Hu Tao Is Monetizing My Existence. [16]

After thinking it over all last night and throughout today, Hu Tao had already identified potential challenges and refined the process. Now, with some discussion, they could finalize the plan.

And then, they could begin a trial run.

The moment Hu Tao mentioned having a "big plan," the dining hall erupted into murmurs.

"What did Director Hu come up with this time?"

"Please don't tell me it's another one of those brilliant but completely unreliable ideas."

"Honestly? I wouldn't be surprised…"

"Well, to be fair, even though Director Hu can be a bit chaotic and loves slacking off, she does take serious matters seriously. No need to be too skeptical."

"That's true, I suppose…"

"I say we should call Mr. Zhongli over. Just in case Director Hu comes up with something too outrageous!"

"Agreed."

"I'll go get him."

Hu Tao, hearing their whispers, wasn't the least bit concerned.

Soon, they'd realize just how ingenious this idea was!

Not only would it boost Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's reputation, but it could also become a major source of revenue—perhaps even rivaling the funeral services as their second-largest business.

However, this new venture required highly skilled personnel.

For now, only Jiang Bai was remotely qualified, while the others still needed extensive training—especially in combat.

After all, adventurers loved running into danger. Without real strength, there was no way they could handle it.

Even Jiang Bai wasn't ready yet—he'd need plenty of training before taking on this role.

...

After dinner, everyone gathered in the main hall. Even Zhongli, who had been out for a walk, had been called back—ready to hear whatever new and shocking idea Hu Tao had this time.

Once everyone had arrived, Hu Tao climbed onto the highest platform, using the steps to gain some elevation so she could see everyone's faces.

Since she hadn't hit her growth spurt yet, her height was somewhat… limited. Standing among a crowd of tall young men, she had to tilt her head just to meet their eyes.

Which was exactly why she liked standing somewhere high up—it saved her from having to look up.

Beside her stood Jiang Bai, her newly appointed number-one lackey.

As a loyal follower, Jiang Bai had all the qualities of a good underling.

Wherever the boss went, he followed.

If the boss went east, he wouldn't go west.

If the boss went south, he wouldn't go north.

"Ahem."

Hu Tao cleared her throat twice, signaling for silence.

All eyes turned toward her.

Under the crowd's watchful gaze, Hu Tao spoke unhurriedly. "Today, I have two things to announce. First, I'd like to formally introduce our newest member."

She gave Jiang Bai a slight nod. He got the message and stepped forward.

Without a hint of nervousness, he smiled and waved at everyone, looking every bit the friendly, good-natured newcomer.

"Most of you have probably already heard about him, but I'll make it official."

"This is Jiang Bai, Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's newest disciple. You may have heard about his story—yes, he's the one who died and came back to life. He's lost most of his memories, so be sure to look after him."

Jiang Bai gave a polite bow. "I'm Jiang Bai. You can call me Little Jiang or Little Bai. I look forward to working with you all!"

With his introduction done, he stepped back.

Now that the formalities were out of the way, Hu Tao moved on to the main topic.

"I've been working on a new business concept. I'm calling it—"Fallen Leaves Return to Their Roots."

The moment she said this, the entire hall perked up.

Even Zhongli, usually composed, gave a rare gesture of interest—ready to listen.

"As we all know, adventuring is a dangerous profession. One wrong move, and an adventurer could die in some far-off land, never to be heard from again."

"But it's not just adventurers. Traveling merchants also face similar risks. They could meet an unfortunate end while on the road, and by the time their families find out, their remains may already be long gone…"

"And then there are the elderly, who, despite settling far from home, long to return to their homeland when their time comes—but are unable to do so for various reasons."

"The Fallen Leaves Return to Their Roots service is designed to address these needs."

"If a client signs up for this service, Wangsheng Funeral Parlor will ensure that, upon their passing, we recover their remains and handle their final rites."

After finishing her explanation, Hu Tao turned to Zhongli—the most knowledgeable person in the room.

"Mr. Zhongli, what do you think of this idea?"

For once, she even used a respectful address, showing her sincerity in seeking his opinion.

Zhongli nodded. "Director Hu's idea is commendable."

However, after a pause, he added, "But its implementation will be quite challenging."

His words echoed the concerns many of the attendants had.

It was a noble idea—but full of obstacles.

If even adventurers lost their lives in such places, then retrieving their bodies would be incredibly dangerous.

On top of that, how would they even know if an adventurer had died? And where exactly they had perished?

One by one, the attendants voiced these concerns.

But Hu Tao was in no rush—she had already considered these issues.

"I propose creating a magical artifact that can be bound to the client. This artifact would allow us to determine their life status and location. Once activated, we would follow the contract terms and handle their final arrangements accordingly."

She turned to Zhongli again. "Mr. Zhongli, do you think this would work?"

Zhongli pondered for a moment before replying, "It is possible. However, very few artisans can craft such artifacts. They would be costly to produce, and each device could only be bound to one individual, making it an expensive endeavor."

Hearing that it could be done, Hu Tao beamed.

The high cost didn't bother her—the real concern had been whether such an artifact was even feasible.

"That's not a problem! As long as there's a way to make it, we'll figure out the rest. We won't be rolling this service out immediately anyway. First, we need to train people who can handle the task. It'd be pointless to accept commissions if we're not ready to fulfill them!"

"Who do you intend to train for this role?" one of the attendants asked.

"I've already decided on the candidate."

Hu Tao pointed at Jiang Bai with a bright grin.

"I think Jiang Bai is perfect for this job!"

Jiang Bai responded with a sheepish smile.

Immediately, the room broke into a commotion.

Sending a new recruit—who had lost his memories—on such a dangerous task? Wasn't that way too harsh?

Jiang Bai knew it was time for him to step in. He took a step forward, raising a hand slightly to signal for attention.

"Everyone, no need to worry. This was my decision."

A loyal underling always stepped up when their boss faced pushback—taking responsibility and resolving the issue.

While Jiang Bai wasn't exactly thrilled about this new role, his hesitation was more about how tedious and exhausting it sounded.

It wasn't that he wouldn't do it.

Otherwise, he would have already refused Hu Tao outright.

---

T/N: smoll walnut