hooklinebooks Chapter 768 - 79: Investment from the Gray Market Trading Company and Su Li’s Advancement_2
Chapter 768 - 79: Investment from the Gray Market Trading Company and Su Li’s Advancement_2
And this enhancement in armaments has proven to be extremely effective. While the territory is fully committed to upgrading its equipment, the genuine Star Iron Armor is being produced continuously, with the Sun of Vengeance Half-Lion Griffin Knight Order, the Hesse Forbidden Guard Knights, and the high-level Attendant Unit all consistently upgrading their gear. Especially the high-level Attendant Unit, which increased by over a dozen sets of Star Iron Armor in just one month.
Judging by the results, the probability of crafting Refined Level equipment is slightly higher when crafting Fine Level equipment compared to other quality gear. However, the artisans in the territory remain unsure whether it’s due to the massive scale of Fine Level equipment production, leading to higher proficiency, or because the quality of Refined Level gear is somewhat lower compared to Perfect Level, making it easier to produce.
Nevertheless, as the spring progresses, the number of Refined Level equipment in the territory is rapidly increasing.
Apart from weaponry, the Gray Market Trading Company has also made significant investments in the territory. Besides the previously mentioned smuggling manor and bank building, their most important investment is the slave trade!
They spent 2500 Golden Crowns to establish a Slave Trading Company and Slave Capture Team camp at the location of Flash Spear City. The trading model is quite similar to that of Marle Castle, featuring a large showcase building for the city’s Slavery Guild, selling slaves to merchants, knights, and manor lords in the city. Outside the city, the Slave Capture Team serves as a crucial slave transportation base, not only receiving a large influx of slaves from all directions but also purchasing and trading a significant number of slaves from the Hesse Territory.
The reason they specifically chose Flash Spear City as their base over Hesse Town isn’t because they see more potential in Flash Spear City but because they’re focusing on future wartime strategies.
Undoubtedly, within the context of external expansion and cleansing in the Hesse Territory, the position of Flash Spear City will become more critical. Even presently, Oerstein’s military conquest to the west has already made the Gray Market Trading Company’s venture hugely profitable.
As the harvest season approaches, more than half a month has passed, and Marshal Oerstein’s western expedition has yielded even greater gains. He has captured two more forts, secured four strongholds, and conquered up to seven villages and 23 manors.
These recent territorial expansions have increased the population of the Hesse Territory by over 1000 people. Every village and stronghold, regardless of its population size, consists of at least 30 to 50 households. Farms like Limborg Farm and Knight Manor typically have around 20 to 30 people.
Regarding these populations, Su Li has been quite lenient. According to the war values of the Sun Goddess Church, he has not plundered or destroyed these villages. This aspect must commend the doctrine of the Sun Goddess, as these honorable values dictate that a glorious conqueror should bring civilization and stability to the occupied areas rather than chaos and death. Therefore, even when forced to resort to violence, generals should minimize the pain and death caused by war. Harm to civilians and looting of occupied towns are strictly forbidden. Enemies who surrender must be treated with courtesy—if they too adhered to the honorable values.
Of course, this also highlights the flexibility of the Sun Goddess Church. If the opponents also adhere to the honorable values, they are treated courteously. Conversely, it implies that these rules are only applied to internal conflicts within the Church. If the opponents are not followers of the Sun Goddess Church or belong to entirely hostile, evil races, then one can’t blame the Blazing Sun Knights for being ruthless and merciless.
The result of this is that the current conquest provided Su Li with a large number of captives, including over 30 knights and more than 100 Armed Attendants. Additionally, there are numerous priests from the Yurik Church, Hendricks Sect, and even the Redema Church.
Su Li essentially has no use for these individuals, and he has no plans to expand his army at the moment, so he sold them all to the slave traders in the territory.
Undoubtedly, the Gray Market Trading Company was the first large external guild to invest in the territory’s slave trading business. Being headquartered at the construction site in Flash Spear City, they were the first to gain a large number of slave trading rights from the army.
On another front, the Gray Market Trading Company also resumed an old business, purchasing and selling a substantial number of witchcraft tools that rarely see the light of day.
With the harvest season approaching and the Summer Solstice festival imminent, many knights and adventurers exploring the Black Pine Forest and the Gray Mountain Range have returned. They have explored numerous ancient ruins, evil wizard towers, and monster nests within the forest, bringing back countless strange witchcraft tools, which need to be appraised by appraisers.
Before these items are appraised, ordinary people dare not use them casually, as no one knows what terrifying consequences they might cause.
As a result, the Gray Market Trading Company made substantial profits, acquiring hundreds to thousands of witchcraft tools from various adventurers, much like picking up valuable antiques at low prices. Given this scale, even with a small probability, they are bound to acquire a batch of truly valuable treasures. After all, the appraisal fees for appraisers are also quite hefty, and many adventurers dare not take the gamble. If the appraisal result turns out to be less valuable than the appraisal fee, they would suffer a significant loss.
How substantial were their profits? Well, from the rumors Su Li heard, they acquired one Rare Level item, three Perfect Level items, and over 20 Elite Level items. Altogether, their profits exceeded 40,000 Golden Crowns!