When the two young men from the Blacksmith Association reached the landing between the third and fourth floors, the two guards stationed there gave them puzzled looks.
"Wang Li, Zhou Xin, why aren't you two youngsters downstairs keeping order? What are you doing up here?"
Wang Li and Zhou Xin bowed respectfully to the two middle-aged men before them.
"Greetings, Lord Si Long, Lord Si Yu."
Though these two men performed the duties of ordinary guards, they were master blacksmiths of high standing in the Blacksmith Association and direct disciples of the Divine Craftsman Lou Gao. They took turns guarding this spot only because of Lou Gao.
After bowing, Wang Li said respectfully, "My lords, Zhou Xin and I have important news to report."
"What is it?" Si Long asked.
Wang Li immediately told Si Long and Si Yu what they had discovered.
The two exchanged a glance, their faces turning grave.
In the past, Gengxin City's metals had largely been produced and sold locally. Rare metals, in particular, were usually forged into finished goods by blacksmiths before being sold to nobles of the two great empires through other channels.
But two years ago, for reasons no one knew, someone had suddenly begun buying up rare metals on a massive scale.
As a result, the price of rare metals in Gengxin City had soared.
At first, the Blacksmith Association had paid little attention. After all, the Metal Capital lacked nothing when it came to metal.
Then Gengxin City's Spirit Hall Main Hall stepped in and threw the market into chaos.
It first spread the word that it urgently needed rare metals and was willing to pay a high price for them.
In a very short time, it bought up a huge quantity, driving rare-metal prices to dizzying heights.
Then it