Chapter 672: Day 35
The thirty-fifth day of the Divine Convenience Store’s opening proceeded as expected.
Once Wu Meiyu and Pan Ruo had organized the regular and temporary staff into their designated positions, Lin Mo authorized the First Princess to open a temporary tab on the Store Bulletin Board for patrons to apply for the newly opened staff positions.
The response predictably became an uproar.
Within seconds of the tab going live, numerous posts and messages flooded both the Bulletin Board and the Public Channel talking about it. Even without an announcement, applications gradually came in like a tide, surprising even Pan Ruo.
Lin Mo, who was also observing, could only helplessly shake his head. Once again, it proved the influence of the store. If during the previous hiring, only those nearby could walk in and apply to the store, now, even someone from the other four regions of the Central Continent sent in an application.
Most of them were rogue cultivators, desperate for stability and minor sect disciples, eager to grab the opportunity of latching onto the store and climb up the hierarchy in the world of cultivation. As for mortals, only those from Fanling City could apply. After all, they lacked the means to use a Viewing Jade. Even if they owned one, they wouldn’t be able to activate it. And so, there was no way they could apply through the Bulletin Board and could only be informed through the City Lord Mansion.
Meanwhile, the patrons who were waiting outside for the store’s opening all became dumbstruck the moment they entered.
The change of the store interior overnight was too much. It was simply too miraculous. Which major sect could accomplish the same thing? Heck, no major sect in the Eastern Abyssal Domain possessed the means of using spatial array formations that allowed an interior to be expanded indefinitely. At most, they owned some secret realms for training their disciples, rearing spiritual beasts, and planting spiritual herbs.
Those who gathered their wits forgot their excitement to shop and quickly posted on the Bulletin Board about the massive changes within the store.
Pictures and short visual recordings flooded the board with numerous threads discussing them.
The sweeping escalators forged from solid, flowing spiritual light became the immediate centerpiece of online fascination.
Cultivators who had spent their entire lives mastering the art of flight on flying swords or riding majestic spirit beasts were utterly captivated by the convenience of standing still while a streak of light smoothly elevated them to the second floor.
Lin Mo watched from his usual vantage point on the upper balcony, sipping a hot cup of [Morning Star Coffee].
He monitored the digital influx through his administrative interface. The volume of job applications was staggering. It quickly reached past one thousand within the first hour. One thousand, and the open positions were only 50. One hundred if he decided to stretch it further to finally make use of shift schedules.
That way, even the core staff like Xiaoyu, Meiyu, and Pan Ruo didn’t need to sit at the store all day. In fact, even though he had already told them they were free to take a day off once a week, only a few used it. Even Xiaoyu only used it once when they went to the Abyssal Forest Conduit Tower. As for the First Princess, she had never taken a day off, and most of the time, she was taking the burden off Lin Mo’s shoulders to deal with the Golden Patrons who lingered on the second floor.
Anyway, Lin Mo, who had nothing else to do except wait for his upcoming visitors and Venom Master Xun’s report, filtered some of the applications. With a few waves of his hands, he adjusted the algorithm of the application tab.
He set parameters prioritizing individuals who had already stepped into the store at least once, preventing those who only acquired their Viewing Jades from the traveling merchants from gaining an easy foothold towards the core of the Divine Convenience Store. Some indices showed hostility and adaptability.
Although it sounded like a breach of privacy, the moment a patron activated their Viewing Jades and registered into the Bulletin Board, the Divine System Interface would start collecting their data. Of course, it’s not too broad that he could spy on them twenty-four seven. It only collected sufficient data relevant to their status as a patron of the store.
That allowed the system to automatically terminate a Viewing Jade when it landed in the hands of someone hostile to the store.
As for combat prowess, it was relegated to a secondary requirement, except for the specific roles designated for Arcade Zone security and external perimeter monitoring.
Unlike traditional sects where talent in cultivation dictated someone’s future, the Divine Convenience Store only prioritized applicants with great customer service aptitude and conflict de-escalation skills.
Bloodthirsty rogue cultivators and arrogant sword masters found their applications automatically rejected. Meanwhile, patient spiritual plant farmers, meticulous scholars, and even polite mortals found themselves fast-tracked to the interview stage, which Wu Meiyu would oversee as soon as they arrived at the store.
Although he didn’t want to rush the hiring process, the store truly needed those positions filled as soon as possible. That way, it would be running in full efficiency, making things easier for him.
As more patrons entered the store, the ’IKEA effect’, as Lin Mo fondly called it in his mind, was functioning even more efficiently than before the expansion.
It allowed patrons not to be held back by the traffic of moving from one department to another.
He saw some patrons rushing towards the ’healing product’ shelves at the Pharmacy Department to pick up [Fruity Healing Tablets] before an Anchor dive found themselves inadvertently funneled towards the Talisman Department, making them pick up more [Basic Card Talisman Packs], [Spirit Embodiment Sticker Seals].
He also saw a cultivator who would normally scowl at the idea of consuming non-magical sustenance tossing handfuls of rainbow-wrapped chocolates and honey-roasted biscuits into their shopping baskets upon finding the Mortal Delights shelf.
Since most of the initial convenience store products offered delightful flavors on top of higher quality effects than the alternatives, many of them could not go back to eating bitter pills anymore.
In fact, even if they didn’t need it, some patrons would come every day to buy [Clear Sky Mint Mints] or [Fruity Healing Tablets]. They’re addicted to their taste.
Not to mention the best sellers like the [Taihao Spicy Noodles] and the [Heavenly Dew Soda]. Even if they’re part of the cheapest products offered by the store, there would be no shortage in patrons seeking them.
Over in the newly dedicated Armory wing, the psychological manipulation continued. The racks of [Stardust Repeaters] and standard-issue mortal-grade iron clubs were positioned directly opposite the high-end, spirit-grade artifacts. A patron buying a cheap, disposable mace for the anti-magic environment of the Viridescent Hollow Anchor would inevitably linger, their eyes drawn to the glowing, perfectly balanced weapons they could not yet afford. The desire to upgrade, to earn more Dimension Essence or Spirit Stones to claim those premium items, was planted firmly in their minds, ensuring their continued participation in the store’s dangerous, gamified ecosystem.
With that, the transactions piled up, transforming the steady stream of income into a raging river of intermediate-grade spirit stones.
However, the true focus of the day’s excitement had been relocated to the massively expanded [Celestial Duel Arcade Zone].
With the official announcement of the ’First Celestial Duel Invitational’ pinned to the top of every Viewing Jade in the realm, the arcade had become a war zone of frantic preparation.
Upon finding that there were now more seats, the two hundred neon-lit cabinets were occupied without a single second of downtime.
Of course, the traditional concepts of ’face’ and ’honor’, usually settled by bloody duels that spanned generations of vendettas, were now being actively channeled into the digital realm.
Sect elders stood behind their junior disciples, analyzing their deck synergies and screaming tactical advice at the screens.
Lin Mo observed the ’Standard League’ hopefuls meticulously calculating probabilities and studying the ’Tier Lists’ that continued to dominate the Bulletin Board.
Rogue cultivators pooled their resources to buy [Celestial Duel Card Packs], tearing them open right there in the aisles with the frantic, desperate hope of pulling a rare Level 4 or Level 5 unit to complete their tournament decks.
Furthermore, a secondary, peer-to-peer economy had spontaneously generated around the arcade. Patrons who had acquired duplicate cards were setting up impromptu trading circles. Xiao Ya and Liu Xiaoping, with the help of the store’s system, stepped up to prevent theft and enforce fair trades, turning the area into a bustling exchange. Now, the Card Packs became best sellers as well.
Lin Mo even received a message from the Research Division of the Divine Pantheon, asking for his opinion about their planned ’expansion’ for the Celestial Duel Platform.
As the morning progressed into midday, Yu Qingyan, who lingered a bit longer by his side, finally decided to return to her caravan up north.
Her disciples and Chu Yueying were already looking for her, after all.
Lin Mo decided to accompany her for a bit to take a look at what the Northern Arctic Domain looked like.
However, he quickly found out that... it was a bad idea.
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