"Clan Leader Ailton."
"We are relying on you for the equipment matters of our Batu Free Federation this time."
In the City Lord's mansion, Su Zhan cupped his hands with sincerity. Beside him were almost all the key personnel of Hezhen, demonstrating the respect they held for Fu Hua Ailton.
Fu Hua Ailton also wore a smile. Although he did not make any promises, he did not show any arrogance.
"Our Federation's Chief and several esteemed Lords are also on their way. They should arrive soon," Su Zhan said to himself. "Our Federation truly values you very highly."
"City Lord Su is too kind. It is my honor to cooperate with your country."
"Win-win, win-win!"
Anyone would receive due respect from an equipment merchant, be it a city lord or a monarch of a kingdom.
*Stomp, stomp, stomp—*
Just then, a figure of a beastman rushed into the City Lord's mansion from outside. The beastman, clad in armor, clasped his hands.
"City Lord, Mr. Chen and the others have arrived."
"Quickly, let them in," Su Zhan responded. Not long after, Chen Yu entered the City Lord's mansion with his entourage. Luo Ni, who was following Chen Yu, rushed towards Fu Hua Ailton the moment she saw him. Su Zhan also gave the others a look and quietly withdrew from the front hall of the City Lord's mansion.
"Father!"
Luo Ni, held in Fu Hua Ailton's embrace, was teary-eyed. Fu Hua Ailton gently held his beloved daughter, his heart aching at the sight of tears on her eyelashes.
After slightly pacifying Luo Ni's emotions, Fu Hua Ailton turned to Chen Yu.
"Mr. Chen, thank you for taking care of my daughter during this time."
"It's what I should do," Chen Yu murmured. Fu Hua Ailton then tapped his bracelet lightly, and a not-too-large package appeared. "As you said, Mr. Chen, this contains what you need."
"Thank you."
Chen Yu took the package, and everyone else looked at it with curiosity.
*Clang!*
A table full of jade slips.
"What is this?" Luo Ni, with her lips pursed, looked on with curiosity. After leaning closer to take a look, she raised her eyebrows. "Efficient Learning and Rapid Crafting?"
Luo Ni, murmuring to herself, glanced at Chen Yu.
"Brother Chen, why did you buy these?"
To the natives of the underground world, Efficient Learning and Rapid Crafting were somewhat redundant. Although they had survival watches, learning these could reduce crafting time, but they rarely used watches to craft items.
It was meaningless!
Low-level blueprints did not take much time to learn. With just a few levels of learning, one could craft items instantly. Moreover, the drop rate of blueprints was not that high. Spending funds to buy these two types of jade slips just to speed up crafting was not worth it.
Most people at the bottom, upon obtaining a jade slip, would sell it rather than learn it.
Even the lowest-level Efficient Learning could be sold for several gold coins, which was equivalent to a house in the underground world. No one would spend such a large sum to learn such extravagant jade slips.
Those who learned these were those with spare money.
Like Luo Ni and her kin,
But they mostly bought finished products and rarely involved themselves in crafting.
"Wow, this is a whole set," Luo Ni exclaimed softly. "From level 1 to level 12. This is too extravagant. Even I have only learned up to level 9."
"Just for fun."
Chen Yu smiled slightly and stored all the jade slips into his watch.
While these jade slips were redundant to others, they were absolute divine artifacts to Chen Yu. Unlike others in the underground world, he possessed blueprints. His Adventure, Bronze, Bright Silver, and Vibranium equipment sets all came with blueprints. He needed to craft frequently, so anything that could shorten learning and crafting efficiency was a divine artifact.
The reason he hadn't mass-produced Bright Silver sets yet was due to a certain issue.
Some components of the Bright Silver set,
He could not craft them instantly and had to wait for a period.
The Vibranium set and Black Obsidian set he was to craft later would require an immense amount of time. If he did not quickly improve his efficiency, these items would become a bottleneck for him.
He was an equipment merchant!
At least, that's how others saw him.
As an equipment merchant, he had only produced low-level sets so far. While various kingdoms might not have too many opinions about him, Chen Yu could not accept this.
If he were to be an equipment merchant, he would be the greatest.
An equipment merchant capable of shaking kingdoms.
Even if, in the end, he didn't sell high-level sets to other kingdoms, he could use them to arm his own troops. While other kingdoms wore Bright Silver sets, his troops would be uniformly equipped with Black Obsidian sets. The equipment advantage alone could surpass a significant realm.
He might indeed not have countless experts at the Color Realm.
But what about the Black Obsidian Realm?
If he could have a few experts at the Black Obsidian Realm wearing Black Obsidian sets, how much different would they be from experts at the Color Realm wearing Golden sets?
If strength is insufficient, use equipment to compensate.
Given time, his city-state would become a firearms empire city that all kingdoms feared.
"So extravagant. A level 10 jade slip costs millions of gold coins. Levels 11 and 12 might cost tens of millions," Luo Ni exclaimed, marveling. "Father, you haven't come to Hezhen for so long because you were helping Brother Chen find these jade slips."
"Mr. Chen was very lucky. A collector was eager to liquidate their assets and sold an entire set."
"You've worked hard."
Chen Yu cupped his hands gently.
He knew that Fu Hua Ailton acquiring these jade slips might not have been as easy as he said. However, they were now partners, and there would be many opportunities to repay this favor in the future.
"Since you are reunited with your daughter, I will not stay any longer."
"Mr. Chen, are you leaving already?" Fu Hua Ailton frowned. "The Chief of Hezhen will be here soon to discuss equipment matters. You..."
"Clan Leader Fu Hua, you are also an equipment merchant."
Chen Yu glanced at Fu Hua Ailton with a meaningful look. Fu Hua Ailton, understanding his intent, did not say more. Luo Ni, however, frowned.
"Brother Chen, are you leaving?"
"I am going to the Royal City this time," Chen Yu said with a smile. "I have been delayed in Hezhen for so long, and it's time to move on. If I delay any further, the people in my city will be anxious. You should stay with your father, and I will visit you after I have handled everything."
"Ah?! I'm not going with you?"
"Stay with Clan Leader Fu Hua," Chen Yu murmured. "I know you are worried about your clan. After I go to the Royal City, I will contact your clan and help them secretly transfer to the Batu Federation. You just need to leave me a proof of identity. If it can be presented, it will make the responsible persons believe my words."
"This jade pendant can serve as a token."
Fu Hua Ailton produced the jade pendant, and Luo Ni bit her lip slightly.
"Is our Ailton family really going to betray our country?"
"There's no other choice. We have no other options," Fu Hua Ailton gently stroked Luo Ni's head. "Unless it's absolutely necessary, Father doesn't want to reach this point, but the Tatu Kingdom is truly..."
As he spoke, the image of his younger brother dying before his eyes suddenly flashed in Fu Hua Ailton's mind.
The arm holding the teacup tensed abruptly, and the teacup was crushed into pieces.
"This is too much!"