Chapter 204
Lan Yunqing’s frown deepened as he listened to Mo Ke’s explanation.
“You mean the shop No. 1 has the ability to keep its protective barrier active during the day, even when it’s in an ‘open’ state?” he asked skeptically.
Mo Ke nodded enthusiastically. “Exactly! The barrier is always active, no matter what time it is. Even during operating hours, only the invited guests or those granted access can enter.”
Lan Yunqing’s thoughts raced. If the 1st store could do it, why not the 5th store? Was it because the 5th store was still at a lower level?
“Do you know why that is?” he asked.
Mo Ke scratched his head, looking slightly embarrassed. “I’m not sure about the exact reason. I’m just a regular employee, so I don’t know much about these advanced features. But maybe… it’s because 1st Store is like the headquarters? It’s the one where the God’s presence feels the strongest.”
Hearing Mo Ke’s words, Lan Yunqing grew contemplative. If Mo Ke was right, then upgrading the store’s level might gradually unlock additional features, including keeping the protective barrier active during the day.
For now, however, it seemed he would have to make the best of the current situation.
At this moment, a system notification interrupted his thoughts.
[Congratulations! You’ve received a new branch manager task: “Recruit New Employees.”]
[Description: To fully develop the 5th branch store, you need to expand your team. Recruit and train at least one new employee.]
[Task Reward: Unlock the “Assign Tasks to Employees” feature in the Branch Manager Panel.]
As he read the notification, a recruitment invitation appeared.
[You have received a recruitment request for “Lan Yue Liang” as a new employee for the Shop No. 5. Do you wish to approve this request?]
Lan Yunqing’s expression softened. Lan Yue Liang was one of the most capable people in Lanhu Town after him. If there was anyone he could trust to help lighten the burden of running the store, it was him.
Without hesitation, he clicked “Approve.”
Meanwhile, in another part of Lanhu Town, Lan Yue Liang had just returned home after a long day of helping to restore the town’s defenses.
As he stepped into his small but tidy home, the system notification popped up in his vision.
[The Peace Grocery Store is inviting you to join as an employee. Do you accept?]
Lan Yue Liang froze for a moment, his sharp brows furrowing slightly as he read the message.
“The Peace Grocery Store? Isn’t that the place the Lord has been talking about lately?”
He had heard rumors about this mysterious store and how it had played a pivotal role in saving the town during the recent crisis. He had also noticed how Lan Yunqing’s attitude toward the so-called “Commercial God” had gradually shifted from cautious skepticism to genuine reverence.
After a moment’s hesitation, Lan Yue Liang made up his mind.
“I’ll give it a try,” he muttered.
[You’ve successfully accepted the recruitment invitation and become an employee of the 5th branch store.]
Back at the 5th branch store, Lan Yunqing immediately received confirmation of Lan Yue Liang’s recruitment.
“Perfect,” he muttered to himself. With another capable person on board, running the store would become significantly easier.
He opened the Employee Panel, which now showed a new name under his branch: Lan Yue Liang.
To his surprise, the system also provided a task specifically for training new recruits.
[Congratulations! You’ve triggered the task: “Train Your First Employee.”]
[Description: As a branch manager, it’s your responsibility to ensure that your employees are well-trained and productive. Guide Lan Yue Liang through his induction period and help him achieve at least 500 points of individual progress.]
[Reward: Unlock the “Employee Performance Overview” feature in the Branch Manager Panel.]
Lan Yunqing reviewed the task details carefully and then closed the panel.
It looked like his workload wasn’t going to decrease just yet.
In the Peace Grocery Store’s main branch, Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi were keeping an eye on the 5th branch store’s progress.
Seeing that Lan Yue Liang had been successfully recruited, Tang Yu’an grinned.
“Brother Yunqing is really efficient, isn’t he?”
Zhou Qi nodded. “He’s decisive and quick to adapt. I’m more curious to see how he’ll handle managing an employee now that he’s no longer working solo.”
Tang Yu’an chuckled. “He’ll manage. If he could run a whole town, he can definitely manage one subordinate. It’s not like we threw him into the deep end—Lan Yue Liang is probably the best person he could have recruited.”
As they discussed, Tang Yu’an couldn’t help but feel a sense of satisfaction. The Peace Grocery Store’s network was steadily expanding, and with each new recruit, their influence across the wasteland grew stronger.
He suddenly thought of something and turned to Zhou Qi.
“By the way, Brother Qi, do you think we should reach out to Brother Yunqing and offer him some advice? Like tips on how to make the most of his new branch manager panel?”
Zhou Qi shook his head slightly, his expression calm.
“No need. Let him figure it out himself. If we hold his hand the whole way, he won’t develop the independence and ingenuity he’ll need to lead the 5th branch to success. Besides, he’s smart. I’m sure he’ll surprise us.”
Hearing this, Tang Yu’an smiled and nodded.
“Alright, then. Let’s see what kind of surprises Brother Yunqing will bring us next.”
Lan Yunqing observed Lan Yue Liang’s reaction and was inwardly satisfied with his decisiveness. As expected of someone from the “Lan” family name, Lan Yue Liang’s loyalty and efficiency were second to none.
However, he didn’t let this show and instead nodded solemnly, gesturing for Lan Yue Liang to follow him.
“Come with me,” Lan Yunqing said, leading him back into the 5th branch store.
Upon entering, Lan Yue Liang couldn’t help but glance around curiously. Though the store looked humble from the outside, stepping inside revealed an entirely different atmosphere. The neat rows of shelves, the faintly glowing symbols etched into the walls, and the clean yet mysterious aura made him realize that this was no ordinary store.
“This will be your workplace moving forward,” Lan Yunqing began as they walked through the store. “You are now an employee of the Peace Grocery Store’s No. 5. Everything you do here will contribute to the prosperity of the store—and, by extension, to the survival of Lanhu Town.”
Lan Yue Liang nodded earnestly, his sharp eyes sweeping over the store. “Understood, Lord Lan.”
They reached the store counter, and Lan Yunqing stopped, turning to face him. “Before we begin, I’ll explain your first task.”
Lan Yue Liang straightened his posture, ready to listen attentively.
Lan Yunqing opened the store’s employee panel and clicked on the “Task Assignment” feature. A faint smile appeared on his lips as he drafted the first task for his new recruit.
[Employee Task: New Employee Training]
Task Description: Complete your first profitable transaction as an employee of the 5th branch store. You may trade any item in your possession for a fair value or assist a customer with a transaction.
Reward: Gain familiarity with the store’s trading system and receive your first earnings.
After confirming the task, Lan Yunqing closed the panel and handed Lan Yue Liang a small, rectangular device—clearly a simplified version of the store’s interface for employees.
“This is your personal trading terminal,” Lan Yunqing explained. “It will allow you to process transactions, manage inventory, and track your progress. Your first task is simple: complete one profitable transaction. Once you’ve done that, report back to me.”
Lan Yue Liang accepted the terminal with both hands, his expression serious. He nodded and said, “I’ll complete the task as soon as possible.”
Lan Yunqing crossed his arms, observing him for a moment. “You’re new to this, so take your time to familiarize yourself with the interface. If you encounter any issues, you can ask me.”
“Yes, Lord Lan.”
With that, Lan Yunqing gestured for him to begin his work, and Lan Yue Liang walked toward the shelves, where the store’s inventory was neatly displayed. As he studied the items, he couldn’t help but be impressed by their quality and variety—everything from basic food supplies to specialized tools and equipment.
After a few moments, Lan Yue Liang found a small group of townspeople entering the store. Their curiosity was evident as they timidly approached the counter, unsure of how to proceed.
Taking a deep breath, Lan Yue Liang stepped forward. “Welcome to the Peace Grocery Store,” he said, keeping his tone calm yet professional. “Is there anything I can assist you with?”
The townspeople exchanged hesitant glances before one of them spoke up. “Um… do you have any rice for sale? We heard rumors that the store has grain…”
Lan Yue Liang nodded. “Yes, we do. How much are you looking for?”
The group conferred among themselves before deciding. “Just a small portion… enough for a meal or two.”
Lan Yue Liang led them to the shelf where the rice was displayed, then explained the pricing and the terms of trade. The townspeople eventually agreed to trade a stack of dried herbs for a bag of rice, which Lan Yue Liang processed using his trading terminal.
[Employee “Lan Yue Liang” has completed their first profitable transaction.]
[Transaction Value: +25 points | Employee Experience: +1]
When the transaction was completed, a small notification appeared on the terminal’s screen, indicating that the task had been fulfilled.
Lan Yue Liang couldn’t help but feel a sense of accomplishment as the townspeople left the store, carrying their rice and thanking him profusely.
Lan Yunqing, who had been observing quietly from the side, gave a slight nod of approval. “Not bad for your first day. Keep this up, and you’ll make a fine addition to the team.”
“Thank you, Lord Lan,” Lan Yue Liang replied humbly. “I will do my best to meet your expectations.”
Lan Yunqing smirked faintly. “Good. I’ll be assigning you more tasks soon. For now, continue familiarizing yourself with the store and its operations.”
As Lan Yue Liang got back to work, Lan Yunqing returned to his own tasks, his mind already spinning with plans for the 5th branch store’s future.
*
Meanwhile, back at the main branch of the Peace Grocery Store, Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi had been monitoring the progress of the 5th branch store from their administrator panels.
Seeing Lan Yue Liang successfully complete his first task, Tang Yu’an grinned. “Looks like Brother Yunqing is handling things well. He even trained his new recruit so quickly.”
Zhou Qi nodded in agreement. “He’s efficient. With the 5th branch store steadily growing, it won’t be long before we see even more progress in Lanhu Town.”
Tang Yu’an glanced at the notifications and added, “I’m curious to see how far Brother Yunqing can take the 5th branch store. If he keeps this up, he might just surpass our expectations.”
Zhou Qi smiled faintly. “Let’s wait and see. I have a feeling Brother Yunqing isn’t the type to settle for mediocrity.”
As the Peace Grocery Store’s network expanded and its influence grew, so too did the potential for change in the wasteland. And at the heart of it all were the hardworking employees and the visionary leaders driving it forward.
Next, Lan Yunqing attempted to conduct a transaction with Lan Yue Liang (Lan Yue Liang), only to find that it didn’t count as a profitable trade. He had no choice but to summon Lan Mao Lin over to assist.
Under his guidance, Lan Yue Liang quickly completed a profitable transaction and successfully unlocked his Employee Panel.
[Congratulations! You have completed the “New Employee Guidance” task and earned: Foot-Pedaled Tricycle x1]
[Please select a delivery location:]
- Peace Grocery Store 5th Branch Warehouse
- Personal Storage (not unlocked)
- Immediate Delivery – Please select a designated spot (touch or visually target the location for 3 seconds)
Previously, when Lan Yunqing purchased goods from the mall, he could only select the “Immediate Delivery” option. However, as a newly appointed branch manager, he now had access to the “Warehouse” option.
As for the mysterious “Personal Storage,” it piqued his interest, though he had no clue how to unlock it.
Lan Yunqing glanced at an empty patch of ground and focused on it for three seconds. Instantly, a brand-new, shiny foot-pedaled tricycle appeared before the three of them.
“Lord Yunqing, this is…”
Even Lan Maolin, who had long been accustomed to the mysterious powers of his lord, looked visibly astonished, while Lan Yue Liang’s eyes gleamed with curiosity.
“This is a gift from the God of Commerce,” Lan Yunqing explained calmly.
Hearing his unperturbed explanation, Lan Maolin subconsciously swallowed nervously, while Lan Yue Liang seemed even more intrigued.
After all, he had already unlocked his mall interface. Was this “gift” related to the system itself?
“Lord Yunqing… Does the God of Commerce truly exist?” Lan Maolin asked hesitantly, his tone filled with caution.
Lan Yunqing’s gaze softened slightly. “I can’t give you a definitive answer, but with each passing day, I find myself more inclined to believe it.”
“Then please, let me join the God of Commerce’s faith as well! I’m willing to follow you, Lord Yunqing!” Lan Maolin pleaded earnestly.
Lan Yunqing shook his head gently. “Although I would love to have your assistance, this is not up to me—it depends on the will of the divine emissaries.”
Lan Maolin lowered his head in disappointment. “Understood, my lord!”
Lan Yunqing gestured toward the tricycle. “This is a foot-pedaled tricycle. I’ve seen records of similar designs in ancient texts. Take it and find someone to study how to use it.”
“Yes, my lord!” Lan Maolin quickly bowed and left to fulfill his task, leaving Lan Yunqing alone with Lan Yue Liang.
Lan Yunqing turned to him. “You now understand how to earn profit points and employee experience, correct? Your immediate goal is to reach Lv5 as soon as possible.”
Lan Yue Liang nodded earnestly but soon showed a hint of confusion. “Lord Yunqing, what exactly are profit points?”
Lan Yunqing froze briefly. “You didn’t receive a beginner task? Each profitable transaction should give you one profit point.”
Lan Yue Liang shook his head, still looking confused.
Lan Yunqing furrowed his brow, his mind spinning. Could it be…?
Opening the new “Employee Management” function in his panel, Lan Yunqing decided to test his theory. He quickly drafted a task that mirrored the beginner tasks he had previously received.
[Beginner Task: Profit Points Accumulation]
Task Description: Complete a profitable transaction to earn 1 profit point.
Reward: Gain 1 point per transaction.
Once he confirmed and issued the task, a system notification immediately appeared.
[Beginner Task issued successfully!]
[For every profitable transaction made by employee “Lan Yue Liang,” 1 point will be deducted from your balance (priority: purchase points).]
“Lord Yunqing, I just received a beginner task!” Lan Yue Liang exclaimed, delighted.
Lan Yunqing’s expression turned strange. Was the profit he earned as an employee also deducted from some divine emissary’s account? Now that he was a branch manager, did this mean he had to take responsibility for funding his employees’ incentives?
The thought was sobering, but Lan Yunqing ultimately accepted it. Authority came with responsibilities, and he had long understood this principle as Lanhu Town’s leader.
Before he could prompt Lan Yue Liang to start his tasks, however, he noticed his new employee’s face twisting into a rather peculiar expression.
Although Lan Yue Liang quickly tried to hide it, the awkwardness was still apparent.
“What’s wrong?” Lan Yunqing asked with a raised eyebrow.
“N-Nothing, my lord,” Lan Yue Liang stammered, clearly flustered. “I… I just received the new title bestowed upon me by the divine emissary….”
“Oh?” Lan Yunqing tilted his head slightly. “What is it?”
Lan Yue Liang looked at his lord’s strikingly handsome face, feeling an odd mix of embarrassment and shame. Blushing furiously, he muttered, “Washing… Liquid….”
Lan Yunqing blinked, his expression briefly blank as his mind filled with a giant question mark.
Washing liquid? What sort of cryptic meaning was behind this name?
Of course, there was no deep meaning at all. When deciding on Lan Yue Liang’s nickname, Tang Yu’an had immediately thought of “laundry detergent” (Lan Yue Liang, being a well-known brand of laundry detergent in their original world). It was a harmless joke that only someone from their world would understand.
Back in the main branch, Tang Yu’an excitedly shared the news with Zhou Qi.
“Brother Yunqing actually issued Lan Yue Liang a beginner task!” he said gleefully. “With branch managers like him, we can start standardizing employee guidance processes for all future branches!”
Tang Yu’an felt a weight lifted from his shoulders. With others now sharing the workload of training employees, the pressure on him to manage everything felt much lighter.
“Brother Yunqing is really impressive,” he added. “I hope he continues to do well.”
Zhou Qi nodded with a faint smile. “He’s doing great so far. Let’s just keep supporting him and see how far he can go.”
With capable leaders like Lan Yunqing managing branch stores, the Peace Grocery Store’s expansion was becoming more promising than ever.
Zhou Qi held the steering wheel of the RV, his lips pressed into a slight line. After a moment of thought, he said, “Old Mo is also showing great potential. His first month’s salary reached 18,000.”
They had just issued Old Mo’s salary earlier today—of course, the 18,000 referred to the total of personal points and inventory purchase points combined.
“And he’s only developed about a hundred followers so far. He should be able to bring in even more this month.”
Tang Yu’an nodded in agreement. “Yeah! You’re right.”
Although Old Mo had a penchant for playing the role of a mystic, he was undoubtedly an exceptional and highly promising employee.
His attention successfully diverted by Zhou Qi, Tang Yu’an glanced at the map near Flame Dragon Fortress and suddenly remarked, “Hey, those two people Old Mo captured earlier—he released them!”
“The ones who showed up near his ceremony?”
“Yes!” Tang Yu’an said. “I wonder why he let them go.”
Although he could view employee panels, he didn’t have full oversight of their activities or movements, and employees didn’t always share every detail on the forum, which sometimes left him in the dark.
Zhou Qi calmly offered a plausible reason, “Maybe he’s planning to expand his team.”
Tang Yu’an observed the direction the two freed individuals were moving on the map and nodded. “I hope so.”
With that settled, the two of them continued their road-clearing mission, using their spare time to gather materials in the alternate dimension to build a waterwheel.
Notably, Zhou Qi had finally collected all the ingredients needed to craft the Constitution Egg. He set aside the waterwheel project temporarily and focused entirely on preparing the special egg.
Although there was a recipe to follow, the crafting process was not without its challenges. Thankfully, Zhou Qi had more than enough materials to withstand multiple failed attempts.
Every three days, they activated the Dream Sea Accelerator in the hopes that the drift bottle carrying their message home would arrive sooner. So far, only Cosona’s bottle consistently returned on each cycle of acceleration.
They had already delivered 200 cubic meters of water to Cosona’s world, but there was still a long way to go to reach the 10,000-cubic-meter goal. Their only hope was that Cosona and her team could produce more space capsules to increase their efficiency.
Cosona’s responses were brimming with joy and gratitude.
“Dear Mysterious Merchant, thank you so much for your frequent replies recently—I’m incredibly grateful!”
Her voice was jubilant as she continued, “Do you know? Today, Yana told me that the water you’ve been trading with us has already saved over 500,000 lives!”
200 cubic meters of water was indeed substantial. Assuming each adult consumed 1 liter per day, that amount could meet the drinking water needs of 200,000 people for a single day.
In extreme situations, the water consumption could be further rationed.
Being from a technologically advanced world, Cosona’s people naturally had ways to recycle water efficiently. These 200 cubic meters weren’t a one-time resource—although there would inevitably be some losses in the recycling process, the depletion rate was minimal.
Hearing this, Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of joy.
In a faraway world, they had successfully saved over half a million lives. These were living, breathing souls.
Perhaps this was the true meaning of commerce.
*
Time passed swiftly, and the date soon arrived: February 20th. Zhou Qi, after much effort, successfully crafted a Constitution Egg just in time for Tang Yu’an’s birthday.
“This is amazing! Best birthday gift ever!”
It was Tang Yu’an’s second birthday since arriving in this new world.
“Starting today, I’m officially 14 years old!”
As he devoured the Constitution Egg—carefully prepared by Zhou Qi—it no longer resembled its original ingredients. Instead, it had a fragrant aroma and melted in his mouth. As he ate, a warm energy coursed through his limbs, filling him with vitality.
Before he realized it, Tang Yu’an had polished off an entire bowl of it and was still craving more.
“I’m another year older!” he said happily. “And now that I’ve eaten this egg, I won’t fear the cold or the heat anymore—and I’ll grow taller!”
Zhou Qi chuckled and patted his head. “Do you have any birthday wishes this year?”
Tang Yu’an paused, his smile softening into something more wistful. “I hope the drift bottle will reach Mom and Dad soon.”
It had already been 17 days since they cast the drift bottle carrying supplies and a message for his parents into the Dream Sea.
So far, aside from Cosona’s bottle, only Mosang’s bottle had returned.
From her descriptions, Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi learned that Mosang’s Feather Tribe was a beastman community where every individual could grow wings.
They could transform into avian beasts and battle fierce predators in the jungle.
The cold medicine Tang Yu’an had traded them turned out to be incredibly effective. Once the sick members of the tribe took it, they recovered quickly. In return, Mosang stuffed her bottle with numerous feathers, unsure of what Tang Yu’an might want in exchange.
These feathers weren’t just vividly colorful—they were also weapons.
When shot out, the feathers became razor-sharp and could easily pierce metal or stone. They could even be retrieved for reuse, making them ideal materials for concealed weapons.
Tang Yu’an was thrilled with the trade and sent another batch of cold medicine to Mosang. Based on the timeline, her drift bottle should return every 12 days.
Zhou Qi was about to offer some comforting words when Tang Yu’an sighed and said, “I also wonder how Turs’s drift bottle is doing.”
“It should be close,” Zhou Qi replied, rubbing the lucky marble in his pocket.
“Let’s activate the accelerator again tomorrow,” he added. “I’m sure we’ll get some good news.”
*
Plane MR23582, Roland Empire, Underground of the Siasa Forest
In the dim light of the underground, Turs was carefully harvesting mushrooms cultivated in the corner of a small room.
Suddenly, one of the mushrooms in front of him started wriggling and emitted a strange, cackling sound, as though it had mutated.
Turs paused for a moment but remained unfazed. Calmly, he plucked the mushroom and tossed it into his basket.
The moment the mushroom landed in the basket, it transformed into a tiny fairy no larger than a palm, with translucent wings fluttering on its back. The fairy flew up to Turs, pouting in annoyance.
“Why didn’t you fall for it?” the fairy protested.
“Little Biscuit, stop causing trouble. It’s pointless,” Turs replied with a weary tone.
“How could it be pointless?” Little Biscuit huffed indignantly. “Any creature that gets tricked by a fairy is granted a bit of luck!”
Of course, the magic only worked if the fairy genuinely liked the creature they were trying to bless.
“A small amount of luck isn’t enough to change one’s fate,” Turs said with a bitter smile. His frail, emaciated frame looked like it could collapse at any moment, and his face was haggard with exhaustion.
Little Biscuit was about to argue back, but then he saw Turs’s face suddenly go pale. Before he could say anything, the young man collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
The tiny fairy panicked, flying down quickly. “Turs! Don’t scare me like this!” he exclaimed in alarm.
But before he could reach him, Turs’s body twitched, and he slowly regained consciousness. His sunken eyes stared at his hand, which was closed around something invisible. With a hoarse voice, he muttered, “It really came back…”
“What came back?” Little Biscuit asked, hovering closer.
“The bottle…” Turs whispered, his voice filled with disbelief.
