The importance of purchasing spiritual weapons was self-evident for mercenaries like Wei Qingzhu and Zhou Hu.
But so was the issue of price.
"These spirit tools sold by the boss are really expensive..." Wei Qingzhu muttered with a sigh as he stared at the floating light screen.
Of course, "expensive" was a relative term.
In truth, they were just poor.
In the end, none of them bought anything.
After lying around for an entire day, Luo Chuan finally grew bored. Stretching lazily, he rose from his seat and returned to the counter inside Origin Mall.
Not long after, Wei Qingzhu and the others exited the weapon sales interface, their expressions noticeably odd.
It wasn't the kind of joy one might expect after acquiring a powerful new weapon—instead, their faces carried faint disappointment.
Luo Chuan noticed it right away.
Didn't they buy anything? he thought, puzzled. Why the long faces?
As a boss who prided himself on being customer-focused, Luo Chuan naturally couldn't let this go.
"Ah, boss." Wei Qingzhu and the others greeted him with slightly forced smiles as they noticed his presence behind the counter.
"Didn't find anything you liked?" Luo Chuan asked casually, resting an elbow on the wooden surface.
"That's not it," Wei Qingzhu replied, shaking his head with a wry smile.
Luo Chuan raised an eyebrow. "Then what's the issue?"
Zhou Hu cleared his throat awkwardly, and the rest of the group wore similarly sheepish expressions.
Embarrassment hung in the air like a heavy fog.
Zhou Hu exhaled deeply. It was time to be honest.
"Boss... the spiritual tools in your shop are indeed amazing, but the prices are... well, they're just too steep for us. We can't afford them."
After he finished, Zhou Hu braced himself for Luo Chuan's response.
But instead of reacting with surprise or frustration, Luo Chuan seemed contemplative, as though a long-forgotten thought had just resurfaced.
Ah, right... Not every customer at Origin Mall was a wealthy big shot. He had completely forgotten.
This was a problem someone else had already solved long ago.
Bu Lige, the early adopter of new things, had been the first to deal with this very situation.
Maybe it's time to bring that idea back.
Luo Chuan looked at the group, now curious and hopeful. With a serious expression, he posed a single question:
"Have you ever heard of installments?"
The group blinked in unison.
Installments?
The word sounded alien—like some kind of secret technique or obscure cultivation art.
Of course, they hadn't heard of it. How could they? It was clearly one of the boss's inventions.
Noticing their confusion, Luo Chuan calmly brought up a new display on the light curtain, just like he had done earlier in the morning.
He patiently walked them through the concept of paying in parts over time.
As realization dawned, their expressions changed as if a light had been lit within them. Eyes widened. Jaws dropped.
"Boss, how did you even come up with this?" Wei Qingzhu asked, practically in awe.
The others chimed in with similar sentiments.
"As expected of the boss. Your thinking is on a completely different level!"
"This is brilliant and actually useful!"
Song Qiuying's face was full of admiration. "The boss never ceases to amaze."
Their words of praise came one after another.
Luo Chuan maintained a calm demeanor, but internally, he was quite pleased.
So this is why emperors liked flattery so much... he mused. It's not that I enjoy it... just that it makes sense.
Though the comparison wasn't entirely appropriate, the sentiment still held.
After basking in the moment, Luo Chuan's expression turned serious once more.
"Are you all certain about signing the installment contract?" he asked, his tone solemn. "Be warned, the consequences of breaching it... are not light."
The shift in his demeanor stunned the group. A faint pressure filled the air.
In that moment, Luo Chuan shed his usual laziness and fully embodied the dignity of a shopkeeper—not just any shopkeeper, but the shopkeeper of Origin Mall.
Of course, the system had already assessed their qualifications and ensured they had the means to fulfill the contract.
Luo Chuan was merely giving them a final chance to reconsider.
To confirm whether they truly wished to make the commitment.