Welcome to Ability Store-Chapter 37 - 36: Safeguarding the Customers’ Interests Is Safeguarding the Shop’s Interests

Chapter 37: Chapter 36: Safeguarding the Customers’ Interests Is Safeguarding the Shop’s Interests

"I didn’t expect Shen Fang to deliver this letter in person."

Watching the governor’s group depart, Liu Shuyue muttered.

Chen Xuan chuckled lightly, "Don’t be fooled by his nervous demeanor. In truth, he’s certain you won’t kill him. It’s another form of compliment to your character."

"But there was no need for him to come. The King of Qi surely has his own special envoys, unless Shen Fang took this task upon himself."

"How else could he confirm the situation with the Immortal Master Lord and the disaster victims without coming here himself?"

"Hmm?" Liu Shuyue shot him a dissatisfied look.

Chen Xuan laughed awkwardly, "I mean, if things here were truly dire, he wouldn’t need to continue dealings with us."

She arched an eyebrow, "Are you suggesting... his true purpose for coming wasn’t just to settle the remaining disaster victims?"

"That might be a secondary matter. This way, he can continue to keep contact with you without angering the King of Qi—all in all, it’s a commendable act for a local official seeking a safe path for the people." Chen Xuan paused, "As for his true intentions... to be honest, I can’t say for sure, it’s merely a guess."

"Feel free to share." Liu Shuyue said curiously.

"You mentioned last time that the Luo Kingdom might invade Qi Kingdom with your senior sister’s help, didn’t you?"

"Yes." At this, Liu Shuyue’s face darkened, "I really don’t understand why Senior Sister Lan Qin would do such a thing. War only leads to ruin, and disciples of the sect should do their utmost to prevent it. I sent her a message by flying letter, but she hasn’t replied to me at all."

Perhaps the Lotus Cloud Sect doesn’t care about the worldly conflicts, Chen Xuan thought, though he didn’t voice it aloud.

"Do you think the Qi Kingdom can win?"

"Eh?" Liu Shuyue was caught off guard, having clearly not considered such a question, "That... it depends on the strength of both sides, their armies, and the level of their generals. The deployment of techniques and cultivators is also very important. But if Senior Sister were to participate directly in the battle..."

"Qi Kingdom would have more losses than wins, correct." Chen Xuan continued, "Shen Fang likely considered this possibility as well."

"He’s worried about the King’s defeat?"

"Qing State borders directly with the Luo Kingdom, making it quite possible to become a battlefield. If they indeed can’t win, where can Governor Zhangwei go? If he doesn’t want to die for the country, now’s the time to seek a way out for himself... Hot Pepper Village could prove to be a good place to settle."

The phrase "a true place of seclusion"... seemed not only to refer to refuge for disaster victims but also a place distanced from the threat of war.

Allowing Shen Fang into the village and suggesting Liu Shuyue entertain him with the etiquette befitting an official envoy also stemmed from this consideration. If Hot Pepper Village is to get on track, establishing contacts with the outside world is only a matter of time.

Liu Shuyue exhaled softly, "You think much deeper than I do."

"That’s because you’ve spent so much time fighting demons in the past." Chen Xuan smirked, "Besides, it’s just my guess, as Shen Fang doesn’t seem like someone who’s blindly loyal."

She didn’t respond, instead gazing north in a daze.

Seeing her like this, Chen Xuan couldn’t help but sigh.

"You’re not thinking of saving the Liu family, are you?"

"I... how could I?" Liu Shuyue was startled, "They fabricated a relationship with the Lotus Cloud Sect to seek advantages they didn’t deserve, which led to their doom today!"

"Indeed." Chen Xuan agreed.

But after a while, she softened a bit, "Yet for them to be annihilated over a lie seems too harsh a punishment, the Liu family’s crimes don’t warrant this. And the residents of their area, what wrong have they committed? The King intends to implicate them all, which means tens of thousands... Can he really do it?"

"Hard to say, but what if he truly does?"

"Then I’m afraid I can’t stand by and do nothing..." Liu Shuyue instinctively clenched her fist, "These people are innocent, I can’t let them suffer a disaster because of a rumor about me." 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

I just knew it would be like this.

Chen Xuan was unsurprised by this response. When Liu Shuyue had fallen silent earlier, he already had an inkling of what was on her mind.

"Have you considered the possibility that this might be a trap for you?"

If Liu Shuyue were to bind her hands and plead for mercy before the King of Qi, it would be a result the latter would be most pleased to see. Alternatively, enticing Liu Shuyue to Yunzhou could lead to a setup to ensnare her. As the ruler of Qi Kingdom, the King of Qi surely understands the imperial advisor Immortal Master’s origins; the Liu family just happened to be caught in the crossfire.

Liu Shuyue slowly nodded, "He’s sure that I couldn’t bear to see tens of thousands of innocents die unjustly because of me, so he’s using them as leverage against me. But—"

Chen Xuan waited quietly for her to finish.

"But if I do nothing, I’d be no different than those Lotus Cloud Sect seniors who vanished after losing contact."

"Sect... seniors?" Chen Xuan hadn’t expected her to say that.

"They’re just like me, tasked with the duty to save and comfort the people, stepping out of the mountain gate into the mundane world, but in the end, none succeeded, and they vanished. Life for the people of the Six Kingdoms hasn’t fundamentally changed. I don’t want to follow in their footsteps."

Liu Shuyue turned to look at Chen Xuan, "This may be a trap, but it may not hold me. The King of Qi doesn’t know I am no longer the same as I once was—there were many things I couldn’t achieve alone before, but now things are different."

"Chen Xuan," she extended her hand, "can you continue to lend me a hand?"

"Of course, serving VIP customers is the store’s consistent policy." Chen Xuan grasped her hand.

Hearing this response, Liu Shuyue’s expression relaxed slightly.

"So do you have a plan?" he asked.

"Not yet... But I want to go to Yunzhou as soon as possible, before the news reaches the Royal City. If the Liu family admits their mistakes and clarifies the lies on their own, the King’s excuse will be reduced by one."

"If the King truly insists on harming the local people despite this... then he is devoid of any humanity." Liu Shuyue’s tone gradually became firm, "To me, he would be no different than a demon fiend."

After handling Shen Fang’s matter, she gathered all the villagers again and initiated a new round of ability adjustment meeting.

Ordinary people who bathe in dragon blood not only gain the ability to sense Qi, but also have the chance to awaken innate talents.

This is because Qi sensing itself is a mutation that reshapes the muscles, bones, and blood of living beings, whether human or demon is alike.

However, demons have no other magic to study and can only wholeheartedly cultivate their innate spells.

Since it’s an innate awakening, the nature of the ability depends purely on luck.

For instance, someone good at fighting might end up with Healing Power as an innate talent. Historically, there was no choice but to accept it, which is why cultivators often emphasize the importance of acquired learning, while Qi sensing is simply the entry qualification.

But Chen Xuan’s presence changed this situation.

"Duan Zhengquan, member of the hunting team!" A tall man approached Chen Xuan, sat cross-legged, and respectfully cupped his fists, "I entrust myself to you, Store Manager!"

Chen Xuan aimed his scanning gun at his forehead.

"Good, there’s a new ability."

"Let me see." Liu Shuyue leaned in close enough for the scent of osmanthus in her hair to reach him.

The screen displayed "Divine Calculator" LV1.

Below was a note: ——an abacus on legs; but at the end of the day, still just an abacus.

"It’s not a combat ability, but it could be useful for bookkeeping." Chen Xuan commented.

Upon hearing it wasn’t related to combat, Duan Zhengquan immediately looked disappointed.

"Then use the logistics group member who awakened an innate ability last time for a swap, I remember it was Wang Shitou." Liu Shuyue called for him and exchanged his "Swift Foot" capability with "Divine Calculator".

She didn’t forget to remind him, "Running fast isn’t considered a combat ability, but when paired with Spirit Sword Technique, it can help you swiftly approach the enemy. Moreover, never forget, cultivation after birth is of utmost importance. Don’t be discouraged by the perceived weakness of your innate talent."

"Yes! I will comply with the teachings of the Immortal Master Lord!" Duan Zhengquan courteously replied.

"Next one."

To Chen Xuan, Hot Pepper Village is practically a massive treasure vault. Even if his stock doesn’t increase, each successful transaction brings at least 2 performance points, which is part of why he’s willing to maintain close cooperation with Liu Shuyue. Providing long-term service to 30,000 promising subordinates is not an opportunity one can come by easily. In fact, the first ability adjustment meeting alone earned him 450 performance points, surpassing the combined efficiency of all his previous businesses.

Moreover, the villagers who have stepped into the cultivation threshold possess not just innate talents, but will also learn more spells as they grow and progress, although their potential won’t match Liu Shuyue’s, it’s a stable and substantial deal nonetheless.

This clarified Chen Xuan’s objective—though Liu Shuyue is skilled, she might not excel in dealing with schemes from her kind. To ensure the freedom of trade and protect the interests from harm, he must not let anyone threaten the safety of VIP clients, not even the King of Qi.