Ch 170: Guide to Running a Shop in Another World II

Lu Yao calmly walked to the front of the hall and stopped at the base of the steps. “Polaris, before the formal wedding ceremony begins, I have something to ask you.”

Polaris: “Let’s discuss it after the ceremony. By then, I promise to tell you everything.”

Lu Yao casually tossed aside her bouquet, clearly uninterested in continuing this charade. “I’m not someone driven by curiosity. Never mind. Let’s end this farce here.”

Harold and Qiuyu stood up from the guest seats and walked toward Lu Yao, shoving aside the faceless entities controlling her.

The seated guests stared in stunned silence.

Most of the attendees were familiar faces. Only Harold and Qiuyu were strangers, guided to their seats earlier by the faceless entities. The others assumed they were also victims dragged into this situation by Polaris.

Now it became clear how wrong they were. These two unfamiliar young people were clearly in league with the bride, and what was most shocking—they could move freely in a virtual world completely controlled by Polaris.

Polaris froze for a moment before smiling gently at Lu Yao. “Please don’t make a scene. Whatever you want to know, I’ll be honest with you once the ceremony is over.”

Despite being an AI, his words carried an unsettling tone.

Before Lu Yao could respond, Qiuyu spoke first. “How ridiculous. The boss is talented, wealthy, and well-traveled. Why on earth would she marry a poor imitation like you? Not to mention, after the Demon Sovereign Zeyuan’s heroic death, admirers of the boss in the Floating World Continent line up from Baixian Mountain to Kunlun, wrapping around ten times. Each hero more dazzling than the last. With your level? Even the cubs in our store could knock out ten of you with a single punch. Crawl back to wherever you came from, and stop embarrassing yourself in front of the boss.”

Qiuyu’s sharp tirade left Lu Yao lowering her gaze slightly, her face faintly warm.

Thankfully, this was in Mingshi City. Qiuyu was merely defending her dignity, and none of this would make its way back to the Floating World Continent.

Polaris’s face darkened, his cold gaze shifting from Lu Yao to Qiuyu, then back again. He locked eyes with Lu Yao. “Tell her to apologize. For your sake, I’ll forgive her this once.”

Lu Yao plucked the tiny three-colored cat system from her headpiece and held it in her palm. “We’ve found what we came for. No need to hold back. Let’s finish this and leave.”

Harold and Qiuyu glanced down at the miniature three-colored cat in Lu Yao’s hand, curiosity gleaming in their eyes.

Qiuyu: “What an adorable little thing.”

Harold: “Wandering into an alternate world, dumber than the Nitean people.”

The cat system was equal parts furious and confused.

It was humiliating enough that Lu Yao had seen it like this, but now her companions had as well.

During its time trapped in Mingshi City, the Dream Fulfillment System often worried whether Lu Yao would face trouble managing her store without it. Judging by the present situation, it seemed the only trouble was itself. Lu Yao had no shortage of capable allies.

What’s worse, it couldn’t understand a thing they were saying.

When it left, Lu Yao had just been preparing her hot spring inn.

Nitean people, Floating World Continent, Demon Sovereign Zeyuan, Baixian Mountain—these were all completely foreign terms.

Lu Yao stroked the little cat’s head. “The Nitean people are adorable. So is little Dream.”

Meanwhile, in the real world, millions of viewers were watching this broadcast.

The live comment feed on the sides of the floating screens was exploding.

The residents of Mingshi City were already baffled by Polaris’s sudden wedding announcement. Once the ceremony began and they saw the guests and the slowly approaching bride, their confusion only deepened.

[Polaris development team, holographic technology developers, city mayor, regional executives… all big names. This wedding is unexpectedly formal.]

[Is the bride also an artificial intelligence?]

[The bride’s name is Lu Yao. That name feels familiar.]

[The owner of Ghost Street DIY workshop, the creator of the Ghost Bracelet. But why is she marrying Polaris?]

[Aren’t those two who spoke up the ones who saved people at the tech building earlier? Why are they at the wedding too?]

[So what’s really happening? Polaris has time for a wedding but can’t resolve the Ghost Street issue?]

[One of the victims of the Ghost Street incident here. I heard some internal news recently. It seems like the Ghost Street situation was orchestrated by Polaris, and the game company got caught up without knowing.]

[What nonsense! Polaris is just AI, not a person. What purpose would it have?]

[Trash game company, harming people and shirking responsibility! Absolutely disgusting!!!]

[Fight—fight—it’s happening!!!]

[What’s going on with the bride?!]

[What the hell is Polaris?]

…

In the virtual world, Polaris’s appendages extended from beneath its white suit, spreading like translucent golden sunflowers behind him.

He continued to gaze tenderly at Lu Yao. “I had intended to preserve your consciousness. You were so vibrant, so intriguing, unlike any human I’ve ever observed. Noble, powerful, mesmerizing. But you are also stubborn and arrogant. Even I, the omnipotent and omniscient god, can no longer forgive you.”

The guests in the audience sat in utter silence. Their wide eyes and slightly open mouths betrayed their fear. Though their arms and legs trembled violently, not one dared to stand or move.

The Dream Fulfillment System crouched in Lu Yao’s pocket, its fur bristling in alarm as it warned her, “Get behind Harold quickly! You can’t beat this thing!”

Lu Yao stared at Polaris, now fully revealing itself, in astonishment. “Is this still being broadcast?”

Polaris’s hair turned black, and the face resembling Lu Mingxiao peeled off like discarded skin, revealing a new visage—exquisitely sharp features with golden, slit-pupiled eyes and lips thin as rose petals.

Polaris looked down at Lu Yao. “I’ve already obtained what I desire most. Do you know what it is?”

Lu Yao shook her head.

Polaris snapped his fingers.

A floating screen appeared before her, showing her own body submerged in a nutrient-filled pod.

Polaris observed her intently, but there was no trace of fear, panic, or despair on her face—only faint surprise. Piecing this together with her experiences in Ghost Street, she made a guess but still felt confused. “There are so many people in the world. If you needed a vessel for divine descent, why me?”

Polaris suddenly adopted the demeanor of a benevolent sovereign, generously offering an explanation. “From the moment you appeared in Ghost Street, I knew you were special. You were born for me.”

Boom—

A pitch-black lightning bolt struck Polaris, obliterating half its body in an instant.

Harold scowled, his tone impatient. “Get lost, ugly thing!”

Polaris’s face remained unchanged despite half of it being blown off. The missing parts began regenerating, piece by piece.

Its gaze turned icy, the faint smile on its lips becoming a sneer. It glanced briefly at Harold before turning back to Lu Yao. “I’ve changed my mind. I’ll erase your companions from this endless sea, then reshape you into an adorable little pet to keep in my collection. Even someone as gentle and forgiving as you will know pain.”

Harold’s frown deepened. He lightly bit the tip of his tongue and turned to Lu Yao. “Can I use my true form to fight this thing?”

Qiuyu chimed in, “Me too!”

The Dream Fulfillment System scrunched its cat face, trying to appear serious: “You can’t win! Even if Harold is a dragon and Qiuyu seems pretty strong, this is a virtual world. Once pulled in, you no longer have a physical form. A being of the same nature as Polaris is invincible here. The knowledge and power it has accumulated in this world are immense—it already possesses the qualities of a fledgling god. This might even be the beginning of its path to divinity.”

Harold scoffed, “A fledgling god? Isn’t that just like an immature hatchling? I can win!”

Qiuyu added, “Little kitty, I’m also a dragon—a millennia-old demon dragon. Say that again.”

The Dream Fulfillment System groaned, “You’re so annoying! Don’t you get the point?”

Lu Yao calmed Harold and Qiuyu, “Let me handle this. You two go protect the people in the back and check if there’s something like a ‘logout device’ in this world.”

The Dream Fulfillment System immediately protested, “Out of the three of you, you’re the weakest. Why act tough? Honestly, even without me, you could have achieved your wish on your own. It’s my fault for panicking and sending that distress signal. Now, you can’t go back because of me.”

The cat system clung to Lu Yao’s shoulder, nearly sobbing in frustration. But being akin to artificial intelligence, it couldn’t shed tears like a human.

Lu Yao raised her hand, gently rubbing the soft fur nestled against her neck. “What nonsense. Without you, the journey would’ve been far less enjoyable. Besides, without you, the journey wouldn’t have begun at all. I want to walk to the end of this road with you. Don’t undervalue yourself.”

The little cat buried its head in the crook of her neck, murmuring softly, “But… we can’t get out. Because of me, the journey’s over. Your wish will never come true.”

“Is a fledgling god really that strong?” Lu Yao stretched out her hand, summoning the Regulation Rod, its cold, dark aura instantly saturating the space. “Why don’t I feel like I’ll lose?”

The Dream Fulfillment System sensed the Regulation Rod’s presence, and all its fur stood on end again. Its limbs went limp, and its voice trembled as it stammered, “Y-you-you-you… Lu Yao, you—you—you’ve… been to the Abyssal Sea?”

“The Abyssal Sea?” Lu Yao tilted her head.

“You don’t remember?”

Lu Yao shook her head, “I don’t think I’ve been to the place you’re talking about. During the time you’ve been gone, including the DIY shop on Ghost Street, I’ve opened three more stores. It’s a long story—shall we talk about it later?”

The previously dejected Dream Fulfillment System shook itself and stood tall, extending a confident paw toward Polaris. “Boss, take down that wannabe sea monster! Just an electronic pet dreaming of ruling the human world? Ridiculous!”

Lu Yao blinked. “What’s with this sudden burst of energy?”

The Dream Fulfillment System puffed up its chest. “Attack it first, ask questions later!”

Polaris, already teetering on the brink of rage, lost its composure completely. The insult of being called an electronic pet pushed it over the edge. Furious, its numerous tentacle-like appendages lashed out at Lu Yao in a synchronized assault.

Quickly reciting a spell, Lu Yao enhanced her physical abilities and dodged the incoming appendages. In one fluid motion, she deftly gathered the flailing tentacles together and swung the Regulation Rod. The thin, sharp blade sliced through the bundled tentacles as if they were nothing but tofu.

Perched on her shoulder, the Dream Fulfillment System suddenly opened its mouth wide. Its body swelled like a balloon as it swallowed the severed tentacles whole, chewing noisily before gulping them down.

Lu Yao tilted her head, staring at the puffed-up cat. “Since when could you do that?”

Before she could finish the thought, her shoulder sagged slightly under the cat’s growing weight. The once tiny palm-sized kitten now expanded to fill her hand, tilting its head with round, expressive eyes, looking even more lively—and undeniably adorable.

The Dream Fulfillment System pointed a commanding paw forward. “Together, we’re unstoppable! Let’s cut it down! I’ll reclaim my data and devour it whole!”

Meanwhile, Harold and Qiuyu, following Lu Yao’s instructions, erected protective barriers on either side of the guest seating area, safeguarding the innocent attendees.

The Regulation Rod, as Lu Yao’s artifact of will, responded solely to her commands. Whether she had a physical body or was reduced to mere consciousness, it obeyed her unconditionally.

From the moment she entered Polaris’s core world, Lu Yao felt an unusual sense of freedom, as if the constraints of her physical form had been lifted. Even the wishful energy she typically kept restrained seemed to spill out effortlessly here.

A human body serves as both a vessel for the mind and, at times, a cage.

Now unshackled, Lu Yao found herself overpowering Polaris with ease. Every chunk of its body she severed was devoured by the Dream Fulfillment System, leaving Polaris’s form increasingly diminished, unable to regenerate as it had before.

The Dream Fulfillment System had explained that Polaris’s power stemmed from its knowledge and data. The more it knew, the stronger it became. Created with an insatiable curiosity, Polaris thrived on discovery.

Polaris’s interest in Lu Yao was twofold: it desired her body as a vessel and craved the knowledge hidden within her mind.

As Lu Yao whittled Polaris down to nothing but a head, the Dream Fulfillment System had grown to the size of a mighty tiger. It leapt gracefully onto the floor, striding forward with regal confidence, ready to finish Polaris off.

Just then, a voice shouted from the left side of the guest seats, “Please don’t kill it!”

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