106: Shopping mall completed

Seeing that Kedas, the city lord, was still stroking his beard and pondering, I stepped forward and said in a deep voice, "The extra expenses for the scout team's patrols should be borne by me."

Kedas did not reply, his bony fingers tapping the oak divine staff. "Lord Ryan's domain is but a single village. Yet, from my vantage point on the mountaintop, I can see three grand structures in your temporary market—" His hawk-like gaze pierced me. "May I ask, with such lavish construction, from where do your lordship's daily incomes originate? Even if the wealth left by your great-aunt is abundant, it cannot withstand such extravagance."

Upon hearing this, I poured two bone porcelain jars with vine patterns from the Qiankun Ring into my palm. "Please allow me to present a token of friendship to the esteemed Gorebest guardian." When I saw Kedas still standing motionless, I gave Randall a suggestive glance.

The Holy Knight immediately bowed and took the containers, using a silver-inlaid dagger to break the sealing wax.

The coarse salt grains in the jar were as sharp and clear as ice crystals, while the fine salt resembled snow dust formed from morning mist, shimmering brightly in the moonlight streaming through the dome's skylight.

"The Amn merchant group is willing to exchange five hundred thousand gold coins for the exclusive sales rights in Amn this year." I dipped a salt grain and touched it lightly to my tongue. "We anticipate producing four hundred thousand pounds this year, and I am willing to give them half of the share."

The fabric of the city lord's priestly robe rustled with his movement.

He hesitantly reached out, his fingertips hovering above the salt grains, as cautious as if touching a sacred relic.

When the salty taste dissolved on his lips, the divine staff in his hand shook violently.

"morning light lord bless!" He suddenly opened his eyes wide, and the oak divine staff tapped a clear ring on the marble floor tiles. "These... these crystals, as pure as first snow, do you intend to sell them in Gorebest's temporary market?"

"Gorebest is the closest trading town to me, so it is naturally my first choice."

I channeled a wisp of energy from the Qiankun Ring, concealing its form, and levitated the coarse and fine salt grains into the air, where they spun and danced. "These salt grains can flow into Amn's golden fountains and also light up Baldur's Gate's night navigation lights."

Under the moonlight, the two types of salt refracted completely different starlight, beautiful and magnificent, like two flowing works of art.

The flowing salt mist suddenly condensed into a miniature city, which was precisely my barren territory. "My territory is almost completely empty. If I want to open up sales channels, besides going to Amn and Baldur's Gate…"

The salt mist flowed and changed again, quickly condensing into a miniature Gorebest with densely packed buildings. "This is the ideal place!"

"If the temporary market can be solidified into a daily operating commercial area, then Gorebest's merchant caravans will probably need to increase their stalls tenfold. The premise is not to let the Gnoll's fangs tear us apart."

...

When a person's inner balance has already begun to tilt towards you, the subsequent matters become much easier to discuss.

Kedas, the city lord, not only agreed to dispatch a scout team, but if the situation proved true, the plot of land in the market would be gifted to me personally, at the cost of me bearing all the funds for expanding the southern city wall.

I, in turn, proposed a joint development of the South City.

The entire temporary market area of the South City, ten times its current size, would be planned as a commercial district.

Regardless of whether it was the city walls or internal development, the funds would come from me, and any future increases in maintenance and security costs would also be my responsibility. Eighty percent of the commercial district's tax revenue would go to me, and if Gorebest's twenty percent tax revenue was less than fifty thousand gold coins, I would make up the full amount.

That is to say, regardless of profit or loss, the city hall would have a guaranteed annual income of fifty thousand gold coins, but I would be exempt from this portion of the fee for the first ten years of the development period.

For example, if I successfully sold one million pounds of salt in Gorebest this year, according to the tax ratio here, the tax alone would be at least over one million gold coins. Calculated at Gorebest's two percent share of the tax, they could receive nearly three hundred thousand gold coins in tax from my single business in one year, without contributing anything.

In reality, ordinary merchants are not so honest; most people evade taxes by creating false accounts and changing transaction locations.

Like this temporary gathering, Gorebest could only collect a small venue management fee.

Furthermore, when I could help Gorebest earn more than fifty thousand gold coins in taxes each year, as an acknowledgment of my contribution to the town, I would be given a councilor title.

Of course, before I invest in construction, the Gnoll problem must be resolved first.

During my explanation of the development plan, I could see that Kedas, the city lord, was clearly moved.

"This is a serious matter; I need to hold a meeting with all the councilors." Kedas, the city lord, opened the invitation I handed him. "I will arrive as scheduled tomorrow evening."

I thought to myself, this city lord looks kind, but he is actually an old fox, extremely cunning; he only explicitly agreed to visit the Black Panther Mall tomorrow night; there was no definite word on whether to send troops to exterminate the Gnoll or on the development of the South City.

"Losanda's divine dwellings never refuse travelers, and we also strive to aid those who make a difference in this world. If you have needs, we can provide some magical potions or offer other assistance. All we ask for in return is a small donation." Kedas now sounded like an ordinary priest, beginning to promote their temple's goods.

I did not refuse and had Randall purchase a large quantity of holy water, crucifixes, potions, scrolls, and other goods.

Then, I donated a considerable sum of money to the Morning Song Temple's Dawning Reliquary, which covered the cost of dispatching the scout team.

"The Morning Song Temple and Gorebest will remember your generosity!" said the city lord priest.

The system's mechanical voice sounded again.

"System Information:

Host has donated a sufficient amount of gold at the Morning Song Temple in one go. Local reputation has increased by 1%."

I hadn't expected that donating money could also increase reputation; it was an unexpected pleasant surprise.

That night, all of us rested on the mountain. Before dawn the next day, we bid farewell and descended the mountain.

Upon returning to the temporary market, Kovenreid bid us farewell, his steel shoulder armor reflecting the morning mist: "The ten additional Flame Fist guards will arrive before noon."

I entered behind the curtain, and the largest mall building in the mist had already been completed.

Two mages, who had been busy until midnight, had just arrived and were perfecting the buildings in the backyard.

Seeing me return, they and Old Hather came forward to greet me.

The mall building was large enough to accommodate thousands of people. I led everyone through the tall load-bearing pillars.

Subsequently, I issued one action command after another—

Have the mages slightly modify the stairs and steps;

Have Old Hather bring the hired workers to place the ordered furniture;

Then arrange for the two chefs recruited yesterday to start preparing the dinner banquet dishes, and at the same time, borrow two more chefs, two kitchen assistants, and other banquet setup and service personnel from the inn at a high price. Dragon King will assist by storing the prepared meals in the system space.

I took out many pieces of furniture and decorations from the system space one by one and placed them in their pre-planned positions; crystal lamps were hung from the ceiling. After the ordered display cabinets were in place, I began to take out some goods one by one, supervised by Old Hather, and the hired workers placed them. The two mages set up a protective first-ring spell: Alarm, near the valuable items.