Chapter 428: Realm Guardian Leaderboard and Pioneer’s Initiative
With the quick subjugation of the foreign entities that spilled from the breached Anchor, the Flash Raid and the thwarting of Violethaven’s ploy were wrapped up without any serious casualties.
While a few cultivators unfortunately fell against the Impervious Flare Sect during the siege, it wasn’t as bad as the enemies’ losses, which included a Void Refinement Stage expert. A figure equivalent to the currently strongest cultivator of the Eastern Abyssal Domain.
To ensure that the patrons would have an easier time exploring the Anchor and resetting its core inside, Lin Mo ordered to guard its entrance and capture more Vindicators coming out of it.
From Liu Zhongzu’s report, Lin Mo acquired the initial information about that Anchor.
Its identifier was ’ACCB#0003’. Lin Mo surmised that ACCB stands for Argent Covenant Command Base, much like the HLFB, which probably meant Highland Forward Base.
That confirmed that the armored invaders, the Vindicators, were from an Outer Realm called the Argent Covenant. The number ’0003’ suggested it was one of their earliest and most important forward bases. This was a far more significant incursion than the Decrint outposts.
Given how Anchors had to spend quite some time being dormant, the Argent Covenant must’ve been the last among the four Outer Realms surrounding the Realm of Nine Heavens to deploy their Anchors.
Not even an hour after the Flash Raid, the news of their overwhelming victory spread across the Bulletin Board like a divine wildfire alongside the shocking Minor Tribulation of Lin Mo. The thread posted by Liu Zhongzu, complete with images of the captured, spice-afflicted Vindicator leader and the shattered fortress, became the most viewed post in the board’s history.
And through that, the legend of the ’Noodle Bombs’ was born, and the strategic genius of the Shopkeeper was elevated from mere rumor to undeniable fact. The patrons who were at the store at that time immediately asked for the Demon King Chili variant of the [Taihao Spicy Noodles] as they bought box after box of it.
Lin Mo, however, was already focused on the next phase.
The battle was won but the war was far from over. It’s truly just the beginning.
He sat in the second-floor lounge, a holographic map of the Eastern Abyssal Domain projected before him.
It was a new feature of the [Area Monitor] system, now dotted with glowing icons representing everything connected to the Divine Convenience Store.
The main store in Fanling City, the new branch at Blazing Ridge, the two integrated Conduit Towers, and the three linked Anchors.
He was still the most wary about the dormant Anchor just outside the walls of Fanling City. When it activates, it’ll have to be contained as soon as possible to prevent any disaster.
"Boss, your victory speech was a hit!" Liu Xiaoyu chirped like a songbird as she slid into the seat opposite him. She had just finished posting an official ’Congratulations to all Raid Participants’ message on the board, which also detailed how the 100,000 DE grand prize would be doubled for the teams who are going to contribute to resetting the Anchor in the future. As for their compensation for fending off the Impervious Flare Sect, Lin Mo granted everyone who participated 500 DE each, a mortal-grade artifact of their choice from the store shelves, free Celestial Shuttle Travel for a week, and six hours of free Training Room usage.
Naturally, the spoils they received from the bodies of the enemies they killed were also left to them. After all, the Divine Convenience Store had no use for it. If anything, it’s not impossible for some of them to use the Barter System and exchange the spoils they received for Store Credits.
In the end, the store would still profit from them.
"Boss, you also got a new title, everyone is calling you the ’Convenient War God’ now. It’s catching on faster than ’Convenience Saint’!"
Upon hearing that, Lin Mo’s lips twitched.
"Let’s hope they don’t start building temples," He replied dryly, not looking up from the map. "Anyhow, there’s still the aftermath that needs to be dealt with. An ally of the Violethaven Temple lost a Void Refinement Stage Sect Master. They will not give up on returning the humiliation."
"Indeed. But Shopkeeper. I don’t think they will simply send stronger cultivators at us. They will be cautious." Wu Meiyu added, approaching with a tray of freshly brewed tea. She had seamlessly transitioned from staff manager back to her role as a strategic advisor. "You have demonstrated not only overwhelming force but also a terrifying level of intelligence gathering and logistical control. They will not launch another blind attack. They will probe, gather information, and wait for an opening. Your next move is critical."
"Exactly," Lin Mo agreed, taking a cup of tea. "Which is why we cannot relax. This ’Flash Raid’ was a defensive counter-attack. Now, it’s time to build up our strength while utilizing what we have now."
He tapped the map, highlighting the towers and anchors, including the one they had just secured.
"Tell me, Xiaoyu. What did you gain from conquering the Tower and exploring the Anchor?"
"... Insight. Strength. I estimated my Minor Tribulation to come months from now but after finishing the Tower, it immediately arrived. Then the creatures we killed in the Anchor got us to involuntarily absorb their foreign energy. Even if it’s quite a hassle to cleanse my spiritual energy of its corruption, it allowed me to approach mid Foundation Establishment in a matter of days." The girl answered.
Wu Meiyu also nodded, recalling her own experience. Even though she had yet to experience exploring an Anchor, she had already read a lot of threads from those who went to the Sunken Caverns.
"Precisely," Lin Mo said, his gaze sweeping over the glowing icons. "The Towers and Anchors can also be considered accelerators. They are a crucible that forges stronger, more resilient cultivators. The Violethaven Temple thinks we are a backwater region. It’s time we changed that perception, conveniently."
His fingers danced across the interface, pulling up a new module he had been contemplating. It was linked to the Faction Recruitment Hall and the Mercenary’s Guild.
"The Divine Lecture tomorrow will provide the theory from the divine beings themselves," He began, a strategic light gleaming in his eyes. "But theory without practice is useless. I’m going to give the entire domain a practical exam. We’re going to gamify the war."
"Gamify... Boss, what does that mean?" Xiaoyu asked, tilting her head.
"It means we’re going to turn the defense of the realm into a competition,"
Lin Mo explained as a sharp grin spread across his face. He drafted a new Bulletin Board announcement, one that would appear on the front page of every Viewing Jade.
[System Announcement: Introducing the ’Realm Guardian Leaderboard’ & The ’Pioneer’s Initiative’!]
"To all patrons of the Divine Convenience Store: The threat of the Outer Realms is not a burden, but an opportunity! To encourage a proactive defense of our realm and to reward the brave cultivators who stand on the front lines, the Divine Convenience Store is officially launching two new long-term initiatives!"
The Realm Guardian Leaderboard:
A new, permanent leaderboard will be established on the Bulletin Board. Points will be awarded for:
- Conquering a floor in a Conduit Tower for the first time.
- Resetting an Anchor Core.
- Submitting verified intelligence on new, undiscovered Anchors or Towers.
- Eliminating high-threat Outer Realm entities that already spilled from the undiscovered Anchors.
Points will be tallied weekly and monthly. The top-ranking individuals and factions on the leaderboard will receive exclusive rewards, including rare store products, massive Dimension Essence bonuses, and the prestigious, limited-edition ’Guardian of Convenience’ title you can equip in your profile!"
The Pioneer’s Initiative:
"Do you know of an undiscovered Anchor or Tower? The Divine Convenience Store will now offer a ’Pioneer’s Kit’ to any verified patron willing to deploy a Store Beacon.
The Kit includes: One temporary Store Token for beacon deployment, a full set of exploration supplies, and an Emergency Escape Talisman.
Successful deployment of a Store Beacon will instantly reward the Pioneer with 100,000 Dimension Essence and a permanent 5% discount on all store products!
This will immediately link the new site to the Celestial Shuttle Network, bringing convenience and reinforcements to the front lines!"
"Boss..." Liu Xiaoyu murmured after reading through all that. Shock and admiration could be seen in her eyes but her lips were curved up in a grin as if she was excited about how that new feature would turn out. Naturally, she’s also planning to be there.
"Pfft. This is crazy, boss. You’re turning every patron into a potential scout, a soldier, and a hero for convenience. What’s that again about you wanting only a quiet life?"
"Yeah. I have to adapt to the changing times, don’t you think so?" Lin Mo wryly smiled.
"It’s a meritocracy," Wu Meiyu muttered as she also just finished digesting the announcement. "You are bypassing the traditional power structures of sects and clans. A rogue cultivator with enough skill and courage could now earn more prestige and resources than a lazy sect disciple. And everyone has no choice but to follow or they’ll be left behind."
Lin Mo subtly nodded. Apart from that, he already received confirmation from the Divine System Interface regarding the suitable sects to bid for the immortal-grade products.