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

Soon, the lease agreement was signed, and everyone left the business management office.

"Master, this...this is going so smoothly!" Lin Hai's voice was still tinged with excitement. His usually shrewd eyes were now filled with awe and a newfound ambition. "Respect and reputation, it's incredibly effective! That Greg guy's attitude changes faster than flipping through a book!"

Li Wu nodded slightly; reputation was indeed useful.

Greg's reaction confirmed Lin Hai's judgment: the shop was key. Now, they had the best start. The three-day renovation period was just right for planning.

"Master, shouldn't we start thinking about how to run this shop now?" Old Wang asked hesitantly.

He and Xiaofang never imagined they could participate in such a large-scale business project. Before, they only dared to set up stalls in the city and were often bullied by members of large guilds. Now, owning a shop in the core area, even if it's rented, feels like a dream.

Xiao Fang chimed in, "Yeah, expert! High-end shop rents aren't cheap, we need to earn the money back quickly." Her words were simple and direct, highlighting the current pressure. 120 gold coins a year is indeed a large sum of money.

Li Wu looked at Lin Hai, trusting in his business acumen. "Lin Hai, what are your thoughts?"

Lin Hai quickly calmed down, and his business mind began to work at high speed. He took out his notebook and pen and started flipping through the pages.

"Master, we currently have about eighty gold coins left after deducting the first year's rent."

"Eighty gold coins..." Li Wu's brow twitched almost imperceptibly upon hearing this. "What can that do?"

Lin Hai glanced at Lao Wang and Xiao Fang, then looked at Li Wu. "Master, eighty gold coins isn't a lot, but it's not a little either. If it's just for buying shelves and counters, and doing some minor renovations to the storefront, it'll definitely be enough."

He paused, then continued, "But what we're going to do isn't just run an ordinary grocery store. We're going to establish a commercial stronghold, the prototype of a commercial empire that can rival Wanbaolou."

Li Wu listened quietly.

He admired Lin Hai's ambition, "So, you think eighty gold coins aren't enough."

"Far from enough!" Lin Hai said firmly. "Master, think about it, a high-end shop has three floors. Just for the decoration, if you want to make it classy and attract high-end customers, eighty gold coins might not even be enough to finish decorating the first floor."

He tapped his notebook. "Furthermore, we need to reserve working capital for purchasing raw materials, acquiring rare items from other players, and we might even need to hire NPC helpers—all of which require money."

Old Wang and Xiao Fang exchanged a worried glance. "Then... what should we do?" Xiao Fang asked, her tone anxious.

Li Wu remained calm.

He knew this would be a challenge. "Lin Hai, you said before that the worst thing in business is to spread things haphazardly and to establish rules. Now that we have shops and start-up capital, how do you plan to set the next set of rules?"

Lin Hai's eyes lit up upon hearing this, as this was his area of ​​expertise.

"Master, you're right. The rules are our most powerful weapon. Now that we've rented this high-end shop, we should make the most of its value."

He stood up, his mind racing. "A three-story shop. We don't need to use the first two floors entirely ourselves. We can break them down into several small counters or stalls, and then... sublet them!"

"Subletting?" Old Wang and Xiao Fang were both stunned; they had never considered such a thing.

Li Wu immediately understood. "You mean, turn our shop into a larger platform, allowing other players or NPCs to set up shop there?"

"That's right! Exactly!" Lin Hai said with certainty.

"Master, think about it, how scarce are shops in the Ironforge core area? How much would players who want to do business in the core area but don't have enough reputation or funds crave such an opportunity?"

"We can rent these counters to potential lifestyle enthusiasts or small caravans at a reasonable price, or even a slightly higher price."

"In this way, we can not only quickly recoup our investment, but also attract more players, creating a business clustering effect!"

Li Wu thought Lin Hai's explanation made sense. This was a good way to use his respect and reputation and the scarce resource of high-end shops to turn a shop into a small commercial center.

"What about the third floor?" Li Wu asked.

"The third floor, of course, is reserved for our own use," Lin Hai said. "It can serve as our core office area, a display area for high-value items, and our private workshop."

"Old Wang and Xiao Fang, you can set up your forging and potion workshops there, where you can focus on production without being disturbed by the outside world."

Old Wang and Xiao Fang stared wide-eyed.

Their own workshop, located in a high-end shop in the heart of the area!

This was a level of treatment they never dared to dream of before.

"In this way, our shops will have three functions: a platform for external leasing, our own high-end sales and production center, and a business intelligence hub," Lin Hai summarized.

Li Wu pondered Lin Hai's words.

This plan is valuable; it's both radical and pragmatic, leveraging existing strengths to create more capital and influence. "How exactly will it operate? Sublease prices, lease terms, and how will tenants be selected?"

Lin Hai continued confidently, "Regarding pricing, we can refer to the rents of shops in other areas and combine that with the scarcity of our core area to set a competitive price."

"The lease term can be more flexible, such as monthly, quarterly, or even semi-annual leases, to attract tenants with different needs. As for screening, we can give priority to those with potential in the lifestyle industry or some caravans with unique products, so as to enrich the variety of goods in our shops and attract more customers."

He paused, then added, "Of course, we could also hold a small 'counter rental auction,' which would maximize revenue and select the most capable tenants. Moreover, the auction itself is a form of advertising, attracting more attention."

Li Wu's eyes lit up.

An auction—that's a good idea. He liked this simple, direct approach that maximized profits.

"An auction..." Li Wu repeated softly, already sketching out the basic outline of a business plan in his mind.

"That's right, an auction!" Lin Hai said confidently. "Master, during these three days of renovations, we can start preparing for the auction. Publicity, rule setting, tenant recruitment... all of these can be done simultaneously."

"Old Wang, Xiao Fang," Li Wu looked at the two of them, "What are your thoughts? You're casual gamers, you understand market demand best. What kind of products do you think are most popular with players? What does your workshop mainly produce?"

Old Wang rubbed his hands together, feeling a little uneasy but mostly energized by the blueprint Lin Hai had drawn up.

"Master, currently most players are around level 20 or 30, and there's a huge demand for high-quality equipment, especially weapons and armor. My forging skills are now good enough to consistently craft high-quality equipment. If I have enough raw materials, I can even try forging rare equipment."

Xiaofang quickly chimed in, "Master, there's a huge demand for all kinds of potions—restorative potions, buff potions, and potions that remove negative status effects. Especially high-level restorative potions; they're essential for dungeons and battlegrounds. My potion-making skills have improved to the point where I can now craft some rare-grade potions."

Li Wu listened and understood what was going on.

Forging and potion making were indeed the most popular crafting professions in the early stages of the game. What he didn't expect was that they could all create rare-level abilities. With Lao Wang and Xiao Fang, their shop had a stable supply of goods and a core competitive advantage.

"Very good." Li Wu said in a deep voice, "Lin Hai, you are in charge of the overall planning of the shop and the preparation of the auction. Lao Wang and Xiao Fang, you are in charge of preparing the production plan and making a list of the raw materials needed. We need to lay a solid foundation in these three days."

"No problem, expert!" Lin Hai replied crisply. The previous weariness and dejection were gone from his face, replaced by a long-lost spirit.

Old Wang and Xiao Fang echoed their agreement, feeling as if their lives had been completely changed at that moment.

Li Wu stood up and looked at the sky. Night had fallen, and the lights of Ironforge were on. He knew this was just the beginning.

A magnificent business empire is quietly taking shape in his hands.

"The renovation will take at least three more days," Li Wu calculated silently in his mind. He couldn't be idle during these three days; he still had a lot to do.

Improving our strength is the fundamental solution.

Just then, a crisp system notification broke the tranquility of the garden.

[Seeking Mist Among Flowers: I'm back, where are you now?]

A subtle smile played at the corners of Li Wu's lips.

Hua Zitong, she's finally back!