Ch 102: Guide to Running a Shop in Another World

Having endured two rounds of disasters, residents could finally leave their homes. They crowded into blind box stores to exchange for needed items.

Some spotted the newly stocked “Anti-Toxic Fog Limited Edition” blind box, full of regret.

During the spread of the toxic fog, going outside without protective gear was unthinkable.

Staying indoors didn’t guarantee safety either; many still inhaled the toxic fog and showed symptoms of poisoning.

“If only we’d had gas masks or filtering mesh back then.”

The medicine blind boxes also had a new addition: antidotes. Many were lining up to buy them.

Jiang Han’s team and Chi Jin were at the end of the line. Yao Yiyi and Li Xin were still at the base, not yet awake, and other residents also needed antidotes.

Lu Yao, guided by the ruby on her bracelet, approached Chi Jin. She paused, looking at him with some confusion.

As she walked past Chi Jin, the ruby’s glow shifted, pointing at him again.

Turning back to look at him, Lu Yao was slightly startled, “Why is the bracelet pointing to a person?”

System: “He has a fragment of the compass on him.”

Lu Yao: “…Is he human or…?”

Chi Jin had always kept his eyes hidden, so Lu Yao had never paid much attention to him.

Now, she suddenly felt his lazy, unhurried demeanor was somewhat similar to Xue Ge and Lilly’s.

Lilly had previously shown great affection toward him. Could they be of the same kind?

Lu Yao stared at Chi Jin, who seemed to sense her gaze and looked up.

His sunglasses obscured his expression, but his voice was clear and gentle: “Store owner, it’s been a while.”

“It has.” Lu Yao greeted him and turned back to the shop’s storage to ask Jiang Lao about Chi Jin.

Jiang Shanrun had a good impression of both Lu Yao and Chi Jin. Hearing her ask about him, he thought it over but saw no need to keep anything secret and shared what he knew.

Chi Jin had been injured and unconscious in the wild when Jiang Shanrun found him and brought him back to the base.

His eyes were damaged, so he couldn’t tolerate light and had worn sunglasses ever since.

He had stayed at the Everbright Base, with a relaxed personality and a love for plants, though he had no bad habits.

Occasionally, when Jiang Han begged him, Chi Jin would go out to hunt mutated flora and fauna.

They said his abilities were powerful, but Jiang Shanrun hadn’t seen them firsthand.

Lu Yao took note of this and went to find Little Lilly.

Little Lilly was munching on snacks in the break room. She preferred her lily-of-the-valley plant form but perked up and rushed over as soon as she saw Lu Yao.

Lu Yao lifted her onto the table, casually asking, “Little Lilly, the youth with sunglasses you saw during the flood season—he’s of your kind?”

Little Lilly shook her flower bud, playing coy.

Lu Yao: “Would you like some grilled skewers, chicken wings, and grilled tofu skins from the snack shop?”

Little Lilly’s flower “popped” into a human shape, her grape-like eyes sparkling. “Yes!”

Lu Yao: “Who is that youth with the sunglasses?”

Little Lilly raised her hand. “Also, two extra cakes, a watermelon soda, and a matcha latte.”

Lu Yao nodded. “Alright.”

Little Lilly propped her tiny hands on the table’s edge, swinging her legs and speaking in a soft, childish voice: “That’s Lord Flower Emperor. He used to live with us in a place that had a daily buffet, but he eventually left on his own. When I saw him in the shop that day, Lilly was delighted.”

A buffet?

That must be a new word she’d picked up from watching TV with Xue Ge; better not let Zhong Ruying hear it.

Flower Emperor?

Lu Yao pondered this. “Does that mean he’s the strongest among your kind?”

Little Lilly nodded. “Lord Flower Emperor has collected many fragments that look delicious, making him very powerful. Only the Beast King can rival him.”

Lu Yao had a bad feeling. “Did Chi Jin eat those fragments?”

“Yes. Golden, glimmering fragments that smelled incredibly delicious.” Little Lilly recalled how, back then, she had foolishly tried to snatch a fragment, only to be severely reprimanded.

Lu Yao typed into the system: “What happens if the compass fragments are eaten?”

System: “The fragments merge with the body, providing divine power. Only by… eliminating the target can they be retrieved.”

Lu Yao: “…”

When she left the break room, Jiang Han and his team had already gone. Even if she met Chi Jin again, she wouldn’t know what to say. If what Lilly said was true, Chi Jin had consumed part of the compass fragments. But there was no way she would do as the system suggested and eliminate him.

…

That night, Lu Yao was still in the research room of the blind box shop, her mind unsettled due to the ultimate mission. Suddenly, the bracelet on her wrist glowed red, pointing straight to the door.

Fragments wouldn’t just appear for no reason unless someone carrying compass fragments had arrived at the shop. Lu Yao stood up and opened the door.

A tall man crouched in front of a food blind box machine, muscles rippling across his arms and shoulders. His light golden hair was slightly long, and a small, familiar-looking orange cat lay curled on his head.

The ruby’s light was directed right at him.

Hesitating for a moment, Lu Yao stepped outside. In the stillness of the night, her footsteps echoed clearly.

The man crouching by the blind box machine seemed completely unaware, or perhaps, completely unconcerned.

“Xiao Hu, this machine seems like it might have meat. Want to try?”

The little beast on his head gave a small “awoo.” The man exchanged crystal core coins for a food blind box and eagerly opened it—only to find a bag of vegetables and a pack of sugar.

He tossed the vegetables aside in frustration. “What a useless box. No use at all.”

The little beast jumped down, trotting over to retrieve the vegetables, then nudged them back toward the man’s feet.

He glanced over at Lu Yao, gave her a soft “awoo,” as if recognizing her.

“Remember me?” Lu Yao recognized the little creature from the toxic fog days. Delighted, she crouched and held out her hand.

The little tiger cub hesitated, then approached Lu Yao and nuzzled her hand.

The Beast King stood up, his gaze shifting to the human who dared pet his son as if he were a mere housecat, his eyes flashing dangerously.

Sensing this, the little tiger turned back and gave a soft call.

The Beast King restrained his gaze, bent down to pick up the vegetables, held the sugar pack, and walked out of the blind box shop. “Xiao Hu, let’s go.”

The tiger cub gave Lu Yao’s fingers a quick lick before dashing after the Beast King.

Lu Yao stood up, watching the two figures disappear into the night with a complicated expression. That man also had compass fragments on him, and it seemed they weren’t just in his possession.

Lu Yao: “Is that person a beast creature?”

System: “Yes, and he’s also a target for elimination.”

Lu Yao: “…”

In the days that followed, Lu Yao, wearing her bracelet, went out in search of the remaining compass fragments. Lilly, being clingy, insisted on accompanying her. Xue Ge, concerned for their safety, came along as well.

They often encountered ill-intentioned people on the road, but they were quickly dealt with by Lilly and Xue Ge. Although newly transformed, Lilly fought with a fierce bluntness, even more assertively than Xue Ge.

Lu Yao had brought numerous magical tools, pre-drawn magical array scrolls, and a wand crafted with the help of her shop’s otherworldly nail salon employees, yet none of it was needed.

After several days of searching, the ruby on her bracelet remained dim.

The next disaster was drought. Daylight silently stretched longer, and the scorching sun baked the ground, causing temperatures to spike.

The blind box shop released a new series of ice drinks and summer exclusives, which quickly became popular.

The Beast King and the tiger cub would always visit the shop at night, when no one was around, draw a few boxes, complain about the contents, and leave.

With only two days left until the mission’s deadline, the ultimate mission progress was still zero.

The system couldn’t hold back anymore: “Store owner, the mission is about to expire.”

Lu Yao lay on the sofa in the break room, staring at the ceiling. “Yes.”

System: “What are you planning to do? If the ultimate mission fails, all previous efforts will be for nothing.”

The bracelet showed no reaction in the wild, though it might be because she hadn’t searched the right locations. She had ventured as far as the neighboring area in recent days, yet still found nothing.

Lu Yao suspected that all the Compass fragments were likely with Chi Jin and the small beast companion. According to the system, to complete this mission, she would need to eliminate them both. But for her, this was an impossible task.

System: “If the mission fails, your wish will remain unfulfilled, and the store owner will also perish.”

Lu Yao responded calmly, “I understand.”

System: “…”

Was she giving up? This wasn’t like her. In an unusual show of patience, the system asked, “Does the store owner feel this mission is too difficult? Or is there another reason?”

Lu Yao didn’t respond. She sat up, stood, and walked out of the blind box shop.

Around 4 a.m., the daylight in this unpredictable world was already bright. The sun hung high in the sky, and waves of heat rose from the ground. During this period, mutant plants and animals had nearly disappeared, making it harder for people to obtain crystal cores.

The square and roads outside the blind box shop were cracked and hardened. Lu Yao walked along the ruined street and stopped on a bridge.

The river below had receded, leaving patches of dry sand along the banks.

Lu Yao leaned against the stone railing, exhaling slowly. The bracelet on her wrist glowed red.

She turned her head, narrowing her eyes. The youth in sunglasses was walking toward her from the other side of the bridge.

Lu Yao turned back and started walking. Chi Jin followed, the distance between them gradually closing. Then he slowed, keeping a careful distance.

Lu Yao entered the blind box shop, opened the door, and returned to her own world.

The sky was dimly lit, a faint streak of silver piercing the leaden clouds. The morning breeze brushed against her skin, bringing a refreshing coolness.

Outside, the street was desolate and rundown, with not a soul in sight. Only three shops by the river had clean signs, their exteriors pristine.

If the mission succeeded, there would be more shops on this street—maybe a fruit store, a milk tea shop, a bookstore… All the shabby storefronts would be transformed like the snack shop, nail salon, and blind box shop: neat and clean.

Lu Yao tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear, lifting her gaze to see someone standing in front of the snack shop.

“Xingzi, why are you here so early?”

The delivery truck usually arrived just after seven, but it was barely half-past six.

Xingzi’s face lit up when she saw Lu Yao. “Store owner, I heard a cat crying, but I couldn’t find it. Can you help me look?”

“A cat?” Lu Yao hadn’t seen or heard one.

Xingzi explained, “There were a lot of deliveries this morning, so I came early. I heard a cat meowing sadly outside. There are no cats in Dreamland, but I couldn’t see it anywhere around here.”

Lu Yao searched around the shop, circling three or four times and even checking the empty adjacent shop, but found no cat.

Determined, she walked farther, following the shopping street to the main road’s intersection. In a roadside ditch, she finally spotted it.

A calico cat lay in the muddy ditch, carrying a kitten in its mouth as it struggled to move from one end to the other. Nearby, two other tiny kittens lay in the mud, their cries faint and weak.

The calico cat was injured, leaving a trail of blood from the middle of the road, its intestines spilling from its belly.

It held the kitten in its mouth, its hind legs weak and unable to move. Seeing Lu Yao, it released the kitten and began crying pitifully.

Lu Yao ran back to the snack shop, grabbed two paper boxes and a towel, and carefully packed up the mother cat and her three kittens. When she wrapped the calico cat in the towel, Lu Yao noticed another kitten beneath her belly that was no longer breathing.

She carried all the cats back to the shopping street, quickly greeted Xingzi, and headed straight to the nail salon.

After setting the boxes down, Lu Yao used light magic on the injured calico. A pure golden glow enveloped the large cat, slowly healing the wound on her belly, and her cries gradually softened.

As the wound healed, the calico cat, with her big round eyes, stared at Lu Yao for a moment before suddenly jumping out of the box and anxiously checking on the kittens in the other box.

Lu Yao sat on the floor, exhaling deeply.

The shop’s otherworldly staff, hearing the noise, came downstairs and saw Lu Yao, their expressions surprised.

“Store owner, what are you doing here so early?”

Lu Yao entrusted the four cats to the staff’s care, packed the deceased kitten in a box, and buried it in the empty lot next to the snack shop.

Xingzi stood quietly in the hallway, watching the store owner at work.

After pressing the soil down and marking the spot, Lu Yao handed the digging tool to Xingzi. “The other four cats are fine. They’re staying at the nail salon for now. I’ll head to the blind box shop first; later, Xiao Qie can bring them over for you to see.”

Xingzi noticed the hint of urgency in her expression and nodded without asking questions.

System: “Store owner, have you decided to continue with the mission?”

Lu Yao: “Yes.”

The system was surprised; it hadn’t expected her to come to a decision so quickly. “What’s your plan? Are you going after Chi Jin first?”

Lu Yao paused with her hand on the door, “I do plan to find him first, but not in the way you’re suggesting.”

System: “???”

“When I made my wish, I might have been willing to pay any price to achieve it. But if this is truly my wish, I’m certain the price doesn’t include that kind of sacrifice,” Lu Yao replied.

The system felt uneasy. “Then… how do you intend to proceed?”

Lu Yao hadn’t planned on sharing, but after a moment’s thought, she said, “Ultimately, this mission’s objective is to retrieve the compass fragments, not anything else. While healing the calico cat, I remembered an idea I had before about magic-enhanced nails—breaking down structures with dark magic and then restoring them with light magic. I believe this method might allow me to extract the compass fragments without taking lives. It’ll just take some time to experiment, which is why I’m eager to return to the research room.”

System: “…How do you plan to experiment? How long will it take?”

Lu Yao: “At least half a day. I don’t have time to fully prepare, so I’ll experiment on myself.”

The system was shocked. “You’re going to experiment… on yourself?”

Time was tight, so Lu Yao said no more and pushed open the door.

Unexpectedly, the blind box shop was packed with people.

No one was exchanging blind boxes; everyone looked around fearfully, peering outside.

Lu Yao turned to see Ji Feiming, Luo Hui’an, Jiang Han, Xi Tingran, Xue Ge, and Lilly standing at the entrance, each with a different expression.

“What happened?” she asked.

Ji Feiming was the first to turn his head, and seeing her, he looked slightly relieved. “There’s a fight outside.”

Upon hearing the store owner’s voice, Lilly immediately moved to stand protectively behind her, whispering, “The Beast King and Flower Emperor are fighting. We can’t intervene.”

Lu Yao was astonished. “Why are they fighting?”

Jiang Han frowned, looking outside, equally puzzled. “I came to the shop with Brother Chi to exchange a blind box, and we encountered that man at the entrance. He stopped Brother Chi and said he wanted to settle an unfinished fight from four years ago and demanded Brother Chi hand over some fragment. Brother Chi didn’t want to engage, but then the man suddenly transformed into his beast form, and they started fighting.”

A compass fragment?

Lu Yao exchanged a glance with Lilly.

Lilly leaned over and whispered, “It must be the fragment that looks so tasty.”

The area around the fairy tale plaza was already a wreck, with only the blind box shop remaining intact under the protection of a magical barrier, serving as a safehouse.

Those who had come out to exchange blind boxes in the morning had all rushed inside, not daring to leave.

The huge mutant tiger let out a roar that shook everyone’s eardrums, leaping toward the white-clad youth just ten meters from the blind box shop.

The young man, dressed in a white coat and wearing sunglasses, was toying with a silver pair of scissors in his hand. He dodged the Beast King’s attack with ease, leaping to a higher vantage point.

The Beast King, massive and immensely powerful, seemed unstoppable.

Those watching the fight from the entrance of the blind box shop believed the slender young man in sunglasses would soon lose, and a wave of sorrow welled up in them.

No matter who won, humanity’s fate would remain the same. There was no hope left in this world.

The Beast King landed and immediately sprang forward, his claws aimed at the young man’s legs.

Chi Jin remained calm, unmoving. Hidden in his hand behind his back, a delicate golden lotus blossomed.

Just as the Beast King pounced, Chi Jin flipped the lotus branch and drove it straight through the Beast King’s heart.

“Thud—” The Beast King spat out a mouthful of blood, his eyes wide with disbelief as he staggered back several steps before collapsing to the ground. In mere moments, he fell silent.

“Lord Flower Emperor won!” Lilly exclaimed excitedly.

A small orange beast rolled off the Beast King’s back, its round eyes glaring angrily at the young man wielding the golden lotus branch, tears blurring its vision.

It burrowed into the fallen Beast King’s fur, rubbing its head lovingly against his rough hide. After drying its tears, it spat out a crystal-core liquid blade, activated the blade, gripped the handle in its mouth, and charged at Chi Jin.

Watching the little creature rush toward him, Chi Jin slightly turned the lotus branch in his hand, fresh blood dripping from the golden stem onto the ground.

There was no way the little tiger cub could win against Chi Jin—they couldn’t let this fight go any further.

Lu Yao pulled a magic wand from her storage space and dashed out of the shop, racing toward the tiger cub.

Chi Jin noticed her, his eyes narrowing slightly as he flicked the golden lotus branch toward the small beast.

Seeing Lu Yao running out, Lilly’s face paled, and she hurried after her.

Lu Yao quickly drew an acceleration magic circle under her feet, and at the last moment, she scooped up the little beast and rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding the lethal golden lotus branch.

The next second, countless golden lotus branches, brimming with deadly intent, flew toward her.

Lilly’s ankle was bound by a lotus branch emerging from the ground, rendering her immobile as she watched in horror.

Suddenly, a loud rumbling filled the sky as a massive, black-scaled claw tore through space, and a terrifying creature emerged from behind the clouds.

The people inside the blind box shop gasped and backed away, feeling suffocated by despair. What kind of monster was this?

After countless attempts, Harold had finally located the world where Lu Yao was. Tearing through time and space, he barely had time to announce his arrival before realizing Lu Yao was in danger. Without a second thought, he flew straight to her.

In his dragon form, Little Black Dragon was far larger than even the Beast King, landing with a force that shook the ground.

He swept his tail around, forming a protective ring around Lu Yao, blocking the incoming lotus branches, and then mercilessly swiped his dragon claw toward Chi Jin.

Lu Yao had already constructed a sturdy shield wall with her magic wand.

When she found herself wrapped in Little Black Dragon’s tail, her body relaxed, darkness surrounding her. The little tiger cub wriggled in her arms.

After a few minutes, Little Black Dragon retracted his tail.

Chi Jin was now less than two meters from Lu Yao, his white coat stained with blue blood, and he looked ready to collapse.

The small beast broke free from Lu Yao’s hold, clutching the crystal-core liquid blade as it sprinted toward Chi Jin, leaping at him in a frenzy.

Chi Jin sidestepped slightly, deftly dodging the attack.

The blade grazed his sunglasses, snapping them apart.

Without the glasses, his face was fully revealed. His eyes were like rubies—blazing and pure, yet with a sharp shadow, like a blood-red mire. There was no hint of injury as he fixed his gaze on Lu Yao, his eyes flashing with sudden malice.

“The next time we meet, I’ll kill you for sure.”

Lu Yao’s pupils contracted; she felt like she had seen those eyes somewhere before.

Without time to dwell on it, she sketched a light magic array and thrust it toward Chi Jin.

Warm, golden light nearly engulfed him as he took a step back, letting his body disintegrate into dust.

Both Chi Jin and the Beast King’s bodies turned to ash, leaving behind two fully-formed compass fragments.

Lu Yao stared at the fragments on the ground, momentarily dazed.

Little Black Dragon, now in human form, landed beside her, bending down to retrieve two familiar-looking white bones from the piles of ash. “Lu Yao, there are bones here too.”

Snapping out of her thoughts, Lu Yao took them and confirmed they were indeed like the ones in her warehouse.

System: “Twenty thousand popularity points can be spent to restore the broken Balance Compass. Would the store owner like to proceed?”

Lu Yao was silent for a long moment. “…Yes.”

With the points deducted, the two compass fragments merged automatically.

Moments later, the Balance Compass was fully restored.

Instantly, the thick clouds in the sky dispersed. The sunlight softened, a gentle breeze stirring the air, bringing an unusual sense of refreshing comfort.

System: “The Balance Compass has been successfully retrieved and restored. Ultimate mission complete. Congratulations, store owner, you may proceed to the next world!”

Lu Yao felt a warmth in her pocket and pulled out a familiar small note.

The latest clue was always at the bottom. She unfolded the white paper; the final words read: “Drowned Sea.”

Just like how she felt now.

🛍️🛍️🛍️🛍️🛍️