I opened a shop on the Astral Train-Chapter 109

Kujou Sara frowned at the strange object in front of her.

Ying was sitting in the driver's seat and honked the horn when he saw people blocking the road ahead.

"Beep! Beep!"

The RV let out a loud noise, startling the surrounding Shogunate warriors. They instinctively drew their weapons and aimed them at the vehicle.

Seeing that they weren't moving, Ying rolled down the window and stuck his head out.

"Hey, can you guys move? I need to get through. Didn't you hear me honking?"

He paused, then added, "Oh, right—you've probably never seen a car before.

Well, regardless, can you step aside?"

Kujou Sara narrowed her eyes. "Who are you?"

Ying leaned back. "Me? I'm your general's friend. Now, move aside, I need to see her."

Kujou Sara's grip tightened on her bow. "The general has been in the Tenshukaku and hasn't left. How could she have a friend like you?"

Ying sighed. "I'm telling the truth. If you don't believe me, go ask your general. I'll wait here until you confirm it."

Kujou Sara hesitated. Could this traveler really be the general's friend? But why had she never heard of her?

After a moment, she lowered her bow. "Stay here. I will report to the general."

Seeing this, Ying shut off the engine and stretched before heading to the back to rest. The surrounding Shogunate warriors, though still wary, put away their weapons and remained stationed around the RV.

More than two hours later.

Ying stood outside the RV, a lollipop in her mouth, utterly bored.

Kujou Sara had been gone for ages and still hadn't returned.

Paimon flew over. "Ying, I'm hungry. Can we eat first?"

Ying shrugged. "Can't help you there. The stove's out of gas, and these guys won't let us leave. You'll have to settle for snacks."

Paimon pouted. "Nooo~ I'm too hungry for just snacks."

She floated over to one of the samurai. "Hey, big guy, can we go to the village up ahead? We need to cook something."

The Shogunate warrior considered this for a moment before nodding. "Fine, but only up to the village entrance."

Paimon cheered and relayed the news to Ying. Without wasting time, Ying started the RV and headed for Konda Village.

At the village gate, Ying parked the RV while the samurai, slightly out of breath, caught up.

The lead warrior huffed. "Why did you drive so fast? Were you trying to escape?"

Ying turned off the engine, pulled out the key, and gave the samurai a look of utter disbelief. "If I wanted to run, do you think you could catch me? Relax, I just need firewood."

Her and Paimon walked into a nearby grove, gathering dry wood for cooking.

After a while, they each returned with a bundle of firewood.

"Paimon, you light the fire. I'll get the pot."

Paimon flew into the RV, grabbed a lighter, and started the fire. Ying placed a large pot over the flames.

"Alright, let's see what we have." She took out a stack of pick-up cards. "We had beef yesterday—how about something different? Let's see if we have potatoes."

With a thought, several large potatoes materialized from the vegetable pick-up card.

Ying tossed a few to Paimon. "Peel these."

He then pulled out a chicken pick-up card and retrieved ten pounds of chicken. fгeewebnovёl.com

Given the circumstances, he opted for a simple stew rather than anything fancy. She had once watched Yuri prepare braised chicken, but that required slow simmering—something he didn't have time for.

Soon, the chicken and potatoes were stewing in the pot. Bored, Ying pulled out her phone to watch a pre-downloaded series. Paimon, however, remained fixated on the bubbling pot, her mouth practically watering.

The rich aroma spread through the air, catching the attention of the surrounding Shogunate warriors. They sniffed involuntarily, their stomachs growling despite themselves.

In the distance, rustling noises came from the bushes. Two small figures peeked out cautiously.

The warriors immediately drew their swords. "Who's there?!"

Startled, the two children bolted from the bushes.

"Sorry! We smelled the food and got curious! We'll leave now!"

Ying waved a hand. "Wait."

She walked over to the siblings, noticing how the younger girl's eyes were locked on the pot, her stomach audibly growling.

Ying knelt down and ruffled their hair. "You two hungry? We have extra. Come eat with us."

The older brother hesitated. "No, we can't. The adults in the village say food is scarce. You should keep it for yourself. My sister and I will find some wild fruits."

Ying frowned but gently guided them toward the fire. "It's fine. There's plenty. Come eat."

She removed the lid from the pot, checking the stew. It was cooked but needed more time for the flavors to meld.

"Paimon, get two small bowls."

Paimon set down her own bowl and rushed off. Soon, she returned with two smaller bowls.

Ying filled them and handed them to the children. "Here you go."

The little girl accepted her bowl excitedly. "Thank you, big sister~!"

Ying chuckled. "You're welcome. Take it home, and if you need more, just come back."

The siblings thanked Ying profusely before running off.

A short while later, the two children returned, now accompanied by an elderly woman.

She approached Ying and bowed deeply. "Miss, thank you for feeding my grandchildren. You have our deepest gratitude."

Ying, startled, quickly helped the old woman straighten up. "Please, no need to bow. It was just a bowl of food."

The old woman shook her head. "To you, perhaps. But to us, this was life-saving. My grandchildren and I haven't eaten for days. Your kindness saved us."

Ying's expression darkened.

She had heard in Liyue that Inazuma's citizens were struggling, but she hadn't realized how dire things had become. People here were starving.

She clenched her fists.

This—this was what Asmodeus wanted her to investigate.

And she was beginning to understand just how much work needed to be done.