Ch 150: Guide to Running a Shop in Another World II

Song Wen’s companions waited by the door, watching as he exchanged a few words with the shop owner before following her back into the operation classroom.

One of them asked, “Why is he going back in?”

Another replied, “Maybe the storage bag isn’t finished?”

“Forget it. It’s probably nothing serious. We only managed to grab three sets of materials this morning, used one for practice, and still need to get the rest to K quickly.”

“Too many people are hoarding materials. Since the shop started limiting purchases, it’s getting harder to grab anything, and we can’t risk putting them in the storage bags. If the DIY Workshop’s storage bags worked as seamlessly as the Ghost System, that would be ideal.”

When people first arrived on Ghost Street, they had access to a personal in-game system called the Ghost System. This system included player information, a communication function, and a storage feature.

Initially, newcomers treated Ghost Street like a casual holographic game, using the Ghost System freely. But it wasn’t long before they discovered troubling issues: the system leaked personal information, frequent usage increased the chances of mutation, and items stored within it often vanished without reason. Over time, people abandoned the Ghost System entirely.

“Probably unlikely. The DIY Workshop’s owner might be unusual, but she’s no match for Lord Tienbrain. Even Tienbrain can’t defy him, let alone an ordinary person.”

“Yeah, we’ll see how it goes. Still, the materials from the DIY Workshop are definitely special. K said their properties are better than the specialized materials outside.”

“It’s just data. You can tweak it however you want. Honestly, I’m more curious why he allows her to run this shop on Ghost Street.”

“Who knows.”

“But we might as well take advantage—”

Before they could finish, Song Wen emerged from the hallway, his expression unusually strange.

Companion A asked, “What’s wrong? Didn’t get it?”

Song Wen shook his head, motioning for his companions to follow him to a secluded spot. Once there, he covered his mouth with his hand and whispered, “I got the storage ring.”

Before he could explain further, one companion grabbed his wrist. “What’s this bracelet? Something you made in class?”

On Song Wen’s left wrist was a plain silver bracelet. Its smooth, unadorned surface appeared simple yet inexplicably refined.

The other companion frowned. “There wasn’t a bracelet tutorial.”

“Is this the storage item the shop owner gave you?”

Once they reached the shadowy depths of an empty alleyway, Song Wen clarified, “It’s not a bracelet. The storage item the shop owner gave me is this ring.”

The companions then noticed the silver ring on Song Wen’s left index finger. The ring, similar in color and material to the bracelet, had intricate patterns on its surface, making it look even more exquisite.

Before they could ask further, Song Wen summoned the ring’s storage interface.

A semi-transparent screen appeared, showing only six slots. The bottom-left corners of four slots displayed “030.”

The first slot contained a handbag, and the second slot held a small booklet, both labeled with “130” in the bottom-left corner.

With a thought, Song Wen dismissed the storage interface.

His companions stared, momentarily stunned.

“It actually seems pretty good. Works a lot like the Ghost System’s storage space.”

“And if it’s just the size of a ring, it’s super convenient.”

“Is it safe?” one of them asked.

Song Wen shook his head. “Not sure yet. I’ll test it out for a few days.”

The companion nodded. “If it works well, I’ll order one too in a few days.”

At this point, Song Wen raised his bracelet. “No rush. The shop owner said this bracelet also has storage capabilities. Let me test it for a few days, and if it’s good, you might want to consider buying this instead.”

Finally mentioning the bracelet piqued his companions’ curiosity.

“What does the bracelet do?” one of them asked.

Song Wen’s expression turned mysteriously serious. “This bracelet is powerful. It has communication features, storage functions, and even… a combat system.”

“Isn’t that just like Ghost Street’s built-in Ghost System?”

“No, the Ghost System doesn’t have a combat feature.”

His companion looked skeptical. “Did you test it?”

Song Wen replied, “I only had time to activate the interface and check the system panel. It works like the storage ring—once bound, you can summon it directly.”

“So, the shop owner gave you this as a beta test?” the companion asked.

Song Wen nodded. “The shop owner said the bracelet’s functions overlap with the ring’s, so she offered it to me at a beta version price. Once the bracelet officially launches, I can return to the shop for a free upgrade to the latest version.”

The scent of profiteering was undeniable.

“How much is the beta version?” another companion asked.

“Two hundred thousand Ghost Coins,” Song Wen answered.

“…”

“…”

Both companions stepped back, their eyes wide, staring at Song Wen as if he had been scammed.

“Don’t look at me like that,” Song Wen said defensively. “The shop owner assured me that the price will be adjusted upon release, and it won’t be less than two hundred thousand.”

His companions couldn’t listen any longer, convinced that Song Wen had been taken advantage of by the DIY Workshop’s owner.

A storage ring for just over 800 Ghost Coins and a Ghost Bracelet for 200,000? No simple functionality upgrade could justify such a pricing jump.

Song Wen touched the bracelet on his wrist, unbothered by their judgment. “Money’s useless here anyway. I might as well spend it. Consider it paying for novelty. If it turns out great, I’ll let you know.”

With that, Song Wen and his companions exited the alley, flagged down a car, and headed back to the southern district.

…

DIY Workshop, Lunchtime

In the break room, the staff gathered around the dining area to eat their boxed lunches, provided as part of the shop’s employee meals.

Every day at lunch, an unfamiliar middle-aged man would deliver the meals. The staff didn’t know his real name or identity—they only heard the shop owner call him “Xiao Ji.”

Xiao Ji would hand over the meals at the door without stepping inside.

The employee meals had become a unique perk of working at the DIY Workshop and were now a daily highlight for the staff. They all agreed the meals were better than the snacks Luo Yao occasionally provided or anything they made themselves.

However, none of the staff dared to eat seafood. Only Luo Yao would occasionally order seafood rice or stir-fried seafood, leaving the staff both tempted and apprehensive.

After lunch, Luo Yao took out three small silver boxes and handed them to the three volunteer staff members. “These are products the shop will be launching soon. Consider them employee benefits—take them for a trial run and help test for bugs.”

Inside each box was a silver bracelet and a user manual.

The volunteers retrieved the items and read through the manuals, but they were left puzzled—the bracelet’s features seemed beyond their understanding.

The bracelet offered three main features:

1. Communication: After completing the binding and registration process, Ghost Bracelet owners could communicate with others who owned a Ghost Bracelet. Features included adding friends, chatting, and forming teams. This function resembled standard in-game communication systems. However, the manual included a small note at the end: “All information within this system is secure and cannot be intercepted by HIM or his followers.”
2. Storage: The storage system included 12 slots, with a maximum capacity of 100 identical items per slot (Compared to Song Wen’s storage ring, the Ghost Bracelet offered significantly more storage space). Additionally, the bracelet’s storage capacity could be upgraded using Wish Points.
3. Wish Points: Unlike Ghost Coins, Wish Points were a virtual currency unique to the Ghost Bracelet. They could be used to redeem virtual items and upgrade the system. Wish Points were generated passively by the bracelet’s owner, calculated hourly.

While the concept seemed straightforward, the volunteers were astonished by the bracelet’s capabilities. It was clearly no ordinary item.

The fine print in the instructions stated: The amount of Wish Points generated per person within a set time frame depends on individual circumstances, with no specific rules.

Additionally, bracelet users could exchange Ghost Coins for Wish Points directly on the bracelet.

• Exchange Rate: 10,000 Ghost Coins = 1 Wish Point
• Cycle: Exchanges could only be made once every seven days, with a maximum of 3 Wish Points per cycle.

The volunteer staff reading this note couldn’t help but feel exasperated.

Since Wish Points could already be generated naturally, it seemed absurd that anyone would willingly spend 30,000 Ghost Coins every week to buy just 3 Wish Points.

Luo Yao noticed their expressions but didn’t explain. She had deliberately set strict rules to discourage excessive exchanges. However, those who did attempt the exchange would notice a distinct difference between purchased Wish Points and those generated naturally.

The existence of Wish Points also introduced a payment-like feature to the Ghost Bracelet. In essence, it resembled a pay-to-win system.

Users could load Ghost Coins into the bracelet to exchange for Wish Points or purchase certain virtual services.

As for what virtual services the bracelet offered, the instructions didn’t provide any specific details yet.

The third feature, and the Ghost Bracelet’s core distinction from the Ghost System, was the combat system.

Before accessing the combat system, bracelet owners had to sign an additional contract. Upon signing, they would receive a Wish Box.

Opening the Wish Box granted the user a combat system tailored to their individual abilities.

The manual did not elaborate on the combat system but included a bold, red warning at the end:

“Users who sign the contract will gain access to the combat system and undergo a one-sided consciousness binding with the system provider. Users have one and only one chance to unlink and deactivate the combat system. After deactivation, all memories related to the combat system will be permanently erased. Use binding and unbinding permissions with caution.”

This concluded the Ghost Bracelet’s instruction manual.

Liu Jing read slowly, her unease growing with every red-letter warning. While the bracelet’s features were undeniably appealing, the warnings felt ominously suggestive, making her hesitant to take any further action.

Suddenly, Cai Yuxing let out an exclamation. Liu Jing turned to see that Cai Yuxing had already put on the bracelet and completed activation and binding.

After fiddling with the bracelet for a while, Cai Yuxing looked up at Luo Yao and asked, “Who is the system provider?”

Luo Yao replied, “That’s confidential.”

Pei Qi, glancing between the manual and the bracelet, interjected, “Who else could it be but the shop owner?”

Cai Yuxing naively said, “If it’s the shop owner, I feel safe binding it.”

Luo Yao interrupted firmly, “Think carefully before making any decisions. To put it simply, the agreement signed before using the combat system is similar to the contracts made by followers of him.”

Cai Yuxing’s lighthearted expression instantly disappeared. The weight of the comparison sobered her, and her brows furrowed deeply.

Liu Jing was so startled she dropped the bracelet, her face turning pale.

Luo Yao added, “You have three days to decide whether to activate and bind the bracelet. If you choose not to use it, just return it to me.”

Cai Yuxing, somewhat deflated, held up her bracelet and said, “I already activated it.”

Luo Yao smiled reassuringly. “That’s fine. As long as you don’t use the combat system, it’s no different from having an advanced smartphone.”

Cai Yuxing hesitated before asking, “Boss, did you give a bracelet to a customer this morning?”

Luo Yao replied, “Not quite. The customer was interested in the bracelet, so I sold them one at the beta version price.”

“How much?” Cai Yuxing asked.

“Fairly cheap—200,000 Ghost Coins,” Luo Yao answered calmly.

Cai Yuxing: “…”

Liu Jing: “…”

The two suddenly felt that the silver bracelets in their hands seemed far more valuable than before.

200,000 Ghost Coins was no small amount.

Pei Qi didn’t say anything further, instead continuing to study the bracelet and instruction manual.

Luo Yao didn’t mention giving bracelets to the other three staff members. Chen You and Gan Qing remained as silent and indifferent as ever, showing no apparent interest.

Only Huang Qi stopped Luo Yao, asking, “Boss, what about us? Don’t we get one?”

Without a word, Luo Yao handed Huang Qi a similar small silver box.

Huang Qi took it, quickly scanned the manual, and put on the bracelet immediately.

A semi-transparent screen appeared before his eyes, and Huang Qi raised an eyebrow as he pressed his fingerprint onto the screen.

Suddenly, the transparent screen turned red, and a voice prompt sounded:

“Your mental state has been detected as black, deviating from normal levels. Activation of the bracelet is temporarily unavailable.”

Everyone in the break room heard the prompt, their expressions shifting in various ways.

Huang Qi looked completely bewildered, even a little wronged.

Luo Yao said calmly, “It’s not that I don’t want to give you the bracelet—it’s just that the three of you aren’t currently able to use it.”

Gan Qing’s pitch-black eyes turned slowly as he extended his hand toward Luo Yao, speaking sluggishly, “I want one too.”

Luo Yao handed him a bracelet and, noticing Chen You’s expectant gaze, gave her one as well.

Gan Qing put on the bracelet.

“Your mental state has been detected as blue, deviating from normal levels. Activation of the bracelet is temporarily unavailable.”

Chen You pressed her lips together, visibly excited as she donned her bracelet.

“Your mental state has been detected as yellow, deviating from normal levels. Activation of the bracelet is temporarily unavailable.”

Luo Yao promptly retrieved all three bracelets. “When you’re able to activate them normally, you can have them back.”

This left not only Huang Qi but also Gan Qing and Chen You feeling a subtle sense of being unfairly treated, a mix of grievance and frustration.

Meanwhile, the three volunteer staff members looked at their own bracelets, deep in thought.

Luo Yao had spent a significant amount of time and energy designing and creating the Ghost Bracelets and wasn’t in a rush to push the staff into using them.

Although the devices were called “Ghost Bracelets,” they were, in truth, part of a larger Wish Power System.

The concepts of Wish Points and the Wish Box were inspired by Luo Yao’s experiences over the past year. She used technology and abilities far beyond the dimensions of this world to create the Ghost Bracelet.

The volunteer staff might still be hesitating, but in reality, they had no other choice. The Ghost Bracelet was destined to become popular on Ghost Street.

…

Southern District Street

Song Wen and his companions got out of the car and navigated through a series of twists and turns along the desolate streets, eventually entering an abandoned building.

As they climbed the stairs, they ran into some acquaintances coming out of the materials room.

These acquaintances informed Song Wen’s group of exciting news—K had successfully crafted a Desert Eagle using materials scavenged from the DIY Workshop.

However, there weren’t enough materials left to produce ammunition. That afternoon, they planned to return to the DIY Workshop to try and gather more supplies.

Song Wen and his companions were thrilled.

They had finally taken another step forward.

The Southern District had been devastated by divine punishment following a massive riot several months ago, leaving many residents missing. Compared to the Northern District, it now resembled a ghost town.

Despite this, the survivors hadn’t given up on finding ways to save themselves.

Their first encounter with the DIY Workshop came during that dawn-illuminating fireworks display, when someone received a jellyfish-shaped flyer.

Initially, Song Wen and his grandmother had been drawn to the flyer’s promotion of the DIY food activity. However, during their first visit, they sensed the workshop’s unfathomable depth.

Gradually, they began organizing trips to the DIY Workshop, joining the activities while secretly collecting materials to bring back to the Southern District for their technicians to experiment with crafting weapons.

In just a few short days, their technician, K, had crafted a Desert Eagle using the special metals provided by the DIY Workshop.

How could this not excite them?

When Song Wen and his companions arrived at the materials room, they happened to find K there as well.

K, a man in his thirties, wore green camouflage work clothes, goggles, and gloves. His unshaven face and sluggish demeanor gave the impression of someone perpetually exhausted.

Song Wen’s group handed over their materials and struck up a conversation with K, asking about the progress on the Desert Eagle.

K responded with calm detachment, his voice low and subdued, offering only a few brief answers.

Suddenly, K raised a hand, removed his goggles, and grabbed Song Wen’s wrist. “What is this?”

Before Song Wen could explain, his two companions eagerly jumped in, complaining about how Song Wen had been overcharged by the DIY Workshop’s owner.

K attempted to remove the bracelet from Song Wen’s wrist but found it couldn’t be taken off.

Song Wen explained, “The bracelet is already activated and bound to my identity. It can’t be removed.”

K held Song Wen’s hand, examining the bracelet closely. His previously lethargic demeanor vanished, replaced by a sharp intensity that startled everyone. “I want to see the manual.”

Song Wen, still unfamiliar with the Ghost Bracelet’s full capabilities, had stored the manual in his storage ring.

When K saw Song Wen summon a completely unfamiliar interface, his eyes widened even further. “What’s that?”

Song Wen replied honestly, “It’s a storage ring, independent of the Ghost System, used to store items.”

K asked, “That’s also from the same shop?”

Song Wen nodded.

K skimmed the Ghost Bracelet’s manual at lightning speed, absorbing its contents in moments. Without another word, he pushed Song Wen aside and strode toward the door.

The materials room administrator called after him, “You forgot your materials!”

Without turning back, K replied, “Leave them for now. I’m heading out.”

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