For a moment, Luo Chuan was stunned.
Then, surprise flickered in his eyes.
Just a few days ago, he had been wondering when the system would finally release his exclusive shopkeeper mission.
And now—
It had arrived.
As the thought settled, the system's familiar voice echoed in his mind.
"As the owner of Origin Mall, how can you remain unknown? The opening of the ancient ruins is the perfect opportunity to make your presence known!"
Luo Chuan listened closely as the system laid out the mission details.
[Quest: Merchant of the Ancient Ruins]
Objective: Travel to the ancient ruins and sell goods.
Reward: Unknown.
Silence.
Luo Chuan said nothing.
He needed a moment.
Then, he finally spoke, his voice flat.
"System… are you trying to get me killed?"
With his mere Tier 3 strength, heading into a ruin swarming with powerhouses was nothing short of suicide.
Was the system planning to replace him with a new host?
"Where is this coming from?" the system asked, its tone seemingly oblivious.
Luo Chuan sighed.
For a split second, he pitied the system's lack of intelligence.
Then, rubbing his temples, he continued, "Be honest—how long do you think I'd survive in those ruins?"
"The host need not worry about this matter."
Luo Chuan raised an eyebrow.
There was a solution?
Could it be…
He had already thought of a possibility.
"For the host's safety," the system continued, "an invincibility buff will be activated during all system-designated missions."
Luo Chuan blinked.
Then, slowly, a smile spread across his face.
"Now, this… this I like."
He nodded, satisfied.
But before he could fully relax, the system added:
"However, to prevent exploitation, the host is forbidden from actively selling to others or forcing purchases."
---
Luo Chuan's smile stiffened.
Damn.
It was like the system had read his mind.
For a brief moment, he had considered using his temporary invincibility to conduct some… aggressive business negotiations.
But would he admit that?
Of course not.
He coughed lightly, then spoke with the utmost righteousness.
"System, do you take me for that kind of person?"
The system remained silent.
No outright denial.
No response at all.
---
Luo Chuan smirked but let it slide.
Now, onto a more pressing matter—
"How do I actually get there?"
The ruins were far away, and while the celestial phenomenon in the sky made them seem close, it was just a spatial distortion.
With his speed, he'd probably get there when everything was already over.
"Calculating coordinates… Estimated arrival time: one hour."
---
Luo Chuan tapped his fingers against the counter.
"One hour, huh?"
That was plenty of time to prepare.
The first thing he did was head upstairs to the kitchen.
With practiced efficiency, he stored all essential cookware, spices, and ingredients into his system's inventory.
Why?
Because no adventure should be undertaken on an empty stomach.
And more importantly—
Where there were ruins, there would be a horde of hungry cultivators.
If he could cook on-site, he might just turn the battlefield into a profitable banquet.
---
Besides, after experimenting with countless cooking tutorials in the virtual world, Luo Chuan had developed a few… interesting ideas.
For example—
"Lotus-Wrapped Colored Glazed Chicken."
A dish that was both elegant and flavorful, wrapped in fragrant lotus leaves.
Its preparation was intricate, but the final result?
An absolute masterpiece.
Luo Chuan couldn't help but get excited.
He almost wanted to try making it right now—
But alas, time was ticking.
After double-checking his preparations, Luo Chuan returned to the storefront.
He grabbed a piece of paper, scribbled a quick "Leave Notice," and stuck it on the door.
Then—
---
[System Prompt: Positioning complete. Initiating teleportation?]
Luo Chuan took a deep breath.
Then, with a small smirk, he muttered—
"Let's do this."
[Transmission: Activated.]