While Shi Feng was quietly farming Smile of the City's players one by one, the entire White River City had become the focal point of the Star Moon Kingdom. Higher-ups from numerous first-rate and second-rate guilds flooded into White River City, instantly transforming it into a bustling hub of activity.
"What's going on? Why are there so many guilds in White River City? I haven't even seen most of them before."
"I heard they're all here to negotiate deals with the Candlelight Trading Company. Forget the Star Moon Kingdom—even major guilds from neighboring kingdoms and the Black Dragon Empire itself have shown up."
"People say players from the Empire are stronger than those from the Kingdoms, but I guess it's not all that impressive. In the end, they're still the ones coming to our White River City."
"That's because the Candlelight Trading Company is that powerful. Look at any other kingdom—can any of their shops sell Intermediate Magic Armor Cladding? Level 25 Dark Gold equipment is nowhere to be found on the market right now, and Intermediate Magic Armor Cladding is even more powerful than level 25 Dark Gold gear. What's more, this stuff can be mass-produced. If one guild's players have it and another doesn't, the gap in dungeon runs and PvP will be obvious. These big guilds naturally have to take it seriously."
Every street and alley in White River City buzzed with talk of the matter. Everyone felt a genuine sense of pride at the gathering of so many major guilds—no one had expected a mere lifestyle guild to wield such enormous influence.
"Damn it, how are so many more people showing up?" Feng Xuanyang watched as an increasing number of major guild representatives streamed into the Candlelight Trading Company, his eyes burning with barely concealed anger.
He had gone through tremendous effort to sell the Stones of Light at a low price, hemorrhaging a massive amount of Credit Points just to scrape together 1,500 gold coins. Now with all these major guilds arriving, their purpose was obvious—they all wanted the Intermediate Magic Armor Cladding.
The Intermediate Magic Armor Cladding was exceedingly rare. Originally, his own plan to purchase 300 units was already a tall order, but now a whole crowd of competitors had appeared. His chances had shrunk considerably, and how could he not be furious?
Among them, the Dragon and Phoenix Pavilion that had come all the way from the Black Dragon Empire was particularly formidable. It was the top-tier first-rate guild closest to becoming a super guild—it simply hadn't been established as long as those super guilds, or it would already be one of them.
The Dragon and Phoenix Pavilion's backing and financial resources were certainly no less than the Underworld organization. Now firmly ranked number one across the entire Black Dragon Empire, it was far beyond what other first-rate guilds could compare to.
The representative they had sent this time was none other than one of the two Pavilion Masters—the Dragon Pavilion Master—whose status within the guild was second only to the Grand Pavilion Master.
The Dragon and Phoenix Pavilion's management structure differed from ordinary guilds. While typical guilds had a Guild Master, Vice Guild Master, elders, and so on, the Dragon and Phoenix Pavilion was divided into two pavilions: a Dragon Pavilion and a Phoenix Pavilion. Each operated like an independent guild with its own development. In effect, each Pavilion Master was equivalent to a guild master, and a single pavilion's power rivaled that of a top-tier first-rate guild. Combined, one could only imagine how powerful they were.
Both pavilions fell under the Grand Pavilion Master's command. This Grand Pavilion Master was extremely mysterious—no one had yet learned their identity. But being able to manage two top-tier first-rate guilds spoke volumes about their capability.
"Young Master Feng, we should actually be happy about this," said a slightly portly man beside Feng Xuanyang, his lips curled into a smile.
"Qin Jiu, what do you mean?" Feng Xuanyang furrowed his brows. "With so many competitors, how am I supposed to buy 300 Intermediate Magic Armor Cladding?"
"Young Master Feng, wasn't our original goal to crush the Candlelight Trading Company and establish our own commercial empire in White River City?" Qin Jiu explained calmly. "If the people who came here were just small fry, that would be good news for the Candlelight Trading Company. But now a pack of wolves and tigers has arrived—and that's anything but good for them."
"Think about it. Everyone who shows up either wants to acquire the Candlelight Trading Company or form a partnership. But who wouldn't want to keep the Intermediate Magic Armor Cladding firmly in their own hands? The Dragon and Phoenix Pavilion in particular has invested heavily to become a super guild, recruiting numerous top experts. They even snagged five of last year's top ten newcomers in virtual gaming—let alone the established veterans who've been famous for years."
"The Intermediate Magic Armor Cladding is exactly what the Dragon and Phoenix Pavilion needs to take the next step, so naturally they want it in their hands. The other guilds are much the same."
"But for the Candlelight Trading Company—Young Master Feng, you've met that manager yourself. You've experienced her personality firsthand. She's overwhelmingly assertive—even Miss Youlan finds her quite exasperating. You can imagine what fate awaits all these guilds that have come knocking. It'll definitely end badly, and the Candlelight Trading Company will have made enemies of every last one of them. When that happens, not only will we have our chance to complete our mission, we can use the whole situation to deal with the Candlelight Trading Company at the same time."
Once Qin Jiu finished speaking, Feng Xuanyang's expression shifted to sudden realization.
"You're absolutely right. This is going to be quite the show," Feng Xuanyang couldn't help but grin broadly.
Beneath the facade of a grand gathering, murderous intent lurked everywhere.
If the Candlelight Trading Company offended these guilds, they would undoubtedly exert all their influence to suppress it on every front. Add the Underworld's machinations behind the scenes, and who would dare supply materials to the Candlelight Trading Company? Who would dare sell materials to them? Any guild or workshop that dared do so would find itself unable to survive in the Divine Realm. Even though the Candlelight Trading Company was a lifestyle guild, without materials, design templates, and formulas, they certainly couldn't sell off their current stock forever. Their doom would be inevitable.
"Youyu Weixiao, so many guilds have come to the first-floor lobby today that I can barely count them all. Just the ones registered for meetings number over a hundred, with more than ten being first-rate guilds. They all look like they're here with bad intentions—what should we do?" said a female assistant, her voice tense with anxiety as she addressed Youyu Weixiao.
For ordinary players, a spectacle of this magnitude was like a dream.
The entire Star Moon Kingdom had only a handful of first-rate guilds in total, yet not only had they all shown up, but first-rate and second-rate guilds from other kingdoms and the Empire had come as well. This was essentially a grand assembly formed by all the major powers from multiple kingdoms and the Empire combined.
But the organizer was nothing more than an ordinary trading company. One could only imagine the weight of that pressure...
"I understand. Have the NPCs handle the reception for now. I'll think of something."
Youyu Weixiao's brow was tightly furrowed as well. She had never imagined the Intermediate Magic Armor Cladding would have such a massive impact, attracting a whole pack of wolves and beasts.
If she had known this would happen, she never would have suggested Shi Feng sell the Intermediate Magic Armor Cladding. Even if they did sell it, they should have waited until the Candlelight Trading Company had firmly established itself throughout the entire Star Moon Kingdom first.
Now she was caught between a rock and a hard place—sticking her neck out meant a blade, and pulling it back meant the same.
After her assistant left, despite Youyu Weixiao's desperate desire to solve this enormous problem herself, she had no way to do so. This time was different from before—if she dared to be forceful now, she would be offending the combined forces of multiple kingdoms and the Empire. It would be like throwing an egg against a rock—pure suicide.
With no other option, Youyu Weixiao could only contact Shi Feng. She had absolutely no solution at this point. The only person she could count on was Shi Feng... (To be continued.)