Chapter 72
Chapter 72
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 72
Chapter Title: Golden Lord
-----------------------------------------------------------------
“Merchants from all directions are rushing over with piles of money, Master.”
Demon-Slaying Spear King Jin Gu-pyeong reported to Kang Hyun-su with his face flushed in excitement.
Even Zhonghua Guild couldn’t avoid the damage from the venomous insect horde.
In fact, since they had been aggressively nurturing rookies, their losses were far greater than those of other guilds.
At least Healer Jang So-hwa, whom Kang Hyun-su had pushed forward, had applied continuous healing dots, making their situation somewhat better than other guilds.
In the end, it was still a wash.
That was when Kang Hyun-su appeared as their savior.
He signed an exclusive supply contract with Zhonghua Guild and handed over the stockpiles of Guopi that had been piling up in his warehouse.
Thanks to that, not only did Zhonghua Guild safely overcome the crisis, but they could even use Guopi as a strategic weapon.
They secured massive vested interests by supplying Guopi to the regular armies of various nations, including the Mightor Kingdom.
And that wasn’t the end of it.
Guilds that had been in competition with Zhonghua Guild all bowed their heads one after another, yielding their interests and buying up Guopi.
From Demon-Slaying Spear King Jin Gu-pyeong’s perspective, this not only solidified his position as guild master but also expanded Zhonghua Guild’s power. It was hitting two birds with one stone.
“No word from Goldroad Merchant Group yet?”
“No, they haven’t come. They’re in such a remote location that it seems to be taking time for the news to reach them.”
“If Goldroad Merchant Group makes contact, tell them the Merchant Lord must come in person. Then send them straight to me.”
“Understood.”
“Are the items and skillbooks in the warehouse?”
“Yes, I’ll guide you there.”
Kang Hyun-su and Demon-Slaying Spear King Jin Gu-pyeong rose from their seats.
A short while later.
Kang Hyun-su’s eyes fell upon the warehouse filled to the brim with A-Rank and higher items and skillbooks.
‘Good call entrusting it to them.’
Signing the exclusive supply contract with Zhonghua Guild had been to avoid hassle.
From Kang Hyun-su’s perspective, who was busy hunting, he had no time to waste meeting with ministers of state or guild finance officers.
‘And no more idiots trying funny business.’
If Kang Hyun-su had sold Guopi under his personal name?
There definitely would have been people who saw him as an easy mark and tried to muscle in.
But by putting Zhonghua Guild forward, all problems were neatly resolved.
‘Zhonghua Guild’s power and influence have grown too.’
Zhonghua Guild belonged to Demon-Slaying Spear King Jin Gu-pyeong, and Demon-Slaying Spear King Jin Gu-pyeong belonged to Kang Hyun-su.
Kang Hyun-su’s power had grown through the Guopi sales.
The A-Rank and higher items and skillbooks piled in the warehouse were what Zhonghua Guild had received or purchased from nations and other guilds in exchange for Guopi sales.
Things that would have been difficult if Kang Hyun-su had handled them personally.
Through Zhonghua Guild, it had been resolved effortlessly.
“Take them.”
Shwaaak!
No sooner had Kang Hyun-su spoken than his summons scooped up the items.
He planned to selectively equip his summons and feed the leftovers to the Gluttony Sword.
For the skillbooks, he intended to personally review them, learn any useful ones, keep others, or absorb them into his Ring of Protection.
‘Items and gold are pouring in like crazy.’
Even after receiving this massive haul of items and skillbooks as payment for Guopi, gold continued to accumulate.
‘Truly, you need to make the right contracts.’
The exclusive Guopi supply contract Kang Hyun-su had made with Zhonghua Guild.
Naturally, it was filled with one-sided clauses heavily favoring Kang Hyun-su.
How favorable? Even if Zhonghua Guild sold Guopi for a hundred days straight, they’d barely break even.
On top of that, there was a clause allowing Kang Hyun-su to terminate the exclusive supply contract at any time if he wished.
‘But terminating it would actually be a loss for them.’
Zhonghua Guild members were running themselves ragged.
They’d even hired new staff dedicated solely to managing and selling additional Guopi herbs.
They also had to provide basic hospitality to visiting ministers and major guild finance officers.
You couldn’t snub buyers who came knocking, could you?
Even if Zhonghua Guild held the superior position, the visitors were heavyweights who couldn’t be ignored.
Thinking of the future, they had to show some respect.
Including personnel and hospitality costs?
Zhonghua Guild was actually operating at a slight loss.
Yet no one in Zhonghua Guild blamed Demon-Slaying Spear King Jin Gu-pyeong.
On the contrary, they praised him.
He had easily overcome a massive crisis.
And through the swift exclusive Guopi supply contract, they took an economic hit.
But the intangible gains were enormous.
Plus, the interests yielded to them as sales conditions accrued directly to Zhonghua Guild, so it was a short-term loss but a long-term gain.
“I’ll come back tomorrow.”
Having received his report and collected the items and skillbooks, Kang Hyun-su prepared to leave Zhonghua Guild.
But then.
“Guild Master, people from Goldroad Merchant Group have arrived as you mentioned. It seems the Merchant Lord came personally.”
Kang Hyun-su, who had been waiting and waiting, finally met the owner of Goldroad Merchant Group, Golden Lord Saemaal.
* * *
‘I must secure the supply contract at all costs.’
If he failed?
Saemaal would go bankrupt.
‘Whether by cost-performance or supply volume, the only antidote herb that can resolve this crisis is Guopi.’
Other herbs were too expensive and in short supply.
“The Guild Master will arrive shortly.”
At the Zhonghua Guild staff member’s words, Saemaal’s expression hardened.
“Guild Master? You mean Demon-Slaying Spear King himself is coming?”
“Yes.”
Hearing the Zhonghua Guild staff member, Saemaal began to tense up.
‘Why on earth is the guild master, Demon-Slaying Spear King Jin Gu-pyeong, coming personally?’
He had thought sweet-talking the sales staff would secure the Guopi herb supply.
But suddenly, Zhonghua Guild’s guild master, Demon-Slaying Spear King Jin Gu-pyeong, was coming in person.
‘Gain or loss?’
If handled well, he could turn this big deal into a profit instead of a loss.
‘What if I secure the exclusive Guopi herb supply rights for the Saclant Empire?’
Goldroad Merchant Group wouldn’t just be one of the top ten merchants in the Saclant Empire—it could become the undisputed number one.
But if he upset Demon-Slaying Spear King Jin Gu-pyeong, the guild master?
‘No matter how much money I offer, I might not get any Guopi.’
Saemaal clenched his fists tightly.
Life brings countless crossroads of choice.
If you prioritize stability at those moments?
‘You might miss opportunities worth a fortune.’
Saemaal was a merchant.
And as a merchant, he could never let a golden opportunity like this slip away.
‘No matter the cost, I must win over Demon-Slaying Spear King Jin Gu-pyeong.’
Only then could he secure the exclusive Guopi herb supply rights for the Saclant Empire.
Saemaal mentally revised the contract terms he had planned to propose, making them far more generous.
Creak!
At that moment, the door opened, and two men entered.
‘That must be Zhonghua Guild’s Guild Master, Demon-Slaying Spear King Jin Gu-pyeong. But who’s the guy next to him? Sword Demon Ju Wi-cheon? No, the face is different.’
On his hurried way here, Saemaal had squeezed every bit of information on Zhonghua Guild from an info broker.
He had memorized the appearances of Zhonghua Guild’s key executives.
But nowhere in the info broker’s data was there any mention of that young man.
“It’s an honor to meet you, Demon-Slaying Spear King Jin Gu-pyeong. I am Saemaal, Merchant Lord of Goldroad Merchant Group.”
Saemaal first bowed deeply in polite greeting.
Thud!
At that moment, instead of Demon-Slaying Spear King Jin Gu-pyeong, the mysterious young man took the seat.
And Demon-Slaying Spear King Jin Gu-pyeong stood quietly behind him, hands clasped like a servant.
‘What the hell?’
As Saemaal’s mind filled with question marks.
“You’re here to buy Guopi, right?”
The young man spoke.
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“And while you’re at it, you want exclusive sales rights for the Saclant Empire?”
It was as if he had read Saemaal’s mind.
‘No. I’m a merchant from the Saclant Empire. Of course I’d want exclusive sales rights.’
The biggest profit came from exclusive sales rights—it was the natural progression.
“How could I dare hope for such generous consideration? But if given the chance, I will faithfully serve Zhonghua Guild’s interests to the best of my ability.”
Saemaal responded courteously.
‘I don’t know who he is, but he’s definitely from Zhonghua Guild.’
And he seemed to hold a higher position than Guild Master Demon-Slaying Spear King Jin Gu-pyeong.
‘Is he Zhonghua Guild’s hidden real power?’
The man had an East Asian appearance from Earth’s dimension.
And he had appeared in Zhonghua Guild’s house alongside the guild master.
From Saemaal’s perspective, he could only assume he was a Zhonghua Guild member.
“I’d rather you work for my benefit, not Zhonghua Guild’s.”
That was why the man’s words caught him off guard.
Saemaal quickly glanced at Zhonghua Guild’s Guild Master, Demon-Slaying Spear King Jin Gu-pyeong.
‘No change.’
For a moment, he wondered if Zhonghua Guild was just one of many guilds under this mysterious young man’s control.
“If you so command, I will follow with utmost loyalty.”
Saemaal prostrated himself flat.
A figure controlling a massive guild like Zhonghua Guild from the shadows had appeared before him.
Uncertain what he might do, survival had to be the top priority now.
“You’re lying.”
“What do you mean?”
“You’re a merchant through and through. You’d never follow me sincerely without profit.”
At Kang Hyun-su’s words, Saemaal felt something off.
It wasn’t just ‘merchants are like that.’ It felt like ‘you, Saemaal, are that kind of guy.’
‘Does he know about me?’
Perhaps they had investigated him beforehand.
‘Of course. They wouldn’t have summoned me here without knowing who I am.’
Realizing they wanted something from him.
‘I can secure the Saclant Empire’s exclusive Guopi herb supply rights.’
That thought came first.
‘The question is what I have to give in return.’
The answer was simple.
What else would a merchant want besides money?
“I’ll give you the position of Atlantis Dimension’s greatest merchant.”
“Pardon?”
Saemaal jumped in surprise.
He had been thinking of Saclant Empire exclusive sales rights.
And now this out-of-left-field offer of becoming Atlantis Dimension’s top merchant?
“What will you do? Follow me?”
“If I refuse, will you kill me?”
Saemaal asked cautiously.
“No, I have no intention of killing you. But you’ll end up wishing for death.”
“What do you mean?”
“If you can’t buy Guopi, won’t you go bankrupt anyway?”
At the young man’s words, Saemaal’s face paled.
“Choose. Will you follow me, or not?”
Saemaal agonized over the young man’s question.
But there was no real choice.
He didn’t fully believe the grandiose promise of becoming Atlantis Dimension’s greatest merchant.
‘But I can’t just sit here and go bankrupt.’
Without Guopi, bankruptcy was inevitable.
And not just any bankruptcy—a massive one.
‘One misstep, and I might be stuck healing until I die.’
All the money earned would go toward paying debts.
If he could avoid that dismal future.
Saemaal would make a pact with the devil himself.
‘No choice.’
To avoid ruin.
To avoid that wretched future.
He had to grab the hand offered.
“I will follow.”
In the end, Saemaal accepted the mysterious young man’s proposal.
‘Will we draw up a contract?’
Atlantis Dimension had unbreakable contracts.
Things like soul contracts or oaths of conviction via items.
“Then accept.”
With the young man’s words.
[Player Kang Hyun-su has used the Commander Appointment skill. Do you accept?]
[Yes] [No]
A system message appeared.
‘What’s this?’
He couldn’t tell exactly what downsides it had.
But.
‘It’s better than a soul contract or oath of conviction.’
Saemaal selected Yes.
[You have been appointed as Squad Leader.]
[All stats increase by 1%.]
‘Squad Leader?’
Everything was full of questions.
But anyway, he had accepted the man’s terms.
Now it was time for the benefits.
‘At least he’ll give me the Saclant Empire’s Guopi herb exclusive supply rights.’
The Saclant Empire, like the Rokto Empire, was a great power with many vassal states.
Securing Saclant Empire’s Guopi herb exclusive supply rights would naturally open sales channels to the vassal states.
“I grant you exclusive Guopi herb supply rights.”
“Thank you!”
At the young man’s words granting Guopi herb exclusive supply rights, Saemaal quickly bowed his head.
But something felt off.
‘Why didn’t he specify the Saclant Empire?’
Was it too minor a detail?
Or just an oversight?
As Saemaal’s mind filled with doubts.
“The formal structure will be Zhonghua Guild entrusting the herb supply rights to Goldroad Merchant Group. So sell the Guopi herbs in a way that benefits both Goldroad Merchant Group and Zhonghua Guild.”
The young man continued.
‘Huh?’
Saemaal’s mind went blank.
It wasn’t a minor omission.
Nor an oversight.
‘He’s giving me exclusive supply rights for Guopi across the entire Atlantis Dimension?’
His mind raced.
Endless ways to profit from the exclusive supply rights flooded his thoughts.
Suddenly, the young man’s earlier words about making him Atlantis Dimension’s greatest merchant resurfaced.
‘It wasn’t empty talk.’
With Guopi herb exclusive supply rights.
If he executed the plans in his head.
It was entirely possible.