Chapter Eight Hundred and Nine – Danger
Mo Cloud Sea.
Hong Xiao carefully finished reading the report from her subordinate. She appeared as though she was trying to see something from the report. Her subordinates didn’t dare to make a sound. The higher-ups had directly made Hong Xiao one of the two chief managers. For the subordinates, they only had one choice, submit.
Also, Hong Xiao had been in charge of an underground power, [Red Snapped Silk] before, and naturally could not avoid having an additional viciousness and brutality.
After a short while, she had earned the complete respect of this group of people.
No wonder she could be the chief steward. She wasn’t just a little bit strong!
There had always been rumors between them that the two chief stewards were competing amongst themselves by managing their two separate groups. This rumor was plausible and even Chief Steward Hong Xiao never refuted it. For these people, their own benefits were more important than anything else. Profit and their position were what they were most concerned about. The existence of a competitor greatly increased the unity of their group.
This was to join against a common enemy.
It was the first time Hong Xiao showed such a serious expression!
The subordinates speculated inside and exchanged looks.
Hong Xiao’s gaze was serious. This report, on the surface, did not have any unusual content but the experience Hong Xiao felt a hint of danger.
She was very satisfied with her present days. She was not like Cang Ling Xue. She had lived more than a decade in the darkness. She knew that it was a blessing her family was still alive. The other had too many ways of controlling her. Her hands were drenched with blood and she was familiar with those terrifying methods.
Unlike Cang Ling Xue who resisted, she had unhesitatingly agreed to her captor’s demands.
She had been very unaccustomed to this completely new lease on life. There was no darkness, everything was done in the open. The higher-ups did not restrict her from using any methods. However, unless it was against some truly despicable enemies, she rarely used any methods of the darkness.
This was a completely new life, a completely new world.
She was very satisfied, especially when she saw her son’s innocent smile. When she thought of how he would have a good future, hope formed in her chest.
This gave her new motivation.
She treasured this opportunity, treasured this difficult change and because of it, she was unusually hard-working.
She would definitely not lose to Cang Ling Xue!
Her work had proceeded smoothly. The support behind her was strong so that she had enough advantages in the market when she started. For Hong Xiao who was used to working hard to gather weight in the darkness, her work could be described as easy.
But to her who had been in the darkness for a long time, she had an unusual intuition about danger.
“Give me last month’s supplier prices,” she said coldly.
The subordinates quickly searched. Last month’s accounts quickly appeared on the mirage.
“Green Flower Wood, Sky Star Sand, Rainbow Dew, who is the supplier for these three materials?” she asked rapidly.
The subordinates were busy for a while. Moments later, they reported, “It is Bright Capital Business Association, in the past, it was Lin Fu Business Association.”
“Bright Capital Business Association’s price is fifteen percent higher than Lin Fu Business Association.” Hong Xiao stared at her subordinate’s face.
The subordinate explained, “Lin Fu Business Association has stopped working with us for a month and has refused to communicate with us. In order to avoid our supply chain breaking, we choose Bright Capital Business Association. Bright Capital Business Association is located far away and the cost of transporting is much higher. Also, due to the suddenness of the order, they are not prepared. Our order is large, and the timing is urgent so they had to raise the price in order to complete the purchase.”
“Why did Lin Fu Business Association stop working with us?” Hong Xiao suddenly asked.
“I don’t know.” The subordinate shook their head. “They do not seen to be very stable internally. We cannot interfere in this kind of matter.”
“Go investigate …. …” Hong Xiao said briskly.
“That … … is not very appropriate … …” The subordinate was conflicted. It was an unspoken taboo in the mercantile circles to interfere in the matters of other businesses.
“Alright.” Hong Xiao did not try to force the subordinate and said, “You may leave.”
“Yes!” The subordinate sighed in relief and hurriedly retreated.
Hong Xiao did not leave. She focused and thought for a while before deciding to report the matter, adding on her own speculations and suggestions.
While the conclusion had not yet come out, she knew.
Someone was acting against them!
“Go investigate,” she suddenly said.
In the dark corner, an imperceptible shadow disappeared.
Those subordinates cared too much about convention when working. For an experienced hand like her that had lived for many years in the world of the shadows, she only cared about results.
The methods were not important.
She believed that the higher-ups also thought this.
———
Cang Ling Xue’s delicate brow creased as she listened to the report of the subordinate.
Cang Ling Xue worked hard. After being given a scare, she didn’t dare to play any more tricks. Also, after the initial terror, she gradually adjusted to her new work. She quickly found that the strength of the faction was so great it was unimaginable. Only after a period of time did she realize the new faction she worked for was Mo Cloud Sea.
Of course she knew of Mo Cloud Sea.
In the yao world, everyone knew the name Mo Cloud Sea. This strong power, who did not have a lot of territory, but was strong and produced all kinds of talismans.
The yao did not have a habit of using talismans in the past. They used yao cores. But yao cores were rare and expensive. Yet, just a while ago, large amounts of yao cores that were suitable for yao started to appear on the market. Strangely, these yao cores were not natural, but synthetic.
There were only a rare few that knew that these forged yao cores were produced by Mo Cloud Sea. Cang Ling Xue who had been in business for many years was one of the rare few privy to this.
Mo Cloud Sea was like a riddle, powerful and mysterious.
Talismans, mo weapons, yao cores, their products were sold to all three races.
Even Tian Huan who was famed for their forging did not have the ability to produce three completely different types of weapons.
But Mo Cloud Sea did!
Too strong!
The rumors said the start of the shen power era had been initiated by the master of Mo Cloud Sea. The first pseudo-shen weapon had also been forged by the master of Mo Cloud Sea.
The last hint of unwillingness inside Cang Ling Xue disappeared at being able to be in the service of such a powerful faction. She was only curious. Why had Mo Cloud Sea picked her? She believed she had some talent, but for a large faction like Mo Cloud Sea, they had the ability to find someone better.
Even now, she did not understand this. But she understood that this was a chance for her, a great opportunity.
The business she had before was just a little business in an area. Right now, she managed a powerful faction that had the right to speak in all three realms. If she did well, she would definitely become a core member of Mo Cloud Sea in the near future. Undoubtedly, her family would rise as well.
Even though she had a competitor!
This did not demotivate her. While she did not have such a complex history as Hong Xiao, her growth had not been easy.
She did not fear competition.
Recently, the market had not been right. The price of shen equipment which had been rising constantly slowed in its rise, and in this month, a small drop had occurred.
This was definitely unusual.
Right now, there were only a few parties that had the ability to produce shen equipment. The one that sold best was Mo Cloud Shen Equipment due to the outstanding nature and the relatively low price. The Tian Huan shen equipment was also one of three major shen equipment but it was priced at almost twenty percent higher than Mo Cloud shen equipment. Kun Lun shen equipment was also outstanding in power, but their production was limited. It would take them a long time to just outfit their own forces.
The amount of Mo Cloud shen equipment on the market had greatly increased due to the large order from Xi Xuan.
From all the signs, it meant that in the long term, the price of shen equipment should remain high and not drop.
This unusual phenomenon, the fall in prices, immediately set off Cang Ling Xue’s alarm.
Someone was fighting for the market!
———
Qing Xiao quickly familiarized himself with Zuo Mo and the group.
Gradually, Zuo Mo understood what had happened. The master of the Totem Coliseum had been the good friend of the Greenvine Tribe. When he designed the Totem Coliseum, a branch of the Greenvine Tribe had settled in the Summer Palace to guard the forest for him. Then they started to live here.
At regular intervals, the master of the Totem Coliseum would help draw out the wish power in their bodies.
Yet, unexpectedly, the master of the Totem Coliseum disappeared and the Totem Coliseum closed. The Greenvine Tribe branch that lived in the Summer Palace were trapped inside. Due to this, they managed to avoid the Battle of the Sealed Extinction.
But the wish power in the sunlight became the greatest enemy of the Greenvine Tribe. When the strongest of the tribe were here, everyone could manage to get by. As the strongest among them started to die, the Greenvine Tribe started to decrease in number.
Until now, where Qing Xiao was the only one left.
Maybe because he had lived in this environment from childhood that Qing Xiao could resist wish power to a certain degree. However, if Zuo Mo and the other had not appeared, in twenty years, Qing Xiao would also die from the corrosion of wish power.
At that time, this vibrant forest would also disappear with Qing Xiao’s death.
Zuo Mo had to rejoice that he had come at this time.
Qing Xiao was lively, clever and innocent. Everyone liked him. This completely preserved forest had given him the best place to cultivate. The greenvine shen power he had was very pure. Other than become a completely deadweight in battle, his power astounded them.
That Green Pulse String that became especially scary in his hands. He seemed to innately know how to use the Green Pulse String. The long Green Pulse String was also unusually obedient. It was uncanny in his hands, unpredictable, and even the Ghost Mist Child was shocked.
With Qing Xiao here, walking out of the forest was very easy. Qing Xiao was familiar with every inch here, and did not find it difficult to lead them out of the forest.
Following Qing Xiao, the group quickly reached the edge of the forest.
An endless ocean and storm appeared in front of them.
Translator Ramblings: The market struggle has begun.
