The last thing on his agenda was a new dungeon instance for his latest shop instance layout. It was the month of October and there can only be one important event in October that everyone looked forward to.
Halloween!
Jin remembered that the System wanted to create a Halloween dungeon for the store but would it really come true? “The System will never break its promise. Besides, there are already pre orders for the new Halloween dungeon instance through the loot box vending machine since the start of the month.” Yun said as she sat on the brand new barstool at the bar island to drink her daily dose of Black Ivory Coffee. Jin also remembered the loot box machine had already changed its theme.
“And so it will provide the dungeon just like it did for the Qixi Festival?” Jin asked, to which Yun took out her phone to browse for information. It seemed like Jin had something in mind and Yun figured that he would want to add something into the fray, considering that he had recently captured so many monsters such as the Minotaurs and Deep Ones.
“Actually…you can either allow the system to do whatever it wants or add something more to your liking to the current dungeon instance. You wanted to increase your dungeon supplier level, right? I have asked the System to post a mission for you since its interests aligned with yours.” Yun said as Jin took his phone out to check on the new mission.
“Enhance the Halloween Dungeon layout and achieve sales of more than 500 people by the end of November. Repeat customers are allowed. Rewards: Restaurant Instance.” The System stated and Jin scrolled to check if there were any other mission objectives.
“Secondary Optional Objectives: Reach general sales of 5000 people by the end of November regardless of service or dungeon instance. Rewards: Level 3 Dungeon Supplier.” Jin read the mission details from his phone and also noticed that the City Dungeon Fortress mission had been renamed to “Build the City Dungeon Fortress.”
“5000 people?! Are you kidding me? How am I going to do that on such a short notice?” Jin looked at his storage watch and saw that the first week of October was already over. If he remembered correctly, his last month’s general sales number were totalled to 1600 odd customers including the sales of his service instance. It was actually a success number for such a small shop in a fairly forgotten shopping district.
Not to mention it was his first month where there was still an air of novelty surrounding the shop and he was not very confident in getting such a big number by the end of next month. If he needed to get 5000, he had to work thrice as hard, maybe more, because even if he managed to achieve the miracle of maintaining the number of people coming in, it was not enough to hit 5000.
“Is this the way of the System testing me? 5000 customers?” Jin said with a tinge of anger in his voice. It was obvious that his patience was tested by the System and it also seemed the System had had enough of him.
“Yes, this is the System testing you, but I believe it’s rather kind of it not to put it as part of the main objectives.” Yun tried to calm Jin down, but it was not working very well. “And erm… it allowed customers to repeat and did not restrict it to unique customers?” Yun’s words of consolation were not helping to put out the fire.
Jin slammed his fist on the Dungeon maker which scared Yun for a moment before he took a deep breath. “I am sorry Yun. I will try my best to make up with the System.” Jin said with slight reluctance, but it seemed that he was keeping Grandpa Ming’s words in mind. If not for Ming, he would probably not able to control his anger and would have created a large fuss.
Yun gave a slight smile and told Jin that she would not bother him. Jin might not like it, but Yun was still considered as his ally..albeit a questionable one. Although it was a no brainer that she was in cahoots with the System. Did she really help Jin out behind the scenes or did the System ask her to act this way so that it could mend the relationship slowly?
Jin had no idea but decided to keep things on track. The task was currently quite overwhelming but if he did it step by step, he should be able to achieve his goal. “If only Yang Ling’s dungeon could be considered within the general sales too. That would help with numbers a little.” Jin said out loud and the System gave him a reply.
“Yes. Your partnership with Yang Ling does help with the general sales of the shop. However, she can only be considered as 1 customer.”
“What if I made her pay per use? Does that count? Since it is still within the general sales and the mission allows repeat customers.” Jin said and the System acknowledged.
“Yes, it counts if it is paid per use and it has to be done within this shop. You are not allowed to bring the System’s technology out of the store.” The System stated in the Dungeon Maker interface.
“You did not mention that when you first created that mission,” Jin argued although he had all along wanted Yang Ling to do that in order to protect the secrecy of the System. However, since the System now mentioned about this particular clause, Jin wondered if he could make full use of this particular opportunity.
“The System is now adding that clause within the mission for clarification sake.” The System stated as it immediately amended the mission briefing for Yang Ling’s partnership.
“Adding a clause after I had accepted the mission? Won’t that be a break of trust between the System and the User? I thought you are testing me to see if I am worthy, now you are proving to me that you are the one that is unscrupulous.” Jin said as calm as possible even though he was very agitated from within.
“…” The System paused for a while before replying.
“State your request. The System will deem if it is worthy of compensation.” The System answered Jin and he grinned.
“Amend your Adaptable Immunity so that Yun cannot read my thoughts too, maybe selective ones. I need some privacy in my mind especially when she is my ‘mother’. You might not know this, but I have been wanting to think of lewd stuff and having someone maternal monitoring your thoughts dampens my human needs.” Jin said. He knew that this was just a poor excuse and the System would definitely guess the underlying reason behind the amendment of the immunity skill.
If Yun cannot read Jin’s thoughts, the System would not be able to understand Jin’s thought process. However, Jin had a feeling that if the System really wanted to, it could have just forced itself into Jin’s thoughts so the amendment of the Adaptable Immunity to Psionic Magic skill was just for show but still beneficial to Jin.
“If my needs are not met, how can I work optimally for you? How would I be motivated to work? You are a System, you know how primal our needs can be. We are creatures unlike you, who is only numbers. Isn’t that why you recruited us in the first place?” Jin reinforced his argument and surprisingly the System responded.
“You are not entirely wrong, nor entirely correct. Remember. You are a being of interest, not of need. Very well, the System will accept your request as an olive branch, as a way of mending the relationship too. There might not be such exceptions in the future.” The System stated.
“Are you sure you want to close off future negotiations? Isn’t that breaking the relationship even further? I thought you want to have a mutual understanding. Well, I get that you are superior and all, but even the scientists need to consider the needs of their experimental rat, right?” Jin pushed his luck further to see if he could get the System to give in a little more.
“The scientist can always find a new rat but the System will determine again based on User’s performance.” The Dungeon Maker interface immediately kept quiet after showing that on the screen and left Jin to work on the Halloween Dungeon that was already downloaded into the Dungeon Maker.
Well, at the very least, Jin tried.
