Chương 24: Chapter 21 - Business as Usual

In the evening, the three elders sat at a table facing each other.

"Let's begin the discussion." Saro spoke, his expression serious. Roc nodded and asked, "So what do we do with the door? Should we still continue to guard it?" Seri looked at Saro. When there was no response, he said, "We still have to, but I do have a suggestion. Since we don't want to keep exploring it after the losses we took, why not turn it into a business instead? It could still last a few weeks or so." Roc's eyes widened.

"That is actually a good idea. So how do we do that?" Seri smiled.

"Simple. We implement an entrance fee, or a percentage of their loot. Both ways are good for us, and beneficial, without putting us in any danger." Seri added, "So what do you think, Saro?" Saro replied, "Let's implement both. Being able to enter this spiritual realm is already the greater boon in itself—we'll entice them with the information we have, and with how this place differs from a dangerous one." Both Seri and Roc nodded in agreement.

Saro continued, "Since we've agreed on that, let's move on to splitting the gains. For the spiritually attributed herbs, we'll each choose one per turn. For the spiritual fruits and coins, we'll split it based on total value." Saro waved a hand, an instruction to bring the spoils of war to the table so the division could begin.... In the same evening. Luan stood in front of the elders and chieftain of the tribe.

"So why did you seek an audience with us? Was there something the mysterious merchant wanted to convey?" Fang asked.

"Yes, Elder. The mysterious merchant said he wanted to sell a batch of spiritual fruit for spiritual coins, at market price," Luan replied. Fang looked around at everyone, then his gaze fell on the chief. The chief spoke.

"That would be hard. Market price is very expensive." Luan's ears dropped. He hadn't braced for that answer, and the truth of it, how humble their tribe really was next to a price like that, settled somewhere low in his stomach. Sir, what do I do? Luan asked, projecting the thought to Dendron. Dendron simply answered,"Ask them to hire builders for us to build a shop, and we'll pay them in spiritual fruit, more than the total cost, as a service fee."

He said it from his own clearing, roots undisturbed in the dirt, the whole negotiation happening at the far end of a thread only Luan could feel. Luan committed the words to memory and began to speak in a deliberate tone.

"Actually, he does have an alternative. He said if you could hire builders to construct his shop, he'd pay in spiritual fruit, more than the total cost, as a service fee." Luan's tail tucked low, his weight shifting from paw to paw. The chief nodded and said, "Sure, let's do that. Hmm... this is just a sudden thought, but do you know his name, or how we should address him going forward?" Luan had no idea what to say—he couldn't just give Dendron's true name—but then, suddenly, a voice rang out in his head.

"Mr. Unknown. They may address me as such." Luan muttered, "Unknown..." A name that could not be known, and yet Luan knew Dendron's true name. Something in his chest loosened at that, small and warm. Whatever else was hidden from the world, this much wasn't hidden from him. Hark had caught his words.

"Unknown? Is that what he's called?"

"Yes, Elder. He said we can address him as the Unknown, or simply Mr. Unknown."

"Unknown, huh. What an unusual name." The chief turned to Fang.

"Elder Fang, I'll leave the hiring of builders to you." Fang nodded. Luan suddenly remembered something he'd almost forgotten.

"Ah... Chief, Elders, I forgot to mention. He also asked for workers capable of clearing a road, cutting through the trees and grass, to connect the site to the main road." Dendron hadn't ordered this part; Luan had worked out the logic himself. Dendron's location was deep in a dense forest, far from the main road the caravans usually traveled.

"Hmm, that's logical. Since the shop's location is somewhat far from the main road, we'll need a lot of manpower for it. It'll take at least a few days." Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

"Yes, Chief. He doesn't mind, as long as it gets finished," Luan replied. The chief then concluded the meeting and dismissed Luan.

"Goodbye, Chief, Elders. Thank you for your time," Luan said, bowing his head as he began to walk out. After a while, the chief's voice echoed through the hall.

"So, what do you think, Elder Hark?"

"He was indeed suspicious, judging by his reaction. There was some slight shock, a slower response: I believe he was conversing with that mysterious merchant." Brolf asked, "Was he mind-controlled?" Hark answered with certainty.

"No. I checked his mind earlier for any sign of alteration or corruption, and found none—unless it's clever enough to hide." The chief said, "I see. Still, keep up the regular checks, and have someone watch his movements quietly, without him noticing. Just for safety." He paused.

"Then let's conclude the meeting here." Everyone stood, bowed before him, and filed out one by one.... In the morning. The Orc and Black Ape Tribes did not remain idle. The spiritual fruits they'd brought back from the spiritual realm had already begun to see use. In a small workshop, a pill maker worked amid a clutter of baskets filled with spiritual fruit and a scatter of primitive-looking containers.

He picked up another fruit and studied it keenly, then conjured fire within himself and swept his hand in a circle, attempting to split the fruit into five pills. It didn't work. Four pills formed instead.

"Another one," he said. His assistant nodded and brought him another spiritual fruit.

"Is it difficult, sir?" The old man gave the young man a considering look.

"Are you interested in pill-making, young man? Indeed it's difficult, but with practice and patience, you'll slowly learn how to find the right balance." He pointed toward an orc standing nearby.

"Bring my disciple here so he can practice making pills. Maybe you'll learn something from watching."... In front of the workshop, a few warriors sparred, their movements sharp and controlled. Two Black Apes slammed into one another at the center of the clearing, striking with enough power to shake the earth. Boom. One of them stumbled back, breathing hard.

"Once more!" The other bared his teeth.

"You sure?"

"Once more!" They rushed each other again, sparks of power flying around them. Roc stood off to the side, arms crossed.

"They're getting better," he commented quietly. The young warrior beside him nodded.

"They've practiced every day since we got back."

"They'd better be," Roc answered with a reserved smile. His eyes traveled to the woods.

"We can't afford to ignore strength anymore." The young orc fell silent for a moment.

"Because of the castle?" Roc shook his head.

"Because of everything."... Not all of them were training that day. Some had already started cultivating in earnest. They sat beneath the trees, quiet, legs crossed, eyes closed, soaking in the spiritual essence around them. Suddenly, a young orc opened his eyes.

"Did you sense that?" The warrior beside him answered without opening his own eyes.

"Sure, how could I miss it? It's too close not to notice." An ecstatic smile spread across the young orc's face.

"Haha, I've finally reached Mortal Mid-Stage!"

"That's nice." The warrior beside him opened one eye.

"Then keep practicing."

"Ehh..." The other warriors nearby glanced over.

"That's just how it goes. You're still too weak."

"Yes..." The young orc went quiet again, closing his eyes.... Meanwhile, another group had been given a completely different task. They sat around a wooden table, surrounded by sheets of bark and scraps of cloth. One orc held up a primitive drawing.

"What about this one?" The Black Ape standing next to him frowned.

"What's this?"

"A tree."

"It looks like a dead spider."

"A tree."

"Well, draw it like one, then." The orc sighed and tossed the drawing aside.

"Fine. What do we put on it?" The Black Ape thought for a moment.

"We need to create curiosity in our audience."

"What kind?" He gestured toward the drawing of a door.

"Draw that."

"A door?"

"Yes."

"That's it?"

"No. Put some text beside it." The orc picked up a piece of charcoal.

"What should it say?" The Black Ape pondered for a moment, then a smile spread across his face.

"You want spiritual fruit?" The orc looked him straight in the eyes.

"That's it?"

"Wouldn't you want to know how?"

"... I suppose."

"Exactly." So the two tribes started making flyers. At first, they were rather simple. SPIRITUAL REALM SPIRITUAL FRUIT SAFE ENTRY TRADE AVAILABLE The information was intentionally vague. They wanted to spark curiosity.... Others handled things in person. A couple of warriors were dispatched to nearby tribes, carrying samples of spiritual fruit with them. A Black Ape stood in front of another tribe's gate, holding a fruit in his hand.

"Do you know about the spiritual world?" The beast standing before him squinted.

"All of us do."

"Then you must know its importance." He tossed the fruit. The beast caught it.

"Did you get this from there?"

"Yes."

"How much?" The Black Ape smiled.

"That's precisely why I'm here." The beast's eyes sharpened further.

"You want us to go there?"

"Yes. Inform your elders, and meet us at our camp. I'm sure you know the location." He paused.

"But it won't come for free." The beast looked at the fruit again.

"What price?" The Black Ape smiled.

"It won't be expensive: just an entrance fee, and a small percentage." He gestured with one hand.

"If you're interested, come talk to us." The orcs followed a similar pattern. Some went around to the tribes, while others stayed behind to prepare supplies. Each group carried its own weight in the effort. Some cultivated, some trained, some made pills, and some gathered herbs. Some prepared advertisements, while others negotiated with other tribes. The spiritual realm hadn't just given them materials—it had opened doors to opportunities they'd never had before.... Dendron watched them all.

Something in his sap slowed, warm and unhurried, settling into his trunk in a way he couldn't quite explain. Wherever he turned his gaze, the tribes bustled with activity—people training, cultivating, grinding pills, arranging advertisements, negotiating with other tribes. The place felt alive. He stayed there in silence, watching them for a long while.

It carried him back to his old life, to a time when everything had been different—people bustling through streets, working, talking, going somewhere, each of them carrying their own stories, their own schedules. That life had seemed so ordinary back then. He'd been one face among millions—an employee, a commuter, just another passerby who'd never know the names of the strangers walking past him.

But now, from his new vantage point high above the branches, looking down at them from the perspective of a tree, something occurred to him that he'd never quite noticed before. They lived different lives, carried different personalities, chased different goals. But somehow they were still alike—all of them moving through life surrounded by others who would remain strangers to them forever. His branches rustled softly in the wind. Different world... He turned his gaze to the warriors training in the distance.

Same feeling.