"One point five million?"
"Pfft!"
Young Master Hui blurted out instinctively, while Old Man Qi spat out his tea, clearly severely shaken as well.
"Where did this kid get the grain?!" Young Master Hui immediately grew restless. He didn't doubt the contract's authenticity in the slightest; no one under the Geo Archon's rule would dare forge one.
"Old Fan, have you lost your mind? Although 430 Mora per unit isn't high, one point five million kilograms... when will we ever finish selling that?!" Old Man Qi couldn't help but roar. Master Fan and he had a tight cooperative relationship, essentially buying from and selling to each other.
If one party's capital got completely tied up, even he would have his hands tied for the foreseeable future.
"Don't worry about the funds. The Northland Bank provided a low-interest credit line. I, Fan, can cover this amount," Master Fan signaled there was no need for concern, but then his tone shifted as he looked at Old Man Qi.
"Old Qi. Are you going to keep buying, or are you preparing for a price war?"
"Yes. I..." Old Man Qi was suddenly tongue-tied, feeling as if struck heavily in the heart. Their years of association let him sense something unsettling in Master Fan's words.
"Price war. His resource reserves are already no less than mine. If we keep buying, we might burst. Cut our losses in time," Old Man Qi said after sitting back down, taking a sip of tea to steady himself.
But inwardly, he glanced thoughtfully in another direction, vaguely discerning Master Fan's scheme.
"I've already done my utmost, personally purchasing 1.5 million kilograms, and the grain firm buying 500,000 kilograms. If I keep swallowing more, I'm afraid I won't be able to leave the table," Master Fan played the pity card, resembling a frail old man, his demeanor haggard. He glanced sideways at Young Master Hui and A-Wei, who stood rooted to the spot.
"And you two? Will you keep gobbling it up? Or fight a price war, knife against knife?"
Though phrased as a question, it was more a demand for their stance. The pressure in his words was unmistakable. Under such pacing, Young Master Hui and A-Wei had no choice but to declare their positions immediately.
"Heh, Master Fan, Master Qi, what else can we say?"
Young Master Hui plopped down heavily into his chair, feeling as if all the strength had been drained from his body.
He recalled how not long ago, he had been furious because Zatt, that Snezhnayan merchant, was poached, swearing to force Su Bai to close shop forever, never to rise again.
But gradually, ten thousand kilograms, thirty thousand kilograms, fifty thousand kilograms... Not only were the prices low, but the shipment volumes were absolutely substantial too.
"Miscalculation, a serious miscalculation," A-Wei said with a bitter face, patting Young Master Hui's shoulder.
It was their idea to bring Su Bai's matter to the grain firm for discussion.
Since Su Bai could sell at 450 Mora per unit, even if buying and selling at the same price, his cost couldn't exceed 450 Mora per kilogram. Based on this, the two concluded that Su Bai had backing.
Because in Liyue, the grain price hadn't fallen below 480 Mora in the last two months.
But they couldn't figure out who it was. Even estimating generously, the maximum was probably 500,000 kilograms. That was the amount circulating freely on the market without control.
Although their family fortunes could barely absorb it, offending the person behind him was something they couldn't withstand. So they dragged the Fan and Qi families into it, figuring it would be easier to manage in the end.
But they never imagined that this cautious move would become a step in digging their own graves.
Now, Master Fan had staked such a massive part of his assets, gaining both reputation and renown. With such prestige, not just them, but even Old Man Qi had to fall in line.
"Let's fight. After that guy delivers the goods, we fight. Let's see who can't hold out first," Young Master Hui said weakly, looking up at the ceiling.
His heart pounded wildly. Surging emotions strained the last strings of his reason, making them dance.
When he looked down again, his eyes were already bloodshot. Gnashing his teeth, he said,
"Gulp gulp..."
"Master Fan, name a price. What price can take him down the fastest? I'm in!"
Master Fan didn't answer immediately. He glanced at Old Man Qi, then at A-Wei. Young Master Hui wasn't calm right now; his words were basically not worth listening to.
"Tong Wei, Old Qi, what do you think?"
Young Master Hui sat up abruptly, turned, and went out towards the washroom. He plunged his head into the water basin, trying to calm down quickly.
The sound of flowing water in his ears now seemed like whispered curses, irritating him immensely.
"Noticed something's wrong, haven't you?"
A faint, elusive voice sounded by his ear. Young Master Hui jerked his head up, ignoring the water streaming down, and widened his eyes,警惕ly scanning his surroundings. But he saw no one.
Did he mishear?
Frustrated, Young Master Hui grabbed a towel and wiped his face. But his inner alertness remained undiminished.
Just as the towel passed over his ears, creating a rustling sound, that phantom voice spoke again.
"Still unaware you're doomed?"
Young Master Hui quietly put down the towel, his mindset instead becoming extremely calm. This whisper, hoarse yet lively, aloof yet indifferent...
It didn't matter where it came from - whether someone was playing a prank, offering a well-intentioned warning, or if it was his own rational mind speaking up. None of it mattered.
Because he had suddenly calmed down and detected something amiss.
He just wasn't entirely sure yet.
"A trap?" Young Master Hui muttered softly, ruffled his hair, and took out a cigarette from his pocket. He lit it using a candle nearby.
His mind carefully replayed the various expressions, mannerisms, words, actions, backgrounds, and information of Master Fan and Old Man Qi...
"No, it's not. I'm overthinking it."
He let out a faint puff of smoke, calming his heart and finally settling his emotions. On his face, that of a man just over thirty, only cold rationality remained.
Taking a deep drag, he forcefully stubbed out the cigarette on the tabletop, then turned and went back.
The meeting wasn't over yet.
A price war wouldn't be easy to fight either.
But after he left.
The cigarette butt, glowing dimly, illuminated the trace it left. Suddenly, the water in the basin erupted, sending up a wave that splashed onto the cigarette butt, erasing the mark.
As if the water had suddenly gained a life of its own.
"Heh, clever one."
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100 powerstones = 1 chapter
200 powerstones = 3 chapters
300 powerstones = 5 chapters
After a brain dead convo with a person, im posting this notice, "Please before you review my translation, read the synopsis and tags, as to not look like a fool" Thank you