Chapter 287: Lindsey's Magical Plant Shop
Chapter 287: Lindsey's Magical Plant Shop
"Mr. Lindsey, your 'Maiden's Sorrow' is so vibrant!" exclaimed Rosetta, admiring the plant.
"Miss Rosetta, I believe it's your beauty that makes it bloom so radiantly," Lindsey replied with a charming smile.
"Haha! You're quite the charmer. But I think it's your exceptional gardening skills that deserve the credit."
In the newly opened shop, Lindsey bid farewell to a customer and received two silver coins in return.
Rosetta, who also resided in the Northeast District, left with a pot of bright yellow flowers, satisfied with her purchase.
"That was the twenty-fourth customer," Lindsey noted as he returned to the house and leaned against a cabinet in the foyer.
He appeared deep in thought, but in reality, he was examining his attribute panel.
After acquiring the housing, Lindsey immediately converted it into a shop using his Shop Management skill.
He had now gained a preliminary understanding of the information.
[Shop: Lindsey's Magical Plant Shop]
[Level: 1 (24/50)]
[Staff: 0/0]
[Recognition: Little Known]
[Inventory: Radiant Lungwort, Weeping Beauty, Witch's Smile, Summer Bamboo, Ren Grass, Emerald Dragon Gentian, and more...]
[Furnishings: Wooden Shelves, Wooden Counter, Glass Windows, etc.]
[Warehouse: Absolute Ice Jade, Steelvine Vitality Potion, Crystal, and more...]
In simple terms, Lindsey had become a property owner.
With the activation of the Shop Management skill, the very essence of the house had transformed into a game property.
Lindsey could directly collect it and redeploy it in any sufficiently spacious area. He also transferred items that were not frequently used but took up space in his inventory to the shop's warehouse.
As he stared at the numbers on the panel, Lindsey's mind wandered.
His thoughts raced with various ideas.
With continuous transactions, the shop's level cap would increase, and by submitting the corresponding materials, he could upgrade it.
Currently, he was 26 transactions away from reaching the 50 transactions required for a level 2 shop.
Following the typical development pattern of game players' abilities, Lindsey speculated that more capabilities would be unlocked upon upgrading the shop.
For instance, the [Staff: 0/0] slot.
If he unlocked the ability to hire staff, Lindsey might be able to assign living people as shop employees and transport them by carrying the shop.
"The Inventory skill can't hold living beings, but the future shop might allow it."
"The two skills could complement each other, which could be considered a form of game interaction. Or maybe one day, if I switch to a slave shop, I can directly transport people with the shop?"
However, these were merely Lindsey's speculations.
The Shop Management skill currently only allowed him to convert one building, and he had no intention of abandoning his current residence to build a slave shop from scratch.
"Slave trading does seem to push the boundaries of morality."
"..."
"Good morning, Mr. Lindsey."
At that moment, a white, fluffy figure entered the shop.
Rily, a Talo rabbit-person, had come to visit early in the morning. She carried a basket woven from vines, filled to the brim with longan fruits.
Ever since Lindsey hired her for construction, Rily had been won over by his culinary skills.
Now that Lindsey's shop was completed, he didn't mind sharing his delicious food with friends, and Rily often visited.
Each time she came, the Talo rabbit-person would bring an abundance of fruits.
"Good morning, Rily," Lindsey greeted her warmly.
"I tried baking some bread today. Come and have a taste."
Lindsey's bread was made with the most ordinary ingredients, but due to the influence of his skills, the simple loaves had a golden hue, were perfectly baked, and exuded a delightful crispness.
"Awesome!" Rily exclaimed, her eyes narrowing with delight. Just then, she turned to Lindsey and said, "I just saw Mrs. Rosetta leaving with your flowers in her arms, didn't I?"
Lindsey smiled and nodded. "Business has been decent these past few days."
As he greeted Rily, Lindsey also began tending to his goods. Most of these plants were collected with Elaine's help, while a small portion was sourced by Lindsey himself from the market.
Aside from ornamental flowers, there were also hallucinogenic and poisonous plants, as well as those with medicinal properties.
Unfortunately, these plants were not easy to sell, and in the end, Lindsey might have to use them himself.
Having something to do during his recovery was a pleasure.
Not to mention the magical seeds from the Black Mountain World in Lindsey's bag, which he had no intention of selling. He planned to try planting them in the yard later.
Crunch!
At noon, the shop's door was pushed open.
"Mr. Lindsey, is that you?"
A man in black entered, holding a wooden board with recorded information. Lindsey could sense the presence of Essence within the man's body.
An Awakener? Lindsey's welcoming smile vanished, but he politely nodded.
"Yes, I am Lindsey. What can I do for you?"
The man approached the front hall and bowed. "I'm from the Town Hall, and I'd like to discuss a tax matter with you."
"As an Awakener, you do enjoy certain rights. But before we proceed, let me confirm—you're not a merchant, are you?"
This question pertained to the classification of Awakeners, not their real-world occupations.
Lindsey replied, "No, I'm not a merchant. I should be registered at the Town Hall."
The man in black was very polite. "This is just a routine inquiry. Please don't mind it."
"..."
The conversation then turned to the standard tax negotiations.
Lindsey had registered as a flower shop owner.
Due to his status as an Awakener, he paid a minimal amount of taxes, only a third of what a regular business owner would pay, and he visited the Town Hall to settle the payment at the beginning of each month.
However, after the tax matter was addressed, the man from the Town Hall, an Awakener with the profession of a Scholar of Life, brought up a new topic.
"Mr. Lindsey, we appreciate your decision to open a shop in Lookout City."
"But I have another matter to discuss with you today."
Lindsey responded with a calm expression, "Please, go on."
The Scholar of Life then revealed his true purpose.
"To investigate the current situation in Black Mountain, clear out the zombies, and also to clear the path to the Hidden Frontier, we would like to seek your assistance."
Lindsey politely declined, "I've already shared all the information I know with Mr. Kang Qi, and he should be a Scholar of Life as well, right?"
The man tried to persuade him further, "But verbal descriptions and the experiences of someone who has been through it all are undoubtedly different..."
Rumble!
At that moment, the ground beneath them trembled.
The Scholar of Life's expression changed, and he rushed out of the shop. Looking back, he saw that the Earth Pulse around Lookout City was under attack.
As for Lindsey...
He didn't even step out of the shop's door, but he could guess the outcome with his eyes closed.
The forest's Earth Pulse was definitely under attack.
It was raging at that moment!
(End of Chapter)
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