CFSMS -Chapter 187 System, I’m Talking to You

Boss Lu had gained a new little cat by her side. As a result, when she set up her stall over the next few days, all three little mascots appeared together.

In the spirit-sealed environment, Huohuo and Gou Aotian struggled to adapt.

They spent their days lounging lazily beside the stall, happily accepting offerings from customers. Mimi, however, remained full of energy.

After all, he’d gone through this experience once every year since his birth.

Using his front paws, he hugged a cup of mung bean shaved ice and waddled upright on his hind legs over to Huohuo.

“Meow~”

Boss, have some tea.

His recognition of Huohuo as boss was sincere. Her bloodline was far more impressive than his. Outside a spirit-sealed environment, he couldn’t beat her.

“Chirp chirp~”

At least you know your place.

Huohuo shot Mimi a sidelong glance, fully putting on airs as the boss.

She was the Fire of the Phoenix. Her status would never be shaken.

With his tail swaying behind him, Mimi picked up another cup—this time a grape jelly drink—and delivered it to Gou Aotian.

“Meow~”

Second Brother, please have some tea.

Even though Gou Aotian couldn’t beat him.

Even though he wasn’t as handsome as him.

Even though he wasn’t as pleasant to pet as him.

Mimi still sincerely acknowledged him as Second Brother. After all, Gou Aotian had been recruited by Boss Lu first. Mimi held great respect for his seniority.

Gou Aotian wrapped his tail around the cup and slowly licked at it with his tongue. His round dog eyes carefully examined Mimi, every inch of him radiating a single message:

You scheming little green-tea cat. Don’t think you’re stealing Dog Lord’s affection.

Lu Wu saw the three little ones competing for favor but made no attempt to intervene. She trusted them to know their limits.

The customers also treated the spectacle as entertainment.

“Da Huang, look at yourself. You’re falling behind. Even a bird and a cat have overtaken you. You were with Boss Lu all the way back in Little River Town—you need to step up!”

Naturally, some customers couldn’t resist stirring up trouble and secretly tried to incite the dog.

Who knew that after hearing this, Gou Aotian merely rolled his eyes at them.

“Woof woof woof!”

The customers looked bewildered. Fortunately, someone who understood beast speech stepped forward to translate.

“Da Huang says he won’t give you any chance to rise in rank, and you should stop dreaming.”

The clever dog had seen right through the customers’ scheme.

The other two also turned to look at the instigator, glaring daggers at him. For this brief moment, the three little mascots stood united against a common enemy.

The only ones Boss Lu is raising are us. We’ll be the ones to shatter your fantasies.

The customer who had just been looked down upon by a yellow dog clutched his heart, now riddled with ten thousand arrows, and admitted defeat.

“Rrrr—meow!”

While the three were fooling around, Mimi nearly reverted to his original voice.

His fur exploded upright as he stared at a certain figure in the crowd.

It was Gu Yan.

Why is the Great Demon here?!

Is he here to drag me back and stew me into soup?

He’d heard that over the years many beasts had ended up on the Great Demon’s dinner table—and not just individuals. Entire families had supposedly been wiped out.

Good heavens, what a genocidal maniac!

He had finally found a massive thigh to cling to.

He didn’t want to get eaten!

With a sudden leap, Mimi shot forward and wrapped himself around Lu Wu’s leg.

“Boss Lu, save me!”

Hearing his voice, Lu Wu looked down and reminded him,

“Mimi, watch your meow.”

That deep, rugged voice was clearly not that of a kitten.

Image mattered.

“Meow~”

Terrified though he was, Mimi did his best to maintain a sweet and adorable meow. Only then did Lu Wu nod in satisfaction.

Afterward, she handed a cup of milk tea to Gu Yan.

“Senior, your milk tea.”

As a customer, the demon lord Gu Yan glanced at the cat burying its head against Lu Wu’s leg and curved his lips into an amused smile.

Over the years, there had indeed been some reckless demon beasts who had crossed his path.

But after being taught a lesson, they had all moved away with their entire families and never dared appear before him again.

As for their foul-smelling meat?

He had no interest in eating it.

Which just went to show—

No, wait, wrong script.

It should be:

The prejudice in a beast’s heart was a mountain.

“I heard you only stay in one place for seven days. Today’s the last day, isn’t it?”

The past few days had added a bit of amusement to Gu Yan’s life.

Every day without fail, he came to buy milk tea.

He had also started using the One-Realm Communicator gifted by the monks of Heavenly Buddha Temple and had read quite a few things about Lu Wu on it.

After learning her pattern of setting up shop, Gu Yan found it regrettable that a newly interesting life was about to return to its usual dullness.

“That’s right.”

Lu Wu smiled and nodded.

“Senior, if fate wills it, we’ll meet again.”

The words of persuasion lingered in Gu Yan’s throat but ultimately remained unspoken.

He simply gave a quiet hum of acknowledgment.

Holding his milk tea, he leisurely disappeared from sight, just as he had on previous days.

A connection with a demon was not one that would fade easily.

There was still plenty of time ahead.

Over the entire seven days, not a single milk tea flavor had been repeated, yet Lu Wu still felt unsatisfied.

When the noon bell of Heavenly Buddha Temple rang out, she pointed at her completely empty stall and spread her hands helplessly.

“You all saw it yourselves. It’s not that I don’t want to sell anymore. I genuinely have nothing left.”

The customers had squeezed her dry.

There was truly nothing more to squeeze out.

“Boss Lu, how can you be so heartless? Can’t you stay with us a little longer?”

The customers, about to be relegated to the cold palace, held their milk tea cups without even wanting to drink them.

Who knew when they’d see Boss Lu again?

The thought of going so long without delicious food made life seem devoid of hope.

“Boss Lu, Heavenly Buddha Temple keeps a herd of dairy cows in the back mountain. Just give the word and I’ll go milk them myself. Fresh from the source, guaranteed no additives!”

Even the monks were reluctant to part with her.

Disciples of Heavenly Buddha Temple rarely traveled outside. After this farewell, who knew when they would meet again?

Little Monk Tianhui gazed at Lu Wu with watery eyes full of sadness.

He even pushed his head toward her, offering it for petting.

Unfortunately, even Tianhui’s beauty offensive couldn’t stop this heartless woman from pursuing freedom.

“Boss Lu, could you choose somewhere easier to find next time?”

One customer pounded her sore legs and offered a suggestion.

As a mage-type cultivator, she’d spent the past several days climbing mountains every day.

Her legs were weak and aching.

Wasn’t she suffering enough for a single drink?

“System, did you hear that? They’re talking about you.”

Lu Wu filed a complaint in her mind before giving the customers a helpless look.

Dear customer, your suggestion has been forwarded. Unfortunately, the system has chosen not to process it.

Trapped within the crowd, Lu Wu only managed to escape the customers’ clutches after suffering extensive unauthorized bean-curd consumption.

Once she returned to her little courtyard and flopped down, the pressure of completing tasks disappeared.

Holding her One-Realm Communicator, she happily wasted time.

As expected, humanity’s true nature was to become a salted fish.

Based on the system’s usual habits, it would let her rest for several days before assigning another mission.

In that case…

[Ding! A new mission has arrived.]

Just as Lu Wu was pondering how to spend the coming days, the system emerged to remind everyone of its existence.

“Hallucination. I definitely misheard that.”

Covering her ears, Lu Wu muttered to herself.

How could the system be so heartless?

She had only just finished one job.

And it already wanted her to go back to being a corporate workhorse.

That was exploitation on a whole new level.