"One more thing, dear custor. This Distributor Token is also capable of deploying Store Beacon into any Anchor or Conduit Tower. If your guild finds one in the west, or knows of an existing one that has yet to be cleared or conquered by any faction within the region, you are authorized to integrate it into our network. Doing so will not only earn you a significant bonus in Dinsion Essence but will also extend the reach of our Celestial Shuttle Network directly into that territory."
Jin Cheng’s eyes widened further, his mind already racing through the confidential maps and secret reports being transmitted by their information network. The Western Sacred Lands were vast. Not counting the ancient ruins and desolate wastes that even the Temple dared not tread, other places suddenly showed an abnormality. Most of them also disappeared after a while, but there were still so that remained standing. For example, the known Anchor in the territory of the Supre Sun Church.
"We know of one," Jin Cheng admitted after weighing the information. "Deep within the jurisdiction of the Supre Sun Church. It appeared just recently in a valley they call the ’Sun’s Anvil’. They have cordoned it off, stating that it is a holy trial for their Paladins. However, our informant says it’s a place of peril against foreign creatures. If we can gain access... or rather, if we can convince them that integrating it is the will of the heavens..."
Lin Mo’s eyebrow raised a bit. An Anchor. That alone was enough for him to be interested. And if the Supre Sun Church managed to hold it back, he imagined them to be such a powerhouse.
Will they simply accept the Divine Convenience Store? He doubts it. But there’s no hurt to try.
"Mhm. That will be up to your diplomacy, Guildmaster. But rember, the Supre Sun Church is not the Violethaven Temple. They are not an enemy to our store. And perhaps, they’re part of the Righteous Faction. Approach them with profit wrapped in piety. They might just listen."
"Understood, Shopkeeper. We will make it a priority."
With a final, deep bow, Jin Cheng and his son retreated, clutching the Distributor Token as if it were a divine artifact. In their heads, they had walked in as patrons and rchants. Yet they walked out as the new apostles of an erging economic era.
As the door clicked shut, Lin Mo couldn’t help but lean back against the plush seat.
"The West is a chessboard, and we just gave the Golden Carp the first move," He muttered, massaging his temples. "Hopefully, they don’t flip the board over."
Wu iyu refilled his empty cup before reaching for his head and guiding it to her shoulder, "Jin Cheng is ambitious, but he is not suicidal. Or else he won’t survive the Western Sacred Lands with just the deep pockets of their trading guild. He will certainly find a way to deploy a Store Beacon in that Anchor."
Lin Mo found himself stumped for a second, not knowing whether to react to what she did or just let it go and reply to what she just said.
In the end, Lin Mo decided to indulge in the warmth radiating from her for a few more seconds. Her heavenly scent mixed with the enticing aroma of the tea she brewed was too soothing for him to miss out on.
"Indeed. He can find a way to spread our convenience without us lifting a finger," Lin Mo finally replied. After a minute or two, he slowly sat upright, gently disengaging from the intimate posture.
Nevertheless, he gave her hand a reassuring squeeze before letting go.
Wu iyu smiled, masking any disappointnt she might have felt with an unbreakable grace. She smoothed her skirt and stood up, reverting instantly to the efficient Chief Operations Officer.
"I will ensure the inventory records reflect the Distributor Token’s allocation. Also, I believe it is ti to check on our ’guest’ again. She has been wandering the store for quite so ti now."
"Mhm. But before that... let’s not waste the daily chances for this feature of our upgraded [Area Monitor]."
Lin Mo accessed the [Anomaly & Corruption Sensor Network] from the Divine System Interface and activated the [Local Scan] function.
"Let’s see what the Great Poison Demon’s nose can sniff out today," Lin Mo muttered, his eyes scanning the holographic map of the Eastern Abyssal Domain.
He first selected the area surrounding Fanling City, just to be sure that there wouldn’t be another dormant Anchor around.
The map rippled as the sensor swept the area.
[Local Scan 1/3 Complete. No undiscovered significant anomalies detected. The discovered Dormant Anchor is estimated to be activated in 40 hours.]
"Forty hours..." Lin Mo’s expression hardened. "That will be around dawn the day after tomorrow. How inconvenient. It seed to have sped up a bit more than what was initially stated after we ventured inside it."
He tapped the map again, shifting the focus to the Southern Wilderness branch. He wanted to confirm Chi Yang’s report about the refugees.
[Local Scan 2/3 Complete. A large-scale movent of biological signatures has been detected within the Blazing Ridge Vicinity. Pursuit by foreign creatures against inhabitants of the First Heaven is in progress. Threat Level: High]
[Additional Information: A large fluctuation of foreign energy has been detected just outside the scan range. Suspected to be an Anchor or a Tower]
Upon reading that, Lin Mo’s forehead creased. "I see. It’s possibly the Anchor where the insectoid creatures ca from..."
Looking at the map, the northwestern edge of the scanned area was highlighted, indicating that it was the general direction of the detected fluctuation. The Anchor was sowhere around that area.
After a few seconds of consideration, he used the last free daily scan to pinpoint the exact location of that Anchor. With the radius of the scan being 10 kiloters, he carefully selected a sector adjacent to the previous scan, pushing the sensor’s reach deeper into the unexplored northwestern badlands of the Southern Wilderness.
The holographic map flickered, the purple and green light of the Poison Demon’s divine sense washing over the jagged terrain.
[Local Scan 3/3 Complete. Detected a significant reading of foreign energy. Determined to be an Anchor as it continuously spews out more foreign creatures, covering almost the entire area. Detected a small number of inhabitants of the First Heaven, either captured or hidden sowhere. Judgent: Area occupied by foreign creatures. The Anchor might have finished stabilizing, creating a stable bridge between the Realm of Nine Heavens and the originating Outer Realm.]
Lin Mo fell silent. He glanced at Wu iyu, and the First Princess was as speechless as him.
They stared at each other as they both tried to express the gravity of the situation without inciting panic in the other.
"Stabilization," Wu iyu broke the silence first. "That ans the dinsional barrier in that specific area has been completely rewritten. It is no longer a part of the Realm of Nine Heavens, but a sovereign territory of an... Outer Realm?"
"Mhm, whichever realm those insectoids hail from. But yes," Lin Mo nodded with a grim expression. "It ans we can’t just ’reset’ the core anymore. To clear that area, we would have to wage a war of conquest. We would have to invade their territory, enter the stabilized Anchor – if it truly is one – and destroy it completely to sever the bridge."
He tapped the table, bringing up the profile of the Southern Wilderness Branch.
"The insectoids... If they have established a foothold, they will begin to terraform. They will change the environnt to suit their needs, just as the Crystalweb Tyrant tried to do with its web fortress. If we let them be, the Southern Wilderness will beco a hive."
"And the captives?" Wu iyu asked. "The scan ntioned inhabitants of the First Heaven."
"Likely the missing Emberfal tribesn or other tribes living within that area.. They’re being kept alive. For food? For breeding? Or perhaps labor?" Lin Mo’s eyes grew cold. "Regardless, it is an inconvenience I cannot abide. However, we cannot divert our main forces there yet. The Sunken Caverns Anchor is still our priority. If the Dreilling breaks out while we are distracted in the south, the Eastern Abyssal Domain will fall from within."
He stood up, pacing the length of the lounge. He needed a stopgap asure. A way to contain the stabilized Anchor without committing his elite forces.
"Chi Yang needs to know. To inform the locals of the Southern Wilderness. There’s also Venom Master Xun or the High Priest of the cult." Lin Mo decided. He opened a channel to the Branch Manager.
[To: Branch Manager Chi Yang]
[Priority: Urgent]
[ssage: Manager Chi, scan data confirms a Stabilized Anchor in the northwestern badlands of your region. The missing tribesn are likely held there. Accept those who will seek refuge, but do not. I repeat, do not attempt a rescue operation with your current forces. The enemy is entrenched. Your directive is Containnt. Work with Venom Master Xun to establish a quarantine zone and guard the premises. Use the Poison Demon Cult’s toxins to create a periter they cannot cross. We will deal with them once the threat in the East is neutralized. Inform the other locals in the area. Those who have been converted to our convenience. Stay safe.]
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