Ch 176: Guide to Running a Shop in Another World II

The news that the DIY Workshop would continue operations was a great relief to Song Qingshan and the other two employees. Although Lu Yao had mentioned before that she might transfer them to a new shop depending on the situation, the prospect of adapting to a new environment and potentially switching professions had left them uneasy.

When Lu Yao brought up transferring one employee to manage the new system at the courier shop, the three exchanged glances but didn’t immediately respond.

Zhang Shu asked, “What kind of world is the new shop connected to? Is it dangerous?”

He Bi pointed to the newly hung sign at the end of the street. “That courier shop? Logistics services?”

By this time, other shop employees were also arriving. Seeing Lu Yao talking with the three, they gradually gathered around.

Bai Yi remarked, “The boss is even more of a workaholic than a true workaholic. Another new shop already?”

Zhou Su added, “A courier shop? This one seems unusually modest.”

Ji Zhixin, analyzing the situation, commented, “From my experience, the simpler the shop looks, the more extraordinary the world behind it is.”

…

The employees were filled with curiosity about the new shop, and Lu Yao didn’t hold back. “The new shop connects to a world called the Golden Kingdom. It was once known for its abundant precious metals.”

Among the shop employees, there were quite a few wealthy ones. Even so, the mention of the “Golden Kingdom” lit up their eyes with excitement and anticipation.

The name alone sounded opulent—perhaps the city streets were paved with gold bricks? And buying gold directly at the source might even be cheaper!

Noting their eager expressions, Lu Yao slowly continued, “Unfortunately, we’ve missed the golden era. The country’s situation has changed. The cities are now crawling with zombies.”

The employees: “…”

Zhou Su muttered, “That’s… a drastic change. Did you see any zombies?”

Lu Yao replied, “I checked it out after dinner last night. While running errands, I encountered a zombie tide on my way back.”

The employees quietly stepped back, their backs tingling with unease, suddenly losing their appetite for breakfast.

The idea of an apocalypse had always been something captivating only in the distant realm of movies or novels. But for these employees, hearing that zombies could be encountered just outside the neighboring shop was unsettling. Their minds were flooded with all kinds of vivid scenarios.

They were well aware of how real the shopping street’s worlds were and had long stopped doubting the boss’s words.

While digesting the information about the new shop, the employees gradually dispersed, leaving behind the original three Lu Yao had spoken with.

Seeing their uneasy expressions, Lu Yao explained, “Employees from the shopping street sent to the new shop will only manage the backend order system. They’ll stay inside the shop. I have separate plans for the couriers. Considering the mental stress caused by the danger level of the courier shop’s world, I’m planning to increase the transferred employee’s salary. Let’s start with a 5,000 yuan raise. For now, I only need one person.”

Hearing about the pay raise, the three employees’ expressions changed slightly.

Many of their senior colleagues were either independently wealthy or had family money. Others were well-known directors or ex-esports players who didn’t care about money. But the three of them were ordinary workers. The idea of switching shops and getting a 5,000 yuan raise was very appealing.

Moreover, they had all seen how much the boss cared about her employees. When faced with dangerous work environments, she always took steps to ensure their safety. This was something they had personally experienced and had also heard from senior employees.

Song Qingshan, the oldest of the three and a single father raising a daughter, felt the greatest financial pressure. He was the first to step forward. “I’ll go.”

He Bi and Zhang Shu exchanged a glance but said nothing further.

Lu Yao nodded. “Spend the next two days handing over your current duties. Once the new shop is ready, you can head over.”

With the system administrator position settled, Lu Yao headed to the pet cafe. The computers for the new shop needed modification, and the order system might require a rewrite. A few days earlier, she had purchased computers and sent them to the pet cafe, entrusting the modifications to 1041 and his team. Meanwhile, Cheng Ye and Qing Yan would handle the new software development.

After confirming there were no issues with the progress on the computers and order system, Lu Yao returned to the hot spring inn for a few hours of sleep, recharging her energy for the day ahead.

The electric scooters she had ordered with Ji Zhixin’s help had arrived and were neatly lined up in the parking lot. Lu Yao stored them in her portable warehouse and headed toward the nail salon.

The nail salon was still bustling as it hadn’t yet closed for the day. Recently, the shop had recruited a group of apprentices, including humans, demi-humans, and elves. For basic nail designs, Eugenia was guiding the apprentices through the work.

Unlike the non-human staff, Eugenia didn’t have magical abilities and couldn’t handle creating magical nails. Instead, she focused extensively on crafting intricate, decorative nail designs, honing her skills to perfection. Her aesthetic sense and technique had made her very popular among customers.

As one of the most experienced and skilled trainers in the shop, Eugenia was highly respected by the newcomers.

Meanwhile, the non-human staff were busy attending to customers with special requests, such as those wanting magical combat nails.

During the summer vacation, Harold often seemed especially idle in the shop. He and Si Jin would frequently lounge in the break room, passing time reading comics and snacking.

When Lu Yao arrived, Harold was sprawled on the sofa in the break room, looking utterly bored, with comic books and snacks scattered everywhere.

Lu Yao: “Harold, how about working at the new shop with me?”

Harold sat up abruptly. “I heard in the group chat that the new shop has zombies.”

Lu Yao sat down beside him. “Do you even know what zombies are?”

Harold: “I looked it up online. I didn’t think humans could evolve in that direction.”

Lu Yao: “It’s not really evolution, though occasionally something like this happens. The work there can’t be handled by ordinary employees—it requires someone with your kind of strength. Come with me for two days to get familiar with things. You’ll also need to learn how to ride an electric scooter since you might need to train newcomers later.”

Harold blinked, his interest clearly piqued. “Newcomers?”

Lu Yao: “I’m planning to train the little ones from the internet café. If things go smoothly, you’ll be their senior mentor.”

Harold was well-acquainted with Xiong An’an, Kangkang, Little Ginseng, and Qiuyu. The idea of being their leader immediately got the little black dragon excited.

After finalizing things with Harold, Lu Yao handed him one of the new scooters and told him to learn how to ride it quickly.

Leaving the nail salon, Lu Yao then made her way to the internet café.

All the little ones were there.

She didn’t mention the new shop’s work plans to them yet but brought out three new electric scooters and sent them to a wide area at the foot of the mountain to practice.

The little ones assumed the scooters were new toys from Lu Yao and gleefully went downhill to play with them.

Lu Yao sought out Jiao Niang and informed her that in a few days, she would test the little ones’ proficiency in transforming into human forms.

Lu Yao had carefully considered the requirements for transferring staff from other shops to work in the Golden Kingdom. Three basic conditions had to be met:

1. The staff member must sign a soul contract with her, the shop owner.
2. They must learn to use convenient transportation tools like the electric scooter.
3. During work, they must maintain a human form and avoid revealing their non-human appearances in front of customers.

Having staff with strong abilities wasn’t an issue—fighting was part of the job requirements.

However, Lu Yao insisted on hiding their true forms for two reasons: firstly, for the shop’s long-term development, and secondly, to consider the customers. The residents of the Golden Kingdom had already endured the horrors of a zombie invasion. Discovering that most of the courier shop’s staff were non-human might push them to their breaking point.

Lu Yao’s considerations for the shop were ultimately rooted in ensuring its long-term success.

Another factor was her hope that the young ones in the shop could gain new experiences through work.

As the number of young ones in the shopping street grew, so did the occasional challenges and issues. Sometimes, Lu Yao found herself at a loss, even doubting whether letting them grow up so freely was truly the best choice.

She often wondered, Is it really okay to just let them grow like this?

The shop’s little ones came from different races and backgrounds, each with their own perspectives. But their worldviews were now largely confined to the shops of the shopping street.

Fortunately, they were all resilient and carefree. Lu Yao couldn’t help but want them to experience something different from their usual lives.

She shared her thoughts with Jiao Niang, who enthusiastically supported her decision. Jiao Niang promised to ensure that all the little ones would master their transformation techniques before the assessment day.

After coordinating the foundational work, Lu Yao returned to the courier shop.

The Dream Fulfillment System had followed her instructions to furnish the shop simply. The front hall now had tables, chairs, a tea area, a row of shelves with safes, and filing cabinets. Behind the front hall were the order system office, an employee break room, a storage area, and a restroom.

The computers were scheduled to arrive the next day for installation in the system office. The employee break room was designed similarly to those in other shops, providing space for meals, personal belongings, and rest. The storage room, though not large, was equipped with an advanced electronic lock requiring facial recognition, iris scanning, and fingerprint verification for access.

After a quick inspection of the shop, Lu Yao was quite satisfied.

The shop’s design prioritized simplicity. Given the current state of the Golden Kingdom, winning the trust of customers through exceptional service was far more important than aesthetics. A lavishly decorated shop would only attract thieves looking for “free goods.”

Planning to finish placing the remaining signal receivers, Lu Yao prepared to head out. However, as she retrieved her scooter, she noticed the rear tire was flat.

Upon closer inspection, the rubber tire was riddled with holes, and the scooter’s sides were covered in scratches. It seemed someone had tried to steal the scooter and, unable to move it, vented their frustration by damaging it.

Lu Yao loved her white scooter, and seeing it vandalized like this filled her with anger.

But with no time to waste, she returned to the shop, pulled out a new electric scooter from her portable warehouse, and pushed it outside.

Mounting the new black scooter, she told the system, “We need to install surveillance cameras at the entrance. Next time, we’ll know who did this.”

The Dream Fulfillment System suggested, “Since you’re heading out, why not leave a shadow butterfly for monitoring?”

Taking its advice, Lu Yao returned to the shop, released a shadow butterfly as a biological surveillance device, and finally set out.

The new scooter was larger and more powerful than her previous one, with a louder engine. Hearing the sound, nearby residents peeked through their windows, noticing she had replaced the vehicle entirely. Their expressions were a mix of frustration and intrigue.

Of the thirteen signal receivers Lu Yao had prepared, one was reserved for the shop, while the remaining twelve needed to be placed at different locations within a 10-kilometer radius.

By midday, she had already placed seven receivers. Her goal was to finish placing the last five before nightfall.

Two and a half hours later, Lu Yao successfully installed the final receiver and prepared to return to the courier shop.

To familiarize herself with the city, she took a slightly longer route back. However, nightfall came faster than she expected.

One moment, the sun was still hanging on the horizon; the next, it had slipped below, leaving the world in darkness.

Dusk rushed in, driving away the light and ushering in shadows.

Rustling noises began to echo around her, as if a synchronized crowd were shuffling along. Occasionally, indistinct growls broke the silence.

Lu Yao’s scalp tingled. She held her breath, turned the scooter’s throttle, and accelerated, eager to get home quickly.

As she passed a department store with shattered display windows, a white arm suddenly fell from above, landing directly in her path.

Startled, Lu Yao slammed the brakes and gasped for air.

When human body parts scatter like discarded objects, even the most composed individual would feel a chilling sense of dread.

After a closer look, she realized it was the arm of a mannequin. Exhaling deeply, she glanced up at the building.

In the second-floor window of the department store, two figures were waving frantically in her direction.

Their hoarse voices, strained but desperate, called out, “The emergency exits are full of zombies! Please, help us!”

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