Divine Convenience Store-Chapter 582: Back to the Sunken Caverns Anchor
Reading the High Priest's latest message, Lin Mo couldn't help but smirk.
[From: PoisonedOracle]
[Subject: Progress Report - Operation: Expansion of Convenience]
"Shopkeeper, our Poison Demon Cult has begun distributing the store products. This one has sent out five Venom Masters of our Venomous Conclave to oversee the distribution. The Serpent and Scorpion Branches have moved towards the Crimson Fang Brotherhood. We shall establish 'Convenience Outposts' on their borders. We will not attack. We will simply... exist. We will sell healing and sustenance at a premium to their ragged disciples. We will show them that the grass is indeed greener and tastier on the side of the Convenience Saint.
Furthermore, I have instructed the Toad Branch to secure a route heading to the Southern Wilderness. It'll pass by territories of other factions in the Inner Abyssal Circle that have never left the boundary of the Abyssal Forest. The path of convenience shall be paved with the bodies of any beast foolish enough to interrupt our supply chain.
On the other note, the statue being erected at the Southern Wilderness is coming along nicely. We decided to remove the warts. It looked too much like Venom Master Qingwa. Venom Master Xun will ensure it will have your likeness, both in your dashing appearance and magnificent presence."
Lin Mo let out a short, amused breath through his nose. At least the old man listened to his concerns over the statue. Although he already put the thought of it to the back of his mind, he couldn't deny that with its existence, the faith energy that was continuously accumulating within him was steadily nourishing the spark of divinity in his chest.
"He's certainly enthusiastic," Lin Mo muttered, closing the interface. "I'm looking forward to what kind of surprises the other factions of the Inner Abyssal Circle will provide. Luckily, there's still no incident of an unknown faction visiting the Abyssal Forest Conduit Tower."
After greeting some Golden Patrons who were lounging on the second floor, he descended to the store proper to find Xiaoyu.
It was about time for them to go to the Sunken Caverns. With the Anchor outside Fanling City activating in less than a day, he wanted to finish gathering intelligence regarding the long-eared species with the help of Lihua's loaned divine-grade artifact.
He found her exactly where he expected. She's in the Arcade Zone, standing behind a group of new players with her arms crossed, nodding sagely like a grandmaster observing novices.
"No, no! Why sacrifice all of your units to summon a Level 4 Unit?! You left yourself defenseless. You only do that when you already fill your field with five units! It's a basic strategy! Are you trying to lose?"
The poor rogue cultivator operating the machine flinched, his fingers fumbling over the controls under her intense scrutiny. "Y-yes, Senior Sister Liu! I understand!"
"Good! Now, use the [Minor Barrier] spell card! Hurry, before you get direct damage because your Level 4 Unit was occupied."
Lin Mo cleared his throat as he placed a hand on her shoulder. "Bullying the customers, Assistant Shopkeeper?"
Liu Xiaoyu spun around, her face lighting up. "Boss! I'm not bullying, I'm… providing aggressive tutorials! It increases their win rate, which means they buy more cards to optimize their decks. It's profit maximization!"
"Is that so? Well, leave the tutorials to your brother and Xiao Ya. It's time."
Her eyes widened, and the playful demeanor vanished, replaced by a sharp, focused intensity. "The Sunken Caverns?"
"The Sunken Caverns," Lin Mo confirmed.
"Yes!" She pumped her fist. "Finally! I've been itching to test my technique on something that doesn't respawn in a tower! Let's go, Boss. Sparky is ready to bite some ankles."
From behind her, a faint yip echoed. The lightning wolf cub appeared as she sensed her excitement.
The patrons who saw the wolf cub couldn't help but sigh in awe and reverence. They heard about it. A special summoned unit that had been created by merging it with a low heaven-grade item that they looted in the Abyssal Forest Conduit Tower. It was the first of its kind. A growing Summoned Unit.
They made their way to the counter where Wu Meiyu was reviewing a ledger with Pan Ruo, who was currently taking a break.
Although the young woman with the soul of a reincarnated immortal should be resting, she would argue that she's already doing that. Reviewing the data was just her way to pass the time. And Lin Mo couldn't counter that.
As they approached, the two women looked up.
"Is it time, Shopkeeper?" Wu Meiyu asked with her voice carrying a hint of concern despite its calm tone. "The Anchor… New thread posts say the psychic pressure has intensified in the last few hours. Chieftain Borok says something must've changed inside it. The Decrint Tribe that has been spilling out of the Anchor has been strengthened. Both in mental and physical state."
"That means the Dreilling is also on the move," Lin Mo's brows curled. He could tell that they were already at the prelude to the true invasion. The time is ticking and it's creeping closer to the stabilization of the Anchor. They truly need to nip the trouble in the bud sooner rather than later.
"Don't worry. We have the right tools for the job. We're just going in to unmask this long-eared species. In and out. No heroics." He added, trying to reassure her.
"With Xiaoyu there, I doubt there will be 'no heroics'," Wu Meiyu sighed, glancing at the bouncing prodigy. "But I trust you, Shopkeeper. The store is in order. Go and do what you must. We'll hold the fort here."
"Stay safe, Shopkeeper Boss. Sister Xiaoyu," Pan Ruo added, bowing deeply. "May your path be convenient."
"Thanks, Pan Ruo! Keep selling those bundles! And Sister Meiyu, don't worry about Boss. I'll bring him back with all his limbs intact!" Liu Xiaoyu confidently grinned, making the two women giggle.
With the handover complete, Lin Mo and Liu Xiaoyu stepped into the Celestial Shuttle Hub. They boarded a carriage, and in a flash of blue light, were transported from the bustling city to the grim, tension-filled camp at the Graypeak Mountains.
The atmosphere at the Sunken Caverns had deteriorated significantly since their last visit. There was already a seemingly visible manifestation of dread. The sky above the Anchor's entrance seemed darker, and it was tinged with a sickly light green hue that bled from the distortion below.
The camp was silent. There was no boisterous laughter from the barbarians, no boasting from the mercenaries. Everyone moved with hushed urgency, their eyes watching the cave entrance with fearful suspicion as they were ready to jump at any enemies that would emerge from it.
Chieftain Borok met them at the perimeter. The massive barbarian looked haggard. Dark circles rimmed his eyes, and his hand never strayed far from his axe.
"Shopkeeper," He grunted as relief washed over his face. "You returned. The… whispers, louder. Green-skins, stronger. The syrup from the Alchemists loses its potency after a few hours."
"Indeed. We're running out of time." Lin Mo said, his [Stillwater Perception] already picking up the insidious, static-like buzz in the air. It was faint here on the surface, but it was there. A constant, probing pressure against the mind. "The Dreilling is expanding its influence, possibly trying to terraform the mental landscape just as the Crystalweb Tyrant terraformed the physical one."
"Can you stop it?"
"Probably not. But we're going to find out their weaknesses. Stay here and wait for the Liu Clan Patriarch and the Ancestors." Lin Mo said. He looked at Xiaoyu. "Ready?"
"Ready, Boss."
Leaving behind the exhausted Barbarian Chieftain, they walked past the defensive lines, ignoring the terrified whispers of the guards, and climbed down to the entrance of the Anchor represented by a shimmering distortion in space.
After checking one last time with their inventory, Lin Mo stretched his hand toward it.
The transition was instantaneous and jarring.
The humidity and rot were still there, but now, the light green bioluminescence became blindingly bright. The air hummed with a low, throbbing vibration that felt like a migraine given physical form.
[You have entered - Anchor HLFB#0120]
[Area: 1 of 6 - The Whispering Tunnels]
[Threat Level: High]
[Current Entities: Unknown]
[Environmental Hazard: Highland Energy (Corruption)]
[Status: Highland Domain Active. Psychic interference increased by 200%.]
[Warning: Mental Corruption imminent. Willpower check required every 10 minutes.]
"Ugh," Liu Xiaoyu grimaced, rubbing her temples. "It's louder than before, Boss. It feels like someone is screaming next to my ear."
"Hold on," Lin Mo said. He reached into his inventory and pulled out the small, silver tuning fork.
The [Harmonic Resonance Instrument].
He channeled a sliver of his spiritual energy into it.
Ding~
A pure, clear note rang out as it seemingly occupied the entire place along with the winding tunnels ahead of them. The sound possessed a piercing clarity that seemed to cut through the Highland Domain that seemed to have replaced the acidic miasma from their last trip inside this anchor.
A sphere of soft, white light expanded from the fork, encompassing Lin Mo and Xiaoyu in a five-meter bubble.
The effect was instantaneous. The screeching effect of the Highland Energy softened and the oppressive weight on their minds lifted instantly, replaced by a profound sense of peace.
"Whoa. It's gone, Boss! This is better than your domain."
"Of course. The Goddess of Harmony and Commerce doesn't deal in half-measures," Lin Mo wryly smiled as he admitted.
