Chapter 2350 – Crazy Masters

The Candlelight Trading Firm’s new appearance stupefied every player on the street.

“It_s massive!”

“What did Zero Wing do?”

They were overcome with shock as they gazed up at the humongous Candlelight Trading Firm. The surrounding player-owned Shops might look extravagant, but they were nothing compared to Candlelight’s 100-meter-tall Shop.

The merchant players were particularly stunned, staring with wide eyes and dropped jaws at the new Candlelight Trading Firm Shop.

Ordinary players didn’t usually understand God’s Domain’s rules regarding its Shops, but merchant players like them were very familiar with these rules and regulations.

Shop construction in NPC cities was heavily regulated. Players couldn’t simply build as many floors as they wanted. For example, a 3-star Shop could only have up to nine floors.

And yet, the Candlelight Trading Firm in White River City now had 21 floors!

Not only could a Shop display more merchandise with more floors, but it could also house more Lifestyle players.

An ordinary Shop’s environment couldn’t compare to that of the various subclasses’ associations, but once it reached 3-star status, a Shop would offer better Advanced Workshops than the subclass associations. This was one of the factors that attracted so many Lifestyle players to White River City’s Candlelight Trading Firm. Moreover, there wasn’t a limit to how many Advanced Workshops a 3-star Shop could have as long as it had enough space for all of them.

“What’s going on? How can a player-owned Shop in an NPC city have 21 floors?” Cold Memory stared at the Candlelight Trading Firm in shock.

When she had investigated the main continent’s Shops, the largest she had seen had only been nine-stories tall, yet the Candlelight Trading Firm before her had more than double that. It also occupied more land than other 3-star Shops.

“Did he promote the Candlelight Trading Firm?” South Dream, the male Guardian Knight, murmured as he considered a possibility. However, he couldn’t be certain about the idea.

“I’m pretty sure he promoted it to 4-star status. It wouldn’t have transformed so massively, otherwise.” Silent Wonder nodded. Although she seemed calm, she was just as surprised as her two companions.

Promoting a Shop was an incredibly difficult task, especially after it had reached 3-star status. Even at this stage of the game, very few superpowers had 3-star Shops. However, it seemed that the Candlelight Trading Firm now has a 4-star Shop, which would give it major advantages.

“It seems Zero Wing is quite capable after all, but so what if it has a 4-star Shop?” Cold Memory said, clicking her tongue. Haughtily, she continued, “Dark Pursuit has already captured an ancient civilization’s town and owns an Intermediate Meditation Room, which no one on the main continent has acquired. How could a Shop compare to a town?”

Ancient civilizations had greater technology than what could be found in the current kingdoms and empires, and Dark Pursuit had secured an ancient civilization’s town that specialized in Lifestyle development in the Moon God’s Realm. The technology in that town easily surpasses any within a mere Shop. Moreover, as the town developed, the Guild would unlock more advantages.

“The Shop’s open now. Let’s head inside,” Silent Wonder said.

Silent Wonder didn’t try to argue with Cold Memory. The woman had already shown her proof, and she had to admit that the Moon God’s Realm’s Lifestyle standards were far beyond that of the main continent. Moreover, Dark Pursuit’s alchemical techniques were just as impressive as Zero Wing’s. Hence, Cold Memory qualified to be so arrogant.

Meanwhile, Melancholic Smile had been waiting before the Candlelight’s entrance for quite some time. When she saw Silent Wonder’s group approach, she led them inside, earning the surrounding players’ envy and admiration.

Everyone was curious about the Candlelight Trading Firm’s promotion, and they all wanted to inspect the new changes for themselves, especially the Lifestyle players who had come to join the trading firm.

However, non-members weren’t allowed to enter the Shop at the moment. They had to wait outside, which was why they jealously watched Cold Memory and South Dream, both outsiders, enter the Shop.

As they entered the building, Silent Wonder, Cold Memory, and South Dream were shocked by what they saw.

When they entered the Shop, they felt as if they had just stepped into an entirely different world. Not only was the Shop’s interior far more magnificent and brilliant than it had been earlier, but its Mana density was twice as high, as well. They felt incredibly calm and clear-headed as they stood in the doorway.

As Cold Memory and South Dream followed Melancholic Smile to the Candlelight Trading Firm’s top floor, what they saw on the various floors rendered them speechless. There were now more than 40 Special Workshops and as many as 12 Basic Meditation rooms. It was enough to rival the number in the ancient civilization’s town.

Fortunately for them, Candlelight didn’t seem to have an Intermediate Meditation Room, which meant Cold Memory and South Dream still had a chance of dragging Silent Wonder into Dark Pursuit.

Melancholic Smile quickly led Silent Wonder and her companions to the top floor. As the group was about to enter the top-floor reception room, Cold Memory and South Dream noticed a commotion at the end of the corridor. A group of players crowded before a door made of Magic Crystals, looking in with ecstatic expressions. To Cold Memory and South Dream, those players looked like a pack of wolves that hadn’t eaten for several days.

What astonished the two outsiders, however, was the fact that every one of those players wore the insignia of a Lifestyle Master.

“Sister Melancholic, can I use the Research Workshop for a moment? I promise I’ll be quick!”

“Melancholic, we’re all core members and just a step away from reaching Intermediate Master rank. I’ll even hand over all of my GCPs to use the Research Workshop for three days!”

“Crap! You want three days?! I’d be satisfied to use it for one day!”

Every one of these Master Lifestyle players gave Melancholic Smile desperate, passionate looks. Afraid that she’d reject their requests, they offered everything they had to convince her.

“Have these people gone insane?” When Cold Memory saw the Master Lifestyle players’ behavior, her world view shifted.

Even in the various superpowers, Master Lifestyle players enjoyed VIP treatment, yet these Candlelight Masters were begging Melancholic Smile just to enter a room, the ‘Research Workshop.’

Her Guild’s Master Lifestyle players would call her crazy if she told them about this.

Even the Intermediate Meditation Room was only slightly helpful to Master Lifestyle players. It wasn’t such a treasure that players would beg and bribe to use it.

“Calm down. We have yet to decide the rules for the Research Workshop, and we’re not letting anyone use it until we do. Once the Guild Leader has set up the rules, any internal member that has successfully become a Master will get an opportunity to use it,” Melancholic Smile said, attempting to placate the crowd.

The Master Lifestyle players seemed satisfied with Melancholic Smile’s response, and they said nothing more. She had already confirmed that the trading firm’s internal Master Lifestyle players would get an opportunity to use the room, and for now, that was good enough. All they had to do was wait. Even so, they still stared at the door longingly as they left.

“Shopkeeper Melancholic, may I know what that Research Workshop is?” South Dream asked curiously.

In Dark Pursuit, a Basic Lifestyle Master enjoyed the same status as peak experts like himself. Intermediate Masters had an even higher rank in the Guild than he did. However, quite a few of those Master Lifestyle players had been Intermediate masters, yet they begged Melancholic Smile to let them into the Research Workshop. Why wouldn’t it make him curious?

“The Research Workshop? That’s a new room our Shop has gained with its promotion to 4-star status. Since no one is using it right now, why don’t we head in and take a look?” Melancholic Smile suggested. Rather than keeping the room a secret, she invited Cold Memory and South Dream inside.