Gamers Are Fierce-Chapter 624 - 622: The Name of the Store

"So, what do you think?"

Li Ang flicked his finger, stopping the spinning top. The huge Dragon Head Mask turned to face the Information Broker. "Any opinions or suggestions?"

"..."

The mule took a deep breath and said slowly, "I'll be frank. If you thought there was no future in it, you wouldn't have bought the land, nor would you have sought me out. You must have already done your market research and know that the technology you possess is unique and highly competitive. And you have enough confidence to protect your wealth. What I don't understand is this: do you want to open a shop to make a name for yourself, intending to leverage that fame to join a large organization at a high value? Or do you want to stay out of organizational politics, maintain cooperative relationships with all groups, and amass wealth and power? Or perhaps, you intend to operate independently, free from any interference?"

Since Li Ang had shown him the confidential list of surgeries and their prices, the mule, in his capacity as Advisor, laid matters out plainly. He asked, "Different goals correspond to different development strategies. I need to understand your intentions first."

There's a principle: take someone's money, solve their problems. Since Li Ang had agreed to pay him a consultation fee, the mule naturally considered everything from his employer's perspective. Both possessed professional ethics and upheld the Spirit of Contract, which was why they could become partners and, in a sense, friends.

"Working for others? That's out of the question. I'll never work for anyone else in this lifetime," Li Ang said, shaking his masked head. "Forget about joining large organizations. If I joined them, I'd just become a wage slave, a tool. What they're willing to offer, I don't need. What I want, they can't provide. It's better to open my own shop."

The mule remained silent. Truthfully, someone with Li Ang's talents would be treated with courtesy and preferential terms by large organizations, no matter where he went. There's absolutely no need for him to go it alone. Opening a shop is actually the slowest way to profit. At least for now, lifestyle skills are still quite scarce and irreplaceable. There's no immediate need to worry about large organizations turning hostile and disowning individuals with such skills, or treating lifestyle-focused players like Sweatshop slaves—brutally enslaving them, forcing them to work, and trampling their dignity. As for the future... who knows.

Such strong aversion to large organizations... Either Li Rising genuinely detests being beholden to others, or he has some specific concerns... the mule mused silently. Perhaps he's worried that one or more of his items are too powerful and might attract covetous eyes. That's quite possible. Some Secret Societies even require their direct members to hand over logistical-type equipment for safekeeping before they enter scenario missions, to prevent the gear in their inventory from disappearing if the player dies. Or perhaps... his identity in the real world is too sensitive...

A thought struck the mule. The Information Broker himself had identity issues. His enemies were a group of Apex Western elites who had dominated the old world. Their tentacles extended into every corner of Western society, an intricate, self-protecting network of connections. By conventional means, it was absolutely impossible to overthrow them and ensure they received the punishment they deserved. Even if the mule tried to join a large Secret Society, aiming to reach its upper echelons and harness its extraordinary powers against his enemies, it was highly probable that the society's internal scrutiny would expose his true identity. This would likely lead to his extermination by those powerful enemies. The influence wielded by these Western Apex elites was sufficient to sway and interfere with the Global Occult Coalition, nominally the official extraordinary institution of human civilization.

If both of us harbor similar concerns and similar goals, perhaps a deeper collaboration with Li Rising could be possible...

The mule's thoughts raced. He immediately said, "In that case, there's no need to be concerned about other Secret Societies. Our sole focus should be on 'managing the shop and earning money.' Here's the plan: I'll log off for a while to research reasonable pricing for the surgical procedures your shop will offer. Then, I'll draft a business plan for you, outlining the shop's long-term goals, phased objectives, business strategies, and tactical approaches, all as my personal advice. Once that's settled, I'll also tap into my personal network to help market the shop and attract customers. If a large organization expresses interest in collaborating with you, I can also offer my suggestions and advice on the side, free of charge—if you need them."

"Okay."

Li Ang nodded. Running the shop alone would be quite a hassle for him. Having the Broker involved would save him a great deal of trouble. They had collaborated many times before and had a foundation of trust. Li Ang directly transferred 500 Game Currency to the Broker as an advance payment for his consulting services. The final payment would depend on the extent of the Broker's contribution.

The Broker took one last, deep look at the product list before handing the paper back to Li Ang. His heart surged with eagerness; he was about to log off and begin preparations when Li Ang stopped him. "Wait."

"What's wrong?" The Broker, who had just opened his player panel to log out, paused and looked at the Dragon Head Mask. "Is there something else?"

"One last thing." Li Ang spun the small top on his fingertip and mused, "What do you think this shop should be called?"

"This..." The Broker's brow furrowed slightly. "I'm not very good at coming up with names... Hmm, let me think. Body Modification with a flesh and blood theme, Magic Potions, medical surgery... How about... Red Devil House?"

"Hmm?" Li Ang was taken aback. He slowly said, "That's not great... Wouldn't there be a risk of copyright infringement? I don't have any Blood Clan mistresses or a head maid who can use 'The World' time-stop here."

The Broker nodded. "Then how about Hongmo House? Dedicated to promoting the art of Magic Potions. That sounds original too."

"Don't they sound exactly the same when you say them?" Li Ang's eye twitched as he retorted. "Besides, it gives off the distinct impression of some villainous sect dedicated to promoting demonic arts."

"..."

The Broker fell silent, genuinely stumped. He really wasn't skilled at naming things. After pondering for a long time, he threw out a slew of bizarre names. "Urahara Shop? Jack-of-all-trades Shop? Super Convenience Supermarket? Marvo? Worry-free Cheap Goods Shop? Risheng's Mystery House? 50 Coins Free Shipping to Ease Your Worries? This Shop, Works? Exciting Little Pink Lamp?"

What on earth were these?!

Li Ang's expression stiffened. He was finally convinced that the Broker truly had no talent for naming. His suggestions were on par with the movie and TV show title translations from a certain southern region. (That region's local translations were notoriously cringeworthy: *Love Live!* became *Starry Schoolgirl Idols*; Draco Malfoy became *Pompous Brother Dung*; Optimus Prime, *Invincible Iron Bull*; *The Matrix*, *22nd Century Murder Network*; *Notre-Dame de Paris*, *Hunchback Hero of the Bell Tower*. Beyond those, there was the "Spirit/Ghost" series: *Pirates of the Caribbean* became *Spirit Voyage of the Caribbean*; *Gladiator*, *Spirit Gladiator*; *The Brothers Grimm*, *Spirit Brothers*; *Infernal Affairs*, *Spirit Inferno*. And then the "Ace" series: *Legal High* became *Ace Attorney*; *Hanzawa Naoki*, *Ace Banker*; *Dr. Rintaro*, *Ace Doctor*.)

Compared to these cringeworthy and frustrating translations, the Broker's naming attempts were at least somewhat more conventional.

"Sigh..." Li Ang sighed. "I'm not good at naming either... Since that's the case, let's just call it this."

A flash of light emanated from his palm, and the words on the product list immediately changed, displaying the shop's new name.