Chapter 828: Chapter 616: Intimidation
In the tightly defended inn.
“Chairman, Chairman.” The travel-weary Fat Tongue greeted Zi Di, visibly excited, “It’s great to see you unharmed.”
Since Zi Di’s summoning, Sanda had gathered a group of people to conceal Fat Tongue within the team. On the surface, they were reviewing accounts, but in reality, they were just transporting the crucial figure, Fat Tongue.
Of course, they did their accounting check as well.
Zi Di smiled and felt a sense of familiarity upon seeing Fat Tongue again: “Sorry, Elder Fat Tongue, for making you take the risk of coming to the Ice Sculpture Royal Capital this time.”
Fat Tongue immediately shook his head: “If the enemy wanted to attack, I wouldn’t have been safe at Snowbird Port either.”
“Besides, back then, I started the business from scratch with the old chairman, experiencing situations far more dangerous than this multiple times.”
“Chairman, you made the right decision.”
“It’s just a pity that I am the only survivor here. I failed your trust.”
Before Fat Tongue set out, he wrote a secret letter telling that Sanda had thwarted his rescue action.
Zi Di already knew about this situation and nodded slightly: “Sanda stayed behind there, what more can be said? If the big guy were at Snowbird Port, it would be a different matter.”
Zi Di was about to tell Fat Tongue about Yuan Ci, Jiu Jin, and the Purple Vine Secret Stash.
After all, Fat Tongue also possessed a Level 0 Purple Vine secret order. The follow-up to this matter might require his involvement.
At this moment, a visitor arrived.
“An envoy from the Alchemy Guild?” Zi Di raised her eyebrows slightly, and the initial surprise on her face quickly vanished.
“Given the timing, it should be expected.” Zi Di murmured softly.
Fat Tongue immediately felt nervous: “Chairman, the visitor has ill intentions.”
As an seasoned figure in the Purple Vine Chamber of Commerce, Fat Tongue was well aware that if Zi Di wanted to make strides in the Alchemy Market of the Ice Sculpture Kingdom, the biggest obstacle would only be the Alchemy Guild of the Ice Sculpture Kingdom!
The latter’s size was enormous, the undisputed overlord, controlling almost 90% of the alchemy market share in the entire country.
Although Zi Di had opened up a new market for Mount Potion, the Alchemy Guild would never sit idly by, watching the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps reap great profits and grow stronger.
Therefore, both survivors like Zi Di, Fat Tongue, and the Lijian family had the realization that sooner or later, they would clash with the Alchemy Guild.
There must be a confrontation between the two sides, perhaps many confrontations.
All these are just a matter of time.
Zi Di took a deep breath and ordered her attendants to prepare; she was going to meet the envoy from the Alchemy Guild properly.
Fat Tongue hurriedly said: “Chairman, let me accompany you.”
Zi Di nodded and agreed to the request.
A moment later, in the reception room, Zi Di looked at Elder Jiu Jin with a slight oddity.
She didn’t expect to see him in such a short period, in another manner.
Jiu Jin did not notice Zi Di and Fat Tongue’s real identities; the survivors were all under the protection of Deception and Disguise Skill and Anti-Intelligence Prophecy Skill.
His demeanor at the moment was very different from when he secretly met with Zi Di before.
“Mage Yao Ma, I am Elder Jiu Jin from the kingdom’s Alchemy Guild. It’s a pleasure to meet you here and now, and I’m sure you’ll be pleased to see me too. Because this time, I’ve brought an opportunity that can change your life!”
With a smile on his face, Jiu Jin spoke in an exaggerated manner, exuding an aura not so much of enthusiasm, but rather of an attempt to intimidate Zi Di.
Zi Di responded: “What kind of opportunity is it?”
Jiu Jin then directly explained his purpose. The high-level members of the Alchemy Guild appreciated the formula for the Dragon Power Riding Potion and were willing to offer an opportunity to recruit the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps.
Zi Di showed a bewildered expression, feigning ignorance: “The Alchemy Guild and Mercenary Group businesses are different, aren’t they?”
Jiu Jin said: “Our Alchemy Guild is financially strong and has been employing several mercenary groups for many years. Among them, three are as high as five-star level mercenary groups.”
A five-star level mercenary group must have at least one Golden Level Transcendent.
Zi Di continued to ask: “If our group accepts the guild’s recruitment, how is the specific compensation calculated?”
Jiu Jin, still smiling, offered the terms.
Zi Di immediately laughed: “This price… Elder Jiu Jin, let’s not kid around.”
Jiu Jin pretended not to understand: “How could it be? This remuneration is clearly marked. Do you really think that I, a dignified elder of the Alchemy Guild, would deceive you?”
Zi Di’s expression turned cold: “In plain language, Elder Jiu Jin, let’s be direct. Your Alchemy Guild’s intention to recruit our group is not for some mercenary missions, but because you have plans for the Mount Potion, isn’t it?”
Jiu Jin snorted coldly: “Since you’ve exposed it, let’s talk directly.”
“As an outsider, don’t you think you’re overreaching?”
“The interests of the Mount Potion are too vast, beyond what your small mercenary group can swallow. If you have a backer, let them come and negotiate themselves.”
Jiu Jin believed that the background of the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps was an international arms smuggler.
He deliberately let Zi Di’s boss come forward to talk, which was actually a form of coercion.
It is well known that the leader of an arms smuggling group would not easily make an appearance; it’s too risky.
Zi Di said, “Isn’t the Alchemy Guild too overbearing?”
“The Ice Sculpture Kingdom is an open market, with a vast scale of imports and exports every year.”
“If the alchemy market here is exclusive to your Alchemy Guild, then please present the relevant national regulations, so we can conscientiously abide by them.”
“Hmph!” Jiu Jin unhappily placed the cup in his hand directly on the table, continuing to exert pressure, “Mage Yao Ma, surely you don’t think I am begging you, do you?”
“Our recruitment of you is indeed an act of goodwill.”
“Once our guild takes action, do you think you can hold on? Your business is currently booming, but it’s only because our guild hasn’t acted yet.”
“Take a look at this.”
Jiu Jin took out a document and placed it on the coffee table.
Zi Di picked it up and looked at it, her pupils suddenly narrowing.
It was a magic potion formula, precisely the reverse-engineered formula for the Dragon Power Riding Potion by Hua Ni himself.
“Now do you understand?” Jiu Jin’s demeanor was arrogant, “We have the complete ability to heavily strike against the Dragon Power Riding Potion. But we haven’t done so.”
“If you carefully savor it, you will taste the sincerity and goodwill from our side.”
“As an elder alchemist, I still have to advise you young people a bit. Cherish this opportunity, such opportunities are rare in life. Grasp it, and you will have a completely different landscape in your future.”
Jiu Jin maintained a high posture, placing himself in a senior position.
Fat Tongue stood behind Zi Di, acting as an attendant.
He did not recognize Jiu Jin, and was unaware that this alchemy elder was once a member of the Purple Vine Chamber of Commerce and personally held a Level 0 Purple Vine Secret Stash.
At this time, Fat Tongue wanted nothing more than to smack Jiu Jin directly in the face.
“This old guy keeps saying he has sincerity and goodwill, yet offers such a low price and uses compromised formulas to threaten.”
“The Alchemy Guild of the Ice Sculpture Kingdom has been in a monopolistic position for too long, and such overbearing behavior is truly unlikable.”
“The trouble is, Jiu Jin is not wrong. The strength of the Alchemy Guild is too strong. Although the Lijian family is a top family within the kingdom, they really cannot compete with the Alchemy Guild in alchemy.”
“Once the Alchemy Guild takes action, mass production of potions and market dumping will surely cause our magic potion business to suffer a heavy blow and plummet.”
Fat Tongue, an elder of the Purple Vine Chamber of Commerce with years of business experience, knew well there were two main reasons for Zi Di’s success.
The first was leveraging the fame of squad leader Long Fu to skip the initial reputation-building for the magic potions.
The second was Zi Di grasping the timing. After introducing the Mount Potion to the market, she went all out, utilizing the Lijian family’s channels to quickly capture the market, seizing key positions before others could react.
But in market transactions, price is primary, or even decisive.
Once the Alchemy Guild dumps potions without regard to cost, the low prices would overpower customers’ sentiments for the Dragon-man youth. The “territory” acquired by the survivors in the early days would swiftly be lost.
And agreeing to recruitment, joining the Alchemy Guild?
That’s absolutely out of the question.
According to Jiu Jin’s conditions, he undoubtedly wants the survivors to hand over their commercial territories.
Moreover, after joining the Alchemy Guild, the survivors would still have to serve high-ranking figures like Elder Jiu Jin.
It’s simply outrageous!
Zi Di showed a troubled expression: “This matter is too significant for me to decide; I need time to consult.”
Jiu Jin snorted coldly, shaking his head directly, “Young one, my time is precious, not to be wasted like this by you.”
“I need the answer today.”
“You can communicate immediately, I’ll wait here for the result.”
“Remember, you have only ten minutes.”
Zi Di’s expression turned very ugly. She left behind a pleasantry and, with Fat Tongue, left the reception room, leaving Jiu Jin alone inside.
Fat Tongue was puzzled: “This Elder Jiu Jin’s attitude is off. He doesn’t seem to want us to join the guild. What should we do, Chairman?”
Zi Di just smiled faintly, her previous expressions and tone were all a facade.
“If it were someone else, I might not have a good way. But how did it happen to be him?”
“Oh?” Fat Tongue was curious, “Do you already have a plan, my lord?”
“I’ll tell you the specifics after this. Him running into me is his misfortune. Wait a while, and then it’ll be my turn to threaten him.” Zi Di chuckled softly.
Fat Tongue became more curious, wondering, “What hold does the Chairman have on them? It seems this hold is quite extraordinary.”
Fat Tongue did not know that the hold he was curious about was actually Zi Di herself.