Divine Convenience Store

Xiaoyu puffed out her chest with pride. "Of course! My test isn't about cultivation level. It's about common sense and customer service instinct, Boss! Example! Question one: A customer complains their spicy noodles aren't spicy enough. What do you do?"

"And the correct answer is?" Lin Mo asked, amused at her attempt.

"Offer them a packet of [King-Demon Chili Flakes]! You solve their problem and upsell them on a future purchase. It's basic convenience strategy, Boss!"

Lin Mo laughed. This mischievous prodigy was picking up on him in becoming business-savvy.

Liu Xiaoyu raised her chin in pride before winking. Meanwhile, Xiao Ya and Xiaoping clapped their hands together, thoroughly awed by her.

"Keep that up." Lin Mo smilingly shook his head as he walked towards the door, flipping the sign to 'Open' and swinging it wide.

The two queues, one for shoppers, one for job applicants, surged forward in an orderly, almost reverent fashion. They're learning. Or perhaps, they're just afraid to make him mad.

He glanced outside and saw the City Lord also watching as the crowd in the streets gradually dwindled as they all disappeared into the spatial formation-expanded interior of the Divine Convenience Store.

"Shopkeeper," City Lord Wei Xian sent him a voice transmission. "Is there any progress regarding your sale of immortal-grade artifacts?"

Lin Mo looked up at him before replying through voice transmission as well, "Mhm? Dear customer, I never thought you'd be interested in it. Do you wish to purchase one for the city?"

"Ha! I wish I could. But I know for myself that my wealth cannot hold a candle to the large sects." He grunted. "However, while I cannot afford it, someone from our kingdom does."

"His Majesty?"

Lin Mo raised an eyebrow. Wu Meiyu told him that he's sending another contingent to Fanling City. Does that include an offer for one of the immortal-grade artifacts? With the kingdom's coffers, it might truly be possible for them to compete with the other upper-tier sects showing interest in getting at least one of the three immortal-grade artifacts.

"Yes, Shopkeeper. With the Anchor near Fanling City nearing its activation, I also informed His Majesty regarding it. Getting our hands on an immortal-grade artifact could boost the kingdom's strength against the threat of the invading Outer Realms."

Lin Mo nodded, understanding his logic behind it. Of course, getting a hold of one of those three, regardless of what they acquire, would significantly improve their prowess. The problem is… it's still unknown which of them would be successfully vetted to be able to bid on them.

Until now, the criteria were vague, and he was still waiting for the system to finish processing it.

"By the way, I may have to recruit more City Guards and even rogue cultivators that we can send to explore inside. Do you have a suggestion, Shopkeeper?" City Lord Wei Xian asked again.

At this, Lin Mo lifted his head and smiled, "Dear customer, you're asking me for a suggestion? Have you not seen the potential of using the Bulletin Board yet? Simply announce the date of its activation, and you'll find cultivators coming in droves, ready to dive inside and reset it for the good of our realm."

"You can even frame it as a city-sponsored expedition. Offer a small reward for detailed reports or the first team to clear it. You'll get a wealth of information and a clear Anchor without spending a single spirit stone on recruitment. Naturally, our store will also be involved in it. The Store Beacon will be activated at the same time it opens. With it, a hub of the Celestial Shuttle Network will rise next to it, making it easier for our patrons to reach it."

There was a long pause from the City Lord's end. He was stroking his beard as he processed his suggestion.

"Leverage the ambition of others for the public good…" Wei Xian's transmitted voice was laced with a newfound understanding. "Shopkeeper, you are truly a dangerous man to have as an enemy. I will consider your… 'convenient' suggestion. Many thanks."

The connection cut, and Lin Mo saw the City Lord turn and walk away with a more purposeful stride, along with a few City Guards and City Officials. His daughter, Wei Lan, however, started walking in his direction with sparkling eyes. Whatever she had in her mind, Lin Mo braced himself for an enthusiastic patron.

—

Back at the makeshift recruitment table, the first applicant stepped forward. He was a young, burly rogue cultivator with a large axe strapped to his back. He had shifty eyes, looking profoundly nervous.

"Name?" Wu Meiyu asked as she held a jade slip containing the cultivator's information. If Lin Mo could check it, he'd be surprised to see that it's like a resume, detailing every personal information of the job applicant.

"Uh... Hu Gang, Your Highness!" he stammered, bowing deeply.

"Position you are applying for?"

"Security Personnel!"

Wu Meiyu inspected the applicant and then handed Xiaoyu the jade slip.

She took it and poured a hint of spiritual energy into the slip. A moment later, Xiaoyu leaned forward with her eyes narrowed as if she were staring through the burly cultivator's deepest secrets.

"Alright, Hu Gang. A mid Foundation Establishment Stage cultivator with a Solid Foundation. Pretty good for a rogue cultivator, I must say. Are you up for an aptitude question?"

"Ready!" The man swiftly answered with a loud voice. It could've disturbed the store but luckily for him, the area they were in was currently enclosed in a sound-isolating formation.

Liu Xiaoyu's lips twitched as she crossed her arms. She's trying to give off the vibe of a stern interviewer. On her side, Wu Meiyu had started scribbling on a parchment.

"Good. Here goes. Say a customer is causing a disturbance, loudly proclaiming that our [Celestial Duel Card Pack] is overpriced and rigged to not give a rare Level 5 Unit card. They are not physically violent, but their shouting is disrupting other patrons. What do you do?"

Hu Gang blinked. His hand instinctively went to the handle of his axe. "I… I would tell them to quiet down, and if they don't, I'd… escort them outside?"

"Wrong!" Xiaoyu chirped and slapped the table for additional impact. "You're a security, not a… what was that term Boss used?"

She turned to Wu Meiyu, who quickly whispered, "Bouncer."

"Oh. Right! Bouncer!" Liu Xiaoyu exclaimed, acting like she just didn't fumble it. "A direct confrontation escalates things. The correct answer is to politely but firmly guide them to the multipurpose hall and offer them a discounted pack in exchange for a Celestial Duel to 'demonstrate' the fairness of the game. You de-escalate, contain the disturbance away from the store proper, and potentially turn a complaint into another sale. Convenience, Hu Gang, convenience!"

The burly cultivator looked utterly bewildered, as if he had just been told the key to cultivation was politeness.

But before he could say anything, he was already directed to the side as Xiaoyu shouted, "Next!"

The next applicant was a demure-looking female disciple from a small tailoring sect. "Hello… I'm here to apply for Stocking Associate."

Wu Meiyu nodded and immediately started with the test after finding her profile satisfactory for the position. "Question: The [Taihao Spicy Noodle] display is running low, but the [Savory Red Seaweed Soup Noodle] display is full. The new shipment of spicy noodles won't arrive until another day. What is your course of action?"

The disciple thought for a moment. "I… I would put up a sign saying the spicy noodles are temporarily out of stock and find another product to fill in the empty shelf?"

"Acceptable, but not optimal," Wu Meiyu stated coolly. "A better solution would be to create a new, temporary promotional display: 'Try the Soothing Savory Seaweed! The Perfect Palate Cleanser After a Spicy Adventure!' You create demand for an overstocked product while managing the shortage of another. You turn a logistical problem into a marketing opportunity."

The interviews continued in this fashion, a bizarre but effective blend of Xiaoyu's creative problem-solving and Wu Meiyu's cold and slightly ruthless efficiency.

With each applicant, they'd look at each other first, wordlessly communicating on how they would deal with them based on their first impression.

Sometime later, Lin Mo, who finished speaking with Wei Lan, stepped back into the store with the woman walking by his side. When Liu Xiaoyu saw them approaching, the young woman's eyes widened for a moment before a mischievous smirk formed on her lips..

"Heh. Boss! Are you flaunting another woman? Right in front of us? Or is the City Lord's daughter also interested in the job?"

Wei Lan blushed fiercely, waving her hands. "N-no! What woman, Sister Xiaoyu?! I was just asking the Shopkeeper about the Anchor exploration! My father is organizing an expedition, and I wanted to be the first to sign up!"

"Is that so?" Wu Meiyu commented dryly, a hint of jealousy glinting in her eyes, "A noble purpose, Miss Wei. Perhaps, you should apply for the Checkout Clerk position here first. It would be excellent 'convenience training'. Who knows? The City Lord might see your dedication."

Before Wei Lan could utter a response, Lin Mo, who was holding back his wry smile, got his attention drawn to the outside.

A ship construct had just arrived, bearing the insignia of the Red Lotus Academy. Standing at the bow of the ship was Grandmaster Lian, dressed in formal, elegant robes of her institution.