Chapter 30: Having an Elder in the Family is Like Having a Treasure

“I want to hire you,” declared Wu Qingsong.

The old wolfman eyed him curiously, seemingly puzzled by his statement.

“To clarify, I wish to hire you for a different role, not as a swordsmanship instructor,” Wu Qingsong continued. “I need your seasoned wisdom and experience.”

Understanding dawned on Harold, his face growing noticeably grim. “You want to drag me into your murky waters?”

“You’ve been alongside me for quite some time, you’re well aware of my activities. If I get into trouble, do you truly believe you’ll come out of it unscathed, even if neither of us implicates you?” 

Harold gave him a piercing, ominous look as if considering tearing him to shreds.

For a fleeting instant, Wu Qingsong felt as though Harold’s iron hook was about to lash out at him.

“You always have the option of leaving Umber,” Wu Qingsong said, locking eyes with him, his tone earnest. “If you prefer that, I’ll give you some money as compensation. But at this moment, I genuinely need a seasoned, wise, and trustworthy elder to guide me. I can’t think of anyone more fitting for this than you. Would you please help me?”

“That’s probably because you don’t know many people, do you?” Harold retorted sarcastically.

“Even so, you are definitely the most suitable choice,” Wu Qingsong responded, a touch awkwardly. “I know you’re reliable, and I sense that you’re not the sort who’d be content wasting your life away. That is true, isn’t it?”

“Uncle, please lend us your help,” Ling added from the sideline.

“Meow~ Exactly!”

Harold began shaking his head in disapproval, but a few minutes later, he relented. “Who are we dealing with?”

“A group of smugglers,” Wu Qingsong answered.

“If you genuinely want me to work for you, you mustn’t try to deceive me or withhold information, especially on matters like this.”

Wu Qingsong felt a heat rise to his cheeks. The truth was, he had some reservations about trusting Harold. After all, the secret surrounding the soap was not on the same level as the issue with Nina’s identity. Harold might keep the soap’s formula a secret for fear of being silenced, but the bounty on Nina’s head didn’t carry the same risk.

He found himself recalling the coachman’s warning. “These guys are not to be trifled with… Sir, you should exercise caution…”

Even Harold had once mentioned that if he were a decade younger and not crippled, he would’ve captured them by now.

However, Wu Qingsong had limited options. Harold had already proven himself trustworthy to some extent. Who else could he rely on in this critical situation? The owners of the inn?

“Someone once told me that ignorance can sometimes be a blessing,” Wu Qingsong said, paraphrasing what Ram had told him.

“If I’m kept in the dark about who I’m dealing with, how can I effectively advise you?” Harold cut him off sharply. “I won’t agree to work unless I understand both the risks and the rewards involved.”

Wu Qingsong met his eyes and finally nodded in agreement. “Are you familiar with the Silver Moon Wolf Clan?”

“The Moon Maiden?” Harold’s face changed once again. “You…” He shook his head forcefully. “You may lack many skills, but you’re certainly gifted at inviting trouble.”

“It’s not the Moon Maiden,” Wu Qingsong clarified, glancing at Ling and Liuli. He had briefed them prior to entering Karagados on what could and couldn’t be disclosed, and they had been careful to comply. “We’re dealing with her subordinates. Our interactions will be minimal. It’s essentially a supply-and-split-the-profits arrangement. The task is straightforward, the risks are minimal, but the profits are significant.”

“In this world, there’s rarely such a thing as low risk with high rewards. There are plenty of endeavors that offer high risk with low rewards, though,” Harold stated. “What kind of arrangement have you made with them? You don’t need to disclose specific names or locations. I don’t want to know. I just need to know, under what conditions are you operating?”

Wu Qingsong proceeded to share the verbal agreement he had made with Ram.

“A thirty percent cut?!” Harold’s ears shot up, seemingly electrified. “What on Earth– ah, never mind, you don’t need to explain.”

“So, are you in?” Wu Qingsong asked, realizing it was time for a ‘show-and-tell’ moment.

“Fifty renals per month, plus an extra twenty percent of your earnings as a performance bonus. Payment in advance,” Harold laid out his terms. “What’ do you say?”

“It’s a deal,” Wu Qingsong instantly extended his hand, which Harold grasped firmly in agreement.

It wasn’t pocket change by any means, but Wu Qingsong was convinced Harold was worth the investment.

“You’ll need a leather workshop as a cover,” Harold mentioned as their hands disengaged. “As it happens, I know of one that has recently gone under.”

The old wolfman was far more nimble in executing plans than in physical movement. In just a couple of days, he had secured the bankrupt workshop for Wu Qingsong at the lowest feasible price, acquired the previous owner’s equipment at a bargain, and completed the required filings with the Craftsman Guild.

After greasing the palms of the guild’s auditing officer, they were assigned the lowest possible grade. This meant they would be liable for minimal monthly guild dues and supplies. On the flip side, they would have to pay twenty renals per month to this man and funnel another twenty through an official channel. In return, they gained access to a more affordable supply of finely processed wood ash that wouldn’t be documented in the guild’s records, yet another business venture for this individual, in partnership with a higher-up in the guild.

Harold clearly had a knack for handling such matters. Under the guise of renovating and disinfecting the workshop, he skillfully obtained an unusually large shipment of quicklime from the Port Guild, effectively resolving most of their issues with raw materials.

Wu Qingsong, on the other hand, negotiated a deal with the owner of a local restaurant to acquire their spent cooking and frying oil at market rates. The restaurant also agreed to process a batch of fish oil for him, thus solving their oil supply problem.

“I’ll keep an eye on them,” Harold assured Wu Qingsong.

Although Wu Qingsong suspected that the restaurateur was uninterested in what they planned to do with the oil, he nonetheless welcomed Harold’s caution. Naturally, this extra vigilance would incur additional expenses.

Using his other connections, Harold enlisted a few individuals to keep an eye on both the restaurant owner and the Craftsman Guild members, digging for any information that could potentially relate to their activities.

Wu Qingsong had no direct dealings with these informants. They were even unaware of who was paying them. As a former mercenary, Harold had an extensive web of discreet contacts and knew exactly who could be trusted and who should be privy to what information.

The ten gold sols they had obtained from Ram were quickly exhausted, as were Wu Qingsong’s original funds. However, through multiple trial runs, Wu Qingsong was able to fine-tune the best ratios for their materials, yielding a high-quality batch of soap base.

Their immediate hurdle was awaiting the delivery of essential fragrances and medicinal herbs from Ram’s team. Once those were in hand, they could move forward with replicating the Feget Trading Company’s products.