Ch 93: Guide to Running a Shop in Another World

Lu Yao sized up Ji Feiming, who was scrutinizing her as well.

He removed his eye patch, his dark eyes fixed intently on her.

She appeared to be an ordinary person without any special abilities, yet black death energy coiled around her body, suggesting she might not even survive the night.

Ji Feiming felt a pang of disappointment. She wasn’t the person he was searching for; it seemed she’d mistakenly become the owner of this street.

The location was remote, sparsely populated.

Due to the fall of the ancient gods, his power had waned significantly, and he had never detected this place.

Ji Feiming glanced around. The street seemed run-down, yet a chilling, ominous aura permeated it. He couldn’t simply ignore it.

He stepped forward, took out a business card, and handed it to Lu Yao. “My name is Ji Feiming. I want to buy this shopping street.”

Lu Yao: “???”

Ji Feiming continued, “While this street is on the outskirts, the surrounding scenery is pleasant. I especially like the view of the river. Name your price.”

Zhuang Liang was stunned.

No matter how much he’d wracked his brain, he couldn’t have guessed that after all this investigation into the Park, this man’s final goal was to buy the street.

What was so special about this decrepit street?

Without a second thought, Lu Yao refused. “Sorry, this street isn’t for sale.”

Ji Feiming sighed and made an offer. “I’m willing to pay 50 million to buy this street. Frankly, I can read a bit of fate. Miss Lu, you are surrounded by death energy and aren’t destined for a long life. Why not take the money and enjoy your remaining days?”

Zhuang Liang took a step back, astounded. This man’s words were even more vicious than when he’d tried to deceive him before.

Lu Yao felt he might be a bit unhinged. “…Sorry, the street isn’t for sale. If you’re feeling unwell, I suggest visiting a hospital.”

Ji Feiming upped the ante. “100 million… the price is negotiable if you’re willing to sell.”

Zhuang Liang rubbed his eyes and ears, unable to believe what he was hearing.

Had he just seen too little of the world?

Was this man genuinely offering 100 million for a run-down street? What on earth was he after?

Or did this man actually have a few screws loose?

To him, Ji Feiming didn’t look like someone with that kind of money.

Lu Yao’s thoughts mirrored Zhuang Liang’s. She reached for her phone, ready to dial 110.

At that moment, a delivery truck pulled into the shopping street from the main road, stopping in front of the snack shop.

Bai Ming emerged from the store, preparing to receive the goods, and upon seeing Lu Yao, greeted her with delight, “Good morning, boss!”

Lu Yao waved. “Morning.”

Ji Feiming stared at Bai Ming in shock.

That was neither the living nor the dead; it was a terrifying entity suspended between life and death, yet it politely addressed the young woman before him as its boss.

Since the fall of the gods, most supernatural entities had ceased to be observable.

For such a creature to freely appear in this world—who could wield such frightening power?

After unloading the goods, the delivery truck drove away. Bai Ming brought the goods back into the store, reminding the boss to stop by for soy pudding later.

Ji Feiming reassessed Lu Yao. She was indeed an ordinary person without power.

Yet, there seemed to be something beyond that—his own abilities had weakened to the point where he couldn’t fully see through this young woman.

“Miss Lu, it seems I can’t buy this street from you. As a compromise, would you consider taking me in as a handyman here?”

Ji Feiming’s demeanor shifted seamlessly, showing no hint of embarrassment.

Lu Yao couldn’t decipher his intentions and brought up the system. “Could you find a way to investigate this person?”

After a pause, the system replied: [Tianji Ji Clan, a secretive lineage, is rumored to serve the gods. Ji Feiming possesses innate yin-yang sight. However, his powers have mostly faded.]

Lu Yao: “A divine envoy? Does this world still have gods?”

System: [Every world has them; it’s just that ordinary people aren’t aware.]

Recalling Ji Feiming’s reaction upon seeing Bai Ming and his subsequent change in attitude, Lu Yao asked, “Can he tell that Bai Ming isn’t among the living?”

System: [Probably, though I’m not certain.]

Lu Yao clutched her phone, considering calmly: Had this man discovered the secrets of the shopping street and come specifically to find her?

Initially, he had sought out Zhuang Liang, likely because of the Park.

But then he proposed buying the shopping street.

“What did you mean when you said his powers have mostly faded?” Lu Yao asked.

After a pause, the system replied concisely: [The gods are dead.]

Lu Yao: “… In the future, please give such important information all at once, okay?”

Strange phenomena, from Dreamland to the magical world and now the Impermanence World—Lu Yao had grown used to them.

Hearing that this world once had gods didn’t surprise her much.

If you thought about it, the Dream Fulfillment System’s existence wasn’t exactly scientific either.

An ex-divine envoy stripped of power was basically an ordinary person.

Feeling slightly more at ease, Lu Yao decided to test the waters and declined politely, “I’m afraid that won’t work.”

Ji Feiming scratched his head, frustrated.

She had no powers, yet was shrouded in a thick aura of death, able to command mysterious entities, and remained inscrutable.

He needed to stay here and observe further.

“Store owner, due to my heavy workload, my health recently took a turn for the worse, and I need to rest. I find this place picturesque and peaceful, an ideal spot for recuperation. How about this—rent me a storefront here for 100,000 per month, and I’ll pay for a full year upfront,” Ji Feiming suggested seriously, though clearly making things up.

Lu Yao: “… If you have a hundred million, couldn’t you rest anywhere? Mr. Ji, why not show a bit of sincerity?”

Unlike Zhuang Liang, this young store owner was sharp and not easy to fool.

Ji Feiming stepped closer, lowering his voice to murmur something in her ear.

Lu Yao blinked, then tapped on the system. “Can you check up on the 955 Special Department?”

A moment later, the system presented a stack of information on 955, summarizing the key points.

Apparently, people had been secretly observing supernatural phenomena in this world for some time.

After pondering for a moment, Lu Yao turned to Ji Feiming. “The storefronts on this street aren’t for rent. But if you’re willing to work as a handyman, I might consider hiring you.”

Ji Feiming could see Bai Ming’s true nature, had worked for the 955 Special Department, and was a former divine envoy—he’d obviously sensed something unusual about the shopping street.

Since she couldn’t prevent him from investigating, keeping him close was the best option.

Ji Feiming beamed. “That works, no problem.”

Once Lu Yao made a decision, she never hesitated. She went to the snack shop to consult Bai Jian on a few matters, then returned to the nail salon to draft a confidentiality employment contract for Ji Feiming to sign.

For special employees from this world, a simple contract wasn’t sufficient. She needed a binding agreement to feel secure.

Since there were no star gates in this world, a magical contract from the Alexander Continent wouldn’t work.

Instead, she used the Demon God’s finger bone to establish a contract with Ji Feiming, formally adding him to the list of blind box store employees.

[Two new employees successfully recruited; task completed! Rewards: 20,000 popularity points, blind box machine capacity increased by 50, glass shelf capacity increased by 30.]

[New task: Collect 500 positive customer feedbacks for the blind box store within seven days. Rewards: 100,000 popularity points, 1 blind box currency exchanger, 1 blind box machine, 1 new blind box category.]

Noting the new task, Lu Yao looked up to see Zhuang Liang still standing there. “What about you?”

Zhuang Liang’s face paled; he sensed a glint of something menacing in her gaze.

But he was also a bit curious—who exactly was this guy? Initially, he’d been bent on buying the shopping street, but somehow, he’d ended up as an employee in Lu Yao’s store.

“I… uh… never mind, I think I’ll just head back,” he muttered, cautiously restraining his inappropriate curiosity as he prepared to leave.

Lu Yao stopped him. “I have a feeling you have trouble keeping things to yourself. Since you’re already here, why not sign a confidentiality contract before you go?”

Zhuang Liang tried to bolt, but Ji Feiming grabbed him, pulling him back with a casual remark, “Young man, you really do have a loose tongue.”

Zhuang Liang: “…”

Trusting in the effectiveness of the confidentiality contract, Lu Yao instructed Ji Feiming to tidy up his appearance and return for work the next morning.

She needed to inform the other store employees about this change.

After leaving the shopping street, Ji Feiming and Zhuang Liang realized that whenever they tried to discuss Lu Yao, the shopping street, or anything involving the strange phenomena they’d encountered, they physically couldn’t speak. Attempting to force the words out led to chest pain and labored breathing, like being oxygen-deprived.

Zhuang Liang was rattled. “What exactly did she do to me?”

Ji Feiming replied, “We underestimated her.”

Zhuang Liang sighed. “…Uncle, you got me into serious trouble here.”

Ji Feiming smiled helplessly. “Sorry, that wasn’t my intention. If there’s anything you need, I’ll compensate you as best I can.”

Zhuang Liang replied bitterly, “What good does that do now?”

Ji Feiming handed him his private contact information, adding that he would be staying in Yaoguang City until he could uncover Lu Yao’s true nature.

…

Impermanence World

Lu Yao removed the recruitment notice from the door as Wei Xuan and Nie Yu hurriedly came over to ask if the position was still open.

Considering Luo Huian’s health issues, Lu Yao agreed to give both women a seven-day trial period under the same terms as his.

After brief training, Luo Huian, Wei Xuan, and Nie Yu donned aprons with the blind box store logo and set about cleaning the shop, organizing the shelves, and waiting for customers.

It was their first time in such a formal job, and they couldn’t help feeling a little excited.

However, the heavy snowfall from the previous night had blocked the roads, so no customers arrived until nearly noon.

Xu Ru lived in the nearby Guangming Base. This cold snap was harsher than previous ones, and her base’s teams hadn’t found any supplies. Even with crystal cores, they couldn’t trade for food or winter gear, and her family had been out of food for two days.

Yesterday, the base’s search team decided to venture to other areas for supplies and would pass through Hope Base along the way.

Xu Ru had an old friend living in Hope Base, someone she’d once fled with. Desperate, she scraped together some crystal cores to join the search team in hopes of obtaining some life-saving food.

Upon reaching Hope Base, Xu Ru didn’t have much hope. Days of the Changeless weather had left everyone in shortage; extending one more day often just meant enduring more suffering.

But she had a seven-year-old child with newly awakened powers, whom she and her family had gone to great lengths to support.

If her child perished in this cold wave, she’d rather not go on herself.

With a heavy heart, Xu Ru found her friend’s home, offering a handful of crystal cores in exchange for food.

Her friend took a few cores and handed her a blind box.

Xu Ru felt its weight and carefully tore it open to reveal a bag of potatoes, each one plump, clean, and unaffected by mutation.

Startled, she whispered, “Where did this come from?”

Her friend shared the existence of the blind box store.

Xu Ru tucked the life-saving potatoes into her clothes and hurried back to Guangming Base. She and her family ate two, saving the rest to ration slowly.

That night, she lay awake, thinking about her friend’s mention of the blind box store.

Unable to sleep, she got up at dawn, gathered her family, and invited two neighboring families to travel together to the neighboring district’s blind box store.

Setting out before the snow stopped, their journey was grueling.

After an exhausting trek, they finally reached Hope Base, trudging through thick snow toward the blind box store.

They encountered other base residents on the way, and even a snowmobile speeding past them, leaving them astonished.

Suddenly, someone in their group shouted, pointing excitedly at a silvery-white plaza ahead, “Look! I think I see Lu Yao’s blind box store!”

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