A heat disaster struck, global desertification began, and scorching sand swallowed the world.
Rivers dried up, forests withered, countless creatures died of thirst, and mutated giant beasts roamed unchecked.
Only a handful of humans survived, struggling beneath the blazing sun to cling to life.
You Zhou woke up one day to find himself suddenly bound to a [Shopkeeper Management System].
[Ding~ Congratulations! Your opening product is: Select, Fresh Xishuangbanna Lemonade]
[System-recommended price: 360 yuan per cup]
The System tried to sound confident, though it was clearly nervous: [The task is arduous, Host. Please work hard to meet your sales targets.]
[The price is a little high, but we're a high-end boutique shop run by a discerning shopkeeper. It's worth it!]
You Zhou fell into deep thought.
The next day, the survivors discovered that a new cold-drink shop had opened in the middle of the endless desert.
Its owner was a white-haired, red-eyed young man.
As the ice rattled in its frosty shaker, You Zhou made cup after cup of freshly chilled lemonade.
The ice cubes clinked together, and clear, transparent liquid swirled in the plastic cups. The fresh scent of lemon wafted straight into everyone's nose.
The survivors, their lips cracked and on the verge of dehydration, stared in utter disbelief.
Once they came to their senses, they went wild.
Customers crowded through the shop's doors, and points poured into You Zhou's System faster and faster.
System: =口=
You Zhou patiently reasoned with the System: Since this is a boutique shop for discerning customers, isn't it only natural for me to plant some greenery by the entrance to beautify the place?
At first, it was just a pool of water and a small patch of grass.
Later, fertile land stretched for miles around You Zhou, and the soil was covered with fruit trees laden with lush green leaves.
Under You Zhou's gentle, persuasive coaxing, the System grew thoroughly giddy.
More and more [niche cold drinks] were added to the menu:
Watermelon and coconut juice, cold-brew green plum tea, mountain spring water with white peach and Shine Muscat grapes, pineapple and passionfruit Guanyin tea...
More and more business ventures were added to the discerning shopkeeper's portfolio:
A hidden jungle campsite, a pastoral farm park, whitewater rafting through a misty valley...
At last, an idyllic green oasis rose up from the endless yellow sands, wrapped in moist, drifting mist.
The survivors cheered and shouted with joy at the oasis and the cold-drink shop, flocking there from all directions.
They put down roots in the oasis and flourished. Following its growth, they launched a counterattack against the giant beasts,
using every means at their disposal to decipher You Zhou's few words and doing everything they could to clear obstacles from the oasis's path of expansion.
The survivors built an altar, faced toward You Zhou, and raised their arms, shouting. They lifted clear stream water in both hands and wept.
You are the creator of the new world, the god who saved humanity!
The most devout and courageous warrior among the survivors, dressed all in black, knelt before everyone. His shoulders shook violently, his expression feverishly fanatic.
The System was utterly bewildered: [I-is this right?]
Lounging back in his rocking chair, You Zhou smiled and gave it a gentle rock, then patted the System's glowing orb:
Of course it is. I'm just the shopkeeper of a niche little store. It's perfectly normal to have a few loyal customers, isn't it?
[Reading Guide]
1. A brooding, ruthless, mad-dog zealot with overwhelming combat prowess x a seemingly sweet and gentle but actually calculating little con artist. Older male lead, contrasting black and white.
2. Shop management simulation in the early chapters, then infrastructure building and an ensemble cast.
3. The world is cruel, but we'll do our best to be good people :D
Theme: Deep-running sources make for long-flowing streams; deep roots make for lush leaves. (Ode to the Hall of Uprising)
