Chapter 1141, Stamina Is Also a Bargaining Chip

Translator: Silavin

 

The people from the Pheasant Tribe were sent away quickly. There was no other reason for it. They had agreed far too readily.

 

Then again, they had no other options but to agree. The moment they realised the Flame Dragon Tribe also possessed the same grey-brown fruit, also known as konjac, the shock had been plain on their faces.

 

And so, the Pheasant Tribe had lost any leverage in the negotiations. They were fish on a chopping board, helpless against whatever terms were set.

 

They would continue trading konjac with the Flame Dragon Tribe, of course. But that had not been the real point of the negotiation to begin with.

 

What the Flame Dragon Tribe wanted was a dock. Specifically, they wanted one built right at the entrance to the Pheasant Tribe’s settlement. All food and supplies consumed during construction would be the Pheasant Tribe’s responsibility to provide. The Flame Dragon Tribe’s people would handle only the building itself.

 

“Shaman, did you see their faces just now?” Sha Lan couldn’t help but laugh. “Especially when I brought out the konjac.”

 

She thought back to that moment and kept wanting to laugh too. The two representatives from the Pheasant Tribe had completely froze up.

 

“Ha ha ha ha… That’s only natural. They probably came in thinking they had something to offer us.” Su Bai laughed openly.

 

He thought back to the expressions on those faces. It really was funny. Like stone statues.

 

“With this, we’ve reached dock agreements with four Tribes, Shaman. That’s quite a number.” Sha Lan sounded genuinely pleased.

 

They had started out hoping for three. Yet so far, every Tribe had agreed.

 

The Red Horse Tribe, the Soft Rabbit Tribe, the Green Snake Tribe, and now the Pheasant Tribe. All agreeing, and none of them were too far apart from one another.

 

By ship, one could reach the next Tribe in roughly two days.

 

“If things continue this smoothly, we might wrap up agreements with all of today’s Tribes before the day is out.” Su Bai was quietly confident about it.

 

His approach had worked. Each Tribe had walked right into the situation he had arranged for them.

 

Though calling it a trap felt too strong. Everything had been laid openly on the table. Su Bai had simply chosen his words with a little extra weight.

 

“Shaman, which Tribe do we see next?” Sha Lan asked.

 

“Aren’t there still the Black Bull Tribe, the Coiled Goat Tribe, and the Horned Goat Tribe?” Su Bai asked.

 

“Yes. Those are the last three.” Sha Lan’s voice was gentle.

 

“Then let’s see the Black Bull Tribe first. Save the final two for last. They’re the main event.” Su Bai smiled.

 

“Understood.” Sha Lan flicked her cat tail.

 

The two representatives from the Black Bull Tribe were checked over before being admitted into the Yong’an Building, and then checked again on the second floor at Ye Jiu’s instruction.

 

Only once there were no concerns were they permitted to bow in greeting. The Black Bull Tribe’s people had an earnest, straightforward manner about them. They bowed respectfully the moment they entered.

 

“I’ve heard your Tribe has nothing particularly distinctive to offer. So, what is it you’re hoping to trade for?” Su Bai asked directly.

 

He had already had Sha Lan brief him on the Black Bull Tribe’s situation before they arrived.

 

Much like the Green Snake Tribe, they had no exceptional specialties to speak of. The Green Snake Tribe made up for it with raw strength. They feared no rival. The Black Bull Tribe had its own version of that, though. They were famous for one thing: physical power. Strength like ox.

 

True to their name, most of the Tribe’s members were Bull Demi-Humans. Their strength was naturally far beyond that of an ordinary person.

 

“Most honoured Shaman of the Flame Dragon Tribe,” the first to speak was a man who raised his head with an honest, open manner. “Our Tribe has no specialty product worth speaking of. But what we are proudest of is our strength.”

 

He was Hei Zan, the Black Bull Tribe’s representative for this meeting. He was a Mid-Stage Totem Warrior, with a pair of black horns on his head that caught the eye immediately. That pair of black horns stood out even from across the room.

 

“Selling strength? How would that work as a trade?” Su Bai asked back.

 

He understood the idea well enough. He mainly wanted to see how sincere the Black Bull Tribe actually was, to hear how they framed it themselves.

 

“We don’t quite understand how the Flame Dragon Tribe came to have so many cement houses. But if you ever need them, our Tribe’s people can help haul enormous stones.” Hei Zan said at once.

 

He had caught the note of questioning in Su Bai’s tone and gone tense immediately. He was afraid of giving the wrong answer and losing the trade.

 

Hei Zan knew clearly enough that the Flame Dragon Tribe would only partner with two or three Tribes. The pressure of that was real.

 

The representatives who had left earlier had not said anything about how their own negotiations had gone. Su Bai had made that a rule. No one was to reveal whether they had succeeded or not. Doing so would cost them their existing agreement.

 

“I see. A trade in physical labour. How much weight can your people actually move?” Su Bai continued.

 

It was genuinely a useful kind of bargaining chip. Not unlike the way the Green Snake Tribe had offered mission-based trades. Novel, and practical. The Flame Dragon Tribe did have real need of physical labour at times, which was why Su Bai kept asking.

 

“Most of the cement houses inside the Flame Dragon Tribe’s settlement, we could carry them on our backs, as long as they are not fixed to the ground.” Hei Zan scratched the back of his head.

 

He had clearly gone and looked at those cement houses himself. The thought of moving them had apparently crossed his mind.

 

Though of course, those cement houses had their foundations dug deep and set firmly into the earth. That was not something the Black Bull Tribe could simply pick up and walk off with.

 

“Carry an entire building?” Su Bai frowned slightly. It did not sound entirely realistic.

 

Working from an average of three or four tons per stone, a two-storey structure would require an enormous number of them. Even at a conservative estimate of a thousand stones, that came to over three thousand tons. It was not light.

 

And that was the conservative figure. The actual weight would likely be higher.

 

“Please don’t worry, Shaman. Our strength is considerable. We can lift stones as large as the shorter buildings inside the Flame Dragon Tribe’s settlement. Really.” Hei Zan was earnest about it.

 

“I understand. You may step back for now. I’ll think it over and give you an answer.” Su Bai nodded slowly, as though weighing the matter.

 

In truth, it was worth cooperating on. He simply did not want to give them an answer too quickly. The point was to let them feel as though physical labour was not valued very highly. That way, when they did reach an agreement, they would know not to push too hard.

 

“Of course. We await the Shaman’s decision whenever it comes.” Hei Zan said immediately.

 

He could not quite hide the small flicker of disappointment. He had hoped for a decision on the spot.

 

“En.” Su Bai gave a mild nod.

 

Hei Zan and the other Totem Warrior reluctantly left.