The man's cold eyes swept across the store, pausing briefly on Lin Mo and Liu Xiaoyu before settling on a shelf of glowing talismans. Without a word, he strode forward, his footsteps echoing in the unnervingly silent store.
Liu Xiaoyu took an instinctive step back, her earlier bravado faltering. Lin Mo's mouth went dry, but he forced himself to step behind the counter. The seemingly modern cash register was turned on and a barcode scanner was set neatly on the side.
What was he supposed to say? Welcome to the Divine Convenience Store? Would this guy even care? And what's this? Did the old man advertise this as a store for goods? How did this guy know what to look for?
The cultivator picked up a talisman labeled 'Heavenly Shield – Negate Mortal and Low-Level Cultivator Attacks'. He studied it briefly before turning to Lin Mo.
"This," he said, his voice like ice cracking over a frozen lake. "How much?"
Lin Mo's heart hammered in his chest. He glanced at the floating system panel, which helpfully displayed the suggested price even without scanning it.
"Twenty spirit stones," Lin Mo managed to say in a composed tone as if this job was his calling.
The cultivator's eyes narrowed. "Twenty? Do you think me a fool? This talisman is worth half that, at best."
Lin Mo's mind scrambled for a response. The system didn't exactly come with a manual for haggling with overpowered cultivators.
"Uh... it's divine-grade quality," He answered, reading its details on the system panel. "Guaranteed to work under... uh... extreme conditions?"
The cultivator's gaze darkened, and for a moment, Lin Mo thought he might simply destroy the talisman, and the store, out of spite.
Then the man smirked.
"Fine. Twenty spirit stones." He said, tossing a small pouch onto the counter, the clink of spirit stones loud in the tense silence. Lin Mo exhaled, trying not to let his relief show as he picked up the pouch and poured out its contents. Exactly twenty spirit stones.
He then gestured for the man to place down the talisman which he surprisingly did without making it difficult for Lin Mo.
After scanning it, the register showed the price on its display, Lin Mo almost fumbled to place the talisman in a neat little bag before handing it to the man.
"Pleasure doing business with you," Lin Mo forced a smile, though the cultivator was already turning to leave.
However, before the man could reach the door, the air in the store suddenly shifted.
A cold, oppressive energy rolled in like a tidal wave, sending a shiver down Lin Mo's spine.
Liu Xiaoyu, on the other hand, gasped as her face paled. He couldn't help but shake her head.
Where was that aggressive young woman from earlier? And to think she had the gall to set up some ground rules for them.
The cultivator stopped in his tracks, his eyes narrowing as he stared outside the store.
Lin Mo followed his gaze.
A group of figures stood just beyond the store's entrance, their silhouettes barely visible through the frosted glass.
Each of them radiated an oppressive aura, nearly as powerful as the cultivator who'd just made a purchase.
"What... now?" Lin Mo muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.
Shortly after, the door creaked open once more and a voice like thunder echoed through the store.
"You there. Shopkeeper. Hand over everything divine-grade you have, or face the consequences!"
Lin Mo swallowed hard, his earlier relief replaced by a sinking dread. Taihao's words echoed in his mind: Sell the goods, ensure customer satisfaction, and survive. Right?
Then, what is this? First customer and a first experience at being robbed?
Old Taihao! Your store will be cleaned within the first few minutes of its opening! Lin Mo called out in his head.
The leader was a hulking man with arms thicker than Lin Mo's torso, his eyes glowed faintly with the telltale power of a seasoned cultivator. Behind him, a trio of similarly imposing figures entered, each exuding an aura of barely contained violence.
Thugs. Of course. Even a sophisticated place such as the Realm of Nine Heavens has them.
Liu Xiaoyu instinctively retreated behind Lin Mo and grabbed his sleeve. She's now like a scared bunny who had nowhere else to hide.
"We're screwed," She whispered.
"Thanks for the vote of confidence," Lin Mo muttered, sweat beading on his brow. His hand hovered over the counter, uselessly searching for some sort of panic button to call the police.
Of course, there wasn't one.
The leader strode forward, his heavy boots echoing ominously in the store's unsettling silence. He stopped directly in front of the counter, towering over Lin Mo, who felt more like a cornered mouse than a shopkeeper.
"I don't like repeating myself," the man growled. "Hand over everything divine-grade. Now."
Lin Mo opened his mouth to stall, but no words came out. What could he even say?
A soft chime sounded.
[System Notice: Host in Extreme Peril]
[Suggested Action: Negotiate]
"Oh, great suggestion," Lin Mo hissed under his breath. "Real helpful."
The leader's patience was visibly wearing thin. His hand drifted toward the hilt of a massive blade strapped to his back. "Last chance, shopkeeper."
"Uh, look," Lin Mo started, his voice cracking, "This is a store. You can... buy whatever you want. No need for threats, right? Let's just... talk this out like civilized people? Our wares are cheap… top-of-the-line products you can't find anywhere. You only have to spend spirit stones."
The man's laugh was a low rumble, devoid of humor. "Civilized? Do we look like civilized people?"
Of course not, you look like bandits who are always up to no good.
Just as Lin Mo braced himself for the worst, the cultivator who'd made the earlier purchase suddenly turned around.
His expression was cold, but his tone carried the weight of authority.
"Oi. Do you know whose territory this is?" The cultivator asked, his voice cutting through the tension like a blade.
The leader turned to face him, his brows furrowing. "And who are you to question me?"
The cultivator smirked, "Hoh? Looks like I'm not going out enough that even a small fry like you has forgotten about me."
Lin Mo could hardly believe his ears. Was this guy... defending the store? The sudden shift left him dizzy. Liu Xiaoyu tugged on his sleeve again.
"Boss, do you have any idea who that is?" She whispered, equally confused.
"Girl. Do I look like I know anything?" Lin Mo shot back.
The thug leader and the mysterious cultivator locked eyes, their auras crackling like opposing storm fronts.
Lin Mo, caught between the two forces, desperately tried to think of a way out that didn't end with him or his newly-opened store reduced to ash.
'That old man. At least leave behind something to defend against this kind of event. The little helper you sent is useless.' He thought.
The leader of the thugs sneered, "You've got some nerve, acting high and mighty. Let me guess. Are you one of those self-righteous sect dogs? What are you doing in a place like this, anyway? Shopping?"
The cultivator's smirk didn't waver. Instead, his aura flared even stronger, sending a visible ripple through the air. "That's exactly what I'm doing. And you're interrupting. Tell me, should I waste my time teaching you manners or simply clean up this mess?"
The trio of thugs behind the leader shifted uneasily, their brave front faltering under the suffocating pressure of the cultivator's power. Still, their leader remained defiant, gripping the hilt of his blade with an arrogant grin.
It was clear that the cultivator had a higher cultivation but they're holding onto their numerical advantage.
"This ain't your business, stranger. Walk away before you regret it."
The cultivator tilted his head, his smile fading into something far more dangerous. "Regret? You'd best pray I'm feeling merciful."
Lin Mo, meanwhile, had to suppress the urge to scream. Here he was, caught between ticking time bombs, and his so-called divine system was about as useful as a damp matchstick.
[System Notice: Host's survival odds are rapidly declining]
[New Objective Unlocked: Resolve the conflict with minimal property damage]
"Minimal property damage?!" Lin Mo hissed, glaring at the translucent panel floating in front of him. "How about resolving it without anyone dying? What the hell do you want me to do?"