Chapter 135: Crazy Pearls and Emerging Social Forces (13)

White Sturgeon Island.

Mountain factory.

In an extremely spacious work area, more than a dozen long magic workbenches were set up.

On one side of the workbenches, a lightning‑driven artisan puppet is placed every five meters.

On the other side sit ordinary women.

Most of these women are refugees from the Bosiliya Principality; many are single, without family ties.

They have just left the refugee shelter, their social status is low, they have no land, and no money in their pockets.

Their purpose in coming to the factory is simple: to find a place to stay and save some money.

Because the factory provides food and lodging, and pays wages by piece according to the number of finished products.

As long as they work hard, they can earn a decent income.

On the workbenches, the artisan puppets and women cooperate, quickly shaping each pearl ornament.

Besides that, on average a mage is assigned beside every three artisan puppets.

These mages are quite young, generally just over twenty, with only low‑level magic power and a superficial understanding of magic.

Their only proficient skill is controlling the artisan puppet beside them.

They are graduates of the Sea Island Magic Academy, natives of White Sturgeon Island, with above‑average social standing, decent magical talent, and already some magical foundation.

After receiving formal education and focused practice at the academy, their magical power advanced rapidly, soon breaking through the low level.

But they have missed the optimal learning period, their thinking has become set; asking them to do research would be extremely difficult, so they became specialized puppet‑controlling mages.

Diligent, skilled female workers, lower‑level mages with some ability, and artisan puppets crafted by higher‑level mages, when combined, burst forth with astonishing production efficiency.

Batch after batch of medium‑quality pearls are swiftly shipped into the factory and turned into batch after batch of exquisite pearl ornaments that leave the factory.

It flows like an assembly line, never stopping for a moment.

Of course, the products of these ordinary assembly lines are only supplied to the mid‑ and low‑end markets; they cannot earn real big money.

Their main purpose is actually to cultivate skilled workers.

The truly lucrative high‑end pearl ornaments are all produced by the underground Magic Method Laboratory of Crescent Castle.

They use the finest pearls, the most precise craftsmanship, and the best auxiliary materials.

Underground laboratory.

Luosen was controlling several artisan puppets, placing each sparkling pearl ornament into an equally exquisite jewelry box.

His wife Selena and mentor Anna happened to be there as well.

Selena was admiring the pearls, and Anna was also admiring the pearls.

Selena was obviously pregnant.

She supported her lower back with one hand to stand more steadily, and with the other hand held a colorful pearl necklace, examining it closely.

"This is the best‑quality pearl necklace I have ever seen. Especially the pearls—they are so large, their shape nearly perfect, their luster dazzling; they are practically a priceless treasure."

Her gaze lingered, reluctant to leave, on the strings of pearl ornaments.

Anna, meanwhile, paid more attention to the craftsmanship of the pearl ornaments.

Because she has recently seen far too many pearls, she has grown somewhat numb to the pearls themselves.

"The pearls are indeed excellent, but these transparent cords and exquisite jewelry boxes are also very beautiful; matching the pearls, it's like keeping the pearls in a pool of clear water."

She asked: "Luosen, are these new materials expensive?"

Luosen nodded: "Just produced, not yet scaled up; they are indeed quite costly, but compared to the selling price, they're nothing."

He picked a few unpacked top‑grade pearl ornaments and casually put them on Selena and Anna, making both women beam with delight.

He then picked up a jewelry box wrapped in a transparent water film similar to thin plastic sealing paper.

"Such a top‑grade gold‑pearl bracelet has always been a family collection of great nobles; its market price can sell for over 2000 ogres."

"I now sell it to intermediaries for 1600 ogres; they will be delighted to take it, and we can net a profit of 1500 ogres."

"By exploiting the lag in information flow between regions, as long as all areas act simultaneously, we can have all of Weilan's pearl agents receive the goods at almost the same time."

Selena asked: "Then what?"

Luosen smiled: "Then it's nothing to do with us."

"We've already taken the money; whether they sell it outright or hold it to sell slowly, that's their own choice."

Selena knew this wave would definitely make a lot of money, but she still had no concrete idea of how much.

She asked: "What do you think we can earn?"

"I think at least 1,000,000 ogres." Anna gave an estimate.

Luosen is the operator of the whole matter; he knows more comprehensive information, and his valuation is much higher than Anna's.

But he didn't intend to say it early, so he said: "I think so too."

Selena was very happy: "Oh~ that really is a handsome income."

She also asked: "How long will it take to earn that?"

"About three weeks, after all, the initial distribution takes time."

In the following time, vast quantities of pearl ornaments flowed out of White Sturgeon Island through various channels.

North side, Fishman Bay.

Each pearl ornament was packed in a simple wooden box, loaded onto flat‑bottom cargo ships and speedboats, and smuggled to various points.

On the dock, the supervisors repeatedly repeated the lord's order.

"The lord has ordered: these ornaments are to be exchanged for supplies, real supplies!"

"Don't think about selling for money; the northerners have no money in their pockets!"

"Also don't just take them randomly; these things aren't worth money. If you have time, go to the factory scrap area and pick them up—there's plenty there!"

The southern sturgeon harbor.

Late at night.

Batch after batch of mid‑to‑high‑end pearl ornaments were packed into higher‑quality wooden crates, then loaded into the speedboats' holds.

Subsequently, the speedboats slipped out under cover of night, crossed the Wind‑Calm Strait, and headed toward Shire County across the sea.

But they did not go to Shattered Gold Harbor; instead, they chose a prearranged landing spot along the shore and quietly handed the cargo to an overseas operative of the Island Intelligence Bureau.

Most of these pearl ornaments are mid‑to‑high‑end goods: the pearls are fine, the craftsmanship is high, and the size is small.

They will be covertly delivered by the agents to pearl distributors in the various Weilan counties.

There are differences among them.

Mid‑to‑high‑end pearls sent to the Northern County are paid for with both cash and supplies.

Pearl transactions sent to the Southern County accept cash only.

One hand hands over money, the other hands over goods.

And over the course of several weeks, such pearl trades continued unabated.

Throughout the transaction period, myriad trade messages raced across Weilan via radio waves, coordinating with one another.

It was like a high‑grade predator with an advanced nervous system, reacting swiftly, voraciously devouring the massive but sluggish low‑grade beast that is the Weilan Giant Island.

This situation lasted about three weeks, almost exactly matching Luosen's estimate.

Three weeks later, almost all pearl ornaments produced by White Sturgeon Island were shipped out at high prices.

The delivery of supplies to the Northern County was somewhat delayed; many goods had not yet arrived.

But the cash from the Southern County had already flowed back entirely to White Sturgeon Island—pure cash, with all certificates exchanged for gold currency.

When the preliminary statistical report arrived in Luosen's administrative study, Luosen looked at the figures and couldn't help but curl the corner of his mouth.

That night, in the bedroom, Luosen shared the good news with his wife and mentor.

He lounged lazily in a thick‑leather recliner, legs crossed, softly reciting an astonishing number.

"The Northern County's income from cash, supplies, and population totals 2.2 million Ogre, of which cash accounts for 650,000 Ogre."

"It also includes 89,600 mountain dwellers, each valued at 10 Ogre."

That's roughly the same as paying fifteen thousand on Earth for a person; truly, human lives are like grass.

"In total, 70,000 low‑grade pearl ornaments, 12,000 mid‑grade pearl ornaments, 1,300 high‑grade ornaments, and 120 premium ornaments were spent."

Anna was sitting before the dressing mirror, removing a hair accessory, shocked by the scale of the trade and also puzzled: "Weren't we supposed to sell only fifty thousand mountain dwellers? How come we sold so many more?"

Luosen smiled: "Perhaps the northern lords have become more generous?"

It indicates that the Northern County lords were drained by this wave, reluctant to sell supplies for pearls yet still craving pearls, so they sold more mountain dwellers.

He readily accepted, because his domain still lacked a large number of farmers willing to plant potatoes in the mountains.

After these mountain dwellers arrived, he would allocate land, provide fertilizer and potato sprouts; the mountain potato yield would soon explode.

Luosen continued reading:

"The Southern County sold 16,600 mid‑grade pearls, 8,000 high‑grade ornaments, 900 premium ornaments, for a total revenue of 3.6 million Ogre."

"All proceeds were cash; combined with the Northern County's income, that makes 4.25 million Ogre."

Even without counting the massive supply income, Luosen exchanged pearls from Weilan Giant Island for 42.5 tons of gold.

The figure is astonishingly large.

Selena was snacking, and upon hearing it she couldn't help but cover her forehead: "Oh, the Weilan people are truly vain."

She had witnessed the entire pearl trade and knew that a pearl is merely a pretty limestone bead, yet they exchanged it for precious gold.

She thought those people were truly foolish.

Anna jumped again: "I recall the Duke's annual income is only just over ten million Ogre, right?"

Luosen nodded: "About 11 million Ogre."

The issue is that the Dawn Duke's over ten million Ogre is income; each year he spends that amount, roughly keeping the books balanced.

But the 4.25 million Ogre cash returned by White Sturgeon Island this time is essentially free‑disposable pure profit.

Thus it can be used for many grand endeavors.

Luosen laughed: "We only made a profit on this wave, of course, and the money is indeed substantial."

Selena began to worry: "Lai De will notice!"

Luosen nodded: "He will indeed notice, but not immediately. By the time he traces us, it'll probably be a month later."

This pearl trade wave yielded a total profit of 5.5 million Ogre.

Weilan has twenty‑five counties and over thirty million people.

That's equivalent to earning 220,000 Ogre per county, an average of 2.8 g of silver coins per Weilan resident.

It's as if they had received a massive war indemnity.

Such a scale of wealth flow will naturally cause huge disturbances in Weilan's domestic market.

Take the Northern County, for example.

Food, wool, minerals and other goods produced in the Northern County have been bought en masse by White Sturgeon Island.

The market shortage makes prices rise noticeably.

But the buyers of Northern County's goods aren't just White Sturgeon Island; there's also the Southern County and Aaron.

When prices rise, buyers will notice and naturally investigate.

Such an inquiry will inevitably point to White Sturgeon Island.

After all, the scale is simply too huge.

But why say the Duke won't notice immediately? Because this pearl trade leverages the power of the emerging bourgeoisie.

On the White Continent, this new class has already gained a voice; no one dares to look down on them.

But in Weilan, this class has only just emerged and is not much valued by the ruling class.

The nobles despise them greatly, calling them "mud‑leg merchants", "nouveau rich", and "coarse country bumpkins".

Naturally, they have no interest in learning about them at all.

Thus information is delayed, and the delay gives Luosen more and longer time to prepare.

But Anna still clearly senses the seriousness of the situation.

"Luosen, are you ready then?"

Ready for what? Of course, to confront the Duke.

Because this matter involves the Duke pulling money from his pocket—and pulling out half of it! No one can stand that.

In the face of such huge profit, all legal contracts are meaningless.

When the Duke notices, his reaction is singular: to forcibly seize the money back.

Luosen nods, "Almost ready."

While speaking, he reads a new document—a report from the Navy Department.

"200 Fishmen‑killer ships, and five medium Black Stone gunships have been completed."

"30,000 Fishmen divers, and 2,000 Fishmen diving mages."

"Finally, there are also 1,000 female demon scouts."

This is the latest naval strength, yet it is far insufficient to match Aaron's Lion Fleet for oceanic supremacy.

But it is more than enough to counter the Storm Fleet coming north from Dawn City, or even with some additional Lion warships arriving from afar.

Now that we have money, all island investments have surged, the biggest being shipbuilding.

Intense shipbuilding!

In Luosen's plan, the construction project for twenty upgraded Black Stone battleships has already been set in motion!

But sheer power without endurance is still insufficient.

Selena follows up, "What if the island's external trade routes are blocked?"

Luosen laughs, "The island's granaries currently hold 500,000 tons of food, plus countless fabrics, ores, and Black Stone."

"Most importantly, we can open a new trade route to Levinde."

The new route lies beyond Aaron's and Dawn City's control, so there is no worry of it being blocked.

As long as White Sturgeon Island can withstand the assaults, it can continuously obtain Levinde—and even Kao's supplies—through the new route.

"And in the North Weilan Sea to the west, we possess the strongest navy, allowing perpetual trade with the Northern County, utterly unafraid of blockades."

Hearing this, both women feel reassured, each sensing an epic feeling of being amid a turbulent history.

And toward the mastermind behind it all, they genuinely feel reverence.

Anna smiles, "I kind of want to see the Duke's reaction now."

Selena feels a certain satisfaction, mimicking the Duke's manner.

"Laide should erupt in fury, slam his hand down on the desk, and roar 'What a scoundrel thing!'"

Luosen bursts into hearty laughter, then says, "Then let's extinguish the Duke's wrath at sea."

(End of chapter)