Chapter 169: Chapter 169: All Embers Members Have Been Poached, Boss, I’m Shaking Fruit Tea

"Huh?"

"You’re telling me that whole long line is just to buy some... honey lemonade?"

Xiaoye heard the report from her subordinate.

She was instantly dumbfounded!

The line stretched for more than a kilometer!

You couldn’t even see the end of it!

She thought some major incident had occurred, but it turns out they were just buying fruit tea?

No, seriously, could this fruit tea really be that good?

It’s not like she’d never tasted a ghost lemon before!

They were so sour and bitter they could kill you!

And a fruit tea made from that stuff was being snatched up by crowds?

This was hands down the second most absurd thing she’d heard all year!

The most absurd thing was Yun Zhenyue becoming the City Lord!

"Yes, she set up a lottery. You get one draw for buying a one-ghost-coin cup of lemon tea."

"I heard the grand prize is..."

"A single drop of the old City Lord’s blood."

When those words reached Xiaoye’s ears,

she shot to her feet!

Her pure black eyes filled with disbelief, and her blood-cherry-colored hair tumbled down to her waist. A million curses screamed through her mind.

"She’s actually willing to part with it!" Xiaoye murmured, finally understanding why so many ghosts had been drawn in.

"That blood... a single drop is enough to buy half the Ghost City!"

"And she’s using it as a lottery prize? What on earth is she thinking?"

Nearby, Xiaoying’s beautiful eyes flickered.

’I still remember the bet I made with my sister.’

’Looks like I’ve won, hasn’t it?’

When Xiaoye saw the hint in Xiaoying’s eyes,

her face flushed crimson, and her body grew hot and restless.

"No, this doesn’t count!" Xiaoye shook her head frantically, like a rattle. "This is cheating!"

"..."

Hearing this, a hint of disdain appeared in Xiaoying’s eyes.

"Let’s make another bet!"

"I’ll bet... once all the prizes are won, they’ll definitely stop buying."

Xiaoye bit her lower lip and waved her hand dismissively.

"They’re all just here for the lottery. It has nothing to do with the lemons. Besides, that stuff definitely tastes bad. If anyone actually thinks it tastes good, I’ll disband... uh, I’ll do whatever you ask!"

"Sigh~"

Xiaoying shook her head helplessly.

’Having a sister who’s such a sore loser...’

’There’s nothing I can do about it.’

’But I have a feeling she’s only going to lose more and more...’

...

「At that moment.」

The audience in Dragon Country watched the customers scrambling to buy lemon tea.

They were all gaping, utterly flabbergasted.

[Damn, even Mixue’s business isn’t this good in real life!!]

[Did she spike the lemon tea with something?]

[You have to admit, Yun Zhenyue really has a head for business, using a lottery as a marketing tool.]

[My family runs a milk tea shop, too. This whole setup is super familiar.]

[No way, she’s using a drop of Gu Yuan’s blood as the grand prize? Does anyone actually want that stuff?]

[I think it’s nuts, too. His blood should only be useful to Fierce Ghosts at most, right? But even an Evil Star showed up?]

[Doesn’t drinking his blood put you under his control? And they’re still fighting over it.]

...

「Inside the milk tea shop.」

Yun Zhenyue’s hands were moving so fast they were practically smoking.

Her head was buzzing too.

She had expected Gu Yuan’s blood to be a huge deal!

But she never expected this!

It had shaken the entire Ghost City!

And all with just a single drop!

But then she recalled Gu Yuan saying that one drop of his blood could be converted into one hundred million ghost coins.

In that light, it seemed normal.

It was just that too many ghosts had come to buy it!

Yun Zhenyue was struggling to keep up, her arms aching.

Fortunately, she contacted Si and quickly hired a few ghosts from the slums as employees.

Only then was she able to escape the busy work.

Since some of the Ghost City’s upper echelon had seen Yun Zhenyue at the Ghost Immortal Tower and knew her identity, they didn’t dare cause trouble.

Seeing that even the Crimson-robed Ghost and the Evil Star were obediently waiting in line,

all the customers quietly formed an orderly queue.

They purchased their drinks one by one.

Additionally,

Yun Zhenyue also posted a notice limiting purchases.

A limit of three cups per person, per day!

Otherwise, what if someone tried to order ten thousand cups at once?

Serving only one person would definitely cause dissatisfaction among the other ghosts.

Soon!

Crate after crate of ghost lemons were brought into the shop by the newly hired employees from the slums.

The lemons were being used up at an incredible rate!

And the lottery draws continued nonstop.

Every now and then, someone would win a green-tier prize!

But blue-tier prizes had stopped appearing!

Many ghosts were worried the grand prize would be claimed!

The anxiety was plain on their faces!

Just as Yun Zhenyue was taking a break,

a female ghost covered in pustules with a weak aura suddenly cried out in surprise. She had won a first-prize.

Yun Zhenyue walked over and saw that she had won the purple-tier healing prize.

"Please come a little closer..."

BUZZ!

As Yun Zhenyue gently used her Purifying Hand!

In the blink of an eye!

All the pustules on the female ghost vanished,

revealing a bright and clear face.

Even now, the female ghost’s hands were trembling.

Her illness had been terminal!

She had once accidentally stepped into a swamp and was infected by a virus from an unknown phantom plant. No ghost hospital could cure her!

But now, just by buying a cup of milk tea, she was cured and given a new life!

This was a priceless gift that no amount of ghost coins could buy!

"Thank you, shopkeeper! I’ll come buy lemon tea every day from now on!"

After saying this,

she gave a deep bow,

clutching the freshly bought lemon tea to her chest.

Seeing this scene,

the gazes of the ghosts in line became even more fervent!

’They really weren’t lying!’

’This shopkeeper is incredible!’

’She can cure a terminal illness with a wave of her hand!’

’And the prizes are real!’

’It’s definitely not a setup!’

’Is this charity?’

’Besides, this lemon tea is actually pretty good!’

Many of the ghosts who didn’t win a prize sighed, lamenting their bad luck for the day.

But when they casually took a sip of their lemon tea,

their eyes lit up instantly!

You know what?

This lemon tea made from ghost lemons is actually not bad at all!

Even without the lottery, it’s worth the price of one ghost coin per cup!

"Hiss~ The flavor of this lemonade is so unique. It’s delicious."

"It’s a little strangely tart at first, but then it has a sweet aftertaste. What a wonderful flavor!"

"I can’t stop! Once you have one sip, you can’t stop!"

"Holy crap, I used to smoke phantom-cigarettes. I took one sip of this and threw my whole pack away!"

"If I don’t have a cup of this every day from now on, I’ll feel awful. I’m completely hooked on this lemon tea."

...

"What?"

"You’re saying the lemon tea has already hit the black market?"

"And because of the purchase limit, people are willing to pay 10 ghost coins for a single cup?!?!"

"They’re calling it the most delicious thing in the world?"

"And someone even made up a jingle for it?"

"Something like, ’North City lemon tea hits better than phantom-weed; one taste of lemon and even an Evil Star would be stunned’?"

At this moment,

Xiaoye was, yet again, completely and utterly dumbfounded.

What in the world was all this?!!

’Is this for real?’

’In the hands of that City Lord, an ordinary ghost lemon...’

’...transforms into an unforgettable lemon tea?’

What did 10 ghost coins for a cup even mean?

That was about a whole month’s salary for an average ghost, wasn’t it?

Spending it on this... they must have more money than sense!

Xiaoying shrugged from the side.

She knew a bit about the situation.

The lemon tea had already taken the entire Ghost City by storm!

Now, all the upper-echelon ghosts of the city considered it an honor to be seen holding a cup of lemon tea.

Anyone who hadn’t tried it,

even a child, would be ridiculed by their friends.

She had gone and bought a cup herself just now.

Yun Zhenyue didn’t charge her.

She was lucky enough to win a small pendant, which was quite exquisite.

"—SMACK!!!"

Xiaoye slammed her hand on the table in a fit of anger.

Her face flushed red and pale by turns.

Finally, she forced herself to ignore her sister’s knowing gaze.

"Someone! Have Xiaoqi go buy me a cup!"

Xiaoye shouted in her room.

’They’re making such a big deal out of it.’

’I want to taste this lemon tea, too.’

But she couldn’t bring herself to go in person, so she had to give an order.

Xiaoqi was her most capable subordinate, incredibly efficient.

However, after waiting for a long time,

there was no sign of anyone.

"Where is everyone? Why has everyone disappeared?"

Xiaoye was bewildered.

Just as she was stepping out of her room,

the subordinate who had reported to her earlier rushed over, panting, "Ma’am, Xiaoqi is busy shaking fruit tea. She doesn’t have time to come."

’Shaking fruit tea?’

Xiaoye’s eyes widened in disbelief.

’Seriously?’

’These are the fearsome Embers of the Ghost City!’

’And she’s run off to shake fruit tea?’

’Have some dignity!’

"What about Old Du? Wasn’t he just complaining about being bored? Where is he?" Xiaoye demanded, her eyes wide.

"He—"

A drop of cold sweat trickled down the subordinate’s temple.

"He went to move lemons. Said he’d use the money he earned to buy me a drink tonight."

"That bastard... What about the others? Don’t tell me they’ve all gone off to work there," Xiaoye said, clutching her head in despair.

’Being with this bunch of insects!’

’How am I supposed to run the Embers properly?!’

"..."

The subordinate fell silent.

Meeting Xiaoye’s vacant gaze, he gritted his teeth and said, "Boss, Brother Qian didn’t go!"

"Oh?"

The emptiness in Xiaoye’s eyes slowly focused.

Brother Qian was the ghost in charge of finances for the Embers. He was extremely level-headed and had helped the Embers overcome many difficulties.

’Thank goodness.’

’My organization hasn’t been completely poached yet!’

But the subordinate hesitated for a long moment before finally saying bitterly, "But, Brother Qian said the milk tea shop’s business model has great potential... He went to discuss a franchise deal."

Xiaoye: "???"

At this point,

Xiaoye suddenly felt that something was very wrong!

’This isn’t right, is it?’

’This new City Lord, without lifting a single finger in aggression!’

’...has poached all the members of the Embers!’

’In the end,’

’why were these ghosts from the slums willing to work for me?’

’Wasn’t it because their lives were hopeless!’

’And now, the new City Lord has given them new hope!’

’This targeted poverty alleviation!’

’It’s shaking the very foundations of the Embers’ existence!’

’If this continues,’

’I’m afraid that even I, their leader, might be offered up to the City Lord one day without even knowing it.’

But she couldn’t just order them to stop.

After all, the City Lord was helping them earn money, not leading them into mischief.

It was a perfect, unavoidable scheme.

’And the most crucial part is, I’m only just now figuring it out?’

’That level of cunning!’

Xiaoye’s back was drenched in a cold sweat!

’How terrifying...’