Author Archives: Thingyan

[Lu Yao]: “The Little People are naturally contented, and the current harsh weather makes long journeys impractical. How about this: for the Mid-Autumn Festival, clear the corridor under the windows and host a two-day bartering market. Not all Little People are skilled at sewing, drying meat, or pickling vegetables. With their basic survival needs met, they must have other ideas.

Since it’s too cold outside, hosting the event in the inn ensures safety. On the evening of the last day, we can hold a hot spring and hotpot feast at the inn for participants and also play a mooncake hunt game.”

The Little People pondered this idea for a few minutes, then began to grasp the concept after the surrounding humans explained further. They even started to get excited.

Jiexiang clapped her hands. “I love Yuanwei’s pickled vegetables! Mine never taste the same. Can I trade for some?”
Yuanwei responded, “I’ve always liked the feather pillows Jiexiang makes.”
Heici chimed in, “Both Beef Cube and I are fans of the smoked meat from Yuanwei’s family!”

The idea of a Little People marketplace was heartwarming just to imagine. Pairing it with hot spring hotpot and a mooncake hunt added to the charm. Soon, other employees were equally engrossed.

[Creative DIY Workshop Ji Linkai]: “How big are the mooncakes? They’re so small—can they even eat one?”

[Interdimensional Cinema Die Qi]: “With so many of them, even a demon bull was shared! Mooncakes should be no problem at all!”

[Little Pet Cafe Ji Zhixin]: “Given their size and appetite, even a single konjac thread might take three of them to finish!”

[Interdimensional Internet Café Little Ginseng]: “They’re too adorable! Even cuter than newborn spirit beast cubs on Ten Thousand Beasts Peak! I want to eat hotpot with them!!!”

Lu Yao: “Stay on topic. Let’s keep going!”

The discussion grew lively, with slimes, fairies, vampires, and Little People chiming in one after another. The scene gradually spiraled out of control, while employees seated below the meeting screen whispered among themselves.

Lu Yao noticed but didn’t intervene. It was their first online meeting; the staff needed time to process what they were learning.

An employee from the Childhood Tutoring Center raised their hand, and Lu Yao nodded to let them speak.

[Childhood Tutoring Center Xu Xiaoxiao]: “The situation at the Tutoring Center is similar to the Little Pet Cafe—we don’t lack visitors. However, after working as a tutor for so long, I’ve started to have doubts.

All this time, I thought superpowers and the research institute were the main reasons so many people failed to achieve happy lives. But now that superpowers are under the boss’s control, the institute has largely fallen, and the test subjects have been freed, yet the number of clients seeking childhood tutoring hasn’t decreased.”

Employees hearing about superpowers for the first time were visibly shocked.

Many staff members who joined after the sixth store was established had assumed the Tutoring Center was just a typical tutoring service.

Few had thought deeply about the phrase “tutoring childhood,” nor had they considered that the center connected to a world of superpowers.

[Courier Shop Ding Qing]: “What does ‘superpowers are under the boss’s control’ mean? Are the couriers so powerful because of superpowers?”

Most employees had their own questions but were too cautious to ask so directly.

Ding Qing, however, couldn’t wrap her head around why the boss and the couriers were so incredibly capable. Even after seeing non-human shop employees, the pieces hadn’t clicked for her.

Hearing “superpowers” finally gave her a framework she could understand, and suddenly, everything seemed to make sense.

[Blind Box Shop Ji Feiming]: “Don’t ask too many questions about the boss.”

Ji Feiming believed that ordinary humans should not know too much about the existence of gods or the ever-deepening abilities of the boss.

After working at the shopping street for over a year, Ji Feiming was officially just a delivery worker. But in his heart, his primary duty was to protect the boss.

Even Budu came second to Lu Yao in his priorities.

No matter what truths about the boss emerged—whether she was a fragment of some supreme deity—his loyalty would never waver.

[Lu Yao]: “The city where the Tutoring Center is located, Sanhua City, has a high number of superpowered individuals due to genetic mutations. However, human happiness and superpowers aren’t directly correlated.”

Lu Yao’s reply seemed to address Xu Xiaoxiao, yet also subtly responded to Ding Qing’s concerns.

[Lu Yao]: “Human happiness cannot be measured by a single standard. Even in peaceful eras without superpowers, there are still plenty of unhappy people. Life is an unending journey, and there’s no such thing as constant happiness.

Even if someone achieves a goal in the short term, they will inevitably seek new ones. Don’t burden yourself with assigning excessive value to your work. We’re businesspeople—running stores is about value exchange. Through our time, effort, and labor, we exchange for the wealth our customers hold.”

[Childhood Tutoring Center Hu Jiao]: “Straightforward. I like it.”

[Childhood Tutorinf Center 444]: “Boss, have you been going through something lately? You seem stricter compared to when I first met you.”

Hearing this, the employees couldn’t help but glance at Lu Yao.

Stricter?

They didn’t feel that way at all.

[Lu Yao]: “It’s a misunderstanding. I just sensed Xiaoxiao was overburdened emotionally and rambled a bit. Don’t worry about me.”

[Dream Fulfillment System]: “The observation is sharp—I also think you’ve become colder than before.”

Lu Yao: “That’s just clarity of purpose. Sometimes I look back and think if I’d acted more decisively, things could have been different. But looking back only causes stagnation; what matters is moving forward.”

[Dream Fulfillment System]: “He once said the same thing.”

Lu Yao: “Who?”

[Dream Fulfillment System]: “Lu Mingxiao.”

Lu Yao: “Huh?”

[Dream Fulfillment System]: “…Never mind. Let’s continue the meeting.”

Lu Yao felt suspicious—what kind of connection existed between the Dream Fulfillment System and Lu Mingxiao?

[Childhood Tutoring Center Xie Molin]: “We’ve discussed many Mid-Autumn Festival stories with Teacher Bai. To me, this is a deeply meaningful holiday. Although our enrichment center isn’t a traditional tutoring facility, it’s like a life enrichment class.

For the Mid-Autumn Festival, we plan to offer a unique and precious memory experience centered around Alfred for visitors learning about the center. We also want to invite past clients to receive an experience connected to cherished memories of their childhood.”

[Childhood Tutoring Center Bai Yi]: “The most treasured childhood experiences often relate to ‘family,’ ‘parents,’ and ‘reunion.’ This aligns perfectly with the Mid-Autumn Festival’s theme of togetherness.”

[Lu Yao]: “Brilliant idea, though Alfred might have to work extra hard.”

[Creative DIY Workshop Gan Qing]: “Who’s Alfred?”

[Childhood Tutoring Center Hu Jiao]: “In simple terms, he’s a living time machine created by the boss.”

[Creative DIY Workshop Liu Jing]: “What kind of person is the boss? Why do we know nothing about this?”

[Courier Shop Harold]: “Lu Yao? She’s just a fragile yet incredibly stubborn human who keeps pushing herself and worrying others.”

[Courier Shop Tina]: “With her current physique, she might live a bit longer than the average human.”

[Courier Shop Mo Bao]: “If she doesn’t continue cultivating, she’ll still last a few hundred years with her current Golden Core stage.”

[Nail Salon Clarissa]: “The boss can live for hundreds of years? Then Si Jin, Tina, and Harold have a long wait ahead!”

Edward covered his eyes with his hand. “Mumu said he’d only return to the castle with me once the boss passed away.”

The employees of the snack shop, who had remained silent, couldn’t hold back anymore.

[Snack Shop Xiao Qie]: “You might as well start looking at cemeteries now.”

[Snack Shop Xingzi]: “The boss… might live far longer than you imagine.”

[Snack Shop Chi]: “I’ve heard many of you have soul contracts with the boss. Maybe you’ll get a few extra years with her.”

When Lu Yao set up the internal network, she paid the demon god 100,000 years as the price. Not even six months had passed, yet the boss had already gathered enough time from the snack shop and Qingshan Noodle House to last until she might tire of life itself.

[Creative DIY Workshop Chen You]: “Sounds like the boss is more like a living deity than Venus.”

[Lu Yao]: “Alright, enough of that. Nail Salon, Little Pet Cafe, Hot Spring Inn, and Childhood Tutoring Center are done. We’ve still got eight stores left—let’s keep this moving.”

[Creative DIY Workshop Liu Jing]: “Like the others, our DIY shop faces no competition in Ghost Street. However, the influx of players from other virtual worlds has brought over creatures that don’t belong here, significantly worsening the street’s security.”

[Creative DIY Workshop Chen You]: “We don’t have much experience in event planning, so we thought about running a three-day handcrafted mooncake workshop. In addition, we’d organize two daily hunting events targeting the stray creatures invading from other dimensions.”

[Creative DIY Workshop Ji Linkai]: “As for the mooncake gift sets the boss mentioned… we’re at a complete loss. Honestly, living in Ghost Street and eating employee meals every day has spoiled us. The one day we order takeout at home, it feels like eating pig slop.”

Other employees: “…”

That’s laying it on a bit thick, isn’t it?

They didn’t know Mingshi City was a hyper-technological world where manual labor had been nearly eradicated. Most takeout was prepackaged and lacked flavor or creativity, leading to existential dread when eaten regularly.

[Lu Yao]: “Your general idea is solid—adapting to local circumstances is great. As for mooncakes, I can give you a suggestion.”

The shop House employees leaned forward, their eyes sparkling with anticipation.

[Lu Yao]: “Golden octopuses or little ghosts best represent Ghost Street’s image…”

Before she could finish, the employees frantically waved their hands in refusal.

Lu Yao: “Then you’ll have to figure it out yourselves. For flavors, consult the staff who can make desserts. Qi Chen from the snack shop, Zhou Su from pet cafe, or even the authentic traditional-style mooncakes from the cinema can help. If needed, you can ask Xiao Ji to bring supplies. I’ll get you connected after the meeting.”

The DIY workshop employees’ expressions shifted from despair to sheer delight in an instant.

They could go online now!!!

Without needing further prompting, the remaining stores’ employees actively joined in.

[Snack Shop Xingzi]: “Boss, should we and Qingshan Noodle House host separate events or combine them?”

Qingshan Noodle House was technically a branch of the snack shop, but it specialized exclusively in noodles, offering a variety of seasonal flavors and rotating menus. While it was nominally a branch, its operational style differed significantly from the snack shop.

[Lu Yao]: “You can design the mooncakes separately, but I recommend combining the events for ease of organization and execution.”

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Next

Ambrose’s team was specifically in charge of magical combat nail designs. After over a year of research and refinement, magical combat nails had become standard battle equipment on the Alexander Continent.

Their introduction even changed the traditional methods of combat on the continent, making them indispensable for most magical beings and wizards during battles.

Ambrose’s team planned to use up some of the store’s surplus low-to-mid-tier materials. Several hoarders on staff had nearly filled the storage with these materials. They rarely used lower-tier supplies, having initially gone through great lengths to collect them, but now found them an eyesore—too valuable to throw away yet too cumbersome to keep.

For the Mooncake Festival event, they prepared two beginner-level magical combat nail designs tailored for newcomers who had never or rarely used magical nails.

They also developed a mid-tier design approaching high-end quality, with upgraded materials and techniques. Despite its superior craftsmanship, it would be priced at a 30% discount, with even greater discounts for regular customers, making it ideal for budget-conscious wizards and magical beings who had already mastered the basics of combat nails.

This plan emerged entirely from the nail salon staff’s research into activity planning on the internet. While it might seem ordinary from a modern perspective, residents of the Alexander Continent, who rarely encountered such promotions, would likely find it refreshing and eye-catching.

Unlike modern marketing ploys layered with complexities, the nail salon’s event avoided excessive gimmicks like “collecting likes,” playing games, or inviting friends. The rules were simple and easy to understand, making the offer appealing to most customers.

When paired with the Mooncake Festival’s overarching event, Lu Yao believed it would enhance its novelty and expressed sincere approval.

The store owner’s affirmation uplifted the nail salon staff, who had been trying hard to suppress their nerves. They finally breathed a sigh of relief, and their spirits soared.

[Nail Salon Mumu]: Mumu will be in charge of the adorable sunflower design!

[Nail Salon Merulu]: Merulu and Puxiu are responsible for Beginner Combat Nail Design No. 1!

Puxiu, initially perched on Edward’s shoulder with Merulu, suddenly pouted and flew off to sit on Edward’s other shoulder after Merulu stole the spotlight.

The crowd’s attention shifted from the soft, jelly-like slime to the short and chubby little fairy before finally settling on the god-like vampire progenitor, Edward.

Leaning lazily in the corner of the sofa, Edward toyed with his emerald-encrusted cane. His eyes, as radiant as a deep lake, could ensnare anyone in their beauty.

[Little Pet Cafe Jiu Hua]: Who is this beauty? I need all his information in one minute!

[Hot Spring Inn Jie Xiang]: Such a stunning human, like a deity!

As the Alexander Continent’s oldest bloodline vampire, Edward was used to humans being captivated by his beauty. He merely curved his lips into a faint smile, remaining silent, which only deepened the infatuation of the young women in the store.

[Little Pet Cafe Jiu Hua]: Ahhhh! I don’t care, Store Owner, give me a private way to contact him! He’s my muse, my god of inspiration!

Jiu Hua, a bestselling author famous in the Eden Sea world, had worked at the Little Pet Cafe for a year without giving up writing. On the contrary, her constant exposure to various customers and events had left her overflowing with inspiration.

She used her time at the cafe to relax her mind and gather creative material.

Although most staff interacted frequently in the internal network, Edward’s beauty had remained somewhat elusive. While he enjoyed being active in group chats, he never posted clear photos of himself, so many employees were seeing him for the first time during this meeting.

During the noisy video conference, where more outspoken staff initially garnered the most attention, Edward’s quiet demeanor went unnoticed until now.

Like Jiu Hua, Edward’s appearance also sparked a surge of inspiration in Mei Xue, the lead concept artist for the internet cafe’s game development team. Unlike Jiu Hua, however, Mei Xue was too reserved to express her admiration so openly.

The nail salon staff were all exceptionally good-looking, except for the necromancer Ambrose, who used magic to disguise himself as a normal human to avoid scaring the younger, inexperienced employees in the shop.

Seeing Edward being adored by the other staff for his beauty, Ambrose raised a hand and asked Lu Yao, “Boss, this enchanted disguise cloak is hot and uncomfortable. Can I take it off?”

Lu Yao, fully aware of his intentions, mercilessly shook her head and turned to Jiu Hua. “You’re so lively—surely you’ve prepared the event plan already. Let’s hear it.”

Jiu Hua, Zhou Su, Ji Zhixin, and the round, plump seal sat together, the calm sea behind them shimmering with the sunset’s glow, waves gently lapping with soothing splashes.

In just a year, Jiu Hua had transformed from a sunny but socially awkward type into a fearless social butterfly. When called on, she didn’t hesitate and began speaking confidently.

[Little Pet Cafe Jiuhua]: “Our team has spent a long time brainstorming this activity. Little Pet Cafe doesn’t lack customers—in fact, we limit the number of visitors daily. For the Mid-Autumn Festival, we propose reviving last year’s popular underwater water gun competition. This game requires focus, offers stress relief, and could provide repeat visitors with an engaging experience that’s even more therapeutic than simply exploring the underwater world.”

[Little Pet Cafe Leilei]: “We also think this collaboration should extend beyond current customers. Reaching out to those who visited once or twice but didn’t return as ‘deep-sea fish’ could be meaningful. Sending them a small gift might encourage them, and I’m sure Goddess Emerald Star would be happy to give these hardworking individuals a little boost.”

Leilei, the captain of the seal patrol, quietly left the frame, transformed into a human, and squeezed into view, pushing Jiu Hua aside. His round, chubby face, curly short hair, and large, shiny black eyes filled most of the screen.

The sudden transformation startled everyone, but Leilei’s adorable appearance and soft voice quickly eased their nerves.

Many staff members from other interdimensional shops weren’t familiar with the operations of Little Pet Cafe.

The deep-sea Little Pet Cafe existed to heal those trapped by life’s struggles and unable to process their troubles.

Some customers would visit once or twice, and as their emotions stabilized, they wouldn’t return. However, there were others who made reservations repeatedly, coming almost daily, yet showed no improvement in their condition.

Facing such clients daily, Little Pet Cafe staff sometimes doubted their work and responsibilities, feeling as though they weren’t truly helping those deeply in need.

When the boss suggested hosting a Mooncake Festival event, the seal patrol, Jiu Hua, Zhou Su, and Ji Zhixin had in-depth discussions and came up with this plan.

[Lu Yao]: “This is an excellent idea. It’s not only rooted in the shop’s current operations but also maintains a focus on regular clients. Little Pet Cafe, even customers who no longer visit deserve recognition and encouragement. The perspective of this activity is refreshing.”

Somehow, over time, the shop staff across the shopping street had started expressing their individuality and fully immersing themselves in their roles.

Reflecting for a moment, Lu Yao realized it probably began after her brief disappearance in the Floating World Continent. The staff had become increasingly competent ever since.

With more shops opening, Lu Yao sometimes found herself stretched thin. Having capable employees to assist her saved her significant time and energy.

Little Pet Cafe’s proposal received high praise from the boss, causing the previously relaxed atmosphere to subtly tighten.

It felt like that moment in a shared dorm when everyone had agreed to slack off together, only to discover during exams that your roommates were secretly studying, cramming last-minute, and pulling stellar grades, one after another.

Meanwhile, you—the gullible one—had taken their words at face value.

Betrayal! Absolute scoundrels!

Feeling the pressure, the staff of the Hot Spring Inn immediately stepped forward to present their ideas, afraid that the longer they waited, the more embarrassing their turn would become.

Heici bowed his head, resting his hands on his knees, looking slightly sheepish. “Our inn already has everything, and the guests lack for nothing. We couldn’t think of any interesting activities.”

[Hot Spring Inn Bai Lu]: “It turns out that a thriving business can be its own problem. Our guests’ every need is already met. The Little People are naturally a contented race, so planning additional activities feels like creating needs out of thin air.”

Other staff members’ inner thoughts: Is this… Versailles? I’ve never heard someone flex in such a humble, poetic way before!

[Hot Spring Inn Xiao Zheng]: “The Nitean Continent is currently in the harsh Twilight Moon season, with extremely adverse weather. Apart from the tribes near Thorn Valley, we haven’t had any traveling guests for days.”

[Childhood Tutoring Center Bai Yi]: “Isn’t that just low business performance? Hurry up and think of a way to use this event to boost revenue!”

[Hot Spring Inn Yuanwei]: “In past Twilight Moon seasons, the lack of food would force tribal warriors to form hunting teams to search for sustenance in the coldest months.”

[Hot Spring Inn Ziye]: “This year, however, the greatest boss appeared on the Nitean Continent, teaching us how to grow crops, preserve vegetables, and make warm clothing and bedding from animal hides. By the end of Breeze season, the Little People in Thorn Valley had stockpiled enough supplies to survive the long frost period.”

[Hot Spring Inn Jin Jin]: “Recently, the boss even slew a massive demon bull taller than a mountain in Thorn Valley. Not only did the Little People of Thorn Valley get large portions of meat, but the Red Pig, Luxiong, Xiaguang, and Black Rock tribes from faraway regions also carried away enough meat to last through the frost period.”

For her trip to Mingshi City, Harold had tested carrying living creatures through the spatial portal and brought a demon bull to Nitean. The bull wasn’t returned to the Alexander Continent but was slaughtered directly in Thorn Valley.

Considering the Little People’s diminutive size, it indeed took the combined effort of the entire tribe to consume such a colossal creature.

[Hot Spring Inn Ji Qingyan]: “Recently, we and the nearby Little People have been enjoying too much leisure. Sometimes, when they have nothing to do, they come to the inn to watch movies, soak in the hot springs, or simply lie on benches staring into space or roll around on window seats.”

Staff from other shops couldn’t help but glance at Lu Yao.

Hearing the Hot Spring Inn’s description, it didn’t seem like a case of Versailles bragging. Instead, it was clear the boss had taken such good care of both the guests and the local residents that everyone—guests and staff alike—had entered a state of blissful idleness, with no pressing “worldly” needs.

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Watching the meeting devolve into unrestrained chatter, it became clear that it could drag on all night without achieving anything.

With a near-relentless tone, Lu Yao took control of the meeting, effectively halting the lively social interactions.

“Alright, everyone. Today marks a rare gathering of the primary staff from eleven different shops. I understand your excitement, but let’s not forget the primary purpose of this meeting.”

Organizing a cross-world online meeting with hundreds of participants was no small feat, even with the internal network. Lu Yao had expended a significant amount of willpower using the Regulation Rod and worked alongside the Dream Fulfillment System for days to construct this temporary virtual space.

While it resembled an ordinary online meeting at first glance, the reality was much more complex. The staff from various worlds were now situated in a virtual conference room specifically created by Lu Yao and the system.

The inspiration for this space came from Ghost Street, resembling the highly immersive virtual worlds built by Polaris. However, this version didn’t require specialized equipment to pull people’s consciousness into the space.

Participants felt no discomfort and likely believed they were still in their respective shops.

The internal network, originally limited to the physical storefronts in Yaoguang City, could not cover such a specialized virtual space. However, since Lu Yao successfully established a willpower supported network in the Golden Kingdom, her understanding and mastery of her abilities had grown significantly.

Now, some of the floating screens and virtual components of the meeting space were sustained entirely by her willpower.

To the staff from various worlds, however, it all seemed like an ordinary online work meeting.

Once she reined in the scattered attention of the staff, Lu Yao steered the meeting toward its formal agenda.

Before the meeting, Lu Yao had already prepared a general outline for the Mid-Autumn Festival event, but she wanted to hear the staff’s ideas to adjust the details based on the shops’ unique characteristics and circumstances.

During the meeting, any shop could freely share their ideas. Once someone started speaking, though, the rest had to stop chattering and listen attentively.

The agenda and meeting time had been shared with the staff three days prior, and many had already privately discussed their ideas. The meeting was now for compiling and refining those ideas.

What Lu Yao didn’t realize was that a significant portion of the staff, particularly from otherworldly shops, were attending such an event for the first time.

Unbeknownst to her, a subtle sense of competition between the shops was beginning to emerge.

Concerned that others might “steal” their ideas, no one wanted to go first.

After several minutes of silence, no one stepped forward to speak.

[Lu Yao: If no one volunteers, I’m going to call on someone.]

[Little Pet Cafe Zhou Su: Are we making mooncakes again this year?]

Last year, when the shopping street only had four shops, each shop designed and produced mooncake gift boxes with unique themes. Lu Yao herself had created a grand four-shop collaborative gift box.

The Mid-Autumn Festival event attracted numerous mooncake orders, and simply making the mooncakes consumed an enormous amount of the staff’s time and energy.

Last year’s main competitive point was the innovation and taste of the mooncakes. From the Snack Shop to Little Pet Cafe, the veteran employees remembered it vividly.

The collaborative mooncake gift box designed by Lu Yao, featuring a stunning four-tiered floral and gemstone theme, was a hit among customers and staff alike.

To this day, some employees still hadn’t taken home one of those exquisite boxes and could only keep it in their office storage, occasionally taking it out to admire.

As the conversation continued, the waterdrop seals from the Little Pet Café rolled back from the pier into the fishing room. Soon after, they brought out dessert trays adorned with gemstones and flowers, causing the new employees to look on with envy.

[Childhood Tutoring Center Bai Yi]: Don’t tell me these are Mid-Autumn Festival staff gifts—I’ll be so jealous I might lose my mind!

[Interdimensional Cinema Zhu Zhu]: Regret to inform you, but last year the store did distribute this gift box as a festival gift, along with some incredibly delicious mooncakes!

[Hot Spring Inn Jiexiang]: What mooncakes? Are they that good?

[Creative DIY Workshop Liu Jing]: Is there a display error on the screen? I see a tiny figure speaking—she doesn’t seem taller than a human’s hand.

[Interdimensional Cinema Kuba]: Seeing her up close, she’s so small! I can’t believe beings like this really exist.

[Courier Shop Ding Qing]: Isn’t that tiny person animated? I noticed her at the start and thought she was an AI-generated digital doll.

[Hot Spring Inn Jiexiang]: Calling Jiexiang a digital doll? Crying now!

The small-person employee, with their knack for internet surfing, already understood Ding Qing’s reference to “digital doll.” Jie Xiang covered her eyes with her tiny hands, emitting delicate sobs.

Ding Qing, startled, quickly apologized.

[Courier Shop Ding Qing]: Sorry! I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean it. Hic—

Though flanked by female colleagues, Ding Qing felt pressure from the many male employees in the virtual meeting space. She had been holding back discomfort throughout the meeting but lost control in that moment, letting out an uncontrollable hiccup.

Jiexiang, intending only to tease the unfamiliar big humans, didn’t expect genuine rejection. Now, her fake crying turned real, and the other tiny employees began looking upset too.

Sensing the meeting was veering off track again, Lu Yao stepped in to clarify.

“You’re looking at Jiexiang, a small-person employee from the Hot Spring Inn.”

Liu Jing, Chen You, Ji Linkai, and Gan Qing from the Creative DIY Workshop leaned closer to their screens to get a better look at the seventh store’s employees. They noticed that, in front of the regular staff’s table, there was a smaller seating area with several tiny individuals of varying heights sitting in a row.

[Creative DIY Workshop Chen You]: They all look different—this is way too cute!

Lu Yao then explained to the small-person employees, “This is Ding Qing, a new employee from the Courier Shop. She doesn’t dislike you; she’s just feeling unwell today and couldn’t hold back her hiccups. Can you forgive her?”

The small-person employees, being simple and kind-hearted, blushed upon hearing Lu Yao’s explanation, realizing their earlier reaction was excessive.

Ding Qing lowered her head, her previously agitated emotions slowly settling down.

The four employees from the ninth store and Ding Qing from the tenth store hadn’t yet received the shop’s mobile devices or joined the internal network, making them less familiar with other store employees.

The unique nature of the ninth store meant Lu Yao was wary of potential intrusions into the network by entities like Polaris. After much deliberation, she hadn’t issued phones to those employees.

However, with the Dream Fulfillment System’s return and Lu Yao’s growing mastery of her abilities, combined with Budu’s presence, she felt confident in the shop’s security. She planned to distribute phones to the Ghost Street employees after the meeting.

As for Ding Qing, Lu Yao decided to observe her a little longer since she had only recently joined.

To steer the discussion back on track, Lu Yao quickly explained the mooncake-related plans.

Last year, the Interdimensional Cinema, which opened after the Mid-Autumn Festival, operated on a different time flow from other worlds. By the time they held their Mid-Autumn Festival event, they still caught the tail end of the mooncake gift box craze.

The shopping street’s mooncake gift boxes were also highly popular in Great Wu Dynasty, sparking a wave of enthusiasm.

This year, the shopping street has expanded to include 11 stores, and each store designing its own mooncake would require significant effort and production capacity.

Additionally, it was already the 10th day of the 8th lunar month in Yaoguang City, leaving only a few days before the Mid-Autumn Festival. Apart from a few stores with drastically different time flows, most stores would be busy preparing their activities during this time. Diverting too much energy to mooncake production would overburden the staff.

However, mooncakes are the soul of the Mid-Autumn Festival, and their absence would be deeply felt.

Lu Yao proposed that each store design and produce one type of mooncake. Together with one additional mooncake from the shopping street itself, they would create a 12-piece mooncake gift box representing the street as a whole.

The staff unanimously approved this proposal. Preparing a single mooncake type per store wouldn’t be too demanding in terms of brainstorming, materials, or manpower, nor would it significantly impact activity preparations.

With the mooncakes decided, the essence of the Mid-Autumn Festival was intact. A box of 12 mooncakes, each representing a different world, embodied the spirit and sincerity of the shopping street.

As the proposal passed unanimously, the staff gradually became more focused.

When activity planning resumed, a staff member from the Nail Salon was the first to raise a hand.

[Nail Salon Eugenia]: Store owner, we’ve recently been learning a lot of new things through our phones, including novel nail art designs and event planning techniques. After a thorough discussion among our team of nail artists, we’ve decided to launch six discounted press-on nail designs for the Mooncake Festival: three for daily wear and three for battle scenarios.

When Eugenia first heard about the meeting, she was overwhelmed with anxiety.

Working daily alongside so many extraordinary individuals was already nerve-wracking; now, she would have to speak in front of an even larger audience. She was so anxious that she couldn’t sleep the entire night.

The next day, inspiration struck while she was at the store. She started browsing the internet on her phone and found herself entering a whole new world.

Eugenia had become proficient at using her phone, primarily using it for learning. Her favorite pastime was watching nail art influencers share designs tailored to various seasons and occasions. Inspired by these, she began experimenting with styles incorporating elements from Alexander’s continent.

While researching topics related to the meeting, Eugenia not only familiarized herself with modern meeting protocols but also stumbled upon examples of activity planning. She eagerly shared these findings with her colleagues, sparking discussions and ideas.

[Nail Salon Ambrose]: Daily nail art designs will be handled by Eugenia’s team, while our group will focus on battle nail art.

The Nail Salon had taken in several apprentices, most of whom were human and under Eugenia’s mentorship.

As a seasoned nail artist, Eugenia had developed an exceptional eye for design and honed her skills to perfection, making her one of the most requested artists in the store.

For this collaborative event, Eugenia prepared three distinct daily nail art designs. The length and shape could be tailored to each customer’s needs, while discounts were tiered based on customers’ previous spending habits.

In essence, the higher the customer’s spending tier, the more affordable the discounted nail designs would be.

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Lu Yao hadn’t paid much attention to the small puzzle pieces until she noticed five of them in her storage space.

The fragments were about the size of a human fingernail, with interlocking corners like ordinary jigsaw puzzles. Both sides were pure white, with no visible patterns, leaving her clueless about how to piece them together.

Dream Fulfillment System: “This puzzle seems to have sixty-six pieces. Only after collecting them all will the image be revealed.”

Lu Yao frowned. “Why sixty-six again? Polaris on Ghost Street also seemed fond of the number six.”

Dream Fulfillment System: “In the world of gods and demons, the number ‘six’ symbolizes death. Its appearance is no coincidence.”

Lu Yao: “What’s this ‘world of gods and demons’?”

Dream Fulfillment System: “Well… that’s not important right now. Let’s not dwell on it. The point is, you likely need to collect all sixty-six puzzle fragments to complete the ultimate mission.”

Lu Yao: “I only have five pieces now. The next mission requires completing 2,000 orders, and the reward is just five more fragments. How long will this take? Honestly, I’m not even that curious about the truth of the world.”

Dream Fulfillment System: “Please be a little curious! Without completing these missions, you can’t proceed to the next world.”

Lu Yao sighed and shook her head. She was only venting; of course, she knew she had to keep working on the missions and collecting the fragments.

The new task had already begun, just in time for the Mid-Autumn Festival preparations.

She put away the puzzle fragments and resumed organizing materials for the evening meeting.

…

Yaoguang City, August 10th, Thursday Afternoon

Three days ago, Lu Yao announced in the group chat that there would be a street-wide video meeting on the afternoon of August 10th, with the primary agenda being the Mid-Autumn Festival activities.

At 5:40 PM, the snack shop and Qingshan Noodle House simultaneously hung “Closed for Half a Day” signs.

No matter how surprised or confused the customers outside were, the ghostly employees of both establishments shut the doors on time and neatly gathered in the quietest, most spacious spots inside their respective shops. Sitting in orderly rows, they faced massive floating screens, waiting for the shop owner and employees from other stores to come online.

By 5:30 PM, customers had left the nail salon, and the shop hung its “Closed” sign early.

Employees from different species and human employees alike entered the break room, sitting neatly on sofas facing the suspended screen, awaiting the others.

The blind box shop, typically unmanned, did not display a “Closed” sign. Instead, at the designated time, its staff assembled in the lab’s conference room, activating the large display on the meeting platform.

At the pet cafe, customers were sent off half an hour earlier than usual. Both human staff and their fluffy colleagues gathered in the fishing room that surfaced from the sea.

Because of the many fluffy companions, the waterdrop seals moved the floating screen directly onto the water. Everyone, whether sitting or lounging, lazily crowded along the long docks, waiting for the meeting to start.

In the Great Wu Dynasty, time flowed differently from most worlds. While it wasn’t yet business hours for the Interdimensional Cinema, the Great Wu Dynasty had a curfew.

The cinema staff, having received advance notice, informed Lu Yao that management would stay at the shop overnight for the meeting.

Before the meeting officially began, Xiao Shuzi, Zhu Zhu, and Wen Jian sat in the cinema’s largest screening room on the first floor.

From the sixth store onward, including the newly opened Courier Shop, this would be the first time participating in the Mid-Autumn Festival activities. Compared to staff with prior experience, the newer employees were noticeably more excited.

The sixth shop, a Childhood Tutoring Center, had a mix of regular employees from the street, superpowered staff, and former test subjects from the lab.

At 5 PM, the employees finished their work promptly. While waiting for the meeting, they bought snacks and milk tea from the street, sitting together to discuss the upcoming festival.

In the world of Sanhua City, there was no concept of a Mid-Autumn Festival, but they celebrated a Harvest Festival in late September.

Lu Yao, aware that this festival might be tied to Fula, the Goddess of Abundance overseeing this world, framed the activity as a simple store collaboration during their discussions.

When planning activities for the stores, employees could draw inspiration from the Harvest Festival tied to their own culture. Fortunately, the Childhood Tutoring Center had Bai Yi, who could provide insights and ideas related to the Mid-Autumn Festival for the other employees.

The seventh store, connected to the more primitive Nitean Continent, also had no historical records of a Mooncake Festival in its tiny inhabitants’ culture. However, the little people loved lively celebrations, and the store also employed several human staff. Their enthusiasm and determination for the collaborative event were palpable.

At the inn, dinner was served thirty minutes earlier than usual and only offered as in-room dining service. After dinner, both the little people and human employees gathered in the newly built meeting room adjacent to the kitchen. The tiny employees took their places in miniature seats on the conference table, while the human employees sat behind them. The floating screen for the video conference was set up in front.

The eighth store, the Interdimensional Internet Café connected to the Floating World Continent, did recognize the Mid-Autumn Festival, but it was only significant to mortals and human cultivators. Demons, devils, and immortals cared little for this holiday, with demons and devils being the least enthusiastic.

However, the café’s staff—comprising humans, demons, and devils—were all quite engaged because the event was a major ten-store collaboration. For them, it was an opportunity to glimpse the powers backing their shop owner and meet employees from other stores, making it an exciting and novel experience.

The ninth store, the Creative DIY Workshop, was initially in a semi-closed state but had resumed normal operations due to a fortunate series of events. After securing a collaborative deal with Mingshi City’s officials, the number of players transferred from other virtual worlds to Ghost Street gradually increased. The workshop’s daily crafting activities and revenue had started to stabilize.

Yesterday, two former employees of the DIY Workshop, Ji Linkai and Gan Qing, reached out to Lu Yao and returned to work.

Currently, Ghost Street had four staff members: Liu Jing, Chen You, Ji Linkai, and Gan Qing. Additionally, the store had two employees working on the main street of the shopping street: Song Qingshan and He Bi. These six employees joined the meeting from two locations via floating screens, awaiting the session’s start.

Mingshi City had no Mooncake Festival either. Upon receiving the meeting notification, Liu Jing and the others had specifically looked up relevant information, only to find a brief mention in a rare book. The book documented pre-consolidation cultural customs from various regions of Mingshi City. Most traditions and festivals from those regions had been abolished, and any remaining events were limited to very small-scale celebrations.

Having never celebrated the Mooncake Festival, Liu Jing and her colleagues were quite intrigued by the upcoming large-scale event on the shopping street.

Lastly, there was the newly opened Courier Shop. Besides Ding Qing, who was a local employee, the shop’s programmers were from the shopping street, while the couriers were staff transferred from the nail salon and internet café.

Both the store itself and the relationships among its employees were still in the early stages of development. The upcoming large-scale collaboration posed a significant challenge for them. However, being young and full of energy, they were at a time in their lives when they were most capable of brainstorming and taking action. With some careful thought, they might come up with excellent ideas.

The new shop had the shop owner present, and its employees were all affectionate and willing to seek help if needed. Before the meeting officially started, the employees exuded confidence, showing no sign of unease.

In comparison, the staff scattered across the other shops in the shopping district felt more pressure. The event’s scale and procedures reminded them of collective activities from school or work, and now they were facing employees from various otherworldly stores. This added a layer of stress mixed with a hint of competitiveness.

At 6 PM, the first video conference of Lu Yao’s shopping street officially began.

The Courier Shop’s meeting room was located in the system office. Instead of using a floating screen, they utilized the system’s display screen for the meeting. Lu Yao sat front and center before the screen, with the other employees arranged by height in two rows behind her.

On the screen, 13 video frames were displayed in a 3-column, 5-row layout, with the last row missing a frame. Each store’s screen was placed at the bottom for its employees, while the 12 other store participants filled the upper rows.

As cameras turned on, voices from 11 worlds poured in, making the meeting livelier than the morning assemblies of the little sparrow demons from the Floating World Continent.

[Nail Salon Ambrose:] “Finally, I see the snack shop employees—so they really are human. They’ve always been so mysterious; I once wondered if the chefs might actually be ghosts.”

The snack shop and Qingshan Noodle House employees maintained their ordinary living forms, even concealing their unnatural hair colors and sharp teeth. On camera, they appeared indistinguishable from regular humans.

For the residents of Dreamland, this meeting with so many living beings in a non-paradise setting was a significant adjustment. Bai Ming and Xingzi had consulted Head Guard Bai Jian beforehand and received permission from the Demon God for participation. Dreamland residents were allowed to take part in activities within the shopping street, but they were forbidden from revealing their undead nature to anyone besides Lu Yao and those already aware.

In response to Ambrose’s playful remark, the snack shop and noodle house employees simply smiled.

[Snack shop Xiao Qie:] “Boss, when will you come by the shop again? We’ve collected a lot of those coins you like.”

Lu Yao had been very busy recently, juggling tasks from both Ghost Street and the Golden Kingdom. With the system now assisting in managing the shops, she hadn’t visited them for a few days.

Xiao Qie’s message was a subtle way of inviting Lu Yao back, expressing their longing to see her again. Despite having phones for communication, the undead employees rarely reached out unless necessary.

The other shop employees, unaware of the true meaning, assumed Xiao Qie was referring to some rare currency from their world, oblivious to the fact that the coins they collected were standard currency from Lu Yao’s original world.

[Lu Yao:] “Alright, I’ll come by after the meeting.”

[Blind Box Shop Lilly:] “So many chubby leopards, all fluffy and adorable! Even though I’ve seen pictures and short videos in the group, seeing them all together doubles their cuteness! They look so tasty!”

[Little Pet Cafe Lei Lei:] “Whimper, whimper!”

[Interdimensional Cinema Kuba:] “Xiao Jiu!!! Is that Xiao Jiu sitting next to the shop owner?”

The suspended screens in the shops had ultra-high resolution, almost like a holographic projection. With his striking silver hair and red eyes, Lu Mingxiao stood out behind Lu Yao, making it no surprise Kuba recognized him immediately.

[Interdimensional Cinema Zhu Zhu:] “Oh my gosh!!! Are those two little dumplings next to the shop owner her kids? Twins?”

Zhu Zhu had met Budu before at the cinema, but this was her first time seeing Mo Bao. One dumpling had silver hair and red eyes, the other black hair and red eyes. Both had neatly cropped hairstyles and matching little outfits, making it easy to misunderstand.

[Interdimensional Internet Cafe Xiong An’an:] “Hahahahahaha, I’m dying! She thinks Mo Bao is the shop owner’s son! Hahahahaha!”

[Interdimensional Cinema Zhu Zhu:] “Wait, are you An’an? I adore you!”

Xiong An’an actually blushed.

[Childhood Tutoring Center Bai Lu:] “Another silver-haired, red-eyed man? Just how much does the shop owner love white-haired guys?”

[Lu Yao:] “…”

[Courier Shop Harold:] “How is that Lu Yao’s fault? Clearly, it’s just this guy clinging to her for dear life!”

Lu Yao & Lu Mingxiao: “…”

Privately venting was one thing, but this crowd had no filter—even saying it to their faces.

This group had officially gone off the rails.

What was there even to say?

🛍️🛍️🛍️🛍️🛍️

Lu Yao lifted her head to look at Mo Bao, then glanced sideways at Xuanfeng, silently seeking his opinion.

Xuanfeng pursed his lips and shook his head furiously at her.

Is this a joke? If the Demon Sovereign leaves to work in another world, who will lead the Devil race?

Lu Yao nodded slightly, leaned forward a little, and replied with calm composure, “I’m afraid that’s not possible.”

Mo Bao’s hands, resting on his knees, tightened slightly. “Why not?”

Lu Yao explained, “This isn’t a trivial matter.”

Mo Bao protested, “But I’ve heard that the dumb bear demon and pig demon in the shop passed their evaluations and have been assigned to work at the new store.”

Lu Yao clenched her fist internally. That little sparrow really doesn’t know when to shut up.

Without bothering to sugarcoat her response, Lu Yao stated plainly, “Qiu Yu and Zhao Ye, as well as all the shop’s little ones, have signed contracts with me. If you wish to work at the shop, it would require the same. But you are the Demon Sovereign, leader of the Devil race. Surely you can’t take such a contract lightly?”

Mo Bao replied without hesitation, “So it’s just a contract?”

Xuanfeng’s expression changed drastically. Dropping to one knee beside Mo Bao, he implored, “Your Majesty, please reconsider.”

Mo Bao continued, “I was originally just a demon pet. After that man died, I didn’t follow him but instead took the throne. Now, signing another contract is no different. You are stronger than he was, and I am willing.”

Seeing that he couldn’t dissuade Mo Bao, Xuanfeng turned to Lu Yao for help.

Lu Yao shook her head. “You know I’m just an ordinary human. I’ve already signed too many contracts with demons and magical creatures. Adding a Demon Sovereign would be too much for me to bear.”

Mo Bao countered, “Then I shall abdicate as Demon Sovereign and remain as a small, insignificant pet under your command. That way, I can work at the new store.”

Xuanfeng’s face turned even paler, and he suddenly turned to plead with Lu Yao. “Shopkeeper, you know our Sovereign lost his father and has no one left but you who cares for him.”

Lu Yao sighed. “You’re putting me in a very difficult position… Can’t you two coordinate your stories before coming to me?”

Mo Bao hopped off the sofa, walked up to Lu Yao, and gazed at her with his large, glistening crimson eyes. In a soft voice, he called, “Mother…”

Lu Yao raised a hand to cover her face, utterly exasperated by this absurd duo.

Unable to withstand the relentless pestering of these two demons, Lu Yao agreed to secretly sign a contract with Mo Bao.

Both Mo Bao and Budu would join the shop, but neither would be permanent staff.

One had agreed with Lu Yao to start kindergarten after the Mid-Autumn Festival and would only visit on weekends.

The other had promised his subordinates that he would officially work at the shop until the Mid-Autumn Festival events concluded. After that, he would work one day at the shop and spend the other two back at the Demon Palace.

Ah, youth—always restless and full of schemes.

The next morning, just as Lu Yao was waking up, Harold opened a portal.

This time, alongside the usual runners, a black-haired, red-eyed young boy stepped through.

The boy was dressed in a black casual tracksuit, his soft, messy hair framing his cheeks. His bright red eyes gleamed, and in his hand, he held a black-and-red shortboard. This was none other than Mo Bao.

As soon as Mo Bao entered the shop’s lobby and saw Lu Mingxiao, he froze in place.

The man’s features, apart from his hair and eyes, didn’t resemble Ze Yuan. But his aura and gaze carried an uncanny familiarity.

Mo Bao had insisted on working at the shop and even signed a subordinate contract with Lu Yao—all just to meet Lu Mingxiao.

But when Mo Bao finally saw him, Lu Mingxiao’s reaction was utterly indifferent. He glanced at Mo Bao briefly, said nothing, and didn’t inquire further.

Mo Bao wasn’t sure of Lu Mingxiao’s identity, so he turned his head away with a cold expression, pretending not to care.

At this moment, Budu also arrived from the hot spring inn, carrying a white skateboard with gold trim.

Born atop the snow-covered peaks of Qianmen Mountain, Budu had always loved the color white. Reuniting with Lu Yao for work, he had specifically changed into a new set of white clothes, matching Mo Bao’s outfit since Mo Bao’s attire had also been prepared by Lu Yao.

Lu Yao officially introduced the runners to the team: “Lu Mingxiao, Runner No. 7, officially starting today. Runner No. 8, Lu Budu, and Runner No. 9, Mo Bao, will need a day of training. They’ll start by shadowing Harold for deliveries when there are no orders, familiarizing themselves with the area and learning the daily tasks of a runner.”

Budu and Mo Bao had seen each other before on the Floating World Continent, but only briefly during tense situations. They had never spoken directly.

The two exchanged a glance, both exuding an air of aloofness, neither initiating a conversation.

The other runners, somewhat aware of Budu and Mo Bao’s backgrounds, weren’t surprised. Only Zhao Ye stealthily moved further into the back, trying hard to reduce his presence.

Ding Qing, who hadn’t spoken much the previous night, couldn’t hold back anymore and asked Lu Yao, “They’re still so young, and the streets are full of zombies. Are you sure it’s okay for them to make deliveries?”

Lu Yao replied, “With Harold accompanying them, it should be fine.”

She then turned to Budu and Mo Bao, instructing them, “If you’re uncomfortable, don’t push yourselves. Let Uncle Harold bring you back.”

Harold paused slightly before ruffling Mo Bao’s hair vigorously. “I don’t remember having so many nephews. Where did this little guy come from?”

Mo Bao pressed his lips together, enduring silently. He felt like an unnecessary burden, unrecognized and out of place.

Lu Yao explained, “His name is Mo Bao. You’ve probably seen him at the internet café.”

Harold was only teasing. Seeing Mo Bao clamming up like a small oyster, he stopped.

The staff enjoyed a rare breakfast together in the shop. As orders started to come in, the runners headed out. Harold was supposed to take both Budu and Mo Bao along.

However, after breakfast, Mo Bao stuck firmly to Lu Mingxiao and refused to leave.

Lu Yao assigned Harold to take Budu out while she handed Mo Bao over to Lu Mingxiao.

Lu Mingxiao sighed lightly. “I’m a rookie too.”

Lu Yao replied, “The kid likes you so much he’s about to cry. Please take good care of him.”

With no other choice, Lu Mingxiao took Mo Bao along for deliveries.

The network’s range had been extended to 50 kilometers the day before, and with enough runners on hand, Lu Yao didn’t plan to go out herself. She stayed at the shop to prepare for the upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival activities. If things got too busy, she would step in to handle deliveries.

Zhang Shu oversaw the system while Lu Yao worked in the main hall. Ding Qing, not required to stay in the shop, informed Lu Yao before heading out to fix up her place.

She planned to replace the front door with a solid glass one, install a roll-up metal shutter outside, and renovate the attic with a reinforced door. Lu Yao had promised to help with fortifications once the repairs were done, something Ding Qing was eagerly looking forward to.

At the door, Ding Qing ran into the university student group, who seemed more energetic than usual that morning.

Before everything went awry, Ding Qing had been a college student like them. Unfortunately, her mindset could never return to what it once was. She nodded slightly in greeting.

Tang Anqi and her three friends had woken up to find the boxed pasta and sandwiches from the previous night still slightly warm, thanks to the packaging.

Inside the box were a portion of pasta and four rectangular beef sandwiches.

The four shared the pasta and sandwiches with cold water, enjoying their most luxurious meal in over two months. Naturally, their spirits were high as they prepared to go out.

They cheerfully greeted Ding Qing before heading to fetch the Zheng siblings.

The Zheng siblings were having breakfast when they heard knocking. They quickly put away the box of biscuits, wiped their mouths, and ran to open the door.

By this time, most of the shop’s neighboring residents had already left for the day, leaving the area in front of the shop quiet and deserted.

Occasionally, the sound of rolling wheels reached Lu Yao’s ears. She looked up to see several people dragging large garbage bins past the shop entrance.

Ever since Harold had used a garbage bin to deliver some customers, it had gradually become one of the trendiest delivery tools. Supermarket shopping carts and small household trolleys used for collecting parcels followed closely in popularity.

Lu Yao reviewed the recent order statistics. Yesterday, unexpectedly, there were over forty orders in total, with about 80% being rescue requests from supply points, five or six for deliveries, and a few with more complex requirements.

With enough runners, most orders were completed within the required time. From the order volume over the past three consecutive days, both the number of customers and demand were steadily increasing.

Now that the range of the network had expanded sufficiently, Zhao Ye and his sparrow underlings were distributing flyers and promoting the shop through word of mouth. As orders continued to grow, completing the system’s tasks on time seemed feasible.

…

Hope Base, Jinyao City

The 11th Squad returned to the base after ten days, bringing back ten truckloads of supplies.

Captain Xue Qian had barely stepped into the base when she heard that her boyfriend, Xia Huaicong, and Li Mi had fled the previous night in a base vehicle.

Xue Qian glared coldly at the logistics officer reporting the news. “Where’s the director? And Chen Xin? Is no one handling this?”

The logistics officer shrank back, looking troubled. “Director Li was killed in his office the night before. As for Captain Chen Xin, he was bitten by zombies on a mission the day before the director’s death and didn’t return with the team.”

Xue Qian quickly pieced the situation together and let out a cold laugh. “Li Mi is indeed beautiful, but Li Guanghai was too impatient—his death is no loss. But for Li Mi to drag Xia Huaicong with her? That’s unacceptable.”

The logistics officer wiped at imaginary sweat, equally conflicted.

In these times, finding a decent job was nearly impossible. His former superior, Li Guanghai, had been a scumbag through and through.

To survive, subordinates like him turned a blind eye and stayed silent. But now that Li Guanghai had died mysteriously and the instructor had left, the base was undergoing a shake-up, making life even harder for those below.

Xue Qian asked, “Where’s the instructor? Out on another mission?”

The logistics officer hesitated. “The instructor has left.”

“Left?”

“Not long ago, the 7th and 10th Squads went to Gaosheng City. The director asked the instructor to accompany them, but the instructor never returned. Captain An Xia reported that he’d fallen for a woman in Gaosheng City and ran off with her.”

Xue Qian snorted. “An Xia sure is emotional. Still, I am curious about the woman who could make the instructor fall for her. I always suspected he wasn’t interested in that sort of thing.”

The young logistics officer couldn’t help coughing awkwardly at her comment.

Xue Qian waved dismissively. “Forget it. It’s no fun talking to you. Let me unload this batch of supplies, take two days off, and then go catch Xia Huaicong. He shouldn’t think escaping means he’s free of consequences.”

…

Two days later, Lu Yao’s shop had gained a bit of fame around Guanyin Road, and daily order volumes were steadily rising.

That day, while organizing materials for a meeting, Lu Yao received a system notification:

[Mission Completed!]

[Successfully complete 300 runner orders within seven days.]

Rewards: Popularity +30,000, World Truth Fragments +3!

[Lu Yao’s Courier Shop has gained recognition, upgraded to a 2-star shop!]

Rewards: Popularity +20,000, World Truth Fragment +1! Keep up the good work!

[New Mission!]

Lu Yao’s Runner Shop has earned the trust of Golden Kingdom residents. For sustainable growth, expand shop services and complete 2,000 runner orders within 14 days.

Rewards: Popularity +50,000, World Truth Fragments +5!

The new mission jumped from 300 to 2,000 orders, with only twice the time limit.

Lu Yao complained to the Dream Fulfillment System, “Don’t you think this is a bit too much?”

The system tried to comfort her, “No need to get worked up. With your skills, this is just a breeze, isn’t it?”

Lu Yao sighed, “Our busiest day had only 61 orders. Two thousand in half a month? That’s insane.”

The system grew uneasy. “Once a mission is issued, it can’t be revoked. Can’t you think of any way to manage it?”

Lu Yao didn’t respond. She pulled out five puzzle-like white fragments from her storage space—her rewards for completing the last two missions and leveling up the shop. These were the World Truth Fragments.

🛍️🛍️🛍️🛍️🛍️

Before Lu Yao could react, Harold spoke first.

“Runners need to ride bikes. With those tiny legs, can you even reach the pedals?”

Everyone—Tang Anqi’s group, Li Mi, Xia Huaicong, and the Zheng siblings—looked over in surprise.

That’s the focus? Shouldn’t the kid be crying or something?

Budu glanced at the small electric bike Lu Yao had parked by the roadside, then looked down at his short legs. “Can’t we ask a craftsman to make a child-sized bike?”

The neighbors looked down at BBudu again. His calm demeanor was surprising as he seriously considered a solution to the problem.

Lu Yao said, “Let’s talk about this later. It’s time to call it a day.”

Only then did the neighbors realize how late it had gotten. Normally, they wouldn’t dare to be outside at this hour, but the main street of Guanyin Road seemed free of wandering zombies these days.

Zheng Han led Zheng Xinxin back to their place, pulled down the shutter door, and decided to make do for the night on the ground floor, spreading out cardboard to sleep on. He planned to clean the upstairs area in the morning.

They had brought the supplies they found in the supermarket—rice, flour, and bottled water—which, if rationed, could last them a week to ten days. However, the rice and flour were raw and needed cooking, but their place currently had no cooking utensils or fuel.

That night, they made do with soda crackers and bottled water for dinner. Zheng Han had already arranged with Tang Anqi’s team to search for supplies the next day, specifically a portable stove, solid fuel, and camping cookware.

He thought of his mother’s last warning: “Don’t trust anyone.” But he had to take care of himself and his sister, and for now, teaming up with others was their best survival strategy.

Li Mi and Xia Huaicong also returned to their place. Arriving late, they hadn’t had time to replace the door. That night, they propped wooden boards and cardboard against the doorway as a temporary barricade, planning to properly fix things in the morning.

…

Lu Yao returned to the shop first. A few minutes later, she came out carrying two large black plastic bags and knocked on Tang Anqi’s door.

Because Tang Anqi’s team had spent the afternoon helping the Zheng siblings find materials to fix their door, their own place hadn’t been fully cleaned up yet. The four university students decided to squeeze into one room for another night.

Lu Yao handed one of the bags to Tang Anqi. Seeing Jiang Yifei there too, she handed over the second bag.

“Since you’re all here, this saves me a trip next door.”

Tang Anqi almost dropped the bag from its weight. “What’s in here? It’s so heavy!”

Lu Yao explained, “Last time you helped distribute flyers in Ping’an District, I promised you a box of supplies as payment. Now that you’ve moved and become neighbors, I added an extra box for you. Most of it is food. Considering you might not have cooking facilities, there’s some pre-cooked food as well. The packaging is made of special insulating material, so as long as you don’t open it, it’ll stay warm and fresh. But the shelf life is short—only seven days—so don’t keep it too long.”

When Tang Anqi’s group first arrived on Guanyin Road, they had brought snacks and drinks as gifts and visited Lu Yao at the shop. Lu Yao had been planning to return the gesture generously. Seeing their place nearly set up earlier in the day, she sent Xiao Ji a list to prepare the supplies for them.

After delivering the goods, Lu Yao didn’t linger, knowing Budu was still waiting for her at the shop.

Tang Anqi’s group locked the shutter door with the help of Song Xu and Zhou Mingyang, then carried the boxes upstairs in two trips.

Back in the attic, they drew the curtains, lit two candles—a rare luxury—and sat down in a circle, eager to open the boxes.

Their curiosity was understandable. Lu Yao had mentioned pre-cooked food that could stay warm and fresh for seven days just from its packaging. They couldn’t wait to see what it was.

Inside the black plastic bags were three kraft-paper boxes stacked neatly together. The outer packaging for both sets of supplies was identical, with classification labels affixed to the boxes.

The bottom box was labeled “Daily Essentials,” the second “Ingredients and Snacks,” and the topmost box “Prepared Foods.”

Song Xu and Zhou Mingyang couldn’t take their eyes off the box labeled “Prepared Foods,” while Tang Anqi opened the “Daily Essentials” box, and Jiang Yifei started on the “Ingredients and Snacks” box.

Tang Anqi glanced at Song Xu, who was itching to dig into the prepared foods box, and warned, “One at a time!”

Tang Anqi had a quirk—she liked saving the best for last, whether it was food or something she was excited about. Naturally, she insisted everyone wait to open the most interesting box together.

Song Xu, however, spotted a small flashlight in Tang Anqi’s box, grabbed it, and turned it on. The room was instantly flooded with a bright white light.

Tang Anqi shielded her eyes with her hand and turned away from the blinding glare. “Whoa, that’s way too bright!”

Song Xu inspected the flashlight and said, “It’s solar-powered with a rechargeable panel.”

Meanwhile, Zhou Mingyang pulled a vacuum-sealed pack of sweet sausages from Jiang Yifei’s box—ten in total—along with four slices of raw-cut beef steak, each weighing half a pound. The packaging was labeled with storage instructions: “Special packaging, shelf-stable at room temperature. Best before: 60 days.”

The label also included today’s production date, written in the standard calendar of the Golden Kingdom.

The steak package came with a set of seasonings: whole unpeeled garlic, peppered salt, a 20-gram block of butter, and a sprig of rosemary.

Jiang Yifei couldn’t help but swallow. “Such fresh, raw-cut steak! What kind of background does this runner shop have?”

Tang Anqi replied, “The first time Song Xu and I met Lu Yao was near Jinzhu Street. We were trapped on the upper floors of a department store and called her for help, promising to give her all the supplies we’d found as payment.”

Song Xu added, “She turned us down flat, said she didn’t need supplies, and even gave us two cards. We had a whole bag of good stuff, all usable and edible, and she wasn’t tempted at all. I thought, ‘How rich must she be?’ Then we met the runners from her shop, all so strong they took out zombies like harvesting potatoes. That’s when I realized—they don’t lack supplies. More accurately, they don’t lack the ability to get supplies. Judging by what we’ve seen now, this shop’s background is probably far deeper than we can imagine.”

Tang Anqi’s box also contained a solar-powered indoor lamp, solid fuel, a compact and practical pair of scissors, a folding spring knife, alcohol wipes, a mini non-stick frying pan perfect for cooking steaks or eggs, and a small first-aid kit.

In Jiang Yifei’s box, besides the steak and sausages, there were jam-filled bread, toast slices, condensed milk, canned luncheon meat, canned tuna, biscuits, and even a few apples.

Zhou Mingyang commented, “Apples are one of the longer-lasting fruits, but these look so fresh, they were probably just picked.”

Jiang Yifei examined the production dates on the jam-filled bread and toast. Her face was full of disbelief. “These were baked just this afternoon, with a 60-day shelf life. That’s insane!”

The four of them exchanged glances, their expressions varying, unable to put into words the awe they felt.

It wasn’t just that the courier shop had ample resources. The fact that Lu Yao could give these supplies to them so openly meant she wasn’t worried about them learning anything that might harm the shop.

It was a confidence born of absolute control.

The small attic fell into silence for several minutes until Tang Anqi suddenly broke it. “Hurry up and open the prepared foods box! I can’t even imagine what amazing things could be inside!”

Tang Anqi and Jiang Yifei carefully put everything they’d taken out back into their respective boxes, while Song Xu and Zhou Mingyang each grabbed one of the prepared foods boxes from behind them, ready to open them together.

Jiang Yifei speculated, “Maybe it’s like takeout.”

Song Xu added, “If it really stays warm and fresh for seven days like Lu Yao said, that’s incredible!”

The two boxes of prepared meals were identically packed, each containing 14 rectangular containers made of an unknown material.

Labels on the lids listed different dishes. One box noted: Shredded Pork in Garlic Sauce, Stir-fried Bok Choy, Tomato Meatball Soup, Rice, and Pickled Radish.

Each container’s label described a different meal: Sweet and Sour Meatballs, Dry Pot Ribs, Braised Pork, Chicken Stew with Mushrooms, Roasted Duck, Char Siu… even options like Beef Sandwich, Creamy Mushroom Seafood Pasta, Potstickers, Pan-fried Buns, Siu Mai, and Beef Pancakes.

Tang Anqi remarked, “Since there are two of us, and the meals last exactly seven days, each box has 14 meals—one per person per day for a week.”

Song Xu picked up a box labeled Braised Pork Set Meal. “Should we open one to see?”

Across from him, Zhou Mingyang and Jiang Yifei couldn’t help but swallow audibly.

Although they had stockpiled supplies and weren’t starving, their quality of life couldn’t compare to pre-zombie times. Most days, they ate whatever they had—dry food with cold water. Hot meals were a rarity, let alone ones with such variety.

Even their most luxurious meals had been splitting a single sausage or sharing a packet of instant noodles. That kind of extravagance was rare.

Tang Anqi held down Song Xu’s hand and turned to Jiang Yifei and Zhou Mingyang. “Do you want to open one?”

Jiang Yifei hesitated. Once opened, the meal might lose its freshness, and wasting food was unthinkable. While two meals would be enough for the four of them to share, Jiang Yifei still felt it was too indulgent.

Zhou Mingyang pulled out a box containing Beef Sandwich with Pasta. “Let’s open this one. We can taste it now, and the sandwich should still be fine tomorrow morning for breakfast since it’s not too hot right now.”

Song Xu couldn’t wait any longer. He grabbed a container, peeling back a corner of the lid. Immediately, the fragrant aroma of spices and savory meat filled the room, causing everyone to reflexively swallow hard.

The exterior of the container felt cool, but as soon as the lid was fully opened, steam rose from inside. Inside, glistening chunks of braised pork with perfectly balanced fat and lean layers sat in a rich, aromatic sauce.

The container even included utensils—a pair of chopsticks and a soup spoon.

Song Xu used the chopsticks to pick up a piece of braised pork and fed it to Tang Anqi.

The pork was tender and soft, melting like butter in her mouth, with a salty-sweet flavor that was utterly irresistible.

Tang Anqi’s eyes lit up. “It’s amazing!”

The shop’s meals were, of course, top-notch, and for the four of them—who hadn’t had a proper meal in ages—this was a feast beyond imagination.

After feeding Tang Anqi, Song Xu immediately popped a piece into his own mouth. As he chewed, tears nearly welled up. “This is so good! And it’s still warm! It’d be perfect with rice!”

Zhou Mingyang grabbed the chopsticks from Song Xu, quickly picking up a piece to feed Jiang Yifei before taking a bite himself.

The four of them sat on the small attic floor, eating the braised pork straight out of the container and praising it endlessly.

After several minutes, they calmed down, sharing one braised pork set meal and taking a bite each from the pasta box. The remaining food was carefully repackaged to save for the morning.

In their hardest times, they had even eaten raw rice and flour directly out of desperation, caring little about whether their food was warm or mushy.

Jiang Yifei carefully resealed the sandwich and pasta box. “It’s a shame the shelf life is only seven days. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have the heart to eat two meals a day.”

Zhou Mingyang remarked, “I can’t figure out where the shop gets all this stuff.”

Song Xu sighed, “It’s as inexplicable as the outbreak of the zombie virus.”

Tang Anqi added, “One thing is for sure—never mess with the courier shop.”

Back at the shop, Lu Yao returned to find Ding Qing, Harold, Lu Mingxiao, and Budu each seated in the lobby.

Ding Qing’s door hadn’t been replaced yet. She had already gathered materials during the day and brought them back to her place, but the earliest she could install the new door was tomorrow.

She would spend another night at the shop.

Lu Mingxiao was also staying. Harold had initially planned to return to the nail salon, but seeing that Budu hadn’t left, he decided to stay as well.

As Lu Yao closed the shop door behind her, she casually asked, “What’s going on?”

Budu looked up at her. “Mother…”

Lu Yao walked over and sat down next to him. “Yesterday, Xiao Ji told me he’s already shortlisted a few kindergartens. Once the Mid-Autumn Festival activities are over, I’ll take you to visit them personally. You can pick one you like.”

Budu fiddled with his fingers, visibly unwilling.

Pretending not to notice his reluctance, Lu Yao continued, “You want to be a runner? You’ll only have less than ten days before and during Mid-Autumn, and with one day of training, there won’t be much time to get the full experience.”

Bu Du immediately raised his head. “It’s fine, I don’t mind!”

Lu Yao nodded. “Alright, then tomorrow you’ll follow Harold.”

Harold wasn’t surprised by Lu Yao’s approval, but he was blunt. “With those little legs, you really won’t manage.”

Budu: “…”

Lu Yao offered a suggestion. “What about a skateboard?”

Budu’s eyes lit up.

Last year, he had abandoned Ji Feichen’s group halfway, traveling alone to Yaoguang City. He had skated barefoot on an ice sled for nearly a hundred kilometers. Using an ordinary skateboard shouldn’t be a problem for him.

Thus, the plan for a Mid-Autumn Festival-exclusive child runner was finalized.

Among the staff, only Ding Qing seemed to harbor some doubts, but she chose not to ask.

Lu Yao thought the matter was resolved and urged Budu to return to the hot spring inn to rest. Harold also returned to the nail salon. Ding Qing stayed another night at the shop, and Lu Yao remained there as well.

After washing up, Lu Yao received a message from one of her internet café employees.

The young Demon Sovereign of the Floating World Continent had arrived at the café, requesting to meet her.

Not long after the God-Slaying War, Mo Bao had succeeded the throne as the Demon Sovereign. Apart from his first visit when he took Lu Yao to Tianyuan Demon Palace to retrieve Ze Yuan’s belongings, he would occasionally visit the café—sometimes to see Lu Yao, other times just to browse the internet.

Assuming Mo Bao had come to see her again, Lu Yao quickly threw on her robe and, after notifying Ding Qing and Lu Mingxiao, headed out.

…

Lu Yao’s Interdimensional Internet Café

Employee Lounge

Lu Yao walked past the counter and pushed open the door.

The young Demon Sovereign, dressed in a black robe with intricate dark-gold patterns, sat on the sofa. His black hair and crimson eyes exuded an imposing aura despite his youthful appearance.

Lu Yao studied him carefully, then sat down beside him. “You’ve been too busy lately? Why do you look thinner?”

Though Mo Bao had become Demon Sovereign, the only trusted aide by his side remained Xuanfeng. Hearing Lu Yao’s remark, Xuanfeng couldn’t help but nod in agreement.

The former Demon Sovereign had fallen in battle, and the new one had rapidly matured, ascending the throne within mere months. His stubborn temperament and workaholic tendencies had already become apparent, leaving his aides and attendants both exasperated and concerned.

Mo Bao touched his cheek and shook his head. “It’s nothing, just trivial matters. Nothing worth worrying about.”

Lu Yao said, “Even so, you need to eat well and balance work with rest.”

Mo Bao gave a perfunctory nod and got straight to the point. “A few days ago, the sparrow demon lingering around the café spoke to me.”

Lu Yao felt a headache coming on the moment she heard the topic.
That blabbermouth Zhao Ye, always running his mouth like a sieve.

She raised a hand to ruffle her hair lightly, a smile tinged with exasperation yet showing a hint of warmth. “I didn’t expect you two to be getting along so well already.”

Mo Bao kept his hands steadily resting on his knees. “I heard you’ve opened a new shop. Zhao Ye and that little demon dragon from the shop have both been sent there to work.”

Knowing Lu Yao wouldn’t easily agree, Mo Bao rushed to state his intention before she could respond. “I want to work at that shop too.”

…

Thingyan: Can we say Lu Yao is Mo Bao’s stepmother? lol She hasn’t even married Xiaoxiao yet and they already have two children 😂😂😂

🛍️🛍️🛍️🛍️🛍️

Xia Huaicong let out a deep sigh of relief. Seeing Lu Yao with Lu Mingxiao, he muttered under his breath, “So the instructor really became the shop owner’s boyfriend?”

The previous night, when they parted ways on the main road outside Wanyi Hospital, the shop owner’s tone had sounded suspiciously like that of a girlfriend speaking to her boyfriend on a mission.

If Xue Qian returned to the base and found out he’d run away, she would definitely be furious and might even try to drag him back.

Without hesitation, Li Mi said, “With the instructor’s skills and temper, who could force him to do anything? If he went along, it’s because he wanted to. He probably likes her.”

“Maybe,” Xia Huaicong replied. “I heard from Team Ten that the instructor might have known Lu Yao before.”

Li Mi had also heard about their first meeting in the hospital, but this clearly wasn’t the time to gossip, even though they had already been chatting for quite a while. Seeing the runners appear had somehow calmed their emotions.

Lu Yao and Lu Mingxiao stopped their vehicles at a distance, lingered by the roadside for a moment, and then slowly walked toward the intersection.

Lu Yao glanced at the two vehicles trapped in the middle of the road. “The clients aren’t still in the cars, are they?”

Lu Mingxiao: “Clear the zombies first?”

Lu Yao: “No rush. Let’s deliver the goods first.”

Lu Yao approached the van, studied the situation, and pulled a thin retractable rod with a small clip attached at the end from her bag.

She extended the rod over the zombies and held it outside the van’s driver-side window.

Xia Huaicong was stunned for a few seconds before realizing what she meant. He quickly took a thick gold chain, as wide as a pinky, from his pocket and clipped it onto the device.

Lu Yao retracted the rod, took out the gold-eating Pixiu from her bag to process the payment, and then sent the remaining gold chain and a set of order cards back into the van using the same retractable rod.

In the nearby sedan, Zhao Bowen and Zhang Haizhu were dumbfounded by this maneuver.

As Lu Yao completed the transaction, a zombie noticed them and began to slowly turn around, its jaw opening and closing with a harsh, guttural noise.

Before it could approach, Lu Mingxiao raised his hand and sliced its head clean off.

He wasn’t holding any weapon, and not a trace of decayed flesh or residue touched his fingers.

In the blink of an eye, four or five headless zombies collapsed around the two runners.

The falling bodies made no sound, and most of the remaining zombies were still focused on the two vehicles.

Zhao Bowen urged Zhang Haizhu, “Hurry up! Get the gold! We’re buying too!”

Killing zombies barehanded—these two were terrifying!

Zhang Haizhu, already rummaging through her bag, had initially not planned to bring any gold when packing her belongings. But a sudden thought about the runners mentioned by Meixin’s mom had prompted her to grab a few items and stash them away.

Fortunately, she had thought of it last night. Otherwise, they’d have no way to seek help today.

Xia Huaicong and Li Mi purchased 20 order cards in one go.

Zhao Bowen initially ordered just one card, but after witnessing the runners’ actions, he added another 20, bringing his total to 21 cards.

The clients in both vehicles quickly filled out the orders on the back of the cards as instructed.

In less than two minutes, Lu Yao received two new dispatch notifications.

The Changsheng Road area had only recently been set up with signal receivers. The system had just extended coverage to the area, and no dedicated runners had been assigned to patrol or handle orders here yet.

Li Mi’s and Zhao Bowen’s orders were purely coincidental, conveniently handled by Lu Yao and Lu Mingxiao, who were already in the area.

Lu Yao unsheathed the small knives strapped to her leg. A red thread automatically wrapped around her wrist as she gestured toward the left. “I’ll take this side. The other side is yours.”

Lu Yao moved to the perimeter of the van. Seven small knives, each about the length of a palm, flew out of her sheath. She grabbed one and lightly tapped the back of the blade against a nearby metal fence. The sharp, grating sound immediately drew the attention of the zombies surrounding the vehicles.

The zombies slowly turned their heads and began to shuffle toward Lu Yao. Their movements were sluggish, taking small, uneven steps.

Lu Yao backed away slowly, leading the zombies away from the vehicles.

Finally, some space opened up around the two previously encircled cars.

Lu Yao lured most of the zombies to the roadside. Pretending to reach into her cloth bag, she actually retrieved an item from her portable storage—a fresh piece of raw meat. With a deliberate motion, she threw it far away, momentarily drawing some of the zombies’ attention.

Taking advantage of the distraction, she circled around them and returned to deal with the zombies still lingering near the roadside.

The small knives, with red strings tied to their ends, spun in her grip like propellers, slicing cleanly beneath the heads of the shambling zombies. Heads rolled in rows, dropping to the ground like overripe tomatoes, splattering fluids and rotted flesh everywhere with sickening squelches.

Lu Yao’s method was precise and skillful, while Lu Mingxiao opted for a more brute force approach. He cleared all the zombies around the sedan in mere minutes.

Inside the van, Li Mi and Xia Huaicong watched in stunned silence. They couldn’t help but confirm their suspicions: the instructor had been slacking off and taking it easy every day at the base, never showing his full strength.

What frustrated them most was that even without putting in his best effort, he was still the most respected and formidable instructor at Hope Base.

The shop owner, though not as violent as the instructor, handled the situation with ease and efficiency.

As Zhao Bowen’s car broke free from the zombie horde, he turned to Zhang Haizhu, seemingly starting an argument. After a few minutes, Zhao Bowen finally rolled down his car window and greeted Lu Yao and Lu Mingxiao from the roadside, thanking them. Through the car door, he also waved at Xia Huaicong and Li Mi as a farewell before driving straight toward the border.

They had decided to head to Hope Base after all.

Li Mi and Xia Huaicong didn’t reveal any information about the base, nor did they try to dissuade them. At the base, they had seen all kinds of people with different needs. For them, returning to any base was out of the question, but others might yearn for the stability and safety a base could provide.

Once the black sedan disappeared from view, Li Mi and Xia Huaicong stepped out of their van, enthusiastically greeting Lu Mingxiao and thanking Lu Yao.

Lu Yao replied, “Once you place an order, you’re our client. No need to be so polite.”

Li Mi couldn’t help but ask, “The flyer says you only take orders within ten kilometers of the shop. This place is definitely farther than that, right?”

Lu Yao nodded. “You’re in luck. The signal network was just set up in this area today. A little earlier, and we might not have been able to receive your order.”

Xia Huaicong was astonished. “A signal network?! There’s really technology now that can capture orders written on paper?”

Lu Yao smiled. “Trade secret. No comment. By the way, why are you back in Gaosheng City?”

Li Mi’s expression flickered for a moment. She didn’t mention Li Guanghai, clenching her hand at her side before casually replying, “We left Hope Base. We’re planning to settle down in Gaosheng City.”

Lu Yao was a bit surprised.

From what she’d heard from Zhao Ye and his little sparrow gang, the search teams at Hope Base were treated relatively well, better than ordinary people at least, with no worries about food and basic needs.

Lu Mingxiao said nothing, silently confirming Zhao Ye’s assessment.

Anyone with some capability who joined the search team through training could live decently at the base.

Sensing they had their reasons, Lu Yao didn’t press further.

She was preoccupied with the unfinished signal receivers. Delivering goods and handling two unexpected orders had already delayed her schedule. She couldn’t afford to slack off any longer.

Just as she was about to leave, Li Mi called out, “Shop owner, we’re looking for a safe place to stay. Could we place an order and hire a runner to escort us?”

Lu Yao tilted her head toward Lu Mingxiao and answered slowly, “I have some tasks to handle right now, so I can’t take the order. How about you?”

Li Mi and Xia Huaicong turned expectantly toward Lu Mingxiao, following Lu Yao’s gaze.

Lu Mingxiao maintained a calm expression. “I’m new here and unfamiliar with this city. I’d like to stay by the shop owner’s side to learn more. It’s better to rely on the experienced seniors.”

Lu Yao: “…”

Li Mi couldn’t help but tug on Xia Huaicong’s sleeve.

Xia Huaicong, confused, turned to her. “???”

Li Mi shook her head, realizing Xia Huaicong, ever the straightforward type, completely missed the implication in the instructor’s words.

Li Mi immediately asked, “Will another runner be available?”

Lu Yao contacted Zhang Shu and confirmed that there was a free runner available.

After ending the call, Lu Yao said, “Technically, the delivery services for the Changsheng Road area haven’t officially launched yet. However, since there’s an available runner right now, they can take the order at double the fee. If you’re okay with that, you can place an order.”

With the van broken down and no sign of a gas station nearby, both Li Mi and Xia Huaicong, already mentally and physically exhausted from a night of tension, quickly agreed. They didn’t care about the extra cost and placed the order without hesitation.

Lu Yao and Lu Mingxiao returned to their tasks, aiming to complete the signal network coverage for 50 kilometers by the end of the day.

Later that night, with Lu Mingxiao by her side, Lu Yao felt less afraid despite the darkness. She decided to work overtime, finishing the installation of all the signal receivers before heading back.

The two returned to the shop past 10 p.m. The modified electric vehicles made almost no noise, ensuring they wouldn’t disturb nearby residents or alert wandering zombies on the street.

By this hour, only the area around the shop was lit, its glow standing out in the darkness of Guanyin Road. Despite their quiet return, some nearby residents noticed their arrival.

Lu Yao parked the electric vehicle at the shop’s entrance.

The Dream Fulfillment System commented, “There are more people on this street now.”

Before Lu Yao could ask further, the university students from next door came out, followed by two young children from the shop a few doors down from Tang Anqi’s family.

On the other side of the shop, two newcomers—Li Mi and Xia Huaicong—had moved into the house next to Jiang Yifei and Zhou Mingyang.

Lu Yao was surprised to see so many people gathering outside the shop. “Did you all move to Guanyin Road?”

Harold had brought Zheng Han and Zheng Xinxin here. With the siblings being so young, survival elsewhere was nearly impossible. Harold decided to settle them near the shop.

The siblings had met Tang Anqi’s team earlier, and after chatting with them, Zheng Han decided to stay and take care of his sister here. Since the house next to Tang Anqi’s was already reserved by Ding Qing, the siblings moved into the unit beside Ding Qing’s.

Tang Anqi’s team, after learning about the siblings’ situation, went to the building materials market to gather supplies and had a runner deliver them. Before nightfall, they replaced the siblings’ exterior rolling door, ensuring they could rest safely.

Li Mi and Xia Huaicong were escorted here by Qiu Yu. When they mentioned wanting to settle in a safe place, Qiu Yu recalled the shop owner’s safety community initiative discussed during last night’s meeting and brought them directly to Guanyin Road.

Li Mi’s group also encountered Tang Anqi’s team, whose enthusiasm won them over. After a quick exchange, Li Mi and Xia Huaicong decided to stay near the shop as well, choosing the house next to Jiang Yifei’s.

Now, Lu Yao found herself surrounded by a group of enthusiastic new neighbors at the shop’s entrance.

Harold heard the commotion outside and knew Lu Yao had returned. After waiting for a while and not seeing her come in, he impatiently got up and walked out.

Zhang Shu and several of the runners had already finished their shifts, leaving only Ding Qing and Harold to watch the store.

Shortly after nightfall, Budu had come from the hot spring inn looking for Lu Yao. Upon hearing that she hadn’t returned, he had intended to go out to search for her but was persuaded by Harold to stay in the shop, where he had remained since.

Budu followed Harold outside and stood at the doorway. “Mother.”

The lively atmosphere by the roadside came to an abrupt halt at that single word, “Mother.”

The neighbors slowly turned their heads and saw the small figure standing at the door.

The little one was even younger than Zheng Xinxin, with soft silver hair that was fine and bright, gently framing his round, rosy cheeks.

The boy had a pair of dazzling red eyes, so striking that at first glance he resembled the new silver-haired runner at the shop. But on closer inspection, he looked even more like the shop owner.

Lu Yao hadn’t expected Budu to come over. Seeing him standing still at the door, she waved at him. “Can you come out?”

Budu pursed his lips slightly, lifted his gaze to glance at the man standing behind Lu Yao, and then stepped out of the star gate.

Tang Anqi looked back and forth between Lu Yao and Budu, her head filled with curiosity. Could that “Mother” really be referring to the shop owner?

Budu walked steadily to stand in front of Lu Yao. “Mother.”

Lu Yao crouched down and patted his soft hair. “It looks like this world is fine. Now that the weather’s cooling down, it seems like you can go out freely.”

Budu nodded obediently but couldn’t hold back and blurted out, “Mother, I want to be a runner too.”

🛍️🛍️🛍️🛍️🛍️

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!!!”

🛍️🛍️🛍️🛍️🛍️

Su Ling calmed her emotions, seeing Si Jin still deep in self-reflection. Unable to hold back, she said, “It’s good that you think this way, but it’s better to save summaries and reflections for after work. In a normal work environment, letting personal issues dominate your thoughts during work hours only slows you down.”

Si Jin turned to look at her, surprised to be “lectured” by an ordinary human for the first time, aside from the shop owner. Lacking sufficient work experience, he didn’t have the confidence to argue back. In fact, he even felt she might be right.

Si Jin and Harold had been working as guards at the nail salon for over a year. During the early days of the shop, when there weren’t many supernatural employees, the two of them had plenty of opportunities to show off their strength. But in the past six months, there hadn’t been any troublesome customers. Even when one or two tried to act clever, the other staff could handle it without their intervention.

Harold, when not attending school with Tina as part of the dragons’ century-long mandatory education, spent his holidays helping Lu Yao run errands around the shopping street. He barely had time to spar with Si Jin anymore. Si Jin, on the other hand, spent most of his time as he always had: searching for rare treasures, hunting exotic magical creatures, and collecting shiny objects, magical materials, and ingredients. In his downtime, he hid in the shop reading comics or surfing the internet on his newly acquired phone, never having interacted so closely with a human other than Lu Yao before.

Si Jin realized he needed to update his understanding of humans.

Accompanied by Si Jin, Su Ling continued searching the basement floor for another half hour. She found a 250 ml promotional bottle of peanut oil and located some loose rice and mung beans in the retail area, though in small quantities. Su Ling used clean plastic bags to divide the items into two portions, keeping half for herself and giving the other half to the two children Si Jin had rescued.

The 15-year-old boy was named Zheng Han, and his 6-year-old sister was Zheng Xinxin. They used to live with their mother, while their father worked in another city. After the zombie virus outbreak, their father managed to make one phone call home before disappearing entirely. Their mother initially teamed up with neighbors to search for supplies, and the family managed to get by on one meal a day.

A few days ago, their mother ventured out again. One of the team members, a man, was bitten but, along with his wife, concealed it from the others. Shortly after returning to their residential area, the man turned into a zombie, killing his wife first before attacking the others. Zheng Han’s mother was also bitten. Most of the capable residents in the community didn’t survive.

Before fully turning into a zombie, their mother staggered back home with her last ounce of strength. She packed a small bag for the siblings and told them to flee and trust no one.

The siblings, both very young—Zheng Han barely in high school—had been wandering the zombie-infested streets with Zheng Xinxin in tow. The bag their mother packed for them was lost during several panicked escapes. With no other options, they entered this supermarket two days ago, only to find themselves trapped and unable to leave.

Zheng Han took the food Su Ling handed him, hoarsely expressing his thanks before leading his sister to continue searching the area. Having been there longer, they were slightly more familiar with the surroundings than Su Ling. Zheng Xinxin, being smaller, could also squeeze into tight spaces.

Together, the three of them managed to find a 10-pound bag of rice, two small packages of baby noodles (still sealed), four or five packets of soup seasoning, three cans of luncheon meat, two cans of tuna, seven or eight packs of pickled vegetables, and three cases of bottled water crushed under a shelf.

Su Ling divided the items they found together evenly among them, packing them into two large shopping baskets. She reinforced the baskets with thick cardboard and secured them with plastic wrap and tape. Su Ling kept one box for herself, while Zheng Han and Zheng Xinxin shared the other.

Turning to Si Jin, Su Ling said, “I’d like to place another delivery order. Can you take me back?”

Si Jin nodded.

As long as a customer placed an order, the system would immediately calculate the best candidate for the job. Given the current situation, if Su Ling placed another order, the system would still assign it to him.

Su Ling glanced at the two children clinging tightly to Si Jin. “What about them?”

Si Jin felt a bit of a headache.

These two kids seemed to have latched onto him. He couldn’t help but recall Harold’s “words of wisdom”—helping fragile humans too casually could easily lead to getting stuck with them. Before taking action, always consider whether you have the courage and patience to take full responsibility for them.

Before Si Jin could come up with a solution, Zheng Han proactively asked, “What was that ‘order service’ you mentioned just now?”

Si Jin pulled a flyer out of his cloth bag and handed it over. “This is a promotional leaflet for our shop. You can place an order using the form on the back to purchase our shop’s order cards. These cards are used to place orders. Pay in gold, and a runner will accept the order and carry it out for you.”

Zheng Han carefully studied the flyer before looking up at Si Jin. “So my sister and I can place an order too?”

Su Ling widened her eyes slightly. “You have gold on you?”

Zheng Han nodded and pulled out a black cord necklace from inside his shirt. The cord had a few gold beads strung on it, and the pendant was a thick, solid block of gold shaped like a blank plaque, looking quite hefty.

Zheng Xinxin also pulled out a red-cord necklace from under her collar. The pendant was a pure gold longevity lock.

What Zheng Han didn’t reveal was that among the belongings their mother had packed for them were a few 20-gram gold bars and several gold chains, which he had hidden by wrapping them into the cuffs of his pants.

At the time, their mother had been in such poor condition that she likely couldn’t discern what was most important. She simply stuffed everything she thought was valuable along with food into a single bag and gave it to him.

Most of the larger items had been lost during their escapes, leaving only these seemingly useless pieces of gold. Zheng Han had initially thought of them as a burden and was planning to secretly toss the gold bars, keeping only a few small pieces of jewelry as mementos.

Si Jin heaved a sigh of relief and took out a stack of order cards from his bag. “You don’t need to use the flyer to place an order. I have cards here. Once you fill out the address and destination, an available runner will be dispatched to pick you up.”

Zheng Xinxin looked up at Si Jin pitifully. “Won’t you be the one taking us?”

Si Jin replied, “That depends on the system. Right now, I’m in charge of this area, so if I’m available, I’ll take you. But if I’m busy and there’s another free runner nearby, someone else will be dispatched. Don’t worry, though—all our staff are strong and will definitely get you to your destination safely.”

Hearing this, Su Ling immediately pulled out an order card and a pen from her backpack, leaning on her knee to fill it out.

The system promptly updated Si Jin with a new dispatch notification. He turned to glance at Su Ling.

Su Ling kept her head down, avoiding his gaze, and casually handed the pen to Zheng Han. She trusted Si Jin’s colleagues to be capable, but she couldn’t help but feel a little selfish—she didn’t want a last-minute replacement.

Zheng Han used the gold beads on his necklace to pay for three order cards. After receiving them, he immediately filled out one.

When the four of them left the supermarket with their two boxes of supplies, the runner assigned to the order had just arrived at the entrance.

Harold stopped his small electric vehicle and looked up, spotting Si Jin walking out with three ordinary humans. His sharp instincts told him something was off.

If Si Jin was already here, why had the system still dispatched him?

Harold narrowed his eyes slightly. “What’s going on?”

Si Jin, feeling a little guilty, turned his head away and feigned ignorance. He pointed at Zheng Han and Zheng Xinxin. “We ran into them downstairs. They learned about the shop’s services and placed an order.”

Harold’s gaze swept over the group before crossing his arms and scrutinizing Si Jin. “You didn’t abandon your client mid-task to go save someone, did you?”

Si Jin wasn’t intimidated by Harold, but he grudgingly acknowledged that Harold, who often worked with Lu Yao, was just a tiny bit more experienced than he was. Since they now worked together, there was an unspoken sense of competition between them.

The mere thought of Harold using his mistake as an example to lecture their colleagues made Si Jin’s toes curl and his scalp tingle with embarrassment. It would be utterly humiliating.

Si Jin put on a serious face. “During work hours, we don’t discuss personal matters. It impacts efficiency. Let’s address anything else after hours.”

Harold: “???”

Behind them, Su Ling and the Zheng siblings curiously studied Harold.

The new runner, like Si Jin, had a distinctive presence. With black hair streaked with silver highlights and blue eyes, his high ponytail gave him an energetic and confident look. He appeared younger than Si Jin but was equally tall and elegant, like a bamboo shoot in a forest.

Su Ling blinked, recalling how a delivery girl from the shop had mentioned that all the runners were professional and reliable. Reliable or not, she couldn’t say for sure yet, but one thing was certain: they were all ridiculously good-looking.

In this chaotic world, where most ordinary people resembled drab little sparrows on the roadside, these runners looked as if they’d stepped straight out of a talent show, each with their unique charm. It felt almost unfair.

Si Jin hadn’t expected his offhand response to leave Harold speechless. Seizing the opportunity, he motioned for Su Ling to follow him and hurried to leave the scene.

Harold frowned, sensing something was off with Si Jin.

The Zheng siblings stood quietly to the side, not approaching him. Harold set aside his thoughts for now and focused on his task. He got off the electric vehicle, introduced himself to the siblings, confirmed their destination, and prepared to take payment using his gold-eating Pixiu.

Their destination was the Golden Osmanthus Residential Complex, the siblings’ original home. During their days of wandering, they had endured countless hardships.

Many times along the way, Zheng Han had wanted to take his sister back home. Even if their mother had turned into a zombie, they didn’t care. But the city was crawling with zombies, and the journey home seemed insurmountable.

Zheng Han had thought they would die in the supermarket. Then they met the powerful runners. Learning about the shop’s services gave him a glimmer of hope, and his first thought when filling out the order card was to go back home.

To his surprise, what had seemed like an impossible journey took less than 20 minutes on Harold’s small electric vehicle.

Harold stopped at the entrance of the Golden Osmanthus Residential Complex. The black gate was wrapped tightly with layers of iron chains, and the area in front of it was crowded with ragged zombies.

At first, the zombies lazily reached through the gaps in the iron bars, making faint groaning noises. Then, as if sensing Harold and the others, they began to press and shove against the gate, letting out sharp, guttural screeches.

Harold turned to the siblings. “Are you sure you want to go into this complex?”

Zheng Han stepped down from the vehicle and helped his sister down as well.

Zheng Xinxin looked up at Harold and said, “This is our home. Mama must be waiting for us there.”

Harold was silent for a few moments before saying in a low voice, “But there’s no one alive here anymore.”

The aura of zombies was entirely different from that of the living. The residential complex in front of them felt like a dead sea. Whoever had locked the gate had long since gone, leaving the place overrun with zombies.

Zheng Han’s pupils contracted sharply. After a few moments of thought, he raised his head with determination. “I’ll place another order. Will you go in with us?”

Harold leaned against his vehicle without moving. “What do you want to go in for?”

Zheng Han hesitated before answering, “When we left, Mama had already been bitten. After sending us out, I don’t know if she made it back home. I… I just want to take a look. Just one look.”

Humans are fragile and peculiar creatures. Sometimes, even when they already know the outcome, they still seek closure.

If it were the old black dragon, he wouldn’t have spared such humans a glance. But he had met someone.

That fragile, ordinary human gave him many things: a gaze that was uniquely his, care, concern, tenderness… and a place he could always return to.

That place was what humans often called “home.”

These two children no longer had a home to return to.

Harold lowered his eyes, feigning impatience. “If you’re going to place an order, hurry up. Otherwise, the system will assign me a new one.”

Zheng Han hurriedly pulled out an order card from his pocket but realized he didn’t have a pen; they’d used Su Ling’s pen in the supermarket.

Harold pulled a pen from his bag. “Hurry up!”

Zheng Han took the pen, glanced up, and smiled at him gratefully. Despite the smile, his eyes shimmered with unshed tears, as though they might spill over at any moment.

Harold awkwardly turned his face away.

Zheng Han quickly filled out one order card, then took out his last card from his pocket. On the back, he wrote down a name and a pickup address.

Harold was puzzled. “Why are you writing so much?”

Zheng Han replied, “It’s a preparatory step. It’ll be faster to place an order next time.”

Humans and their strange ways of thinking—Harold often saw the same behavior in Lu Yao.

After completing the payment, the system promptly assigned the latest task to Harold, who was closest to the client.

Harold parked his electric vehicle, picked up Zheng Xinxin with one arm, and lifted Zheng Han with the other. In a single leap, he vaulted over the wall.

Before they even reached the siblings’ former apartment building, Zheng Han spotted his mother.

She was wearing the same clothes as the day she sent them away. Her arms were riddled with bloody holes, large chunks of flesh bitten away by who-knows-what. The wounds, swollen and festering, oozed pus and looked like grotesque patches on her once-slender arms.

Her skin had lost its color, turning a dull, grayish-green. Her cloudy, lifeless eyes stared vacantly ahead. The once-efficient and graceful woman now shuffled in tiny, aimless steps like an old lady, wandering near the building.

Zheng Xinxin also recognized the woman. She began shouting at the top of her lungs, “Mama! Mama, Mama!”

There was no response.

Panicking, Zheng Xinxin jumped up and cupped her hands around her mouth, shouting louder, “Mama! Mama, Mama!”

The zombies stopped in their tracks and slowly turned toward the source of the noise. Their bloodshot eyes glared, their jaws snapping open and shut with guttural, grating sounds. They began shuffling toward the three of them.

Zheng Xinxin, seeing her mother’s face suddenly turn ferocious and grotesque, clung helplessly to Zheng Han’s leg, burying her face against his thigh and sobbing in despair.

Children don’t understand nothing; she knew something terrible had happened to her mother. She just didn’t want to believe it and didn’t know how to accept the truth.

Zheng Han bent down, hugging his sister tightly. Then, straightening up, he asked Harold for the pen again.

On the back of the last order card, Zheng Han wrote a new task:

[Request: Please have the runner kill our mother, who has become a zombie.]

We want to take her home.

🛍️🛍️🛍️🛍️🛍️

Gaosheng City, Xingmo Road, Mingtai Community.

Su Ling had a restless night, torn over whether to place a courier service order.

Several times during the night, she impulsively sat up, ready to write her request on the card.

But each time, she found herself unable to write a single word. She thought she’d been scammed, but upon careful reflection, that seemed unlikely.

After all, they didn’t scam food or supplies—just a few grams of gold. What was their motive?

This internal struggle carried Su Ling into dawn. Finally, a wave of sleepiness hit, and she managed less than two hours of sleep before suddenly waking up.

She sat up, reached under her pillow, and pulled out the card she had tried and failed to use last night.

This time, the ink flowed smoothly onto the card, reinvigorating Su Ling. Following the instructions, she wrote her name and address.

After placing the order, she got up, washed up quickly, changed into simple and modest clothes, and walked to the window. She peeked through the gap in the curtains, nervous but expectant.

Su Ling hoped the runner would arrive soon, silently praying it would be a female runner.

At 31 years old, Su Ling was single and living alone. She had worked in Gaosheng City since graduating from college.

She had dated a few times, but just when things seemed to be progressing, problems always arose.

As she got older, Su Ling became more self-aware. She no longer yearned for a stable relationship and focused on her career instead.

Had it not been for the sudden outbreak of the zombie virus, Su Ling would have been promoted in just a few months.

She had planned to use her pay raise to immediately move to a better neighborhood.

Su Ling had an unwavering dream of owning her own home. For years, she had scrimped and saved toward that goal.

Unfortunately, plans couldn’t keep up with change. The money she saved became worthless scraps of paper before she had a chance to use it.

In just over two months, the zombie virus outbreak had spiraled into an uncontrollable global disaster.

Humans perished en masse like moths to a flame, leaving behind countless vacant homes.

Yet Su Ling was trapped in her tiny rental unit, too afraid to step outside.

The sound of an engine grew closer. Su Ling saw a small electric scooter stop outside the community.

The runner had arrived.

A tall young man got off the scooter and removed his helmet.

From Su Ling’s vantage point at the window, she could only see his youthful face, with short, slightly curly, light golden hair.

Her heart sank. It wasn’t a female runner. Worse yet, he looked like a trendy guy.

She had a phobia of trendy guys!

Today, Si Jin was assigned to the area around Xingmo Road. As soon as he arrived at the shop, the system had dispatched him a new order.

He hadn’t even had time for breakfast, shoving bread and milk into his bag before heading out.

The community was run-down, with its main gate bound by iron chains and secured with a pointless oversized lock.

Harold, his senior mentor, had drilled some key work principles into Si Jin:

Avoid damaging buildings or objects nearby. Don’t clear zombies right away. Collect payment, pick up the goods, and finish the delivery.

Standing in front of the gate, Si Jin studied it for a few seconds before choosing the same route Luo Yao had used yesterday—climbing over the wall.

Following the directions on his badge, he walked to Building 9, third floor, and located Su Ling’s unit without issue.

The door opened from the inside, revealing a nervous-looking woman standing in the doorway.

Si Jin: “Hello, I’m Runner #5, Si Jin. May I confirm if you are Ms. Su Ling?”

Su Ling blinked rapidly. It felt like it had been ages since she encountered such a polite employee. For a moment, it gave her the illusion that the world hadn’t fallen into chaos.

The runner was simply too good-looking—golden hair, golden eyes, a handsome and regal air, tall and slim, with a pleasant voice and impeccable manners.

Su Ling slowly nodded, her thoughts slipping out: “I didn’t know there were foreign runners.”

Si Jin raised an eyebrow but chose to ignore the comment. He pulled out a gold-ingesting Pixiu from his bag. “Our store policy is payment first, then the delivery.”

Realizing her faux pas, Su Ling lowered her head, her cheeks slightly warm, and handed over a gold bar.

Over the years, Su Ling had accumulated quite a bit of wealth.

She was practical in her purchases, only buying pure gold jewelry and stocking up on gold bars every year.

After the zombie virus outbreak, she had often sat by her drawer full of gold, lamenting that it couldn’t buy food or water. It had all seemed useless—until now.

Su Ling needed to go to a large supermarket about a kilometer away from Mingtai Community.

Her home was completely out of supplies. She was looking for anything edible—dry goods, snacks, whatever she could find.

This was her first order. The card had already been paid for, and the runner fee was discounted by 50%, costing only 0.2 grams of gold.

The task was simple: escort her from Mingtai Community to the supermarket.

As Si Jin and Su Ling walked downstairs, they encountered the same thugs Luo Yao had dealt with yesterday.

The three men were lounging lazily on the edge of a flowerbed. One young man had his arm wrapped in clothing and slung across his chest.

At first, they perked up when they saw Su Ling, ready to stand, but then noticed Si Jin emerging from the building behind her. They quickly sat back down.

Si Jin gave them a brief glance and continued walking with Su Ling toward the gate. Instead of unlocking the chain, he effortlessly carried Su Ling and vaulted over the wall in a blink.

On the other side of the wall, Su Ling was stunned. The thugs still inside were equally shocked, standing up in surprise and silently thanking their luck for not picking a fight.

…

Guanyin Road, Luo Yao’s Courier Shop.

Harold, Qiu Yu, and Tina were also getting ready to head out on their electric scooters.

The courier service had shown promising results over the past two days. Apart from Si Jin’s new order, the morning jobs were all repeat customers from earlier orders.

Meanwhile, Zhao Ye and his sparrow underlings packed double the flyers compared to yesterday and prepared to canvass a new area.

At the store, only Zhang Shu, Luo Yao, Lu Mingxiao, and Ding Qing remained. After breakfast, Ding Qing also stepped out.

When Luo Yao was about to leave, she noticed Ding Qing standing outside, looking at an empty house next to Tang Anqi’s team.

This street used to be a commercial hub serving nearby residential communities.

After the zombie virus outbreak, the shops on the street were the first to be affected. The residents were bitten, and the stores were looted, leaving behind nothing but broken storefronts.

Luo Yao: “What’s up with that house?”

Ding Qing turned around: “Nothing, just wondering if I should move in there.”

Luo Yao: “You don’t want to stay at the store anymore?”

Ding Qing nodded, then shook her head. “The store is safe, and I feel secure living there. But everyone clocks out after work, and I feel like I should, too.”

Luo Yao felt a flicker of happiness. She had been worried Ding Qing might not recover.

This girl was incredibly resilient. Despite everything she had been through, she didn’t wallow in the past, break down, or let herself fall into despair. She tried her best not to trouble others.

Luo Yao walked over to take a closer look at the shop. She even went inside, checking out the loft upstairs and the restroom, which unfortunately couldn’t provide running water yet.

Luo Yao: “I think it’s a great spot. Clean it up, make it cozy, and it’ll be close to the store. Replace the doors, clean thoroughly, and add some furniture. I’ll help reinforce it, and zombies won’t stand a chance.”

Next door, Tang Anqi’s team was busy drilling screws into a rolling shutter. They were installing a manual rolling gate, with sliding rails on the walls inside.

Hearing Luo Yao and Ding Qing talking, Tang Anqi came over to greet them.

When she learned Ding Qing was moving next door, Tang Anqi extended a hand with a big smile: “Welcome, welcome, new neighbor!”

Luo Yao: “How’s your door coming along?”

Tang Anqi: “The front door and the loft upstairs have both been replaced. Soon we’ll be able to pull down the rolling shutter. This afternoon, we’ll replace the door at Xiao Jiang’s house, and by tonight, everything should be done so we can finally sleep soundly.”

After chatting briefly with the energetic college team, Luo Yao prepared to head out.

Today, her goal was to complete the placement of all signal devices and expand the coverage of the network to a 50-kilometer radius.

Last night, the staff from the nail salon and the master craftsmen from the Floating World Continent delivered two modified electric scooters.

Luo Yao planned to test the performance of both modified scooters. Lu Mingxiao accompanied her to place the signal devices, and each rode a different modified scooter.

As the scooters started, the first improvement immediately became evident—the engines were now incredibly quiet, almost inaudible unless standing right next to them.

This modification was crucial for avoiding detection when passing by large zombie hordes, especially during nighttime rides. Luo Yao was quite satisfied with the upgrade.

Additionally, both modifications enhanced the scooters’ performance as requested, giving a smooth, almost gliding sensation while remaining silent.

Tang Anqi’s team watched as the store owner and the handsome new runner sped past on the scooters, their eyes filled with envy.

Song Xu clicked his tongue. “If only we had our own ride too.”

Zhou Mingyang blinked. “Am I imagining things, or do those scooters look way faster than before?”

Jiang Yifei added, “And they’re completely silent.”

…

Xingmo Road Area, Lotus Plaza

The electric scooter stopped in front of the chain supermarket.

Su Ling got off and said to Si Jin, “Please wait a moment,” while pulling a new card out of her backpack. She placed it on her knee and began writing.

Si Jin looked puzzled. “What are you doing?”

Su Ling handed him the newly written order card. “Please take another job.”

The new task was to accompany Su Ling into the supermarket and ensure her safe exit.

Su Ling had carefully inquired about the services offered by Luo Yao’s runner store beforehand. Not wanting to trouble others, she planned everything in advance.

Before leaving home, she packed five spare order cards, a pen, and two gold bars in her backpack, intending to place additional orders as needed at the supermarket.

If she successfully found supplies, she would write another card for the return trip and have the runner escort her home.

After working diligently for seven or eight years and saving for so long, Su Ling had realized none of it mattered anymore. She hadn’t enjoyed any of it and ended up with nothing to show for it.

Countless sleepless nights later, she finally came to terms with it.

She no longer cared about material possessions; she just wanted to survive.

However, being introverted and slow to warm up to people, she struggled to make close connections outside of work.

The courier store was like her guardian angel—it provided reliable, temporary partners without forcing her to meet new people or form teams.

Si Jin didn’t take the card. A new order ID had already appeared on his communicator.

Since he was with Su Ling at the moment, the system identified him as the closest courier and automatically assigned the task to him.

This was Si Jin’s first time encountering such a methodical customer. He secured the scooter and accompanied Su Ling inside.

The supermarket was massive, comparable to the Happiness Supermarket Luo Yao had visited previously. It spanned three floors, including sections for fresh produce, agricultural goods, snacks, daily necessities, small household appliances, and home furnishings.

Su Ling’s goal was clear: food and water first.

The main entrance on the first floor was completely shattered, with debris everywhere. Shelves had toppled over, and there was hardly any food in sight. The floor was littered with rotten packaging and spilled goods.

Supermarkets of this size often housed zombies—and quite a few of them.

Dragging their putrid, decaying flesh, the zombies shuffled over the already moldy products on the ground.

Su Ling forced herself to endure the stench and took a few steps forward. She hadn’t even reached the fresh food section before being overwhelmed by an unbearable odor.

The air reeked of decaying protein and rotting vegetation, with green flies dancing in the filth. The fresh food and agricultural market section resembled a miniature vision of hell.

Si Jin, having seen countless similar scenes over the past few days, was largely immune to it. However, this was his first time entering a large supermarket, and it didn’t quite match the images he’d seen in comics.

While curiously observing the surroundings, Si Jin also kept an eye on Su Ling’s movements.

Su Ling crouched on the ground to calm herself, taking a few seconds before standing up and turning to say, “I want to check the basement. That’s where the dry goods section is—we might find some food there.”

Si Jin nodded. “Let’s go.”

After a few steps, he paused slightly.

There were survivors in the basement, cornered by zombies in a dead-end.

It reminded him of the mistake Zhao Ye made yesterday when he ran into a hospital, forcing their boss to personally rescue him.

Later that night, Harold spent half an hour using the little sparrow demon as an example of what happens when you don’t heed advice from experienced couriers.

Si Jin’s pride wouldn’t allow him to make a similar mistake. He kept quiet about the situation below, following Su Ling without a word.

The escalator was long out of order, so the two descended it on foot.

The situation on the basement floor wasn’t much better. Most of the shelves were half-empty, with crushed packaging scattered across the floor. The contents spilled out in bits and pieces, giving off a moldy smell like a massive garbage dump.

Large supermarkets like this had been the first and most obvious sources of supplies when the zombie virus outbreak began. They had already been raided by waves of desperate people.

Su Ling combed through the shelves with difficulty, searching several times before managing to pull a small bag of rock sugar and a small package of barley with a price tag from under a collapsed shelf.

She sighed in relief, placing the items into her backpack. Then she got down on the ground to search further, eventually finding a small bag of salt and a handful of broken dry noodles from the gaps in the shelves.

The noodles were a pitifully small portion, just 250 grams, and already shattered into bits. Thankfully, the packaging was intact, so they were still edible.

Su Ling stood up, putting the salt and noodles into her backpack. Feeling that something was amiss, she glanced around but didn’t see Si Jin. A wave of panic hit her, but she didn’t dare make a sound.

Before entering the basement, Si Jin had warned her that there were many zombies below, and they were especially sensitive to noise and the smell of blood. He had told her to avoid making loud noises and, above all, not to get injured.

Su Ling stood frozen in place, taking deep breaths as her mind raced, trying to figure out her next move.

Where had Si Jin gone?

Had he run off? That didn’t seem likely.

Had he been caught by zombies? But there hadn’t been a single sound, which didn’t make sense either.

A troubling thought suddenly struck her: Can couriers even handle zombies?

Yesterday, she’d placed her order right after seeing the flyer, and this morning, she had placed another in a rush. She realized she had never actually seen a courier confront zombies head-on.

Even couriers, being human, would likely avoid zombies, right?

Frustration welled up within her. She’d overlooked something crucial—runners were flesh-and-blood people, just like her. They would naturally fear zombies too.

As Su Ling reflected on her mistake, she glanced up unintentionally, and her pupils contracted sharply as her whole body stiffened.

Two zombies, horrifyingly decayed, had somehow appeared just two meters ahead of her.

Their rust-colored, rotting flesh clung to their skeletal frames like tattered rags, and she could clearly see thumb-sized white maggots writhing within the decaying tissue.

They were inching closer, moving slowly but steadily toward her.

Su Ling’s limbs refused to cooperate, trembling uncontrollably. She knew she needed to turn and run, but instead, she sank to the ground. Her legs felt like they were filled with cement, stiff and immovable, rooted in place.

The zombies drew closer, and Su Ling could already smell the foul stench emanating from their decaying bodies. Their dark red, rotting flesh seemed to pulse and breathe.

With a sickening plop, a white maggot wriggled out of one corpse and dropped to the ground, squirming frantically in Su Ling’s direction.

Terrified, Su Ling snapped out of her frozen state, her limbs breaking free from the grip of fear. She screamed and stumbled backward in small, frantic steps until her shoulder suddenly collided with something. She gasped and crouched down, too scared to look back.

At that moment, the zombies suddenly accelerated, their skeletal frames creaking with loud clack-clack sounds as they lunged at her.

Si Jin appeared, wrapping one arm around Su Ling. With a sidestep, he yanked a panel from a nearby shelf and flung it horizontally.

The thin plastic panel, sharp and light like an axe, whistled through the air and embedded itself deep into the wall.

Two heavy thuds followed as the zombies collapsed to the ground. A decayed skull rolled toward Si Jin’s feet, its teeth still twitching.

With a swift kick, Si Jin sent the rotting head flying into another decayed corpse nearby. The collision caused a splash of red and white fluids, mixing into a disgusting puddle resembling scrambled eggs with tomatoes.

Su Ling looked up, catching a glimpse of her disheveled reflection in the calm, golden eyes of the young man before her. Her composure shattered.
“Where did you go?!” she cried, her voice trembling with barely suppressed sobs.

Si Jin, startled, asked, “What’s wrong?”
He quickly confirmed that she hadn’t been bitten.

Suddenly, a sharp noise of shelves collapsing echoed from behind her, sending Su Ling stumbling behind Si Jin in terror.

From behind the fallen shelves, two figures emerged—a tall boy of around 14 or 15, holding the hand of a younger girl, about six or seven.

Their clothes were tattered, their thin frames almost skeletal, and their faces and bodies were covered in dirt. They gazed at Si Jin with wide, pitiful eyes.

Peeking out from behind Si Jin, Su Ling asked, “Who are they?”

“They’re two kids who were trapped here,” Si Jin replied. “They almost got eaten.”

Su Ling looked up in surprise. “So you left to save them?”

Si Jin hesitated for a moment before nodding. Initially, he hadn’t planned to intervene, but upon sensing they were children, he couldn’t resist checking on them.

When they had entered the basement, Si Jin had already assessed the area and was confident in keeping Su Ling safe. Yet, his decision had left the client so terrified that she nearly cried.

A pang of frustration hit him—this was a major failure on his part. He dreaded to think what Harold would say if he found out.

Su Ling finally relaxed, her tense emotions giving way as she slumped to the floor, leaning on Si Jin for support. “You should’ve told me,” she said, her voice shaky. “I was scared to death when I turned around and couldn’t see you. I thought you’d been caught by zombies.”

Si Jin stood still for a moment before replying, “I’m sorry for scaring you.”

Su Ling wiped her face wearily and stood up, leaning on the shelf. “Forget it. You were trying to save someone. Just… next time, if something like this happens, let your companion know so they won’t worry.”

Si Jin froze slightly. He had expected her to scold him for failing to protect her. Instead, she had been worried about him?

Even though they were strangers meeting for the first time, with no guarantee of ever meeting again, there was still a subtle emotional connection born out of this fleeting encounter.

For the first time, Si Jin seemed to understand why Harold repeatedly emphasized prioritizing clients. In this unstable world, every order placed by a client was an act of trust.

Leaving Su Ling to save the siblings had been a mistake—one that might have been even more serious than Zhao Ye’s error yesterday.

Seeing Si Jin silent for so long, Su Ling asked curiously, “What’s wrong?”

Covering his eyes with one hand, Si Jin replied, “I’m reflecting on my actions.”

“Huh?”

“You’re right,” Si Jin said solemnly. “As a courier, I shouldn’t leave my client unattended during work, no matter how justified I think my actions are. Even if there’s a situation that requires me to step away, I should inform the client and apologize.”

Su Ling was taken aback by his overly earnest attitude, feeling slightly embarrassed. She was also surprised by how professional the runner service seemed to be.

This runner, strong and straightforward, had even challenged her preconceived notions that all handsome men were unreliable players.

🛍️🛍️🛍️🛍️🛍️

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