Divine Convenience Store

The masked woman remained motionless at first, the Demonic Bloodstone held tightly in her hand. With her tribe also known for its ferocity and suspicion, she was convinced that it was a trick. A spiritual illusion meant to ensnare them. Of course, even she was gradually getting lured in with that aromatic spice as well. It made her recall the days before her Rite of Crimson Skin.

But with her pride as the leader of their group, she couldn't simply give in.

"Halt. Don't do anything." She called out. Her tribespeople listened to her but with much difficulty to restrain themselves.

The enticement brought by the noodles' aroma was too much. Their stomachs had started grumbling loudly, a chorus of discontent that echoed across the quiet ridge.

Lin Mo and the rest who were watching them through the feed found the scene amazing.

"Look at her Boss. She's holding out," Xiaoyu chirped with a mischievous grin. "It was now pride versus noodles. The ultimate showdown."

Then the timer hit zero. The ethereal hands lifted the lid, releasing a fresh, powerful wave of steam and spice. Forget the initial aroma, it almost created an illusory sparkling effect as the noodles were perfectly cooked within the red, spicy soup. A single, perfectly placed, spiritually-infused egg bobbed gently on the surface.

The masked woman shivered. That single, decisive sound was the last straw. Her pride was shattered.

Her hand holding the Bloodstone dropped down, the demonic artifact clattering forgotten onto the red rock. Before anyone could react, her figure blurred. She dashed over quicker than anyone else, appearing before the stall in an instant as if she had teleported.

Without hesitation, she snatched the bowl of noodles.

The rest of her tribe, seeing their leader finally succumb, let out a collective, primal roar of relief and charged forward, swarming the stall like starving wolves.

Through the visual feed, Lin Mo watched in amusement as the Blazing Maw Tribe, feared outcasts who practiced forbidden rituals within the Emberfall Tribes, were reduced to bickering children fighting over the last can of soda and packs of chips.

The masked woman, having claimed the first bowl, found a secluded rock, lifted her beast-like mask just enough to expose her mouth, and took her first, cautious sip of the broth.

Her entire body instantly went rigid.

Lin Mo could practically see the fireworks going off in her head. The complex blend of spices, the savory depth of the broth and the perfect texture of the noodles. It was a culinary revelation, a direct assault of flavor and comfort on a palate accustomed to nothing but charred meat and bitter herbs after they got deprived of the spices being grown within the core area of the Emberfall Tribes' territory.

She began to eat with a focused, desperate intensity, completely oblivious to her surroundings.

"Shopkeeper," Wu Meiyu called out with her voice tinged with awe and disbelief. "You've just pacified a hostile tribe with… instant noodles. It's making me remember the first time I tasted your potato chips. Though it hadn't been a month since then."

"Never underestimate the power of a good meal, Your Highness," Lin Mo said in a sagely manner. "It's the most basic form of convenience."

As the tribe finished their complimentary snacks, a new sense of calm descended upon them. Their hostile energy was replaced by a sated, almost peaceful lethargy.

The masked woman stood up, her now-empty bowl held with a reverence she hadn't even shown the Demonic Bloodstone. The remains of their ritual lay forgotten. The threat of them barging into the still-unopened Branch Store was neutralized.

However, just as Lin Mo was about to close the feed, feeling satisfied with the protocol's success, the masked woman and Blazing Maw tribespeople suddenly stood up and got alerted.

A loud rustling sound echoed from the downhill path they originated from.

Slowly, all of them raised their weapons and through the feed taken from the Divine Guardian Construct's eyes, Lin Mo saw what made them act that way.

A throng of insectoid monstrosities with chittering mandibles, scythe-like limbs and chitinous armor that gleamed with a malevolent, oily iridescence appeared. They shrieked and squeaked as they spotted the group of Blazing Maw Tribe.

Lin Mo was reminded of those huge insects from a certain game that also parodied a certain classic movie back on Earth.

"B-boss, those are… not demonic beasts." Liu Xiaoyu muttered.

"Foreign creatures?" Wu Meiyu wondered.

Meanwhile, Lin Mo narrowed his eyes as he tried to fiddle with the feed submenu to check if there was an option to sense the surrounding energy in the area.

Because, like the two mentioned, if they're not demonic beasts or like those huge spiders and wasps from the Poison Demon Cult, they would certainly be from either an Anchor or a Tower that hadn't been discovered and cleared.

The Divine Guardian Construct immediately registered the hostile energy, its interface overlaying the visual feed with new data.

[Foreign Energy Signature Detected: UNKNOWN]

[Origin: Unregistered Anchor - Breach Protocol Active]

[Threat Level: High. Multiple entities detected. Strength ranging from Spirit Condensation to Core Formation equivalent.]

"An Anchor with an active breach," Lin Mo clicked his tongue. His guess was right. Taihao did mention to him that there would always be those undiscovered Anchors or Towers that would quietly progress into breaking out and spilling the creatures within them. And this was one example.

"There's no way this is just a minor incursion. Most likely, they have already spilled within that territory. The Emberfall Tribes might be in danger before we even opened our Branch Store there." He continued with gritted teeth.

Suddenly, a swarm of smaller, winged insectoids leapt from behind the larger ones, their buzzing wings a high-pitched drone as they lunged at the tribespeople.

The Blazing Maw Tribe, caught off-guard and still lethargic from their meal, reacted with a frantic scramble. The masked woman roared a command, her voice sharp with urgency. They formed a crude defensive circle, their stone axes and bone spears raised, but they were clearly outmatched.

The winged creatures descended, their scythe-like claws tearing through the tribe's flimsy beast-skin armor. Cries of pain and shock erupted. If things continued, the battle would be a one-sided slaughter.

"Boss, can't we do something? Like… order the Divine Guardian Construct to help them?" Xiaoyu asked. She's also concerned about them. After all, even if they were strangers, they're watching them get overwhelmed by the insects.

"The Guardian's directive is defense of the store site," Lin Mo replied. "It won't be able to intervene unless the store itself is attacked or they step inside its perimeter. And these... things are focused on the tribe."

He watched as the masked woman fought with ferocious desperation, her crimson qi flaring as she cleaved one insectoid in half, only to be swarmed by three more. She was powerful, likely a peak Core Formation expert, but she was just one person against a tide. Other tribesmen were also exhibiting the same strength, if not slightly weaker. However, there were just too many of the insectoids.

Furthermore, the creatures weren't just killing them. The insectoids were dragging the bodies of the fallen back into their ranks, their mandibles clicking as they began to feast.

A cold fury settled in Lin Mo's gut. The Blazing Maw Tribe had been a potential threat, but they were still inhabitants of this realm. And more importantly, they were now his potential customers. He had just given them a free sample. Allowing them to be wiped out right after was terrible for business and worse for his conscience.

He looked back at the Remote Command interface. The 'Convenience Propagation' protocol was still active, the noodle stall standing in surreal contrast to the carnage unfolding just meters away.

A new idea, audacious and utterly insane, sparked in his mind.

"Chieftain, there are too many of them. What are we going to do?!" The voice of one of the tribesmen echoed as they called out to the masked woman.

The injured among them had started ramping up and they had no choice but to back away. It wouldn't take long before they get themselves blocked by the defensive formation protecting the branch store area.

"Stand your ground!" The masked woman roared. She parried a scythe-like claw, the impact sending a jarring shock up her arm. "Retreat into the shimmering light! It is our only hope!"

She was making a desperate gamble, hoping the mysterious force that had offered them noodles was a lesser evil than the insectoid tide. The remaining tribespeople scrambled back, their backs soon pressing against the invisible barrier of the Guardian's defensive field.

"Boss, she's leading them into the perimeter!" Xiaoyu exclaimed.

"I know," Lin Mo said, his fingers already flying across the interface. "And we're going to give them a proper welcome."

He accessed a submenu, designating them as customers of the store and allowing them entry into the defensive formation.

With that, they felt the invisible wall had stopped preventing them from backing away as most of them tumbled into the safe zone, landing in a heap on the ground. The insectoid swarm, screeching in frustration, slammed against the now-impenetrable barrier, unable to follow.

The masked woman staggered in last, her armor scarred, breathing heavily as she turned to face the horde. She looked at the noodle stall, then at her surviving tribe members, confusion and fear warring in her eyes.