Chapter 177: The Negotiation Partner

  "Forty percent is really too high, Mr. Ezio, we truly can't afford it…"

  Fress' anxious expression was half real, half fake. Although the Northern Chamber of Commerce's intelligence network wasn't top-tier, it was quite established in the northern region. Recently, several chambers of commerce had sent representatives to negotiate with "Nanalie’s Alchemy Workshop," making Fress uneasy. Although he was the true head of the Northern Chamber of Commerce, there were many things he couldn't decide alone.

  "We can only bear a maximum of twenty percent…"

  "The Red River Chamber of Commerce is willing to negotiate up to forty-five percent, Mr. Fress."

  Alex interrupted him unceremoniously, and Fress curled his lips.

  "I don't believe, Mr. Ezio, that you don't know the situation of the Red River Chamber of Commerce. Their president is almost bankrupt. Even if you asked for ninety percent, he would agree! But the problem is, even if he agrees, can he fulfill the contract?"

  "You're right, but that doesn't matter, because whether he's bankrupt or not, the contract has to be fulfilled."

  Alex lightly added, and Fress' face fell.

  Indeed, as Fress said, in the past, no one cared whether the Red River Chamber of Commerce lived or died. But if the Red River Chamber of Commerce signed a contract with Alex, it would be different. Even if the Red River Chamber went bankrupt and was acquired, the previously signed contract would still be valid unless the other party was willing to renegotiate. Otherwise, the contract would continue to be executed after the acquisition.

  It's like someone buying a cursed item and dying in battle, and the cursed item becomes someone else's loot. The result is either the new owner keeps using the cursed item or seals it away.

  Technologies like greenhouses and slime fertilizer can't just be sealed and unused.

  But tearing up the contract is impossible. The Alchemist Association isn't as powerful as the Tower of Heaven, but they're not pushovers either. They're like the "National Patent Office" and "Quality Supervision Bureau." If they get unhappy, they can cancel your selling qualifications, turning your entire chain into bck-market shops, or fine you heavily. Who can bear that?

  The st option is to throw the cursed item away and ignore it.

  But who would be willing to do that?

  Standing behind Alex, Kuria watched with a satisfied smile. Nymph was currently researching nutrient solutions with Nanalie, so Kuria naturally became Alex's secretary, accompanying him in negotiations. For Kuria, these experiences were invaluable treasures. Not only did she get to work with such a handsome man, but she also observed the various reactions of chamber representatives and officials.

  After working with Alex for a few days, Kuria grew more impressed with him. The chamber representatives used all sorts of tactics to obtain the technologies. Some tried bullying, some cried and begged, and others threw tantrums. Kuria thought, if she were in Alex's pce, facing these people and the influential figures behind them, she'd have to reconsider.

  But Mr. Ezio remained calm, blocking every tactic without hesitation and pinpointing fws in their arguments. This made Kuria greatly admire him.

  "We really can't handle the pressure of forty-five percent. How about thirty percent…"

  Fress gave in, unable to persist. Recently, Alex wasn't just selling oranges. Using greenhouses and slime fertilizer, he continuously grew off-season vegetables, including many summer fruits and vegetables. These sold out immediately, but Alex didn't expand production.

  It was clear to everyone that Alex wanted them to see these two alchemical inventions were useful not just for oranges, but for almost all crops. This increased their value, forcing Fress to concede.

  But asking a businessman to make concessions is harder than anything.

  "Thirty-eight percent."

  Alex didn't believe Fress' excuses. Any concession by a businessman was a facade. The discounts they mentioned were often lies. Like that bespectacled guy who always cimed losses during sales events. Yet, people kept buying.

  "Thirty-two percent… Mr. Alex, please consider our Northern Chamber's situation. We need to build factories and raise slimes… To be honest, we don't even know how to raise slimes. If you provide that too, we'll accept forty percent."

  "…………………"

  Hearing this, Alex could only shrug helplessly. They were dealing with alchemy, not an animal kingdom. The issue of how to raise slimes was quite difficult for them. If it were on Earth, it would be a brand-new project to domesticate a wild species, and Alex had no expertise in that area. He had initially pnned to try, but Nymph had no interest in those squishy jelly-like creatures, and Nanalie was currently swamped with work, so she couldn't handle it either.

  According to Fress, they could solve the problem temporarily by hunting slimes, but for long-term trade, breeding was essential. Since Alex couldn't provide this technology, they would have to spend money to research it slowly.

  Hopefully, they could find a solution before slimes went extinct.

  "Thirty-five percent, no lower."

  Alex finally stated his acceptable rate and added an additional condition. "Half of this must be settled in soul crystals, the higher the quality, the better."

  After all, this was Alex's main goal for coming here—to farm—and not to develop some otherworldly urban high-tech conglomerate.

  "Soul crystals?"

  Fress was taken aback by Alex's condition. "…That's not a problem, but how will we settle it?"

  Soul crystals are produced not only from magical beasts but also from natural crystal mines. Like gold and oil, their prices fluctuate. They might go up this month and down the next. Alex wouldn't put all his eggs in one basket. He wouldn't pass up the Alchemist Association, and he wanted a piece of the Northern Chamber of Commerce too.

  "Once a month, settle according to the market price of the month, high quality, and no limit on quantity."

  Alex paused for a moment, then added, "The higher, the better."

  Alex didn't care about money. The money from the main world was just numbers to him. It only made sense when converted to soul crystals to recharge his system. Otherwise, the money was meaningless.

  "Hmm…"

  Hearing this, Fress frowned, but after thinking for a moment, he nodded readily.

  If Alex demanded all the profit shares in cash, the Northern Chamber of Commerce might have had second thoughts. Liquid funds were very limited, and thirty-five percent profit was a lot. But soul crystals were different. The Northern Chamber had its own channels for acquiring soul crystals and controlled several soul crystal mines. Currently, there were no wars or major technological revolutions, so the demand for soul crystals was stable with little fluctuation. Allocating some at market price wasn't difficult.

  It was much more acceptable than cash.

  "I agree to your terms, Mr. Ezio."

  "Pleasure doing business."

  Hearing Fress agree, Alex smiled. He didn't want to waste too much time. As the value of greenhouses and slime fertilizer increased, some forces were becoming less cautious and even aggressive. Alex didn't care about their military threats, but if he could avoid exposing his identity, it would be ideal. With Fress agreeing so readily, Alex didn't mind giving him a little extra benefit.

  "Since Mr. Fress is so generous, we won't be stingy… Let's add an additional cuse to the contract: when our alchemy workshop's next invention is completed, the Northern Chamber of Commerce will have the priority to bid for purchase."

  "Priority purchase cuse?"

  Hearing this, Fress was stunned and then curiously asked, "Mr. Ezio, what is your workshop's next alchemy invention…?"

  "Sorry, I can't tell you yet."

  Alex smiled at Fress's inquiry. "It's a trade secret."

  (End of chapter)

  ?? Unlock the World of Stories with Early Access on Patreon! ??

  Hello, beloved readers and supporters!

  I am thrilled to offer you an exclusive opportunity to dive deeper into our captivating stories before anyone else. By joining the Patreon community, you'll unlock a treasure trove of benefits, including:

  ?? Early Access to 20 Chapters: Be the first to explore new chapters, experiencing the twists and turns of our tales well ahead of regur readers. Your journey through our stories doesn't have to wait!

  ?? Connect with the Community: Join a vibrant, like-minded group of readers who share your passion. Engage in exciting discussions, share theories, and make new friends who love the stories as much as you do.

  ?? Support the Creator: Your patronage directly contributes to the ongoing creation and improvement of the content you love. Be a vital part of the creative journey!

  Patreon.com/anish_44

  https://ko-fi.com/anish_44