Chapter 72: Mutual Gain

In fact, Gao De had not found the property deed or land deed in the magic box left by Master Seda.

It was highly likely that Master Seda did not consider the property deed or land deed important enough to place them in the magic box.

So they were reduced to ashes along with the explosion.

This was the greatest hidden danger Gao De faced after taking over Seda’s herb garden.

Without official deeds in hand, if anyone with ill intent found out, there would be ample room for manipulation.

It could even affect the sale of the herb garden.

Like right now.

“What?” Oliver frowned upon hearing this.

If there were no property or land deeds, no matter how much he valued Gao De’s potential, he would not pay 300 gold.

“Don’t tell me he took the property and land deeds with him when he returned to his hometown.”

Oliver narrowed his eyes at Gao De, his gaze revealing danger—and even a hint of anger.

Because based on all the information he had gathered, Master Seda should already be dead.

And indeed he was.

But Oliver had never imagined Master Seda had not died of old age—he had been killed by Gao De.

Still, he had tacitly accepted that Master Seda was no longer alive.

In Oliver’s view, this negotiation was an unspoken understanding between them:

I know Master Seda is gone, but I won’t say it.

You know I know Master Seda is gone, but you won’t say it either.

In essence, Oliver valued Gao De’s potential and was paying to buy at least twenty years of his labor for their magic potion shop.

Now you tell me there are no property or land deeds? Playing games with me? If you’re this insolent, don’t blame me for being uncivil.

“It’s not like that,” Gao De seemed to sense Oliver’s displeasure and showed a troubled expression.

Finally, as if making a difficult decision, Gao De gritted his teeth, reached into his chest, pulled out an exquisite wooden box, and placed it on the table for Oliver to see. “What’s this?” Oliver stared at the box in surprise.

Gao De sighed helplessly. “To be honest,” he said, “Master Seda placed the property and land deeds inside this wooden box sealed with a [Secret Lock], but when he left, he didn’t leave the unlocking incantation.”

“So—”

Upon hearing this and seeing the wooden box that Gao De had taken out, Oliver’s eyes suddenly lit up.

“I see,” he smiled. “Then it’s no problem. Give me the magic box—I have a way to open it.”

“Once I unlock the Secret Lock and retrieve the property and land deeds, we can sign the transfer contract.”

As he spoke, he reached for the magic box—but Gao De snatched it up with even greater speed and pressed it against his chest.

“Cash on delivery,” he said warily. “The transfer contract isn’t signed yet, and I haven’t received the money. If I hand you the box now, what if you deny it later?”

Oliver froze, then laughed.

“I run a shop this large—do you really not trust me?”

“No. Cash on delivery,” Gao De acted like a naive fool, stubbornly shaking his head, shoving the box into his chest, and turning to leave.

This startled Oliver.

“Wait, wait,” he forced a laugh and called out to Gao De.

“How about this: I pay you 200 gold upfront, we sign the transfer contract, then you give me the box. After I unlock the Secret Lock and retrieve the deeds, I’ll pay you the remaining 100 gold.”

“What do you say?”

“After all, I’m not even sure if the magic box contains the property and land deeds,” Oliver said, every word reasonable.

“No. 300 gold is 300 gold—it must be paid in full at once.”

Gao De refused to budge. “You’re a big businessman, a powerful man in Hoggen City. If you refuse to pay the remaining 100 gold later, I’ll have no recourse. And if you open the box and find no deeds inside, I’ll return all 300 gold and void the transfer contract—I’ll write that into the contract.”

“You don’t think I’d dare to cheat you here, do you?”

“This…” Oliver had never expected this junior apprentice to be so stubborn—where did he get such nerve?

But the boy was right.

He didn’t believe Gao De had the power to cheat him.

He had indeed considered denying payment afterward, claiming the 300 gold had already been paid upon signing.

This kid really knows how to read people!

Forget it. This kid does have some potential—he’s so young and already skilled at brewing both Basic Endurance Potion and Basic Spider Venom Potion.

The money I spend on him today, he’ll earn back for me eventually. I won’t lose anything—maybe just make less profit.

“Fine. We’ll sign the transfer contract tomorrow—I’ll come to your place.” Oliver’s voice turned cold, expressing his displeasure even as he agreed.

“Then I’ll await your esteemed arrival at the herb garden tomorrow,” Gao De quickly smiled apologetically.

After watching Gao De leave the room, Oliver—who had just moments ago looked furious—immediately changed his expression, revealing a smug smile.

“Of course he’s a street orphan. No matter how talented, he can’t escape his narrow horizons.”

“For a mage, a wooden box sealed with a [Secret Lock] wouldn’t be used merely to store property and land deeds.”

“There must be something far more valuable inside.”

“What could a third-class mage apprentice possibly possess worth such precautions?”

“It must be all the potion formulas Master Seda held—including his years of research on the Class 1 potion formula and related records.”

“Though he never succeeded before his death, he persisted for so long—there must have been some progress.”

“If I can get this incomplete formula, and with the combined efforts of my shop’s potion masters, we might actually complete it.”

“If that happens, with a Class 1 potion, my Phil Potion Shop could even expand into Bremen City.”

“An unexpected windfall! An unexpected windfall!”

“I must sign the contract quickly and get my hands on that magic box.”

Stepping out of Phil Potion Shop, Gao De—who had just moments ago looked stubborn—immediately changed his expression, revealing a relieved smile.

He let out a long breath.

“I’ve finally fooled him through.”

Gao De didn’t want to sell the herb garden not only because the offer was too low, but because he truly had no property or land deeds.

Without those two documents, the herb garden couldn’t be considered his—how could he transfer it?

“The two most common ways to unlock a [Secret Lock] are Knocking Spell and Dispel Magic. Dispel Magic is a third-circle spell—no need to consider it.”

“That leaves only the Knocking Spell—a first-circle spell, and a rare one. Even if Phil Potion Shop had money and connections, they’d struggle to find a first-circle mage in Hoggen City who knows it.”

“If they could find one, Oliver would’ve brought someone here right away instead of wasting time talking.”

“So he must be in the same boat as me—he’d have to go to Bremen City to buy a spell scroll or hire a high-circle mage to unlock it.”

“A round trip—even with fast horses—would take nearly ten days.”

“Ten days is enough.”

“But I can’t be careless—I must start preparing now.”

Thinking this, Gao De raised his head, confirmed the direction, and walked off quickly.

(End of Chapter)