Chapter 216: A Mithril Vein? Did a Demon Eat Your Brain?

Words : 1489 Updated : Oct 9th, 2025

Just as Li De was waiting to meet Glory’s Light, the player who had joined the Crimson Mage Tower, a long-absent figure appeared on the first floor of the tower. “Good day, Lord Li De.” Wearing luxurious robes and wearing a broad smile, the figure stepped into the room and respectfully bowed with a hand to his chest. It was Laurent Orlando, President of the Golden Wheat Merchant Guild. Li De looked at this subordinate, the first he had brought under his control after arriving in Green City, and a trace of familiarity flickered in his eyes. With the continued development and growth of the Crimson Mage Tower, especially after the capable and decisive Vina had officially taken over its management, the Golden Wheat Merchant Guild had become far less important to him. And with Dawn City's rise, it no longer relied on external procurement to sustain its growth. Most production materials could now be sourced internally, freeing the city from the shackles of outside dependency. As a result, the Golden Wheat Merchant Guild, which once held an important place in his development plans, had been gradually sidelined. To the extent that Li De hadn’t seen Laurent in months. “How has the Golden Wheat Merchant Guild been doing these past few months, Laurent?” Hearing Li De’s question, Laurent, who had been inwardly nervous, immediately relaxed. With the Crimson Mage Tower’s rise, he had clearly felt his status in Li De’s eyes falling rapidly. He could even sense that if he didn’t make some new move, the Golden Wheat Merchant Guild might eventually become a dispensable asset. That made Laurent anxious, he didn’t want to see that happen. Though the Guild’s scale had grown more than tenfold compared to before, to him, Li De’s favor was more important than anything else. He hadn’t forgotten who had granted him everything he now possessed. Li De, as his patron, had become a powerful figure in Green City. Naturally, Laurent’s own status had risen with the tide. Things that had once required immense sacrifice could now be resolved simply by invoking the name of the Crimson Mage Tower. As a smart man, Laurent knew exactly what he needed. Without Li De, everything he now owned was no more than a mirage. Wealth without power to protect it would only draw the greedy gaze of others, it was nothing but a crime waiting to happen. That’s why these past few months, he had focused both on rapidly expanding the Golden Wheat Merchant Guild and finding a way to regain Li De’s attention, hoping for a renewed place in his inner circle. He had watched every step of the Crimson Mage Tower’s growth and had personally witnessed Li De’s rise to power in Green City. He refused to fall behind, not when he was still doing better than he ever had in his previous life. But he knew that for even greater success, he needed Li De to favor him again. Unfortunately, Li De had been absent from the Crimson Mage Tower for a while, and though Laurent had requested an audience several times, he hadn’t seen him in person. Today, he had finally seized the opportunity. “Lord Li De, the Golden Wheat Merchant Guild’s current main trade items include cotton, fabrics, wool, grain, ores, and weapons. Last month, the Guild’s net profit totaled 950 Gold Pucks, and this month we expect to exceed 1,000 Gold Pucks.” A trace of pride rose in Laurent’s eyes. Even if he had relied on the strength of the Crimson Mage Tower, to have grown a merchant guild from a mere thirty or forty people to its current scale in just over half a year was an accomplishment worthy of pride. “With your protection, Lord Li De, the Golden Wheat Merchant Guild has grown rapidly these past few months. We now have over 500 members. We’ve also established our own network of contacts, with traces of our influence spreading across all the major southern cities. In fact, we’ve already opened branches in ten cities, and by the Month of Deep Winter, we expect that number to reach fifteen.” At first, Li De didn’t think much of it. But as Laurent’s report went on, a glimmer of surprise appeared in his eyes. He hadn’t expected that in such a short time, Laurent would develop the Golden Wheat Merchant Guild to this level. Although the Crimson Mage Tower’s backing played a major role, it wasn’t a trivial feat. He gave Laurent, now noticeably more rotund, a deep look. This was the first subordinate he had chosen after arriving in Green City, and his talent in business was still quite reliable. He wasn’t as gifted or brimming with potential as Vina, but he was still useful. Li De didn’t particularly care about the profit. A net income of over 1,000 Gold Pucks was enough to make other mage towers green with envy, but for someone who owned a Magic Factory, that was less than a day’s profit. What he truly valued was the fact that Laurent had established branches in ten different cities in just a few months. His own influence was currently immense, but limited to Green City. Once outside, there was a clear power vacuum. The Golden Wheat Merchant Guild might just be a business, but its ability to expand outward was something he had to take seriously. In the future, it could serve as a springboard, allowing the Crimson Mage Tower’s Magic Scrolls to conquer foreign markets instead of being limited to collaborations with local Green City nobles. “Very good, Laurent. I’ve never misjudged you. Having you manage the Golden Wheat Merchant Guild was a wise decision. In the future, I hope to see the guild’s banner flying in every southern city with a population of over 100,000.” Li De’s words made Laurent feel overjoyed. While technically an instruction, it was more importantly an affirmation. His months of hard work had not been in vain. He responded with unrestrained energy and determination. “Lord Li De, I swear to the Goddess, even if it costs me my life, I will carry out your will!!” Li De nodded in satisfaction. Whether in Dawn City or the Crimson Mage Tower, he still lacked sufficient manpower. What he especially needed was top-tier combat power or senior-level managers with strategic vision. So he no longer relied on Laurent as heavily as he once did, but that didn’t erase the loyalty and bond they shared. After all, Laurent was his first personally-recruited subordinate. And now that the Golden Wheat Merchant Guild was doing well, Li De was not going to be stingy with opportunities. “If you need any support, you may apply directly to Vina, or come to me. I want the Golden Wheat Merchant Guild to grow more independent, rather than always leaning on the Crimson Mage Tower, especially when expanding to new branches. Of course, all this depends on the guild continuing to grow. You’ll need to handle the actual operations yourself.” Li De gave Laurent a clear hint, and the old fox instantly understood the deeper meaning. He nodded quickly. “Yes, Lord Li De. I will see the Golden Wheat Merchant Guild’s banner spread across the entire south.” “Very good. So, what brings you to me this time?” At Li De’s question, an excited expression suddenly appeared on Laurent’s face. And then he said something that made Li De’s heart skip a beat. “Lord Li De... we may have the opportunity to obtain a complete mithril vein.” Li De’s pupils shrank sharply. Mithril? And a complete mithril vein?? As one of the most precious magical metals in Glory, mithril’s rarity and value were enough to make anyone lose their mind. A complete mithril vein could drive even an adult dragon mad. Armor and shields infused with mithril became far more durable and could gain dozens of times greater magic resistance. Weapons containing mithril became sharper and stronger. Etching Magic Arrays with mithril on mage robes enhanced meditation efficiency and boosted mana regeneration. Mithril could even be used for enchanting equipment and drawing Forbidden Spell-grade Magic Scrolls. A tiny piece of mithril could multiply the quality of a weapon several times over. It was a crucial material in forging high-level weapons and advanced magical gear. It was an extremely rare and versatile magical metal. Even a small piece could draw countless greedy eyes. And now Laurent was saying he might have the chance to acquire a complete mithril vein?? Did he have any idea how rare that was? Was this man scared senseless by an undead or had his brain been eaten by a demon? Li De almost reached out to check Laurent’s forehead to see if he had a fever. This was outrageous. A complete mithril vein could easily spark a full-scale war between two nations.

Chapter 216: A Mithril Vein? Did a Demon Eat Your Brain?

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