…
The next morning…
Genesis sat up in bed with a drowsy expression as she stood to her feet and stretched.
The first thing Genesis did was head to the restroom to freshen up.
However, just a few seconds after she set foot into the restroom, an ear-piercing scream could be heard.
Genesis moved closer to the mirror as her eyes widened, and her previous drowsiness had disappeared. On the right side of her face were two blemishes that were not there before she fell asleep!
"My face! What happened to my face?!" Genesis scowled.
She never skipped her skincare routines for fear of this precise moment.
That's when it suddenly donned on her. The only thing she could think of was that the pillows she slept on must have been unclean!
Now, her face paid the price because of some housekeeper's poor room management!
"I'll file a complaint about whoever cleaned this room last and have them fired! How dare they do this to my precious face! And I was supposed to go to a shoot later on today… I might have to cancel because of them! Makeup—I need makeup to cover this up..! I wouldn't be able to hold my head high if anyone saw me like this." Genesis quietly cursed under her breath.
But, little did Genesis know that this was only the beginning.
…
Back at the orphanage…
"Hey, someone move those pallets to the east side!"
"Coming through! Coming through!"
"Where are the electricians?! I can't start on this side until the cables are repositioned!"
"You, you and you—start working on replacing the rusty pipes for the plumbing system. I want it done yesterday!"
"Yes!"
'It's coming along nicely. A full day has not yet passed since they began, but the difference is already like that of night and day.'
The renovation company Fang Qiu hired was first-rate. There was not a single worker in sight slacking off, and everyone seemed highly capable when it came to their appointed assignments.
After his late-night visit to Genesis, Jin returned to the orphanage. He stayed the entire night watching and making sure that Wendell did not send anyone else to cause trouble.
As for Qiao Xiaoqing and the orphanage children, Fang Qiu had arranged a temporary residence for them until renovations of the orphanage were complete.
She also finalized a long-term contract with the professional caretaker to remove a lot of the burden on Qiao Xiaoqing's shoulders.
Qiao Xiaoqing told Fang Qiu that it was unnecessary considering everything else they had already done for her; however, Fang Qiu insisted.
Fang Qiu did not know how Qiao Xiaoqing did it all this time. She could barely survive a few minutes with sixteen children, let alone years! After experiencing it herself firsthand, how could Fang Qiu allow someone else to go through that alone?!
Seeing that Fang Qiu was determined not to take no for an answer, Qiao Xiaoqing decided to accept her offer.
Though what shocked Fang Qiu more than anything was the fact that Qiao Xiaoqing, who had been in a bad condition, looked perfectly healthy when she saw her again!
Fang Qiu was uncertain what Jin did to obtain such miraculous results. However, when she asked him about it, the response she received was "I have a bit of experience when it comes to traditional medicine, that's all."
"You're here early." A voice sounded from behind Jin that carried a hint of surprise in its tone.
Without turning around, Jin responded, "I wanted to review their progress with my own eyes. Besides—I'm sure I told you it was alright to take the next couple of days off. I've dropped a lot on your plate these past few days, and you've already helped me out quite a bit. I have no problem if you want to take a step back and rest for a while, Advisor Fang Qiu."
Fang Qiu walked forward and stopped next to Jin.
"A lot on my plate, is it? I'm offended by how little you think of me." Fang Qiu said half-jokingly.
She then continued, "All jokes aside… If I had to rest after handling just this much, I'd never have the time to get anything done. The quicker I finish up here, the faster I can shift my undivided attention to the Mystical Realm Palace."
"Oh? I thought you said you finished everything that needed to be done." Jin commented.
"I did. However, the market never stops moving. Not to mention, this is the perfect time for me to implement the next project I have in mind. I know you've given me full control over your finances, but this is a decision that will require you to sign off on it." Fang Qiu explained.
"Since it is something that will benefit me as well, as long as it's within my power, I will do my utmost to fulfill your request. What did you have in mind?" Jin asked curiously.
"For the duration of this event, I want to form a partnership with the Seven Dreams Consortium to distribute our pills directly to players on the battlefields." Fang Qiu stated.
She then went on to say, "There are still a vast number of players we have yet to reach—even the natives of RML are not out of the question. During this time, everyone is looking for a way to grow stronger. So, why not give them that opportunity? We will send players to each major battlefield with a supply in hand to sell the Mystical Realm Palace pills at mark-up prices. We are providing a convenience, after all."
"The Seven Dreams Consortium already have a large distribution network in place, so we just have to provide them with the pills. It will be commission-based with the Seven Dreams Consortium and their sellers gaining a percentage of every pill they sell. Of course, I will have to write up the contracts as a security measure and settle matters of inventory." Fang Qiu stated.
"I see. That's quite the idea." Jin said with a carefree smile.
"Then, I-"
"However, a partnership with the Seven Dreams Consortium is not necessary." Jin declared.
Fang Qiu was somewhat taken aback by Jin's words. For a moment, it sounded as if he was on board with the idea. It couldn't be that he wanted to cut out the middle man and attempt to do it himself, right?
Regardless of what kind of business it was, one had to know that if it had a physical inventory, then building a distribution network from the ground up was a logistics back-end nightmare!
"May I ask why you are against a partnership with the Seven Dreams Consortium? Is there some bad blood between the two of you?" Fang Qiu queried.
"No, we are neither on good nor bad terms. It's just as I've said—a partnership with them is unnecessary." Jin confirmed.
"You… Do you have any idea of the type of hardsh.i.p.s that come with getting a distribution network in place? It's a logistics nightmare. If the Mystical Realm Palace were bigger, perhaps it would be possible, but it's still in the early developmental stages." Fang Qiu sighed.
"It's fine. After all, I'm sure that guy can use some extra work to keep himself busy. When you return to RML, add and contact a player by the name of Metronome. I will let him know to expect you. Use him as you see fit." Jin stated.
Metronome… Fang Qiu had never heard of such a player. However, she assumed that Jin placed a great deal of confidence in his abilities if he was willing to entrust such a monumental task to him.
Therefore, even though Fang Qiu was still somewhat skeptical, she decided to go along with it, for now.
"I will follow your instructions. But, if I determine that he will do more harm than good, I hope that you won't mind if I send him on his way." Fang Qiu said.
"If he can't at least handle this much, I see no purpose in keeping him around. If he does not live up to your expectations and fails to meet your standards—do as you wish." Jin responded without hesitation.
Fang Qiu nodded in response.
"Then, I look forward to meeting this Metronome." Fang Qiu said calmly.
"I'm going to check if they're on schedule. Excuse me." With those words, Fang Qiu left Jin's side to oversee the renovation company.
When Fang Qiu took her leave, Jin set his gaze on the bright morning sky.
'Now… It's about time I return.'
…
Meanwhile, somewhere in RML…
"It should be around here… Ah, I found it..! Xiao Liang, Ayanellia—we're getting ready to depart soon!" A charming voice called out.
"With this, I finally met the last requirement to clear my war objective." Reilei thought to herself with a blossoming smile on her face.
She looked down at the emerald crystal in her hand that was shaped like a flower.
Player Name: It's So Realistic
Level: 40
Class: Nine Creations Summoner
