Chapter 284 - 30: New Plan (3)

Words : 1839 Updated : Oct 1st, 2025

Chapter 284: Chapter 30: New Plan (3) Under the indifferent gaze of Little Mustache Chief, Jones and Adelle left the forge. Without realizing it, the sky had started to sprinkle light snow. Tiny snowflakes fell on the pitch-black ground, as if painting the earth with a layer of gray. There was a desolate, icy sensation in the air. The wheels turned with a "clatter-clatter" sound as the carriage moved along the empty streets, weaving through the sparse crowd. Inside the carriage, Adelle glanced at Jones and asked softly, "Do you want to do business with the Human Kingdom?" "I have that idea, but I’m not sure yet," Jones replied casually. Looking out the window, Adelle nodded silently and said, "Indeed, there’s one thing that no matter how long a family has been in business, they can’t match you on—the connections with the Silver Moon Knight Order and various Human Kingdoms. The contracts we can’t secure, if it’s you, as long as the price is reasonable, you should be able to get them easily. Your place is too far from the port, transportation is inconvenient, but who said forging must be done in Giant Snake City? You could entirely forge in Hilde. In that case, your price will have an advantage." Jones looked at Adelle, "But I’m still not sure if they would be willing to let me have the contracts. I need to ask them first." Turning to Jones, Adelle proposed, "Let’s partner up." "Partner up?" "Yes, partner up." Adelle spread his hands and said, "You lack funds, and I have money, at least enough to easily run a forge. Besides, the Sambo family’s forge business is in a terrible state. I can take it over directly, and the costs will be very low. This is doable business." Jones was stunned, "You want to make money too?" "Of course. What? You don’t want me to make money?" "No, I just thought... you’re already quite wealthy. And you don’t seem to care much about money." Adelle sighed helplessly and smiled, "The family money only supports me until adulthood. After that, I have to fend for myself. I need my own enterprise. Honestly, who dislikes having more money? So, what do you say? Partner up?" "Alright." Jones hesitated before replying, "But I need to first confirm if they’re willing to give me the contracts. After all, I’ve never asked them." "Okay, I’ll wait for your good news." Adelle said with a cheerful grin, "As for logistics, you can trust that being a member of the Sambo family comes with great convenience in business." Jones nodded in agreement. Setting up a forging operation in Hilde? Jones was indeed considering it just now. He urgently needed various sources of income, and no option could be overlooked. Establishing a forge in Hilde to sell to Human Kingdoms could resolve the transportation difficulties in Giant Snake City and exploit his unique conditions to open up a revenue stream. Other Blood Clan members would find it much harder to compete for this business. Originally, this plan was merely a long-term ambition. After all, Jones didn’t have enough manpower. Currently, all his workers were preparing for the gold mine. Hiring more dwarves was something Jones couldn’t afford for now. However, with Adelle joining, it became another story. Taking over the nearly defunct forge of the Sambo family would significantly reduce initial costs. It could provide a decent, early-stage income. That said, the highest cost for running a forge turned out to be wages for overseeing Blood Clan members? That was indeed something Jones hadn’t expected. In that case, using slaves might not necessarily be cheaper. As he mulled over it, Jones suddenly chuckled. "What’s the matter?" Adelle asked. "I suddenly feel like I’ve turned into a money grubber, with my mind full of ways to earn money," Jones replied. "That’s a good thing, isn’t it? Only Blood Clan members with such attitudes can become great lords. If you don’t care about money, how can money possibly find you? My father doesn’t appreciate this about me; he’s always thinking about spending money instead of earning it." Adelle paused briefly, his gaze turning distant and somewhat sorrowful. Then he added, "Actually, long ago I had a time when I was obsessed with making money—more than a decade ago. However... haha, I envy you. I know you want to prove yourself to your father. I’ll support you. The requirement isn’t sky-high; surpassing your father’s wealth should be enough. If even that doesn’t earn his approval, then surpass him tenfold—it’s achievable. But for me... even meeting my father’s standard seems nearly impossible. To him, the money I earn is practically insignificant. It’s as if only helping him with his affairs matters. It’s like kids playing with mud; he doesn’t care how good the mud sculptures are. So now, I just don’t care much anymore." This might be the pain of being the child of an overly formidable father. The starting point is too high, and the expectations as well. If you fail to meet them, it’s categorized as failure. Jones said softly, "If I can do it, you surely can too." "I hope so." Adelle replied with a wry smile. Jones didn’t know exactly how much wealth Adelle’s father had. It must be an astronomical number—perhaps a billion gold coins or several billion. That’s why statements like "you surely can" could only serve as verbal comfort at best. The Blood Clan’s long lifespan, combined with their penchant for luxury and commerce, made them unrivaled in accumulating wealth—even surpassing dragons in this regard. Even Jones’s father, a miserly minor lord, in the Human World would easily possess wealth equivalent to that of a duke or higher. And Blood Clan lords were innumerable. In times of peace, wealth was the most effective way for a Blood Clan member to prove themselves. And for humans, pursuits such as major weapons trades between nations that sparked fervor were, to Blood Clan members, merely a reasonably profitable business—nothing more. Similar to a gold mine—a single gold mine could drive any human insane, yet for Blood Clan it was merely so-so. After a shaky journey, the carriage finally arrived at the front gate of the Hilde Chamber of Commerce. If Jones had come alone, he would certainly have transformed into a bat and flown here. But Adelle placed importance on social status and formalities, so they had to ride a unicorn-drawn carriage. As soon as the carriage stopped at the entrance, two Blood Clan guards immediately stepped forward to help them open the door. "Welcome, Young Master Adelle." Nodding slightly, Adelle stepped out of the carriage, with Jones following closely behind. Before they even entered, several Blood Clan advisors had already appeared before them, all gathering around Adelle. Gradually, more Blood Clan members arrived. "Young Master Adelle, I didn’t expect you to come. This is..." "Send the account books directly to my residence; I don’t plan to review them here. I have other matters today, thank you." "Understood, Young Master Adelle." ... "Young Master Adelle, welcome. Incidentally, since you’re here, Mr. Abicus asked me to inquire..." "We’ll talk about that later at my residence. I’m resting today." "Understood. I see, Young Master Adelle." ... "Young Master Adelle, is there anything I can assist you with?" "Not for now, thank you." "Alright, please don’t hesitate to let me know if you need anything. I’ll be nearby." From the moment Adelle alighted from the carriage to the entrance of the Sambo family’s reception hall, a relatively short distance, he had been surrounded by a large crowd. The welcoming attendant was about to open the door for Adelle, but Adelle raised his hand to stop him. Turning around, he gazed at the cluster of Blood Clan members trailing him and gently said, "I have matters to attend to today, personal ones. Please don’t follow me, alright? I don’t like it." "Understood, Young Master Adelle." "Wishing you a pleasant time, Young Master Adelle." Only then did the large group of Blood Clan members disperse, still casting glances back as they left. Jones murmured, "You said you’ve barely been here before, but everyone knows you." Adelle replied softly, "These are specialized commercial advisors exclusive to the Sambo family." "All of them?" "Yes, all of them. They each have specialized fields. Even though I don’t come here often, they’d visit the castle if needed." Adjusting his attire, Adelle turned to the nearby attendant and said, "Open the door." The attendant nodded, reaching out to turn the handle, pushing the door open before stepping aside. From afar, Jones spotted Adolf seated in the reception hall, with Patia beside him. Upon seeing Adelle, the two immediately stood up and respectfully saluted. Adelle waved his hand and led Jones forward. Adolf smiled and said, "I wasn’t expecting you, Young Master Adelle; I only found out when Patia mentioned it moments ago." "I introduced you two, so how could I remain uninvolved in your collaboration?" Adelle replied as he settled into the sofa opposite Adolf. Eyeing Adolf, Adelle smiled and added, "Besides, Jones is my most important brother. I can’t let him fall victim to your schemes." "That’s impossible. Young Master Adelle, you should have faith in your friend." Adolf smiled as he sat down. Patia nodded and also sat down. As for Jones, he took the seat between them. The entire process proceeded seamlessly. Jones had expected Adolf to present a complete proposal, but in reality, there was none. All Adolf was offering was money. The plan itself had been devised by Patia and was astonishingly brief—as though Adolf hadn’t done anything over the past week. If Adolf had done nothing for an entire week, why had he delayed things for a week? Jones wondered. Of course, it didn’t matter much in the end. The key point was that the funds were prepared. Adolf raised his question directly, "I’ll just provide the funds, and Jones, you can handle everything else. How does that sound?" "That might not be ideal." Adelle reminded nearby, "Strictly speaking, Patia is representing Jones. Now you’re using Patia’s plan and handing the money over to Jones for execution... this could lead to risks in business." "But I’ve been quite busy lately." Adolf shrugged, "Jones seems rather pressed for time, clearly unable to wait until I’m available to handle everything. Also, I trust him." Adelle shook his head, "Even if you trust him, he doesn’t have the time. He has many other matters to attend to as well." "Let me do it." Jones interjected unexpectedly, "I’m just starting to learn business, so taking on more responsibilities will help me. But... if I happen to mess up, Adolf, don’t get mad. After all, I wouldn’t be able to compensate you—I don’t have the funds." Hearing this, Adelle froze for a moment. "Alright then, I’ll leave it to you." "I should be the one thanking you!" Adolf and Jones shook hands. Meanwhile, Adelle touched his chin, his brows knit tightly together, his face full of doubt.

Chapter 284 - 30: New Plan (3)

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