It was none other than the use of a battle store via the Pandamonium app.
Through this battle store, cultivators can now buy food, potions, weapons, inscriptions and even accessories to aid them during their raid.
It was part of Jin’s plan to improve the services he provided for a better dungeon experience. This would also allow him to create harder dungeons since the cultivators now had access to an online store in the midst of battle.
While it might be seen as a break in the traditional way of dungeons, Jin saw it as an opportunity that had yet to be fully utilised (or in some sense exploited). He was sure some dungeon suppliers might offer such feature before, but the System guaranteed that Jin’s store app’s user interface and services will be maintained top notch quality.
Thus, Jin named the Battle Store sub application within the Pandamonium – ‘Pit Stop’.
The sub application would automatically be placed as the top options when the cultivators entered the dungeon, or it could be used via the half mask they were wearing. Via eye tracking movement or voice control, the store would then display items of the most relevance which the AI predicts what the customer might need during the battle.
Hence, a cultivator well versed in the use of Pit Stop could potentially purchase an item in the heat of the moment to change the tide of battle almost instantaneously.
However, all the items and even the delivery of those goods were all monetised by Jin. He knew the store might not be well received since it was literally a pay-to-win kind of method and Jin understood the implications of giving the rich cultivators an edge over the other players.
So, he forbade the use of Pit Stop should he ever create a formal cultivator versus cultivator kind of arena but against monsters and raids? He believed it was a fair game for everyone except for the first clear rewards. If the cultivators wished to have their names on the board, they had to do it without any restocking from Pit Stop.
Also, the items were priced at least 10% higher than the standard base prices that were sold in his shops. And to compensate that, there were weekly discounts on selected items in the Dungeon Store Instances, to make them attractive and viable for cultivators to continue to look into them.
That was unless they were using Pit Stop to browse the contents of the stores outside the dungeon instances.
While adjusting the features, Jin had also implemented a cart option, and this further improved the purchase experience within the Pandamonium App. Previously, the shop option in the Pandamonium acting as a catalogue or a wishlist for them to take note if there were any discounts. With the new implementation, cultivators were now able to buy and browse items they wished to get before coming to the store itself for the dungeon experience.
This new update would also allow cultivators to take advantage of the sales even when they are not in the store physically. The System also believed this long awaited marketing gimmick will increase the store’s sales by another 80% since people fancied buying items from the net, not to mention at a discounted rate. (Don’t worry, Jin was still making a profit from everything.)
As for the delivery of goods into the dungeon instance, Jin took the chance to make even more money. For the first delivery of each dungeon instance, Jin had implemented it in such a way that all goods ordered would be sent to their customers immediately. Only subsequent orders would be via a timed postal delivery. If the cultivators wished to have the second round of supplies to enter the dungeon instance quickly, they have to pay for additional delivery fees.
Thus, for Xia Mao and Zi Dan who had accumulated a fair bit of panda medals, they had already started choosing items on the Pit Stop to aid them further. Despite their rich dungeoneering experience, this elderly duo knew that no matter how much they had prepared before entering Jin’s dungeon instances, it would never be enough. This particular pitstop was indeed a long needed new feature.
With the inclusion of the System’s AI into part of the Pit Stop algorithm, it immediately recommended ammunition for Xia Mao. For the Bullet Cheetah Cultivator, the AI suggested an adrenaline booster inscription charm to further increase his speed as well as other support restorative items which they always lacked no matter how many bottles they carried.
The trusty chi restoration drink in a large panda bottle. (Jin even featured XL bottles for heavy chuggers like Xiong Da.)
There was even an intergroup mask communicator which Pit Stop was selling an exorbitant price and stated it was a Pit Stop exclusive item. “THAT BOSS JIN! HE IS DOING THIS ON PURPOSE! Extortion! Extortion! If I am back as a businessman, I am going to hire someone like him to bleed Jin dry!” Xia Mao shouted as he saw the ridiculous price of the intergroup mask communicator which unlock the team speak module in their mask. He believed it was essential since it would allow them to communicate with Jing Yu.
“Hey, at least it is currently on discount right? And come on! The last time you boasted that your investment is making you lots of money and you have no place to spend them! Now it is the time!” Zi Dan added that he should buy for the whole group as well, hinting Xia Mao to buy for him as well. “Besides, the one time use team speak module cost like five bronze panda medals only. What are you waiting for?”
“I am not wailing for the one time! I am talking about the lifetime module! That’s 999 Panda Medals per person! If there is no discount, its 2000 Panda medals! Just to speak with each other from a distance! How is that fair?!” Xia Mao said, and when he pressed on it, a pop up window with explanation appeared and then he kept awfully quiet.
“What’s the matter? The Valgs are here?” Zi Dan asked as he scanned the area via his mask and there was no presence of any Valgs around.
“No, I think I mistakenly blamed Jin. You are right, its a good investment. I will buy it.” Xia Mao mumbled and quietly bought the set for himself and later also gifted an intergroup communicator module to Zi Dan and Jing Yu as well.
Zi Dan did not expect that stingy at times Cat Cultivator would really buy a lifetime module for him. What the other two cultivators did not know was that the 999 Panda Medal package was a secret package which only appeared in Xia Mao’s screen because of his exceeding large purchase. Zi Dan did not have that option presented to him since his purchase from the Pit Stop was the bare essentials.
That 999 Panda Medal Package combo provided team speak modules for 5 friends and a limited Christmas Panda Plushie which Xia Mao had been eyeing for a long time and could not get it from the Krampus Christmas Raid instance.
The size was smaller than the ones redeemable from the store, but it was something which his grandchildren would definitely like. Upon reading, he realised that a lifetime team speak module would usually cost 200 Panda Medals, and thus Xia Mao quickly bought it.
That was why when he immediately kept quiet, Zi Dan began to suspect something odd, so Xia Mao continued to grumble and gave an excuse instead.
“I remembered I did not give you guys any Christmas present. This is a belated one. I got two more, and the group can do a lucky draw to see who get it later.” Xia Mao tried to evade Zi Dan’s suspicion, and somehow his ‘charisma roll’ succeeded.
“No wonder you are so quiet, feeling guilty eh?” Zi Dan laughed as he saw a Santa panda animation appeared on his screen, presenting him with a gift box. He accepted with glee and the gift box popped open, revealing to him a team speak module.
Without any need to tinker, the module programme was immediately unlocked in his mask, and he quickly called out to Jing Yu.
“Hey, Jing Yu. Can you hear us? If you do, open your Pandamonium app, we have gifted you a team speak module, courtesy of our grumpy Santa Mao Mao.” Zi Dan said with tongue in cheek. However, before they could have a reply, their masks are detecting multiple signatures at least 500 metres away from their current location.
“Shit, I guess we better check out the physical items and get the purchases as soon as possible.” Zi Dan said as he pressed his orders and a portal appeared. Out came a Panda in a light blue postman attire carrying a crate of items for Zi Dan and Xia Mao.
“A little something extra for your good faith in our new service and for spending more than a thousand panda medals in one go.” The Postman Panda said as he placed two long rectangular suitcases in front of them.
Xia Mao opened it with curiosity which subsequently made both his and Zi Dan’s jaw dropped simultaneously.
Lo and behold.
The spear of death modernised to rip its enemies. The item which Peppers called a cheap imitation of her explosive magic. And yet its the envy for anyone who wields it in the battlefield, for its appearance only beckon the reaper to arrive sooner.
It’s a triple barrel RPG launcher.
