Munitions Empire

The continent was so distinct, so vivid that John didn’t even want to move his steps. His original plan to purchase some K1 Quick Guns and revolvers was completely disrupted by the mechanics before his eyes.

Now, a difficult choice lay before him: what to buy and take back that would serve his own best interest.

Yes, his own best interest: at this moment, it seemed that the interests of the Poplar Kingdom were completely aligned with his own.

"Uh... my friend... there’s no need to take off your clothes..." Finally, Tang Mo stopped John from his intention to streak. He extended his hand, gesturing, and said, "With that kind of gathering of gold coins, you might not even be able to raise 3000 Gold Coins."

For John, a nobleman with a background, it wasn’t strange that he could have expensive rings and other trinkets on him.

But for those poor sailors, the lower-ranking officers, it was very doubtful how much valuable property they could carry on them when they went out.

Who would be full enough to carry around the deeds to their land or house, or promissory notes, while setting out to sea? And how many soldiers could afford to get a gold tooth or something similar?

"I’ve already offered everything I have... the sailors, ships, the gold on the ship, even the rest of our cargo... But, what I wish to take with me is just too much," John said, somewhat dejected, gazing at the working steam engine with an unwilling look on his face.

He truly wanted to take it all. He wanted all the firearms here, he wanted to take away the equipment used to produce these firearms, and the blueprints for these machines, all the design parameters and material data...

Unfortunately, taking all that would require at least 160,000 Gold Coins, and now he couldn’t come up with more than 80,000, even with his pants off.

The shortfall was exactly half, which left John feeling despair—he dared not bargain because he thought everything before him was sacred and should not be desecrated by money.

It was like some rich man going to the United States with money to buy an F-35 fighter jet; if the United States agreed to sell, it was already like a gift, and he had no courage to raise any objections about the price.

"My friend! I swear on the Elf Name, as long as you agree to let me take them all, I’m willing to pay 100,000 Gold Coins! Four months! In four months, I will come back with the money! Whether you want ships, timber, horses, medicinal herbs, saltpeter, leather, sulfur... iron ore, copper ore...

Anything!" In near supplication, John once again spoke with difficulty.

After saying this, he added earnestly, "I swear to you, you are my best friend, Augustine John! My friendship is not for sale for any amount!"

"I understand how you feel, John. After developing such a great device, I know it’s priceless..." Tang Mo lowered his head to examine the exquisitely made pocket watch, looking at the poplar tree on the watch cover, made of crushed gems.

Honestly, it might be the most beautiful pocket watch he had ever seen, not to mention that the Elves’ taste in aesthetics is definitely spot on.

As he spoke, he flicked open the watch cover with his thumb. The white dial with its black, slender hands, made into a vine-wrapped style, was still moving precisely, and Tang Mo could even feel the subtle vibration. It was as if it were a living elf, breathing rhythmically in the palm of his hand.

"A fine pocket watch, I like it very much." Tang Mo smiled and looked up at John, "I plan to buy it for 20,000 Gold Coins, what do you think?"

"..." John was stunned and then his face lit up with ecstasy, "Tang Mo! My friend! When you come to Poplar Kingdom, I’ll take you to find the best women! I promise you! I will return in four months with everything you want!"

He was overwhelmed with excitement, almost lunging forward to hug Tang Mo, but Tang Mo didn’t have the habit of being hugged by men, so he quietly stepped back, leaving John with his arms open awkwardly.

"80,000 Gold Coins?" Tang Mo asked, not embarrassed in the least.

"Yes! 80,000 Gold Coins! Or you can also take goods! Steel, copper ingots, any kind of ore, leather wool, horses, timber... anything!" John retracted his hands, offering to procure anything in the world, as if there was nothing he couldn’t acquire.

"Well then, let’s go! Let’s take a look at the revolver production workshop, and then see the steam engine... production workshop! I think you’ll be interested in these."

"Of course! Of course, I’m interested!" John nodded excitedly, feeling that today must be his lucky day.

"Come on! This way, please!" Tang Mo made a welcoming gesture and continued to lead John towards Workshop Number Two not far away.

This was where the bullets were made, with paper cartridge bullets being manufactured one by one, then neatly arranged in boxes, packaged, and then pushed out of the factory by workers on carts to be loaded onto carriages heading to Northern Ridge.

Recently there had been almost no bandit activity in the Vicious Forest, so there was no need to wait to form a convoy, just two carriages could set off directly to deliver the much-needed supplies to Northern Ridge.

Of course, the Northern Ridge would also transport the gunpowder and other materials they’d produced—money transactions in Gold Coins had almost ceased between the two parties, since Lord Earl Fisheo’s Gold Coins had been nearly spent in Brunas.

"I’ll sign the contract with you as soon as I get back, and you have my word! There can’t be any mistake!" John, like a drunken reveller, assured Tang Mo with a slap on his chest.

"Among the sailors, the slaves and a few who have signed long-term contracts can be given directly to you, but the rest will depend on their own will," he had already begun preparing a contract to sell to Tang Mo any of his sailors that could be sold: "I’ll promise their families a sum of money so that they’ll serve you... But if they don’t want to stay, I don’t have a better solution."

Actually, he felt quite helpless because most of these sailors weren’t his personal property. About one-third of the sailors were born slaves, which meant they were assets that could be disposed of at will, and John could decide to sell all of those to Tang Mo.

But the other sailors, officers, and the accompanying merchants weren’t his to give away to Tang Mo at his convenience. All he could do was offer money to those sailors willing to leave their homes behind to stay, for he had no other choice.

After having seen Tang Mo’s machinery, John had made up his mind to complete the transaction. Now all he could think about was how to convince as many sailors as possible to stay.

"I’ll also need a copy of your sea charts; otherwise, there’s no point in keeping such a fleet," Tang Mo finally added.

"That..." John seemed troubled because the sea charts, the accumulation of any country’s or fleet’s experience, were a valuable treasure.

And obviously, the maritime trade routes of the Poplar Kingdom overlapped considerably with Brunas; if Tang Mo entered the maritime trade, he would inevitably be cutting into the Poplar Kingdom’s share of the pie.

"We are friends, aren’t we? Don’t worry, we can sign an agreement, and I promise I’ll avoid selling Poplar Kingdom’s products as much as possible," Tang Mo vowed, then emphasized forcefully, "We’re friends, right?"

"Alright! I’ll send over the sea charts later!" John gritted his teeth and said, "But that will be priced separately! 10,000 Gold Coins!"

"Hahaha! Not a problem! My friend!" Tang Mo agreed generously, without haggling. This made John somewhat regretful, thinking he might have asked for too low a price.

Tang Mo patted John on the shoulder as if 10,000 Gold Coins were a trivial amount to him. Then, he continued, "We can assemble a steam engine in a day, but transportation is a hassle."

"Under normal circumstances, transporting the parts and assembling them on site after delivery is the safer option." Tang Mo gestured to a worker nearby covered in grease to come over.

Then, once the worker approached, he raised his voice and asked, "How about it? Fancy a business trip? To the far-off Poplar Kingdom, with a subsidy of 2 Gold Coins a day."

While speaking, he pointed at John beside him, "He’ll give you 2 Gold Coins a day, and you can take your wife with you."

"Really, sir?" The worker’s eyes shone bright when he heard about the 2 Gold Coins, and he couldn’t hide his excitement.

Tang Mo then looked towards John and said, "He can help you assemble and adjust the steam engine, and can also assemble the new parts produced from the blueprints... What do you think? Do you want this kind of service?"

"Of course! If he knows how to make... steam engines... I am willing to pay his wages! When can he start?" John nodded joyfully, without any reason to refuse.

"Tonight would be fine," Tang Mo declared magnanimously.

"Sir, are you really willing to let me go with him?" The worker asked Tang Mo timidly. Here, he was nothing more than an average technician, and he never dreamt he’d one day be able to earn over a thousand Gold Coins a year.

"Yes, take good care of yourself over there. In four months, you can come back with him," Tang Mo assured with a smile, pointing again at John in a gesture of complete trust.

While the group was touring the factory workshop, a carriage stopped in front of the factory gate.

An elegantly dressed old man opened the carriage door, and a tall young girl jumped out.

"This is Tang Mo’s weapons workshop, Miss," the butler said, looking at the partially demolished wall and then turned to the girl to explain.

The girl glanced at the workshop gate and then at the construction site not far away, with a radiant smile on her face. Even in the cooling weather, her smile was stunning, as if carrying the fragrance of flowers.

"Miss?" The guard standing at the gate became intensely nervous upon seeing the girl, greeting her with a stutter, "You, how come... you’re here?"

"Where is Tagg? Have him come out to introduce me. I want to meet this Mr. Tang, the man of legend," Alice said with a blooming smile, gracefully stating her purpose.

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