Ch 62: Guide to Running a Shop in Another World II

Was he… just a youth?

Cheng Ye couldn’t be sure.

At first glance, the person in front of him, dressed in pink with pink hair and even faintly glowing pink pupils, might seem delicate. But his sharp facial features carried a heroic air, with no trace of femininity.

Wuling stared at him for a while, his brows furrowing. “What are you looking at?”

Cheng Ye snapped out of it, setting aside the cloth bag he had been tidying and reopening the computer. “One moment.”

As the machine booted up, Cheng Ye sent Lu Yao a message.

Lu Yao, rummaging through the cinema’s storage for something, simply told Cheng Ye to take care of the customer for now and that she would return shortly.

Wuling turned to take in the café’s layout. Small as it was, it matched the scene he had seen in the projection stone exactly.

He pulled a coupon from his pocket.

Cheng Ye took it without asking for spirit stones, as Wuling had expected.

Wuling raised an eyebrow and pointed to the shelf behind the counter. “I’ll have a cup of instant noodles and a sausage.”

Cheng Ye noted that instant noodles and sausages were officially on the menu now. Keeping his tone earnest, he replied, “Two mid-grade spirit stones for the noodles, and ten low-grade spirit stones for the sausage.”

On the Floating World Continent, only top-grade spirit stones were truly valuable.

A hundred low-grade spirit stones equaled one mid-grade, and a thousand mid-grade stones could be exchanged for a single top-grade one.

Demons and cultivators typically used top-grade stones for their training, barely sparing a glance at lower grades.

For any cultivator or demon with a bit of foundation, the café’s prices weren’t exorbitant.

Wuling fished three mid-grade spirit stones from his pocket and tossed them onto the counter. “Keep the change.”

…

[System Notice: You’ve successfully served a customer. Initial mission completed! Lu Yao’s Interdimensional Internet Café popularity +10!]

After three or four days of operation, this was the first customer who could actually afford to pay, marking the completion of the initial mission.

Lu Yao emerged from the cinema’s storage room carrying a small sausage grill, exhaling deeply. Feeling cheerful, she brought two extra bags of sausages along.

[New Mission: Serve at least 200 customers within two weeks and achieve a revenue of 1,000 top-grade spirit stones. Rewards: Popularity +20,000, Mid-Grade Purification Pills ×3. Please strive to complete this task, shopkeeper!]

With five mid-grade spirit stones required to rent a computer for one hour, it would take 1,000 mid-grade stones to accumulate the value of one top-grade spirit stone.

The task demanded both high revenue and significant customer traffic within just two weeks.

Is this mission even reasonable?

Lu Yao had her doubts, but with the Dream Fulfillment System gone, there was no way to appeal.

The proxy robot was useless, incapable of providing any meaningful feedback.

When Lu Yao returned to the café, Wuling was already seated, carefully cradling his instant noodles while Cheng Ye stood beside him, teaching him how to use the computer.

The pink-haired youth frowned in concentration, taking the lesson seriously.

Lu Yao retrieved the sausage grill from her portable storage, setting it prominently in a corner of the counter, and began looking for an outlet.

This sausage grill had been retired from the cinema, where the snack bar business had grown so successful that the smaller grill couldn’t keep up, prompting an upgrade to a larger one.

Lu Yao had cleaned and repurposed the original grill for use at the café.

Once plugged in, she oiled the grill and tested it—it still worked perfectly.

Lu Yao retrieved sausages from her storage, arranged them neatly on the grill, sprinkled a plate of custom chili powder nearby with a small brush, and covered everything with a mesh cover to keep it hygienic.

The addition of the grill heightened the nostalgic atmosphere of the old-school internet café.

Cheng Ye walked over, holding three spirit stones from the drawer, and handed them to Lu Yao.

The spirit stones, much like the magical gems from the Alexander Continent, shimmered with vibrant colors and radiated spiritual energy.

Lu Yao toyed with the spirit stones in her hand for a moment before casually tossing them back into the drawer. “I’ll cover tonight’s shift. You can clock out now.”

Cheng Ye replied, “There might still be customers. I’ll stay until ten.”

Since he was temporarily staying on the shop street, going home was just a short walk across the street to the office.

Other than setting up the equipment on the first day, there hadn’t been much work to do in the past few days. Cheng Ye, having too much free time, found himself wanting to stay busy.

Lu Yao nodded. “Alright, thanks for putting in the extra effort. I’ll try to hire more staff soon. Once we can rotate shifts, things will get easier.”

A few days ago, several candidates were recommended by employees for interviews.

The first two scheduled for interviews didn’t show up on the day, and the matter ended without resolution.

The second batch had two candidates who made it to the shopping street. One fainted on the spot upon noticing the street’s peculiarities, while the other sneaked photos and videos, intending to post them online for attention.

As soon as the second person left through the Star Gate, his phone exploded.

Terrified, he turned around and threatened Lu Yao, demanding five million as hush money to keep the shopping street a secret.

Lu Yao calmly erased the memories of both candidates and asked Ji Feiming to escort them to the hospital.

The hiring experience had been a disaster, leaving even the recommending employees feeling guilty for bringing in unsuitable people.

Lu Yao reassured them, saying, “The world is vast, and everyone’s preferences, tolerance, and abilities to perceive and handle things differ. It’s just a mismatch, nothing more. Don’t let it stress you out. If these people aren’t suitable, we’ll just find others who are.”

After some thought, Lu Yao posted a new job listing online.

Cast a wide net; screen later. With some experience now, she felt more confident about the process.

Meanwhile, Lu Yao became so preoccupied with the shopping street that she gradually paid less attention to the events of her world, missing a major incident that evening on Big Eyed Net.

Famous professional esports player Zhong Lianjia announced his retirement.

Zhong Lianjia, the star jungler of the KTK team, had made a stunning debut and achieved great success over three years. However, due to injuries over the past six months, his performance had declined, drawing criticism. His participation dwindled in the last season.

Rumors circulated that Zhong Lianjia was in seclusion, recovering from his injuries. Fans hoped he’d regain his form and reclaim the title of “Jungle King” in the new season. Instead, they were blindsided by his retirement announcement.

Big Eyed Net crashed at 8 PM that evening and was still barely functional past midnight.

Among the shopping street employees, a few esports fans saw the news and wailed about it in the group chat.

They weren’t diehard fans but still felt a sense of loss and regret at seeing him retire.

He had truly been extraordinary back in his prime.

…

Floating World Continent, Baixian Mountain.

At Lu Yao’s Interdimensional Internet Café, Wuling finished his noodles and began gaming.

He tried every game available on the interface. While they were fun, none captivated him enough to linger.

Turning to Cheng Ye, he called out, “Net manager, are these the only games available here?”

Nearly ten o’clock, Cheng Ye was once again preparing to close up for the night.

Lu Yao returned just then and told Cheng Ye to leave, offering to handle Wuling herself.

Wuling crossed his arms, a critical frown on his face. “This so-called ‘internet café’ is unimpressive. Is there nothing more interesting here?”

He wasn’t fond of single-player games.

Lu Yao replied, “Of course there is, but I’m not sure if you’ll be able to learn it.”

Wuling raised an eyebrow and scoffed, “What could there possibly be that I can’t learn?”

Lu Yao leaned over and took control of Wuling’s computer, pulling up a pre-saved video. “This introduces five of the hottest online games currently on the market. Take a look and let me know which one you’re interested in, and we’ll create an account to try it out.”

Wuling glanced at the screen briefly before asking nonchalantly, “What’s that thing spinning in the box over there?”

Lu Yao turned to look—it was the sausage grill.

The sausages had started to split open.

She walked over, skewered two sausages with bamboo sticks, and looked up. “Can you handle spicy food?”

Wuling: “…A little.”

Lu Yao walked over, handed Wuling a sausage with just a thin layer of chili powder brushed on, and sat down next to him with her own sausage.

Wuling sniffed it cautiously, frowning with a hint of disdain. “Is this even good? How much spirit stone does it cost?”

Lu Yao had already taken a bite, nodding vigorously. “A delicacy of the mortal realm. No charge—consider it a treat.”

Wuling frowned but took a bite. The skin was a bit chewy, and the chili powder only left a fragrant aftertaste, not spicy at all. The inside was tender and slightly sweet—not stunning at first bite, but the flavor grew richer with each chew.

His frown relaxed. He finished the sausage in a few quick bites and looked at Lu Yao. “Another one.”

Wuling ended up eating three sausages in a row before stopping. If not for the amused glint in Lu Yao’s eyes, he might have eaten an entire batch.

This human, who seemed weak and easily bullied, dared to tease him despite knowing he was a demon.

Much more interesting than the timid mortals who groveled in fear.

Wuling wasn’t unfamiliar with the mortal realm; on the contrary, he had spent a long time living among humans and understood their ways and businesses.

This internet café was distinctly different.

He had watched the video three times and still didn’t fully understand it. But it was clear that the games featured in the video seemed far more engaging than the ones he had played earlier.

Pointing casually at the screen, he said, “I want to play this.”

The game was A Dream of Jianghu, a 3D martial arts MMORPG. Set in a richly populated martial arts world, it offered a wide variety of character options, innovative dungeons, and entertaining PK, trading, and social modes.

Lu Yao nodded. “Sure. But to play an online game, you’ll need to create a character account. One account costs twenty top-grade spirit stones.”

Wuling tilted his head, puzzled, and repeated, “Twenty top-grade spirit stones?”

In the internet age, real-name registration was required everywhere, including for gaming accounts.

Guests from the Floating World Continent who wanted to play games from the shopping street’s world also needed accounts. However, they didn’t have ID cards.

After consulting with Dreamland’s technical team, Lu Yao decided to create virtual accounts for the guests using the shop’s internal network, similar to how staff were assigned internal IDs.

Unlike internal network IDs, connecting to the external network posed certain risks, which the shopping street’s system had to absorb. Naturally, the cost was higher.

Twenty top-grade spirit stones weren’t much for a great demon, but Wuling, having seen the greed and selfishness of humans, had assumed Lu Yao was different.

Lu Yao noticed his expression and asked, “Why are you looking at me like that?”

Wuling shook his head. “Humans live futile lives, chasing fame and wealth, only for it to turn to nothing. Don’t you find that pitiful?”

Lu Yao laughed. “You’re well-read, it seems. Demons are born free, surviving on dew and wind, so it’s no surprise you look down on the mundane lives of humans. I don’t blame you. But if you think you can play for free—dream on!”

Wuling: “…”

Embarrassed, Wuling huffed. He had no intention of freeloading!

The flower demon pulled out a handful of top-grade spirit stones and tossed them over. “Create the account!”

Lu Yao pocketed the stones and stood up briskly. “Got it.”

She contacted Dreamland’s technical team to create a basic profile for Wuling, generating a unique ID.

Handing the ID to Wuling, she explained, “This will serve as your terminal ID for creating new accounts in the future.”

Wuling didn’t quite grasp her explanation but memorized the ID and casually stuffed the paper slip into his storage pouch. Impatiently, he urged her to set up his account.

…

In A Dream of Jianghu, players could join clans, choose from various professions, and explore a martial arts-themed world.

Wuling registered under his real name and chose the swordsman profession.

True to his nature, Wuling dove straight into grinding quests and leveling up like a cultivation maniac.

Once he got the hang of it, he no longer needed guidance.

Lu Yao returned to the counter, pulled out a blanket, and draped it over herself. Settling into a rocking chair, she closed her eyes to rest—and before long, she drifted off to sleep.

Not knowing how much time had passed, Lu Yao was shaken awake. “What’s wrong?”

Wuling, looking somewhat anxious, said, “He won’t move.”

Lu Yao rubbed her eyes. “What?”

Wuling dragged her over to the computer and pointed at the character he had leveled up to 18 overnight. “No matter how I click, he just refuses to move.”

Glancing outside, Lu Yao noticed the faint light of dawn. “Did you play all night?”

Wuling nodded.

Lu Yao sighed. “…He’s out of stamina.”

Wuling frowned. “Out of stamina after just one night? How useless!”

Lu Yao stifled a laugh. “…You’ve been playing all night. Why not take a break? I’ll set you up with a drama to unwind while we wait for breakfast.”

…

In the morning, when the sparrow spirits, the black swallow, and Cui Yu arrived at the café, they were greeted by the sight of the pink-haired youth sitting cross-legged in a chair. He was clutching a bean paste bun larger than his fist, staring intently at the screen without blinking.

Scattered across the table were all sorts of food: char siu buns, sweet snow fungus soup, multigrain rice milk, and sausages, filling the air with a tantalizing aroma.

On the screen in front of him, instead of a game, a human drama was playing.

Suddenly, Wuling slammed the bean bun onto the table, his face darkening as he turned to Lu Yao. “The peach blossom spirit in the drama got captured by a demon hunter!”

Lu Yao, who had just retrieved an old warming cabinet from the cinema’s storage and was cleaning it, responded without looking up. She had stocked the cabinet with bean paste buns, char siu buns, custard buns, and preserved vegetable pork buns. The bottom shelf held containers of warm soy milk, rice milk, and snow fungus soup, heated gently with hot water.

The snacks and drinks from the snack shop stayed fresh and warm as long as their packaging remained sealed. The warming cabinet was mostly for show, but Lu Yao liked its touch of nostalgia.

Hearing Wuling’s complaint, she offered a practical suggestion without lifting her head. “Your character’s stamina should be restored by now. You can get back to leveling up.”

Wuling glared at her, then picked up his bun and took an angry bite. Exiting the video player, he reopened the game. Sure enough, his character’s stamina had recovered enough to take on new quests.

The black swallow and Cui Yu, seeing the game interface for the first time, were captivated, their eyes glued to the screen.

The sparrow spirits, equally drawn in, fluttered down to perch around Wuling’s computer, watching intently.

…

When Cheng Ye arrived at the café that morning, there were two new guests.

Both were women dressed in dark gowns, their delicate white arms and legs exposed. Their eyes were slender, with four black dots above their brows, and their lips were a striking dark purple. Despite their unusual features, their beauty was mesmerizing.

One of them was engrossed in Bubble Bobble, while the other, holding a char siu bun, was completely absorbed in a drama.

Strangely, the sparrow spirits, black swallow, and Cui Yu were absent. Usually, they would have arrived early.

Yawning, Lu Yao explained, “They came by earlier but left.”

After switching shifts with Cheng Ye, Lu Yao decided not to rest elsewhere and settled into the chair behind the shelves for a quick nap.

Before dozing off, she took out her phone to check for any unread messages. To her surprise, there was a new email in her inbox.

She opened it to find a résumé.

Skimming through the key details at lightning speed, Lu Yao grew increasingly alert.

Could this be real?

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