Ch 144: Guide to Running a Shop in Another World II

The hallway was half an inch deep in water. As she stepped forward, water seeped out of her shoes with each step. Frowning, Lu Yao noted to herself that the training for the new employees had clearly been insufficient—they couldn’t even last a full day without incident.

Xu Zhengrong and Ren You were unconscious at the entrance to the operating classroom, and the sound of singing and running water came from the restroom across the hall.

Lu Yao checked the two men’s breathing—thankfully, they were only passed out.

Uncertain about the situation in the lobby, she guessed the other guests had likely succumbed like Xu and Ren. With no time to attend to them, she stood and walked toward the restroom to turn off the faucet at the entrance sink.

The sound of running water ceased, but the singing, interspersed with sobbing, continued from the women’s restroom.

Holding the Regulation Rod in her hand, Lu Yao pushed open the restroom door. A heavy stench of saltwater greeted her, overwhelming and sharp, mixed with the metallic tang of iron. Though accustomed to the distinct scent of seawater from her time managing an underwater store, this was far more intense, tinged with a nauseating edge.

The restroom was dim and damp. The artificial windows Lu Yao had personally installed to provide light were now inexplicably blocked, leaving the room cloaked in an unsettling darkness. The electrical lights seemed to have failed as well.

Standing at the doorway, Lu Yao used the Regulation Rod as a wand, sketching a formation in the air. The irregular script connected into a magical array, gradually expanding outward and illuminating the room inch by inch.

Scattered on the wet floor were a few pieces of black clothing. Lu Yao recognized them as the same black suit set Chen You had worn earlier. However, there was no sign of Chen You herself—only her discarded clothes.

The sobbing and singing emanated from the furthest stall, near the wall. Lu Yao twirled the Regulation Rod, prompting the deity carving on the rod’s hilt to gape open with a rasping laugh.

Two shadow butterflies emerged from the carving’s mouth. One hovered silently by Lu Yao’s side, while the other flitted noiselessly into the stall above.

The shadow butterflies, imbued with divine power, could share both their perspective and collected information. Lu Yao had enhanced them with wish energy, enabling them to project holographic visuals.

On a small, glowing blue projection no larger than a palm, the situation inside the stall became clear: the now fully transformed ghostly figure of Chen You was entwined with the terrified Du Xiao, a recently identified ghostly entity herself.

The amorphous white figure of Chen You wrapped around Du Xiao like a cloud, her head resting on Du Xiao’s shoulder, singing softly and eerily. Du Xiao, seated on the toilet, was trembling and tearful, her face slack with shock and eyes filled with trembling despair.

Lu Yao gestured for the butterfly to withdraw, then stepped forward. She rapped on the stall door three times, her tone calm and measured. “Chen You, release the guest. If there’s something you need, we can discuss it outside.”

The ghostly Chen You lifted her head, her hollow black eyes staring at the door for a moment before she slowly unraveled herself from Du Xiao. Her gaping, dark eyes twisted into a malevolent grin.

Using her tail tip, which floated eerily in the air, Chen You opened the stall door and slithered out. Seeing Lu Yao standing there, she grinned even wider and surged forward, her tail curling toward Lu Yao’s legs. “Boss, I’ve been waiting for you. Aren’t you tired of this exhausting existence? Haven’t you long grown weary of it all?”

Lu Yao tilted her head slightly. “What makes you say that?”

Now fully in her ghostly form, Chen You had no feet. Using the tip of her tail, she delicately coiled it around Lu Yao’s leg and slowly worked her way up. “I know it, you see. You’ve walked a long, long road alone. With no clear direction ahead, you’re weary and lost, burdened beyond your limits. What harm is there in stopping for a few days’ rest? The great one holds you in high regard. That deity is omniscient and omnipotent, unmatched in wisdom. If you agree to serve, the great one will guide you onto a path that is both right and easy.”

Lu Yao finally understood the little ghost’s tactics—it was no wonder she could be considered on par with the Golden Octopus.

In Ghost Street, human transformation seemed to split into two categories: the aggressive octopus-like forms and the seemingly harmless ghostly forms.

Those who mutated into octopus creatures tended to be outwardly aggressive, while those who became ghost-like specialized in psychological manipulation.

The little ghost appeared innocuous but was highly skilled in brainwashing. In some ways, this made her more dangerous than the octopus mutants. Her singing, with its hypnotic qualities, was reminiscent of the mythical sirens.

Unfortunately for the little ghost, her attempts at brainwashing were too elementary for someone like Lu Yao; they didn’t even scratch the surface of her emotions.

Lu Yao raised her Regulation Rod and lightly tapped Chen You’s dark, hollow face with the blade. “Chen You, I’m not tired. Although I didn’t initially choose this path willingly, and it’s been fraught with troubles, confusion, and helplessness, the balance between what I’ve lost and what I’ve gained still holds. It hasn’t reached the point of regret. But you—giving up yourself so easily to become like this, serving that one indefinitely for free—are you truly content?”

Warm golden light poured from the blade, like gentle spring rain, falling in fine threads over Chen You’s form.

The little ghost recoiled violently as if burned, retreating in disbelief. Large patches of her ghostly exterior cracked like peeling paint, falling away to reveal her original form underneath.

Chen You glared at Lu Yao with near malice, shrieking, “You could just stop thinking about everything, follow me, and make it all easier. Why do you resist?”

Lu Yao raised the Regulation Rod, the tip aimed directly at Chen You’s hollow eyes. “If I must answer, it’s because the ‘great one’ you serve doesn’t seem all that powerful to me. I think I can resist at least a couple more times.”

In the next instant, the blade, cloaked in warm golden light, pierced straight into Chen You’s eye.

Chen You clutched her face and collapsed, screaming. Thick golden ichor oozed from her eyes.

Lu Yao calmly traced a light magic formation with her hand. The healing light enveloped Chen You, soothing the pain and gradually restoring her sanity.

The oppressive dampness of the restroom began to dissipate. The artificial windows, previously obscured by seaweed, cleared and allowed light to illuminate the room once again.

Lu Yao bent down to pick up the clothes on the floor and tossed them to the dazed Chen You, who sat slumped on the ground. “Put your clothes on before you come out.”

Chen You caught the clothes. When she opened her eyes again, the golden ichor had drained away, leaving her pupils back to normal black. There was no pain and no blindness.

Turning her head, she stared at Lu Yao with a mix of awe and confusion. The shopkeeper, who appeared frail, had proven overwhelmingly strong.

This operation had been one of Chen You’s rare opportunities to take the lead. She had been confident her singing would easily breach the shopkeeper’s mental defenses, yet she had been utterly defeated in an instant.

What was that strange weapon in the shopkeeper’s hand? What was her true ability? Why had someone like her appeared in Ghost Street?

Chen You’s mind, still sluggish, struggled to piece everything together. Then a chilling thought struck her, sending shivers down her spine.

“Does the ‘great one’ also not know where the shopkeeper comes from? Could it be that even HE cannot fully comprehend her abilities or what she relies on?”

At some point, the water that had pooled in the hallway had receded. Xu Zhengrong and Ren You were still lying on the ground.

Lu Yao nudged the two with her foot to wake them, then gently set Du Xiao down as well.

Xu Zhengrong sat up in shock. The moment he saw Lu Yao, he opened his mouth to speak, but something heavy leaned on his shoulder, distracting him. Instinctively, he raised his hand to steady Du Xiao, who was leaning against him.

Lu Yao placed her down and walked away without looking back. “Don’t move. Wait here until I get back.”

Ren You, rubbing his eyes, slowly sat up. “Xu Ge, what happened to us?”

At that moment, Chen You emerged from the restroom, now dressed. The sight startled Ren You so much he nearly jumped up but ended up collapsing back to the floor in a clumsy mess due to his weakness.

Chen You didn’t spare the three of them a single glance. She turned sharply and walked quickly to the warehouse door. Her face turned pale again when she saw Gan Qing slumped in the chair, unable to get up.

In the DIY small shop’s main hall, Huang Qi noticed Lu Yao coming out from the hallway. Eager to please, he jogged over to greet her. “Boss, done with the warehouse?”

Lu Yao scanned the hall. Over a dozen guests were sprawled neatly across the tables as if they were merely napping.

She walked over to check their pulses one by one. Confirming they were only asleep, she turned to address Huang Qi. “You have nothing to say?”

Huang Qi shook his head like a rattle drum. “Nothing at all! From now on, you’re my one and only boss!”

Lu Yao raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised to encounter a staff member who could read the situation so well.

But such a sharp-witted employee could also be a double-edged sword. With brains and adaptability, who knew when he might stab you in the back?

The cards were on the table now. Moving forward, it would either end in an open confrontation or devolve into a psychological battle.

Lu Yao’s personality leaned toward the former—direct and decisive. But experience had taught her that the latter approach often yielded better results.

Even if she sent these three back to the committee, they’d just be replaced by another trio of turncoats. It was better to stick with these three, who were at least halfway trained and reasonably competent.

She patted Huang Qi on the shoulder, accepting his pledge of loyalty. “Fine. Gan Qing and Chen You are still in the warehouse and might need some help. Go move the materials for this afternoon’s session into the second operations classroom.”

Huang Qi nodded and jogged off into the hallway.

Out of Lu Yao’s sight, the smile on the young man’s face faded, replaced by a shadowy gloom in his expression.

Still wary, Lu Yao cast a medium-range healing spell over the store.

In less than five minutes, the unconscious guests began to stir awake.

Xu Zhengrong, Ren You, and Du Xiao regained their strength and hurriedly ran out from the hallway.

Seeing Lu Yao standing in the hall, the three of them exhaled heavily, inexplicably feeling a wave of relief.

For some reason, seeing the shopkeeper again gave them a sense of safety.

Lu Yao noticed Xu Zhengrong was much more proactive than before and waved him over.

He quickly walked up to her, his tone unconsciously tinged with respect. “What’s the matter?”

Was she going to refuse to take care of Du Xiao now? But Du Xiao had regained clarity after spending only a few minutes with her. Xu Zhengrong’s heart was filled with both joy and apprehension.

Lu Yao got straight to the point. “When can Jiang Lin leave the church?”

Xu Zhengrong hesitated for a moment but ultimately answered truthfully: “After Jiang Lin regained consciousness, he seemed to develop a resistance to Him. Director Qin persuaded him to stay in the Security Office.”

Lu Yao thought to herself, You guys move fast. She said, “I want to invite Jiang Lin to work at my shop as a staff member. Can you release him?”

Xu Zhengrong’s expression faltered, and he took half a step closer to Lu Yao, lowering his voice. “You already have three staff members in your shop. Why do you need to hire another?”

Lu Yao replied, “You should know what they are. I need someone capable to oversee them as a team leader.”

A team leader… to oversee them…

Xu Zhengrong stepped back, shaking his head. “They’re all His true believers. They’ve seen Him, entered into contracts, and received blessings. How could Jiang Lin possibly oversee them?”

Blessings? Mental indoctrination, fear domination, and a “non-human lifestyle package”?

Lu Yao had encountered many gods, but this was the first time she’d come across one so stingy and twisted.

Perhaps because she had seen so many powerful and benevolent deities before, this encounter with a dark god evoked not a shred of reverence in her.

“I want to meet Jiang Lin,” she said, “to ask for his opinion. If he’s willing to join my shop, the DIY Studio can assist the church in treating those undergoing transformation.”

This was her compromise.

Xu Zhengrong hesitated, tempted by the offer, but thought about the rules of Ghost Street and shook his head reluctantly. “The arrangement of shop staff has always been under the purview of the Street Committee. The church is only responsible for receiving those undergoing transformation and has no authority to assign people to shops.”

Lu Yao had anticipated this response. “That’s not a problem—I have my ways.”

Unable to persuade her, Xu Zhengrong, bound by multiple concerns, reluctantly called Director Qin. He reported everything that had transpired in the shop and mentioned Lu Yao’s request.

After the afternoon’s DIY session concluded, Lu Yao put up the “Closed” sign ahead of schedule. Without keeping her staff around, she locked the shop and accompanied Xu Zhengrong, Ren You, and Du Xiao to the West District Church.

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