Divine Convenience Store-Chapter 501 - 501: Celestial Hot Spring

After giving a lengthy introduction of the Celestial Hot Spring, Lin Mo led the four pre-selected staff who would be stationed inside.
Upon stepping past the archway, they were greeted by the spacious lobby, which took on exactly as Lin Mo had designed. However, the reality was far more impressive than the hologram.
Although it took the same inspiration from the traditional hot spring inns that were quite popular back on Earth, the system mixed it with the familiar touch of the Realm of Nine Heavens' aesthetics.
The floor was paved with smooth, warm tiles of polished sandstone that seemed to massage the feet with every step. The walls were paneled in fragrant Spirit Cedar, releasing a subtle, calming scent that instantly lowered one's blood pressure.
Soft, golden light emanated from paper lanterns floating near the high ceiling, but unlike mortal lanterns, these burned with an eternal, smokeless flame.
Right in the middle was the reception counter, a sleek slab of jade equipped with a smaller version of the main store's register.
It was enclosed by an arched wall of small, numbered wooden lockers awaiting the footwear of the customers, which would also automatically generate fitted bathrobes they could change into. A function that seemed to be automatically generated by the system as well.
In a way, that wall of lockers could be considered a spiritual artifact as well.
There's a door to a waiting lounge on the left side. The inside was lined with plush benches and, most prominently, a row of six imposing, leather-upholstered chairs that looked like thrones for a king who suffered from chronic back pain. The [Heavenly Touch Massage Chairs].
And those six massage chairs were still just a preview for the patrons. Once they checked in, either for a public bath or for a private suite, they would gain access to more amenities.
"This… is a bathhouse?" Tie Niu, the burly body cultivator disciple, gaped, his eyes wide as saucers. "It feels more like a palace's meditation chamber. The spiritual qi here is… gentle. It doesn't rage like in the training rooms."
"Oh? Have you tried our training room yourself?"
"Yes, it was… enlightening, easy and flexible to use. I managed to break through the technique I was trying to comprehend in less than an hour.
"Heh. Good." Lin Mo nodded in satisfaction. Then, he walked over to the reception desk. "The training rooms are for sharpening the blade. This place is for oiling it and putting it in the sheath. Now, listen closely. The procedure is simple."
He picked up a wristband with a numbered tag from the counter.
"Every customer receives one of these upon payment. It is their locker key and their payment token. It will start with the check-in price which can be categorized between a public bath or a private suite."
"Inside, not counting the public baths and suites, there will be common areas containing amenities like those comfortable-looking chairs and locked walk-in cabinets filled with our store's consumables".
"They will use this token to unlock them. If they take a drink, a snack or even a meal, it will automatically log what they picked. And lastly, they will pay the total tab when they leave."
"This is going to be the Celestial Hot Spring's foremost convenient service. No need to fumble with spirit stones, right away. It is seamless and efficient."
Lin Mo tossed the wristband to Li Li, the nimble mortal girl who caught it with a surprised dexterity.
"You will be stationed at the women's section entrance. Tie Niu, you take the men's. The other two will manage the lounge and the restocking of the amenities. Someone else will be manning this desk or you can just rotate among yourselves."
"Remember, your job isn't to serve them hand and foot like palace servants. We offer convenience, not hands-on service. This place is running on a divine-grade formation that can handle the water, the temperature, and maintenance. Your job is to guide our patrons on how to use the 'convenience'. Show them how to tap the wristband. Show them how to use our convenient amenities. And most importantly, ensure no one fights or causes a disturbance."
"If a dispute arises," Lin Mo added in finality, his eyes narrowing slightly, "Point to the sign on the wall. It will also be present in every room and corridor."
He gestured to a plaque that had materialized above the reception. It read, in bold, glowing calligraphy: [The Bath is a Sanctuary. Violence will be met with immediate expulsion and a permanent ban. Relax, or leave.]
Somehow, reading that made him almost lose composure. After all, won't it be better to use poems? But no, the system was just putting a straightforward warning.
"Understood, Shopkeeper!" Tie Niu and the others bowed, their faces becoming a mix of nervousness and excitement.
Although their work in the store proper was also exciting, they were given this unique position. In short, they could consider themselves the Convenience Heralds of the Celestial Hot Spring.
"Good. Now, before we open the floodgates, let me show you the machines. This is what will confuse them the most."
Lin Mo led them inside and into the nearest common area. Along with more massage chairs, plush benches and other convenient amenities like a ping-pong table, one of the walls was lined with glass-fronted cabinets.
Inside, consumable store products sat in neat rows. There were bottles of [Heavengrass Cow Milk], chilled to perfection. Cans of [Heavenly Dew Soda] with condensation dripping down their sides. Jars of [Glacial Spring Water]. And even small tubs of [Spirit-Infused Fruit Sorbet].
"This," Lin Mo announced, tapping the glass, "is the [Divine Vending Machine]. It is an automated merchant that never sleeps."
He held up the wristband he had taken earlier. "Watch closely."
He pressed the wristband against a glowing rune on the glass door. A soft beep echoed. The lock clicked open with a satisfying mechanical thud.
Lin Mo opened the door, took out a bottle of cow milk, and closed it.
"Simple. You tap. You take. You close. The system registers the item, adds it to your bill, and you pay when you leave. It relies on the honor system, but also on the fact that the store knows everything."
Li Li's eyes were wide. "It... it just lets you take it? Without a clerk?"
"Like I said, they will still pay once they leave this special facility of our store. It is the same at the store proper. Don't you also have to stop at the counter to pay for your bought items?" Lin Mo nodded.
"We provide our patrons a sense of freedom. No one will hound them while they decide which to drink between a soda and milk. Their wristbands will just record what they take from here."
He then moved to the massage chairs. This was the part he was most looking forward to explaining. To a cultivator, this machine would look like a torture device or a throne of judgment.
"And this…" Lin Mo patted the black leather headrest, "... is the [Heavenly Touch Massage Chair]. Tie Niu, sit."
The burly disciple hesitated, looking at the chair warily. It looked comfortable, but its peculiar design and the intriguing components underneath the leather suggested a hidden complexity.
"Sit," Lin Mo repeated with a more encouraging tone. This time, he felt like he had switched careers to a department store retail employee, showcasing the advanced furniture he wanted to sell.
Tie Niu gulped and sat down, his muscles tense. "Shopkeeper, is this... a cultivation aid? A device to temper the body?"
"In a way. It tempers the knots in your back." Lin Mo pressed the control panel on the armrest. "Mode: Deep Tissue Relaxation. Intensity: Entry-Level Cultivator. Go."
The chair hummed to life. Suddenly, mechanical rollers surged forward, digging into Tie Niu's shoulder muscles with distinct precision.
"Gah!" Tie Niu yelped, his spiritual energy instinctively flaring as he tried to jump up. "It attacks! It targets my pressure points!"
"Relax!" Lin Mo commanded, placing a hand on the disciple's shoulder to hold him down. "Do not resist it. Let the machine do its work. It is locating the stagnation in your muscles and breaking it up."
Tie Niu gritted his teeth as his face contorted in a mix of pain and confusion. But as the rollers moved down his spine, kneading out tension he didn't even know he had, his expression slowly changed. His clenched fists relaxed. His breathing deepened.
"Oh..." A low groan escaped his lips, one of profound, confusing pleasure. "That... that spot. It... it feels like a master masseuse with iron thumbs..."
"Exactly," Lin Mo grinned, turning off the machine. Tie Niu looked almost disappointed that it stopped. "This will be a hit. Especially for the older cultivators. Tell them it clears meridians. It's not technically a lie."
He looked at his staff. They were awestruck. They weren't just looking at furniture; they were looking at a revolution in leisure.
"Alright. You know your stations. Let's not keep our patrons waiting."
As he watched them scurrying away to their positions, Lin Mo glanced behind, finding Liu Xiaoyu standing there with a foolish grin on her lips.
"Boss, let's go and check out the private suites! I'd like to see what the private baths look like! Will it simulate the feeling of being outdoors or not?"