Chapter 2: Twenty-Five Times Profit Business

Lin Dao stroked his chin. "The He Family — do they have gold?"

In cross-time trade, the most valuable commodity is naturally gold.

This stuff holds its value extremely well.

Jin Niang thought for a moment. "I've seen the He Family's young miss wearing a gold hairpin."

Not just seen — that He Family young miss flaunted it in front of them for a long time.

Jin Lian, who had only ever used wooden hairpins since childhood, truly envied her deeply.

Lin Dao tore open a bag of compressed biscuits and handed it over. "Have a taste."

Jin Lian didn't hesitate; she took it and ate.

Fragrant, sweet, and rich with oil.

Eating it filled her belly completely, the satiety making Jin Lian feel as if she had ascended to an immortal realm.

"Good?"

"Delicious!"

Lin Dao revealed a smile. "If it's good, then work for me. I won't shortchange you in the future."

Time-space trade — you do business with rich people.

Poor families — where would they get gold?

Back in the modern world, Lin Dao's face showed a puzzled expression.

"Logically speaking, separated by over a thousand years, there should be enormous differences in accent."

"How come I can understand what she says, and she can understand what I say?"

Can't figure it out, then stop thinking about it.

Lin Dao started operating the computer, deleting all of today's warehouse surveillance footage, then adjusting the camera angles to leave more blind spots.

The ability to cross time and space — he had never thought of sharing it.

Even if he died, he would take this ability with him; he absolutely could not let anyone pick it up.

The logistics center is located in the city outskirts.

That is, the urban-rural fringe.

People from quite a few nearby villages come here to do odd jobs.

They usually commute back and forth on electric or gas-powered tricycles.

"Old man, your paint's practically falling off. Five hundred yuan, take it or leave it."

Facing Lin Dao's haggling, the old man shook his head repeatedly. "Young man, you're bargaining too hard. A thousand at least."

"A thousand? This isn't a new vehicle! Six hundred max."

After a round of bargaining, they finally agreed on a price of eight hundred yuan.

Buying this vehicle, on one hand, was for convenient cargo transport.

More importantly, it could be used for self-defense.

Yonghe Spacetime — that is a heart-and-lung-gouging dark age.

Lin Dao had no interest in becoming cooking ingredients.

The best self-defense weapon is undoubtedly the truth that's fast and accurate within seven paces.

Unfortunately, the truth is really impossible to get.

Lin Dao originally planned to buy an air gun, but that couldn't be bought either.

Then he thought of buying crossbow bolts, still no go.

As for swords and such, at most you can buy unsharpened crafts; he couldn't use those well anyway.

The gas-powered tricycle became a very good choice.

Lin Dao siphoned fuel from the tank, poured it into glass bottles, then mixed in some white sugar and discarded rubber hoses.

Sealed with cloth strips, making Molotov bread.

As the sky darkened, Lin Dao loaded the rice bought at the Nongmao Market — fifty jin per bag, twenty bags total — onto the tricycle and tied them down securely.

Drove to the warehouse surveillance blind spot, directly activated the crossing.

Appeared again in a dilapidated courtyard.

The snow in the sky had stopped; all around was a gray haze.

Gripping the Ram's Horn Hammer, Lin Dao sat in the vehicle and called out, "Jin Lian?"

The earthen house door was pushed open; Jin Lian, her small face bearing frostbite, carefully walked out.

"Master~~~"

"Come on, get in the vehicle."

Lin Dao called out, "Take me to your village chief's home."

Under the hazy night curtain, the tricycle's chugging sound startled many people awake.

Yet no one dared come out to check.

In the night sky, leaden clouds rolled without moonlight or starlight.

In this era where night blindness is universal, plus no money for lamps or candles, no one dares go out at night looking for trouble.

The headlights shot out brilliant light, illuminating the frozen-solid and rugged dirt road.

All the way to the village's west end, stopping before a courtyard that was the best in all of Sanhe Village.

The nearby houses and courtyards were all dark; only here was there light.

In this era where lighting lamps and burning candles means burning money, a house with light at night is a sign of wealth.

Jin Lian got off the vehicle trembling, her legs going soft as she sat on the ground.

This immortal-family mechanism beast that moved on its own completely exceeded her imagination's ceiling, bringing her far too strong a stimulus.

Lin Dao got off the carriage and helped her up, asking after her with two sentences.

"Lord Husband, I am fine."

Jin Lian, her small face flushed red with excitement, struggled to calm herself before stepping forward to knock on the door and greet them.

"Jin Lian from the east of the village~~~"

The thick courtyard gate opened, and the middle-aged man carrying a lantern surveyed those outside warily.

"Is that Jin Lian? Is your grandfather's illness any better?"

Jin Lian said a few words in a low voice, and the middle-aged man carrying the lantern walked toward Lin Dao.

Through the half-open courtyard gate, several figures carrying weapons could faintly be seen looking out.

At the slightest disturbance, they would rush out immediately.

"May I ask your esteemed name."

"Lin Dao."

Lin Dao wasted no words, untying the rope and taking down a sack of rice from the tricycle.

He slit the bag open with a small knife, and by the lantern's light revealed the white rice inside.

As early as the Western Jin, northern regions had already begun large-scale rice cultivation.

Especially around Luoyang, where a vast area was planted.

People of this era had naturally seen it before.

The middle-aged man's complexion changed instantly; this was top-quality refined rice.

"This is..."

"Selling grain." Lin Dao patted the grain sacks on the tricycle. "Want some?"

Want it, of course we do.

In these times, anyone who doesn't want grain is a fool.

Their family has connections with the grain store in the county city, and knows very well how high grain prices have risen in the city.

In Great Zhao today, what is most lacking is grain.

It is said that within Ye City, grain prices have reached the outrageous level of a thousand coins per peck.

The middle-aged man nodded repeatedly. "I am He Huang. Please, speak inside."

"No need for the trouble."

Lin Dao simply waved his hand. "If you want it, pay up. If not, I'm leaving."

There was not a shred of trust; he would not risk entering someone else's courtyard.

He Huang was visibly stunned, presumably never having seen someone do business so directly.

He paused. "May I ask, what price for the rice?"

"One hundred coins per peck." Lin Dao's expression was calm. "I want gold."

Grain prices differ in every era and dynasty.

In prosperous times of abundant harvests, prices are low—a peck might cost a dozen coins, or even just a few.

But in times of war and chaos, natural disasters and human calamities, a peck costing a thousand or ten thousand coins is nothing unusual.

Just like now, with Shi Hu imposing heavy taxes and levies, social production suffering great destruction, and Later Zhao suffering long-term grain shortages everywhere.

The village is relatively better off, but grain prices within the cities have long since skyrocketed.

This kind of refined rice, as long as it can be transported into the city, is sure to bring huge profits.

After some haggling, He Huang finally bought Lin Dao's twenty sacks of grain at the price of half a gold cake.

A gold cake weighs about two hundred and fifty grams.

Half a gold cake is about one hundred twenty to thirty grams.

Considering the low purity and the need to sell at a discount, it's worth about fifty thousand soft sister coins.

"As expected, time-space trade is truly enormously profitable!"

Lin Dao spent over two thousand yuan buying these twenty sacks of rice.

Selling them back brings fifty thousand—a twenty-five-fold profit!

Kneading the half gold cake he had cut with scissors, Lin Dao called Jin Lian to get in the carriage and leave.

Watching the mechanism beast depart with putt-putt-putt sounds, He Huang was shocked in his heart.

"Jin Lian has climbed a high branch."

After some thought, he instructed the young family members carrying the grain sacks.

"In a few days, take grain to the county city; remember to grab a few doses of medicine on the way back—I want to visit Jin Sanlang."

Logistics Center, Dormitory.

Kneading the half gold cake in his hand, Lin Dao rose and went out.

He had bought a butane blowtorch for camping, as well as a crucible and borax and other items.

The gold cake definitely cannot be sold directly—it has marks on it, so it must be melted first.

In a blind spot the surveillance cannot reach, Lin Dao held the butane blowtorch and sprayed directly at the gold cake in the crucible.

After melting, it is poured into a simple mold to shape, and after cooling it becomes a gold bar.

The traces of over a thousand years ago completely melted and disappeared.

Pawnshop.

The clerk placed the gold bar on the scale pan and looked up at Lin Dao, who wore a hat and mask.

Lin Dao raised an eyebrow. "Something the matter?"

"No." The clerk smiled. "Just the purity aspect."

"The price can be negotiated."

The weighed weight was one hundred twenty-one grams, and the agreed price was four hundred yuan per gram.

Total price: forty-eight thousand four hundred yuan.

Lin Dao wanted cash, stuffed it into his backpack, turned around, and left.

Walking out of the pawnshop, facing the wind, he calmed his breath.

Clear-headed and refreshed.

Recalling the vows of eternal love his ex-girlfriend Ahei Yan had once promised.

Lin Dao let out a cold laugh.

"Everything is fake; to you, only money is real!"

He took out his phone and dialed Su Tongtong's number.

"Sister Tongtong, I'll treat you to a meal, Si Hai Yuan."

Half an hour later, Su Tongtong, dressed in black suit pants, a white shirt, and small leather shoes — a full workplace outfit — walked into the private room at Si Hai Yuan.

"You ordered this much?"

Su Tongtong, with a very small face, hair in a bun, bright eyes and white teeth.

She put her coat on the chair back, looked surprised at the table full of dishes. "Did you strike it rich?"

"I found a way to make money."

Lin Dao poured wine for Su Tongtong. "The risk is a bit high, but the profit is very high."

Su Tongtong frowned tightly, staring at him. "Don't do anything illegal; I don't want to visit you at the finance branch prison."

"Relax, it's not illegal."

He raised his wine cup, Lin Dao smiled and signaled. "As the saying goes, wealth is sought in danger; the key is not letting people know."

If the ability to cross time and space were known, that wouldn't just be a matter of breaking the law.

Su Tongtong, picking up her chopsticks, didn't continue pressing the question.

Chatting and laughing, eating and drinking, the meal was very enjoyable.

After eating and drinking their fill, he took a taxi to send Su Tongtong home.

When they reached downstairs of her building, Lin Dao patted his backpack. "I have something to tell you."

Su Tongtong glanced at him.

"Mm."

Entered the building, took the elevator, arrived at Su Tongtong's rented place.

The place wasn't big, a typical worker's rental.

Su Tongtong still had capability; at least she didn't share with others.

She took a bottle of water from the fridge, handed it to Lin Dao, and sat down on the sofa.

"Sister Tongtong."

Lin Dao took out a stack of soft sister coins from his backpack and handed them over.

"Thanks for your help, you must accept it."

"Too much." Su Tongtong was greatly surprised. "You really did make money; absolutely don't do anything illegal."

Su Tongtong's first thought was that Lin Dao had sold the goods from the company warehouse.

That would mean prison time.

"Relax."

Lin Dao patted her hand, gave a comforting smile. "I understand."

Su Tongtong took half the soft sister coins, her smiling eyes curving into crescents, and put the rest back into Lin Dao's hands. "Having money doesn't mean you can spend lavishly; money is saved."

"Sister Tongtong."

Lin Dao pushed it back again. "I have a matter asking for your help; this is the reward."

Su Tongtong blinked, looking at him without speaking.

"I want to start an import-export company."

Lin Dao spoke directly. "Sister Tongtong is more familiar with this area; I want to ask you to help me run the procedures."

Personal large-scale purchasing of goods ultimately isn't a long-term solution.

Changing it to company operations would be much more convenient.

Also, Lin Dao had never forgotten that domineering CEO, his arrogant posture looking down from above and dismissing him.

Once he made money, he would acquire the domineering CEO's company and kick him out!

Su Tongtong was obviously somewhat surprised.

Silent for a moment, she nodded. "Can help."

"However, doing import-export business requires a lot of capital, mainly advancing payment for goods."

"Also, once the payment for goods can't be recovered, that's it — finished."

Lin Dao stood up and smiled. "I'll earn a lot, a lot."

"Right." Before leaving, Lin Dao casually asked. "That domineering CEO, does he have any pretty sisters?"

Sister Tongtong choked for a moment, then smiled in reply. "No pretty sisters, but his mother is very pretty, and she's a company director."

"Oh." Lin Dao nodded. "That works too."

(End of Chapter)