"So basically, meat distribution relies solely on these Hunters?" Apollo asked. "And you've already hired some?"
"We have a few, and we're in the process of adding more, but it will take at least two weeks before we can gather enough Hunters," Filly explained. "But this meat distribution is solely for us."
"You're not planning to sell the monster meat to others?" Apollo asked.
"Correct," Filly answered.
"That's a good idea," Apollo nodded with satisfaction. "It can create a diversion, but if someone wants to buy from you, don't hesitate to sell. Just don't advertise it. Let the buyers spread the word themselves."
Filly's eyes widened as she grasped his point. "But this still doesn't solve the problem that our supply of monster meat will be greatly reduced. We can serve a dozen customers a day, but serving everyone will be hard with the limited supply."
"That's why, in the meantime, you'll have to make the most of the two weeks before you can hire all the Hunters you need."
Hunters are the backbone of meat distribution for restaurants. They're responsible for finding, buying at low prices, and sometimes even killing the monsters themselves.
"Play with pricing and promotions," Apollo continued.
"Promotions? Like calling for customers?" Filly asked.
"Yes, but you need to reach a much wider audience," Apollo said. "Have you ever seen wanted posters for criminals?"
"Of course!" the two women nodded.
"Do you want me to hunt some of them?" Gail's killing intent seeped out, her eyes glowing red as she prepared for action.
Filly nudged her friend with her elbow. "That's not what he meant."
"Oh," Gail scratched her cheek in embarrassment, withdrawing her killing intent.
"Just like those wanted posters, create something that will grab people's attention." Apollo had noticed, while wandering through the city's alleyways, that most posters were simple sketches of criminals or written descriptions. He hadn't seen any advertisements.
"You want me to draw people?" Filly asked, a confident smile on her face. "I'm pretty good at it. But how will drawing faces attract customers?"
"Silly, we're not posting criminals," Apollo chuckled. "If you're good at drawing, sketch your spaghetti, fried chicken, and every dish in your restaurant. Then, paste those posters on walls with your restaurant's address."
Hearing this, Filly stared at Apollo like he was a divine being. Why didn't I think of this? Word of mouth was effective, but slow. If she implemented Mr. Beggar's idea, just the thought of it made her heart race.
"And what about the pricing?" Filly asked, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
"Focus on your fried chicken and spaghetti for now. Create a bundle where customers can either buy a single meal at a higher price or get both dishes at a discounted price," Apollo suggested, leaving the restaurant owner stunned.
"Then they'll definitely go for the bundle, and with the promotion, our sales…" Filly could almost see money raining down.
"Haha, but don't get too excited just yet. That's not enough," Apollo smirked, raising his hand. "A pen and journal."
The beggar walked out of Filly's Restaurant with a relaxed smile on his face.
"Ah, it's been so long since I really dove deep into business," Apollo muttered, walking back to the corner of the restaurant where he usually begged for Alm Points.
He had talked with Filly and Gail for an hour, discussing and revising their plan. He also wrote another journal to help them create new dishes they hadn't heard of before. Since their supply of Monster Meat would be limited in the coming weeks, they needed to improvise and use common ingredients that would give them an edge in the business war.
Helping them made him think about his past life. Really, forgetting about my previous world is hard.
Apollo wanted to move on, but he just couldn't. That was probably why he was willing to help Filly. Still, what really mattered was their hard work and luck. They could follow his plan, but it wasn't a hundred percent guaranteed they'd succeed. There were more factors to consider. What if Klown involved himself in this business war?
A far-fetched thought, but not impossible.
Shaking his head, he reached into his pocket and pulled out the gold coin Gail had given him.
It was his first gold coin, but with the situation involving Filly and his hunger at the time, he had forgotten about it.
Suppressing his excitement, though his eyes betrayed him, he brought up his Status Screen.
However, what he saw next made his soul turn cold.
Spirit Cultivation: None
Physique Cultivation: Half-Step Qi Condensation Stage
Attributes: Lightning
"What the hell?! How come I only received two Alm Points?!" Apollo's nose flared up. "System! You'd better explain this!"
A translucent screen appeared before him, accompanied by the emotionless voice of the System echoing in his ears.
"You have received an Invalid Coin. The giver does not think of you as a real beggar, hence the gold coin cannot be converted into Alm Points."
"F-fuck you," Apollo cursed through gritted teeth. "You're being unreasonable, System!"
"The System is not being unreasonable. A True Beggar receives Alm Points from a Good Samaritan who believes the host is a real beggar."
"Fuck you, fuck you, fuck you, fuck you... fuck you," Apollo repeated dozens of times before letting out a defeated sigh.
Staring at the gold coin in his hand, he couldn't help but smile bitterly. Such a waste, he thought, putting the coin back in his pocket.
Actually, he wasn't surprised that the System made the coin invalid. The System was very firm about making him a beggar—no excuses and no shortcuts. But what surprised him more was that Gail didn't think of him as a beggar.
But why? I clearly look like one! Should I undress myself and run around naked? Wait, no, that'll just make me look like a crazy person.
"Ah, fuck it," Apollo cursed, placing his hands over his forehead and closing his eyes in frustration. Soon, the world turned dark, and the universe with its Qi acting as stars.