Another World’s Versatile Crafting Master c1-1074, page 310
However, no one got displeased with his standoffish attitude. To them, it was normal for senior pharmacists to be short-tempered. It would be strange otherwise. They might even doubt the capabilities of the pharmacists if they did not have an eccentric attitude. Hence, the person who presented the gift did not mind it, and instead just shook his head regretfully and left, feeling a little comforted that the pharmacist had accepted his gift.
The pharmacists began to walk down one by one while the forces presented the gifts in an orderly fashion. It was finally Gaget's turn.
In fact, when others saw the leader of the White Shadow, Gaget, arriving in person, they could already guess what he was going to do there. Everyone was suspicious, and they shifted their attention onto Gaget. Although they hoped to see him prove that it was possible to recruit senior pharmacists, they did not want him to succeed in recruiting any, either.
Everyone stared at Gaget while he walked towards the senior pharmacist Wilkinson. Staring at the handsome and arrogant face in front of him, Gaget began to get a little distracted, and he sighed while thinking to himself, He's so young, yet he's already a senior pharmacist. When will he become a pharmaceutics Master?
"Respectable Mr. Pharmacist, please let me introduce you to the President of White Shadow…"
Upon hearing the introduction by his confidante, Gaget snapped back to reality, and quickly put a smile on his face. He respectfully said to Wilkinson, "Dear Mr. Pharmacist…"
Gaget and castellans could be considered buddies and brothers. However, Gaget had no choice but to suck up to the pharmacists for the sake of the White Shadow.
His confidante gasped in shock and turned red after thinking about the words that his leader had said and the things that he had done to bootlick.
However, Wilkinson was not that interested, as all he could think about was pharmaceutical theories. He frowned in annoyance, and coldly said, "Did you ask to see me for the sake of this? I don't have that much time to waste talking to you about these pointless things." He then turned around and left.
Gaget wished he could give himself two tight slaps. He's a senior pharmacist. He has heard all kinds of compliments. Since when does he have to listen to my praises? Seeing that Wilkinson was about to leave soon, he frantically said, "Please wait a minute, Mr. Pharmacist. I was being too long-winded. I do have something to discuss with you, Mr. Pharmacist."
Wilkinson pinched his nose and turned around to say to him, "Cut straight to the chase, then. Stop talking to me about such rubbish. Be careful, I might just get someone to chase you out."
"Yeah…" Gaget replied. Although he was the leader of the dignified White Shadow, he had no choice but to swallow his pride now. However, despite being reprimanded by a young man, he didn't feel ashamed at all, because everyone here had experienced it more than once before, be it an ally or a rival. He grabbed the prepared gift from his confidante, and presented it respectfully while saying, "Dear pharmacist, this is a gift I specially prepared for you this time. I hope you can accept it."
Why did he have to beat around the bush? He could have just said that he was going to give me a present, Wilkinson thought to himself with a look of disp.l.e.a.s.u.r.e. He grabbed the gift from Gaget to see that it was a flat black-colored sandalwood box, on which there were designs painted in gold, making the box look exceptionally exquisite. Fortunately, the pharmacists were not powerless. Wilkinson held onto the box with one hand, and removed the lid with a loud thud using the other.
Opening the gift in public immediately upon reception was another offensive, provocative tactic that Lin Li had deliberately taught to the pharmacists. By doing so, others would be able to see the value of the gift; hence, the next time another person gave them a gift, it'd have to be of a higher value. Although the young pharmacists could not be bothered to tease those who brought gifts, they decided to do it since it was Master Felic's request. They wouldn't lose anything anyway. It was not even the pharmacists' concern whether it was rude to open the gifts right away.
At the instant that the box was opened, everyone else gasped in shock, while Wilkinson remained composed because he had seen enough not to be phased by it. Gaget had indeed spent a bomb on the gift.
The oblong wooden box contained a set of test tubes that were often used by pharmacists when preparing chemicals and potions, though they were not made of glass. Wilkinson recognized at a glance that the test tubes were made of very precious Crystal of Clear Skies. Although it was not as precious as the Crystal of Eternity, it was also a rare and precious material.
The carved test tubes that were made of the Crystal of Clear Skies had an excellent catalytic effect on the medicinal materials during the preparation of potions, and could shorten the reaction time, especially for those which required a long one. Simply put, it might take just two or three days for Wilkinson to prepare a potion successfully with such a set of such test tubes while others might need 10 days to prepare the same potion.
The test tubes were absolutely attractive for pharmacists. It was no wonder that Gaget would select them as a recruitment gift. Gaget had spent a hefty amount on them, but it was not an issue of money, because the test tubes could not necessarily be bought with money.
It could be said that in the battle for the pharmacists in the Tower of Dusk, some of the merchants who had made mistakes in their investments now indirectly benefited from them together with the other residents of Black Clouds Town. There were barely any senior pharmacists in the Breezy Plains, and the expensive pharmaceutical equipment was rarely sold. They were mostly just precious gems that added glory to the store. But now, not only were there plenty of people who were rushing to buy those items, the prices were soaring all the time too. Hence, those merchants who'd almost bankrupted suddenly got a new lease on life.
If the forces could successfully poach the pharmacists, they would benefit the most, but if they failed…
Wilkinson put the lid back onto the wooden box, nodded, and said, "Well, it's a superb present. Someone, come over and help me bring this back to my room." He called a mage apprentice of the Tower of Dusk, and instructed him to send the set of Crystal of Clear Skies test tubes back to his room.
Seeing that Wilkinson had taken things away, Gaget secretly heaved a sigh of relief. As long as he accepted the gifts, there would be a chance for discussion. At this moment, everyone around him was feeling rather regretful because everyone knew that Wilkinson was the best pharmacist here.
"What else do you have to say?" asked Wilkinson, who sounded just as aloof and annoyed as previously, even after accepting the gift. It was as if accepting gifts was a waste of his time.
Gaget looked around, and finally said the things that he had prepared earlier on. "Dear Mr. Pharmacist, may I have the honor to invite you to the White Shadow? We may not have the best conditions, but we're very famous in the Breezy Plains. I can assure that you'll be our most valued guest." He then introduced Wilkinson to the status of the White Shadow in the Breezy Plains and promised to give Wilkinson a higher position than he had now if he were to join the White Shadow.
Of course, Gaget was not planning to give his position to Wilkinson. In fact, despite their extremely high status, unlike Archmages and level-16 or 17 Warriors, pharmacists could not pose a threat to a leader even though they had a great influence. The greatest concern for leaders during recruitment was the fear of getting replaced by powerful combatants. As for pharmacists? No way.
After Gaget had finished speaking, he looked at Wilkinson with anticipation, feeling his heart pounding rapidly in his c.h.e.s.t as if was about to jump out of his throat.
Silence filled the air in the hall; everyone was waiting to hear Wilkinson's answer with complex emotions. They hoped that he could answer straightforwardly, but at the same time, they also didn't want to see the White Shadow gaining an advantage.
"What for? I don't have the time!" Wilkinson answered without hesitation. What a joke. I'm receiving guidance from Master Felic here. What can I do over at your place? I might as well return to Alanna.
Gaget was dumbfounded, and he began to wonder if his words were too vague for Wilkinson's comprehension. "Mr. Pharmacist, what I meant was… I hope that we can receive your help. I promise you'll definitely make great progress in the White Shadow and we'll provide the best resources for you."
"You?" Wilkinson scanned Gaget from head to toe condescendingly before continuing in a hostile manner, "The White Shadow? Who do you think you are!?" Before giving Gaget the chance to even speak, he turned around and left the hall.
Was that it?
Gaget stood rooted to the ground in shock while a ringing sound formed in his ears. He felt like his soul had left his body, and he suddenly couldn't sense anything.
After seeing what had happened, the people of the other forces had no idea if they should be happy or worried themselves. Should we continue to send the gifts? Was it really possible that these pharmacists would be recruited by their own forces? Every gift cost a significant amount of money. If their efforts were to be in vain, it would be a huge loss for all of them.
Gaget snapped back to reality, and said to his subordinates, "Seems… Seems like we're not showing enough sincerity…"
Yes, the rejection faced by the White Shadow does not mean that we won't succeed in soliciting some pharmacists. Their sincerity has not moved that pharmacist, but we can show more sincerity than they did! Regardless of the purpose of Gaget's words, those people whose faith had been somewhat shaken once again grew determined to poach some pharmacists. Besides, they couldn't quit at this point. After all, they had invested so much into the plan, and would have nothing left if they were to give up. It was a gamble where one would be eager to recoup their losses because leaving would mean losing everything for good.
"Master Felic, this is a set of test tubes they just sent that are made of Crystal of Clear Skies. I think you're the only person eligible to use it." Wilkinson, who had been treating the gift-givers hostilely in the hall just now, gazed at the test tubes in awe and handed them to Lin Li.
Lin Li reached out and took out a test tube from the wooden box nonchalantly before staring at it beneath the sunlight. He then put it back again while saying, "Yes, it's made of Crystal of Clear Skies, but the craftsmanship is inferior. Leave it behind for a while. I'll help you fix it." As a master of working with gems and diamonds, the test tubes indeed weren't too attractive to him.
At first, Wilkinson thought that Lin Li was embarrassed to accept his gift, and thus said that he would fix it. However, not long after, he knew that every word Lin Li said was true when he saw a pristine test tube placed in front of him.
Chapter 518 - Thriving
The gift-giving went on, and the forces were continuously expressing their sincerity, after which they were faced with various obstacles. However, not everyone returned empty-handed.
It was said that the head of a small group of mercenary corps called the Red Army had sent several less hefty gifts, and did not request any pharmacist to join his army. Instead, he asked for two potions that would help with strengthening Combat Energy. With the help of Yuanli Elixir, both the father and the son broke through after plateauing in their Combat Energy practice and became level-15 Warriors.
For a small mercenary group that only consisted of hundreds of people and had a low status in the Breezy Plains, the appearance of two level-15 Warriors was equivalent to the strength of the entire mercenary group increasing several times over. However, such gains did not mean much to the middle-class forces, for all they were coveting was the chance to recruit a pharmacist.
Gaget, the leader of the White Shadow, had been mercilessly rejected. However, despite the lesson he'd got, he was still as eager about recruiting the pharmacists. In the eyes of those forces, the failure of the White Shadow was because of overeagerness and a lack of sincerity. They believed that they would one day be able to convince the pharmacists as long as they expressed enough sincerity.
While the forces and factions of the Breezy Plains were dreaming about recruiting the pharmacists, the Tower of Dusk was using them to make a fortune.
Under Lin Li's training, the bunch of young pharmacists advanced to senior pharmacist level, and although they were not exactly experienced veterans, they could be said to be familiar with concocting potions for sale and were highly efficient.
The pharmaceutical business of the Glittergold Trade Union and Gilded Rose had been facing issues regarding Lin Li's supply due to the fact that they had a huge sales network throughout the entire Felan. Although it was said that things became more precious and valuable when they were scarce, there was still a limit. Things that were worth 10 yuan1 might be sold for 1,000 yuan based on scarcity. However, it would be extortion if they were sold for 100,000 yuan. Absurdly high prices would just mar the reputation of the seller's entire business. However, if prices were kept within the acceptable range, the items would often sell out too quickly, and there would then be a deficit in supply of goods. When demand outweighed supply, the business would be blamed for incompetence.
However, the leaders of the two trade unions could finally heave a sigh of relief because the production capacity and volume of the pharmacy of the Tower of Dusk had been greatly improved. It could now entirely fulfill the demand of the two trade unions. Under the operation of the two largest trade unions in the two Felan Kingdoms, the prices of medicine and potions had not decreased too drastically despite the increased production, thus maximizing the benefits.
As the supplier of the two trade unions, the position held by the Tower of Dusk in this partnership could not be compared to that of ordinary suppliers. The leaders of the two trade unions also knew that if they were to leave the Tower of Dusk, even the Pharmacist Guild would not be able to provide so many high-quality potions. Hence, they took the initiative to make a huge compromise in the collection of revenue from pharmaceutical sales even though Lin Li didn't mention anything.
While business was at its peak in the Tower of Dusk, the manager of the Rosen Union of Doland was feeling smug about his decision.
Although the Rosen Union had claimed to control more than 80% of the ore transactions in Doland at the beginning, it was in fact only because of the low profit of the ore transaction and the many other miscellaneous and trivial matters that the other forces could not be bothered to vie with them. Even the retarded son of the leader of Doland City could reprimand Kaman, the President, like a dog, let alone the rest of the Breezy Plains…
However, things were different now. Ever since Kaman had s.u.c.k.e.d up to the young President of the Tower of Dusk (Yeah, s.u.c.k.e.d up. Kaman didn't dislike the term at all, because others might not even get the chance to do so. Those fools who'd tried desperately failed because they aimed for the wrong target, and choosing the wrong target resulted in a waste of efforts), he seemed to have struck a huge fortune, for the distributorship of magical equipment had brought him a ton of profits.
Now, the weapons and equipment partnership with the Tower of Dusk had begun to take off and was on a good track. Who would have thought that the Rosen Union, which did not have a great reputation in Doland, had now already established enough capital that would allow them to go against the Blacksmith Guild?
This did not only bring about monetary changes, it also gave Kaman a better reputation in Doland City and the Breezy Plains. Although Kaman was known as the tyrant of Doland, he'd not even been qualified to speak in front of Lord Anjay of Doland in the past. But now, Anjay would definitely send him an invitation to every banquet he held without fail. They were almost like brothers.
Kaman knew who the person who'd given him all of this was. Hence, despite being a money-grubber, he dared not be greedy at all during the cooperation with the Tower of Dusk. He knew very well that the young President Felic was not as difficult to serve and please as other nobles. As long as Kaman was willing to do things seriously, he would definitely stand to gain some benefits without having to use any tricks.
Although Lin Li dealt in the weapons and equipment business, he did not come up with a blacksmith training course. However, that did not affect the development of the business. Although Smithing Masters and Gurus were rare finds in the blacksmithing industry, there were far more intermediate and advanced smiths than pharmacists. Moreover, unlike potions, magic weapons and equipment were not consumables. When a sophisticated magical weapon and equipment was in the hands of those who knew how to maintain it, it could practically remain pristine for the rest of the wielder's life. Therefore, compared to potions, there was a lower demand for magical weapons and equipment. Given the abilities of Smithing Masters, they could create one piece at a time without wasting too much time.
Gerian claimed to be here for free food, but in fact, he barely enjoyed a few days of real leisure. First, he spent more than two months fighting the Syer Bandits in the Dragon Mountains, after which he headed back to Alanna to help Lin Li find the pharmacists. After sending the pharmacists to the Tower of Dusk, he took a break for two days before going to the Malfa Family again to discuss the pharmacy partnership.
Lin Li was very grateful to Gerian, the fat old man who had a bitchy character. Although he had never mentioned it explicitly, he was well aware that Gerian was the only other person in Anril who genuinely cared about him apart from his teacher Andoine. Gerian cared about him in a different way from Andoine, though. He was more like a big brother to Lin Li. Although he was not very competent or capable, he was genuinely concerned about him.
Lin Li felt a sense of urgency and anticipation regarding the calamity that was about to happen soon. If he were lucky, he would be able to acquire some extraordinary medicinal materials from the magical beasts.
