74: Chapter 75 Advantages of Dual Supply Chains

Busan Port. The sun was setting. The sea shimmered with golden light. Qian Xu and Ham Eun-jung stood by the warehouse window, watching the workers unload the cargo.

"Mr. Qian," Ham Eun-jung suddenly spoke up. "Have you ever thought about what you would do if, one day, your system disappeared?"

Qian Xu paused, stunned. The system disappeared? He had never thought about this question before. "I don't know," he answered honestly. "But I will take advantage of the time I have now to do more. To help T-ARA stand back up, to make Yunmengze a real company, and to help Chinese people in Korea live with more dignity."

Ham Eun-jung looked at him with gentle eyes. "You are truly very special, Mr. Qian."

His phone vibrated. It was a system notification. Qian Xu tapped it open.

[Direct procurement from China has arrived at the port]

[Initial shipment value: 5 billion KRW]

[Procurement cost: 30% lower than Korean wholesale prices]

[Supply chain stability: A+]

He smiled and put his phone away. "Ms. Eun-jung, let's go. Back to Seoul. We have rehearsals tomorrow."

"Okay," Ham Eun-jung nodded. The two walked out of the warehouse, the setting sun stretching their shadows long.

Early the next morning, at the Yunmengze Life Plaza in Hongdae. When Qian Xu arrived, the renovation team was already busy. Captain Park walked over wearing a hard hat. "Good morning, Mr. Qian!"

"How is the renovation progress?"

"Going smoothly!" Captain Park pointed inside. "The shelves are already installed, and the freezers are in place. We start stocking tomorrow."

Qian Xu nodded. "Good. Thank you for your hard work."

He walked inside. The space had completely transformed. The floor was laid with light gray tiles, and the walls were painted white. The shelves were neatly arranged, and the freezers glowed with white light. The checkout counter was set up, and there was a rest area to the side with a few sofas placed there. Qian Xu looked at all of this and smiled. Yunmengze Life Plaza was about to become the best supermarket in Seoul.

His phone vibrated. It was a call from Kim Min-jun. "Mr. Qian, the Korean farmers have loaded the first batch of fresh produce. It will be delivered this afternoon."

Qian Xu's eyes lit up. "How much cargo?"

"500 kilograms of vegetables, 300 kilograms of fruit, 200 kilograms of pork, and 100 kilograms of beef. All supplied directly by farmers in Gyeonggi-do. The price is 20% lower than the wholesale market."

Qian Xu smiled. "Good. I'll go over to inspect it this afternoon."

After hanging up the phone, he stood in the center of the sales floor and looked around. On the left was the fresh produce section, with the freezers already installed. On the right was the daily necessities section, with the shelves already stocked. In the middle was the cultural and creative products zone, featuring Chinese-style shelves printed with panda patterns. Behind that was the checkout counter, and next to it was the service desk with signs posted: "Unconditional Returns," "Free Shoe Repair," "Free Clothing Alterations," and "Free Blood Pressure Checks."

At two in the afternoon, a cold-chain truck stopped at the entrance. Qian Xu walked out, and the driver jumped down. "Mr. Qian?"

"Yes."

"I'm from the Gyeonggi-do Farmers Association. The first batch of fresh produce has arrived."

Qian Xu nodded. "Open it up and let's take a look."

The truck doors opened, revealing neatly stacked foam boxes inside. A worker moved one down and opened it. Inside was bright green lettuce, the leaves fresh and glistening with water droplets. "This was picked this morning," the driver said. "Directly supplied by Anseong farmers. Picked at four in the morning, transported via cold chain. Guaranteed fresh."

Qian Xu picked up a head of lettuce and examined it. It was very fresh. "Good. Put it into storage."

The workers began unloading. Qian Xu stood to the side, watching crate after crate of fresh produce being moved into the freezers. Vegetables, fruit, pork, beef—everything was supplied directly by local Korean farmers. He opened his phone and calculated the numbers.

[Korean Farmer Direct Supply Cost]

Vegetables: 20% lower than wholesale market

Fruit: 15% lower than wholesale market

Pork: 18% lower than wholesale market

Beef: 22% lower than wholesale market

[Chinese Direct Procurement Daily Necessities Cost]

Thermos cups: 66% lower than Korean wholesale price

Cultural and creative products: 50% lower than Korean wholesale price

Daily merchandise: 40% lower than Korean wholesale price

Snacks: 35% lower than Korean wholesale price

He smiled.

[Comprehensive Cost Comparison]

Yunmengze Life Plaza: 15% lower than Lotte Mart

Lotte Mart (after discount): 10% higher than Yunmengze

This meant that even if Lotte Mart offered a 30% discount, Yunmengze's prices would still be cheaper than theirs. Moreover, Yunmengze's service was better. Unconditional returns, free shoe repair and clothing alterations, free blood pressure checks. These were things Lotte couldn't do.

His phone vibrated. It was a system notification.

[Yunmengze Life Plaza opening preparations complete]

[Korean farmer direct supply fresh produce: Stocked]

[Chinese direct procurement daily necessities: Stocked]

[Comprehensive cost: 15% lower than Lotte Mart]

[Supply chain stability: A+]

[Opening countdown: 7 days]

Qian Xu looked at the screen and smiled. "Representative Kim."

"Yes." Kim Min-jun walked over.

"Notify everyone. We start stocking tomorrow. We open the day after tomorrow."

Kim Min-jun paused, stunned. "The day after tomorrow? Isn't there still a week left?"

"It's been moved up." Qian Xu smiled. "The goods have arrived, and the renovation is almost done. Opening a day earlier means making money a day earlier."

Kim Min-jun nodded. "Okay. I'll arrange it right away."

At five in the afternoon, all fresh produce was stocked. Qian Xu stood in front of the freezer, looking at the neatly arranged vegetables and fruits inside. Bright green lettuce, bright red tomatoes, golden corn, fresh beef, and pork. He smiled.

"Ms. Eun-jung."

"Yes." Ham Eun-jung walked over.

"After rehearsals finish tomorrow, come with me to take a look. See the opening preparations."

"Okay," Ham Eun-jung nodded. "I want to come, too. To see the supermarket you've built."

The two walked out of the store. The streets of Hongdae were bustling with people. The setting sun shone on the glass windows, reflecting golden light.

"Mr. Qian," Ham Eun-jung suddenly spoke up. "How long has it been since you awakened the system?"

Qian Xu thought for a moment. "A month, I guess."

"A month," Ham Eun-jung remarked with emotion. "In a month, you bought a house, bought a car, acquired a company, brought T-ARA back, and opened a supermarket. You've done so much. Aren't you tired?"

Qian Xu paused, stunned. Tired? He had never thought about that question before. "Not tired," he smiled. "Because it's worth it."

Ham Eun-jung looked at him with gentle eyes. "You really are… very special."