Profit.
This is a topic that never goes out of style, no matter the world.
Especially in a strange environment like this, people are often more willing to use profit to bind themselves to one another.
Lan Qingyou, Shang Chuan, Li Huai, Gu Xiaobei, Professor Gil...
They all had their own personal agendas.
However, because their mutual interests were satisfied to a degree that pleased everyone involved, they were able to form a certain 'understanding' that allowed them to ask for things directly.
In fact, for Lan Qingyou, as long as the profit was right, she could even provide Shang Chuan with a batch of potions that inflicted negative status effects.
Things like Slowness Potions, Weakness Potions, and Petrification Potions.
After all, compared to others, a shut-in girl like her who never left her house was an extreme rarity.
She was more dependent on outsiders for certain things.
No matter how much Lan Qingyou disliked or didn't want that dependency, it was an undeniable, objective fact.
Meanwhile, Shang Chuan was also deep in thought.
The problems he was considering were significantly more complex.
Distribution...
How should he divide things so that he didn't feel like he was losing out, while still making sure Lan Qingyou and Li Huai were satisfied?
To be honest, this was a major test of his skills as a merchant.
Even if this 'profit' didn't actually exist yet, it was essential to settle the matter before they took action.
Shang Chuan: “Forty-thirty-thirty. I get forty percent, and you and Li Huai get thirty percent each. After all, my men are the ones risking their lives.”
Finally, Shang Chuan chose a relatively conservative distribution method.
Lan Qingyou raised an eyebrow: “Are you really the type of person who cares about the lives of his subordinates?”
Shang Chuan: “Of course I care. If I don't have subordinates, won't I have to go chop trees myself? Do you know how much money-making time that would waste?”
That made sense. Let's move on.
Lan Qingyou: “I want fifty percent. As for how you and Li Huai split the remaining fifty, that’s your business.”
Lan Qingyou sent the reply after a moment of thought.
After all, she was the one who had to spend time and energy. Both Shang Chuan and Li Huai only needed to make one trip.
No matter how she looked at it, she was the one putting in the most effort in this deal, so she naturally had to fight for the maximum benefit.
Even if the supposed profit seemed ethereal right now.
However, since it was a man-made excavation, whatever was hidden inside would be extremely useful to them at this stage.
It was just like the tools from Albert that Lan Qingyou had acquired.
Shang Chuan: “That's too much. I'll give you forty percent at most.”
As if he had been prepared for her demand, Shang Chuan replied almost instantly.
Lan Qingyou: “Fine, forty percent it is.”
Knowing that there wasn't much point in haggling with a professional merchant, Lan Qingyou agreed immediately.
Forty percent was likely the limit of what Shang Chuan could offer her. How he negotiated the remaining sixty percent with Li Huai was his problem.
Besides, she had to brew potions anyway; she was just switching the varieties she brewed each day.
Plus, she had been spending most of her time lately learning chemistry from Professor Gil.
Learning while brewing, with the possibility of making a profit—what was there to be dissatisfied about?
Of course...
There was also a good chance she wouldn't make a dime.
But she could still use her newly acquired chemistry knowledge to practice, couldn't she?
With Lan Qingyou settled, dealing with Li Huai was much simpler.
When Li Huai returned from his hunt that evening and saw the series of messages Shang Chuan had left him, he agreed without a second thought.
He didn't know how others were faring.
But Li Huai knew perfectly well that he had hit a bottleneck; his level was stuck at Level 8 and simply wouldn't go up.
He had tried various methods at first, but when none of them worked, he blamed it on the monsters being too weak.
After all, the strongest monsters currently available were D-rank, and even those were extremely rare. With most being E-rank, it was impossible for him to level up.
If he wanted to level up, he had to take on higher-level challenges.
In his opinion, it would be best if he could jump ranks and find a C-rank monster. That would at least save him from worrying about monsters for a long time.
Now that Shang Chuan had suddenly mentioned an unknown man-made cave, how could he not be interested?
It was perfect.
If there were any powerful monsters inside, he could use them to improve himself.
Li Huai's sense of crisis was not one bit weaker than Lan Qingyou's.
Shang Chuan finally breathed a sigh of relief after getting Li Huai's agreement.
He hadn't actually been sure if he could get an S-rank powerhouse to act as his muscle.
Even if the man was getting a thirty percent cut.
Shang Chuan: “By the way, is your talent more physical-based or magic-based?”
Li Huai: “Magic-based.”
Shang Chuan: “I thought so. Then let's wait until the mana turbulence ends before we go.”
Li Huai: “Actually, that's not necessary. I've already overcome that issue.”
...
Listen to that. Was that even humanly possible?
You've overcome a natural phenomenon like mana turbulence?
Should he say that the bold are truly skilled, or that everyone with an S-rank talent was a freak?
Shang Chuan: “It's fine. The Witch needs time to make the potions anyway.”
After a moment of silent marveling, Shang Chuan passed the buck to Lan Qingyou.
With the support of both Lan Qingyou and Li Huai secured, Shang Chuan went back to Li Wufeng.
Shang Chuan: “Wufeng, we have a plan. Your people don't need to go out gathering for the next few days. Wait until the mana turbulence is over.”
Shang Chuan: “Also, tell those of your subordinates with attack-type talents to get some good rest. You'll head in to explore once the Witch's potions are ready.”
Li Wufeng: “Got it. I'll keep a close eye on the cave entrance over the next few days. If the camouflaging vines are disturbed, I'll let you know immediately.”
Shang Chuan: “Sounds good.”
Over the next few days, Lan Qingyou spent every day making various kinds of potions, while Li Wufeng went about his business.
Shang Chuan, meanwhile, went on a shopping spree, buying up a large amount of equipment like swords, armor, and leather gear.
If anyone were to ask why everyone was keeping themselves so busy for something that might not even exist, there was only one real reason.
Everyone was simply too bored.
Lan Qingyou went without saying.
For someone who spent ten thousand years cooped up at home, participating in an exploration like this was meaningful in itself.
Shang Chuan was the same.
Although he was a merchant, his philosophy had always been to make money so he could enjoy it.
Since arriving here, he had made plenty of money but hadn't had a single chance to enjoy it. He was practically bursting with pent-up energy.
Plus, his merchant's intuition told him that the place was likely far from simple.
That was why he was making such a large 'investment.'
Rate on N.U.
