Chapter 366: Chapter 226: The Way of the Merchant_2
The only thing that humans can’t do on their own is probably acquiring salt, they can’t buy salt, they need Clariant’s help.
Regrettably, in current circumstances, Clariant also can’t acquire salt and in the foreseeable future, salt will become scarcer and scarcer. Even other daily necessities will become fewer and fewer. By then, will the Land of Fallen be capable of supporting so many living organisms?
What a headache! Having been living together for 600 years, Clariant can’t just sit and watch everyone die. To save everyone, salt is needed, even food.
As years of farming went by, crops yield in the town has been declining year by year. For the past decades, he’s had to buy from outside to fill the gap. If this continues, the food shortage will grow bigger.
But increasing food production in the Land of Fallen is not something easy, what to do?
Can’t think about it, thinking only brings soul pain.
The steward came back all of a sudden, speaking with a weird expression, “Uh, sir, there’s someone here to see you.”
This steward is a descendant of the first farming family that Clariant took in. He and his ancestors have always served as Clariant’s stewards. They have seen all sorts of bizarre and grotesque Undead, why would a visitor result in such an expression?
Clariant asked curiously, “Who is it?”
Goblin? Of course, there are goblins in the Land of Fallen, those creatures who worship money and engineering, wherever there is the scent of gold coins, they are there.
But here at the No. 3 Relay Tower, there isn’t the scent of gold coins. Clariant is as poor as a church mouse, except for some Soul Crystals accumulated over a long period, he can’t offer anything valuable, so no goblin has visited him in 600 years.
Of course, they might not be able to come here. Goblins are primarily centered in the human’s Holy Wall City.
Clariant, with intense curiosity, met the visiting goblin which wore a warm smile on its face, “I apologize for the abrupt visit, I heard you need salt? The Silver Chamber of Commerce is at your service, but the human’s Holy Wall City has been overrun, Soul and Demon Crystals and other hard commodities are not so valuable anymore, would you be willing to consider an alternative method of payment?”
After hearing what the silver coin said, Clariant was dumbstruck: “Is there such a good deal?”
“Of course, salt is here, as long as you provide a feasible method, all of these are yours. Because we heard about your needs from the Communication Domino, and that’s why we came. My boss wishes to have a private territory like yours to sow crops,” the silver coin said sincerely and truthfully.
As a Goblin Merchant, the silver coin had long mastered the ability to speak the language of each race, the moment he saw Clariant, he knew how to deal with such an honest and good-hearted old man.
“Aren’t you afraid I’ll rob you?” Seeing the silver coin, unashamedly placed a bag of salt, Clariant was shocked. This goblin doesn’t seem strong, how carelessly he acts, has he no sense of caution?
The silver coin laughed, “Of course not, unless you only need this bag of salt and don’t want any more in the future, otherwise no one would cut off their own supply lines, and moreover…”
When he said ‘moreover’, the silver coin closed his eyes loudly and called out, “Boss, this guy says he wants to rob our salt!”
As soon as the words fell, Clariant instantly felt the goblin before him changing, a very terrifying presence descending on him, the next moment, the silver coin opened his eyes, the gaze in his eyes seemed like they could freeze Clariant’s soul.
After what seemed like forever, Clariant felt someone waiving palms in front of him. After a few slaps to his face, he finally came to his senses and asked blankly, “Why did you hit me?”
The silver coin apologized, “Sorry, sorry, I genuinely apologize, my boss was too heavy-handed, and you were hurt, my deepest apologies, this Soul Crystal is to compensate, please don’t take offense.”
While saying that, he grasped Clariant’s hand and deposited a Soul Crystal into his palm.
Clariant holding this Soul Crystal took a while to come back to his senses, remembering what happened just now, this goblin seemed to have called his boss and shot him an angry glare…
Clariant had a cold shiver, the Soul Crystal in his hand felt as hot as a heated metal, quickly refusing to accept it. My god, projecting over here, and just one glance stunned him, what kind of being is this?
Can he accept money from such a being? Doesn’t he want to live? Clariant was overcome with fear, no wonder this goblin carelessly revealed a bag of salt worth more than gold, could it be that his backer is that formidable?
Clariant wanted to cry, why would he say something like that? Oh, God, he hopes that such a powerful being will not take it to heart, he didn’t mean any harm, he just wanted to remind that goblin.
Seeing Clariant’s face, on the verge of crying, the silver coin quickly comforted, “Don’t worry, don’t worry, my boss won’t take it to heart, take this, use it for recovery, if you don’t it’ll feel like you’re looking down on me.”
As he said this, he forcibly stuffed the Soul Crystal into Clariant’s palm.
Soul Crystals are not only currency, but also condensed soul energy. Absorbing it can heal soul injuries, which is exactly what Clariant, who had just been ‘glared at’, needed.
If he doesn’t accept it, afterward he probably would have to use his Soul Crystal to heal. The losses incurred would stay in his mind for a long time and would not benefit future interactions.