Chapter 25
The young helpers the chief mentioned showed up right on time the next morning.
One was a pretty girl, quick and capable. On her first day, she was already washing and cutting fruit, smiling brightly, and attracting customers with ease.
Starry Shasha suddenly felt threatened.
This new girl not only peeled fruit thinly but also cut it into neat, even cubes with excellent presentation.
Starry Shasha glanced down at her own cutting board—her fruit was hacked into lumps, with half the edible part still clinging to the peel.
She knew her main role in this dungeon was to leverage her powers to draw in story and NPC attention, but now, with this new NPC girl outshining her in the shop, she felt the pressure.
She absolutely couldn’t lose to her.
So all morning, Starry Shasha worked nonstop, to the point Shen Li was distressed.
“Say something to Shasha too. She hasn’t even eaten breakfast. Back in the guild, when has she ever done this kind of work?” Shen Li couldn’t help sighing like a worried father.
“Sure enough, no matter the world, whether human or NPC, once competition appears, people start grinding harder,” Lu Chuan said with a chuckle. “Don’t worry so much, Captain. It’s just peeling and cutting fruit—what danger could there be?”
Shen Li nearly cursed. As if money was that important—did Lu Chuan really need every coin that badly? And Shasha certainly didn’t.
That day, the shop was flooded with customers, almost sweeping up every player in the dungeon.
Clearly, word of Lu Chuan’s conversation with the chief had spread—one told ten, ten told a hundred, and soon this was the result.
Pear slices: 99.9 per portion.
Watermelon cubes: 128.9 per portion.
Peaches: 99 each, limited-time sale.
Pomelos: sold by the segment…
The prices were outrageous, yet people kept buying. It was absurd.
Apparently, to players, money wasn’t money. Maybe a breeze had blown by and carried their wallets away.
Lu Chuan had never made money this easily in his life. Every day he was in high spirits, with no mind for anything else.
They didn’t understand the rush of making money so fast, so easily, just throwing some product together and watching it sell out.
[Host, the sacrificial ritual is getting closer. Are we really just going to stay put in this fruit shop?] #888 prompted at the right moment.
“Better still than restless. Right now, in the village chief’s eyes, we’re future wealthy patrons, and in the players’ eyes, we’re special NPCs. Have you ever seen a special-plot NPC wandering around aimlessly before their storyline even starts? Besides, do you think our every move isn’t being reported back to the village chief through this little girl he sent to watch us?” Lu Chuan countered.
[Then what exactly can the village chief see through this little girl?] #888 wondered. Surely not these ridiculous fruit prices and this bizarre popularity?
“Of course he sees my fruit shop thriving with customers and profits. Only when the village chief witnesses the high sales and high profits will he know that working with us to plant an orchard is all benefit, no harm, for their village.”
So the harder this little girl worked in his shop, the more accurately she would report the real situation back to the village chief.
Lu Chuan, whether negotiating cooperation or setting traps, always preferred using an open stratagem.
Casting the bait openly, waiting for the big fish that couldn’t resist to bite.
What he exploited was always human nature.
That’s why he loved these high-difficulty dungeons—because they gave him room to show his skills.
And there was no law here. No one would report him for manipulating prices and have him thrown into prison.
How great was that? What kind of paradise was this?
So when Lu Chuan kept telling #888 how much he loved this infinite realm, not a word of it was false.
[So what should we do next, Host? The players all seem to be digging for information now.] #888 noticed many players surrounding the little village girl, bombarding her with questions. After all, her job was to deceive, and if players got nothing useful from her, they’d lose interest, and the fruit shop’s business would collapse.
“I’ve already sent a message to the village chief, inviting him to drop by tomorrow and have a look around. With so many players buying fruit from me, if I never let the chief come to my shop, they’d start thinking I’m a fake.”
Lu Chuan was in no hurry. “Didn’t Captain Shen say before? The village chief is hard to meet, and even if you do, he usually just feeds players platitudes. But if a rarely-seen boss frequently shows up in my store, do you know what that means?”
[It means the players will keep coming back.]
“Exactly. As long as the village chief stops by once in a while, players will keep waiting here for him. Some will try to build rapport, others will spy on him. Either way, my fruit shop won’t lack for customers. I could even do some limited promotions—double the price, cap the number of buyers, maybe host a fruit salon. Send invitations to the top ten spenders, invite them to dine with the village chief.”
[Host, this is just a fruit shop… you’re making it way too grand.] #888 was worried Lu Chuan might actually spend his whole life in this dungeon.
“This may look like a tiny fruit shop, but in truth, it’s the prototype of my future Golden Towers. Yes, I’ve decided: every one of my Golden Towers must come equipped with a premium fruit shop.” Lu Chuan declared with conviction.
[…Host, you’re something else.]
Lu Chuan really was something else.
The next day, the village chief arrived, dressed neatly, bringing with him several elderly priests of the village. Together, they entered the fruit shop to inspect it.
The players went wild.
Shen Li was floored.
“These are the retired priests who used to be village chiefs?” Shen Li felt numb. He remembered more than a decade ago, when he was just a young man following his captain into this dungeon—the village chief at that time was now standing behind the current one.
These retired priests were usually more dangerous than the current chief, each carrying marks of the evil god and able to wield part of its power.
Even if players somehow defeated the village chief, they could never overcome these strange and terrifying elders. These people were the true backbone of the Li Family Village.
And yet, the very figures players could hardly ever see through countless quests were now all gathered in this fruit shop.
So… to clear high-level dungeons these days, must one really abandon all normal logic like Lu Chuan?
Shen Li was shaken. His guild had always taught players to be bold, meticulous, unafraid of death—charging into danger, pushing storylines.
But why was it that Lu Chuan, by simply running a fruit shop, facing no danger, could achieve what countless players could not?
He watched the chief and priests strolling through the shop, all smiles—definitely not about to kill Lu Chuan in the night. More likely, they’d assign strong young villagers to serve as his bodyguards.
The gap between players clearing dungeons was sometimes greater than that between a man and a dog.
Maybe Shen Li should learn from him?
But then again, maybe this required more talent than learning any skill.
Top-tier players each had their own tricks for clearing dungeons. Low-tier players each had their own way of crashing and burning.
“Chief, the girl you sent, Little Xia, really is quick with her hands. She’s taught my sister a lot of tricks.” Lu Chuan pulled Starry Shasha forward with a smile. “If there’s anything you’re unsure about, we’d be happy to explain.”
“Your fruit looks average in quality. Why are you selling it at such high prices, and why do you still have so many customers?” one old priest couldn’t resist asking.
“Ah, sir, that’s where you’re mistaken. What I sell isn’t fruit—it’s stories. Young people love things with stories. As for what those stories are, I’m afraid that’s a trade secret I cannot reveal.” Lu Chuan gave an apologetic smile. “But as you can see, my fruit is displayed neatly and cleanly, all operations done in full view of customers. It feels good to be here. That makes people want to buy.”
The chief and priests only half-understood.
“Why do you come here to buy fruit?” another priest grabbed a random player.
“B-because the fruit here is… special.” The player stammered, nervous. After all, his former teammates had been killed by these very priests. These old men might look aged, but their strength was terrifying. Otherwise, they’d have already forced players to start the ritual and be done with it.
The priests half-understood again, but reached a unanimous conclusion:
This partnership was viable. If Li Family Village planted fruit trees, they’d never have to worry about sales.
Once the sacrificial ritual came, they could ask the god for a divine oracle to seal the matter. Then their children would have money to leave the mountains.
Lu Chuan happily escorted them back to the village. Shen Li and Starry Shasha followed, leaving Little Xia to watch the shop.
Shen Li was deeply moved. The three of them had been in this dungeon for almost a month, and only now had they officially set foot inside Li Family Village. Nobody would believe such an experience.
Lu Chuan chatted and laughed with the chief.
All the villagers watched curiously, but their faces were warm and welcoming.
The village worshipped the gods, and revered the priests and chiefs who could communicate with them. Their honored guests were the villagers’ honored guests. No amount of sweet words or good deeds from other players could compare to this respect born of status.
Lu Chuan accompanied the chief all the way home.
“Boss Jin, I’ve always wanted to develop our village, but never found the right path. Seeing your shop’s success today, and talking with you, I realize I have no head for business at all.” The chief gripped Lu Chuan’s hand tightly. “If you truly can help our village prosper, you’ll be our greatest benefactor.”
“Oh, chief, you flatter me. If Li Family Village plants fruit trees and works with me, I’ll profit too. I’ve always believed one person’s fortune is nothing compared to everyone’s fortune. A single tree can’t make a forest—just like your villagers, only unity can protect wealth!”
“Yes, yes, exactly!” the chief agreed enthusiastically. “Boss Jin, please, make yourself at home. Ask me anything. I’ll have my wife prepare a good meal. Our spring-water-raised chicken and duck are delicious—please eat plenty.”
The chief bustled happily into the kitchen, insisting on cooking for them himself.
Not wanting them to be bored, he called his son and daughter to show them around the village until the meal was ready.
Lu Chuan accepted readily.
He had fished long enough. Time to reel in the catch.
“That mountain behind the village—it’s so bare. Is the soil poor, not suitable for fruit trees?” Lu Chuan pointed.
Shen Li’s heart leapt into his throat.
That mountain was where the sacrificial ritual was held.
If they entered it before the ritual began, they would be attacked by the gods. And because the gods worshipped changed every year, no players could rely on previous experiences.
That’s why every player who entered this dungeon would always warn the newcomers they brought along: don’t go up the mountain casually.
“Boss Jin, that over there is our sacred mountain. If you’d like to have a look, I can take you inside.” The village chief’s daughter said with a bright smile.
“That’s your sacred mountain—it’s too important. I can’t just go in casually.” Lu Chuan waved his hand.
“It’s fine, Boss Jin. If other tourists try to go in, they’ll suffer divine punishment. But if our family takes you in ourselves, and we explain things to the deity beforehand, then there’s no problem.” The chief’s son explained on the side. “Of course, if someone with ill intentions tried to force us up the mountain, we could have the deity kill them instead.”
Shen Li silently wept inside.
He thought of how unjustly all those players who died in this dungeon before must have perished.
“Then forget it.” Lu Chuan shook his head again. “I’m not too interested in a mountain that can’t grow fruit trees. Let’s take a look at the other peaks instead.”
“That’s not true, Boss Jin.” The chief’s children grew anxious. “Our sacred mountain can grow fruit trees. We believe the fruit grown there will be of even higher quality. In fact, that mountain wasn’t barren before—long ago, a very powerful enemy fought against our deity and burned the whole mountain bare. That’s why it looks like this now.”
Shen Li turned his head away in silence.
It wasn’t one enemy. It was five.
Back then, the presidents of the five great guilds entered this dungeon together to clear it, and each of them obtained a “Lord” title—thus sharing ownership of the dungeon.
To fight against a deity without falling behind, and even burn its sacred mountain bare—only the guildmasters were capable of something like that.
“That’s really too much of a shame. Burning mountains deserves life imprisonment. Do you know how many years it takes for a mountain to recover its richness? And they just burned it down to nothing. What a pity.” Lu Chuan couldn’t help sighing with pain.
The chief’s son and daughter suddenly felt their impression of Boss Jin rise again.
This boss understood them.
For mountain folk, the mountain was their lifeline. Burning it was no different from cutting off their survival.
“I see the village tourism business isn’t bad either.” Lu Chuan smoothly shifted the subject, putting the focus on the players. “But they seem a bit hurried, even afraid of me.”
“Boss Jin, to be honest, we also feel some of the tourists are strange. But it’s only a small number of them. Most are still fairly normal.”
“But it doesn’t matter—after the sacrificial ritual, most of the abnormal ones will disappear.”
“Yes, yes, it’s like this every year.”
Lu Chuan nodded without saying more.
They walked a full circle around the stockade village without encountering any danger.
Instead, the game system’s notifications rang out:
[Congratulations player [Walking Alone for Ten Thousand Miles], [The Arrival of the God of Wealth], [Lucky Star], for achieving the “Injury-Free Exploration of the Entire Li Family Village” achievement.]
[Congratulations player [Walking Alone for Ten Thousand Miles], [The Arrival of the God of Wealth], [Lucky Star], for gaining the recognition of the Li Family Village Chief’s family. Each player has been awarded a Li Family Village Resident ID.]
[Li Family Village Resident ID issued. Players can use it in suitable dungeons to automatically obtain the identity of a Li Family villager. This item can be taken out of the dungeon.]
Starry Shasha, who had been keeping her head lowered all this time, suddenly lifted it, disbelief written on her face. An identity certificate?
One of the rarest and hardest-to-obtain types of items in any dungeon.
With this proof, if they entered one of those chaotic, lawless dungeons, they would automatically gain an identity and thus receive protection under the game’s rules.
For high-level players, acquiring such proof was as difficult as climbing to heaven.
In the past, some “romance players,” who pursued relationships with advanced NPCs, occasionally obtained things like “Lover’s Recognition Certificates” or “Favored by the Deity” tokens.
She glanced at Captain Shen beside her, only to see his face utterly still—like dead water. Yes, he looked completely broken.
Comparisons really could kill.
Starry Shasha let out a long, deep breath of relief.
At last, she could put down the heavy burden on her shoulders.
As the only surviving super rookie of the Star Guild, every dungeon she cleared was built upon the sacrifices of others. Whether she wanted it or not, her abilities inevitably turned every dungeon into chaos by the later stages.
This did raise the dungeon’s game rating, but it always meant dancing on the edge of life and death.
Yet even with this “cheat-like” ability, she had never been able to climb further on the Newcomer Rankings.
She knew very well her abilities could only carry her this far.
But now, with Lu Chuan, their guild was destined to rise!
After finishing their tour, they returned to the chief’s home only as night was falling.
The aroma of food already drifted out.
The chief’s family had slaughtered chickens and ducks, working with practiced ease.
Lu Chuan and his companions also got a good look at the chief’s home—without him needing to touch the doors, the chief’s children opened everything eagerly for them.
“This is…” Lu Chuan’s face showed reverence, for he spotted a statue in the attic, draped in red cloth.
Though he had always relied on the power of money, he wasn’t sure if other deities valued money. If he stumbled here, it would be a humiliating loss.
“This is our deity. We cover it with red cloth because we don’t know yet which deity will descend next year. Some deities don’t allow believers to look at them directly.” The chief’s son explained. “After the sacrificial ritual, once we’ve established communication with the deity, we’ll uncover it.”
Lu Chuan nodded, exchanged a glance with Shen Li, and motioned for Starry Shasha to keep her distance.
This was not the time to mess around with abilities. Drawing the evil god’s attention prematurely would be disastrous.
“Boss Jin, the food’s ready! Please, come down and eat.” The chief called warmly from below.
Lu Chuan and the others quickly went downstairs.
As the attic door closed, the statue draped in red cloth slowly tilted its head.
“Chief, this chicken and duck are amazing!” Lu Chuan praised enthusiastically. “They taste so rich—completely different from anything outside.”
“Of course! These are all raised here for our own tables. Fed on millet and sweet potatoes—delicious no matter how you cook them.” The chief beamed happily, constantly picking food into Lu Chuan’s bowl, urging him to eat more.
The chief’s wife, meanwhile, kept piling food onto Starry Shasha’s plate, even indirectly asking if she had a boyfriend.
The girl’s ability to attract NPCs was no joke. Lu Chuan had to step in, saying his “little sister” wasn’t of age yet, before the awkward questioning was dropped.
After the meal, they talked about how to grow fruit trees, establish orchards, transport goods, share profits, and even handle bank loans. Only then did Lu Chuan prepare to leave.
“Boss Jin, wait a moment.” The chief took a wooden box from his wife, and solemnly placed it into Lu Chuan’s hands. “This is our village’s blessing for the most precious of guests. Please accept it and place it in your shop—it will protect you.”
“This is too valuable, I can’t accept it.” Lu Chuan felt his scalp tingle, already suspecting what was inside.
[Wow, Host, this is a divine parasite. So rare!] #888 exclaimed in awe. [But the deity itself is nothing compared to you—we’re the God of Wealth!]
I’m just a candidate, Lu Chuan thought grimly. Aside from my money power, all I’ve got are these eyes!
And I can’t exactly use the Eye of Wealth here. Being able to see through things doesn’t mean being able to do anything about them.
“You must take it. You’re the future of our village. Only if you’re safe will we be at peace.” The chief, for once, insisted firmly.
Shen Li stepped in and accepted the wooden box. “Then thank you, Chief. We’ll treat it with care.”
At that, the chief finally broke into a wide smile.
Walking side by side with Shen Li, while Starry Shasha distanced herself and activated two more items to suppress her powers, Lu Chuan asked, “Captain, don’t tell me you don’t know what’s inside this box?” His tone was a little exasperated.
“The statue is made of solid gold.” Shen Li was silent for a while before speaking.
Lu Chuan immediately snatched the statue.
Worst case, he’d just melt it down.
——
Author’s Note:
Shen Li: So this is what they call the potential of a top-tier player?
Lu Chuan: No—it’s the potential of a Guildmaster.
Pfff this is too funnyy i canttt
Thnx ya for the chappiieee~