Ch 200: Guide to Running a Shop in Another World II

Five minutes later, Harold didn’t receive a new dispatch.

The writing on Zheng Han’s order card gradually faded until it disappeared completely.

Confused, Zheng Han held up the card to Harold. “Big brother, what’s going on?”

This was also Harold’s first time encountering such a situation.

The system at the runner shop didn’t make mistakes. There was only one explanation: Zheng Han’s order had been rejected.

Not long after, Harold received a message from Zhang Shu.

“This order exceeds the shop’s service scope and has been declined.”

Harold was baffled. “Why?”

Zhang Shu couldn’t pinpoint a specific reason.

The rejection had been personally made by Lu Yao.

Harold knew Lu Yao must have her reasons for such a decision, but looking at the Zheng siblings, who were on the verge of tears but holding it in, he couldn’t figure it out. He decided to contact Lu Yao directly.

Lu Yao was helping Lu Mingxiao set up signal receivers in the Changsheng Road area when the system automatically connected her to the call.

“What’s wrong?”

Harold explained the situation with the Zheng siblings in detail.

Lu Yao paused her work, straightened up slowly, and gazed into the distance. “Even if this order has complicated reasons behind it, the task itself has already exceeded the scope of our services.

“Given the special circumstances of this world, the scope of a runner’s duties has already been reasonably expanded—from simply delivering goods to protecting and escorting clients. While we can clear zombies during tasks, we cannot agree to a client’s request to target specific zombies.

“Your strength can help people in this world, but you cannot take on requests that exceed the boundaries of our job. Do you understand what I mean?”

Harold trusted Lu Yao’s decisions implicitly, though he still felt a twinge of doubt.

Sensing Harold’s hesitation, Lu Yao sat on a relatively flat stone nearby and continued, “Let me put it more bluntly: this boundary is set to protect my runners. Today, someone requested a runner to clear zombies, specifically a family member. Can you guarantee that this person won’t harbor resentment toward you later for some reason?

“Let’s take it a step further. Today, they ask a runner to kill a zombie. Tomorrow, could someone exploit this rule to request a runner to kill a human?

“Of course, I would never allow such an order to be processed. But rules are rules. Once the boundaries are blurred, there will be endless trouble to follow. A runner is an employee, not a tool.

“Harold, I hope you understand one simple thing—your strength is merely one of many traits that living beings in this world might possess. It’s not a universal cure for all problems.”

Lu Yao rarely spoke to Harold this sternly, but she felt a responsibility to protect the dragons and demons she had brought to this Golden Kingdom. Moreover, judging by the current situation, the god of this world seemed to tacitly approve of this setup. Lu Yao’s judgment was that her employees should not test the limits further.

This decision stemmed from the experience she had accumulated from running so many shops.

Harold wasn’t particularly sentimental and struggled to fully grasp Lu Yao’s reasoning even after thinking about it for a long time. But he blindly trusted her decisions.

After hanging up, Harold looked down at Zheng Han and said calmly, “Our boss said this task exceeds the scope of a runner’s duties and cannot be processed.”

Zheng Han lowered his head in disappointment.

Harold braced himself, expecting the client to lose control of his emotions. Instead, Zheng Han wiped his eyes with his sleeve, stood in a daze for a moment, and then suddenly crouched down. From the hem of his rolled-up pants, he pulled out a gold bar. Standing up with tears in his voice, he said to Harold, “I want to buy a few more order cards. I’ll place another order. Please take us to a safe place.”

He was determined to survive with his sister and return one day to bring their mother home.

…

At an intersection less than two kilometers from Changsheng Road, a white van and a black sedan were parked side by side in the middle of the street.

Within a five-meter radius around the two vehicles, the area was swarming with zombies.

The undead surrounded the vehicles, slamming against the windows with the frenzy of vengeful spirits.

The van and sedan had been traveling in opposite directions when the van suddenly broke down, leading to a minor scrape between the two vehicles.

The driver of the black sedan, a tall man, noticed the direction the van had come from and deduced they were from Jinyao City. Lowering his window, he exchanged a few words with Xia Huaicong inside the van.

The man’s group was heading to the Hope Base and wanted to ask Xia Huaicong for information.

But during their brief conversation, countless zombies suddenly poured out from every corner of the street, completely blocking both the way in and the way out.

Xia Huaicong and Li Mi had hurriedly packed their belongings the previous night, using the excuse of a mission to flee their base. They took a van from the base and sped toward Gaosheng City, driving all night before finally crossing the border.

By then, the van was in poor condition, moving sluggishly as if it were running out of fuel. They hadn’t had time to prepare extra gas during their escape, and the van stalled at the intersection.

Now, stranded and frustrated, Xia Huaicong and Li Mi found themselves stuck with someone who kept pestering them for information about the Hope Base.

The two were reluctant to reveal anything about the base, fearing it might lead to their whereabouts being discovered.

But the person in the sedan seemed oblivious, continuing to bombard them with questions until they were all trapped at the intersection.

Xia Huaicong leaned back against the driver’s seat cushion, anxiously drumming his fingers on the steering wheel. “What do we do? This might be the end for us.”

Li Mi, sitting in the passenger seat, studied a crumpled flyer in her hands. “Why don’t we try placing an order?”

Xia Huaicong frowned. “I remember the flyer said the range was only ten kilometers. We’re at least twenty kilometers from Wanyi Hospital. It’s definitely out of their service area.”

Li Mi pulled a pen from the glove compartment. “There’s a section on the back that explains how to place an order. Let’s give it a shot.”

They didn’t have the courage to leave the car. Staying inside was a death sentence anyway, so they figured they might as well try.

“How do we place an order?” Xia Huaicong asked, still bewildered.

“Just follow the format on the back,” Li Mi replied.

“On the flyer itself? How is that even possible?” Xia Huaicong was skeptical.

The last time they encountered the seventh and tenth squads, orders were placed in person, with runners standing right next to them. Xia Huaicong and Li Mi had been outside managing supplies at the time, so they weren’t familiar with how the ordering process worked. Now, they were doubtful about the flyer’s instructions.

Li Mi found it strange too but didn’t hesitate. She picked up the pen and started writing their names and the quantity of goods they needed in the order section.

When she reached the delivery address, however, her pen froze.

They were stranded at an unmarked intersection with no visible street signs nearby and couldn’t leave the car to check.

Left with no choice, Xia Huaicong lowered the van’s window halfway and asked the people in the sedan for help.

The man in the sedan, who had earlier tried to get information about Jinyao City, was still annoyed by Xia Huaicong’s evasive answers and was unwilling to talk.

Frustrated, Xia Huaicong handed over a copy of the flyer. “We’re trying to place an order with this shop. Since you’ve been in Gaosheng City for a while, have you heard of it?”

Zhao Bowen cautiously took the flyer through the partially open window. After reading it, he chuckled. “What is this? You’re saying you can write on this and place an order? And someone will deliver to your door? Seriously?”

Xia Huaicong wasn’t surprised by Zhao Bowen’s reaction. If he hadn’t personally seen the runners in action or heard his teammates repeatedly talk about the runner shop, he wouldn’t have believed it either.

After all, electronic communications were entirely down, and this wasn’t a normal period for online shopping.

An order written on paper that could somehow be processed—if the runner shop truly had such technology, the forces behind it were undeniably formidable.

Sitting next to Zhao Bowen, Zhang Haizhu overheard the discussion, grabbed the flyer, and quickly skimmed through it. Surprised, she said, “I’ve seen this flyer before.”

Zhao Bowen was puzzled. “When?”

Zhang Haizhu explained, “Just a couple of days ago. In the first-floor unit of the neighboring building, the one where the man is paralyzed. His wife and child went out to scavenge and didn’t come back for two days. Later, they seemed to have hired runners from this shop. That same day, they were brought back. Quite a few residents in that building bought those cards afterward.”

Coincidentally, Zhao Bowen and Zhang Haizhu used to live in Jintai Royal Garden. The family Zhang Haizhu mentioned was none other than Xu Hongmei and Li Heping, who had made a similar request days earlier.

Zhao Bowen frowned. “Our family didn’t buy one?”

Zhang Haizhu replied, “I saw the flyer on the doorknob the next day when I went downstairs but didn’t think much of it. Later, I heard Meixin’s mom talk about it, but by then I couldn’t find the flyer anymore. Since you said we were going to the Hope Base, I figured we wouldn’t need it, so I didn’t bother.”

Xia Huaicong’s van window was cracked open just enough for sound to pass through. The two vehicles had scraped against each other earlier, leaving a narrow gap in the middle where zombies couldn’t squeeze through.

Hearing Zhang Haizhu’s explanation, Xia Huaicong became excited. “Sister, can you tell me the name of this street? Whether the runners come or not, it’s still a potential way out. Otherwise, when night falls and the zombies don’t disperse, we’ll all die here.”

Zhang Haizhu, ever straightforward, turned and told him the name of the street.

Li Mi quickly jotted the address on the flyer and then began anxiously waiting.

The location was undoubtedly more than ten kilometers from the runner shop. Even knowing the chances were slim, she couldn’t help but hold onto a sliver of hope.

…

On Changsheng Road, Lu Yao and Lu Mingxiao had just finished setting up a signal receiver in the area and were preparing to move to the next location when Lu Yao received a dispatch notification.

Two new delivery orders had been placed at an intersection less than two kilometers away.

Lu Yao glanced at Lu Mingxiao. “There are two orders from the same location. How about you handle the delivery while I continue setting up the receivers?”

Since Lu Mingxiao hadn’t officially started his job yet and Lu Yao was closest to the delivery location, the system had assigned the orders to her.

Lu Yao thought it would be a waste of time for both of them to go, so splitting up made sense.

The modified electric vehicles had already been thoroughly tested, performing better than their original versions in speed, silence, and endurance.

Lu Mingxiao gazed at her for a moment before shaking his head. “I’m new and unfamiliar with many aspects of the job. I’d appreciate the store owner’s guidance.”

Lu Yao thought about it. Two kilometers wasn’t far and wouldn’t take much time. “…Fine.”

As they rode toward the delivery site, Lu Mingxiao uncharacteristically initiated a conversation. “I didn’t say that just to stick with you. I truly don’t know how to interact normally with humans.”

Lu Yao teased, “What nonsense. You used to act perfectly normal.”

Lu Mingxiao replied, “Bai Ming, Carlos, Chi Jin, Orca, Xiao Jiu, An Yan, Ying Tong, Zeyuan—they were all real people once. I merely emulated their behavior. Here, I’m just me.”

It suddenly made sense to Lu Yao. This version of Lu Mingxiao was entirely his true self, with no borrowed identities.

She recalled something and said, “Except for Bai Ming, every role you’ve played eventually disappeared.”

Lu Mingxiao replied calmly, “They were all on the brink of death when I chose them.”

Lu Yao remembered his unique constitution and sighed. “Then why use your real name and form here?”

Lu Mingxiao glanced at her with resignation, keeping his tone even. “You arrived too late. The first identity I borrowed had long since passed away, and the identity was reclaimed.”

Among the identities Lu Mingxiao had taken, only Bai Ming had been unaware of the situation because he was undead. The others knew their fates when the godslayer came to them, willingly lending their identities and forming forbidden contracts with him.

Lu Yao’s eyes widened. “…I’m sorry. I didn’t know it would turn out like this.”

The Dream Fulfillment System felt a sudden jolt of guilt.

The shop owner’s late arrival to this world, delayed by several months, seemed to be because of it.

Lu Mingxiao: “There’s no need for apologies between us.”

Lu Yao turned her face away, staring up at the sky.

Was this Lu Mingxiao’s true personality?

No longer arrogant, no longer stubborn.

What was going on?

Lu Yao: “How long have you been waiting here?”

Lu Mingxiao: “About sixty years.”

Lu Yao lowered her gaze. “…I’m truly sorry.”

The Dream Fulfillment System could hardly resist dropping to its knees in apology alongside her.

Memories from the Floating World Continent suddenly surfaced in Lu Yao’s mind—unresolved questions bubbling up one after another, like mushrooms sprouting after rain. “Back then, Zeyuan…”

Lu Mingxiao tilted his head skyward. “That world was complicated. I was caught off guard and had part of my memories stolen. The culprit believed mortals are ruled by emotion, prone to turning love into hatred and resentment. That’s why they set such a trap. They don’t understand humans, and they don’t understand us.”

…Why was this guy suddenly so eloquent? Could shedding a borrowed identity really make such a difference?

Lu Yao: “Who was it?”

Lu Mingxiao: “They’re not important.”

That meant either “I don’t want to say” or “I can’t say.”

Lu Yao didn’t press further, switching topics instead. “I do have one more question.”

Lu Mingxiao: “Hmm?”

Lu Yao: “If you borrowed both the identity and the personality of someone else, then… back then, did I fall for Zeyuan, or was it you?”

For some inexplicable reason, Lu Mingxiao’s expression darkened.

Of course, it was me.

In every world where they crossed paths, it was always him. Only him.

The real Zeyuan had been mortally wounded not long after being born, fighting other devils in the Abyss of Weak Waters. At that time, Zeyuan had been no more than a little devil, weaker than even Mo Bao in his fledgling form. If Zeyuan had died, his remains would have been devoured by other creatures.

But devils were unlike other beings. Even if their bodies were destroyed, their consciousness could linger, indestructible and eternal.

The small devil Zeyuan had no desire to be crammed into a “one-room apartment” inside another creature. Just then, the godslayer arrived.

After some bargaining, the little Zeyuan agreed to lend his identity.

The godslayer fulfilled Zeyuan’s wish, transforming him into the most powerful devil.

The little devil Zeyuan and Lu Mingxiao lived together for over a hundred years.

After Zeyuan died, Lu Mingxiao, as per their contract, took over his identity and singlehandedly infiltrated the Demon Palace, becoming the strongest Demon Sovereign in tens of thousands of years.

But Lu Yao didn’t appear until over a thousand years later. While waiting for her, something went wrong on Lu Mingxiao’s end.

The loss of his memories had been his greatest mistake, nearly ruining everything he had prepared for.

As he recalled the past, his eyes darkened, a shadow of icy ruthlessness flickering in their depths.

Just a little longer, and when the wish is fulfilled…

Two kilometers wasn’t far, and riding electric vehicles made it even faster. As they approached the crowded intersection filled with zombies, their earlier conversation fell silent by unspoken agreement.

In the van, Xia Huaicong and Li Mi were on the brink of despair. Suddenly, they spotted two small electric vehicles approaching in the distance. Overwhelmed with excitement, they nearly jumped out of their seats.

Li Mi grabbed Xia Huaicong’s sleeve, shaking it furiously. “Instructor, Instructor! The Instructor is here!!!”

🛍️🛍️🛍️🛍️🛍️