Chapter 86: A Stern Lesson

Wu Qingsong, brimming with excitement like a child, eagerly shared with Ram all that he had achieved in her absence, anticipating her amazement and praise. However, seeing his lively and somewhat smug expression, Ram felt a pang of sourness in her heart, an urge to give him a good thrashing.

To gather this money, the Silver Moon Wolf Clan had spared no expense, yet this was the outcome?

Wu Qingsong eventually noticed her displeasure and tempered his attitude. “Ram, I am grateful for your and Nina’s efforts. Don’t worry, this money will surely yield several times more profit here. You won’t lose out.”

A loss was unlikely. With Esola’s current prices, just selling the excess grain Wu Qingsong no longer needed already brought Ram a significant profit. Yet, her arduous efforts proved redundant in the end. The realization that her help was unnecessary was a bitter pill to swallow.

“Grain is in high demand right now, but as more and more people hear the news and bring in grain here, I expect the prices to drop soon,” Wu Qingsong said.

The Gold Rush in the American state of Alaska was a relevant analogy for the current situation in Esola. While everyone else focused on selling grain for quick profits, if you could diversify at the right moment, you could be the real winner.

“I think it would be wise for you to invest in a few promising mercenary groups,” he said.

The strategies employed by those commercial guilds seemed ludicrous to him. In such a common practice scenario, he felt that Ram could definitely secure more allies with fairer terms.

However, Ram disagreed. 

As a smuggler and an anomaly among many trading companies, standing out was not a wise choice. It could invite envy and scrutiny, which was not desirable for a smuggler and a crucial member of the rebel forces.

Her objective in earning money was to support the revival of the Silver Moon Wolf Clan. If that led to complications, it would defeat the purpose. Moreover, if there was an intent to invest, why not invest directly in Wu Qingsong himself?

“Alright,” Wu Qingsong eventually agreed. “Then “I’ll need your help to sell these goods and exchange them for as much hard leather as possible. The more, the better.”

Tagraedi-style Armor had already established a degree of fame in the Esola region. It was time to broaden its reach, and the best way forward was to increase production and lower prices.

Wu Qingsong’s target market was the poor mercenaries and hunters, who typically couldn’t afford armor and often died within a few years of starting their careers. The Tagraedi-style Armor, however, could significantly improve their survival chances. Wu Qingsong was confident that as they advanced in their careers, they would remain loyal to his brand, and when he introduced higher-quality armor in the future, it would likely be well-received.

Wu Qingsong didn’t encroach on existing markets. Instead, he created a new, low-end market, which was unlikely to provoke widespread resentment. 

He consistently portrayed himself as poor, telling everyone that he was selling the armor at cost, solely to sustain his subordinates’ families and to provide them with work. 

Others, upon attempting to replicate the Tagraedi Armor, would soon realize that they couldn’t make a profit at his selling price, a situation that should deter the lofty elves from bothering with such meager gains.

However, in reality, Wu Qingsong’s production costs were significantly lower than manual workshops due to his extensive use of machines and assembly lines. Despite the low selling price, his profit margin was almost comparable to that of traditional craftsmen.

The processing of antpeople’s carapaces was more complex than working with hard leather and the material was not readily available. As the number of antpeople diminished, Wu Qingsong expected a rapid depletion of this raw material. Given the armor’s protective capacity, akin to metal armor, and its lightness, he felt a sense of loss selling it so cheaply, even though the profit was substantial.

Intent on pursuing a strategy of mass production and affordability, hard leather armor remained his best option. He could store the ant shell armor to sell as a premium product later, rather than continuing to offer it at such low prices during the promotional phase.

As Wu Qingsong and Ram delved into heated discussions about their future business strategies, Harold interjected with a dose of reality, “More money is always better, but don’t forget, without sufficient power to defend it, the more money you have, the quicker you can fall.”

Harold’s reminder abruptly brought Wu Qingsong back to a state of sober realization.