The Gamer who traveled to Honkai: Star Rail

At a high-end restaurant in Exalting Sanctum, the corporation representative who had mocked Pei Guang and made a bet with him was now hosting a gathering with several store owners from Aurum Alley.

This was an important meeting. The corporation wanted to turn Aurum Alley into a full-fledged port, and obtaining the port rights from the local Merchant Guild was just one step.

They also needed to persuade the local merchants to relocate: to show sincerity, he had invited them for a discussion over dinner.

Of course, he wasn't planning to play the usual drinking culture games—this was just a business dinner to build rapport. Strengthening relationships now would make negotiations much easier in the future.

This was one of Xianzhou's common social customs he had learned, and to emphasize his respect for these merchants, he had ordered only the most expensive dishes from the restaurant.

Taste didn't matter—what mattered was that it was expensive. Because that was how the corporation demonstrated its sincerity.

As long as he secured this deal, a promotion and a salary raise would no longer be a dream.

As for Pei Guang? He did take him seriously—despite his arrogance, this corporation representative was actually quite cautious and someone who honored his commitments.

In his eyes, the Aurum Alley Merchant Guild had no way to turn things around unless a true expert intervened.

And Pei Guang, as far as he was concerned, was that expert.

While the corporation rep was treating the merchants, Pei Guang, March 7th, and Bailu had also entered the restaurant.

In the private room next door, March 7th and Bailu were pressed against the wall, trying to eavesdrop.

Unfortunately, they couldn't hear a thing.

As a high-end establishment, this restaurant was serious about customer privacy. Each private room was equipped with the latest soundproofing technology—guests could choose to hear outside conversations while making their own completely inaudible.

Pei Guang leaned back and raised an eyebrow.

"What are you two doing? You're not even appreciating the real highlight of this place."

March 7th giggled. "Hehe, force of habit!"

Bailu hopped down from the wall, clearing her throat. "Cough, cough! I just saw March doing it and instinctively followed… Ahem! Ah Guang, you brought us here for a reason, right?"

Pei Guang grinned. "Of course! I'm going to show you what real business warfare looks like."

March 7th tilted her head. "Business warfare? Isn't that just competing for customers, lowering prices, and attracting more sales?"

Pei Guang shook his head. "No, no. You've got it all wrong. The core of business warfare is about eliminating your competition and making yourself the sole leader in the market."

Bailu frowned slightly. "Eliminating competitors…? But, uh… killing people is bad, right?"

Ah, Bailu—quick to learn, but still with some moral boundaries left. She was picking up the player mindset fast, but she wasn't quite there yet.

Pei Guang smirked. "Killing people? What's a person, anyway?"

Bailu and March 7th fell silent.

After a moment, Bailu turned to March 7th, stood on tiptoe, and patted her shoulder. "You've been through a lot, huh?"

March 7th sighed. "I've gotten used to it…"

Pei Guang narrowed his eyes. "Hey, what are you two conspiring about over there? Look, actually killing people isn't the most efficient strategy. If you want to win in business, the best move isn't to take out one person—it's to take out everyone. That way, you're the only one left. But if that's not an option, then you play by the rules and ruin them commercially."

March 7th leaned in. "Oh? And how do you propose we do that?"

Pei Guang's grin widened. "For example… We swap out all the dishes that guy ordered for cucumber salad."

March 7th: "…?"

Bailu: "…?"

Before March 7th and Bailu could fully grasp what was happening, Pei Guang had already activated his hacking skills, modifying the company representative's entire order.

The menu had everything—delicacies from the skies, the land, and the sea. But with a few swift inputs, Pei Guang changed it all to cucumber salad.

March 7th gave him a confused look. "Ah Guang… This is business warfare?"

Pei Guang responded with absolute confidence. "Of course, it is! What's the goal of business warfare? It's to prevent the opponent from achieving their objective! He wants to impress these merchants with an expensive banquet, right? So I'm making sure his entire meal turns into a farce. And later, when it's dark, I'll grab a sack, and we'll jump him in an alley for good measure."

If he weren't worried about March 7th's opinion of him, he would've already made this guy disappear entirely. It's simple—every company rep that tries to take over Aurum Alley vanishes, one after another. If nobody can take over, doesn't that mean Aurum Alley stays safe?

"Sometimes my genius… is almost frightening"

Pei Guang was convinced he was a business genius. The more he thought about it, the more satisfied he felt. But then he suddenly remembered something important.

"Wait! I need to go stand by the door. When the kitchen staff sees that many cucumber salads, they'll assume it's a system error. I need to mislead them one more time, and by the time his guests arrive, the dishes will be served… and this whole thing will be a done deal!"

With that, he strutted out of the private room and stationed himself outside the company rep's door.

Inside, the man was still waiting for his guests, having completely silenced the outside noise because he hated distractions. That meant he had no idea his new adversary was scheming just a few steps away.

Meanwhile, in the restaurant's kitchen, the staff were staring at the order slip in utter confusion.

A massive banquet… and every single dish was cucumber salad?

Was this a system glitch?

A waiter was dispatched to verify the order. But as soon as he reached the private rooms, Pei Guang was already waiting for him.

Seeing the approaching waiter, Pei Guang casually waved. "No need to check, it's my order."

"Uh… but…"

The waiter looked puzzled, but Pei Guang remained calm and composed.

"Is there a problem with me ordering cucumber salad?"

"It's not that… It's just… We wanted to confirm whether you really ordered three hundred servings of it."

"Of course, I did! Who else would order that? You? Or some other guest?" Pei Guang scoffed. "Hurry up and make it! If I don't get exactly three hundred plates, I'm filing a complaint!"

The waiter immediately straightened up. "Yes, sir! Apologies for the delay!"

"Good. And listen carefully—wait until all the guests arrive before serving the dishes. Don't ask why, just do your job properly."

At that moment, March 7th strolled over, seamlessly joining the act. "Hey~ What's going on?"

Pei Guang turned to her. "They were just confirming if the cucumber salads were ours."

March 7th nodded seriously. "Yep, we definitely ordered them. Hmm~ If you're unsure, we can pay in advance just to be safe."

The waiter chuckled. "Haha, no need for that! We just didn't want to mess up the order. Since it's confirmed, we'll get started right away!"

"And remember," Pei Guang added. "Make sure you serve all the cucumber salads together, only after all their guests have arrived. And make it look fancy, got it?"

The waiter gave a respectful nod. "Understood, sir~ Consider it done!"

Pei Guang: "Just wait a little longer. When the guests arrive and the dishes are served, don't give them any friendly service. Just tell them—'People, just like cucumbers, need a good smack!' Oh, and here's your tip."

Seeing Pei Guang's attitude, the server suddenly got curious.

"Sir, are these guests people you've got a grudge against?"

Pei Guang: "Don't ask too many questions. Just do what you need to do! Here's your tip—just get the job done right."

Server: "No problem, I'll handle it perfectly for you."

Pei Guang: "Remember, when they start questioning why it's all cucumbers, that's when you say it. Just tell them it's my order."

The server happily accepted the generous tip, a sum that amounted to nearly half a day's wages. This upscale restaurant didn't mind customers tipping extra for 'special requests.'