live permanently in District A as snack shop employees, but they’d need to wait until the trial period was over to formally apply.

Both were highly focused on their work from the start, quickly adapting to the task. Lu Yao noted that Meng Qin corrected minor issues in Ning Yun’s boxes, and with both working steadily, overall efficiency saw a marked improvement. With confidence, she left them to handle the packaging for the instant noodle blind boxes entirely, freeing herself up to work on a new product line.

Considering she’d need to develop a crystal core blind box soon, she kept this third line simple yet invaluable in the Impermanence World.

She finalized the box designs and headed to the kitchen, grabbing the fruits she’d bought from the Alexander Continent out of storage.

Yu Cai looked surprised. “Why so many fruits? Are we introducing new fruit platters?”

Lu Yao sorted the fruits, placing them in the sink to wash. “These are for sale. I plan to turn them into blind boxes for the new shop. Feel free to take some if you like.”

Yu Cai blinked, intrigued. “You’re even washing them before packaging? Isn’t that a bit much? Customers will probably wash them anyway, right?”

Lu Yao shook her head. “That world’s a bit unique. Their water quality isn’t great, so I figured it’d be easier to clean them here. Don’t worry; once the fourth floor’s renovations are done tomorrow, all blind box packaging will be moved up there. Just bear with me today.”

Yu Cai waved her hand, laughing. “What are you talking about, Boss? We have no complaints. But hey, could we set aside a bit of the instant noodles too? It’s been a while since I’ve had that taste; I bet other Dreamland customers are craving it too.”

Nearby, Ning Yun raised her hand, having overheard. “Boss, I’d love to buy some too. Could I get an advance on my salary for some noodles?”

Yu Cai teased her, “Already asking for an advance before the trial period’s even over—new hires these days are getting bold!”

Ning Yun laughed as she walked over. “It’s just exciting to think about! Once I’m official, I won’t need to queue up for meals and can even try some of those employee-only dishes.”

Lu Yao smiled at the lighthearted exchange, finding her team both talented and fun. Once the blind box stock was prepped, she left the remaining instant noodles and fruits in the snack shop.

That afternoon, the snack shop’s third floor featured limited-time fruit platters and instant noodles, drawing a long line at the counter as customers eagerly waited for their noodles.

After lunch, Lu Yao grabbed 750 new blind boxes for restocking, just as her phone chimed with a new message from the Dreamland forum.

A buyer was inquiring about the black ring. The person seemed straightforward, arranging a meeting time for the exchange but had one unusual request—they wanted to bring a woman to the meeting who wasn’t a game player and wouldn’t even be able to see the ring.

Sensing something odd and feeling too busy to deal with it, Lu Yao replied, “Apologies, but you may want to discuss this with the admin. I’d be happy to redirect your request to them.”

Eighteenth floor of the Xi City Hotel, room 1886.

Qi Jue sat at his computer with Lin Yan, Xiao Zhou, and Tang Qi all standing behind him, their expressions frozen.

Qi Jue, somewhat familiar with Lu Yao’s manner, wasn’t surprised. He could even picture her typing the response with a tired sigh.

For the three new to dealing with her, though, she seemed arrogant, as though she had a flair for the dramatic.

Lin Yan gripped Qi Jue’s shoulder in confusion. “Why mention me to her at all? I could simply accompany you to the exchange.”

Qi Jue had already explained the phantom ring’s conditions and its effects. But as he’d anticipated, anyone unfamiliar with the Dreamland game would struggle to take it seriously, dismissing it as if it were all make-believe.

Just then, another message appeared:

“Hello, Qi. You’re being redirected to Admin 01…”

“Mr. Qi, Admin 01 here. We’re ready for the transaction; detailed instructions will follow shortly. Here’s a small tip: if the lady insists on coming to Dreamland, please arrange for a suitable coffin in advance. Have a nice day!”

…A heavy silence fell over the room.

Tang Qi couldn’t help but ask, “Is she faking it? Or did she actually transfer us to an admin?”

Qi Jue got up and made a call, feeling an intense urge to vent and talk it out with someone who would understand. “Unbelievable! She really transferred us—the admin actually came online! You get how that feels, right?”

Zhuang Liang replied, “…Hey man, don’t pull me into this. I’m clueless about anything special you’re involved in.”

Qi Jue: “…”

…

In the World of Impertinence, at the Blind Box Shop

Xi Tingran hurried back from the base with an extra team in tow, only to find Li Shuang and Xia Min waiting outside. “What are you doing out here?”

Li Shuang stood up, a little flustered. “We met the shop owner. She said the shop will be closed temporarily for restocking.”

Xia Min handed him a piece of dark chocolate, “Captain, she gave us this.”

Xi Tingran examined it—a piece of black chocolate that had been held tightly in Xia Min’s hand, now slightly softened. “Black chocolate, something edible.”

Xia Min tucked it back into her pocket with a small smile, clearly pleased.

“What’s she like?” Xi Tingran asked. “Did she mention when the shop will reopen?”

Xia Min nodded enthusiastically. “She said she’ll restock the hot drink and instant noodle boxes in the afternoon and asked us a few things.”

As Xi Tingran listened, he noted the oddities: a young woman, suddenly appearing, speaking warmly, casually offering rare black chocolate… Nothing fit the picture he had imagined of the shop owner.

At that moment, another team approached from the direction of Shenghong Tower. In the distance, faint glimmers of crystal nuclei illuminated faint footsteps approaching.

Xi Tingran’s team went on alert, watching the approaching shadows.

A young man led the group—a nineteen-year-old named Jiang Han, son of the Changming base leader. Like Xi Tingran, he often led teams out to gather supplies, and the two frequently crossed paths, often clashing over resources.

Seeing Jiang Han, Xi Tingran instantly knew they’d been followed. This guy had definitely trailed them here.

With the prolonged Eternal Night and scarce resources, every base was struggling to survive. In the quest for a bit of food, anything was fair game.

Jiang Han, though crafty, usually stuck to robbing supplies rather than escalating things further. Xi Tingran had taken his share of hits from Jiang Han, and vice versa. Their teams’ feud was an unsolvable knot of rivalry and grudges. Though Xi Tingran had expected Jiang Han to follow, he regretted that he had arrived so quickly.

“‘Lu Yao’s Blind Box Shop’? Who’s Lu Yao? And what on earth is a blind box?” Jiang Han’s teammate Chen Feng squinted up at the sign, utterly perplexed.

Li Jing, another teammate, squinted at the shop’s bright lights. “What’s with this lighting? It’s almost blinding.”

Li Jing’s brother, Li Cheng, circled the shop and reported back, “This place is strange. I remember this area being an empty square before.”

Jiang Han crossed his arms and gave Xi Tingran a sidelong glance. “So, what’s the story here, Xi Tingran? There must be something good in this shop, right?”

Xi Tingran gave a tight-lipped smile. “The door’s right there, Han. If you’re interested, you’re welcome to break in and take a look.”

Li Cheng and Li Jing cracked their knuckles, prepared to go for a forced entry.

But Jiang Han stopped them. “Hold on. Let’s wait.”

Years of clashing with Xi Tingran had taught Jiang Han that he wasn’t dealing with an easy target. If there was something valuable in the shop, Xi Tingran’s hesitation meant there was likely more to it. Suppressing his impatience, Jiang Han planted himself in front of the shop, ready for a standoff.

Suddenly, the door creaked open.

A young woman stepped out, carrying a sign. Xi Tingran’s surprise flickered briefly on his face; this was surely the shop owner, but she was even younger than he’d anticipated.

Lu Yao had just finished restocking and had come out to set the sign up, startled to see such a crowd outside. It seemed the system hadn’t bothered to alert her.

She hesitated briefly, then placed the sign upright and announced, “The shop has been restocked, and we’ve added a new set of blind boxes. Feel free to try your luck.”

Xi Tingran’s team was the first to step inside.

Jiang Han’s team paused momentarily but quickly followed, tense and ready. No one knew exactly what they were here to grab, but the atmosphere was already heavy with competition.

Lu Yao trailed in last, her pace slow and casual, only to see one of the leading teams pulling out two massive woven bags from under their coats.

…So they really came here to clear out the shelves?

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