Chapter 195: Further Cooperation

“Of course, it is very good… By the way, this is a gift for you from Aqiaoli!”

The mixed-blood Barbarian Lady took out a stone that could be grasped by a child’s hand from her bosom and placed it in front of Dean. Dean could not tell the material of the stone itself because it was surrounded by colorful hues, but the beautiful colors made the whole stone look very pretty.

Such a beautiful stone would undoubtedly attract the eyes of some children.

Thinking about the age of that Northland Beast Tamer, Dean immediately understood what was going on. However, Dean still said sincerely: “Thank you!”

For a child to give you their most beloved thing, perhaps in the eyes of adults it has no value, but in that child’s heart, this item is a priceless treasure.

Having received such a ‘priceless treasure’, it was natural to say a sincere thank you.

Seeing Dean formally put that colorful stone into his bosom, Takli could not help but start laughing.

Undoubtedly, Dean’s subconscious behavior won the favor of this mixed-blood Barbarian Lady.

Of course, it was mostly built upon the previous strike.

If Dean had been knocked to the ground earlier, vomiting blood and unable to rise, then no matter how sincere he was, it would have had little effect. For the Barbarian race, Strength is almost everything, and ancestral traditions are the foundation.

Based on tradition, with Strength as the advancement, this became the Barbarians’ code of conduct.

However, the vast majority of Emerald People could not stand this.

Naturally, Dean was definitely not among them.

“That shop of mine is one of the rewards I received after being granted the title of Lord. As my main source of income for a long time in the future, I want to develop it better… So, Lady Takli, can you cooperate with me?”

Dean said with a candid look.

“Cooperate? How to cooperate?”

Takli was stunned.

“I am willing to purchase the furs and herbs collected by you and your Stockade at a fair price. Of course, according to the rules of the Barbarians, bartering is also acceptable!”

Dean said simply.

“This, this…”

The usually straightforward mixed-blood Barbarian Lady stammered rarely when facing such an inquiry.

“Takli cannot make the decision. She has to ask the Patriarch and several Elders for instructions before she can decide!” Buchea, who had been drinking on the side, raised his head and said. “Of course, I am different from her. I am the Patriarch of my own group. My brother, let’s cooperate! I also have quite a lot of furs and herbs here… It’s just that the prices given by those merchants are too low, I simply cannot accept them!”

“Of course!”

Dean nodded very readily.

In fact, regarding the purchase of furs and herbs, it did not matter whether it started with Buchea or Chekeduo.

Because Dean believed that as long as he gave enough benefits, then other and more Barbarian groups would join in. After all, Barbarians are humans too. Although they have traditions left by their ancestors, they also need to wear clothes and eat. What is the difference between them and the Emerald People in some places?

The simplest thing was that in the Snowplains Dense Forest, once the true winter arrived, prey would instantly become scarce. For the Barbarians who lived by hunting, every winter was a trial. Many people simply could not survive it. Those Barbarian bandits who appeared were mostly due to this reason.

If he brought out enough food, naturally there would be Barbarians coming to his door.

Afterwards, as the time of interaction between the two sides increased, Dean had the confidence to tie all the Barbarians in the Snowplains Dense Forest to his own chariot.

Of course, some details still needed to be considered.

First was the explanation to that Marquis Vauban. Purchasing food on a large scale was enough to make any Lord or County King full of concerns.

However, that was a matter for later.

Right now, Dean only needed to ‘take care’ of Buchea’s Stockade with a population of over one hundred.

This was naturally no problem for Dean.

“I can evaluate these herbs, but for the furs, I need to find a specialist to come!”

After Dean nodded, the impatient Buchea pulled Dean into the Stockade’s warehouse. Looking at the piled-up furs and herbs, Dean carefully distinguished the herbs, and then nodded again. These herbs had obviously been properly handled. Although they were not perfect, they were more than enough for synthesizing Potions and Essences.

“No problem, then how much food can I exchange for these herbs?”

Buchea waved his hand and asked directly, pointing at the herbs.

“According to the market value of these herbs, they can be exchanged for about five hundred kilograms of food. However, I need a twenty percent profit, as well as a ten percent transport loss. Therefore, I can only give you about three hundred and fifty kilograms of food!”

After calculating carefully, Dean directly stated the result.

During this period, there was no concealment or deception.

Dean was very clear about how to deal with Barbarians. Concealment would only make the Barbarians dissatisfied with you. But being frank would win the friendship of the Barbarians. Even if you were obviously making a profit, as long as you didn’t let the Barbarians suffer too much, they wouldn’t care at all.

Sometimes, Barbarians are just such a lovely group.

“Deal!”

Almost as soon as Dean’s voice fell, Buchea shouted loudly. Then, looking at Dean’s stunned expression, he said with some embarrassment: “My group is very worried about the food for the winter. Although everyone is working hard, we are still short of a lot. With your food, we at least have a little more hope of survival… Those damn profiteers only wanted to give me fifty kilograms of food. Do they really think I am stupid? Damn it, next time I will never allow them to enter my Stockade!”

Speaking to the end, Buchea obviously thought of something and started cursing loudly.

In response, Dean shrugged his shoulders helplessly.

Transactions between Emerald merchants and Barbarians were always unfair. The direction of the unfairness was sometimes the Emerald People, and sometimes the Barbarians. The two sides were like a Scale, sometimes you were higher, sometimes I was higher. And in the process of such back and forth, gaps appeared unknowingly, and wariness arose along with them.

This was a problem of merchants seeking profit and the greedy nature of human beings, which Dean could not control.

He only needed to see that Takli on the side was also tempted.

“Buchea, I need some special herbs, mainly Overlord Flower Stamens and Flesh Bone Grass, and also…”

Returning to the tent and taking the wine cup handed by Buchea, Dean said formally. These were necessary medicines for the advancement of the Goth and City Body Forging Techniques from Lv3 to Lv4.

Although Dean was not even Lv1 right now, Dean, who was used to planning ahead, would not wait until the last minute to prepare.

Of course, entrusting Long Lang, the future great merchant, with such a matter would have been best.

But obviously, the other party was being overwhelmed by his request for ‘one hundred and fifty sets of Light Steel Armor, one hundred and fifty Longswords and Long Spears, as well as twice the number of Crossbows and a large batch of arrows’. Wanting to return to Vauban County within a short time was simply unrealistic. It would be impossible to see this future great merchant for at least four or five weeks.

And in four or five weeks, according to Dean’s plan, not only the Hazy Shadow Inter-Space Breathing Technique and Body Forging Technique (Emerald) should be on track, but the Body Forging Technique (Goth) and Body Forging Technique (City) also needed to reach a certain height. This was the change in strength that Dean must obtain in exchange for four or five weeks.

There could not be any delay.

Otherwise, it would only cause changes to the subsequent plan, or even create a situation where being one step late meant being late for every step.

Dean certainly would not allow such a situation to appear.

Therefore, the Barbarians became a choice for Dean. After all, while drawing the two sides closer, it also satisfied his own needs. Dean would naturally not fail to do such a thing that killed two birds with one stone.

“No problem, leave it to me, my brother!”

Buchea agreed very straightforwardly.

After that, it was straightforward drinking until Buchea passed out drunk again, and then the banquet was considered over.

Similarly, when Dean left the next morning, Patriarch Buchea was still dizzy from drunkenness. Dean, who had learned from the previous experience, could only say goodbye to the other party on his own.

“Hope to see you again!”

Dean said goodbye to Takli. This mixed-blood female Barbarian clearly had a much better capacity for liquor than Buchea. Not only did she not pass out last night, but she also woke up early in the morning.

“I will tell the Patriarch about your proposal!”

The mixed-blood female Barbarian said this.

“Okay, I will wait for your reply!”

Dean nodded, then mounted his horse and rode toward the direction of the Ferrchelen Knight Order station.

The mixed-blood female Barbarian watched the direction Dean left, lowered her head and fell into thought. Buchea, who was still hungover on the side, appeared next to her unsteadily, and said indistinctly: “Those old guys will definitely discuss for a long time. By that time, who knows how many clansmen will starve to death… A bunch of stubborn, stiff-headed guys… Takli, don’t you consider doing the same as me, taking your supporters and establishing your own group?”

“Hmph!”

A cold snort, and a heavy punch, that was the answer from the mixed-blood female Barbarian.

“Ugh!”

Buchea, hit in the lower abdomen, immediately knelt there and vomited loudly. After he had vomited out all the filth in his stomach, he stood up wiping the corner of his mouth. Looking at Takli who had already left, he could not help but say in a low voice: “Really doesn’t listen to advice. Clearly a mixed-blood, but more stubborn than me, a real Barbarian… Tch, who cares about her. Anyway, continuing to trade with my brother, my group can completely get through the entire long winter!”

The Barbarian Patriarch muttered to himself, and in the next moment shouted loudly: “Someone, go find Overlord Flower Stamens and Flesh Bone Grass, and also…”

That loud voice echoed endlessly.

Everyone in the whole Stockade started to move.