Chapter 56 - 56 53 Confidence Please Follow_1

56: Chapter 53 Confidence (Please Follow)_1 56: Chapter 53 Confidence (Please Follow)_1 “Uncle Bede must be laughing, raising such a mountain delicacy is too challenging,” Gaven said with a helpless smile toward Bede. “Incredible, truly incredible, you’ve done an astounding job already,” Bede said giving a thumbs up. “I’ve never seen such an obedient, such a smart Half-Ogre. Brother Gaven, where on earth did you find such a treasure?” Although Bede was speaking to Gaven, his eyes followed the Half-Ogre constantly, his covetous look so apparent that even a fool could see it. This was naturally born to be a caravan guard; having such a one to escort them on the road not only significantly increased their safety but could also assist with the wagons and transportation of goods during crucial moments. “Lucky me, he presented himself at my doorstep,” Gaven said lightly, appearing utterly oblivious to Bede’s look. Bede, unable to contain his eagerness, blurted out, “Considering our deep friendship, Uncle Bede has a small request…” “Not for sale,” Gaven immediately cut off what Bede was about to say next. “How do you know what I was going to say?” asked Bede in surprise. “It’s all written on your face,” Gaven replied with utmost seriousness. “I am open to other deals, but when it comes to my people, whether Gnolls or even a Goblin, I do not sell. If Uncle Bede wishes to do business with me in the future, please do not cross this line.” Past experiences with slavery made Gaven deeply despise the slave trade. Not only would he never touch such business, but he would also exterminate any slave trader he encountered, without any room for negotiation. “Haha, just a joke, just a joke. How could Uncle Bede take away Brother Gaven’s beloved possession? No, I mean talent. After all, Brother Gaven intends to settle in the dangerous Rocklands and definitely needs such a strong protector, haha…” Once again, Bede displayed his shrewdness, laughing off the awkward atmosphere and ushering Gaven further inside, “Come on, it’s not just me this time. Apart from a few who are heading to Sambia with cargo, the rest of the brothers are back. It seems Brother Gaven is quite popular among us old fellows; they all think highly of you.” “In fact, it’s been proven that Brother Gaven is even more capable than we thought; we brought quite a bit of good stuff this time. We just underestimated the pace of Brother Gaven’s development and didn’t prepare enough in some of the goods.” “That’s a bit of an outsider’s talk, Bede. Your coming here is the biggest vote of confidence for me, and that’s all I could ask for,” Gaven said with a smile. “Besides, we’re not in for a one-time deal, but a long-term business. If this time’s supply is insufficient, we can simply bring enough the next time.” “It’s Brother Gaven who has the long-term vision. It’s my short-sightedness. My mistake, my mistake,” Bede admitted with genuine admiration. Gaven possessed a unique charisma that made one forget his somewhat youthful face after a few moments of conversation. For those who did business with him like Bede, the feeling was even more profound. When you think you’re dealing with a green, naive rookie, you’ll find that you’re the naive one, as he effortlessly takes advantage like getting wool from a sheep from your veteran hands. When you believe the other is a young, inexperienced fox, at the turn of a head, they’ve already built an empire many couldn’t in half a lifetime. They don’t focus on petty profits; they eye the more distant future. When you consider him an old, cunning fox, he spends generously like a rookie, constantly offering you benefits to the point where you feel somewhat ashamed. Once you come to your senses and look back, he will have already reaped more than enough benefits from you. Yet you can’t muster even a hint of anger because his strategy has clearly included your share of the profits. Towards such a person, one can only admire, still admire. It is precisely because they understood this that those crafty merchants risked making a trip for nothing and gathered at Blackwell uninvited. They wanted to take a gamble. And they won. In just twenty days, Gaven established himself here, not only gaining a considerable Gnoll Tribe but also subduing a powerful Half-Ogre Barbarian. Just by this alone, how much profit they made from this trip no longer mattered. What was important was that they’d discovered a new mine, one that merited further investment. Uncle Bede and his group stayed at the Blackwell Tribe for a full three days. For two of those days, under Gaven’s guidance, they walked around the mountains surrounding the Blackwell Tribe, looking everywhere. They were not touring for scenic views. Although the Rocklands couldn’t be considered barren and treacherous land, they were definitely not synonymous with scenic beauty. They were observing the terrain surrounding the Blackwell Tribe, assessing its value, and deciding how much effort it was worth to invest there. As for the outcome, their smiles bloomed like chrysanthemums, leaving no need for words. Just as when they first assessed Gaven—his potential was limitless. On the last day, they sat together and listened to Gaven’s concepts and proposals. Like the previous time, Gaven didn’t make any excessive promises nor did he reveal all his plans. He simply gave a rough introduction to the future development and expansion direction of the Blackwell Tribe, leaving the rest to the merchants’ imaginations. When Uncle Bede and his group arrived, they came in a grand procession, nearly thirty large carts. seaʀᴄh thё novёlF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But when they left, the carts were almost empty, with only a third filled. Of that, only half contained iron ore from the Blackwell Mine. The remaining half was a collection of scrap copper and iron scavenged from the Half-Ogres and other surrounding tribes. But on the faces of all the merchants was a look of satisfaction and anticipation, giving off a sense of a major profit. The goods they brought back with them barely covered the cost of their trip, but what was more important was that they had established a brand new trade route. To truly make money, they would have to wait until Gaven’s Gnoll Tribe developed to a certain level. Before then, it would all be about additional investment, a necessary sacrifice for those aiming to make a substantial profit, and these experienced merchants were well aware of it. A cost-free investment is what all merchants love to hear and see the most. These merchants were both colleagues and competitors, each guarding their little abacus tightly, calculating what goods to bring and in what quantity for their next trip. They pondered how much they could trade from Gaven’s hands, which city to visit next, and with whom to sign supply and sales contracts. The visit from Uncle Bede and his entourage gave Gaven a significant confidence boost. This confidence came from various aspects. On one hand, it was the opening of sales channels. The promises made by Uncle Bede and his company were one thing, but their actual appearance was quite another. If he ended up mining a large amount of ore but no merchants came to his door, would he really have to carry the ore all over the world looking for buyers? Not that it wasn’t possible, but it was too draining of time and energy, and it would significantly slow down his expansion speed in the Rocklands. On the other hand was the food supply. Out of the thirty large carts, twenty-five were loaded with food, although much of it was hairy, moldy grain that had been stored for years. But to the Blackwell Gnolls, who had just recently crossed the threshold of famine, having something to eat was a blessing. Did they even care whether the grain was new or old? Besides, Gaven wasn’t going to bake bread or steam buns for them. Everything went into the pot with meat and vegetables, where the difference between new and old grain wasn’t that discernible. With these supplies as a backup, Gaven’s previously conservative pace of expansion could now speed up appropriately. To be more precise, with these supplies, Gaven didn’t have to do much at all; he just needed to pile them up somewhere, and the gnolls would come knocking on their own.