Morning mist lingered over Greenvine Town. From the distance came the rhythmic clanging of the blacksmith's hammer—metal striking metal.Players were logging in one after another, racing out of the village to grind monsters and accept quests.
Meanwhile, Jiang Ci was still at his quiet little vendor stall, running his small, steady business.
He'd been at this same spot for three days now.
From his starting 1 copper, he had grown his wealth to 27 copper coins—each one earned through careful negotiation, market observation, and the power of knowing more than others did.
Just then, a familiar girl approached his stall, carrying a bundle of wolf bones and herbs.
"Boss, are you still buying these?"
Jiang Ci looked up. It was a regular customer—ID: [Mo Bai].She was always quiet, the solo-player type, rarely seen talking in public chat.
"I'll take the bones today—3 copper for 5 pieces.As for the herbs... you've gathered a lot today. I don't have the inventory space to take them all in."
She frowned. "So I'm too efficient for you, is that it?"
Jiang Ci chuckled. "Let's just say... my wallet isn't efficient enough yet."
She folded her arms. "Then make me an offer. Buy the whole lot at once."
Jiang Ci paused.
Technically, he could afford to buy everything. But it was risky—if herb prices crashed or the system rebalanced their use, he'd be stuck holding worthless inventory.
But sometimes… risk is just another name for opportunity.
"How about this," he said calmly, standing up. "You're great at gathering, right?Why not stop selling raw materials and become my partner instead?"
"I'll provide capital, the stall, and pricing strategy.You handle collection and supply.We split the profits: 60% me, 40% you."
Mo Bai narrowed her eyes. "And what if I run off with your money and supplies?"
Jiang Ci met her gaze seriously.
"People like us—surviving for a few days is luck.Surviving long-term? That takes reputation.I'll trust you not to be stupid.You trust me not to be broke."
She was silent for a few seconds, then nodded.
"Fine. Let's try it."
On the first day of their collaboration, Mo Bai delivered a batch of Greenstar Leaves—a rare herb vital to late-game alchemy, but completely overlooked in the newbie zones.
Jiang Ci didn't rush to sell them.
Instead, he spent half an hour chatting up the town's NPC apothecary, confirming several hidden quests linked to the herb.
Then, he renamed the leaves on his stall as:
"Mysterious Ingredient – Quest Use? Alchemy Material?Don't ask. Just know it's rare."
Price: 10 copper per bundle.
Players passing by scoffed loudly.
"Scammer alert!""This guy's seriously calling common herbs 'mysterious materials'?"
But Jiang Ci remained calm.He dropped a single message in the public chat:
"If you've received a hidden quest, this material might help.If not, move along."
Within 30 minutes, a player named [Lin Nan] bought one.Moments later, global chat lit up:
[Lin Nan]: OMG. That material actually triggered a hidden quest! [Herbal Mystery]![Lin Nan]: Merchant bro, can I buy five more?! Please!
Jiang Ci replied with a calm smile:
"If you don't mind the price, buy all you like."
From that moment on, Greenstar Leaves were no longer trash.They were liquid gold—rising from 2 copper to 10 copper, and selling out fast.
Mo Bai watched the money roll in, eyes wide in disbelief.
"What is your brain made of?"
Jiang Ci smirked. "Maxed-out Merchant points, of course."
But good times never last forever.
By the afternoon of their third day, trouble arrived.
A player clad in shining metal armor strolled up with two goons behind him.
[ShatteredShield]: Heard you've been raking in coin with herbs, huh?[Jiang Ci]: Here to make a deal? Or…[ShatteredShield]: Nah. I'm here for your protection fee.
Jiang Ci's heart sank.
He recognized the name—[ShatteredShield] had been one of the earliest members of Greenvine Town's first PvP guild in his past life.They were notorious for extorting low-level merchant players.
Mo Bai immediately drew her shortbow.
"Try it. I dare you."
[ShatteredShield] sneered.
"Feisty. Here are your choices—pay 20 copper daily, or forget about doing business here."
Jiang Ci looked down at his stall.He didn't speak right away.
He knew fighting was pointless—the system's death penalty was far harsher for non-combat classes.If he died, he'd lose stock, reputation, and days of effort.
But he also knew… if he gave in today,
He'd be paying protection fees every day from now on.
He looked up slowly.
"I don't fight," he said quietly. "But I do keep books."
[ShatteredShield]: "Books?"
"Yeah." Jiang Ci's voice was soft, steady. "I record my profits, my sales… and my grudges."
[ShatteredShield] snorted and walked off, laughing.
He had no idea he'd just pissed off the future founder of the largest economic force in the game.
Jiang Ci wasn't impulsive. He knew—
In business, true revenge doesn't come through combat.It comes by cutting off your enemy's income at the source.
That night, Mo Bai asked quietly by the campfire:
"You could've called for help. Why didn't you fight back?"
Jiang Ci was flipping through his handwritten ledger, calm and focused.
"A real merchant doesn't carry a blade.""But we can make sure others don't get to use theirs, either."
He closed the book and said, word by word:
"Starting today, we're not just chasing copper coins…"
"We're building influence."