Dimensional Storekeeper

Chapter 203: Hao Really Said, Skill Issue

The white cue ball settled neatly in place, ready for the break.

Another function Hao appreciated.

No need to set things up by hand.

No careful triangle lining.

No fidgeting with spacing.

He could arrange it himself if he really wanted to – but why would he, when the table could do it better every time?

Peak technology, really.

Yan Shu’er took a deep breath.

This was it. Her first shot.

She’d watched every move Hao did earlier and now went full copycat mode – feet planted, cue resting between her fingers, doing that slow back-and-forth motion with the stick like she knew what she was doing.

Back… forth… back… pause…

And…

She struck.

Sort of.

The cue tapped the white ball with the gentleness of a sleepy kitten pawing tofu.

The ball rolled forward.

Slower.

Slower…

Slower…

It stopped.

Right in the middle of the table.

Far from the triangle.

Didn’t even touch a single other ball.

Nothing scattered.

Nothing moved.

It was the most peaceful game of billiards in history.

Yan Shu’er froze, still in pose.

Her expression crumbled into a pitiful little scrunch as she glanced over at Hao.

“…I didn’t want them to fly all over the room.” she muttered defensively.

Hao just sighed and shook his head.

He pressed the reset button again – the balls vanished, realigned, the white ball slid back into place.

“Alright, okay. Don’t look at me with that face.”

He pointed at her.

“One redo. Do it properly this time, yeah? That’s your last chance.”

Yan Shu’er puffed her cheeks.

“No pressure.” she grumbled.

She squared up again. More focused this time.

Still slightly too dramatic in her cue prep. She might’ve even squinted for flair. But when she struck…

Thock!

The white ball zipped forward, cracked into the triangle, and one solid ball shot clean into the corner pocket.

“Ha!”

She blinked.

Her lips twitched upward.

“…Heh. Take that, you round bastard.”

She pointed at the now-pocketed ball like it owed her money.

“Didn’t think I’d land it, huh? Bet even the table doubted me.”

Yan Shu’er was already back by the table, eyes locked in as if she were choosing her next prey.

“I get to strike again, right, boss?”

Hao gave a nod. “You made one in, so yeah.”

She grinned. That’s right.

The fully colored ones.

Her eyes scanned the table, squinting.

There. A red one tucked near the left pocket, half-peeking out.

She lined up, planted her stance, gave one dramatic exhale through her nose as if she were about to perform some heaven-defying spear art.

Thwack!

The cue ball flew straight, smacked the red…

The red ball rolled… and rolled… and clink! Right into the pocket.

She pointed her cue at Hao. “Boss, you’re in trouble.”

She strutted around the table, scanning for her next shot, smugness leaking from every step.

She picked a blue one next. Trickier angle, but she wasn’t scared. Not after two perfect hits in a row.

She swung a bit harder this time.

Too hard.

The cue ball slammed the blue, missed the pocket completely, and rebounded off the side…

…and bounced off the table.

Plonk.

It rolled gently on the floor near Hao’s foot.

“…”

Yan Shu’er stared.

“…That one was testing the air currents.”

Hao bent down, grabbed the cue ball, and placed it gently back onto the table.

But not just anywhere.

He positioned it carefully… perfectly… right in line with an easy shot to the corner pocket.

Yan Shu’er squinted.

“Wait a second. What’re you doing, boss? You cheating now?!”

Hao didn’t even flinch.

“It’s part of the rules, Shu’er.”

He tapped the table beside the cue ball like a teacher with a scroll.

“If your opponent scratches – y’know, hits the ball off the table – then you get to place the cue wherever you want on your turn.”

He smiled innocently.

“Which means I get to line it up however I want. Blame the laws of billiards, not me.”

Shu’er narrowed her eyes. “…Sounds fake.”

“It’s not. That’s just how it works.”

He leaned in a bit, still smiling.

“Maybe next time, try not to send the ball flying off the battlefield, Captain Shu’er.”

Yan Shu’er stood there, betrayed.

Her whole face twitched.

“You – you’re lucky I don’t jab this – !”

Hao raised both hands. “Hey hey. I’m just saying. Accuracy and restraint.”

“Vital skills.”

“You might wanna cultivate those next.”

Yan Shu’er’s jaw dropped.

“My turn.”

And then it happened.

Hao walked up casually. Gave the table a glance. Lined up a shot. Thock! One in.

“Okay… okay…” Yan Shu’er said, secretly praying under her breath. Please miss the next one. Just one. Let me go again. Please, cue spirits.

He lined up another.

Thock. In.

“Damn swindling boss…” she mumbled.

Another. And another. Each time, Yan Shu’er’s shoulders tensed a little more.

“Wait. How is he still going?” she whispered to herself.

One more ball.

Hao tapped it in like it was nothing.

Then, with one clean strike, the black eight ball dropped into the corner pocket.

Game.

Yan Shu’er just stood there.

Mouth slightly open.

Cue in hand.

Processing.

“…You’re not human…” she muttered.

“Boss… you… you said you weren’t an expert…”

Hao spun the cue once and set it back into the dispenser.

“I’m not.” He smiled. “But I’ve played a lot of lunch break tournaments.”

Yan Shu’er just sank into the chair.

Hollow.

“…I only got two turns…”

Hao casually rested his elbow on the edge of the table, utterly unbothered.

“Better luck next time.”

He gave her a side glance and added with a straight face. “That’s just the difference between talent and effort, y’know.”

“Skill issue.”

Yan Shu’er’s fingers twitched around the cue.

She didn’t explode.

She didn’t scream.

She didn’t chuck the stick at his smug face.

But oh, she held it in. With every fiber of her being.

Hao yawned like a satisfied villain, then stretched his arms.

“Anyway, I’m off to the back. Don’t break anything.”

And with that, he turned and left, hands in his pockets, already humming a random tune as he headed toward the storage area.

The cue stick vanished from both of their hands.

“…”

Clack.

The balls on the table shimmered faintly, then disappeared too. Not a trace left.

Yan Shu’er was left in silence.

Just her and the now-empty green table.

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