“Yes, Black Emperor.”
After hearing Watson’s voice, Elven, sitting in the last row on the left, immediately stood up and talked about what she had done in the past week.
Unlike others, Elven did not sit on a chair. Instead, she sat on a shining angelic unicorn. Ever since Watson had given her that magical beast a week ago, she had always kept it by her side. Perhaps it was to show off.
“First of all, you forbade us from capturing slaves and selling them. You also forbade us from abusing them. Now, I have gotten those slaves properly settled. A batch of people who chose to leave has been sent out of the royal city. The rest have chosen to join us under the generous conditions that you have given us! Over the past week, more than 100,000 slaves have chosen to join us. One-tenth of them are gold-tier, while the rest are iron to silver-tier.”
As the pinky, Elven’s original job was to be in charge of human trafficking. Then, she was in charge of gathering intelligence. She needed people if she wanted to gather intelligence. Those unsold slaves could be trained to become qualified intelligence personnel.
“Currently, I have established intelligence agencies in the royal city, the floating cities, and a few nearby cities where the great noblemen are stationed. If you can give me another month, I will be able to cover the entire Holy Dragon Kingdom with the intelligence network and realize the real-time grasp of the intelligence everywhere.”
“Another month?”
Watson thought for a moment. Then, he smiled at Elven. “It’s really hard for you to build the entire kingdom’s intelligence network in a month. But if you can do it, I’ll definitely not be stingy with my rewards. First, tell me what you’ve learned from the intelligence network you’ve already built over the past week.”
“Yes, first of all, it’s a significant matter between kingdoms. I heard that the northern border fortress at the Dragonspine Snow Mountain had collapsed for some unknown reason a few months ago. The Winter Nation in the north and the Elven Kingdom in the south have a close relationship. But I don’t know what plans they have.
“Secondly, there’s also something significant happening in the kingdom recently. The Royal Academy is starting in two days. They said that the King attached great importance to their students this year. He even decided to let the new students have an exhibition match and invited envoys from other countries to come and watch.
“The third significant event comes from the Campbell family. Recently, we don’t know what happened to the Campbell family. Many of their members have closed their doors and haven’t been out much. Furthermore, people passing by the Campbell family often hear the sound of banging inside. They don’t know what’s happening there. However, the sound is sometimes very loud and has seriously affected the lives of the surrounding residents. That has led to people complaining to the city defense department. Currently, that matter is being coordinated.
“Apart from those three pieces of information, there is also some less critical news! The owner of Raphael Winery had been found meeting a woman in the manor discreetly three days ago. They said that the woman was a marquis’ concubine in the royal city. After learning of that matter, the Marquis sent someone into the manor to break the owner’s legs and break a lot of red wine. Currently, the production of red wine at Raphael Winery has significantly been reduced. There is also a certain count who had sex with the daughter of a good friend. The count was concerned about whether to call his friend a father or a friend in the future.
“Stop.”
Seeing that Elven was about to continue, Watson extended his hand and gestured for a pause. “There’s no need to continue with the unimportant matters. It’s pretty good that you managed to gather that information within a week. Elven, keep up the good work. I believe you can do better.”
If Elven had continued with that, it would be all the gossip about the noblemen in the royal city and the surrounding towns. Watson was not interested in listening to that.
“Thank you, Black Emperor.” Elven respectfully thanked Watson and sat back on the unicorn’s back.
“Next is Ring Finger.”
“I can make that report.” The person who replied was Count Gray. He stood up from his chair. “This week, according to your request, we have successfully used the sun and moon gems to create the sun and moon wine. Currently, each bottle of wine sells for 1,000 gold coins. We’ve managed to sell more than 100,000 bottles.”
How much were 100,000 bottles of red wine? That was equivalent to 100 million gold coins. Even if they sold Count Gray’s fake wine, it would still take several years to earn that amount.
The reason the sun and moon wines sold so well was related to their effects. Normally, if a person wanted to increase their strength, they could only buy potions. Plus, to increase the effects of the potions, the taste was often unsatisfactory. However, it was different with wine. Since they could taste the delicious wine and improve their strength, why not?
In addition, the sun and moon gems were originally fruits that grew on the World Tree. Without using any techniques, just the taste of fermenting those fruits was enough to make people continue drinking them. In addition, Count Gray and his subordinates had been adjusting the formula day and night, creating a good ratio. As a result, the flavor of the sun and moon wine had already surpassed the red wine from Raphael Winery.
However, since only a few people knew about the wine, there were also fewer people who bought it. Not many people knew about its effects. Otherwise, it was not possible to sell more than 100,000 bottles of wine in a week. They would probably sell more than a million bottles.
“Not bad; keep up the good work. First, sell the sun and moon wine to a large extent. After that, I will help you expand the variety of wine.”
The things that Watson could fuse include other things as well. The weaker ones were like crystal wheat. The fermented beer could be called crystal beer, and the stronger ones could be like the Blessings of the Gods and Demons. When those things were mixed into the wine, they would become the gods’ and demons’ wine. Who could resist a wine that had a chance of changing randomly among the demons and angels after drinking it?
After making up his mind, Watson told Count Gray to sit down and asked Basher and Amon for their reports.
“Black Emperor, according to your previous arrangement, we are now accepting requests to kill only the most vicious people. Even though our business is less, the industry has a much better opinion of us. Someone even sent us a thank-you letter.”
Basher placed a thick stack of letters on the table. He scratched his head and looked a little embarrassed. In the past week, they had not used the resources provided by Watson to make a huge profit like the others. Since he and Amon had been promoted to platinum-tier, he felt a little ashamed that they had received such great benefits but had not done anything.
Amon, who was sitting opposite him, was no better. He smiled bitterly as well. “My current title has changed from a bloody executioner to a merciful killer. I feel that if this continues, my title will become an outstanding resident of the capital or a good person who doesn’t kill.”
“There’s nothing bad about the current situation. With a better reputation, there will be more people looking for you for more work. After all, becoming an assassin doesn’t require a fancy nickname but real strength. In that week, do you feel that the number of orders has increased?”
Amon and Basher looked at each other. The awkward expressions on their faces disappeared, and their faces brimmed with confidence.
“Of course, the orders have increased. We are, after all, platinum-tier elites. Other than a few platinum-tier existences and members of the archduke’s family, there’s nothing in the kingdom that we can’t kill! Previously, Amon and I were unable to complete many missions due to our strength. Even if we completed them, we would still need to deploy a large number of people. But now, Amon and I can wipe out the entire defensive force of an entire noble family. Speaking of which, a few days ago, I just wiped out a large noble family that consisted of dozens of people. That family persecuted their residents and even toyed with women. I killed all of them myself. Even hundreds of guards could not stop me.”
Basher’s spittle flew everywhere as he spoke with assurance. Watson did not continue listening and turned his head. “Next, it’s Thumb’s turn.”
No one was listening to Basher, and the other people were giving him stern looks as if they wanted him to be quiet. Basher could only suppress his desire to show off and obediently shut his mouth. At the same time, Marcus began to speak.
“Black Emperor, currently, we have only sold ten platinum-tier weapons. They were sold to three archduke families and some influential families in the kingdom! Every platinum-tier item is sold for 10,000 gold coins. Within a week, we’ve earned a net profit of 100,000 gold coins. ”
Only 100,000 gold coins?
Marcus’s words caused all the Severed Fingers Gang upper echelons to reveal looks of disbelief. Within that week, the others had easily earned over 100 million gold coins. However, as the original leader of the Severed Fingers Gang, Marcus made even less than the Middle Fingers—it was too embarrassing.
Marcus maintained a simple and honest smile. He was not in a hurry to refute it. Instead, Watson’s eyes flashed when he heard that. “Only sold ten? Even though I said I would let you walk the high-end path and not sell too many at once, isn’t ten too little? Or do you have some special plans?”
“Yes, as expected of the Black Emperor—everything I’ve done can’t escape your eyes! This is what I think. First, sell ten pieces to the three archdukes and the famous noblemen. Those nobles are not chosen at random. Some of their descendants are students at the Royal Academy. In addition to Elven’s intelligence, His Majesty will personally give a speech when the classes start and ask the students to complete the exhibition competition. If a platinum-tier weapon that doesn’t exist in the kingdom appears in the exhibition competition, and those students use it to win against those who are better than them, then they will be able to kill their opponent. It will cause the entire royal city to explode.”
“Amazing.”
Watson only said three words to Marcus’ plan, his eyes full of admiration.
He had distributed the weapons to Marcus with the intention of selling those weapons bit by bit. When platinum-tier weapons became popular in the capital, he would sell them in large quantities at a low price. He did not expect Marcus to come up with a different plan based on that. They would not sell the weapons first but distribute a portion to the designated people, letting them shine in the exhibition competition. After they made their weapons famous, they would start selling them officially and make a huge profit.
That was a completely different strategy from Count Gray’s in selling the sun and moon wine. In the modern era, that strategy was called advertising and asking for endorsements. Watson sighed with emotion when he thought of that. It was as expected of a Severed Fingers Gang higher-up—they were extraordinary, indeed.
“Alright, so far, everyone has spoken. I already have some understanding of everyone’s results for this week! The person I am most satisfied with is…”
Looking around, Watson deliberately stretched out his words. After he got everyone’s attention and they looked at him nervously, he said, “The person who I am most satisfied with is the Thumbs’ group.”
The Thumbs’ group?
Everyone looked at Marcus with envy. They were not fools. After Marcus explained the specific method, they already understood the subtlety of his idea. What was better for publicity than the archdukes and noblemen in the kingdom? Those nobles would promote those platinum-tier weapons. Even if they had ordinary weapons in their hands, as long as they said that the weapon was excellent and showed that their family had been using them, then the other noblemen would follow suit.
After all, if the archduke family thought it was good, the other noblemen would think the same too.
“Now, I have to fulfill the promise I just made to you. Since the Thumbs’ group is the best, I will give you a special reward!”
Watson moved his palm and took a black and red longsword and a shiny feather coat made of holy feathers from an unknown place and placed them on the table.
“This sword is called the Sword of Strife, and the coat is the Celestial Feather Robe. They are starlight-tier weapons and armor. Now, I will bestow them to the Thumbs’ group.”
Starlight-tier weapons and armor!
After hearing Watson’s account, the higher-ups’ breathing became labored. In their eyes, platinum-tier weapons were already considered top quality. They had never seen anything at diamond-tier, let alone starlight-tier. That was definitely something that they could only dream of but could not obtain.
If they had known that the reward that Watson had mentioned was so good, they would have worked harder no matter what. They would have made the right decision to become the top. Unfortunately, it was too late for them to regret it then.
“Black Emperor, is that weapon and armor really for us?”
Marcus and the other Thumb stood up and gulped at the longsword and feather coat in front of them.
“That’s right. They’re for you. Of course, if you don’t want them, I can take them back.”
Watson had given them such precious items as a way to show his generosity to the broken fingers. On the other hand, he looked down at the two starlight-tier weapons and armor. The weapons in his mind were at least the Crown Staff and the Thread of Destiny. If they could not bring him a great increase in strength, the starlight-tier items would attract attention.
It was right to give them to Marcus. The platinum-tier items they sold were quite rare in the Holy Dragon Kingdom. If anyone questioned the authenticity of the platinum-tier items, they only needed to show the starlight-tier items, and the other party would definitely believe them.
“The rewards have been distributed. Next, I will arrange the work for you.” After distributing the rewards, Watson explained the future arrangements for them.
“First, Marcus, just do as you had planned. Count Gray, I don’t have any objections to what you’re doing! On the other hand, Klein and Veronica’s Bank will need some additional actions to add to the intelligence work that Elven and Snick are in charge of.
“Elven, Snick, when you use slaves as an intelligence network, they don’t need to take special measures to keep it confidential. Instead, they need to keep the intelligence network in a conspicuous place.”
“Black Emperor, if we don’t take any measures to keep it secret, what if others discover our intelligence?” Elven looked puzzled.
That was the first time she had heard of such a request. To create an intelligence network without keeping it a secret. Did they want to invite spies?
“At least in the short term, our intelligence network doesn’t need to establish any protective measures because most of our current intelligence personnel are slaves. Those slaves include people from the Holy Dragon Kingdom, people from other countries, and even people who aren’t human. Some of them will inevitably stay for revenge or other reasons. Even if there are no spies, how loyal can you expect those people to be? ”
Watson smiled. “Furthermore, the essence of the intelligence network is to obtain information. What’s the difference between one person receiving information and everyone else receiving the same information? Instead of creating a defense mechanism for the intelligence network, I want to achieve a fee for information. Regardless of their identity, anyone can obtain any information from us, even if they are our enemies. As long as they pay, it’s fine. If the information can be wholly publicized and not in the hands of a few people, then no one will attack us because of it. But, to obtain information from us, they will protect us instead.
“We will not need to have any protective measures for the intelligence network because all the noblemen who want information from us will establish protection for us.”
There was no need for protection, or perhaps everyone was protected.
His intelligence network construction measures were also taken from modern thinking. Transparent information where people could pay for them was equivalent to having an information website that could be accessed infinitely. Of course, it was not advisable to apply modern thinking to the other world. There was a prerequisite for doing so.
“I must make the kingdom’s supreme leader, King Landhar III, feel as if the existence of that intelligence network is necessary. Otherwise, everything I’ve done will be in vain,” Watson muttered to himself. He already had a plan in mind to let the King know that the intelligence network was built by him and could not be destroyed.
While he was thinking, Basher and Amon asked in unison, “Black Emperor, you’ve arranged work for the others. What about us? What do we need to do?”
Watson had mentioned everyone except for them, which made them feel a little nervous. They were afraid that Watson would ignore them. It was a good thing to have something to do. They also hoped to get starlight-tier weapons.
“Don’t worry. Of course, I haven’t forgotten you.” Watson recovered from his thoughts and looked at the two of them. “I do have a mission for you. To be precise, I want to give it to Amon.”
“How can I help?” Amon asked nervously.
“Well, do you want to go to school with me in two days?”
Huh?
Amon was stunned for a few seconds before he opened his mouth wide. Even the other higher-ups had the same expressions on their faces—it was like question marks had appeared on their heads.
