Read Novel Full Chapter 597: A Conspiracy in the Dark
Chapter 597: A Conspiracy in the Dark
While Su Yuan was negotiating the transaction with the Wu family.
At the Green Forest Residence.
Proprietor Green Forest Recluse was reviewing the shop's business operations.
Green Forest Residence was the largest artifact forging shop in Black Flame City, and he, Green Forest Recluse, was also the most famous Artificer in Black Flame City.
He flipped through the account books and quickly discovered that the shop's turnover had dropped by a full thirty percent recently.
The shopkeeper beside him broke into a cold sweat, quietly waiting for Master Green Forest's reprimand.
"Why has the business volume dropped so much during this period?" Green Forest Recluse asked.
"Reporting to the Recluse, during this period, a new shop opened at the end of our Artifacting Street. This shop mainly sells standard-issue weapons and equipment. Their opening prices are extremely cheap, and the two main standard-issue equipment models they are pushing are selling extremely well. This has caused our shop's sales of lower-level treasures to suffer, leading to the drop in revenue!"
"A mere new shop can reduce my Green Forest Residence's low-tier business by thirty percent? It seems they have something special. What about those two standard-issue equipment models?"
The shopkeeper hurriedly handed two identical Lingguang Swords to Green Forest Recluse.Green Forest only glanced at them and immediately noticed the peculiarities of these two standard-issue Lingguang Swords.
"One has a very heavy 'craftsman's axe aura'. Its quality is slightly worse than normal quality, barely achieving a four-point-seven effect, but it's still usable. With a lower price, it definitely has a market."
"The other has excellent craftsmanship. The materials are refined extremely thoroughly, and the arrangement of the Chaos Secret Patterns is filled with a sense of beauty, reaching a six-point-seven quality. It's also an upgrade over the five-point quality. People accustomed to using standard-issue weapons, if they have a bit of spare money, would absolutely be willing to switch to a better one."
Green Forest Recluse instantly saw the sinister intent behind these two standard-issue weapons. The former intercepted beginners, catching those who originally wanted to buy three-hundred-million equipment upfront. The latter was a targeted strike against experienced users who already owned standard-issue weapons, blocking their path towards other six or seven-point treasures!
This was precise targeting of the purchasing demographic.
"Impressive, truly impressive! The owner of this new shop is definitely a formidable figure. How much do these two standard-issue weapons cost?" Green Forest Recluse inquired.
"Based on the shop's opening ninety percent discount price, the former is two hundred million Chaos Jade, the latter is three hundred and eighty million Chaos Jade. I feel there's almost no profit margin at this price. After the opening event ends, the prices should increase again. The impact on our revenue will decrease significantly." The shopkeeper wasn't particularly concerned about this.
"Tsk tsk, indeed!"
Green Forest Recluse's eyes flashed with a cold light. "Beginners and experienced users are the main force for subsequent purchases of high-tier treasures. If this shop continues to intercept them, not only will low-tier equipment be affected in the future, but mid and high-tier treasures will also be siphoned away by this shop! This is cutting the fuel from under the cauldron! Even if they operate at a loss to build reputation, they can earn it back from the subsequent sales of mid and high-tier treasures."
The shopkeeper gasped, also realizing just how massive the threat from this little shop at the street's end truly was.
He couldn't help but say, "This shop doesn't seem to have any significant backing. How dare they offend other artifact forging shops like this? We've been affected by thirty percent; other shops must be hit even harder!"
"Go investigate the business situation of the other shops."
Green Forest instructed.
"Yes."
The shopkeeper quickly contacted the Heavenly Eye Pavilion to obtain information.
He soon returned to report.
"Recluse, the income of many shops has plummeted drastically. Some shops specializing in selling standard-issue weapons simply can't sell anything anymore. Furthermore, I heard that the Four Great War Groups have all placed huge orders with that Seven Stars Artifacting Shop!"
Upon hearing this, Green Forest Recluse nodded. "Go, send an invitation. I wish to speak with them."
The shopkeeper nodded in understanding.
One day later.
At the Soaring Sky Restaurant.
Inside a private room, a total of nine Artifact Refining Masters had gathered. Each looked calm and composed, appearing very nonchalant.
Green Forest Recluse looked at the group and said, "The reason I invited you all here today is for nothing else but that newly opened Seven Stars Artifacting Shop!"
Everyone looked at him, waiting for him to continue.
Green Forest Recluse asked, "I believe your businesses have also been affected. The Seven Stars Artifacting Shop just opened and directly snatched away a significant portion of your business. I wonder what your thoughts are on this?"
One of the Artificers, a three-eared golden-furred monkey, said indifferently, "It's just a new shop opening. They have promotions, hence the spectacle. Things will return to normal after some time."
"Indeed, it's just an ordinary shop selling standard-issue weapons."
"Normal?" Green Forest Recluse shook his head. "We are all smart people. I don't believe you haven't investigated. The two equipment models sold at the Seven Stars Artifacting Shop: one is a four-point-seven substandard product priced at two hundred million, enough to intercept ninety-nine percent of newcomers."
"The other is a six-point-seven premium product, enough to make a beginner's normal target jump directly from the normal five-point weapons to the six-point-seven premium, and the price is only eight hundred million more than the ordinary ones. With the substandard Crescent Moon standard-issue weapons as a transition, they can smoothly switch to the six-point-seven Seven Stars weapons!"
Green Forest Recluse stated impassively, "The Four Great War Groups have already placed orders for over fifty thousand standard-issue weapons. Other war groups will inevitably follow suit, adding up to definitely over fifty thousand as well. Other independent cultivators going to buy them will add even more to the number. That Seven Stars Artifacting Shop will strangle all your revenue streams."
"Impossible!" An old man with a turtle shell on his back shook his head. "Weapon forging takes time. How can that artifact forging shop handle that much work?"
Green Forest Recluse said lightly, "That kind of secondary standard-issue equipment clearly uses a mass-production method, and they've pushed the cost below two hundred million. If they maintain this price, heh, in the future, don't expect to sell even a single piece of your goods."
Everyone's hearts jolted.
Some Artifact Refining Masters who hadn't taken it seriously immediately raised their level of concern. The situation was more severe than they had previously imagined.
At this moment, Green Forest Recluse's purpose in inviting everyone here was already crystal clear.
"The Alliance is vast. Besides Black Flame City, there are many more cities. If we master this ability to mass-produce secondary standard-issue equipment, we will have great hope of expanding beyond Black Flame City and targeting the entire Alliance's equipment market!"
Green Forest Recluse's tone carried a sense of urgency. "We must act quickly. Once the Seven Stars Artifacting Shop wakes up and turns its gaze to the entire Alliance, or attaches itself to some super-powerful individual, our chance to seize this opportunity will become smaller and smaller!"
These words caused everyone's expressions to change.
Opportunity and danger were laid bare before them.
The benefits of seizing that forging method were immense, and the time left for them was already short. They had to find a solution within a brief period!
At this moment, everyone began pondering how to resolve this problem.
Green Forest Recluse's expression returned to calm indifference. Everything was under control.