Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Maybe the cold-blooded genes present in the bloodline of the High Elves were finally awakened. Facing the attack from enemies, the life-loving Elves didn’t hesitate to kill. Large numbers of human soldiers died under sharp arrows. Human corpses could be seen even outside the Emerald Forest. After many nations had suffered huge losses, they finally gave up the attempt to take down the Elven Kingdom by force, and expressed their intention to negotiate with the Elf Queen again.
The details of the negotiation were unknown, but the truth was that the Elves made their position as the masters of the Emerald Forest clear via their bows and arrows. However, with the negative example set by the High Elves, the Elves weren’t unreasonable. After all, they still voluntarily provided herbs for the outside world even with the entry into their land restricted. The advantage of doing so was not only the ability to exchange herbs for necessities which the Emerald Forest couldn’t produce, but also to prevent themselves from becoming the common enemies of Anril again.
Time had proven that such a change was necessary. Although it couldn’t stop all illegal poaching and herb-picking activities, most people wouldn’t risk their lives for herbs they could buy with money. Therefore, the well-known herb exchange market in the neighboring City of Late Winter appeared.
The current Elven Kingdom was said to have a population of over a million. Although the quantity was still small when compared to big nations like the Felan Kingdom, the quality was comparable to any big nation’s. It was hard to imagine that the Elves were only a few hundred in strength when they’d first reached the Emerald Forest.
All this was attributed to the Goddess of Forest Monferra and described as a miracle. At the start, many people regarded this legend with contempt. However, this story had now become a topic of songs for the bards. What was the difference if it was true or not? Looking at the entire Anril, who had the ability to chase a million of Elves away from the Emerald Forest?
Precisely due to the close proximity to the Elven Kingdom, the City of Late Winter was named the herb treasure house of the Breezy Plains. The economy of the entire city was supported by the herb business, and the tax from herb exchange made up more than 80% of the city’s total income.
Among the many herb stores, the most famous and highest in standard was the Tree of Emerald that Charles had mentioned. As the biggest herb store in the City of Late Winter, Tree of Emerald was also known as the Source of Life. It was said that this was the only place in Anril where one could use money to buy lives.
Lin Li would have scoffed at such a saying before he had traveled to Anril. However, the Guru-level pharmaceutics knowledge in his memory had taught him that everything was possible in the field of pharmaceutics. Not to mention potion formulae which cured all kinds of injuries, even incurable symptoms like aging could be mitigated by formulae in Lin Li’s memory. Of course, the difficulty of making such a potion which prolonged life, the ingredients required, and the price of such potions were all too much for an ordinary person.
The Tree of Emerald monopolized almost 80% of the herb business in Anril. No matter how precious the ingredients were, they could be found in the Tree of Emerald. Of course, on the condition that one could afford them. The more precious and rare the ingredients were, the higher the amount they were sold for, naturally. It was said that a small amount of Purple Lotus Flower pollen was sold at a whopping 5,000,000 gold coins.
The Tree of Emerald wouldn’t have reached its current status just selling herbs. Just like what Sienna had scolded Charles for, it was almost impossible to get the pharmacists to help in times of need no matter how big Charles’ business was and how many pharmacists he knew. All Charles could do was to use such connections to elevate his own status. After all, the herbs were sold to the pharmacists, and they didn’t owe him any favors. How was it a friendship at all?
However, how did the Tree of Emerald manage to monopolize 80% of the herb business in Anril and reach its current position? Was it absolutely because of its abilities? The reason seemed to be that the Tree of Emerald possessed its own pharmacists whose standards were no lower than of those in the Pharmacists Guild.
There had always been various talk about what background the Tree of Emerald had. However, there was one speculation that was most commonly acknowledged by people. That was, the Tree of Emerald was supported by the Elven Kingdom. Other than its name, this speculation stemmed from the fact that its herbs needed to come from a well-founded source for it to monopolize 80% of the herb business on the Anril Continent. This was of course just speculation as nobody had ever seen an Elf in the Tree of Emerald.
When Charles spoke of the Tree of Emerald, he couldn’t help but feel envy. The Tree of Emerald could be considered a role model in the herb business. Yet, everyone knew that it was almost impossible to accomplish even half of what the Tree of Emerald had. The biggest obstacle was the fact that most pharmacists were very proud. How could they easily work for others?
“Speaking of this, I heard that there’s a newly established Tower of Dusk in Doland. I don’t know why they were so lucky to get a batch of pharmacists to work for them. However, I’ve heard that many other factions were trying to poach these pharmacists. Seems like they won’t be happy for long,” said Charles with sparkling eyes.
“Oh, why not send some of your men to try too?” Wilkinson, who had been quiet for a while, asked. He found it funny that his companions and he had been receiving so many presents these days.
Charles laughed awkwardly, and replied, “I know myself well. Those high-level pharmacists won’t choose me for sure. However, Captain Sienna, I think you can give it a try with your abilities.”
In order to lighten up the atmosphere, Sienna half jokingly asked, “Is it? Not to hide, I have been considering this recently. Charles, since you’ve interacted with pharmacists more, do you know what pharmacists like?”
Obviously, he didn’t know that the owner of the Tower of Dusk was beside him. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have made such a joke no matter what.
“Pharmacists like anything that’s expensive enough.” Only Lin Li could joke about pharmacists like this. He then asked Charles, “Those herbs that I wanted really can’t be found here?”
Charles was rather unsettled as he looked towards Sienna, and hesitantly said, “There’s a way. I can find a way to find a few of the herbs you want, but…”
“But what? Don’t worry about the price. Tell me what other problems there are,” said Lin Li.
Charles didn’t dare to make Lin Li wait, so he immediately explained, “Speaking of this, it’s rather coincidental. A few days ago, I’ve gotten a batch of precious herbs from the Elven Kingdom via other means. A few of them are what you want. However, it is very dangerous and difficult to transport those herbs safely from the Elven Kingdom. Thus, whether this batch of herbs can be transported here safely depends on Captain Sienna’s help.”
Sienna scolded the bastard Charles for involving him in this. However, he didn’t show any signs of displeasure, and nodded. “Indeed. The path from the Elven Kingdom is very long, and there are several dangerous locations which we must pass by. Especially recently, I’ve heard that a batch of high-value magic staff material from the Lude magic equipment store was robbed. The second master of the Holly Family in the Eastern Plains, who was in charge of the escort, was also kidnapped. The Holly Family had not only lost all their goods, but also spent a large sum of money to ransom him. According to the ones who went to redeem him, this stretch of road is now owned by the Gale Bandits.”
Everyone in the Breezy Plains knew about the Gale Bandits. With abilities only below the Dark Blade’s and placed second on the so-called Top Ten Bandits ranking of bandits in the plains, the Syer Bandits who’d placed 10th on that list couldn’t match the Gale Bandits at all. Of course, that was talking about Vanskore’s Syer Bandits, without the allies which joined in later.
Some speculated that there was at least one Legendary powerhouse leading the Gale Bandits. However, there was no way to prove this speculation right or wrong. The truth was, the Gale Bandits had been rife in the Breezy Plains for years, and many missions had been dispatched to destroy them, including teams which were no short of powerhouses, yet all of them failed in their mission or contact with them was lost.
Though the Dark Blade was the top in the Top Ten Bandits rankings, it almost didn’t engage in any robbing activities now. The true top bandits in the Breezy Plains were in fact the Gale Bandits.
The room was silent after Sienna mentioned the Gale Bandits.
Charles already knew that he was nothing in the eyes of Mage Felic, so his fear had subsided quite a bit. This was because he knew that as long as he did what he needed to do obediently, Mage Felic couldn’t be bothered to find faults in him.
Merchants were merchants. Upon knowing that he needn’t worry about his life, Charles immediately started worrying about his business. He had put a lot of money into this collection of herbs from the Elven Kingdom. If it was robbed by bandits halfway, it would immensely affect the business of the Seven Leaf Grass. He didn’t have to worry about this if he directly sold them in the City of Late Winter, but that meant that he would only be able to earn very little.
In fact, Charles didn’t have any hope upon hearing the Gale Bandits that Sienna talked about. Everyone knew that the Gale Bandits were only second to the Dark Blade. Judging from Sienna’s mercenary corps’ abilities, it was almost impossible for them to protect Charles’ merchant caravan from the Gale Bandits until it reached safety.
