I opened a shop on the Astral Train-Chapter 89

Diluc was immediately annoyed. He had forgotten this crucial point—March 7th's infection range was massive.

Since he had become a zombie, Diluc had no choice but to follow the rules of the game and charge at Zhongli and the others.

Kaeya reacted quickly, firing at Diluc without hesitation.

However, after Diluc was repelled, March 7th and the others had already rushed forward.

Seeing this, Kaeya made a split-second decision. Without a word, he jumped off the roof, abandoning Zhongli and the rest.

Meanwhile, Paimon, who had been stuck at a mere 12 points the entire game, suddenly saw a golden opportunity. She reached out eagerly.

[Paimon infected Kaeya.]

Seeing the additional point appear on her panel, Paimon nearly teared up.

"I finally scored!"

Her previous 12 points were just the guaranteed minimum—one point per game. But due to her inability to fly in this mode, she was always among the first to be infected, her tiny legs unable to climb boxes or escape effectively.

On the rooftop, Zhongli heard the prompt in his mind.

[You can transform into a Ghost Hunter. Do you want to transform?]

Without hesitation, he chose to transform.

Jing Yuan and Huaiyan did the same.

A flash of light streaked across the rooftop, and three Nepalese knives materialized in their hands.

Zhongli lunged at March 7th, slashing fiercely.

March 7th's health instantly dropped by 700.

March 7th retaliated, summoning a bolt of lightning that struck Zhongli. He checked his HP—still at 6000, but each hit shaved off 1000. A head-on fight was out of the question.

He swiftly dodged, avoiding another strike.

Jing Yuan and Huaiyan redirected their attention to the lesser zombies, creating an opening for Zhongli to deal with March 7th.

March 7th grew frustrated, her teeth grinding. Zhongli was like a slippery loach, darting away every time she attacked!

Checking her HP—only 5000 left. Not ideal.

She made a snap decision—retreat.

She jumped off the roof. Zhongli didn't pursue. There was only one way back up, and he had the high ground. Chasing her down would mean risking a swarm attack.

Instead, Zhongli, Jing Yuan, and Huaiyan took turns guarding the only entry point.

From below, Xing rallied the zombies. "Keep pushing! They can't hold out much longer!"

March 7th returned after recovering HP, tanking damage while forcing Jing Yuan to low health. He had to fall back, leaving Huaiyan to take over.

March 7th activated her shield, engaging in a battle of attrition. She monitored her HP closely, retreating the moment it dropped below 3000.

Under her relentless assault, both Huaiyan and Jing Yuan were reduced to a mere 1000 HP each.

Only Zhongli remained strong, standing firm with 5000 HP.

Jing Yuan sighed, glancing at March 7th, who had started regenerating HP again. He shook his head.

"Mr. Zhongli, it's all on you now."

With that, Jing Yuan and Huaiyan leapt from the roof.

Instantly, every zombie turned their attention to them, swarming after the two warriors.

Within ten seconds, Jing Yuan was cornered and eliminated by Kiana.

She blinked at the sudden 5-point boost on her panel.

"Ghost Hunters are worth so much! That was an easy 5 points!"

Kiana spotted Huaiyan in the distance and figured she had no chance of catching him. She turned her attention back to Zhongli.

Unexpectedly, just as she reached the stairs, Huaiyan ran straight into her.

She struck without hesitation.

[Kiana killed Huaiyan and earned 5 points!]

Kiana's eyes widened. "This is insane!"

At that moment, Xing and March 7th arrived.

Kiana sighed, watching them approach. "Why did Mr. Huaiyan have to run into me? Talk about a lucky break!"

Now, she was in second place, just behind Silver Wolf.

Meanwhile, on the rooftop, Zhongli's health was critically low. Three zombie corpses lay at his feet.

Kiana vaulted onto the rooftop, landing a decisive strike.

[Kiana killed the Ghost Hunter Zhongli.]

She grinned. This round had been insanely profitable.

Round Two

As expected, the rooftop was packed.

Kevin arrived first, blocking the only opening with a Negev, while the others clogged the corridor below.

March 7th shouted at Kevin. "Kevin! Move it! The transformation is about to start!"

Kevin smirked. "If you don't turn, how am I supposed to become a hunter? Hehe~"

March 7th was speechless.

The countdown hit zero.

The good news: the Terminator wasn't here.

The bad news: both Matrixes were.

Kevin stayed at his post, unloading bullets into the two approaching Matrixes.

With the combined efforts of everyone, the Matrixes were pushed back—but not before infecting three players.

March 7th gritted her teeth. "Kevin! Let me up!"

Kevin shook his head smugly. "Nope. I'll wait until you get infected first."

As the other strongholds fell, zombies poured in.

Kevin chuckled. "Relax, March. Just wait to transform. Easy."

March 7th frowned. "We might not transform. The other spots might still be holding."

Kevin waved her off. "Nah, we're the biggest group here. We'll definitely be the last ones standing. The Terminator's gonna wipe out the rest first."

To her annoyance, he had a point.

The zombies pressed harder. Finally, both Kevin and March 7th transformed into Ghost Hunters.

Kevin brandished his Nepalese knives, grinning. "Alright, time to farm some points!"

He leapt from the rooftop, stabbing at Ying.

Ying's eyes flashed with anger. "Everyone, get him!"

The players Kevin had previously blocked swarmed him.

Kevin blinked. "Uh... is it too late to say sorry?"

Ying waved her hand. "Go!"

[Kiana killed Ghost Hunter Kevin.]

Kevin was devastated. He had transformed, and all he got was two measly points!

Zhongli watched and sighed. "Too clever for his own good."

After 17 rounds, the results were in.

Despite never becoming a hunter, Kiana's incredible luck had her dodging every major fight and securing crucial eliminations.

She placed first.

Silver Wolf, the master of stealth, sniping from the shadows with VSS, secured second.

And third went to Zhongli, who had transformed the most times and, through sheer skill, taken down countless zombies.

As the game concluded, Kiana stretched, grinning. "Not bad, not bad. But next time, I want to be the hunter at least once!"

Award Ceremony

Kiana stood tall on the first-place podium, the corners of her mouth twitching upwards uncontrollably.

This was the first time she had ever stood in this position.

Back in school, her grades had always been at the bottom. She could only watch as others stepped onto the podium, imagining what it would feel like to stand there herself.

Now, that dream had finally come true.

Yuri took the microphone and announced, "Let us congratulate Kiana for winning first place in this dungeon, with a reward of 3,000 star coins!"

Kevin took the lead in cheering, clapping enthusiastically for the good sister he had just met. "Amazing! Kiana is awesome!"

March 7th, Hu Tao, and the others joined in, cheering just as loudly.

Kiana accepted the 3,000 star coins with a beaming smile, then turned to her cheering friends below and raised the coins high above her head.

"Instant noodles for everyone tonight! My treat!"

Kevin pumped his fist. "Kiana is the best! Kiana is the coolest!"

After the award ceremony, everyone was teleported back to Yuri's store.

Kiana kept her promise and ran straight to the bar, buying 500 star coins' worth of the super-invincible, luxurious, and delicious instant noodles.

Paimon and Yuri's assistant, Yunli, perked up at the mention of free food.

The two of them dashed to the bar, grabbing their rice bowls and washing them in record time.

Xiangling glanced at the towering stack of instant noodle packs on the kitchen counter and called over her partner-in-crime.

"Hu Tao, come help me carry the pot."

Hu Tao, who had just been about to slip out and celebrate, sighed but turned back around. "Alright, alright~"

Together, she and Xiangling hauled a massive pot onto the stove.

Yuri, meanwhile, lounged on the sofa, sipping tea leisurely. "It's rare for me to get a break today."

Across from him, Jing Yuan gave a knowing smile. "That's true. You're usually buried in the kitchen."

Then, as if remembering something, he asked, "By the way, are you heading to the next stop tomorrow?"

Himeko, sitting nearby, nodded. "Yes, we've been invited to the Family's Music Ceremony."

Jing Yuan raised an eyebrow. "Oh? The Family invited Luofu to the Harmonious Music Festival as well, but unfortunately, Luofu just went through a war and needs to recover. There's no time for travel."

Yuri smirked. "You'll regret not going."

Jing Yuan narrowed his eyes. "Oh? And why is that?"

Yuri's smirk deepened. "Let's just say, at Penacony, there's a lot of Stellar Jade up for grabs."

Jing Yuan's hand, still holding his teacup, froze midair.

"...Are you serious?"

"Would I lie to you about this?"

A beat of silence. Then, Jing Yuan abruptly stood up.

"I suddenly have urgent matters to attend to. Please excuse me."

Without another word, he left the train in a hurry, heading straight for Xingcha to return to Shen Ce Mansion.

Kiana emerged from the bar with a glass of juice just in time to see him rush off.

"Huh? Why is General Jing Yuan leaving? I was gonna treat everyone to instant noodles!"

Yuri chuckled. "He has urgent business. But don't worry, we'll enjoy our meal just fine."

Himeko nodded in agreement. "Jing Yuan is responsible for overseeing the massive Luofu. He's always busy."

Kiana pouted. "That's a shame. This instant noodle is so good. He's totally missing out."

Soon, Kevin and Eula brought the enormous pot of noodles to the dining table.

Kiana's eyes sparkled. She rushed forward, plopped down in her seat, and picked up her bowl and chopsticks.

She glanced around. Everyone was staring at her expectantly.

"Why are you all looking at me? Eat up!"

At her cue, everyone dug in.

Kiana filled a massive bowl for herself and sighed in bliss before diving in. She happily chatted with Kevin, March 7th, Hu Tao, and the others while devouring her noodles with enthusiasm. ƒгeeweɓn૦vel.com

By the time the meal was over, Kiana patted her full stomach. Just as she was about to wipe her mouth with her sleeve, she caught sight of Himeko's unimpressed gaze.

Awkwardly, she grabbed a napkin instead.

Xiangling approached, holding a large lunchbox. "Kiana, here's the takeout you asked for."

Kiana accepted it with a bright smile. "Thanks, Xiangling!"

She had made sure to pack extra—she wanted to bring some back for Mei.

"See you all tomorrow!" With that, Kiana stepped into the portal, returning to St. Freya Academy.

As soon as Kiana stepped out, she realized her portal had materialized inside her closet.

"...Well, that's awkward."

Shoving the door open, she stepped into her room, only to see Mei waiting with a worried expression.

"Kiana! Where have you been all day? Everyone's been looking for you!"

Kiana scratched the back of her head. "Ahaha... Well, you see, it's like this—"

With a bright smile, she launched into an excited retelling of her adventures—the new friends she made, the amazing instant noodles, the thrilling dungeon game, and how she actually won first place.

Mei listened intently, processing everything Kiana blurted out in her excitement.

So, Kiana had somehow stumbled into another world, made a bunch of friends, and discovered a mystical store that sold goods from across all realms?

Mei rubbed her temples. "You... really had quite the day."

Kiana, however, was already opening the lunchbox with an eager grin. "Mei~ Mei~ Let's eat! This is what I brought back for you! It's super delicious!"

Mei eyed the still-steaming instant noodles. "Alright, let's go to the living room."

Kiana cheered. "Yay!"

The two set the food on the table, and as soon as the lid was lifted, an intoxicating aroma filled the air.

Kiana sprinted to the kitchen, grabbing bowls and chopsticks. "Mei! You have to try this! Xiangling made it—she's an amazing cook!"

Mei picked up some noodles with her chopsticks, just as the door suddenly burst open.

"Mei! Did you find Kiana?!" Theresa and Himeko stormed inside, looking frantic.

Kiana looked up in surprise. "Aunt Theresa! Aunt Himeko! You came just in time! Here, have some instant noodles!"

But Theresa wasn't paying attention to food—her eyes were locked onto Kiana. "Kiana, where have you been all day? We've been searching everywhere!"

Hearing this, Kiana's face froze.

...Right.

She had completely forgotten to check in.

Scratching her head sheepishly, she chuckled. "Ahaha... Well, you see, I was—"