"Gentlemen, this is the Dawson Chamber of Commerce's Supreme Member Card. As long as you have it, you can get 30 percent off any item sold by the Dawson Chamber of Commerce, and stay for free at any Huali Hotel."
Early the next morning, Mylun respectfully handed a black card to Hogg.
Mylun still remembered how Hogg had calmly taken out ten Rank 8 Magical Beast cores and offered them for sale when he came to see him the night before.
A deal worth a million gold coins wasn't especially large for the Dawson Chamber of Commerce.
After all, its annual revenue was measured in hundreds of millions.
But the business of Magical Beast cores was different.
Low-rank Magical Beast cores weren't worth much.
But once a Magical Beast reached Rank 7, everything changed.
Hogg had brought Rank 8 Magical Beast cores, in particular.
Generally speaking, Magical Beasts were stronger than humans, so most people capable of killing a Rank 8 Magical Beast were Rank 9 Warriors or mages.
The Dawson Chamber of Commerce had no shortage of Rank 7 Warriors and mages.
But it had precious few Rank 8 Warriors or mages.
As for Rank 9 Warriors, the Dawson Chamber of Commerce had only a few retainers who had reached Rank 9, and they were all Warriors. It didn't have a single Ninth-rank Mage.
As for Saint-level experts, the Dawson Chamber of Commerce maintained friendly relations with many of them across the Yulan Continent.
But expecting the Dawson Chamber of Commerce to order Saint-level experts around was wishful thinking.
It was more like the Chamber of Commerce paid most of its earnings as tribute to certain Saint-level experts each year.
The Dawson Chamber of Commerce was in desperate need of strong experts.
Whether this father and son had killed Rank 8 Magical Beasts themselves or had a way to obtain their cores, they were worth cultivating a relationship with.
Most importantly, Mylun had heard some rumors the night before.
A Ninth-rank Mage on the verge of breaking through to Saint-level had taken the son of a rural noble as his disciple.
"The Dawson Chamber of Commerce, the greatest in the Yulan Continent?" Hogg glanced at the black card held out to him, his brows lifting slightly. "In that case, thank you."
Hogg didn't refuse. As his strength improved, his outlook was beginning to change as well.
Seeing Hogg accept the member card, Mylun felt relieved. He then asked, "Are you two going to take the Magic Test?"
"That's right." Hogg nodded and patted Linley on the shoulder. "My son is going to take it."
"What a coincidence." Mylun immediately broke into a smile. "My nephew came all the way from out of town to take the Magic Test. If you don't mind, you could go together."
As Mylun spoke, a luxurious carriage pulled up in front of the hotel.
A huge, fat man nearly two people wide was the first to climb out.
Then a child, half a head shorter than Linley, stepped down from the carriage.
"I'm Munro Dawson, and this is my son, Yale Dawson." The fat man greeted Hogg with a smile. "We're going to take the Magic Test too. If you don't mind, we could go together."
Hearing Munro's words, Hogg furrowed his brow and looked at Linley.
"No problem." Linley nodded, looking curiously at Yale. "I'm Linley. Linley Baruch. Nice to meet you."
For some reason, Linley took an immediate liking to Yale.
It was a strange feeling. The moment you first saw someone, you just knew you'd get along with them.
"Nice to meet you." Yale cheerfully stepped forward to greet Linley. "Actually, I already passed the test before. But last night, my second uncle told me that a disciple of a Ninth-rank Mage was coming to take it, so he asked me to come and see if I could meet him. Was that you?"
Linley wasn't the only one who felt that way. Yale felt it too.
So without hesitation, Yale gave up his father and second uncle.
Munro and Mylun both scowled, and even Hogg looked at the three of them warily.
Linley, on the other hand, didn't mind. He even looked Yale over with interest.
"If no one else has recently become the disciple of a Ninth-rank Mage, then it must be me." Linley smiled and put an arm around Yale's shoulder. "It's about time. We should get going."
"Let's go, let's go." Yale hurriedly pulled Linley toward the carriage. "I got up early and haven't even had breakfast. I'll grab a bite on the carriage, and afterward, I'll treat you to a big meal."
Hogg watched Linley and Yale climb into the carriage with their arms around each other's shoulders, momentarily stunned.
Ever since Linley began Warrior training, he'd rarely played with other children his age.
He and his old friends in Wushan Town had almost nothing in common anymore.
Hogg couldn't understand why Linley was so friendly toward this Yale.
"Mr. Hogg." Munro smiled, his features practically squashed together. "Looks like our sons are destined to be friends. Shall we go together?"
Hogg didn't understand why Linley was acting this way, but he nodded all the same. "Then I'll trouble you."
Hogg and Munro courteously let each other board the carriage first.
Mylun watched the carriage disappear into the distance, then beckoned to the guards at the hotel entrance.
"Go find the man who caused trouble last night." A murderous glint flashed in Mylun's eyes. "Ask him whether he has a grudge against the Baruch Clan, then make sure he disappears for good."
Linley and Hogg knew nothing of Mylun's arrangement.
The carriage was spacious, two or three times larger than an ordinary one.
Even Munro, with his massive build, didn't feel cramped inside.
"Here, try this." Yale handed Linley a pastry. "It's made from purple rose petals, a specialty of the Yulan Empire. I love it."
The Yulan Empire!
Linley's brows rose slightly.
The Yulan Empire was a great distance from the Fenlai Kingdom, with the Magical Beast Mountain Range between them.
The Dawson Chamber of Commerce truly lived up to its reputation as the greatest in the Yulan Continent.
Although Linley and Yale had just met, there was no awkwardness between them. Most of the time, though, Yale did the talking while Linley listened.
"Mr. Hogg." Munro smiled at Hogg across from him. "I'll be straightforward. The Dawson Chamber of Commerce would like to invite you to become a retainer. We'll pay you thirty million gold coins a year, and you won't have to do anything in return. What do you say?"
Hearing thirty million gold coins, Hogg felt his heart stir.
The day before, he had sold ten Magical Beast cores, and Mylun had offered a very high price: 1.3 million gold coins.
The Dawson Chamber of Commerce wasn't making any money on the deal and might even have to pay out of pocket.
But there was still a huge gap between 1.3 million and thirty million gold coins.
Most importantly, the offer was thirty million a year, with no responsibilities attached.
But the feeling lasted only a moment before Hogg came to his senses.
Thirty million gold coins was a lot, but it was far too little for a Saint-level expert.
After all, a Dragonblood Warrior would eventually become a Saint-level expert, as long as he survived.
Hogg didn't think he was especially talented.
Still, he was confident that he could become a Saint-level expert within fifty years.
Would he really bind himself to the Dawson Chamber of Commerce for a mere billion or so gold coins?
Hogg had no desire to make that deal.
"Sorry, Mr. Munro." Hogg shook his head. "I'm just a country noble, and that's far too much. But if the Dawson Chamber of Commerce ever needs help in the future, you can ask Linley."
Hogg's meaning was clear. If Linley agreed to help the Dawson Chamber of Commerce, Hogg wouldn't object.
But if Linley didn't want to help, Hogg wouldn't interfere.
As Linley grew stronger, Hogg's attitude toward him had gradually changed as well.
"No problem." Munro was still smiling and wasn't upset by Hogg's refusal. "We've arrived. Let's get out."
Before you continue