Chapter 272 Seafood Bookstore

The Seafood Bookstore originated from a particularly intense bout of drinking.

Almost two hundred years ago, the store manager was a dedicated office worker. He'd slack off at work and do nothing after work, occasionally gathering with his friends, Dudu Otter and Bangbang Crucian Carp, in bars or milk tea shops to discuss the latest releases over high-calorie foods.

This kind of drunken commentary almost always devolves into a passionate critique, because the entertainment world of two hundred years ago was truly awful: after the war, a lost generation dominated the creative landscape, and the positive, heartfelt, and passionate adventure stories of the past were rare, replaced by a flood of pretentious, whiny, and faux-literary works. Unfortunately, these new creators had never been to the battlefield and couldn't write about the social suffering and the alienation of war. So, they relied on their own imaginations to create popular works that were superficially slick but ultimately rotten, relying on their dazzling appearance to gain widespread popularity.

After their rants, the seafood would reflect on past masterpieces, the more they looked back, the more melancholy and furious they became. After a bout of excessive drinking, fueled by the dung-fueled urge to work, the office workers slammed their fists on the table and declared they were going to change this rotten entertainment industry. With so many people in the world, there was no shortage of good works. They were going to open a niche, non-mainstream bookstore, specializing in their favorite books, to give good books a place!

So Social Animal published a book, Dudu Otter contributed money, and Bangbang Crucian Carp contributed labor. The three little animals bought a newly grown mushroom house on Honey Mushroom Avenue, intending to use it to kill their free time during the statutory holidays.

The sales turned out to be unexpectedly good.

The result was unexpectedly well received by the locals.

As a result, there were surprisingly many authors who wrote to recommend themselves.

So, their sideline became their main business, and the three little animals, with strong initiative, plunged into the publishing industry, a business they have been engaged in for over 200 years. To this day, the small mushroom house has grown into the Mushroom Building, and the Seafood Bookstore has become a new landmark of the Third Line.

·

"I'm not bragging, but our business is doing quite well," said the editor of Dudu Otter. "Our books and newspapers are sold to over 300 Dust Islands. We have stable partners in Le Tu, Longquan Township, Shura Island, and Wu Dust Land. Well-known writers from various Dust Islands are happy to have us publish their books. We also publish newspapers and periodicals at our own expense. 'Big Mushroom Commentary,' written by our store manager, has been named the city-state's most popular newspaper for twelve consecutive years."

"They're all good-looking!" Bang Bang Crucian carp chimed in cheerfully, "Every one is different. We don't want the ones that aren't good-looking!"

The animals led everyone on a tour of the first floor, which displayed the month's bestsellers and the team's featured books. This month's bestsellers were analysis and critiques of city-state politics, often featuring a masked man on the cover. The team's featured bookshelf took a different approach, featuring a variety of books, including poetry collections, comics, botanical illustrations, and model care guides.

There was a large piece of cheese placed in the position of "Store Manager's Recommendation of the Month". Chu Hengkong took it and saw that it was a uniquely shaped book that told recipes for cooking various cheeses.

"Well-made." Chu Hengkong sniffed it, and the book even had the aroma of cheese. "It feels like the real thing."

"The store manager almost ate it," said Bang Bang Crucian Carp proudly. "Every book is designed by our team—each one—with a unique look and beautiful shape. We guarantee that each one has its own unique characteristics!"

There was unwashed paint on the overalls of this Bangbangji manager and a few colored pencils in his pocket. Chu Hengkong guessed that he was probably responsible for art design.

Gulibo wandered back and forth in front of the hot-selling bookcase, looking confused: "How are all these books selling this month?"

"It's time for another bill debate," said Dudu Otter. "You know, every time it comes around, everyone pretends to care about current affairs, buys books they might never even read, and then contentedly lets them sit and grow mushrooms on the bookshelf."

Unlike the straightforward Bang Bang Crucian Carp, this Otter Editor's tongue was clearly quite venomous. Chu Hengkong glanced at another prominent shelf, "Newcomer Works of the Month," and wondered how many times these unfortunate newcomers would be criticized by their editors before their books were published.

"I'm glad you're interested in newcomers' works. This is our store's most distinctive bookshelf." Dudu Otter jumped to the top shelf, picked up a random book, and handed it to him. "Take a look. Give newcomers a chance."

The cover of the new book was designed in the style of a picture book, featuring a flying machine resembling a bird, and a small elf standing on its fuselage. Chu Hengkong flipped open the book, and Fander also looked over curiously.

"Guardian Spirit in the Sky", written by Tieque 987.

“…Every aircraft has a guardian spirit on board to protect the passengers from bad luck.

The crew members will tell you that safe travel depends on their careful work; the security personnel will tell you that safe travel is because the soldiers are isolated from malicious intent; these words are correct, but not entirely correct, because they cannot see our guardian spirits.

When the plane landed, we disembarked with the other passengers to catch up on some sleep. Just before takeoff, we climbed onto the fuselage and, using mantras, drew incredibly magical circles to protect a safe journey. As the plane soared into the clouds, we faced the howling wind, waving our canes to dispel the spirits on the wind. You can't imagine how many ghosts, spirits, and demons lurk in the clouds; they're white because they're clustered together. Someone had to tell them not to enter, or the spirits would pass through the fuselage and possess the passengers.

As you can all imagine, this wasn't a very easy job. So after finishing my work on flight JS8I76, I couldn't wait to get back to my soft, comfortable bed of leaves. Unfortunately, Henry the Lazy suddenly told me he had a bad cold..."

Fander glanced at it and commented, "The idea is good, but the wording is a bit long-winded, and the story unfolds a bit slowly."

"This is a common mistake made by new authors," said the editor, pushing up his glasses. "They always try to overwhelm the reader with everything they've designed, but they never quite get to the point. If this were to be considered a serious publication, this book would probably need a complete overhaul, and the word count would have to be reduced by a third."

"But you just published it directly." Chu Hengkong was very interested.

"After all, this is a pretty good idea, isn't it?" Dudu Otter said, "We believe that all creators need encouragement, not just in the form of publication and royalties, but also in the opportunity for the public to see their stories. If a manuscript is constantly revised, newcomers might lose confidence and become discouraged. But if it is put in front of readers, their opinions will naturally tell them where the shortcomings are."

"Besides, serious books are everywhere, but new works by new authors are very rare." Bangbangji said quickly.

"That makes sense." Chu Hengkong tucked the book under his arm. "I also support newcomers' creations."

"Thank you. Gulibo will pay for you later."

"Why should I pay the bill?" Gulibo was shocked.

"Why do you say that?" Dudu Otter rolled his eyes at it. "Please follow me. There are more books upstairs."

It led everyone up the spiral staircase. The second floor was filled with classic literature, popular novels and popular comics. Chu Hengkong had sharp eyes and spotted "Fire X Ninja" on the comic shelf.

"You have all of this." He pulled out the comic in surprise. It was the 51st volume, Sasuke vs. Danzo.

"This customer knows his stuff! This is a rare find." Dudu Otter touched the brand new cover. "It's truly a work of art, with masterful artistry and a fantastical imagination. You won't find such beautiful comics on Shura Island in recent years. Newcomers these days always seem stuck on the path of transformation. They can't imagine anything other than particles."

Dudu Otter put the comic down, feeling deeply regretful. "I thought this was supposed to be a full-length novel, but unfortunately, after twenty years of acquiring it, we've only found seven copies. We all felt it was a shame to leave such a wonderful thing as just a collection, so we made copies and put them on the shelf—after all, without a signed contract, it's hard to sell it as a publication, so we're just listing it at cost."

"This is a work from my hometown," Chu Hengkong said. "The original work was completed a long time ago, and it's still very popular."

"You know him! That's great!" Dudu Otter's eyes lit up. "Please tell me about it when you have time... Oh no, forget it, I'd rather see it myself..."

"There is also a little girl model here." Ji Huaisu was very excited.

Next to the comics section was the model counter, where transparent cabinets held various models of armored warriors and mecha girls. Several customers in plaid shirts and thick glasses were whispering to one of the cabinets. When Ji Huaisu pointed at them, they jumped in fright and hid behind the cabinets.

"Please—be careful, regular customers are shy." Bang Bang Crucian Carp hopped over to the display case and proudly introduced, "We also have figurines and models on display. They're all my treasures, and 90% of them are not for sale."

"If you're not selling it, why put it here?" Ji Huaisu asked.

The crucian carp put its fins on its waist and said, "Show it to everyone!"

"Manager, this time I brought you a figurine of Huilong City." Gulibo took the opportunity to show his courtesy.

Bang Bang Crucian Carp immediately put aside his introduction and examined the pale figurine carefully: "This exoskeleton, modeled after the squid's shape, is quite innovative..."

"It's a miracle that their bookstore can still operate." Ji Huaisu whispered to Chu Hengkong.

"Their style is very approachable. Even though I'm a local, I like to come here too," said Chu Hengkong.

The next floor up is filled with history books, philosophical essays, and art collections. They also sell vinyl records and various strange music media (Chu Hengkong suspects this is Dudu Otter's hobby). The fourth floor is filled with various practical books, including workplace tips, social studies, recipes, gardening books, invincible psychology secrets, and the "universal reference book" placed in a prominent position: "Three Thousand Sets of Longxiang Boxing".

"This is the best reference book in the world. It can solve 99% of the problems." Dudu Otter raised his paw and pointed at the three thousand sets.

"99.9%." Chu Hengkong corrected, the remaining 0.1% was Chongming.

The atmosphere on the fifth floor suddenly shifted, from the cozy, relaxed atmosphere of a family library to a solemn office. Under pale white light, small animals furiously wrote at their workstations. Motivational banners reading "XX Days Until XX Is Published" hung in each workspace. Conch shells ticked relentlessly, and the employees' conversations pierced the air like flying knives.

"'The Tower of Avalota' will go to press in three days, and the proofreading isn't finished yet?!"

"It has been reviewed by three proofreaders and the latest progress has been made, but the manuscript of the last chapter has not been delivered yet... We have been unable to contact the author..."

An employee who looked like a leech sprayed at the conch: "What?! You saw that old guy at the dock? He was wearing a raincoat and a mask?!"

"Oh no, he wants to delay the submission of the manuscript!" The old employee was very alert.

"How the hell can we write a good book if we let these insects run wild? We need to take strong action! The manuscript collection team will strike!"

A group of winged employees leaped out of the window, howling and flying towards the dock with unwavering determination. The Dudu Otter editor calmly introduced, "The sixth floor is our editorial office area. Everyone is very dedicated to their work and occasionally works overtime."

"It's clear that the editors are very enthusiastic about their work," said Vander.

"Actually, the bookstore itself doesn't have a lot of work to do. The pressure of overtime mainly comes from some lazy authors." Editor Dudu Otter picked up a conch. "Hello, Miss Liko, there's an old man trying to delay the manuscript... Yeah, at the dock. Right, just throw it in the basement. Happy working with you."

Gulibo trembled: "Ghost! Demon! Poisonous otter!"

"Once you enter its little dark room, you'll never be able to get out until you finish the manuscript..." Bang Bang Crucian Carp added grimly.

"Practice has shown that this can significantly improve creative efficiency. Many authors will take the initiative to come to the small black room to finish their manuscripts before the deadline."

Editor Dudutao led everyone to the top floor. The 7th floor looked like a living area, with a long sofa with many cushions, fruit plates and bookshelves within easy reach, and a refrigerator that looked like it was filled with a lot of food.

It led everyone to their seats and boiled water and poured tea for the guests.

"I'm sorry the manager is out today and can't greet you personally," Dudu Otter said, holding a teacup. "Thank you again for saving Gulbo. Honestly, we were all very worried about him. If there's anything we can do to repay him, please let me know."

"I want to read a book!" Vander raised his tentacles.

"That's no problem. You can browse all the books in the bookstore at will."

"I just want to borrow some books." Ji Huaisu pushed Chu Hengkong, "This guy has some personal matters."

Chu Hengkong cleared his throat and asked, "I heard earlier that the bookstore's books and periodicals are sold on all the Dust Islands."

"I'm not bragging, but our sales channels are very wide."

"Can I use your store's channels to post a missing person notice?" Chu Hengkong asked.

(End of this chapter)