Chapter 63: Wiping Away a Past Humiliation
Inside Warehouse No. 2 near the base camp in the border region, Beini, Bubu Wang, Baha, and a batch of pig-headed people were teleported in simultaneously.
Several hundred wild boar warriors maintained order. After the pig-headed people were teleported in, they directly entered a mountain passage leading to the residential area, where they took a bath, had a hearty meal, then entered the fortress through the back door. After that, they went up to the second floor and entered the Evolution Nest.
Beini nimbly leaped across the shoulders of the pig-headed people. After more than ten minutes, she reached the fortress. She went to the Alchemy Laboratory on the top floor and placed a list on the experimental table.
Su Xiao put down a nearly completed metal egg in his hand and picked up the list to examine.
Seeing the numbers on it, Su Xiao looked at Beini. The reason was that Beini had used 3,901 units of Living Ore to buy 196,000 pig-headed people.
Calculated this way, the price of one pig-headed person was roughly 1.99 kilograms of Living Ore. This was even slightly cheaper than buying them directly in Freedom City, not to mention the subsequent costs of networking and mass teleportation.
"Did Kaisa take a loss, or was it Azba?"
Su Xiao could be certain that in this transaction, either Kaisa or Azba must have suffered a loss; otherwise, the price wouldn't add up.
"Meow!"
Beini slammed her paw on the table, raising her head in indignation. Her meaning was: 'That goblin took all the benefits; it serves him right to lose.'
Su Xiao looked at Beini with some surprise. Having known Kaisa for so long, he had truly never seen Kaisa take a loss. Now, he was witnessing it for the first time.
Earlier, Su Xiao had wondered why the selling prices of items on the Trade Street in Reincarnation Paradise had been higher recently, about 8-10% more than what he used to sell for.
Now it seemed it wasn't that the market price had risen, but that Beini could sell items for 10% more than Su Xiao could.
Su Xiao and Beini had different selling methods. When Su Xiao sold items, he adhered to one principle: set the price about 3% lower than the market price. Buy it if you want; if not, go cool your heels somewhere else.
Beini, on the other hand, set her stall price 15% higher than the market price. For hot items, such as high-rated Immortal Rank equipment, she would contact the dozen or so merchant guilds she knew. If a guild was interested, she would quickly sell at 8-9% above market price, to ensure that Su Xiao, who might be in a Skill Upgrade Pod enhancing his abilities, wouldn't suddenly run out of Soul Coins.
The merchant guilds were willing to buy at this price for a reason. When Lide acquired materials and such, he often asked Beini to act as an intermediary. The guilds valued this connection. Also, even if they purchased at 8-9% above market price, they could still find corresponding customers to sell to, making a profit of about 4-6%.
For items the guilds weren't interested in, Beini would sell them at 10% above market price. If they still couldn't sell, she would go back to the guilds and bundle the unsold items with popular pre-stocked goods.
Selling supplies also required talent. Su Xiao's selling skills were best left unmentioned. Bubu Wang would fall asleep while selling. Amu would just stare blankly at anyone who haggled. Baha would end up arguing with buyers.
Beini was very skilled at selling items in Reincarnation Paradise. However, this approach couldn't be used inside a mission world. While profit was paramount, every link in this chain was a crime punishable by death.
If the profit wasn't substantial enough, who would be willing to help with these matters? Su Xiao never believed he had the ability to make others willingly become his subordinates with just a few words.
He took out a communicator and dialed Kaisa's number. After a few seconds, the call connected.
"My dear friend, what's the matter?"
"You and Azba come to the fortress tonight."
"Have him come to the fortress? That's not a good idea."
Kaisa's tone was hesitant.
"As long as Azba isn't an utter fool, he'll notice something tonight."
"That makes sense. Alright, I'll bring him to the Sun Fortress at dusk. If there's nothing else, I'll end the communication here."
"Mm."
Su Xiao looked at the communicator in his hand. After waiting a few seconds, Kaisa still hadn't hung up.
"Kaisa, any news on the Awakening Stone I asked for?"
Su Xiao had previously commissioned Kaisa to help find the [Awakening Stone]. With that item, the 'Shadow: Demon Blade' ability of Dragon-Slaying Flash could be awakened.
"There's news, but it's not confirmed yet."
"Is that so? When you come to the fortress tonight, I'll prepay half your reward."
Su Xiao lit a cigarette. The previous transaction was to exchange 3,000 grams of Black Maple Tree branches for the [Awakening Stone]. However, those 3,000 grams of Black Maple Tree branches were produced by Arcane Eternal Star.
"My dear friend, how can I accept this? Hehehe."
Kaisa's sneering laughter came through.
"How much Living Ore did you lose this time?"
"No loss, no loss, just a small problem."
The communicator was filled with Kaisa's signature sly laughter. Su Xiao hung up the communicator and placed it on the table. Such was the way of the world.
Did Su Xiao not know Beini's personality? Did he not know Beini would fleece Kaisa? Of course... he knew. The situation was critical, with war imminent against the Vassal Alliance. He needed to rapidly increase his own forces.
Su Xiao couldn't do this matter himself, nor could Bubu Wang, Baha, or Amu. Only Beini could. She often operated in orphan mode in mission worlds. Kaisa had never seen her in a mission world, only in Reincarnation Paradise, and knew she was Su Xiao's permanent summon.
Given Kaisa's cunning nature, would he allow himself to be fleeced? The answer was that even Beini couldn't fleece Kaisa. His concession on price was also due to the urgency of the situation.
Some things didn't need to be clarified completely. A later statement of 'it was a misunderstanding' would suffice, but both parties knew the truth. Everything was left unsaid. If one side suffered a loss this time, the other side must let them gain more benefits next time.
Now, a total of 196,000 pig-headed people were being sent over. The Evolution Nest could transform 120,000 soldier-type units per day. With this efficiency, it wouldn't be long before the number of wild boar warriors exceeded 300,000.
By then, it would be time to teach the Vassal Alliance a proper lesson about what 'swarm tactics' were. Though simple, this tactic had baffled many renowned commanders.
Another good news was that the 'Solar Force' that the Evolution Nest could bestow wouldn't consume extra Living Ore during the process.
The source of the Solar Force was the part of the Evolution Nest extended outside the fortress, absorbing it. In most Primordial Worlds, the easiest energy to absorb was Solar Force. As long as the sun shone, it could be absorbed freely.
As dusk approached, Su Xiao dialed another number, that of Li Xiniwei. The information he received was that nothing had happened there.
Su Xiao hung up the communication, pondering whether the other party's words were true. A few days ago, Tide Hunter was attacked in 'Luoyashi,' where the Tribunal was located. The reason was that a group of contractors from Holy Light Paradise suspected Tide Hunter was a summon of a contractor from Apocalypse Paradise.
That Holy Light Paradise team dared to do this, indicating they already considered 'Luoyashi' their territory. To achieve this, one of two conditions must be met: 1. They had controlled all the high-ranking members of the Tribunal, or 2. They had reached a cooperation agreement with the Tribunal.
Anyone with a shred of intelligence wouldn't offend the Tribunal while about to fight a World War. This meant that Holy Light Paradise had indeed formed a cooperative relationship with the Tribunal.
Holy Poem was the leader of Holy Light Paradise in this war. If a cooperation with the Tribunal was established, Holy Poem must have played a very important role.
Combining these conditions, after being thwarted in the border region, Holy Poem would likely rush back to the Tribunal as quickly as possible, explain the situation to the high-ranking members there, and blow this matter out of proportion.
The wider the news spread, the harder the three major forces of the Vassal Alliance would be slapped in the face. The more troops they would send to attack the Sun Fortress, and the faster they would dispatch them.
Under these circumstances, how could Holy Poem not return to 'Luoyashi' to seek help? To give her time to travel, Su Xiao deliberately waited until dusk to contact Li Xiniwei's side.
The answer he got was: nothing happened.
This answer either treated Holy Poem as an idiot or assumed Su Xiao didn't use his brain.
Su Xiao put down the communicator and glanced at Baha.
"Understood. I'll go now."
Baha merged into space. Without verbal communication, he knew what Su Xiao wanted him to do: eliminate Li Xiniwei as quickly as possible.
Just as Baha merged into the environment, the communicator on the table began to vibrate. Su Xiao answered; it was Li Xiniwei.
"Lord Bai Ye, I think I was under surveillance just now. I'm not sure if I've shaken them off. A few people came to the Tribunal this morning, saying something about the border region..."
Li Xiniwei in the communicator recounted the day's events in detail, leaving nothing out.
After Su Xiao hung up, Baha emerged from the alternate space and asked, "Boss, should we still kill him? This guy is really dancing on the edge of death."
"..."
Su Xiao didn't speak. It was the same last time. The other party used subsequent actions to make his situation fall into the gray area of killable or not killable, and keeping him alive was still useful.
Once was a coincidence; twice was not. This made Su Xiao wonder if Li Xiniwei had something that could predict danger, or if he had such an ability.
"Woof."
Bubu Wang walked into the command room, meaning that Kaisa and the slave merchant Azba had arrived.
A moment later, the slave merchant Azba, his face extremely grim, walked into the room. He was still in a suit and small round sunglasses, a dwarf with a potbelly.
"Sit."
Su Xiao gestured for Azba to make himself at home. Azba sat opposite him, glanced at the tea poured by the servant, and didn't even touch the cup, let alone drink it. This guy was probably also accustomed to using poison.
"Kukulin Bai Ye, you're running quite a business here."
Azba sneered. Upon arriving at the Sun Fortress and seeing the numerous wild boar warriors, he understood everything. Selling pig-headed people to the human race? Bullshit! All the pig-headed people he had sold, as long as they weren't dead, should be here.
"Your business in Freedom City won't last long. Maybe tonight, maybe tomorrow morning, the pig-headed people trade will be shut down."
As Su Xiao spoke, he took a light sip of tea.
"So what? At worst, I'll stop doing the slave business. I've already earned wealth I can't spend in several lifetimes."
Azba continued sneering, his face stiff from the expression.
"You have talent in this area, just like how you like to go whoring everywhere. For you, this isn't just business; it's a hobby and a pleasure."
Having said this, Su Xiao paused, then continued: "Azba, why not let the Sun Fortress be your backing? Give up your business in Freedom City and continue the pig-headed people trade with the human race. How many pig-headed people you receive, I'll buy them all. How about it?"
Hearing Su Xiao's words, Azba's face went blank. He said, "You wish."
"Azba, you've already sold me hundreds of thousands of pig-headed people. If the Vassal Alliance finds out about this, what do you think their high-ranking members will do?"
Hearing this, Azba's cheek twitched violently.
"Kukulin Bai Ye, I, Azba, will never betray the Vassal Alliance..."
Azba grew more agitated as he spoke. Amu, who was beside him, couldn't stand it anymore. He pulled out his Dragonheart Axe, put one large hand on Azba's head, slammed Azba's head onto the table with a bang, and raised his axe as if to chop off Azba's head. Amu was the epitome of a bull that said little but acted fiercely.
"I... I want forty percent!"
Azba immediately caved. It could only be said that Kaisa's judgment of people was damn accurate. This was also why Kaisa had chosen Azba as a partner in the first place.
Azba and Kaisa left the fortress that night, returning to Freedom City to prepare for their subsequent escape.
The next day arrived, and everything was as usual. The Vassal Alliance side was calm, not only not sending a single soldier, but not even dispatching scouts to the border region.
This situation was too abnormal, making one suspect whether the most radical of the three major Vassal Alliance forces, the 'Vassal Alliance,' was secretly gathering troops to launch a lightning raid on the border region, intending to raze the Sun Fortress in a way that would terrify the medium and small powers.
Although the situation was turbulent, the development of the Sun Fortress never stopped. When the Living Ore Su Xiao had stockpiled was nearly depleted, the development of his side slowed down.
In a series of interconnected mountain spaces, the wild boar warriors stood or sat, some kneeling with their heads bowed in silent prayer.
The number of wild boar warriors on his side reached an unprecedented 337,592. The number of warriors who could transform into heavy tanks also reached 30. All five types of War Lord's buff effects were triggered.
Inside the first floor of the fortress, Su Xiao checked the time. It was almost midnight. The enemy still hadn't made a move. If they didn't act within half an hour, he would take the initiative to attack.
The number of wild boar warriors had already exceeded 300,000. Su Xiao opened the reward list that had popped up once before and selected the four-star title [Sun Lord].
There was already a considerable amount of faith power 'Sun' within the 'Solar Ring.' After dealing with the current situation, he would try to use the faith power to upgrade the star rating of [Sun Lord].
[Announcement (Void Tree): Detected that the pattern changes within this world have met the prerequisite requirements for a Historical Extreme Event.]
[Historical Extreme Event: Sun Faction VS Vassal Faction.]
[Sun Faction: Kukulin Bai Ye (Hunter).]
[Vassal Faction: Gold Count, Holy Poem, Olandi... (The personnel list of this faction does not include native inhabitants of this world).]
[After the Historical Extreme Event is activated, the probability of obtaining titles will be greatly increased, and a Title Shop will be opened periodically (requires first increasing the Title Shop's exchange level by killing enemies, occupying important areas, etc., then titles can be purchased in the Title Shop at a 65% discounted price using Soul Coins).]
[Only after triggering a Historical Extreme Event does the Title Shop have a chance to appear and offer high discounts.]
[This Title Shop is a shared system for both enemy and friendly sides. If the enemy exchanges for a title with a quantity of 1, our side will no longer be able to exchange for that title, and vice versa.]
...
Seeing these announcements, Su Xiao was very interested in the Title Shop. For him, the more titles, the better. Currently, War Lord was a seven-star title. If he could get a few more seven-star titles and upgrade War Lord to eight stars, the increase in strength would be unimaginable.
However, this Title Shop operated on a first-come, first-served basis. High-star titles should be few and have stock limits. That is to say, if Su Xiao's exchange level was high enough and he exchanged for a high-star title, the enemy could only watch in anger, unable to do anything.
Outside the fortress, the sky was full of stars, and a full moon hung high above.
Outside the border region, several figures strode forward quickly. They were Gold Count, Holy Poem, Olandi, and others.
With Reincarnation Paradise participating in the war, Apocalypse Paradise and Holy Light Paradise were exceptionally united. This time, with Watchful Paradise joining, they were equally united. In fact, they had no choice but to be united.
At this moment, Gold Count, Holy Poem, Olandi, and the others were all filled with determination to win. Unlike last time, they wouldn't be surrounded again. The 'Vassal Alliance,' as a radical force, upon learning of the situation in the border region and confirming it, immediately pulled soldiers from several garrison locations, plus troops near the border, mobilizing a total of 200,000 Vassal Alliance soldiers.
It wasn't that the 'Vassal Alliance' underestimated their enemy. After learning the number and combat performance of the wild boar warriors, they had originally planned to pull 100,000 soldiers to destroy the Sun Fortress. Now, to be safe, they mobilized 200,000 Vassal Alliance soldiers. This also showed how confident the 'Vassal Alliance' was in their soldiers. Or rather, after so many years of war with the human race, the average combat power of their soldiers was evident. The 'Vassal Alliance' had every reason to have this confidence.
Olandi, with bandages wrapped around his head, walked at the front. He hadn't felt this excited in a long time. The feeling of soon avenging a great wrong was truly exhilarating.
"There won't be any problems this time, right?"
Holy Poem, who had been somewhat traumatized by Bai Ye's army tactics, spoke up, a look of worry in her eyes.
"No."
Gold Count replied in a deep voice. Hao Mei, beside him, immediately followed up:
"How could there be a problem? 200,000 Vassal Alliance soldiers against those pig-headed people who have no other advantages besides being tough, plus us contractors. It's a gap in hard power. I can't even imagine how we could lose."
PS: (Three chapters, 12,000 words. Dear readers, you've waited long.)