I Will Never Submit to Miss Grim Reaper - Chapter 172

Chapter 172: The Mysterious Power From the East

 

In the café, Ouyang Xue worked as usual until around two in the afternoon. She began using the café’s broadcasting equipment and LCD screen to send messages to the surrounding customers.

 

“Dear customers, due to the afternoon being booked by a newlywed couple in our café, we will now start preparing the wedding hall. Customers who have not finished their meals, please make haste to finish.”

 

“For those who wish to bless the newlyweds, you can move to table 36 on the first floor for a meal. All food and drinks are complimentary…”

 

However, compared to this wedding, I am more concerned about Yin Xiamo, who hasn’t appeared on the phone screen for several hours. Just as we discussed before leaving, there is no mobile signal at sea, and Yin Xiamo needs to run along the southern sea area of Shenzhen City in the direction of the Pacific Ocean. The straight-line distance alone is over a thousand kilometers. In places like this, located on the vast sea and far from land and human activity, there is simply no possibility of having signal base stations.

 

I even suspect that Yin Xiamo might have gone to a place similar to this. Whether it’s on the sea surface, deep underground, or going abroad, or even to another world.

 

Although Yin Xiamo has been saying everything is fine, and even gave examples of “the highest-level magician in another world” to reassure me, for some reason, whenever I encounter a situation where Xiao Mo is not around, I just can’t calm down.

 

Even during my work in the cafe, my “energy level” didn’t feel as high. Throughout, Ouyang Xue kept complaining, “Nuo’er, why do you seem like Sora and Shiro from ‘No Game No Life’? When Yin Xiamo is far away, you become low-spirited.”

 

I didn’t know how to refute this because I knew my recent state of mind was indeed like that.

 

As soon as Xiao Mo left, I always felt like something was missing around me, and the world seemed empty, giving off an unsettling feeling of insecurity. Before leaving, Yin Xiamo once analogized the typhoons in this world, saying that in another world, just a few “highest-level magicians” could manipulate a typhoon. The Demon King of the other world could easily defeat these magicians, and then she defeated the Demon King, using this to analogize her “strength is very strong.”

 

However, with no clear concept of the magic and rules of the other world, I still couldn’t grasp where Yin Xiamo’s “strength” specifically lay. I just hope she doesn’t get into trouble, really, please don’t.

 

In my impression, typhoons are natural disasters, and humans have almost no means of resistance when faced with natural disasters, only the option to escape.

 

The scale of this typhoon, as it appears now, is considered relatively strong. If it were a super typhoon, not to mention the ships in Nanqi Port, even the buildings on land would be destroyed, and humans would have to hide in bunkers to survive. And Yin Xiamo… she now has to face such a colossal entity.

 

“Crackle, crackle…”

 

While Ouyang Xue was busy arranging the cafe for the wedding, the words “No Signal” kept blinking on the screen of the phone connected to Xiao Mo’s phone.

 

“As the typhoon approaches, how can ordinary people take refuge? We have invited Professor Sun, a typhoon expert from Shenzhen City. Welcome, Professor Sun…”

“Hello, host.”

“Professor Sun, could you tell us how ordinary people should ensure their safety when a typhoon is approaching?”

“Well, regarding this typhoon, we in Shenzhen are quite used to it. The scale of Typhoon ‘Orchid’ this time is relatively large. According to the meteorological calculations, if Orchid directly hits Shenzhen and lands in Nanqi Port, it will cause huge losses to our maritime transport. A wind speed of level 11 is very frightening, and if it gets a bit stronger, a level 12 wind can even lift cars…”

 

At this moment, the large LCD screen on the first floor continued to display the progress of Typhoon “Orchid,” with a new, gentle presenter and a background shifted to a large crystal stage.

 

“When the meteorological station issues a red warning, it means that this area may or has already been affected by a tropical cyclone, with an average wind force reaching level 12 or above within the next 6 hours. At this time, we need to be cautious. Quickly return home, close doors and windows, bring in items from the balcony or windows that could be easily blown away, be mindful of lightning, and preferably avoid using TV, computers, and other electronic devices during heavy rain.”

“If you cannot go home, remember not to take shelter near temporary structures, billboards, or iron towers. In our city, Shenzhen, there’s a popular check-in spot, the Pearl Tower in the central area. Absolutely, under no circumstances, go under it during a typhoon. Also, in the Nanqi district, there are quite a few coconut trees, right? Don’t take shelter under the trees. Despite coconuts appearing small, they can cause serious harm if they fall from such a height. If you get knocked out in this weather, it could be a life-threatening situation.”

“And for citizens living by the seaside, there’s already a tsunami warning. Pay attention to flood prevention.”

 

Judging by the serious expressions on the host and the “professor,” this typhoon seems genuinely terrifying. Even though there’s still about 2 days before it makes landfall, the city has already issued a red warning, and Shenzhen TV is conducting live broadcasts, keeping everyone updated on the typhoon’s developments.

 

“Looks like there’s a wedding happening here, huh? Should we leave?”

“They said if anyone wants to stay, they can. It’s on the notice. The bride and groom mentioned that guests who want to give their blessings can stay in the cafe, and everything they consume is on the house.”

“What notice? I didn’t see anything.”

“It’s on the official account of Shangjing Cat Maid Cafe. They usually announce the names of the maids who will be working a week in advance. You can choose a maid you like and visit on their working days. This morning, the official account posted a status, saying there’s a wedding in the afternoon, and those who want a free meal can stay. So, I decided to stay.”

“Do we need to give a gift as well?”

“I don’t know about that. They didn’t mention it. I’ll probably just give a symbolic one or two hundred later. Haha. Mainly, I just don’t want to go back and listen to my mom nagging. I want to stay here and play with cats until evening.”

 

Meanwhile, whether it’s due to the influence of the typhoon or not, the previously clear sky outside gradually became cloudy. Through the cafe’s glass doors, one could see a light drizzle had started.

 

“Nuo’er, arrange the flowers a bit. I’ll go handle things outside.”

 

Pulling a large box of roses, Ouyang Xue gestured for me to place the flowers on the red carpet on the first floor. Then, she took down a few anime paintings that were originally hanging on the first floor of the cafe.

 

“What’s the matter, still worried about Xiao Mo?”

 

Perhaps seeing my worried expression, Ouyang Xue chuckled and said, “She gives me the impression that she is not someone who gets sick easily.”

 

“Manager, the second floor is already set up.”

 

Lan Jiajia walked down from the second floor and asked, “Is there anything else I can help with?”

 

“You can place these baskets on the tables, along with these flowers.”

 

Ouyang Xue directed in an organized manner, “Put the watermelon seeds at the bottom, spread them out, then place the candies and red envelopes on top. Arrange the remaining flowers more beautifully.”

 

“Got it.”

 

Lan Jiajia pushed a small cart filled with gift baskets and left.

 

“I really don’t know if the cafe can withstand this typhoon if it actually hits…”

 

Watching Lan Jiajia move away, Ouyang Xue sighed, “Indeed, things don’t always go as planned. I originally thought that as long as I worked hard enough, I could succeed… at least make the situation not so bad. Sigh.”

 

“I really dislike this feeling. Either let me succeed from the beginning, or just let me fail outright. I don’t mind starting over, but this feeling of being lifted high after success, only to be thrown down heavily… it’s really uncomfortable.”

 

With that, Ouyang Xue turned towards me, holding a broom, and sat on a nearby chair. “Nuo’er, do you know? When I was a livestreamer, I also played games, crazier than many young people. There was a game called ‘Dragon Nest’ that was very popular at that time. In it, there was a hero named Geraint, the Golden Dragon. He swept through countless monsters for the sake of the human residents in the main city, resisting wave after wave of monster attacks on towns and villages. He fought black dragons, slew sea monsters, but due to exhaustion, he was eventually killed by a not-so-powerful sea serpent…”

 

“Shortly after that, the human main city was gone.”

 

“At that time, Geraint said a sentence, and I only understood later how powerless it made me feel. He said… ‘I tried my best, but didn’t get the best result.'”

 

“Sister Ouyang…”

 

Listening quietly to Ouyang Xue’s rambling, I felt moved. “The typhoon hasn’t arrived yet. It’s uncertain where it will go in the end.”

 

“Nowadays, weather forecasts are quite accurate. For phenomena like typhoons, they can be simulated using supercomputers, and the accuracy of predictions is quite high. If the meteorological bureau says it will make landfall in two days, then it’s likely to make landfall in two days. There’s basically no possibility of it deviating from the projected path…”

 

As Ouyang Xue spoke these words, the central screen in the hall coincidentally switched to the typhoon forecast.

 

“At present, it has been confirmed that Typhoon ‘Orchid’ will make landfall in Shenzhen City in 44 to 46 hours. The local education bureau has issued notices for school closures. All schools and employers are urged to strictly follow the instructions and adjust their holidays accordingly…”

 

The host on the large screen solemnly read the script to the camera, and behind him was a very clear simulation map of the typhoon’s projected path.

 

“You see, even the school closure notices are out. Nowadays, in our country, whenever a typhoon is detected nearby, we can basically get the information first, predicting the possible landing points and affected cities about a week in advance. In cases like now, with two days left until landfall, it’s pretty much a certainty.”

 

Ouyang Xue stood up from her seat, “Alright, I won’t bother you with taking out the trash anymore. I have been a bit tired these days. After we finish this wedding, let’s move the cats tonight. Tomorrow, we’ll move valuable items and then take a break. Hopefully, the losses in the café won’t be too severe after the typhoon.”

 

“Sister Ouyang…”

 

I felt a bit hesitant, “Don’t be sad, maybe the typhoon will change its course soon.”

 

I could fully understand Ouyang Xue’s current feelings.

 

A level 12 typhoon making a direct landfall will undoubtedly cause massive damage to coastal cities like Shenzhen. Especially for a restaurant like the cafe, situated at the highest point on a small hill near the sea, there will inevitably be some damage. Even if the cafe miraculously avoids getting hit by flying debris and the sea doesn’t flood in after the typhoon, it might still remain intact after several days of storms, but we won’t be able to reopen.

 

Because by that time, nearby power lines and networks are likely to face issues. Without electricity and internet, we won’t be able to operate, causing further delays.

 

Having written novels, I am well aware of this principle—many things indeed need to be taken advantage of while the momentum is high. For instance, a novel reaches 100,000 words, the editor gives a small recommendation, readers see it as a new, substantial book to try. They click, find it well-written, add it to their favorites, and check for updates every day, following the author’s storyline.

 

This marks an excellent start. If the editor then gives a big recommendation, and the author consistently updates, the novel’s data will only get better, and popularity will continue to accumulate.

 

However, if your novel starts well, gains considerable attention, the editor provides a recommendation, many readers add it to their favorites during the promotion period, and just as the phase where the author needs to consistently update to retain readers begins, suddenly, there’s a hacking attack on the website, causing it to be paralyzed for three to five days—what will readers think then?

 

Habit is a formidable thing. Initially, people might have picked up a new book due to work or leisure, wanting to relax and be entertained. After adding the book to their collection, readers will habitually click into the platform to check for updates. If the website suddenly crashes, and readers can’t access the book for several days, even if the site is restored later and the author calls each reader to notify them that the novel is available again, readers may not be inclined to come back.

 

“What book was I reading before?”

“How many chapters did the author update?”

“Where should I start reading?”

“What was the plot at that time?”

“What was this person’s name?”

Once such questions arise, readers are more likely to entertain the thought of “forget it, I won’t read it anymore” and toss the book onto the virtual shelf to gather dust.

 

This is akin to the principle of “timed” operation in local snack shops. If someone opens a snack shop and consistently appears at the same spot on the street every day at 6 a.m., unless the food is truly awful, people passing by at that time will likely habitually buy breakfast from him. Over time, it becomes a routine. However, if one day he oversleeps and only arrives at 7 a.m., those accustomed to buying breakfast there will go hungry. Once or twice is fine, but if they don’t see him for three or four consecutive days, they will undoubtedly choose another snack shop that consistently opens at 6 a.m., assuring them of breakfast at that time.

 

Playing games follows the same logic. If a person consistently logs in every day to complete daily tasks and suddenly forgets to log in one day, misses the daily tasks and sign-in, the next time they need to do the daily tasks, they might think, “Since I didn’t do it yesterday and nothing really happened, forget it, I’ll just lie down. I won’t log in today either.”

 

Therefore, Ouyang Xue, who understands human nature well, is well aware that once the typhoon makes landfall, even if the cafe remains intact, customers will certainly not be able to stay. The popularity we worked so hard to build will likely be cut in half. This will undoubtedly affect the development of the commercial street in the Nanqi District and subsequently impact the development and investment in the Nanqi District, ultimately leading to delays in the construction of the cross-sea bridge and the “New District” land reclamation plan.

 

Ouyang Xue is a hard worker, and this is undoubtedly hard for her to accept, especially considering she had stayed in the hospital before due to matters here. Now, seeing all the efforts potentially going awry, anyone would feel overwhelmed.

 

“Thank you for comforting me, it’s okay.”

 

Under my gaze, Ouyang Xue took a mask and put it on, opened the door, and said, “These days… cough, it’s just, a common ailment for girls, feeling emotionally messy, liking to talk nonsense. Just ignore the pile of words I said earlier. Let’s focus on the work.”

 

Huh?

 

I was stunned for several seconds before I fully understood Ouyang Xue’s remark about the “common ailment for girls.”

 

In other words… today is Ouyang Xue’s that… that day?

 

I used my small hand to gently touch my own abdomen through the clothes.

 

I could feel the soft skin inside and the flat, firm muscles of my lower abdomen.

 

Underneath this, are the organs that were absent when I was still an “uncle.”

 

It is precisely these two organs that cause girls to experience… every month…

 

“Ding dong! Welcome!”

 

At that moment, accompanied by the sound of the door being pushed open, I saw a large group of people walking in from outside. Just as I was about to greet them, the “big brother” leading the way waved his hand first, saying, “Hey, Nuo’er!”

 

“Jiang Wei!”

 

I immediately recognized this young man dressed in a suit, looking handsome and stylish. Then, I shifted my gaze to the girl beside him. “And Sister Ye Zi!”

 

I have to say, these two are really a handsome guy and a beautiful girl today. Compared to the memory of Jiang Wei and Ye Zi, they seem like completely different people.

 

Especially Ye Zi, she and the “computer science girl” who came to our house to install the computer before are like two different individuals. Although she hasn’t put on a wedding dress yet, her makeup is clearly done. She gives off the vibe of a European noble princess, especially with the yellow wig, giving me a… well…

 

Is this Nero?

 

My knowledge of the Fate series is limited to characters like Gilgamesh, EMIYA, and Astolfo. Nero has never left a deep impression on me. I vaguely remember that her character is based on the Roman Empire era and is summoned as a Saber-class servant.

 

Moreover, I don’t recall Jiang Wei being a fan of Fate, let alone Nero, who is not as famous as Arthur in the series.

 

“Hello, cutie,” Ye Zi, looking a bit shy, waved at me. “How does the new computer feel?”

 

“Uh…” I hesitated. “It boots up quickly, and it has a high aesthetic value, which can enhance typing speed.”

 

That’s the best description I could come up with. I once checked the prices of the components for that computer online. Putting aside other factors, the motherboard alone costs around two to three thousand. Then there’s the 12th-gen i9 CPU, an enhanced version that costs over five thousand – yes, just that small chip is worth as much as my three months’ worth of writing fees. Following that is the graphics card, which is even scarier, currently priced at over thirteen thousand. Two 2TB SSDs, the top-end memory stick – that’s another almost ten thousand. Next is the 1600W power supply, costing over four thousand, not to mention cooling, fans, monitor, and all the other accessories.

 

After adding the cost of the custom case – excluding the monitor – it has already reached nearly fifty thousand yuan.

 

And that’s not all. Even the graphics on the custom case are customized. Even though Jiang Wei owns a computer shop himself, putting images on the computer case, painting it – all of these incur expenses. Hiring an artist to paint is an additional cost.

 

Out of the photos and promotional videos I and Yin Xiamo posted on social media, Jiang Wei selected five images. He then had a professional artist paint them and applied them to the computer case. A good artist charges around two to three thousand for one painting, so that’s another ten thousand spent.

 

In other words, Jiang Wei helped me assemble a top-of-the-line computer worth over fifty thousand yuan and asked me to use it for writing novels.

 

I don’t know how to describe this behavior anymore.

 

The graphics card, the current strongest one on the market, seemed to have fans that didn’t even spin when I turned on the computer last night because it didn’t generate any heat – the entire system was idle.

 

“I feel like I really don’t need such high-end specs.”

 

Facing Ye Zi dressed as a bride, I remembered my writing status from last night and said, “But still, thank you.”

 

Following Jiang Wei’s request, I transferred 1 yuan to Ye Zi, considering it as if I had bought this computer for 1 yuan, helping him “boost good luck.”

 

“It’s okay, we’re close enough; no need to be reserved about such matters.”

 

Jiang Wei, behind Ye Zi, suddenly leaned in, lowering his voice, “Actually, the fortune teller told us before that our encounter was too smooth. If we got married within the next three years, we would face calamity. The only way to resolve it is to use the ‘movement’ in business to counterbalance the ‘movement’ in the wedding. You see, today, we just planned to get married here, and the typhoon came. I guess it’s the calamity the fortune teller mentioned.”

 

What?

Who is this fortune teller? Can they really predict such things?

 

“So…”

I cautiously asked, “Are you planning to sell me a computer at a loss to ensure a smooth wedding?”

 

“Haha, don’t make fun of me. We’re from the countryside, and there are many strange customs there. I’m a bit superstitious, but don’t laugh at me.”

 

Jiang Wei seemed quite open-minded about it, “But it could also be a coincidence. After all, when we decided to get married, the weather bureau had already announced the detection of the typhoon… Enough about that. Nuo’er, why are you still in a maid outfit? Change into something else. Put on some clothes, sit over there, and have some tea. You don’t need to work today.”

 

“Your things aren’t even set up yet!”

 

I rolled my eyes at him, “We didn’t have many staff in our café to begin with…”

 

In the midst of the conversation, the cafe’s door was pushed open again, and Pipi, along with his wife, entered while holding their little daughter. “Marisa… cough, Brother Jiang!”

 

“Haha, Brother Li! And Little Pipi too!”

 

Jiang Wei reached out to Pipi, took the little girl from Pipi’s arms, and grabbed a handful of candies from a nearby tall basket, saying, “Come, come, have some candy.”

 

“Don’t give her too much, it’s bad for her teeth.”

 

Pipi, from his jacket pocket, took out a big red envelope and placed it into the red box held by the person next to Jiang Wei. “Dear, this is Uncle Jiang Wei, do you remember?”

 

The little girl in Jiang Wei’s arms timidly said, “Uncle Jiang Wei.”

 

“Ah, so well-behaved, Little Pipi has grown so big.”

 

Jiang Wei returned the little girl to Pipi, saying, “Feel free to sit, let Nuo’er know if you want anything.”

 

“Tsk, you just said I should rest, and now you’re treating me like a waitress.”

 

Although I said that, I gestured for Pipi’s family to sit at a nearby table and brought them tea, along with some snacks and cold dishes. In preparation for this wedding, so that the early-arriving guests wouldn’t go hungry, Ouyang Xue specifically had Chef Wang prepare many cold dishes, such as cucumber salad, wood ear fungus salad, sour and spicy seaweed, and more. There were also plenty of local specialties from Shenzhen, like sweet and spicy small fish and spicy small eels, complemented by various cold dishes that even made me very appetized.

 

“Sorry, sorry for being late.”

 

I had just finished arranging the cold dishes on the table for Pipi’s family when Su Yunjin rushed in through the door, handing a large red envelope to Jiang Wei. “I was called to attend a meeting suddenly. I rushed over in a taxi right after the meeting ended. Hope I’m not too late?”

 

“You just arrived. Of course, you’re not late.”

 

Jiang Wei, dressed in groom attire, pointed towards me and Pipi, “Pipi and his family just got here not long ago. Go and have a seat first.”

 

“Whew…”

 

Su Yunjin, catching her breath, ran over and picked up a cup of tea from the table, taking a big sip. “I’m exhausted.”

 

Seeing the usually wealthy second-generation young master in such a disheveled state for the first time, I couldn’t help but ask, “What happened?”

 

“It’s all because of the typhoon. Last night, they suddenly announced that the wind speed of the typhoon is increasing, and there’s almost no chance of it changing direction, heading straight for Shenzhen City.”

 

Su Yunjin sighed, “Now it’s a mess. The wind force is approaching level 12, probably delaying the construction of the commercial street again. There are many tall buildings still under construction there, and your café here might also be affected… sigh.”

 

“I’ve seen the weather forecast too, it says the typhoon is coming, and it’s severe.”

 

Pipi, peeling the candy coating for his daughter, asked curiously, “Isn’t there any better solution?”

 

“Is there a better solution? Now, the best we can do is to have the construction teams evacuate first, move the machinery, and prioritize the safety of the workers. Then, we’ll see the extent of the typhoon’s damage and repair or rebuild accordingly.”

 

Su Yunjin looked towards the typhoon eye displayed on the LCD screen on the first floor. “The city leaders discussed for almost half a day and couldn’t come up with any solution. This kind of meteorological disaster is almost like a meteorite impact. Oh no, with a meteorite, we can use missiles to destroy it. But for this typhoon, we can’t exactly cast a spell to change its course, can we?”

 

“If only there was magic of that level.”

 

Pipi laughed, “In the books I write, I usually avoid introducing characters who can resist a typhoon because it makes the story hard to continue. Unless it’s a slice-of-life novel like ‘Kobayashi and the Dragon Maid.’ Moreover, Earth is not a magical world. It’s good to just think about it; it’s not realistic.”

 

To this, I just silently picked up a small cup of tea, sat down next to Pipi’s wife, and quietly started sipping.

 

“What? Ah?”

 

At this time, the host who was live broadcasting on the LCD screen seemed to have received a call or notification and looked to the other side of the camera with some confusion: “Latest data? Are you sure? Oh, um, okay, I understand.”

 

“Ladies and gentlemen, we interrupt the broadcast with breaking news.”

 

Subsequently, the live host turned back to the camera, “According to the latest information from the meteorological bureau, Typhoon ‘Orchid’ has shown a significant change in direction and is now moving towards the direction of Fusang Island. The meteorological bureau finds this phenomenon quite perplexing, but what can be confirmed is that if the current correction of the typhoon’s trajectory is accurate, Typhoon ‘Orchid’ will not pass through our country in the future.”

 

“Broadcast the notice again. Typhoon ‘Orchid’ has exhibited a clear change in direction due to unknown reasons and will not pass through our country’s territory.”

 

“……”

 

……