Aren't You the Top-Ranked Player? How Did You Become a 'Monster' Merchant?!

Six months after graduation, a global road-survival game arrived. Wen Qiu’s nightmare began from the start: he was abducted by the System. Dragon Kingdom, Region 317, Subregion 66 System: “Congratulations, lucky player! You’ve inherited Farm No. 43967.” Wen Qiu stared blankly. “Oh, an unregistered resident.” After making it back to the road without incident, Wen Qiu went to choose a vehicle and encountered the two most hopeless contenders in the vehicle world: a handcart and a heavy truck. He decisively looked at the last option… a pink carriage?? 【A ghost carriage with lofty aspirations. In life, it was a symbol of royal authority, its wheel tracks accompanied by glory. Yes, it says that even in death, it will serve only a noble princess on the run!】 The heavens want me dead! Wen Qiu closed his eyes. But just as he was about to grit his teeth and pick the heavy truck, the domineering carriage hit him with a soul-searching question: “Do you have magical long hair?” No. “Magical hands?” No. “Have you been cursed or poisoned?” No! “Good. Last question: do you have long legs, a slim waist… fair skin, good looks, and nimble hands? …Yes, you’re a princess!” Wen Qiu: “…Can boys be princesses too?” 【Congratulations, player! You have received the title [Everyone Is a Princess].】 【A princess’s treasure must not be violated. Oral proof of ownership for Farm No. 43967 detected. Verification successful. Farm No. 43967: reclaimed!】 Wen Qiu: Huh? (◍＞◡＜◍) That’s right, I’m a princess! Who cares if they’re a princess, prince, queen, or emperor? As long as they give me money and resources, I’ll call them anything they want! * What’s it like to own a farm in a survival game? Like this ↘↘ Plant leftover apple cores and grow golden apple trees that restore vitality. Plant chili seeds and grow fire-breathing little peppers, perfect for roasting monsters one bite at a time. Drink floral milk and, for one hour, you’ll randomly acquire a pleasant body scent with a beneficial effect. … From then on, player [Butter Cookie] challenged for the throne of the survival world. Supporters: the four lucky mascots of the survival world, the top-ranked players in all five regions, the leaders of the four oceans, the legendary fashion guru of the survival scene, the master craftsperson, the Monster Merchant Alliance, the Lost Lords, the witches of the revel, the queen of the elven sanctuary… (Offstage voice: Um… friends and family in the back, hold on a moment. There’s no room to stand here.) At some point, a mysterious gourmet merchant appeared in the survival world. Rumor had it that their farm was the world’s most marvelous treasure, a source of youth and vitality where golden wheat fields rolled through every season and dragons made their homes… Wen Qiu: That’s me. A ridiculously rich top-ranked player appeared among the players. Rumor had it that the first thing to reach you wasn’t the mighty slash of a big shot’s blade, but the intoxicating aroma of food. Wen Qiu: …That’s me too. Players: “(staring, ) Aren’t you the top-ranked player? How did you become a monster merchant? (in unison)” “Monsters”: “(gloomy looks) Aren’t you our merchant? How did you become the top-ranked player among humans?” “Well… it’s all fate.” (Current setting: torrential rain…) 【Reader’s Guide】 □ Male-oriented, no romance, with a lone-wolf protagonist who still finds close companions. □ Changing settings + nested instances + exploring the survival world (road survival). □ A road-survival game story about hoarding supplies and farming, with food and plenty of fluffy creatures later on. (The blurb has been extensively revised. Updated July 29 at 17:34.) An upcoming no-romance female-led survival novel in the same series: Aren’t We Supposed to Be Survivors? How Did I Become a Player?! Next novel: The Magic Bistro Management Journal Blurb: (Probably coming out before the New Year.) What hurt Yu Jiang’s heart more than dying of a heart attack and being reborn in a magical world was that the locals’ everyday food was on par with medieval cuisine. No problem. She would add a little color to the bland, flavorless palates of these medieval natives with delicious food. First, medicinal ingredients are absolutely not weeds or wildflowers! Second, soy sauce! She needed soy sauce, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce…!! … Her medicinal cuisine restaurant opened. At first, Yu Jiang was prepared to be ignored in a world where potions were everywhere. But then Necromancers, knights, elves, beastfolk, witches, fairies… Yu Jiang: Ah, my customers seem to be getting more and more diverse. There’s a restaurant on the edge of the magical forest. They say the food is delicious and affordable. Best of all, it’s good for your health. What? That’s even more magical than magic potions! At first, everyone insisted this was a scam and loudly declared that only fools would go. But then: A student with tired, dry eyes from staying up late to study spellbooks eagerly slurped down goji berry and pork liver soup. A magic instructor, exhausted from teaching clueless students, polished off a pot of dendrobium and mushroom stew. An elegant werewolf lady tried a red date and brown sugar bun, felt warmth spread through her abdomen, and promptly tossed out her painkiller potion. They met at the restaurant, four… so many eyes looking at one another, and the chorus of “quack quack” began. * Yu Jiang found a golden butterfly with a damaged wing in the medicinal herb garden behind her restaurant. Delighted, she decided to raise it. People say you shouldn’t pick up strange men off the street, but no one said you couldn’t take in a butterfly that offered itself up! Strangely, the butterfly wouldn’t eat the nectar offered by the wolf lady next door or drink the dew Yu Jiang carefully collected. It only wanted her medicinal dishes: yam and pork rib soup, red date and tremella soup, ginger lamb… It even loved light and dark soy sauce. Help! Is this golden butterfly normal? Urgent! It’s about to eat all the medicinal dishes I have for sale!! … Marshal Alseran of the magical continent, the Golden-Winged Sacred Butterfly, the Butterfly Clan’s No. 1 warrior, famed alongside the elves, was gravely wounded in an internal clan conflict while fighting monsters and transformed into a juvenile spirit form. Following his survival instincts, the marshal staggered through the air to a restaurant on the edge of the forest… and into its medicinal herb garden. The snow-white and golden honeysuckle made the marshal so comfortable that he refused to move again. But the girl with chestnut hair that shimmered like a waterfall in the sunlight was far too mean to him. She scooped him up, cheering that she had a pet butterfly. She said she’d raise him, but was always touching his wings and calling him “precious” without a hint of shame. Then, when it was time to eat, she complained that he ate too much. The marshal was furious. That wasn’t fair! Why could she pet that stinky black cat and call it “baby” while kissing it? How could a human be so fickle! 【Reader Advisory】 □ An alternate-history medieval Western fantasy world, with many original elements. □ A Western fantasy food-business slice-of-life, mainly focused on running the restaurant, but with romance too. Theme: Live! Experience! Make choices!