Chapter 175: A Visitor Arrives

  There’s an old saying: money isn’t everything, but without money, you have nothing.

  But it’s also true that money isn’t omnipotent.

  For the northern city of Keha, getting fresh es wasn’t an easy task. Though they did grow their own es, just like the saying “es grown south of the Huai River remain es, but those grown north turn into trifoliate es,” the ones cultivated in the north couldn’t pare to those from the south in taste or appearance. Even in the south, es only had one harvest per year.

  As a result, even the nobility had to wait eagerly every summer for the mert caravans t fresh fruits from the south before they could enjoy a proper feast.

  Yet now, in the middle of the harsh winter, fresh, newly picked es had suddenly appeared?

  Not only that, but these es tasted far superior tur ones—eveer than those imported from the south at exorbitant prices by the nobles.

  During the freezing season, biting into a sweet, tangy, and refreshing e was the ultimate luxury. It was something money simply couldn’t buy, as es were a seasonal fruit, much like how a child takes ten months to be born—no amount of money could ge the ws of nature.

  A, it seemed that this natural w had been broken?

  Previously, sino one had access to these es, the nobles remained posed. But now that they were avaible, there was no way they would let this opportunity slip by!

  Especially sihe supply was limited—there were far more people who wahem than those who mao get them. Watg as a neighb noblewomaly sipped her afternoon tea while enjoying the crisp, juicy es, while they could only drool behind a fence…

  How infuriating! Was this what funtih looked like?

  They had to find out where these es were ing from!

  Sihe es had surfaced through the Alchemist Guild, people naturally sought ahere first.

  However, the guild’s response was blunt: these es were the product of a particur alchemy tool and were merely pced in the guild for sig sale. The supply was extremely limited, and there wouldn’t be any more in the near future.

  This response crushed the hopes of those eager to buy.

  If even the Alchemist Guild decred there was no more stock, then there was little they could do. Some assumed that an alchemist had perhaps developed a cold-resistant variety e trees or had obtaihese es through some experimental process. Regardless, with the current supply exhausted, they could only leave empty-handed.

  However, a few people keenly spotted the business opportunity hidden within.

  "So, you’re here to discuss cooperation?"

  Alex set down his teacup, smiling as he looked at the man before him.

  Seated across from him was a middle-aged man so rotund that he resembled a rolling ball. The man wiped the sweat from his forehead, his expression slightly nervous as he smiled at Alex.

  "Yes, Mr. Ezio. The Northern Chamber of erce is very ied in your iions—the greenhouse and the slime fertilizer. If possible, we would like to colborate with your workshop and obtain exclusive rights to these innovations."

  "I uand… but, Mr. Fress, I’m irely satisfied with your terms."

  Hearing this, Alex couldn’t help but reevaluate the man before him.

  It had only been two days sihey started selling the es, and this was hardly the first business offer they had received. Many had e knog at the doors of the Alchemy Workshop, eager to strike a deal.

  But uhe others, Fress wanted more.

  He sought a prehensive agreement with the Alchemy Workshop, aiming for the Northern Chamber of erce to have exclusive manufacturing and distributihts over the "greenhouse" and "slime fertilizer."

  For Alex, this was naturally a good thing.

  However, there were still many unresolved issues between them.

  The biggest stig point was that Fress wao pay a lump sum to purchase full rights to the two iions, while Alex insisted on a profit-sharing tract.

  But Fress was clearly relut to accept those terms.

  "Mr. Ezio, I uand your perspective. While the greenhouse and slime fertilizer have vast potential, their very promise is what will lead to resistance during their rollout… You uand what I mean, don’t you?"

  After just a brief versation, Fress had realized that the young man sitting before him was no mere ior lost in his research. If anything, Alex seemed to have a far sharper mind than he did.

  So, Fress abandoned his initial approad focused oiating for his own is.

  "If you were to establish your own trade guild and hahe promotion indepely, the Northern Chamber of erce would be more than happy to partner with you.

  But as it stands, you seem to ck sutentions.

  That means the Northern Chamber of erce would be taking on the majority of the risk.

  I hope you will take that into sideration.

  We are our utmost siy. If you’re willing to sell us the full rights to these alchemical teologies, we will offer a fair price for them."

  Not bad. He’s got some brains.

  Alex raised an eyebrow as he sized up the chubby Fress.

  Indeed, as Fress had pointed out, the greenhouse and slime fertilizer were incredibly valuable teologies. Not only were they highly effective, but they were also inexpensive, with readily avaible materials.

  Slimes, after all, were abundant, practically impossible to eradicate, and easy to farm without risks.

  Ohese two innovations hit the market, they would undoubtedly create a massive industry.

  To put it bluntly, if widely implemehese teologies wouldn’t just be limited to the north—they could spread across the entire main ti, being ies for nearly everyone.

  And that wasn’t even sidering the possibilities if Ikaros and the Alchemy Workshop mao overe the limitations of hydroponiutrient solutions.

  Hydroponic farming, huh…

  Alex knew ohing for certain—the Holy Churation would never let such a teology slip through their fingers.

  It had already beeablished that the Holy Churation was responsible fuarding the Twilight Froo do so, they maintairategicves" known as Order Fortresses across different parts of the world. Given this arra, most of their supplies had to be coordihrough the church’s temples scattered across various nations.

  And among all supplies, food was the most crucial.

  The Twilight Frontier olluted by chaotic magic, making the climate extremely harsh and pletely unsuitable friculture.

  But if hydroponic farming teology were successfully developed, bined with the greenhouse system, then Order Fortresses could achieve self-suffi food produ.

  Even if it couldn’t solve the entire problem, c even half of their food supply would be enough for the church’s archbishops to light inse and celebrate.

  If it could fully resolve the food crisis, it might even allow the Order Fortresses to serve as staging grounds to weakewilight Frontier’s power and recim the nds once ruled by order.

  In other words, this teology had the potential to influehe entire bance of the Order World.

  Given such stakes, who wouldn’t be tempted by it?

  This wasn’t just about eiefits—political gains were also oable for those who ma well.

  A breakthrough of this magnitude, if left without strong prote, would be devoured by opportunists from all sides.

  If Alex couldn't defend his own is, then in the face of overwhelming pressure, the Holy Churation might be forced to intervene as a mediator, dividing up the teology in a so-called "fair" redistribution.

  After all, sheer numbers always had an impact.

  The Alchemist Guild was teically an ied party, but the problem was that the guild operated as an official institution.

  And onething reached the level of a "national strategic asset," official institutions were obligated to ply unditionally.

  Alex could, of course, refuse.

  But would he really go to war with the Holy Churatiohis… and then summon Malthael or something?

  Even thinking about it made Alex feel like a lunatic.

  Right now, he had two options.

  The first was the standard urban novel protagonist route—start his own pany, turn it into an industrial empire, and ohe business grew strong enough, naturally gain the power to protect his pateeology.

  The sed was the more realistic approach—sell the patents to a powerful multinational glomerate.

  That way, any troublemakers would have to deal with the corporation instead of him. Meanwhile, he could just sit back, focus on his research, and collect royalties.

  No headaches, no assassinations, no spies trag his every move—just a steady flow of easy money.

  And right now, Alex had no i in dealing with unnecessary plications.

  He had already looked into the Northern Chamber of erce’s background. It wasn’t quite on the level of the world’s top corporate giants, but it was certainly in the sed tier.

  At the very least, the "Northern" in their name wasn’t just for show—their business work spahe entire northern region.

  That alone roof of their financial and logistical strength.

  Given the harsh climate of the north, their urgency freenhouse and slime fertilizer teology was eveer.

  That worked to his advantage.

  If he had beeiating with a corporate titan like Microsoft, things would have been much trickier.

  Supahrived on monopolies—whether he sold or not, they would find a way to keep him uheir trol.

  The Northern Chamber of erce, however, was ambitious and still striving to climb higher.

  They had the means to wrestle with major powers, but they weren’t so dominant that they could dictate the terms entirely.

  This made them the perfect partner for Alex’s pns—enough influeo fend off petition, but still eager enough to offer him a fair deal.

  So, Alex got straight to the point.

  "We want forty pert of the profits. You split the rest however you like."

  "That’s impossible!!"

  The moment he heard those words, Fress’s round, plump body shot up from his chair like a spring-loaded ball.

  He had expected Alex to make a high demand, but he hadn’t imagi would be this eous.

  This was daylight robbery!

  (End of Chapter)

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