Han Kexin was a key partner. To facilitate future communication and collaboration, Zhang Nu granted Han Kexin and her main subordinates permission to access the Demon King's Space.
Of course, the operation of the Spirit Sanctum came at a cost. Zhang Nu could not afford to offer it for free. In the future, users would be charged a small bandwidth fee. This approach would cover the costs and provide an opportunity to earn money, raising funds and ensuring the sustainability of the spiritual network. Additionally, raising the entry requirements would save bandwidth resources within the sanctum. The fee for external users would undoubtedly be increased by a hundredfold to ensure that the spiritual network would be centered on the citizens of the Chaos Federation.
Of course, even with a hundredfold increase in network fees, the Succubus Queen was not deterred. Zhang Nu's conditions for opening the spiritual network to outsiders served both as a means to save communication costs and promote mutual development, and as a test for potential partners.
Using the spiritual network of the Darkness City provided certain conveniences but also meant exposing one's thoughts. Therefore, unless someone genuinely intended to cooperate with the Darkness City, they would not have the courage to enter. Anyone harboring strong hostility or ill intentions would undoubtedly be discovered by the Demon King.
Han Kexin was not concerned. The cooperation between the Darkness City and the Gloom City had been going well. She had no reason not to continue collaborating with Zhang Nu. Recently, the Darkness City had dispatched many operatives to the Holy Tides City. They were assisting the Darkness City's Shui Yao in taking control of the city while also conducting business with underworld exclusive resources, earning a considerable profit.
Through Shui Yao, Han Kexin had learned about the spiritual space that the Darkness City was constructing. She saw this as an excellent opportunity. If she and her subordinates could enter, not only would it strengthen their cooperation, but it would also create numerous opportunities for her Gloom City.
Upon receiving the admission permit, Han Kexin did not hesitate to form a contract with the sanctum. She decided to meet Zhang Nu in the spiritual space.
"Is this the spiritual world created by the Darkness City?"
Upon entering the Demon King Space, the sight before Han Kexin was astonishing. The spiritual space was thousands of times larger than its initial creation. Under the azure sky, there stood a city so exquisite it could be considered a work of art. It was pristine, flawless and...somewhat empty, currently just an outline as various buildings and facilities were still under construction.
"It's so lifelike! It's no different from the real world!" Han Kexin exclaimed.
Just then, a familiar yet unfamiliar roar drew near. Han Kexin turned and saw a sleek, fiery red sports car speeding down the open and flat street. It made a drift and came to a stop right in front of her. Chen Guoguo was sitting in the driver's seat, a smug smile on her face. "Hey, Miss Han, how do you like my Ferrari?" she said.
Ferrari? Are you kidding me?
Han Kexin was dumbfounded. "How did you get this?"
Chen Guoguo laughed heartily. "This is the spiritual world, everything is virtual, just like a dream. I spent quite some time creating this piece!"
"Let's take you for a ride. Then we'll go and see the boss." she added.
Han Kexin got into the passenger seat. Chen Guoguo put on her shades and revved the engine. Everything, from the feel of the genuine leather seats to the wind on their faces, was almost impeccably detailed, leaving them completely unaware of any falseness.
Although Han Kexin, with her expertise in psychic spells, could create similar illusions using illusion magic, illusions were illusions. There would always be flaws and loopholes. Illusions could not simultaneously control thousands or even more targets, provide a constant interactive experience, and run continuously without interruption, forming an open sandbox world.
This was much like the virtual game worlds depicted in certain novels, where people could enter and exit at any time, regardless of whether others were present, and the world would always be in operation.
Han Kexin asked, "What does Zhang Nu plan to do with this spiritual world?"
Chen Guoguo replied, "There are plenty of things one can do here: entertainment, leisure, information exchange, business activities, and more. Anything you can think of, you can do it here. However, it's still in the beta testing phase, so there aren't too many people here yet."
She continued, "The area ahead is a temporary commercial square. Since the modeling of the business street hasn't been completed, everyone is doing business directly on the square."
They parked the car and walked to the square. Hundreds and thousands of chiefs, city lords, and leaders of merchant caravans from the Chaos Forest could now enter. The Chaos Forest had complex and dangerous terrain, making communication difficult in normal circumstances. Now, everyone could come in to order supplies, purchase goods and services at any time.
Before Han Kexin could take a closer look, Chen Guoguo exclaimed, "Isn't that Feng Yanyan?" The Succubus Queen was led to a stall by the Flower Fey Demon King. This stall was quite unique; the vendor was a girl dressed in a skirt, with a cute and lovely appearance that resembled a student. She was selling something very special -- slimes of various sizes.
"Feng Yanyan? That name sounds familiar. Are you the Slime Demon King of the Demon King Alliance?" Han Kexin inquired.
Han Kexin remembered. The first time she came to the Darkness City, she met with several Demon Kings of the Chaos Forest. One of them was named Feng Yanyan. Why did she remember this name? Because this Demon King was very special; she was a Slime Demon King! Now, this Slime Demon King had turned into a human. Her appearance was probably modified in the spiritual space. After all, if they could create a freaking Ferrari, turning a Slime Demon King into a human did not seem strange at all.
Chen Guoguo explained, "This is Feng Yanyan's original form. Thanks to the help of the big boss and this spiritual space, she has been reborn as a human!"
Han Kexin asked, "What are you selling?"
"Are you the esteemed Han Kexin herself?" the Slime Demon King quickly said, "I'm selling slimes!"
"Slimes can be sold?" Han Kexin was surprised.
Feng Yanyan replied, "Although I'm the lowest-ranked Demon King, there are advantages to being a low-tier Demon King. My units are not only numerous but also diverse in types."
She pointed to the slime models on her stall and explained, "I might be only Level 3, but I already have dozens of different slime units. This one is a Cleaning Slime, specialized in hygiene. This is a Decomposing Slime, used for breaking down waste or impurities, assisting in production, such as alchemy. Elves really like these two slimes; Giantree City just ordered two thousand of them. This one is Flame Slime, this is Frost Slime, and this is Poison Slime..."
Feng Yanyan listed a dozen or so names in one breath and then pointed to a giant white slime, saying, "This one is a Level 3 Super Healing Slime. It can heal injuries and restore fatigue."
The Slime Demon King had reached Level 3, yet she did not have any elite units under her command. However, slimes were incredibly cheap and diverse, which seemed to be a characteristic of low-tier Demon Kings. Han Kexin was impressed. The variety of functions these slimes offered made them excellent commodities.
Han Kexin asked, "How do you complete transactions after receiving orders?"
Feng Yanyan replied, "We use the gnome caravans. Now, in Thousand Fangs City, the gnomes have started a logistics business, similar to online shopping. It's very convenient."
Now it made sense to Han Kexin. The Slime Demon King did not need to leave her lair. She only needed to produce slimes in her nest. Thousand Fangs City and the Chaos Forest were home to tens of thousands of gnome merchants. They acted like courier companies, setting up distribution points all over the forest. They handled door-to-door pickups, sorting and distribution, centralized transport, and door-to-door delivery.
Han Kexin inquired, "How's business?"
Feng Yanyan proudly said, "Why even ask? My slimes are the best and they're sold at a reasonable price. I've already made 50,000 gold!"
50,000 gold coins might not be much for a Great Demon King like herself, but for someone like Feng Yanyan, it was beyond her wildest dreams, something she would not have dared to imagine just a few days ago.
Feng Yanyan's face was full of anticipation. "Our boss has already taken Kolo, and I heard they're attacking even more human cities. My slimes can be sold to human cities in the future. Humans prefer cleanliness and focus on their quality of life. With a large quantity and variety, there's a huge market for slimes like Cleaning Slimes, Decomposing Slimes, Healing Slimes, and more. These are essential household items; there will definitely be a market in the future! I want to earn lots of money! Buy more souls to upgrade myself! Then I can unlock more slime varieties!"
Feng Yanyan felt that she was bound to become rich in the future. Everything from tribal procurement to individual shopping could be done in the spiritual space. Wasn't this another form of online shopping? Han Kexin was greatly moved by this prospect. "Expanding this model to cover the Azure Water Federation and the Thunder Empire in the future seems very promising."
She could not help but feel envious. Even a weak Demon King could take off with such a platform. Wouldn't the boss of the Darkness City make even more money?
Chen Guoguo took Han Kexin around. After seeing all sorts of peculiar products and services, Han Kexin realized that the value of this place as a business platform was far greater than she had imagined. "This is just one application of the Demon King Space. The potential here is enormous! But time is limited. I won't introduce everything one by one!"
Chen Guoguo noticed that they had spent too much time here. "Let's go see the big boss quickly; we can't keep him waiting too long!"
"Alright!" Han Kexin replied. She had almost forgotten why she had come here.
Chen Guoguo drove her to a special district, a street created jointly by Chen Guoguo and other Demon Kings. There were cinemas, KFC, Starbucks, restaurants, supermarkets, bars, and KTV. Although it was just a small corner and mostly models, even though she knew everything was fake, there was still a moment where it felt like she had traveled through time. The scenes that used to be commonplace now evoked a sense of nostalgia and sentimentality.
Zhang Nu sat under the umbrella at the entrance of the cafe. He wore casual white clothes, had messy black hair, and looked handsome and refined. He held a cup of coffee, enjoying the afternoon sun, appearing very relaxed.
Han Kexin sat down across from him. "Is this your true appearance? I didn't expect you to look quite handsome!"
"Flattery will get you nowhere. What would you like to drink? I'll treat you this time."
"Do you have Fat Nerd Drink (soda)?" Han Kexin asked.
Zhang Nu snapped his fingers, and a glass of Fat Nerd Drink, chilled, appeared in front of her. She took a sip. It tasted exactly as she remembered.
"How do you find this place?" Zhang Nu asked.
"I have to say, this is a world incredibly close to reality. Even I feel tempted to get lost in it," Han Kexin replied. "However, it's a pity. It's all fake."
Indeed, that was all just a dream. Everything there was fleeting, with no roots or substance. In the end, strength was what truly mattered. Without sufficient strength, indulging in this fantasy land would have led to destruction. The mentality of the Succubus Queen was truly exceptional, not something ordinary people could compare to. As for the Demon Kings under Zhang Nu, including Chen Guoguo, who had recently been addicted to this spiritual space, it became a headache. It was necessary to limit their online time to prevent them from developing internet addiction.
Han Kexin continued, "Everything there was a money-making opportunity. There were so many commercial aspects. If managed well, it could generate more money than those pay-to-win games from our previous life. It will not be inferior to your potato business, Zhang Nu."
Zhang Nu agreed. He saw that place not only as a good platform but also as a lucrative money tree. However, no matter how perfect the replication, it could never replace reality. Spending too much time there still felt out of place.
"Let's get down to business!" Zhang Nu said. "I am very curious about the place you mentioned. I believe we can cooperate."
The resurrection altar could not be delayed any longer. He needed spirit gems and soul gems to stand unbeatable in the upcoming comprehensive battle against the Thunder Empire."