Chapter 574: Section 361: Shop Dispute
In the store of the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps, a dispute was taking place.
The Dwarf Beard stood in front of the counter, straining to look up at the Snow Elf clerk, his eyes wide with anger, “What, out of stock?!”
The clerk hurriedly apologized, “It’s true. Sir, you were just a step late, I can’t deceive you. Look at the store’s shelves, they’re all empty; where else could there be any Dragon Power Riding Potions?”
But the situation for the Dwarf Beard was different from other buyers.
He raised his hand, “That’s impossible!”
“Others might be out of stock, but I should have my order.”
“Because I had reserved it with your store manager a day before.”
“The pickup slip is right here, and the time is now.”
“Now I’m here, and you’re telling me there’s no stock? Even if this is the property of the Dragon Lion squad leader, I need an explanation!”
The Snow Elf clerk’s face changed slightly, and he quickly said, “Sir, you indeed are a special case. I’ll call the manager right away!”
Meanwhile, the clerk who had just dealt privately suddenly turned ashen. He suddenly realized that the potions in the warehouse were supposed to be reserved for Dwarf Beard.
But now, he had sold them directly to his uncle in private.
With this commotion, his actions were about to be exposed.
This was bad!
Dwarf Beard didn’t wait for the manager but saw two female Mages entering the store’s hall.
It was Bu Quan and Zi Di.
Seeing the two female Mages, Dwarf Beard hesitated for a moment, suppressed his anger, and greeted them, “Yao Ma Mage, Bu Quan Mage, hello to both of you. I didn’t expect to see you here in the store.”
“This is great!”
“I had an order placed only to be told it wasn’t available. It would be one thing if I had simply made a wasted trip, but is this how the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps conducts its business, with no credibility?”
“Bu Quan Mage, we are old friends after all, please help me out with this.”
Dwarf Beard was a well-known figure in Snowbird Port, owning many fishing boats with extensive ventures.
Initially, when the Dragon-man youth had started to challenge, Bu Quan, Dwarf Beard, and an elder of the Human Race had looked on from a distance at the dock and had discussed the youth’s appearance.
Bu Quan had indeed a relatively close relationship with Dwarf Beard and the Human Race elder in Snowbird Port.
The three of them collaborated quite often and quite frequently.
At that moment, the manager arrived.
The manager was a Snow Elf, who looked at Dwarf Beard and smiled, “Your goods are in the warehouse behind our store. Ordinary staff aren’t aware of this; I’ll have it brought to you right away.”
The manager was unaware that the Magic Potions specifically kept in the warehouse had been sold off.
The clerk who sold them privately felt as if he had fallen into an ice pit.
But the next moment, Zi Di said, “No need to fetch them, the warehouse is empty. His order has already been sold to someone else.”
“What?!” The manager turned pale and glanced at Zi Di, wanting to ask but not daring to.
Zi Di could tell from his expression that he had misunderstood something.
The Ghost Girl chuckled lightly, casting her gaze towards the clerk.
Seeing Zi Di’s gaze, the clerk, covered in cold sweat, stepped forward and admitted to the deed.
The manager glared and rebuked, “I asked you to tally the stock, not to do this kind of thing! You, I thought you were clever, but it turns out you were too clever…”
“Quick, tell me, to whom did you sell the potions?”
“Hurry and get them back!”
“These were all meant for this gentleman!”
“I sold them to my uncle,” the clerk had no choice but to reveal the truth.
The manager asked, “And who is your uncle?”
The clerk then disclosed his uncle’s identity.
The manager was stunned where he stood.
Because the clerk’s uncle held a similar status to Dwarf Beard, and if he tried to please Dwarf Beard, he would offend another powerful, influential figure.
After a second or two of being troubled, the Snow Elf manager turned and approached Zi Di, bowing and nodding, “Yao Ma Mage, how do you think we should resolve this?”
Zi Di glanced at him indifferently, without making a sound.
Dwarf Beard looked at Zi Di.
He wanted to purchase a significant amount of Dragon Power Riding Potion. But forcing a settlement would mean offending a person of his own status.
This was not something he wanted to see.
But he also didn’t want to compromise and could only continue to rightfully demand an explanation from the store.
There were many other dissatisfied buyers in the store, also watching the commotion with interest, casting their eyes towards Zi Di.
Zi Di smiled slightly but subtly shifted her stance to consult with Bu Quan next to her, “Bu Quan Mage, what do you think we should do?”
Bu Quan looked deeply at Zi Di, understanding her intentions.
After a moment of thought, Bu Quan said to Dwarf Beard, “You reserved 50 doses of Dragon Power Riding Magic Potion, what does a fisherman need so much for?”
As partners and friends, Bu Quan spoke without mincing words.
Dwarf Beard actually liked this frankness.
Because it meant that their relationship was very close.
Dwarf Beard then said, “Bu Quan Mage, are you looking down on me again?”
“Although I use boats for fishing, after using this Magic Potion, I found that having the fishermen maneuver Butter Arrowfish mounts for casting nets increased our catch by more than double.”
“Often, we even catch rare fish species.”
“If Dragon Power Riding Potions are supplied over a long term, I’ll definitely be the biggest customer here!”
Butter Arrowfish mounts are a common type of fish mount, often kept by fishermen in their homes.
These arrowfish are large and tend toward a plump shape, easy to keep alive and their speed is decent.
The only downside is that they seep oil.
Once these arrowfish engage in prolonged activity, they start to exude fish oil. If not cleaned in time, a thin layer of butter forms, making it hard for knights to sit securely.
Near the Ice Sculpture Kingdom, Butter Arrowfish are abundant, but the military never uses them.
The reason they are eliminated by the military isn’t the issue of sitting securely, it’s that the butter seeping out, when carried by seawater, leaves extremely noticeable traces, easily allowing the enemy to calculate the troops’ movements.
There are solutions to this problem, but the cost and benefits do not match.
Furthermore, the military has many better options, so they don’t choose this type.
Bu Quan, upon hearing the Dwarf’s bearded response, fell silent for a moment, “Since the potions have already been sold, naturally, I can’t sell them to you.”
“However, I can personally make an effort and rush them. By no later than 2 PM today, I can provide you with 50 doses of Dragon Power Riding Potion.”
The Dwarf, startled by this response, looked at Bu Quan with amazement.
Before this, he had collaborated with Bu Quan many times and bought numerous alchemical tools from her.
He had never seen Bu Quan act this way!
Even if there were delays in delivery, Bu Quan would only respond coldly that she was conducting an alchemical experiment that caused the delay. Do you still want the items on the order?
The Dwarf said he wanted the items.
Bu Quan would then schedule a later time and note that such delays could happen again.
The Dwarf, holding his nose, still placed orders.
Who made the alchemical tools from Bu Quan’s workshop so reliably high in quality?
Bu Quan had always primarily focused on researching Alchemy herself and had never before paused her experiments to rush an order.
But now, she did.
The Dwarf couldn’t help but ask, “Does this mean, Mage Bu Quan, that you have truly joined the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps?”
He had heard such rumors but had dismissed them with a laugh.
Bu Quan nodded, “That’s correct.”
Her public admission immediately drew soft gasps from those around.
Everyone was incredibly astonished as to why Bu Quan would make such a choice.
Bu Quan, looking at the Dwarf, briefly explained, “I want to try out a new lifestyle.”
“Being young is certainly wonderful.” As a friend, the Dwarf sighed deeply, offering his blessings and then added, “Regardless of how your new life turns out, today, I indeed saw a different you.”
It was then that Zi Di spoke, “Regarding this matter, it was a mistake by our store staff.”
“Here, I promise you, from now on, whenever you purchase Dragon Power Riding Potion, our side will offer it to you at a 10% discount!”
Zi Di offered compensation, giving the Dwarf an unexpected joy.
He was buying 50 doses at a time, and over the long term, his total purchase volume was very substantial.
A 10% discount might seem little, but the savings accumulated over time would be considerable.
This compensation from the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps showed great sincerity, and the Dwarf, pleased, complimented Zi Di on the spot.
After resolving this minor dispute, Zi Di then led Bu Quan, the manager, and several staff members to a room behind the hall.
Moments later.
The staff member who conducted the private transaction came out looking grateful.
Zi Di had given him a stern warning but minor punishment, which felt like a narrow escape to him and gave the manager and other staff something to ponder.
Bu Quan observed the entire process of Zi Di disciplining her subordinate and seeing such a handling method, gained some insights.
The market influence of the Dragon Power Riding Potion was quickly helping the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps build business relations. The strategic placement of the staff members also helped, leveraging their background connections to deeply root the store’s presence, progressing very smoothly.
“But even if I go all out, the amount of Magic Potion I could produce would still not satisfy the entirety of Snowbird Port,” said Bu Quan to Zi Di, “We would still need the strength of the other three alchemists.”
Zi Di, looking at Bu Quan in front of her, smiled even more broadly.
This dispute resolution, which involved Bu Quan publicly acknowledging her joining of the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps, confirmed the rumors Zi Di had deliberately spread earlier, further amplifying the corps’ influence and instantly establishing the store’s reputation in the business community.
After all, Bu Quan had joined. And throughout the past days, the alchemical tools produced by Bu Quan were renowned for their quality.
With Bu Quan stepping forward, the Dwarf was compelled to give in due to the circumstances.
His compromise also earned him Zi Di’s compensation. A 10% discount, yet such a major customer buying year-round, Zi Di might earn less but certainly wouldn’t lose.
Addressing the mistake made by the staff member lightly also alerted other staff members, surely leading to many quality connections and big buyers in the future.
Just having good products isn’t enough to build strong connections.
Zi Di understood clearly: you must intertwine sales with personal relationships.
And what pleased her most was Bu Quan’s performance. She had taken the initiative to address this dispute and also to suggest the need for reinforcements. All of this proved that Bu Quan truly had changed her mindset and habits.
Wasn’t this the result of Zi Di’s previous training?
In all these aspects, Zi Di was undoubtedly the biggest winner.
After some thought, Zi Di replied to Bu Quan, “The reinforcements will be available, but the exact timing is uncertain. If all goes well, perhaps they can join you as early as tomorrow morning.”
The Array Map’s sections had already been constructed to correspond with the Array.
Only the final combination was missing.
This was the most crucial step.
If this step was completed successfully, the Bloodline Purification Array would be established!