64: Chapter 64 Smooth Trade, Win-Win for Both Parties

Morning light once again climbed the eaves of the Eastern Wasteland Chen Family's Main Hall, but this time it was not on the square, but on the window lattice of the Council Hall's side hall.

Sunlight cut diagonally across the desk, illuminating the spread-out draft of the third production plan; the edges of the pages were slightly curled, as if they had been repeatedly rubbed by someone.

Chen Wuwang sat behind the desk, his right knuckles lightly tapping the tabletop in a steady, unhurried rhythm—once, then again.

He did not look out the window, nor did he raise his head, but his ears listened to the sound of wheels grinding against the ground in the distance—the sound grew closer, crackling with the electric arcs of a Star Domain jump.

He knew who had arrived.

Before the door even opened, a faint scent of stardust wafted in.

Aelia stood at the door, still in her white robe, with a bit of silver ash from the jump residue still on her shoulder, holding a Jade Slip in her hand with the emblem of the Angel Race merchant caravan carved on its casing.

'You calculated that I would come?' she asked, the corners of her mouth curling slightly.

Chen Wuwang finally looked up, a blue light flashing through his Mechanical Prosthetic Eye before receding.

'Three days ago, you said you were escorting Star Core Powder. When the ship took off, the tail flame angle was seven degrees to the left, indicating that the return orbit was already preset.'

He paused, 'And, your ledgers never stay overnight.'

Aelia smiled, placed the Jade Slip on the desk, and pushed it in front of him.

'The second batch of resources has been stored; this is the sales voucher.'

With a flick of her finger, the Jade Slip automatically unfurled, a light screen floating up with rows of data scrolling: three neutral planets, purification units sold out at a forty percent markup, seventeen high-level Cultivators paid deposits, and the largest single transaction came from a certain Hidden Family in the North Meteor Star Belt.

'Now your machines,' she leaned against the doorframe, her tone like she was telling a joke, 'are "Star Road hard currency." Someone traded half a piece of an Immortal King's remnant weapon for a portable machine, saying it was to be an amulet for his grandson.'

Chen Wuwang did not smile, but simply reached out to pull up the log projection of the Family intelligence network, comparing it side-by-side with her data.

The two sets of numbers matched perfectly.

'The market response is faster than expected,' he said in a low voice.

'Because what you are selling is not machines,' Aelia took a step closer, 'it is a sense of security. Cultivators in Spiritual Qi Disorder Zones, Waste Spiritual Vein Belts, and post-war scorched earth—once they get used to your Purification Machines, they can never go back to the days of relying on Medicinal Pills to stay alive.'

Chen Wuwang fell silent for a moment, then suddenly pulled out a blank talisman paper and drew three lines on it.

'First, no blueprints for the products.' He pointed to the first line. 'Second, all transactions must be recorded.' The second line was drawn deeper. 'Third, the technology is forbidden for use in slaughtering weak races.' The final stroke was crisp and clean.

'You still remember.' Aelia stared at those three lines, her gaze changing.

'When rules are established, people's hearts remain steady.' He looked up. 'You are now the sole authorized party for the Chen Family's foreign trade, but your authority only extends to the delivery of finished products. Want to see more? You may.'

He rose, walked to a hidden compartment in the inner room, took out a Non-standard Jade Disc, and inserted it into the console on the desk.

The star map on the wall lit up, no longer a holographic projection, but a solid visualization interface of the production process—

From raw material smelting to module assembly and final testing, every step was clearly visible, except for the core program section, which was obscured by a layer of flowing light patterns.

'This is the central interface of the Technology Dispatch Department,' he said. 'You can view the process, but you cannot touch the System. If you overstep, your access trail will be automatically recorded, and the cooperation will be terminated immediately.'

Aelia did not get angry; instead, she stepped forward a few paces, carefully examining the interface.

'You've stocked goods according to Star Domain categories?'

She pointed to a set of labels, 'More filters for the North District, reinforced corrosion-resistant shells for the West Wasteland... this is a good approach.'

'You just said that the North District lacks water, and Purification Machines sell without worry even at a thirty percent markup.' Chen Wuwang looked at her, 'I believe those words of yours.'

She turned to look at him, a light flashing in her eyes.

'Therefore, for the third batch of orders, I intend to increase the quantity.' He opened a drawer and took out a new draft, 'Three hundred units, delivered in five batches, with a floating pricing mechanism enabled—standard price for disaster zones, twenty percent markup for rich mining areas, and the profit remains split forty-sixty.'

Aelia took the draft and scanned it quickly, her brow gradually relaxing. 'You're planning to take over the entire market.' She chuckled softly, 'You've even thought out the price difference strategy?'

'I do not rely on luck.' He leaned back in his chair, 'I only believe in what can be tangibly controlled.'

The two looked at each other for a moment, neither speaking.

Footsteps came from outside, and a clansman reported in a low voice: 'The shift for the External Affairs Supervision Post is in place, today's cross-border transaction flows have been registered, no abnormalities.'

Aelia raised an eyebrow: 'You even have people watching your own people?'

'It's not to guard against you,' Chen Wuwang said indifferently, 'it's to guard against the people behind us. You have Family factions watching you, and I have Elders worried about over-reliance on foreign merchants. We are both walking a tightrope, but as long as the rope doesn't break, we can reach the other side together.'

She grew quiet, then suddenly took a Micro Star Map Chip from her sleeve and placed it on the desk.

'This is the encrypted segment of the Desolate Planet No. 73 route that I control,' she said. 'I originally intended to keep it as a backup bargaining chip, but now—I feel that rather than hiding it, it's better to put it on the table.'

Chen Wuwang was in no hurry to take it, merely scanning it with his Mechanical Prosthetic Eye to confirm there were no tracking imprints.

'Aren't you afraid your Family will find out?' he asked.

'My mother once said that the most terrifying merchant is not one who asks for an exorbitant price, but one who understands the underlying logic better than anyone.' She looked at him, 'I believe it now.'

He finally picked up the chip, backed it up into the Jade Slip, then signed his name at the end of the draft and pressed his thumbprint.

'The third batch of production starts tomorrow,' he said. 'You can stay at the Guest Inn and attend the morning meeting tomorrow to discuss the pricing details.'

Aelia nodded and turned to leave, but then stopped.

'Do you know?' She stood with her back to him, her voice slightly softer, 'Many merchants think that earning money is winning. It's actually not. True winning is making your opponent also feel that—cooperating with you was the wisest choice of their life.'

The door closed.

Chen Wuwang did not move, his fingers still tapping the table, the rhythm unchanged.

On the desk, that draft lay quietly, the ink of the signature not yet dry.

Outside the window, the sunlight moved across the star map, landing exactly on the furthest red dot—the Desolate Planet No. 73.

His gaze stayed there, as if nailed in place.

From the distant construction site, the roar of Construction Mecha drifted over, one after another, like some kind of response.