Ch 127: Guide to Running a Shop in Another World

The orca is born with an innocent-looking face, adorably clumsy in appearance but fierce in personality, perfectly fitting humans’ dual admiration for beauty and strength.

Without telepathy, Lu Yao might still have been deceived.

Its seemingly innocent reaction was a signal.

Lu Yao recalled her first encounter with the pod of orcas—when a calf was injured, they suddenly appeared here.

A humpback whale troubled by barnacles also came seeking help.

Stepping back, when humans turn into fish, either by choice or circumstance, they all end up in this sea.

What exactly draws them here?

Perhaps it’s the Mother.

But for some reason, the Mother disappeared.

This sea lost its self-cleaning ability; trash accumulated, and fish-transformed humans, losing direction, collectively drowned.

The “Mother” likely vanished in this human-entrapment sea, but Orca A was unwilling to divulge clues, so Lu Yao would have to search herself, quickly mapping out a route in her mind, marking one spot as a priority.

Lu Yao released her hold on A’s dorsal fin, turned, and stepped up onto the staircase.

Upon entering, something in her hand suddenly struggled, startling her into letting go—a chubby starfish dropped to the floor with a soft thud, transforming into a girl in pale blue loungewear, lying motionless.

Lu Yao squatted down and gently prodded the girl’s arm, “Hey, time to get up.”

Jiu Hua slowly moved her eyes, glancing at Lu Yao. “Where am I? I think I dreamed I was a starfish swimming in the sea.”

“This is the Little Pet Cafe set deep in the ocean.” Lu Yao helped her up. “You weren’t just swimming; you were stuck on a big whale, and you made it here—it wasn’t a dream.”

At first, Jiu Hua was a bit dazed, but as they talked, she became more excited, pressing against the clear wall to observe outside. “A pet shop in the deep sea? Not even novels dare to write this! Can I go back, though?”

Lu Yao sensed this guest was a bit different from others. Her face beamed, quickly accepting the setting with her brows and eyes full of curiosity, and she didn’t seem in any rush to return.

“Do you remember how you got here?” Lu Yao asked.

“Not really, just got tired at work, took a nap. I closed my eyes and dreamed I was a starfish. When I opened my eyes, I was here.” Jiu Hua’s expression and tone were cheerful as she walked along the transparent wall to the tunnel entrance. “Where does this lead?”

Lu Yao scrutinized her, preparing to answer, but Jiu Hua interrupted, “Never mind, don’t tell me. I’ll see for myself. This looks like an underwater amusement park—it’s so interesting. Oh, by the way, I’m Jiu Hua. Are you a staff member here?”

Lu Yao felt an infectious liveliness from this extroverted newcomer and extended her hand, “Yeah, you could say that. I’m Lu Yao.”

Jiu Hua seemed pleasantly surprised, hesitated a moment, then gently shook her hand, murmuring to herself, “Smooth skin, slightly cool, defined knuckles, soft palms, feels plush—very nice.”

Lu Yao: “…What?”

Jiu Hua let go, a bit embarrassed. “I’m shy around people, usually don’t interact much, so I wanted to remember what it felt like shaking your hand. I don’t have pen or paper, so I repeated it a few times for memory. Sorry, no other intentions—don’t be alarmed.”

Lu Yao: “…Oh, okay.”

What kind of new-age introvert is this?

Following Lu Yao, Jiu Hua arrived at the Jellyfish Room, unable to contain her praise the entire way, even making Lu Yao a little bashful. Then her attention was drawn to a chubby chick, “Is that a bird? They’re so adorable!”

A gray chick took off and landed on Jiu Hua’s arm.

She petted it and murmured to herself, “Feathers like satin, cool and smooth, down on the chest and belly is soft and fluffy, the feel is amazing.”

Lu Yao had gotten used to this by now.

Jiu Hua paused at every coral, scallop, octopus, shrimp, and crab they passed, meticulously observing details and mumbling to remember it all.

She regretted not bringing her phone, as she could have taken photos or videos for reference.

Lu Yao checked the time and told Jiu Hua, “I’ll be off to take care of something. Enjoy yourself.”

Jiu Hua was engrossed in petting the bird, “Go ahead, go ahead.”

Downstairs, Wen Jingyi and Shi Bin finished their ride on the rotating Ferris wheel and found Lu Yao. Wen Jingyi grabbed her, “Where did you go, shopkeeper? We lost sight of you just now.”

Lu Yao: “Went to the Whale Room for a bit. What’s up?”

Wen Jingyi shook her head. “Just wanted to ask what’s next? We’d like to join you.”

Earlier, they had asked others downstairs, but no one knew the exact conditions for returning.

Some people managed to leave after just half a day, while others stayed here for half a month without finding a way back.

However, most people who left had visited the Little Pet Cafe.

Before this shop opened, they all drifted in the sea, unable to leave or find a way out.

Privately, Wen Jingyi felt that staying close to Lu Yao might increase their chances of returning.

Shi Bin wasn’t as anxious as Wen Jingyi, but he still had many things at work waiting for him to handle.

Lu Yao didn’t know their intentions. She only mentioned that she planned to dive to clean up the garbage pile, a rather dull task, but she told them truthfully.

Wen Jingyi was unfazed. “No problem, we’ll go with you.”

Their attitudes were firm, and Lu Yao nodded in agreement.

The sea was so vast; she couldn’t manage it all anyway.

Wen Jingyi’s face lit up with a smile.

“Lu Yao, I think I’m leaving. See you next time.”

Jiu Hua’s voice came from behind, surprising Lu Yao as she turned around.

Wen Jingyi and Shi Bin also looked up.

The girl in pale blue loungewear gradually shrank, transforming into a chubby chocolate-colored starfish, encased in a bubble, gently floating out of the Little Pet Cafe.

Wen Jingyi looked puzzled. “Is she just… leaving?”

They’d heard other guests describe people leaving, but seeing it in person felt completely different.

Lu Yao nodded. “Yes. She’s the fastest I’ve seen leave here. I met her in the Whale Room, and she was here less than an hour.”

Wen Jingyi was envious. “I should have asked her the secret.”

Lu Yao replied, “It wouldn’t have helped. It’s different for everyone.”

Gradually, Wen Jingyi accepted reality and nodded. “You’re right. But she said ‘see you next time.’ Can people who leave actually return?”

Lu Yao shook her head. “I haven’t seen it happen.”

There was no pattern to people leaving, and those who left never returned, making it hard to recruit staff for the shop.

Since the shop opened, only Qingmei hadn’t left.

Wen Jingyi stopped inquiring but felt a stronger desire to leave.

Lu Yao went to the kitchen, found Qingmei, and informed her about the upcoming dive, asking her and Xiao Ji to keep an eye on things.

With staff shortages, it was best for the shop owner to stay, but Lu Yao wanted to confirm something in the sea.

With her equipment on her back, she swam straight toward the garbage pile.

Wen Jingyi and Shi Bin transformed, Wen Jingyi into a beautiful purple jellyfish and Shi Bin into a majestic great white shark, following closely behind.

“Why don’t you turn into a fish?” Wen Jingyi asked in surprise.

Lu Yao, borrowing a joke from other guests, replied with mock seriousness, “Because I’m a witch with magic.”

Wen Jingyi: “…”

Lu Yao swam to the clearing near the garbage pile, right beside the Jellyfish Room, where many beautiful jellyfish drifted with the currents, each pulsation of their bells resembling a heartbeat.

Guests riding the Ferris wheel pressed against the transparent wall, waving and greeting them.

Lu Yao didn’t linger long and continued down the cleared path with her equipment.

The jellyfish swam slowly, so it extended a tentacle to wrap around the great white shark’s fin.

The shark endured the pain, puffing and struggling forward until it was swimming alongside Lu Yao. “Where are you headed?”

Lu Yao noticed the red marks on his forehead from stings and then the purple sea nettle jellyfish wrapped around his fin for support, and shook her head, saying, “I’m heading to the far end—there’s a lot of garbage over there, and the water is murky and smells awful.”

She warned them in advance; they might not be able to keep up.

To swim in the polluted area, she wore a modified diving mask powered by crystal cores.

After diving hundreds of meters, the water grew murky, and patches of the great white shark’s skin began to peel off, while the purple sea nettle jellyfish’s tentacles were dissolving.

They couldn’t go any further.

“Go back, hurry back to the shop. Don’t worry about me.” Lu Yao didn’t dare touch the fragile jellyfish; she pushed the great white shark away and turned to swim into the pitch-black, polluted water.

This time, she was determined to reach the far end of the garbage heap.

The only place she hadn’t yet explored.

Lu Yao didn’t know how long she had been swimming; her mind was growing foggy, and she still hadn’t reached the end.

Suddenly, a small light appeared in the darkness, a tiny light, yet in the pitch-black water, it shone like the lone star in the night sky.

Distant, brilliant, and incredibly charming.

Lu Yao slowly swam toward it. “What’s that?”

The system analyzed it and replied: [A tasty fish.]

Lu Yao stopped about a meter from the light, cautiously extending a mechanical claw to poke at the tiny light.

“Pop—clack clack—”

The mechanical claw was bitten.

“What kind of fish is this fierce?” Lu Yao wondered.

System: [Ugly, but tasty fish.]

…

Shi Bin and Wen Jingyi returned to the clearing at the entrance to the garbage heap and made their way back to the Little Pet Cafe from the Jellyfish Room.

Wen Jingyi transformed back into human form, unharmed, and quickly grabbed a chubby little bird to calm her nerves. “I was so scared—I thought my arm was gone.”

Shi Bin looked even graver than her. “You didn’t seem scared at all. I couldn’t handle that place, and you insisted on following.”

Wen Jingyi replied, “The shopkeeper kept swimming forward; I just wanted to follow. Who would’ve thought my tentacles would snap just like that, with no warning, and it didn’t even hurt.”

“That place is a massive toxic swamp; humans can’t handle it, and neither can fish,” Shi Bin said solemnly. “We can’t go there again.”

“But what about Lu Yao? She hasn’t returned yet. We shouldn’t have left her alone.”

Wen Jingyi looked troubled. When her tentacles broke, she and Shi Bin panicked and didn’t think to persuade the shopkeeper to come back with them.

“Let’s wait. If she doesn’t return in half an hour, we’ll alert the others.”

“Half an hour? No, that’s too long.”

Unable to wait that long, Wen Jingyi immediately went to find Qingmei and Ji Feiming.

Ji Feiming said, “Don’t worry. The shopkeeper is very familiar with this sea; she should be fine.”

Once a revered divine emissary, he had now mastered the art of relaxation.

After all, if it was something the shopkeeper couldn’t handle, could they really do anything about it?

Qingmei’s eyes glistened with excitement—she had exchanged at least five sentences with the movie star! But seeing Wen Jingyi genuinely worried about Lu Yao, she hurriedly took off her apron, saying, “I’ll go check out the garbage heap. Don’t worry.”

Qingmei reached the door, ready to dive in, but suddenly stopped and turned back. “Looks like I won’t need to go. The shopkeeper is back.”

Lu Yao wasn’t alone; beside her was a young man in black, along with a massive adult male orca.

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