Convoy

The apprentice from the Riverbank Merchant Guild slunk away.

After watching the other person leave, Linsey put her arm around Ailini and they went back to her shop together.

After closing the shop door, he teased the girl beside him, "Ailini, when did I become your lover?"

Ailini immediately released Linsey, then rolled her eyes. "What are we going to do? We can't exactly say you're the one who made the stockings!"

This answer confirmed Linsey's earlier speculation.

The people from the Riverbank Merchant Guild were indeed after the stockings, or rather, the profits that this product represented.

They were unable to confirm the exact source of Ailini's goods.

So the person who came to Linsey today was just an apprentice.

If these businessmen are truly certain that Linsey is the supplier of the stockings, then the person who knocked on his door this morning was definitely far more dangerous than a First Stage apprentice!

Danger was creeping in.

However, this phenomenon also signifies good news.

Linsey enthusiastically took out the syrup, dissolved it in a glass of water, and handed it to Ailini on her table:

"So it seems your stockings sales went well last night?"

Ailini took a sip, leaned back, and lay down on the rocking chair Linsey had made. "Hmph! More than just nice?"

"You weren't here last night, so you didn't see the way those young masters and ladies looked at you."

"I can probably earn those few hundred gold coins for the medicine in less than a month!"

Ailini put down her water glass, feeling a little excited.

Given the popularity of stockings yesterday, as long as this business continues, this should be the Fifth Stage she advances to.

From the Fourth Stage to the Fifth Stage.

—The Ascender.

Thinking of this, Ailini bit her lip.

When she was 7 years old, she joined the Silver Leaf Merchant Guild in Platinum City, starting as a lowly errand boy.

More than a decade has quietly passed since then.

During this time, Ailini had two opportunities, but due to various circumstances, she always fell short.

Now, on this journey of trade to the World Border.

I have grasped hope once again.

Ailini's gaze was fixed on the water glass in front of her.

The water with added syrup turned slightly yellow and didn't look very appealing, but it tasted incredibly sweet.

Ailini looked at Linsey again.

Today, let alone using her status as a lover to help Linsey fend off the Riverbank Merchant Guild of Commerce members, she could even consider it if something were to actually happen.

at the same time.

Linsey nearby, was also impressed by the speed at which the businessmen acted:

"Speaking of which, the people from the Riverbank Merchant Guild are really quick to act."

"You just showed off your stockings last night, and this morning someone came to your door."

Ailini took this for granted:

"They are businessmen who are driven by money. They value these things, sometimes even more than their own lives, so they act quickly."

Linsey praised Ailini, saying, "But your attitude towards money is quite different."

Ailini chuckled.

She was very pleased and then began to explain in detail:

"That's because I focus on the transaction process itself, and I'm not from the same school of thought as them. The essence of money and the essence of trading may seem similar on the surface, but their core is actually very different."

At this point, Ailini became interested and gave Linsey an example. "Let me put it this way—if we, who are in the business of transactions, were to accidentally take someone's life, we would feel guilty just like normal people."

But for those driven by money, their first reaction is to conceal the truth and minimize their losses. If the truth is revealed, their second reaction isn't to apologize or express remorse, but to directly ask, "How much compensation?"

Linsey couldn't help but shake her head and say:

"If Platinum City is full of people like this, then it would truly be a living hell."

"Hell on earth?" Ailini raised an eyebrow. "That's quite an apt description."

"The Platinum City is divided into three districts. The Tower District is completely controlled by merchants whose very nature is money. The plight of the poor there truly lives up to its name!"

Linsey said:

"So conversely, for wealthy awakened individuals, that place is paradise?"

Ailini shrugged and put it more accurately. "Whether you're an Awakened or not, as long as you have money, that's all that matters."

"Money is the only standard by which a person's worth is measured—as long as you can accept this statement, your fate in the Tower District will depend on your own abilities."

"..."

Linsey didn't want to even think about that kind of world.

His expression turned somewhat grim, so he changed the subject and raised another concern of his. "Back in Lookout Point City, Kuit clearly wanted to take me to Remote Yue City. Do you think it's possible that this Ya Li Kun also received this message?"

Ailini countered with:

Are you worried that the two of them will team up to swindle you?

Linsey nodded in agreement:

"That's right."

Ailini shook her head slightly and handed the half-full glass of sugar water in front of her to Linsey:

"Don't worry, businessmen aren't a monolithic group."

"Especially these money-driven guys. Even if they're in the same business guild, they may appear to be close partners, even hunting together. But when it comes to a single source of profit, they can be ravenous wolves tearing each other apart."

"They won't just hand over the information they have."

After exchanging their views on businessmen.

Ailini then steered the conversation back to the transaction itself:

"Linsey, if all goes well, orders should start arriving today. Do you have enough stock?"

Linsey took out a batch of stockings made from the raw materials she had purchased yesterday. "I have these on hand right now."

"If you want more, then go and purchase the raw materials. I'll make time tonight or tomorrow morning to go and prepare as much stock as possible for you."

Ailini took the stockings.

The item in front of her was her chance to advance to the Fifth Stage, so she naturally had to check its quality meticulously. "This time, I'm going to have to empty my pockets."

While making these remarks, Ailini checked the quality of the goods in her hands.

Linsey's [Workbench] produces even more consistently than an assembly line.

She was naturally very satisfied.

After the inspection was completed, Ailini responded to Linsey, but changed her mind halfway through her sentence: "Linsey, I'll be staying at the Chamber of Commerce's place from tonight until tomorrow morning... never mind, I'll find another place to stay and rent a room on my own. Someone will come and let you know the exact location later."

"..."

Inside the room, Linsey and Ailini discussed the deal.

But on the road from Lookout Point City to Nine Bends City, a small convoy was already on the road.

The most prominent position in the convoy was a prison van! If Linsey or Ailini were present, they would have recognized just how unusual the situation was.

The Law Knight Han Si Ke sat in front of the prison wagon, acting as both driver and escort.

The wooden cage behind him emitted a faint golden light, a tangible manifestation of the Law Power.

The person imprisoned in the cage is none other than a stranger.

It was none other than the wealthy merchant, Kuit, who had been active in Lookout Point City just a few months ago! One of them was being escorted in a prison cart, while the other was focused on making his way.

The former had a confident smile on his face, while the latter was meticulous, firm, and composed.

"Han Si Ke, why are you doing this?"

"If you escort me to Remote Yue City and hand me over to the Guild get is a fine. Wouldn't it be the same if I went there myself?"

"You can't just behead me in public because of a crime that's not even certain, can you?"

The Law Knight spoke solemnly, "The result may be the same, but the process is equally important."

"You businessmen actually concealed your discovery of the Forest Veins and even engaged in violent exploitation of them! The consequences of this are extremely dire, and you owe an explanation to everyone who is in the Courtyard in the Forest!"

Kuit was baffled by this:

"What, you want to judge our Riverbank Merchant Guild by yourself?"

I overheard their conversation.

Green Fir, who was traveling with the convoy, voiced her support for Han Si Ke, while also sternly rebuking Kuit:

"Secret development is just a minor mistake!"

"But you absolutely shouldn't have put the entire forest in danger just to disrupt our team's entry into Black Mountain. Do you know how heinous that is?"

Kuit ignored the accusations from Life Scholar.

He focused solely on Han Si Ke ahead, and spoke to the representative of the law, "To be honest, Han Si Ke, we were indeed partly responsible for those disturbances in the forest. But it wasn't to delay the Life Scholar ' journey into Black Mountain; it was all just a coincidence!"

"Didn't you bring a scale? To verify the truth of what I said?"

"Losing control of my businesses will also cause trouble. I agree to be escorted this time, but shouldn't I also be given a certain degree of freedom?"

"..."

The Law Knight remained silent, simply driving the vehicle.

[Can't sleep, so here's an extra chapter. That's all.]