Since Jin had interpreted his ‘mission’ was to ensure that everyone was dead drunk before he was allowed to return back to the Dungeon Maker, he made the best out of his time there. For the next couple of hours, he forgot about the upcoming problems of his world and enjoyed the party hard.
As promised, He taught them a couple of drinking games and even accompanied General Nubwort who had returned within half an hour to continue drinking for another round. At one point he also sang some Karaoke accompanied by Ke Mi and all the monsters cheered. (Luckily a certain someone wasn’t there to film him.)
When the sun came up again, Zhi Nu and the System teleported all of them back to their own home instances. Niu Lang cleaned the whole place up, and Jin had stayed behind to perform some improvements on the adventurer’s tavern.
He spent some dungeon dollars in the System’s black market and added a few more decoration points to it as well as seemingly cheap destructibles for the adventurers to break during a brawl. Of course, this allowed Zhi Nu to charge them even more if they inevitably destroyed them.
“Thanks, Master for staying back with us. It’s a pity you do not get drunk easily because of your cultivation, but I hope you still had fun with us! And at the very least, we can sleep a bit longer since you helped us to clean the place up” Niu Lang said with a wink and Zhi Nu beat his shoulder for playing naughty in front of their Master.
“Hahaha, no worries. You two have an enjoyable night.” Jin teased back as the couple disappeared and Jin continued to refurbish the place with the help of the System. While it might not be like his shop where he has total absolute authority, this land was still under the control of the System, thus giving Jin the right to buy and change things in whatever way he liked.
Of course, it would be best to consult the real boss of the tavern, but Zhi Nu allowed Jin to go wild. “The things you place will only be temporary anyway. This is partly why I like this adventurer’s tavern. I can renovate it almost every week, and I am sure the adventurers who return enjoy seeing it change every time.”
Zhi Nu told him about the time when Wyrstriker and Dread Reaver got into a drunk fight because Wyrstriker had refused to get evolved to the next level with the System’s help despite his brother in arms telling him that he was more than qualified.
Throughout the renovation process, he felt at peace as his brain was focused on finding the ideal place to place that flower pot. It was something that came naturally when he was deep in his thoughts, and perhaps that was why Yun had insisted on him joining the party as he failed to achieve such clarity especially with those current troubles he had in his mind.
Suddenly a thought struck him.
“Say, System. How do you control the land around here? I mean we did buy this piece of land and placed it under your control, and the same goes for our shop, too. But it’s a sort of lease so does that mean the infinite control within that small space is limited to that time period as well?” Jin asked as he sat on a newly bought table.
“The System needs to have an agreement with the land itself. The lease isn’t so much with any form of government that User interacted with. It has more to do with the compromise between the System and the spirit of the land, not to mention the acceptance usually varies from world to world.” The System described but noticing how Jin’s face was incredibly deadpan, it proceeded to explain further.
“For example, the spirit of the land in User’s World currently prefers wheat and wine for some reason the System is unable to comprehend. Upon placing it on a custom made Altar which only the System is able to create, the tributes are offered in exchange for the land’s agreement.” The System revealed.
“Thus, the System would use part of the money earnt and purchase large quantities of wheat and high quality to appease the dominant spirit of the land. That way, the land is satisfied and allows the System to control it. If the System controls the land without appeasing the spirit of the land beforehand, it will punish us with significant backlash at every action of the System. There is no better way to describe this pact with the land.”
“I assume the Dungeon World prefers souls?” Jin asked as he wished to know more about this new aspect which the System didn’t share about.
“Negative. The Dungeon Core already had absolute control over the land. All the System had to do was to assume control of the core to manipulate the land as required.”
“Then, for example, if I wished to conquer the Dark Elves’ forest with the land’s blessing, can you assume control over it once you have done the transaction?” Jin was curious about the extent of this ability and offered the System a scenario to learn more about it.
“Yes and No. The System can affect the forest with its powers, but the effects are only temporary and not permanent depending on the transaction. This is because the System is merely the tenant, and the spirit of land is the landlord, so it can recover without the System’s help. However, that also means the landlord might increase the tribute if too much damage was done.”
“Then why are you not using it to help me during my fights outside the shop? I mean you could have done something during my fight against the Rat Triad Boss.”
“It will mainly bring suspicions to User if used excessively. Also, it relies on System’s processing capabilities even though we have the land’s agreement to operate.”
“It sounds like the ground is one selfish living entity.”
“That is not entirely wrong. Manipulation of the land takes up significant resources and processing capabilities. Which is why the System prefers to limit the control over the land for surveillance purposes. Without any floating magic eyes for better observation angles, the System could still identify and trace targets. Which is why some portals could be created instantly without coordinates and were based on previously seen areas.”
“Assuming you regain 100% processing capability and sufficient resources, can you change this adventurer’s town into a second Pandapolis?” Jin asked, and recalled how the System had been able to create a Dungeon Cave out of the middle of nowhere.
Subsequently, the System told him that the Goblin World’s land preferred gold in its purest form and all the System needed was to melt the gold coins and offer monthly tribute. That was why it was a no brainer for the System to push the dungeon supplier to invest in the Goblin World since it was cheap enough to do so. (In terms of dungeon dollars exchange to goblin gold coins.) While the New Adventurer Town was still somewhat a deficit in his books because of the ongoing construction work, the System believed that given enough time it would be a budding town full of profit.
“And to answer your question in landscaping the town instantly into a city… Yes, but that would also permanently consume System’s processing capability, and System would be left with a minimal set amount of processing capability to serve the User. The creation of the Dungeon Cave only took 0.0055% of the System’s processing capabilities and can be replenished with sufficient upgrades via the Black Market.” The System reported, and Jin realised he never knew how to use the System properly.
“So, anything and everything is possible through you so long you have ammunition to do stuff?”
“As the Heavens mandate.” The System stated.
“Well, at least I know that you can restore your processing capabilities even though it’s currently tough for you to do so,” Jin said as he recalled having his Dungeon Supplier Level upgraded to the fifth rank.
“Speaking of which, what perks do I gain as a Level 5 Dungeon Supplier aside from this duty free tax I got from purchasing items in the System’s Market …and the Black Market?” Jin remembered that at Dungeon Supplier Level 4, he got to enjoy a duty free tax on the items that he bought via the System regardless of the marketplaces.
“As for Level 5, your commission from sales increased to 50% although, upon User learning that the System requires a lot of resources to maintain the land, the System encouraged the User to readjust his commission sales, so the System is able to keep better control over the variety of property the User has in his possession. However, the User can withdraw funds for personal use for free from the System if needed. Of course, to a certain limit.”
“Ah, alright. Just keep it as it used to be for now then. I do not need the money that badly for myself since you provide me with practically everything anyway. The improvement of our business is more important.” Jin said as he performed the finishing touch of the tavern.
“Well, it was fun while it lasted and at least this party and renovation calmed me down a little. I can now focus a little better.” He commented as the dungeon supplier was ready to work on his business again instead of worrying too much about the upcoming Monster Horde.
For the growth of his business was equally vital in ensuring that he and the community were strong enough to fend off such hordes. If not for the upcoming one, then certainly future ones!
