CHAPTER 486: DAY 22 COMPLETED

[Store Beacon Deployed]

[Conduit Tower - Frozen Spire is now linked to the Divine System Interface]

Back in the Divine Convenience Store, Lin Mo also received a notification the moment Yu Qingyan deployed the Store Beacon.

As always, the interface popped up in front of him to fill up the products that would be sold from the beacon. After that, he confirmed that all the permanent purchases he made from the [Dimension Essence Upgrade] menu, like the three auras, were applied.

Once he’s done, another notification appeared, informing him of the addition of the Celestial Network Hub at the location, connecting it to the existing network.

[New Hub Established: Valley of Frozen Whispers (Northern Arctic Dominion)]

[Route Status: Active]

[Travel Cost: 150 Dimension Essence (Distance Surcharge Applied)]

"Distance surcharge, huh? Truly an adaptable system. I was just thinking of different fare prices." Lin Mo muttered with a smirk, tapping the confirm button. "In any case, considering it’s a cross-region trip that would normally be a few days’ trip, a little extra essence is a bargain if they’re coming from this place."

On the holographic map floating above the counter, a new, bright blue line shot out from the central node of Fanling City, arcing northwards to connect with the new dot in the Arctic. The network was growing, looking less like a few scattered outposts and more like a constellation of influence.

"Another one down!" Liu Xiaoyu cheered, leaning over the counter to look at the map. "That makes three active towers and three anchors! Boss, what will you do if there are more than ten in the future? Are we not going to close some Anchors? And shouldn’t we also honor the patrons who can completely clear a tower?"

"So, do you want a medal, Xiaoyu? Didn’t the clearing of Jade Hollow Conduit Tower bring you trouble? But then again, apart from records that could always be viewed from the tower, we’ve already integrated the Realm Guardian Leaderboard into each of them."

"What we have to think about soon is how to conquer and clear all of them. At the moment, except the Jade Hollow Conduit Tower and the HLFB#0027, we’ve merely... integrated them." Lin Mo continued, swiping the map to show the Southern Wilderness. "Speaking of integration, how is the new Branch Manager doing?"

Wu Meiyu, who had been reviewing the daily sales reports from the day’s evaluation floating in the clear space in front counter, looked up. "Manager Chi Yang reported that the initial friction with the Ironbone Clan and Spirit Haze Sect has... smoothed over. Following your advice, she offered them a bulk discount on [Heavenly Dew Soda] and [Energy Replenishing Candies] as a gesture of goodwill after their defeat. They accepted. It seems the taste of defeat is much more palatable when washed down with sugar and spiritual energy."

"Good. And the Poison Demon Cult?"

"They are currently... ’securing’ the perimeter of the branch," Wu Meiyu said, a hint of amusement in her voice. "The High Priest has declared the area around the store ’Sacred Ground’ and is currently erecting a statue for the ’Convenient Saint’. It is meant to be you, Shopkeeper, though it looks suspiciously like a cross between a saint and a venomous toad."

Lin Mo facepalmed. "Tell him to take it down. Or at least, make it look less... amphibious. I have an image to maintain."

"I’ll pass it along," Meiyu chuckled. "But on a serious note, the influx of raw materials from the South has begun. The Harvester’s Guild is flooded with listings for sunstone ore, fire-attribute herbs, and rare venom sacs. The Alchemists here in Fanling are in a frenzy."

"Excellent. The ecosystem is feeding itself." Lin Mo nodded. He hovered over to the specialized sections of the Bulletin Board, checking each of them.

The busiest remained to be the Mercenary & Adventurer’s Guild with numerous commissions and calls for team-ups in venturing into active Anchors or just escort missions from the merchants, small or large, who stocked up with store products in the hopes of turning it into profit in a different region.

Although they couldn’t just bulk buy a single product like an Official Distributor, Lin Mo was still letting them buy the maximum of a box per product. That way, they could sell out a variety of items in other regions.

Sooner or later, many more merchant trading groups would flock to the store, hoping to get that Official Distributor title.

The Golden Carp Trading Guild was one such example. He’d given the Guildmaster a task and they had already set out of Fanling City today, only leaving behind the young master as a liaison.

What kind of task? Finding a suitable location for the next branch of the Divine Convenience Store in the Western Sacred Lands.

Apart from that, the Faction Recruitment Hall had seen a few successes, like rogue cultivators entering major sects or getting recruited into the Southern Wu Army.

Just then, a soft, polite cough drew their attention. Pan Ruo stood at the end of the counter, holding a stack of jade slips. Her demeanor was calm, but her eyes held that terrifyingly sharp glimmer of intelligence that Lin Mo was slowly getting used to.

"Shopkeeper, if you have a moment?"

"Of course, Pan Ruo. What do you have for me?"

"The ’Daily Starter Bundles’ you approved," She said, placing the slips on the counter. "I have run the numbers from the first six hours of sales. The conversion rate is... exceptional. By bundling the [Heavengrass Cow Milk] with the [Taihao Spicy Noodles], we have increased water sales by 500%. Customers who buy the ’Novice Cultivator Pack’, which includes a mortal-grade weapon, five energy candies, three healing tablets, and a sticker seal, are 60% more likely to succeed in their mission and earn more spirit stones to buy our products."

She tapped a specific line on the report. "However, I have noticed an inefficiency. We are selling a lot of [Celestial Duel Card Packs], but many customers, particularly rogue cultivators, cannot afford the [Celestial Duel Gear] itself. They are buying cards they cannot use, hoping to trade them or save up for the gear. It is... suboptimal."

Intrigued, Lin Mo leaned forward, "And your solution?"

"A rental program," Pan Ruo stated simply. "We offer a basic, stripped-down version of the Celestial Duel Gear for rent. Charged by the hour, or per duel. It allows them to use their cards, get hooked on the system, and generate a steady stream of revenue from hardware that would otherwise sit in inventory. Once they earn enough from winning duels or completing commissions using the rented gear, they will inevitably buy their own."

"I see. But Pan Ruo, you’ve forgotten something. We don’t have an excessive supply of Celestial Duel Gear yet. At the moment, the stock we were receiving each day had just increased from 500 to 1000. And half of those were being preordered by various factions. However, I have an idea that can fit what you have in mind."

With that, he shared his previous plan of writing on the [Feedback & Suggestion] section of the Divine System Interface for an arcade version of the Celestial Duel Platform.

A dozen or so machines should be enough. If he put it in one area within the store or even inside the Celestial Shuttle Hub.

Not only would it open up an entertainment area for the patrons who liked the casual game, but it could also be used by everyone, be it those who activated the Celestial Duelist Mode or casual players, to optimize their decks.

The Celestial Duel Platform would also cement itself as a form of entertainment and not just another source of profession.

"An arcade...?" Pan Ruo murmured, the unfamiliar word rolling off her tongue as she processed the concept. Her eyes, which usually held the cold precision of calculation, widened with a dawning realization. "A dedicated space for simulated combat, accessible to all, regardless of their financial ability to purchase the full gear. It lowers the barrier to entry while creating a communal hub. It transforms the solitary act of deck-building into a shared, social experience."

She looked up at Lin Mo, a rare look of pure admiration on her face. "It creates a culture, Shopkeeper. A culture of competition and improvement that feeds directly back into the store’s ecosystem. It is... brilliant."

"Mhm. Keep coming up with new ideas, Pan Ruo." Lin Mo smiled and proudly patted the young woman’s head.

He then glanced at the still floating evaluation.

As always, it was still ’Excellent’. The Weekly Tasks have all been completed with the deployment of Store Beacon at the Frozen Spire Conduit Tower.

What he focused on was the tier progression and the current Dimension Essence Balance.

[Dimension Essence Balance: 5,489,232 DE]

[Tier Progression: Renowned Store (16726493/100000000), Golden Card Patrons (497/1000)

The Dimension Essence income slowed down a bit but it’s because there was no Flash Raid and Divine Lecture during the day. Still, with many anchors and towers active, it would gradually accumulate.

With 5 million Dimension Essence. He might be able to purchase a new function or upgrade from the [Dimension Essence Upgrades] and [Anchor Interference Upgrades].

Back then, he set aside his initial plan of purchasing the Divine Resonance Amplifier for the Celestial Shuttle Network. Now, he had more than enough Dimension Essence to purchase it. It’s a necessary upgrade to strengthen the patrons exploring and climbing the Anchors and Towers.