#115 - Chapter 115: Calming Doubts
"Boss Niu, I've come this time to inquire whether your company provides the combat suits for the Mercenary Guild?" Zongzhen Yue got straight to the point.
"Ah... yes, that's right!" Niu Xingwang hesitated for a moment before replying.
"Excellent! Boss Niu, I wonder if you manufacture these combat suits yourself?" Zongzhen Yue asked, overjoyed.
"Uh... I'm sorry, Commander Zong, the combat suits are not manufactured by our Huatong Commerce," Niu Xingwang replied.
"What? They aren't?" Zongzhen Yue was somewhat surprised.
"That's right. Commander Zong, we are only responsible for sales and rentals," Niu Xingwang replied.
"Then, may I ask where your supplies come from?" Zongzhen Yue inquired.
Hearing this, Niu Xingwang thought that Zongzhen Yue didn't understand business at all. Who would ask someone where their supplies came from right off the bat?
"I'm sorry, Commander Zong, it's not that I don't want to tell you. Firstly, I'm not entirely sure myself, as the location for picking up goods is designated each time. Secondly, we have an agreement that forbids revealing the source. If we violate this, we won't be able to get the goods anymore," Niu Xingwang fabricated a lie.
Zongzhen Yue didn't say anything and nodded to himself.
This was very similar to what Yan Zhengping had said.
"Then, may I ask what the selling price of these combat suits is?" Zongzhen Yue continued to ask.
"Commander Zong, telling you the selling price is useless," Niu Xingwang replied.
This was a message that Dongfang Chen had just sent to Niu Xingwang after hearing their conversation.
He already knew Zongzhen Yue's purpose for coming here.
He wanted to bypass Yan Fangfang and find the whereabouts of the supplies.
"How so?" Zongzhen Yue frowned.
"Because I'm not responsible for military channels here and cannot do business with the army," Niu Xingwang replied according to Dongfang Chen's instructions.
"You don't do business with the army? Then who is responsible for the military channels?" Zongzhen Yue asked.
"I'm not very clear, but it's said to be someone from the Shuchuan area," Niu Xingwang replied.
The reason for saying this was that Dongfang Chen didn't want others to think that Huatong Commerce had any involvement with the military, maintaining mutual independence.
"Shuchuan?" Zongzhen Yue basically understood. The person from the Shuchuan area that Niu Xingwang was talking about was probably referring to Yan Fangfang.
"It seems I can't get around that little girl," Zongzhen Yue thought to himself.
"That's right, Shuchuan. I'm not very clear about the rest," Niu Xingwang affirmed.
Releasing information to this extent was sufficient. It could dispel Zongzhen Yue's doubts and also refer the problem back to the Southwest Military Region.
"It's okay, I'll listen to your price here and compare it," Zongzhen Yue asked.
He wanted to find out if there was a difference between the two prices.
"I haven't started selling to outsiders yet; I'm only renting them out," Niu Xingwang replied.
"Why is that?" Zongzhen Yue continued to ask.
"Firstly, the issuance of currency is not yet perfect, and there may be adjustments. Secondly, people don't have what I need in their hands, so they can't buy them. Therefore, the current strategy is for mercenaries to rent the combat suits on credit after obtaining certification from the guild, and then use the crystal cores to offset the rent," Niu Xingwang explained.
Zongzhen Yue nodded, expressing his approval of Niu Xingwang.
This could be considered a conscientious merchant.
More people might not care about the lives of the common people. If you want to obtain equipment, you have no choice but to go out and kill zombies without protection. Although this is understandable, the business becomes a bloody business.
"Boss Niu is truly benevolent!" Zongzhen Yue complimented. As a senior figure in China, he rarely complimented others like this.
"Commander Zong is too kind. I just want more people to earn crystal cores for me," Niu Xingwang said with a smile.
"Then, if I'm not mistaken, Boss Niu also has antigens in his hands, right?" Zongzhen Yue changed the subject.
"Commander Zong knows about antigens?" Niu Xingwang asked.
Dongfang Chen had already told him about these things, so he certainly wouldn't be surprised. However, asking this way was the normal reaction.
This sentence frightened Mayor Gong beside him, and he thought to himself:
"It's over. If Councilor Zong knows about the antigens, then the Meilin Settlement will probably be wiped out!"
"I've been to Shuchuan, and I brought this batch of combat suits back from there. Of course, I know about the antigens," Zongzhen Yue explained.
Niu Xingwang nodded symbolically and then explained:
"I'm sorry, Commander Zong, but it's the same. I can't sell the antigens here to the military either."
Zongzhen Yue nodded and didn't force the issue.
Since both Yan Fangfang and Niu Xingwang were suppliers, it didn't matter to him where he got the goods from. At least he was certain now that Yan Fangfang and Niu Xingwang were both primary sources, and that was enough.
"It's okay. Since Boss Niu can't supply the military, I won't force it. However, the matter of antigens is too significant, and Boss Niu, as an ordinary private businessman, may find it difficult to protect them," Zongzhen Yue said.
"Thank you for Commander Zong's reminder, but the Mercenary Guild will provide security for the Chamber of Commerce, so I think there won't be a big problem," Niu Xingwang replied.
Zongzhen Yue shook his head with a smile. He thought Niu Xingwang was taking things too simply. Once the matter of antigens became widely known, countless people would covet them openly and secretly. Not to mention a small Mercenary Guild, the entire Meilin Settlement couldn't withstand it.
But what he didn't know was that Niu Xingwang's confidence didn't come from the Mercenary Guild. Once Dongfang Chen established the Chamber of Commerce's independent underground base, no one would be able to threaten the Chamber of Commerce's safety.
