When the incomparably domineering voice of Zou Ba, Pinglu Island's great hero, rang out, every guest's gaze shifted at once and converged on Ye Zhen.
In that instant, the atmosphere turned strange.
With a single remark, Zou Ba had not only dispelled much of the prestige the three Water Lords had lent Sky Wing Merchant House, but successfully turned everyone's thoughts in another direction—just how powerful was Sky Wing Merchant House?
When chief steward Gai Jun accepted the gilded gift list, his face, which had been brimming with delight moments ago, had gone blank and expressionless.
Even a shrewd old fox like Gai Jun, who never let his emotions show, looked displeased. One could only imagine how vile Zou Ba's actions were.
"Shopkeeper, this is the gift list from Zou Ba of Pinglu Island. Take a look." Gai Jun deliberately handed the list to Ye Zhen with slow steps and an unhurried voice, buying Ye Zhen time to deal with the matter.
Above all, Zou Ba's demand was far too sensitive.
In public, under the pretext of providing ten World King Realm martial artists as protection, he demanded half a share of Lone Dragon Island Marketplace's dry stock. This was a disguised probe into Sky Wing Merchant House's true strength.
If Sky Wing Merchant House agreed, then every major power in the region that possessed World King Realm experts could follow suit and take a bite out of Lone Dragon Island Marketplace.
Using strength to force others into submission had always been the finest means of amassing wealth. Once Ye Zhen compromised, more hungry wolves would come swarming in.
Even if Pinglu's great hero Zou Ba protected them, so long as outsiders invaded, he could use his authority to extort profit. Bit by bit, he would swallow Lone Dragon Island