Starting with the sentries on the frontier

Chapter 65 The Temperamental Fox

Zag did the math in his head.

If we calculate based on the price of 8 gold pounds and 12 shillings per ounce, then each pound of crude could sell for at least 130 gold pounds. In comparison, the other party's offer is 30 gold pounds less per pound!

But as this person said, the black market is not a free charity. Whether buying or selling, you have to pay to enter. In addition, those who set up stalls to sell goods also have to pay a stall fee or a commission fee on the goods. You have to choose one of the two options: the stall fee is fixed at 20 gold pounds per month, and the commission fee on the goods is 10% of the value of the goods.

Although it all sounds rather shady, compared to the official standard of 40%, it's incredibly reasonable.

In short, he couldn't possibly expect them to pay 130 gold pounds per pound, but...

If we negotiate the price a little, we might still be able to make a profit.

"110 gold pounds per pound, fixed price. I have two pounds of goods here, I'll give them all to you. You can continue to monopolize the market, and whatever price you can sell them for is up to you. How about it?"

As Zag spoke, he gave Snowball a wink, and the latter quickly began to dart around the entire black market.

But the stall owner in front of Zag rejected the idea without hesitation: "Impossible! That price is too high! I'm not making any profit at all!"

Zag replied skillfully, "Then name your price. It can't be 100 gold pounds. You and I both know its value, don't we?"

"Actually, the fur of the original werewolf isn't as valuable as you think... I mean, a whole pelt might be worth more, since leather can be used to make more things, or even the entire werewolf's corpse. There have been quite a few people buying that lately, and they're offering pretty high prices, I don't know why. Anyway, the fur is much less valuable, and it'll most likely end up in the alchemy market... Okay, let me think, let me think..."

After much hesitation, the stall owner finally gritted his teeth and gave a price: "102 gold pounds. This is my bottom line. You have to understand, doing business here isn't just about the stall fee. This is truly the highest price I can offer! Even if I spend more effort laundering these goods and selling them in the outside market, I won't make much more money! You can ask around in the black market! I, 'Three-Legged Fox,' offer the fairest prices!"

At this moment, Snowball returned, proudly boasting to Zag, "I searched the entire black market, and there wasn't a single place with the original werewolf's fur! Not a single stall had it! Including this Gryn man I'm talking to you about now!"

At this point, it brandished its paw fiercely, adding, "So we can drive up the price as much as we want!"

Zag nodded almost imperceptibly, then put pressure on the stall owner, saying, "105 gold pounds. No contract is needed. After you inspect the goods, I'll settle the payment immediately. Of course, if you think the price is too high, that's fine. I'm not in a hurry to sell. Perhaps I'll find a buyer willing to pay a higher price later."

"You win! You win! 105 gold pounds!" Zag finally broke down the psychological defenses of the Gory stall owner, who called himself "Three-Legged Fox," and he shouted in a complaining tone, "There's no better price! 105 gold pounds! Good heavens! 105 gold pounds!"

A curious stall owner nearby chimed in, "What's wrong, Fox? What 105 gold pounds?"

Fox continued yelling, "The werewolf's hair! Damn it! The original werewolf's hair! He actually wanted 105 gold pounds from me!"

"105 gold pounds per pound? That's a reasonable price, considering it's the fur of the first werewolf!" The curious stall owner chuckled and winked at Zag. "If you'd like, you can sell it to me too. I can offer 105 gold pounds for that, and I'm much more handsome than Fawkes. What do you say?"

"You damned crow! Don't even think about it! Get lost! Don't even think about stealing my customers!" Fox slammed his hand on the stall table, his face flushed with anger. "With your skinny frame, I could knock you down with a single finger!"

Fox even clenched his fist and raised his arm to show off his muscular physique.

The stall owner, known as "Dead Raven," shrugged, completely ignoring Fox's warning, and continued to hint—no, explicitly—at Zag: "Just a suggestion, it's the same price anyway, right?"

Fox was truly red-faced this time. He ripped off the wooden pendant from his neck, instantly transforming his previously unremarkable face into a remarkably youthful, baby-faced one, and his voice changed from a slightly hoarse tone to a deep, husky raspy one—

"You want to fight, you damn crow!?"

"Crow" smiled and said unhurriedly, "Fighting is prohibited here, so I'm not going to mess with you."

Fox grew increasingly enraged: "Then let's go outside and fight! Damn it! I'll beat the crap out of you!"

"Crow" raised an eyebrow: "Alright, just kidding, or do you want your big client to wait here until they lose patience?"

Fox was really reluctant to let go of Zag, this "big client," so he gritted his teeth and said through gritted teeth, "Hmph! You're lucky today, just don't let me run into you outside!"

He then forced a straight face, picked up the pendant he had casually tossed on the stall, put it on, and said to Zhag, "Did you bring any goods with you? Or are you planning to trade next time?"

Zag looked awkwardly at the hot-tempered, baby-faced, husky-voiced stall owner in front of him, who, after putting on the pendant, had reverted to having ordinary features and a slightly hoarse voice, and felt inexplicably guilty.

"We'll do it next time, but I brought some samples with me. You can check them out and then decide whether to buy them or not at the black market next time."

As he spoke, he handed a tuft of hair that he had prepared beforehand to Fox.

Fox took the fur, his eyes narrowing. "White? Are there white werewolves in this world? Or the original werewolves?"

Zag replied, "It was concealed by Agora's concealment magic; it was originally black, but I guess you'll have a way to remove the concealment magic, right?"

"I'll give it a try," Fox said snorted impatiently. "If it doesn't work, I won't accept your goods!"

Zag nodded: "Of course, transactions are based on the principle of mutual consent."

"Hmm...you're a good guy. I'm really sorry, I can get a little emotional sometimes...it's all that damn crow's fault! I hate birds more than anything in my life! Especially birds that can fly! Especially black ones!"

Why don't you just name the crow directly?

Zag couldn't help but silently complain to himself.

Snowball, as if finding a kindred spirit, excitedly echoed even though he knew Fox couldn't hear him: "That's right! That's right! Crows! Especially ravens! They're the most annoying creatures in the world! Damn them! Kill them!"

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[Snowball's Science Mini-Drama]: Crows (Corvus), ravens (Ravens), jackdaws (Jackdaws), and red-billed ravens (Red-billed Corvus) are different species of corvids.

"But they're just as hated by fairies!"