Ch 67: Guide to Running a Shop in Another World II

Liusheng was slightly startled when he saw Lu Yao walk out of the shop.

Lu Yao stepped to the side of the entrance, gesturing for him to enter. “A new guest? Why not come in?”

Liusheng hesitated. “You know me?”

Lu Yao smiled. “Don’t you remember? We met outside Tianxiang Tower.”

Liusheng had not recognized her.

When Lu Yao returned to the shop from Liuxian City, the clothing and aura Wuling had conjured for her had dissipated. At that time, she had also been wearing a face covering, so Liusheng had never seen her true appearance. He had only been surprised earlier that someone could emerge from such a demon-infused place.

Hearing Lu Yao mention Tianxiang Tower, Liusheng finally made the connection. “You’re the woman who picked up the snake-bone bracelet?”

Lu Yao nodded with a warm smile.

Liusheng hadn’t expected to encounter her again so soon and grew visibly uneasy. “After you left, I found a scroll. Someone told me it was a special teleportation scroll for this internet café. I just used it to come here.”

Liusheng hadn’t sold the teleportation scroll to the demon he met in the alley. Instead, he had returned to his residence, but the thought of the café kept lingering in his mind. Succumbing to his curiosity, he retrieved the scroll from his storage pouch and used it.

Lu Yao realized it was likely Wuling’s scroll. “No matter, the teleportation scrolls are meant to make it easier for guests to visit the café. The one you found was probably my friend’s; I’ll make sure to get him another.”

Liusheng found her tone unusually calm and kind, something he rarely encountered, and was at a loss for how to respond.

Lu Yao continued, “Since it’s your first time here, the café is running a grand opening promotion. You can claim a voucher for three days of free internet.”

She turned toward the interior and called out, “Xiao Zhong, give our new guest a voucher. It’s his first time; help show him around.”

That afternoon, Lu Yao had been busy preparing the magical barrier, and after dinner, Zhong Lianjia had taken over the shift from Cheng Ye.

As night fell over Mount Baixian, some customers left the café to return to their caves for cultivation, while others remained near the café, sitting quietly to absorb the surrounding spiritual energy.

Liusheng had arrived just as a seat in the main hall became available.

Zhong Lianjia handed him a voucher, recorded the details, and led him to an open seat.

Liusheng observed the young server carefully. “This is a human establishment?”

The environment’s influence on Zhong Lianjia had been profound—after just a few days, he had become indifferent to the occasional eccentric language of the demon patrons. Nodding mechanically, he replied, “Yes. The one who greeted you at the door earlier is our boss.”

Liusheng was startled. “Your boss is that young woman?”

Zhong Lianjia nodded again.

This demon customer seemed a bit slow.

Liuxian City had originally been a human settlement, only gradually falling under demon control over the past two centuries. Many humans still lived there, though their interactions with demons were often fraught with hidden contempt beneath a veil of fear.

The so-called coexistence of humans and demons was nothing more than an illusion.

Yet here, on the spiritually barren Mount Baixian—with no demon emperor presiding and no dominant sects in power—this humble shop, run by a human woman, catered to a clientele of demons.

Liusheng found the situation peculiar.

Zhong Lianjia diligently guided the newcomer through his first experience.

Liusheng was quick to pick up, proving to be quite intelligent. Like most first-time visitors to the café, his online journey began with a single-player simulation game.

The game revolved around nurturing a character from childhood to adulthood, arranging lessons and playtime to boost their stats. When the character turned eighteen, they would leave home, and their career and romantic outcomes would be revealed.

Without consulting any guides, Liusheng followed his instincts and personal preferences to plan the character’s daily activities. While he enjoyed watching the stats grow with each new lesson, for some reason, the outcomes of his characters were never particularly ideal.

Later in the day, Harold returned from Dragon Valley and helped Lu Yao set up the magical barrier. Together, they planted the core magical stones at four key points, using fine magical sand to draw a complex yet unobtrusive array.

As night fell, several demons lingered in the shadows, watching curiously.

“What kind of spell is this? It’s not demonic, not from our kind, and certainly doesn’t resemble those foul cultivators’ techniques,” one demon asked.

Lu Yao smiled. “It’s my own method. As long as it works, why overthink it?”

Harold snorted haughtily.

The demons were intrigued. The teleportation array and protective formations at the café were unlike anything they had seen. However, Lu Yao’s reluctance to explain further kept them from pressing. For them, as long as it was fun, that was enough.

Once the barrier was activated and deemed functional, Lu Yao and Harold prepared to head back to the café.

Suddenly, a mushroom spirit spoke up, “There’s a crack under the roots of the bodhi tree. I noticed some demonic energy leaking out.”

The mushroom spirit, which thrived in damp, decaying environments, had been fond of the moist and shadowy area under the bodhi tree’s roots. But after spotting the crack recently, it had moved elsewhere.

Lu Yao and Harold followed the mushroom spirit behind the café and found the fissure under the tree roots. A group of demon cultivators gathered around to watch.

“Purple demonic energy—this must be a passageway secretly opened by demonic cultivators,” one demon observed.

“Likely to drain human negative energy.”

“Such rifts between the Demon Realm and the human world occasionally appear. Humans, rife with emotions and desires, are easy targets for demons to exploit.”

The demons discussed the matter with evident disdain for the demonic cultivators.

Lu Yao, unfamiliar with the grudge between demons and the demonic clan, saw the latter not as enemies but as potential customers for her café.

“Are there demonic cities in the human realm?” she asked.

A demon cultivator shook his head. “Five hundred years ago, the current Demon Sovereign unified the Demon Realm and withdrew all demons from the human world, sealing the gates between the realms. Since then, they’ve been rarely heard of. Occasionally, rifts like this one appear, but there hasn’t been a large-scale invasion.”

“Unifying the Demon Realm and withdrawing from the human world right after ascending—this Demon Sovereign must be quite formidable,” Lu Yao remarked.

The demon cultivators, though typically more focused on cultivation, found themselves drawn into gossip, a habit nurtured by the café’s casual atmosphere and chatty human staff.

An ancient pine spirit, over a thousand years old, spoke up. “The current Demon Sovereign is a natural-born asura, cold and ruthless, with power that rivals few across the six realms.”

Lu Yao asked, “Between the Demon Sovereign and the Demon Emperor, who is stronger?”

The pine spirit waved its branches, its tone suddenly officious. “The Demon Emperor, though having reigned for less than three hundred years, is the strongest in the demon realm for millennia. A mere Demon Sovereign is no match.”

“Shut your mouth! Stupid demons always hyping themselves up! Our Demon Sovereign could crush that lovesick Demon Emperor a hundred times over!”

A sudden, brash voice broke through the night, startling everyone into silence.

At the root of the bodhi tree, the fissure leading to the Demon Realm had revealed a strange black creature.

With small, spindly claws gripping the edges of the crack, its glowing red eyes surveyed the group without the slightest hint of fear, exuding a brazen confidence that seemed to defy its size.

Lu Yao blinked and asked softly, “Was that you talking just now?”

“Of course it was me, what’s the problem? Got something to say?”

The little thing had quite the attitude!

A demon nearby exclaimed, “A magic seed! It’s a magic seed! Look at its red eyes—it must be the Demon Sovereign’s bonded pet.”

Magic seeds were creatures born only in the Demon Realm. Entirely black from their eyes to their skin, even their blood was pitch black. They fed on demonic energy and sought out the strong to follow.

Magic seeds could form contracts with demons, serving as either pets or transforming into weapons under their master’s command. Bonded pets were essentially the demonic equivalent of spirit beasts in the cultivation world.

It was said that the Demon Sovereign possessed a pair of crimson magic eyes, as red as blood. A magic seed bonded with the Sovereign would carry their mark, making this little creature’s blood-red eyes highly suspicious.

Another demon chimed in, “All demons who reach a certain cultivation level can awaken magic eyes. That doesn’t necessarily mean this magic seed belongs to the Demon Sovereign.”

The ancient pine spirit, humbled after being rebuffed earlier, hesitated before agreeing, “Indeed, it’s not certain it’s the Sovereign’s pet.”

Lu Yao reached out, pinching the little black creature’s cheeks. “Little one, sneaking into the human world—what kind of mischief are you planning?”

The tiny black creature squirmed and squealed, “You smelly woman! Let me go!”

“Bang!”

The little black ball was punched straight back into the crack leading to the Demon Realm.

“Oops, reflexes.” Harold flexed his hand, then used two fingers to effortlessly pinch the crack shut, smoothing it over. “The rift’s sealed. That little guy won’t be coming back. All good now.”

The demons fell silent, stunned.

They always knew the human shopkeeper’s companion was strange, but they hadn’t realized he was this powerful.

Repairing spatial rifts was something demon cultivators could do with specialized tools, but never this casually.

After setting up the magic barrier, sealing the Demon Realm rift, and overhearing some juicy Demon Sovereign gossip, Lu Yao was satisfied and returned to the café with Harold.

…

Nighttime business at the café was slower. Unlike humans, demons were naturally free-spirited and unruly, but when it came to cultivation, they were disciplined.

The big demons either returned to their caves or meditated in the woods to absorb spiritual energy.

The café’s hall was filled mostly with small demons, and a few seats were still unoccupied.

Liusheng stood out among the little demons.

He sat upright, his gaze focused, clicking the mouse with a precision that suggested anticipation.

Lu Yao walked up behind him.

He was playing an online game with a xianxia theme that featured collecting materials and crafting weapons.

Liusheng had gathered some spiritual stones and was now testing his luck.

Unfortunately, he had used up all his materials without producing anything noteworthy.

Liusheng slumped, visibly deflated.

Lu Yao shook her head.

A newbie, playing for free—stay strong!

Playing probability games was much like the path of cultivation: millions gamble their time and effort for a one-in-a-million chance.

But game probabilities could be adjusted, and players could quit anytime. The path of cultivation, however, was endless, an arduous journey with no shortcuts.

After zoning out for a bit, Liusheng sat up again, exited the game, and switched to a simpler one—an old classic where an old man mined for gold.

Cheng Ye came over from the office and handed a tablet to Lu Yao.

“Why aren’t you resting yet?” Lu Yao asked as she took the tablet and opened it.

After digesting books all afternoon, Alfred had produced a preliminary model for a keyboard designed for demon usage by evening.

When Cheng Ye switched shifts with Zhong Lianjia and returned to his temporary quarters, he had some spare time and began working on modifying the keyboard.

He adjusted Alfred’s draft but, lacking familiarity with demon culture, wanted Lu Yao to review it.

Lu Yao glanced at the blueprint. Judging by the design alone, she couldn’t identify any issues.

She preferred hands-on testing, making adjustments as needed after trial runs.

Lu Yao said, “Send me the blueprint. I’ll craft a prototype tonight.”

Cheng Ye looked surprised. “We don’t need to contact a factory? We’re doing it ourselves?”

Having joined later, he had yet to witness the boss’s capabilities.

Lu Yao nodded. “Yes. Ask Xiao Zhong to disassemble a keyboard for me later. I should have a prototype ready by morning. As for the input method plug-ins, you and Qingyan will have to put in some effort. I’ll have Alfred compile the language data for both the demon and cultivation realms for you to work on.”

Liusheng, unintentionally overhearing their conversation, slowed his movements.

After Cheng Ye left, Lu Yao took the blueprint to the counter and prepared for a long night of work.

Resolving the keyboard issue was critical to expanding the café.

Once resolved, the potential for gaming, software use, and real-time streaming could bring a surge of interest.

In the digital ecosystem, communication was key, and the keyboard was the weapon. Without effective communication, everything fell flat.

Lu Yao carefully dismantled an unused keyboard, examining its structure and components.

Zhong Lianjia, noticing her at work, tugged at her sleeve.

Lu Yao looked up.

He gestured for her to look beside them.

Liusheng had silently approached the counter, staring intently at the scattered keyboard components in Lu Yao’s hands.

Lu Yao waved him over. “I heard you’re an artifact refiner?”

Liusheng snapped out of his thoughts, instinctively lowering his head. “My work isn’t very good.”

Lu Yao smiled. “That bone bracelet you made caught my eye immediately with its elegant design. Its mechanism is fascinating—you have a creative mind.”

Liusheng’s face flushed as he shyly shook his head.

This human seemed genuinely kind.

Lu Yao handed him the blueprint for the demon-friendly keyboard. “My colleagues and I are working on a keyboard for demon use, but we lack the necessary understanding of demon needs. Could you take a look at this design?”

Liusheng’s amber eyes lit up. “Me? Are you sure?”

Lu Yao nodded firmly. “Of course.”

As someone with no formal training in artifact refinement but some crafting experience, Lu Yao believed Liusheng’s skills were promising.

At the very least, he could serve as a demon consultant, ensuring the keyboard’s basic configuration met their needs.

Meanwhile, Zhong Lianjia, bored from the long night and uninterested in gaming, hopped onto the employee network to stir up some chatter.

“[Interdimensional Internet Café Zhong Lianjia: The boss is discussing the feasibility of crafting a demon-friendly keyboard with a demon artifact refiner.]”

“[Little Pet cafe Zhou Su: So soon? Do we already have a demon colleague?]”

“[Childhood Tutoring Center Bai Yi: Watching for news of a new hire.]”

“[Hot Springs Inn Ji Qingyan: That fast? Can we start looking forward to demon-colleague shopping trips?]”

“[Interdimensional Cinema Gao Meng: Rich demons and their wallets—a distant dream for me!]”

“[Little Pet Cafe Lei Lei: Snacks!!!]”

…

In the demon emperor’s palace at Liuxian City, the sky lightened.

Two guards stationed at the outer courtyard chatted idly.

“Fifteen minutes until shift change. Finally, the night’s almost over.”

“Some sparrows just delivered two teleport scrolls. Wanna head out together after this?”

“Where to?”

“Where else? Baixian Mountain. Haven’t you heard about that place recently?”

“You mean… that place… the one called… what was it again?”

“The internet café. Haven’t you heard about it? Without a special scroll, you can’t even find it. They’re keeping it mysterious.”

“I heard about it too. That shop doesn’t look like much, but it burns through spirit stones faster than pills or talismans. The owner is even a human woman.”

The first guard said, “I have a coupon. Those sparrow spirits mentioned there’s a promotion—three days of free internet with the coupon, no spirit stones required.”

“That group of sparrow spirits can’t even transform yet. How did they get such things?”

“They roost around Baixian Mountain. Probably picked it up somewhere.”

…

Jizhuang sat by the waterside pavilion, holding a handful of fish food.

Last night, he drank with Wuling.

By dawn, Wuling was passed out drunk in the chamber, but Jizhuang felt no trace of inebriation.

As the morning mist lingered, he rose and came out to feed the fish.

He hadn’t expected to overhear such an amusing tale.

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