Ch 172: Guide to Running a Shop in Another World II

Harold placed Lu Yao into the Qiankun Bag and opened a spacetime portal right before Pei Qi’s eyes.

When Lu Yao emerged from the Qiankun Bag, she was already back at the Interdimensional Internet Cafe.

The moment her feet touched the ground, Xiong An’an, Little Ginseng, and Kangkang burst into the break room, noisy as ever.

Xiong An’an ran to Lu Yao, wrapping his arms tightly around her leg. His bean-like eyes brimmed with grievance. “Lu Yao is biased! She secretly took Qiuyu to have fun!”

Little Ginseng and Kangkang also looked at Lu Yao with pitiful, teary eyes.

Harold picked up Xiong An’an and said, “Next time, I’ll take you guys. The place we went this time wasn’t fun anyway, not even the food was good.”

Qiuyu transformed from the wrist accessory she had been into her human form.

Determined to maintain her new hairstyle, Qiuyu didn’t shrink down, instead appearing in her adult human form. Her long, wavy hair was light and bouncy, paired with her new black dress, sparkly stilettos, and a sleek purse. She looked every bit like a rich heiress from a drama.

The little ones, who had just been placated, immediately grew upset again, their grievances deepening to the point of near tears.

Lu Yao pulled out princess dresses and Mary Jane shoes she had bought in Mingshi City for Little Ginseng, along with boxes of new toys for Xiong An’an and Kangkang, from her personal storage. “How could I forget you all? We had proper business to handle this time. I promise, next time, I’ll bring you too.”

While the food in Mingshi City was underwhelming, the quality and aesthetic of daily goods were unexpectedly excellent. When buying clothes for Harold and Qiuyu, Lu Yao had already anticipated the little ones at home making a fuss and prepared gifts in advance.

After receiving their gifts, the little ones clung to Lu Yao, acting adorably spoiled, and were finally appeased.

Including the preparation time before heading to Mingshi City, Lu Yao had gone several days without proper rest, and the day in Mingshi City had been exhausting.

Now back in the shopping street, her body and mind finally relaxed entirely. The fatigue hit her in waves, like a rising tide.

They returned to the Interdimensional Internet Cafe at four in the morning. Lu Yao told Harold to return to the nail salon for some rest, while she decided to head to the hot spring inn for a bath and to check on Budu.

Exiting the break room, Lu Yao greeted Xiao Zhong and Jiao niang, who were working the night shift, and handed out their gifts.

The day in Mingshi City had been so rushed that Lu Yao hadn’t had time to shop thoroughly. She simply bought whatever she came across in the mall.

For Xiao Zhong, Cheng Ye, and the office programmers, she had bought computer peripherals. For Jiao niang, she got a complete set of cookware with frying, boiling, grilling, and hot pot functions.

Planning to give herself a break the following day, Lu Yao left gifts for the other cafe employees on the counter, instructing Xiao Zhong and Jiao niang to distribute them.

Before leaving the cafe, Lu Yao hadn’t heard a peep from the Dream Fulfillment System, so she asked, “Are you still there?”

After a few seconds, the Dream Fulfillment System finally replied, slowly and lazily, “Did you manage all this space expansion for the shop yourself?”

While Lu Yao chatted with the employees, the Dream Fulfillment System had scanned the entire shopping street anew.

Deep down, it had assumed that even without it, Lu Yao could handle any issues that arose while running the shop. But seeing everything so orderly now filled it with an unexpected sense of loss.

Lu Yao said, “When you weren’t here, the proxy system was useless. Of course, I had to figure things out myself. Now that you’re back, it’s a load off my shoulders.”

Leaving the cafe, Lu Yao hesitated for a moment under the eaves before crossing the street and heading toward the hot spring inn.

Through the window, light seeped out past the curtains, indicating someone was still awake.

Budu was sitting by the window, working on a puzzle. Hearing movement, he set down the half-completed puzzle and hopped off his stool to run to the door.

Lu Yao pushed the door open, pulled Budu inside, and asked softly, “Why aren’t you asleep?”

Budu replied, “Got too absorbed in the puzzle.”

Lu Yao, seeing through his excuse but choosing not to expose him, took out the gifts she’d bought for him in Mingshi City: clothes, shoes, hats, a backpack, puzzles, building blocks, and other little trinkets whose uses even she wasn’t entirely sure about.

“Staying in the shop all the time, isn’t it boring?”

Budu shook his head. “As long as I’m with Mother, nothing is boring.”

Lu Yao carried the things she brought for Budu into his room and revisited a topic from earlier in the year. “Budu, now that the weather is cooling down, you’ll be able to move around more. Would you like to try going to kindergarten?”

During the New Year, when Lu Yao first brought this up, Budu had refused.

Months passed, with summer’s scorching heat confining Budu to the shop. Seeing him stuck inside day after day made Lu Yao feel guilty.

After leaving Budu behind for the trip to Mingshi City, Lu Yao couldn’t help but sigh at the thought and brought up the topic again.

Budu pressed his lips together and remained silent for a while before looking up at Lu Yao. “Okay, I’d like to go to kindergarten.”

Lu Yao hadn’t expected him to agree, so she was momentarily stunned before breaking into a delighted smile.

After chatting with Budu for a while, Lu Yao soaked in the hot spring for ten minutes despite her overwhelming exhaustion, then fell asleep as soon as she lay down. When she woke again, it was already the next afternoon.

Lu Yao lay in bed, unwilling to move, staring at the ceiling in a daze. Finding the Dream Fulfillment System had finally let her relax, and now laziness crept in.

The system popped up. “I need to tell you something.”

Lu Yao pulled the blanket over herself and turned onto her side. “Go ahead.”

“I ate the proxy robot.”

Lu Yao sat up abruptly. “What? What happened?”

The system explained, “Since I’m back now, I thought I’d take over the tasks during your rest. But there was a bit of conflict… so, just in case, I ate it.”

Lu Yao was dumbfounded. “What kind of ‘just in case’? Is the proxy robot just a machine, or…?”

“It’s just a dumb robot—less advanced than even something like Polaris. Eating it was to protect your information. But given the months I was gone, and the time you spent in the Ghost Street, your data might have already been leaked. Don’t worry, though, I’m on your side now.”

Lu Yao was at a loss for words. The Dream Fulfillment System was undeniably still the same, even if it had seemed steadier lately due to its recent experiences. Beneath the surface, its deeply ingrained, transparent foolishness remained impossible to hide.

Lu Yao composed herself and asked softly, “Who exactly is our enemy? And when you weren’t on my side, whose side were you on?”

“Uh… you know about confidentiality agreements, right?”

Lu Yao nodded knowingly. “There are priorities, I take it? I rank lower.”

“For now, yes. But you have great potential.”

“What does that mean?”

“I accessed a lot of your recent data from the stores you’ve opened in Nitean Continent, Floating World Continent, and the Ghost Street after consuming the proxy robot. But I still couldn’t find one particular set of records.”

“What records?”

“The ones about your journey to the Abyssal Sea.”

Lu Yao recalled, “Ah, you mentioned that back in Mingshi City. Why are you so certain I’ve been to the Abyssal Sea?”

“That staff of yours—the handle has two godly statues that cannot be gazed upon. One of them might represent the Abyss Goddess.”

Before Lu Yao could inquire further, the system continued. “And that sudden appearance of the Evil God on the Floating World Continent was also strange. I keep thinking they deliberately set that obstacle for you after sending me away. But it’s hilarious—Yu Yao, who was supposedly chosen by destiny, had such poor qualifications that even with divine blessings, she couldn’t beat you. I almost died laughing.”

Lu Yao sighed. “Yu Yao caused me no end of trouble. Thinking about it now still makes my heart ache with frustration.”

The Dream Fulfillment System said, “From my perspective, this is already the best outcome. We managed to preserve the Floating World Continent without significant losses. A naturally born Evil God wouldn’t have been so easily sealed. Lu Mingxiao won’t die, and you’ll meet him in the next world. Let’s not dwell on these trivial details.”

If the system hadn’t brought it up, Lu Yao wouldn’t have deliberately recalled events from the Floating World Continent.

Judging by what it said, there seemed to be more to the Evil God than met the eye.

What came to her mind was the entity she destroyed when using Alfred to go back in time for investigation.

Lu Yao asked, “What did you mean earlier about the Abyss Goddess?”

The Dream Fulfillment System, realizing it might have revealed too much, started hedging. “Ah, let’s leave that for another time. By the way, it seems like something’s happening at the internet café. The staff have come looking for you several times, but since you were sleeping, I didn’t wake you. Maybe check in there first?”

Lu Yao suddenly remembered there was indeed something planned for today—not at the internet café but in the shopping street.

A few days ago, Shi Yan had mentioned that the preparations for Tales of Six Realms were complete, the beta test had concluded, and today was the official launch. Shi Yan had also reminded her to handle the new store’s affairs quickly so they could grab a meal together on the launch day.

The employees of the Internet Café and the second office had worked alongside Shi Yan’s team. Having witnessed Six Realms take Floating World Continent by storm, they couldn’t help but be excited to see if it could succeed in the local market. Their enthusiasm was likely why they wanted to find her.

Shi Yan’s team and the second office staff had shared their confidence: even without holographic technology or illusionary settings, Six Realms still ranked as a top-tier game in its category due to its world-building, character design, music, and integrated gameplay. Its strong narrative and well-crafted characters were particular highlights.

Yet, as this was the first time Lu Yao was launching a product in this world, she couldn’t help feeling anxious. If not for her recent busyness, she might have found herself fretting even more.

Setting aside her curiosity about the system’s unfinished explanation, she reminded herself there would always be time to continue the conversation later.

Lu Yao got up, changed clothes, and, after washing up, stepped out to check on the first-day performance of Tales of Six Realms.

The inn’s lobby bustled with activity.

The Twightlight moon season was approaching, and Thorn Valley had gradually become the liveliest and most important trade hub on the Nitean Continent. Smallfolk from other tribes were arriving in groups, hoping to exchange essential goods before the coldest weather set in.

The tiny shop staff paused their work to greet Lu Yao as she appeared.

Recalling the intricately designed food models and miniatures she had purchased as gifts in Mingshi City, Lu Yao handed them out to the smallfolk.

What appeared as toy-sized chairs, desks, shelves, and sliding wardrobes to humans were innovative and practical furniture pieces for the smallfolk.

The tiny shop staff were both surprised and delighted by the gifts, clustering around Lu Yao and refusing to let her leave.

When she finally stepped out of the hot spring inn, the soft golden sunlight bathed the rooftops, and a light floral scent carried on the evening breeze. From across the street, the sound of chatter and laughter echoed from the office building.

Crossing the road, Lu Yao had just reached the steps when a group, including Ji Zhixin, Bai Lu, Mei Xue, Liu Yixi, Cheng Ye, and Zhong Lianjia, emerged from the office. Seeing Lu Yao, they eagerly surrounded her.

“The boss is finally awake!”

“On the first day of Tales of Six Realms, we hit 47,000 cumulative registrations, with over 20,000 players online simultaneously.”

Lu Yao wasn’t entirely sure if those numbers were good.

However, considering that the launch-day registrations alone were dozens of times more than the average online players in Floating World Continent (where her shop was the only internet café), she couldn’t help but feel happy. The staff, too, seemed greatly encouraged.

Bai Lu said, “Before the official launch, K-king, Director Fu, President Ji, and even the Little Spider from Floating World helped promote the game online. Shi Yan also reposted it on Big Eye. For a game with no IP backing and no paid advertising, these numbers are really impressive.”

Lu Yao replied, “Shi Yan mentioned having dinner together a couple of days ago, but I was worried about not being able to resolve the Ghost Street issue in a day, so I postponed it. Looks like we should arrange that dinner after all. If any of you want to join, let Zhixin know, but it’s fine if you don’t feel like coming.”

Ji Zhixin made a note of it. “Once we confirm the time with Shi Yan, I’ll let everyone know in the group. Boss, has the Ghost Street issue been resolved?”

Talking about Ghost Street, Lu Yao hesitated.

At the moment, keeping the DIY Workshop open didn’t seem meaningful.

Players from Mingshi City likely shared the same psychological trauma as Pei Qi, making it unlikely for them to re-enter a full-immersion game anytime soon.

With the exposure of the Truth about Polaris, it became evident that the original players were forced to remain in Ghost Street. Now that they were free, there was no longer a need to return.

The Dream Fulfillment System said, “The people of Mingshi City will probably come looking for you again. The DIY store is still useful, so why not keep it for now?”

Lu Yao asked, “What would they want from me?”

The system explained, “Since I consumed so much of Polaris’ data, I’ve inadvertently established a connection with the virtual worlds it controlled. There are still many people in Mingshi City diagnosed with net-blindness syndrome who haven’t woken up. Some rehabilitation centers are attempting external interventions, but the results have been minimal. I suspect it won’t be long before they seek your help.”

Lu Yao sighed. “But I don’t have a solution. The players in Ghost Street were only able to log out because Pei Qi found the logout device. Now that Polaris has learned to consume logout programs, I have no idea if it’s even possible to log out from other games.”

While Lu Yao discussed this with the Dream Fulfillment System, several newly hired programmers emerged listlessly from the control room. Spotting Lu Yao, they looked as if they were about to cry.

Understanding their concerns, Lu Yao beckoned them over and calmly said, “The Ghost Street project isn’t over yet. If the project ends up being scrapped, and you’re willing, I’ll arrange for you to be reassigned to other stores. If you want to resign, just submit an application to Zhixin in advance.”

Lu Yao didn’t believe in unnecessarily stringing her employees along and preferred to be direct.

Song Qingshan, He Bi, and Zhang Shu finally breathed a sigh of relief, their previously hanging concerns easing.

After they left, the Dream Fulfillment System asked again, “When are you planning to open a new store?”

Lu Yao’s expression turned serious. “As soon as possible.”

The system sounded surprised. “I thought you’d want to rest for a few days.”

Lu Yao pulled a small clue card from her pocket. “I would, but something seems off.”

The small card Lu Yao held had yellowed edges and some visible damage. The most unsettling part was that it originally had the words “Land of Gold” written on it, but at some point, the clue had mysteriously changed.

Seeing the updated clue, the system’s mood became equally grim. “The difficulty is so high. Have you decided what kind of store to open?”

Lu Yao nodded.

“I have a rough idea.”

…

Thingyan: Ahhhh the worlds are getting tougher. I’m getting anxious every time.

🛍️🛍️🛍️🛍️🛍️