Chapter 410: A Brand New Look

"Young Master Xiao, you are also here to apply?" Over at Half City, since the selection had already been directly made, it naturally lacked the unprecedented grandeur seen here at the Jiuhua City shop.

"Hahaha! Too kind! Too kind!" Xiao Yulv cupped his hands to those around him, saying, "This young master knows Resident Evil inside out, can navigate Devil May Cry back to front, and is highly proficient in Counter-Strike and Legend treasure hunting. Whether it's King of Fighters combos or Fight the Landlord, I excel at every single one."

He patted his chest, brimming with confidence. "This young master simply doesn't believe—ouch!"

"Auntie, why are you pulling my ear!" Before his words could even finish, a sharp wail rang out.

"What did you run back here for again, you boy?"

"To apply!" Xiao Yulv pointed at the small blackboard, waving the folding fan in his hand. "An employment position like this, is it not perfectly suited for this young master?"

Beside them, Fenghua said in amazement, "Weren't you blacklisted by the boss?"

Xiao Yulv's face twitched. "Who... who ruled that those denied reception cannot become a clerk? Can this young master not just receive himself?!"

Su Tianji: "..."

Fenghua: "..."

Yuexin: "..."

It actually seemed somewhat impossible to refute?

The problem was...

The trio looked at Xiao Yulv as if staring at a fool: Owner Fang was no fool either.

"Next!" Right at that moment, Xiao Yulv heard Owner Fang shout.

"Heheh! It's my turn!" Xiao Yulv hastily scrambled forward.

"Owner Fang." Xiao Yulv rubbed his hands together, wearing a sly expression. "What do you think of this young master?"

Owner Fang's face darkened. "What do I think of what?"

He craned his neck to the side, waving at the person behind him while casting a sidelong glance at Xiao Yulv. "This owner didn't call for you. You, a fellow blacklisted by this shop, still want to be a clerk? Next, next!"

"Wait!" Xiao Yulv cried out loudly. "Give me a chance..."

Owner Fang rolled his eyes. "How am I supposed to give you a chance?"

The rules were set by the system, not by this owner himself; if they were Owner Fang's own rules, he could have altered them.

On a whim, he queried within the system: "Is there any way to lift the ban on a blacklisted customer?"

The system panel displayed: "The host's authority is insufficient. Please work hard to upgrade your authority."

Owner Fang: "...When will the authority be sufficient?"

The system panel: "Please explore on your own, host."

Owner Fang wore a look of awkwardness. "...Then can I employ someone on the blacklist as a clerk?"

The system panel: "Being on the blacklist means no salary will be paid, and this shop will not offer reception to them."

Owner Fang scratched his head. "But this is receiving other people..."

The system fell silent for a moment. "Permitted."

Owner Fang's mouth twitched, and he stared deeply at Xiao Yulv, asking, "You... what special talents do you actually have?"

"This young master has cleared every single game via videos, possesses full knowledge of various game progressions, combos, and strategies, and has conducted profound research into the ingredients and materials of every snack..."

Listening to Xiao Yulv's grand, sweeping monologue, Su Tianji, who stood nearby, was utterly dazed. "Owner Fang, can't you just let this boy off the hook?"

Owner Fang patted Xiao Yulv's shoulder and likewise began an equally grand discourse: "This shop does not provide accommodation, there are no snacks, no wages, no playing games during shifts, the premises must be swept perfectly clean after work, the register must have zero errors or omissions, and if any other blacklisted individuals try to fish in troubled waters, you must not fail to spot them..."

After several minutes, Owner Fang finally finished speaking and took a sip of water.

"Still no playing games?!" After listening for so long, Xiao Yulv had not heard a single syllable related to playing games.

"Are you doing it or not?"

"Ah—?!" It was a heartbreaking cry.

"When you get off the blacklist depends entirely on this owner's mood," Owner Fang added another line.

"I'll do it!"

Thus, Owner Fang, the wicked capitalist, gained yet another object to exploit.

Su Tianji, standing to the side with a joyous countenance, encouraged him, "Work hard!"

With tears streaming down his face, Xiao Yulv replied, "Mm!"

Fenghua said, "Congratulations, Junior Brother Xiao."

"Mm!"

Su Tianji remarked, "To have the opportunity to stay by the Senior's side to observe and learn is your good fortune!"

Nodding vigorously, he said, "Mm!"

"Then that's for the best. Go brew a bowl of instant noodles for your auntie first."

Xiao Yulv: "..."

Truly a blood aunt, not someone picked up from the streets.

However, Jiang Xiaoyuan would soon depart for Lingzhou, so they naturally still required another clerk. Owner Fang reviewed the documents handed in by the applicants one by one.

"Zou Long..."

"Wang Xiang..."

"Yu Zhiwei, born of a literary family, capable in poetry and painting, well-versed in the plots of various games including Resident Evil, Diablo, and Legend of Sword and Fairy..."

"This name seems somewhat familiar...?" Owner Fang pondered for a moment, then suddenly slapped the table. "Isn't this the bookstore owner from my official novel?!"

"This time the shop is recruiting clerks, it seems there really is some talent available?" Big Boss Fang scratched his head, his choices essentially finalized. "Managing a bookstore seems a bit of a waste of talent; better have her manage the internet cafe..."

"With this, the shop front is just about ready to upgrade once again."

...

The Jiuhua City shop possessed two storefronts in total, so allocation was straightforward. With over a thousand computers on each side, they totaled three thousand six hundred machines. In this manner, it was not just the Great Jin Country; even when elite disciples from surrounding factions came to surf the web, they would at least not find themselves without a seat.

Coupled with some scattered players who could only afford the fees to visit occasionally, the shop would not appear excessively empty.

Meanwhile, the Half City shop was divided into upper and lower floors, as it had not yet utilized space-folding technology, merely expanding the physical space.

Stepping into the shop felt as though one had entered a world completely separate from the outside.

Regarding the layout, both storefronts had always featured a large designated zone—the Great Guild Area, with pure wooden flooring and spacious corridors. The guild partition of the Half City shop was located roughly at the very center of the entire store, arranged in a circular distribution. At the exact center stood a bronze statue, two men tall, of the "Sacred War" warrior from the game of Legend, whereas the Half City shop displayed a statue of the "Dharma God."

Placed against the walls of the gaming zone were life-sized paintings of Dante, Li Xiaoyao, Wine Sword Immortal, and others, while the film and television area featured characters like Xuan Tian Zong and Zhang Xiaofan.

In addition, there were small experience zones styled with mechanical and magical themes—corridors of a mechanical aesthetic, walls that seemed to flow with liquid fire... It was as if one could experience entirely different atmospheres within the exact same shop.

Players were free to choose which environment they wished to surf the web in.

Of course, this did not mean one could not perform other tasks within a designated zone; it was simply that given the choice, most people would naturally gather in areas sharing the same affinity.

Along the pathways stood several peculiar potted plants and flowers, their deep green foliage carrying an extremely faint, pure fragrance, ensuring the air inside the entire shop seemed constantly fresh.

The lounge area had also become much more spacious. Disciples and elders from major sects and factions across various regions gathered here; even if their computer time limits had been reached, they could still exchange insights on spells, martial arts, gaming experiences, or boss strategies.

And at this time, the staff within the shop had also been replaced by new faces.

The entire Origins Internet Club had taken on a completely renewed splendor.

"Greetings, everyone. I am Yu Zhiwei," spoke a woman clad in simple, elegant attire, her demeanor serene and refined.

"Greetings, everyone. I am Xiao Yulv," Master Xiao announced, fluttering his folding fan with his customary, consummate elegance.

"Tomorrow marks the final day of the year. Regarding the cosplay event..." the Grand Princess inquired, "Master Xiao, what are your thoughts, or rather, what do you intend to do?"

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