Divine Convenience Store-Chapter 573: Steering the wheel

Lin Mo only thought of guiding the Monk to head towards the Southern Wilderness when he decided to approach him. But to his surprise, the vagrant Lia’s interest in the Anchor seemed to weigh more than Monk Huiyin’s.

Due to that, he patiently listened to her questions and answered them as much as the knowledge he had about the foreign creatures down there.

After organizing all her answers in his head, it didn’t take long for him to connect the dots.

Lia, or whatever her real name was, had experience facing those same creatures.

Her questions were too specific. She didn’t ask about their appearance or their weaknesses like the mercenaries usually did. She asked about their hierarchy, their response to light-based spiritual arts, and the nature of the foreign energy they radiate.

"You seem familiar with these pests, Miss Lia," Lin Mo noted casually. "Have you encountered them in your... previous travels?"

Despite Lin Mo’s unchanging amicable smile, Aurelia stiffened at his question. She realized that she had slipped. She got too interested in hearing about the foreign creatures that appeared in the Southern Wilderness.

After a few seconds of silence wherein she pretended to mull over her various experiences, she replied, "I had run into similar creatures. Hence my questions. Pardon me if it sounded different. I simply inferred it from your descriptions."

"Ah. Inference is a powerful tool," Lin Mo agreed. He had taken note of the slight shaking of her eyes. That just reinforced his suspicion. Nevertheless, he’s not just going to call her out on that. He didn’t want to make her guarded or hostile. If anything, he wanted to bring her to his side, or rather, the side of the store, regardless of her current affiliation or objective, by coming to the Eastern Abyssal Domain while pretending to be a normal traveler.

"Still, experience is sharper, dear customer. Tell me, if this swarm that appeared down south can adapt to our tactics like a hive mind that learns... how can we break it? You’re free to speak from your experience of encountering similar creatures. I’ll appreciate any input." Lin Mo continued.

"If the swarm is indeed a collective," Aurelia remained cautious but she sensed that if she just turned down answering, Lin Mo would become wary of her.

Her mission was clear from the beginning. She was to observe, live and absorb the culture that was being propagated by the store. And in the end, she had to make a judgment on whether the Church could tolerate its existence and perhaps find an answer to their current dilemma at that Anchor.

Now, an opportunity presented itself to her. Regardless of whether Lin Mo approached her to uncover her true identity, it didn’t matter anymore. She couldn’t just step back from this.

And so, after calculating what she could and could not speak openly, she continued, "... then brute force against the drones is a waste of spiritual energy. They are going to be endless. To break the hive, you must sever the communication. Usually, there are... intermediary creatures. Larger variants that relay the commands of the Queen or the brain that moves them. If you eliminate them, the smaller yet numerous creatures will revert to their base instincts. They will be disorganized and easier to cull.

"

She paused, realizing she was speaking with too much authority. She cleared her throat, taking a spoonful of her sorbet. "But do not take my word for it, Shopkeeper... These creatures may be similar but there is no guarantee that they operate in the same way as those I had encountered in the past."

Lin Mo watched her carefully, his [Stillwater Perception] picking up the subtle fluctuations in her aura. The way they moved wasn’t the erratic twitch of a liar. Instead, they’re like the controlled stability of a soldier withholding classified intel.

"Your insight is profound for a traveler, Miss Lia," He said, releasing some of his probing gestures, "And it aligns perfectly with my own analysis. Sever the head, and the body flails. It’s a strategy we’ve used recently in the Flash Raid against the Vindicators. Though, applying it to a hive mind which, by the way, had yet to be confirmed, would be a different beast entirely."

"You mentioned light-based spiritual arts earlier. I’ve heard that the Supreme Sun Church in the Western Sacred Lands specializes in such techniques. They are known for their illuminating efficiency against creatures of darkness and corruption. I wonder if their methods would be effective against these insectoids?"

Aurelia’s spoon froze halfway to her mouth. She lowered it slowly as her eye met his with undisguised defiance and resignation.

He knew. Or at least, he was making it very clear that he suspected. Aurelia thought.

"The Church’s light burns away impurities," She carefully answered. "I have heard tales. Against creatures that thrive in darkness or rely on corrupting energies, the righteous flame is often the best countermeasure. If these insectoids are truly from an Outer Realm of a similar nature... then yes. Light would be their bane. However, I believe fire would also be fitting for most of their kind."

"Interesting," Lin Mo mused. "We have fire cultivators here, like the White Ember Sect. And we have lightning, thanks to the Liu Clan and Lightning Amethyst Sect. But pure, concentrated light? That is a rarity in the Eastern Abyssal Domain. It seems we are lacking another crucial element in our arsenal against this specific threat."

He let the implication hang in the air for a moment before shifting his gaze to Monk Huiyin, who had been silently enjoying his noodles, observing the verbal spar with the amusement of an old sage watching children play chess.

"Monk Huiyin, I believe you still seek to understand the nature of our ’convenience’. Or in your words, our ’river’. You wish to see if it drowns or nurtures. Well, a river is defined by how it shapes the land it flows through. The Southern Wilderness is currently facing a drought of hope. A swarm threatens to consume everything."

Lin Mo then lowered his voice, close to a whisper as his tone switched to sound a little scheming, "Perhaps, you may want to go and see for yourself? The Celestial Shuttle to the Blazing Ridge is active. The branch store there is a beacon in the wilderness. You can witness the budding of ’convenience’ in a place far from our core. You can witness how we protect or how we integrate even the most unorthodox allies like the Poison Demon Cult and the forces that live there."

Huiyin set down his chopsticks, wiping his mouth with a pristine tissue paper. He glanced up at Lin Mo as though trying to peer through his soul, "The Benefactor speaks with a persuasive tongue. To see the river at its source is wise, but to see it at its mouth, where it meets the sea of chaos... that is where its true strength is tested. Amitabha. This monk is intrigued. The suffering of the Southern tribes calls for compassion."

He then turned his golden gaze to Aurelia. "And what of you, Benefactor Lia? It appears I may have to push back my promise to guide you. Does your path lie south? Or will you remain here, in the comfort of the established convenience?"

Aurelia alternately looked at the monk and Lin Mo. She felt like she was being maneuvered. And now, her options narrowed down until only one path remained.

Nonetheless, it was also the path she wanted to take. If the insectoids in the South were the same as those in the Sun’s Anvil, she needed to see them. She needed to know if the store’s methods would actually work. Perhaps, she would find the answer she was seeking in order to help her fellow paladins reach the core of that Anchor.

"I... I have an interest in seeing more of this realm," Aurelia answered, "And if my... experience... can be of use against these creatures, I would be remiss to sit idle. I will go south."

"Excellent!" Lin Mo clapped his hands, beaming like a tour guide who had just sold a premium package. "It just so happens I have a task for someone heading that way. A simple delivery. Nothing heavy."

Upon saying that, he put down a spatial bag on top of the table. Inside were a few crates of [Legionary Set] and accompanying Aether Shards.

With the Poison Demon Cult already onboard their ship, it wouldn’t hurt to let Venom Master Xun give a chance to lower-ranked Priests or the menial Poison-bearers to become an ’Aether-Knight’.

"Please deliver this spatial bag to Venom Master Xun. It won’t be a thankless task. I’ll personally upgrade you two to join the ranks of our Golden Patrons, along with their benefits. And Miss Lia, on your return, I will be handing you a free Viewing Jade and Celestial Duel Gear Bundle."

Aurelia’s face twitched a bit as she didn’t know exactly how to react to that.

She could propel herself to Golden Patron if she wished to but for Lin Mo to offer that to her for a simple task... she thought it might lead to something more beneficial, not just for her but also to the relationship between her Church and the store.