I am the Arcane Archer, and all my skills are self-created.

The Ironforge Commercial Administration Office is located on the wing of the City Lord's Mansion, in a quaint stone building. It is usually deserted, with only a few casual players or guild management occasionally coming to inquire.

When Li Wu and his group of four entered, the hall seemed rather empty.

A middle-aged NPC in a gray uniform was sitting behind the counter, looking down at a thick ledger.

His ID above his head reads "Business Management Officer Greg".

"Hello, sir," Li Wu said calmly as he stepped forward.

Greg raised his head, his gaze sweeping over Li Wu, then looking at Lin Hai and the other two behind him.

"What is it?" Greg's voice was somewhat perfunctory, with a hint of formulaic indifference.

Ignoring the other party's attitude, Li Wu went straight to the point: "I would like to inquire about matters related to renting and purchasing shops."

Greg's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.

He encountered players like this every day, dreaming of getting rich overnight but completely ignorant of Ironforge's business rules. He cleared his throat, preparing to launch into his standard rhetoric.

"Adventurer, shop resources in Ironforge are extremely scarce. To rent or buy a shop, you must first meet two basic conditions," Greg said in a flat tone.

"First, you must have enough funds. The starting rent for the most remote, entry-level shops is 10 gold coins, while the purchase price can be as high as 100 gold coins. Shops in the core areas are several times, or even dozens of times, more expensive."

Hearing this, Lao Wang and Xiao Fang gasped again. They hadn't expected that the rent alone would be an astronomical figure that was beyond the reach of an ordinary player.

They then realized how ridiculous their previous ideas were; by the time they had saved enough money, the shops would probably have already been rented out by others.

Now they are even more grateful that they have latched onto Li Wu as their "big brother".

"Secondly, and most importantly," Greg continued, "your Ironforge reputation must reach the 'Friendly' level, which is at least 1000 reputation points. Only after meeting this requirement are you eligible to register with us and then wait in line for the lottery results for the shops."

What he said was exactly the same as what Lin Hai said, which indirectly confirmed that Lin Hai wasn't just making things up.

After Greg finished speaking, his gaze fell on Li Wu again, as if to say: See? You definitely don't meet the requirements. He was already prepared to see Li Wu's disappointed or angry expression.

However, Li Wu's face remained expressionless.

He simply looked calmly at Greg, then slowly revealed the badge on his chest—the Ironforge reputation badge that he and Hua Zitong had obtained together in the starting village.

"My reputation is at the 'Respected' level." Li Wu's voice remained calm, but his words carried an undeniable power.

When the words "Respected Level" came out of Li Wu's mouth, and a badge that shone with a special light appeared in front of Greg, Greg's expression froze instantly.

His previously perfunctory gaze suddenly sharpened, filled with shock. He abruptly stood up from his chair, leaning forward almost to the counter, carefully examining the badge in Li Wu's hand.

Greg has worked at the Ironforge Business Administration for many years and has seen countless players and NPCs, but only a handful have truly reached the "Respected" level, and all of them are prominent figures in Ironforge.

"Respect...respect level?" Greg's voice trembled noticeably. His gaze toward Li Wu had changed from initial impatience to shock, and now to awe.

He realized how rude he had been; he had actually shown contempt to a distinguished guest with a reputation for "respect".

Lin Hai stood behind Li Wu, watching Greg's dramatic reaction and feeling a surge of secret pleasure.

He knew that Li Wu's "Respect" reputation would bring huge advantages, but seeing the NPC's huge reaction still gave him a strong sense of satisfaction.

This proves that his judgment of Li Wu was correct; Li Wu does indeed possess extraordinary strength and opportunities.

Old Wang and Xiao Fang were completely dumbfounded. Although they didn't know what the "respected" level meant, they could feel the power of this prestige from Greg's sudden change in attitude.

They knew that Li Wu was even more formidable than they had imagined.

Greg took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. He sat down again, but his posture had become respectful.

"I am very sorry, esteemed adventurer, please forgive my rudeness just now." He spoke sincerely. "You possess a respected reputation, which naturally entitles you to special treatment. May I ask which shop you would like to inquire about?"

Li Wu thought to himself that the benefits of such prestige were indeed enormous, saving him a lot of unnecessary trouble. It seemed that Hua Zitong's plan was truly far-sighted.

"I'd like to learn about the shops in the core area, including the rental and purchase prices, terms, and specific procedures," Li Wu said calmly. His tone remained unchanged despite Greg's change in attitude, maintaining a detached composure throughout.

Greg nodded quickly, took a scroll from under the counter, and carefully unrolled it.

"Dear adventurer, the shops in the core area of ​​Ironforge are divided into three types: basic, intermediate, and advanced. Basic shops are smaller and suitable for individual operation; intermediate shops are of moderate size and suitable for small teams; advanced shops are the largest and are usually the headquarters of large teams or guilds."

"Regarding rentals, the annual rent for a basic shop is 30 gold coins, for a mid-level shop it's 80 gold coins, and for a high-level shop it's 150 gold coins. The maximum lease term is five years, and you have priority to renew the lease upon expiration," Greg explained in detail.

Upon hearing these figures, Lin Hai's brow twitched almost imperceptibly. He quickly calculated in his mind that even renting a shop in the core area was quite expensive. Especially a high-end shop, with an annual rent of 150 gold coins, would amount to 750 gold coins over five years—no small sum.

"Regarding purchases, basic shops cost 200 gold coins, intermediate shops cost 500 gold coins, and advanced shops cost a whopping 1000 gold coins. Purchases grant permanent ownership, but an annual maintenance fee equivalent to 20% of the rent is required," Greg continued. "However, due to your esteemed reputation level, you can enjoy a 9% discount when purchasing a shop, and a 8% discount when renting."

9% off! 8% off! Lin Hai's eyes lit up. He knew that even these seemingly small discounts could save him a considerable amount of money when faced with a large sum of money.

"Are there any additional conditions for purchasing a shop?" Li Wu asked.

Greg shook his head. "Dear adventurer, funds and reputation are no longer an issue for you. After purchasing the shop, you only need to complete the renovation and opening within three months, and submit a detailed business plan."

"A business plan?" Lin Hai's heart skipped a beat; this was exactly his area of ​​expertise.

"Yes," Greg nodded. "The business plan needs to detail your business scope, target customers, marketing strategies, etc. We will evaluate the plan based on its feasibility to ensure the shop can operate smoothly and contribute to the commercial development of Ironforge."

After listening to Greg's introduction, Li Wu had a general understanding. He turned to look at Lin Hai, his gaze questioning.

Lin Hai immediately understood. He knew Li Wu was seeking his opinion. He pondered for a moment, then said to Li Wu:

"Master, my suggestion is to rent a high-end shop in the core area first. Although the rent is not cheap, after a 8% discount, it will only cost 120 gold coins a year. We can earn back this money quickly through the operation of the shop."

"Alright, then let's rent a high-end shop in the core area," Li Wu said to Greg, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Greg immediately gave a respectful smile. "Very well, esteemed adventurer. Please wait a moment, I will process your formalities immediately." He knew in his heart that this young adventurer would surely become a powerful force in Ironforge's commercial sphere in the future.