Watching Collei follow Barbara and the others through the Teleport Waypoint to the Underground Mine, Arkz looked forward to them bringing back good news.
He hoped the effects of these elemental weapons would be more useful.
Collecting the sacrificial offerings could not be rushed.
It was useless to be anxious.
While ordinary quality sacrificial offerings were abundant in the wilderness around Mondstadt, the System required offerings of the highest quality.
As for the other main quest, establishing a Joja Supermarket within Mondstadt, he could start preparing for that in advance.
To construct a large supermarket meeting the System's requirements, sufficient Mora and approval from the Knights of Favonius were indispensable.
Obtaining approval from the Knights would not be difficult; as long as he could establish cooperation regarding elemental weapons with the Knights, Arkz was quite confident he could secure the right to build the supermarket.
However, the construction of the supermarket, the purchase of the land, and the subsequent procurement of goods and employee recruitment...
All together, it would cost approximately 2 million Mora.
Arkz currently possessed about 1.2 million Mora, including the income from selling the vegetables and fruits from Springvale Farm and his previous savings.
He needed to carefully plan how to acquire the remaining 800,000 Mora.
Selling the elemental weapons should bring him a stable and long-term income.
For weapons of such immense power that even ordinary people could use, Arkz planned to cooperate only with official state institutions.
This was partly to maintain stability and partly to reduce unnecessary trouble.
Maintaining a good relationship with the authorities would make everything easier later on.
"However, the defensive rings and the charging pistol still need some adjustments, and negotiating cooperation with the authorities will take quite a while."
Thinking of this, Arkz couldn't help but get a headache.
Indeed, earning a lot of money always involved overcoming many difficulties.
"Right, the sap collectors I hung up in the Oak Forest should be ready for harvest by now!"
"If I craft the brewing barrels, I can start brewing strawberry fruit wine."
"Since it's produced by the System, there shouldn't be any issues with the taste or quality of this strawberry fruit wine."
"Moreover, the Drunkards in the City of freedom, Mondstadt, are famous for being numerous, so the strawberry fruit wine definitely won't lack customers."
At this thought, Arkz's eyes lit up.
He shouted towards the open space:
"Ah Qiu, Ah Qiu!"
Thump thump thump.
Ah Qiu, clad in a black robe and wearing sunglasses, quickly ran over.
Now that she received three bottles of water of purity daily as wages, she was full of drive!
"Mr. Arkz, what can I do for you?"
"The sap collectors over in the Oak Forest should be nearly full. Please go and help me collect the oak resin and put it in the farm's warehouse."
"Understood, I'll go right away!"
Watching Ah Qiu depart, Arkz nodded with satisfaction.
Having someone to run errands and work for you felt great!
As for himself, he couldn't afford to be idle now.
He had promised Diluc that once he cracked the formation on the Cleanse pendant, he would send one to him.
Now was a good time to pay him a visit.
Although the brewing barrels Diluc sent were useless to him, it was still a kind gesture.
On the other side.
Ah Qiu was walking through the Oak Forest.
"Pat, pat."
"Come out!"
As Ah Qiu clapped her hands, a group of Hilichurls appeared from the trees, from the bushes, and even from underground.
These Hilichurls respectfully lined up and knelt before Ah Qiu.
Unlike ordinary Hilichurls, these possessed wisdom in their eyes and could even speak human language.
"Lord Ah Qiu!"
These Hilichurls looked at Ah Qiu with eyes full of adoration.
Ah Qiu, who had been acting like a lackey for Arkz just moments ago, now appeared domineering and mysterious, like a monarch.
Ah Qiu said with a cold face:
"How is the task I assigned you going?"
The leading red-haired Hilichurl replied respectfully:
"Lord Ah Qiu, all the sap collectors have been well-protected, without any damage."
"It's just..."
Hearing the red-haired Hilichurl speak, Ah Qiu's expression immediately sobered, and her aura became even more oppressive.
"Just what?!"
The red-haired Hilichurl quickly bowed its head to the ground, saying respectfully:
"Previously, an Abyss Mage came to recruit our tribe."
"Following Lord Ah Qiu's instructions, we all disguised ourselves as normal Hilichurls and our flaws were not discovered."
"However, some of our kin were being controlled by the Abyss Mage..."
Ah Qiu's expression turned icy:
"Do you still harbor any illusions about those Abyss scumbags?!"
"In these five hundred years, have those Khaenri'ah people who defected to the Abyss ever cared about our survival?!"
"They even treat us, who lack wisdom, as cannon fodder, driving us around arbitrarily!"
"The Abyss cannot save us!!!"
Ah Qiu looked at her subordinates, the Hilichurls kneeling on the ground and trembling, and sighed helplessly.
Even with the help of the water of purity, these subordinates were still so slow-witted.
"Now go and collect all the oak resin gathered by the sap collectors."
"As for the Abyss Mage!"
"I will deal with it!"
Upon hearing Ah Qiu's command, the many Hilichurls dispersed to diligently work, attempting to quell her anger.
For these Hilichurls, it was Ah Qiu who rescued them from the hell of endless reincarnation, unlocking the wisdom sealed by the Heavenly Principles!
They would absolutely obey Ah Qiu's orders.
Even if Ah Qiu told them to slit their own throats right now, they wouldn't hesitate.
Watching the Hilichurls leave, Ah Qiu hesitated for a moment, then whispered:
"Whirlwind."
Whoosh!
A gust of wind flashed by.
A Ranger Hilichurl appeared behind Ah Qiu. It knelt devoutly on the ground.
"Lord Ah Qiu!"
"Go and eliminate those Abyss Mages who are threatening their tribe. Remember to be discreet; we cannot confront the Abyss head-on yet."
"Yes!"
The Ranger Hilichurl turned into a gust of wind and rushed towards the direction where the Abyss Mages were, radiating killing intent!
This Ranger Hilichurl was one Ah Qiu encountered by chance after arriving at the farm. It was powerful, capable of easily defeating three Abyss Mages working together.
If Ah Qiu hadn't shown it the power of the water of purity, subduing such a strong Hilichurl would have been quite difficult.
Since obtaining the water of purity from Arkz, Ah Qiu had begun her own experiments.
As a descendant of the Khaenri'ah royal family, Ah Qiu retained her wisdom through the power from beyond this world; however, her originally beautiful maiden appearance had transformed into that of an ugly and terrifying Hilichurl.
The desire for revenge for the innocent Khaenri'ah people was what drove Ah Qiu to persist.
Yet, for Ah Qiu over these past few centuries, the greatest fear was not death, but loneliness.
Ah Qiu did not acknowledge those who defected to the Abyss as her kin, while the Hilichurls she considered her kin remained as foolish as beasts.
To Ah Qiu, even the time spent in the slumber between being killed by an Adventurer and resurrecting by the ley lines felt like a form of reprieve.
Fortunately, she met Arkz.
In Arkz, Ah Qiu saw hope for revenge, hope for saving her people!
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