It was really out of the question for Zhong Shenxiu to judge Aman based on the world's perception! The "Dark Chamber of Commerce" was practically established; rather than recruiting strangers, it was better to give this person right here a chance. Thus, he intended to offer Aman a position at the "Dark Chamber of Commerce"!
Of course, there was another reason: Zhong Shenxiu had purchased quite a few treasures from Amanda, which served as a small form of compensation for her.
Based on Amanda’s earlier account, her living conditions seemed quite difficult—unemployed, and having to care for two younger brothers—it was certainly not easy. If a person like her were given an opportunity, she would surely work diligently and devote herself entirely!
However, Zhong Shenxiu’s words were hard to take seriously, as he was, in the eyes of outsiders, merely a child.
Fortunately, having Keni nearby saved a lot of trouble. When Keni relayed Zhong Shenxiu’s intentions, Amanda’s eyes widened instantly!
“Sister, you mean I can work in the Chamber of Commerce?” Amanda stared at Keni, almost unable to believe it.
Though she didn't know what the "Dark Chamber of Commerce" Keni mentioned was like, she knew that anything calling itself a "Chamber of Commerce" was a grand, wealthy enterprise. It was exceedingly difficult for an ordinary person to get a job there without connections or acquaintances—unless one possessed extraordinary talent!
Keni nodded and asked again, “Are you interested?”
“Yes, yes, yes!” Amanda was so excited she nearly signed a contract on the spot.
She never imagined her luck could be this good; she had encountered such a significant benefactor.
Putting aside the fact that the items she sold had already solved her immediate crisis, securing a good job now meant that even buying houses and arranging marriages for her younger brothers in the future wouldn't be an issue!
Amanda was now completely enveloped by happiness and excitement, filled with boundless yearning for the future!
“Where are you living now? If possible, I hope you can report to our Chamber of Commerce as soon as possible, because the "Dark Chamber of Commerce" will require a lot of manpower on opening day!” Keni said with a smile.
If his estimate was correct, after Keni and the others returned this time, the "Dark Chamber of Commerce" would be finished, requiring many service personnel just for the opening day!
After some discussion, Keni gave Amanda a letter of introduction, directing her to find a person named Gandalf, who would handle her housing arrangements.
Amanda gratefully accepted the letter, thanking Keni repeatedly. Not wanting to delay, she immediately checked out to make her preparations!
For the next couple of days, Zhong Shenxiu spent his time scouring small street stalls for treasures, and in the evenings, he hunted at the auction houses. As a result, he truly acquired a multitude of marvels.
In truth, Zhong Shenxiu's gains from this trip were incredibly rich. Not only had he subdued many capable helpers, but he had also confiscated a great deal of wealth and treasures from the families he had wiped out.
Zhong Shenxiu’s net worth had now reached over ten billion, and this figure didn't even account for the antiques and jewels stored in Robin’s bracelet.
As the saying goes, those who kill will eventually be killed. The families who conspired to seize Keni’s property would never have dreamed that their own day of reckoning would come!
The auction concluded, and Zhong Shenxiu and his group were finally heading back.
There was one more matter to attend to: Vede’s father, Leopold, had publicly announced his severance of the father-son relationship with Vede, and Phoebe had been kicked out along with him. He even threatened that if the two dared to step foot inside the "Ninghui Can Family" again, they would never return!
What a heartless man!
Vede and his mother, Phoebe, were not overly surprised when they heard the news; on the contrary, they felt a sense of liberation. They could finally start a new life, and Zhong Shenxiu would certainly keep his word, fulfilling what he had promised Vede!
It was believed that as long as Vede served Zhong Shenxiu wholeheartedly, his future would be limitless! At that time, no one would mock him; they would only look up to and envy him!
Zhong Shenxiu possessed the power to change a person's destiny!!!
When they returned, the "Dark Chamber of Commerce" had indeed been completed, with only finishing touches remaining, ready for immediate use!
It was fortunate that Keni and the others were there to help; otherwise, Zhong Shenxiu would truly have been overwhelmed.
He entrusted the arrangements for Vede and his mother, along with the rescued members of the "Kelapuo Clan," entirely to Keni. As for the operational aspects of the "Dark Chamber of Commerce," he left that to the elders. Zhong Shenxiu now had his own tasks to attend to!
The "Dark Chamber of Commerce" was built; how could it open without merchandise to sell?
If it were only those few potions, it would be too monotonous; Zhong Shenxiu had now decided to introduce some new flair, and it had to be something unparalleled—the best of its kind!
Therefore, he would be extremely busy during this period!
Zhong Shenxiu already knew exactly what new goods to forge; what he needed to focus on now was how to achieve mass production of these items!
The biggest hurdle for "mass production" was the lack of labor, but that was no longer a concern. By eliminating those few major families, Zhong Shenxiu had collected a large number of Skeleton Warriors, currently stored in Robin’s bracelet—there had to be thousands, if not tens of thousands! These were all laborers who required no wages and no rest, tsk.
Zhong Shenxiu wasn't aiming to transform them into anything overly powerful; as long as they could work, it would suffice!
Forging new products was no small undertaking. Just setting up all the necessary formations would keep Zhong Shenxiu busy. If only he had the supreme formation artifact, the "Shenxian Plate," handy—those formations could be set up instantly, saving immense time and effort! In the following half a month, Zhong Shenxiu did not reappear.
Gandalf and the others had also been hard at work during these days. Although they dared not open the "Dark Chamber of Commerce" without Zhong Shenxiu's direction, they could handle issues like recruiting staff and establishing regulations—matters that were themselves time-consuming and draining.
Keni’s primary role was logistics; she needed to train these new recruits on customer reception, maintaining a pleasant demeanor, and handling unforeseen incidents—truly professional work!
Everything was progressing smoothly. It was easy to imagine that the day the "Dark Chamber of Commerce" opened, it would shock the entire Winter Moon Empire!
Five more days passed, and Zhong Shenxiu and Robin finally returned!
Upon their arrival, they immediately convened a meeting with these leaders. The meeting's agenda was simple: first, announce that the "Dark Chamber of Commerce" would open in three days. Then, Zhong Shenxiu presented the new products he had researched over these past few days, detailing their functions and usage methods one by one.
Subsequently, Zhong Shenxiu delegated all remaining matters back to them. He left the pricing and marketing strategies for the new products to the group to discuss and decide, while he leisurely returned to the academy with Robin!
Gandalf and the other elders stared blankly at the new products, their excitement beyond words. These items were truly astounding, ranging from potions to various weapons and equipment, covering the three major classes: Necromancer, Mage, and Swordsman. Each one was incredibly powerful; it was believed that finding anything comparable in the entire Winter Moon Empire, or even the entire world, would be difficult!
It was no exaggeration to say that on the day the "Dark Chamber of Commerce" officially opened, it would be completely packed!
Clyde was the most astonished among them. Regarding any of these items, he had never even heard of them before, let alone seen them.
To illustrate, the scrolls laid out before them were unlike any he had ever encountered!
If these scrolls were merely Magic Scrolls, it would be one thing—such things existed on the market, "Magic Scrolls" being items where magic was sealed within, capable of activation upon opening the scroll!
But the baffling thing was that these scrolls also contained "Necromancy Scrolls" and "Battle Aura Scrolls"—these were seen for the very first time!
Regarding the "Necromancy Scroll," since it resembled the "Magic Scroll," no further explanation was needed. Only the "Battle Aura Scroll" deserved discussion:
The working principle of the "Battle Aura Scroll" was very similar to the "Magic Scroll," activating upon opening. What made it incredible was that this scroll could grant Battle Aura to those who couldn't use it, albeit for a limited time. It could instantly boost a person's combat power and double their defense, as if cloaked in invisible armor!
This was a phenomenal item, especially for those with physically fragile bodies like Mages and Necromancers—it was practically tailor-made for them. With this, their weaknesses would be compensated, and they would no longer be figures who collapsed with a single push!
Moreover, this was entirely novel; they had every reason to believe that Mages and Necromancers would be eager to try it. If they became addicted, wouldn't they shower them with vast amounts of cash!
And this was just one example; one could imagine the rest of the products. If these items were released to the market, they would undoubtedly incite a frenzy of buying from people everywhere!
The most challenging task for the group now was pricing these products. What price point would maximize profit? This was a nuanced issue; it wasn't simply that higher prices were better. They had to consider market conditions thoroughly and also factor in the consumers' psychological tolerance levels!
The problem was that they didn't know the cost price of these goods, as Zhong Shenxiu had left without saying a word—a genuine predicament.
Fortunately, Keni was present. Having participated in Zhong Shenxiu's item refinement before, she knew his creations generally had zero production cost and were mass-produced. With a slight smile, she revealed a small detail.
Even so, the group was reluctant to set prices rashly and decided they should conduct market research first before making a final decision, especially since they had three days left for preparations.
“Does everyone see anything else that needs attention?” Clyde inquired.
As a newly appointed member, he had fully dedicated himself to the work; this was his stage, and he certainly possessed the capability!
“Security issues should be discussed. We must prevent ill-intentioned people from causing trouble on the day,” Yaster mused.
“We can set that aside for now. The elders have already placed formations within the 'Chamber' that ensure unauthorized intruders will never return. Furthermore, many of the Swordsmen the Elder brought earlier are highly skilled and can be responsible for security! On that day, I can also summon some personnel from the 'Necromancer Association' to assist; that should resolve the issue!” Stanley said after consideration.
“We can't just guard against the outside; we must also strengthen monitoring and management of internal personnel!” Clyde’s consideration was thorough.
“Let the family members handle this. The family members are absolutely trustworthy!” Yaster proposed. Those who endured years of confinement without yielding would never betray them!
“Yes, I’ll have to rely on you and the Young Miss to handle this,” Clyde nodded.
Keni, however, was unconcerned, knowing that anyone who dared harbor malicious thoughts toward Zhong Shenxiu would meet a grim end!
“There will surely be huge crowds on opening day; maintaining order on site might also be a problem!” Faraday voiced his worry.
“I already have a solution in mind for that, and I’d like to discuss it with everyone now,” Clyde interjected.
“What is the plan?”
“I think we should consider implementing a ‘Membership System.’ Those who become members of the ‘Dark Chamber of Commerce’ will enjoy priority purchasing rights. This way, we can not only charge them fees quarterly but also gather their information and solicit their feedback, which can serve as a foundation for opening branch chambers in the future!” Clyde stated with a serious expression.
Truly worthy of being the former steward of the "Kelapuo Family," his economic acumen was sharp. This idea was perfectly feasible, and the membership fees collected quarterly alone would be a substantial income!
Furthermore, they could utilize a "Tiered Membership System" to stimulate consumer spending; the more one spent at the "Dark Chamber of Commerce," the greater the benefits enjoyed, and the higher their status level!
This concept was remarkably farsighted and meticulously planned!
When Gandalf and the others heard this, their eyes lit up, and they secretly thought: Why didn't we think of this before?
Seeing that everyone unanimously approved, Clyde added, “Additionally, I think we should design a brand insignia for the products. This will prevent others from counterfeiting under our banner and allow the public to become familiar with our other products!”
Everyone nodded in agreement; they were becoming increasingly impressed with Clyde, realizing the old sword had not lost its edge!
“Also, I think we should develop a few trustworthy agents. This will expand the market on one hand and alleviate the pressure on the main Chamber by preventing excessive crowding!”
Clyde continued listing points one after another, convincing everyone present completely!
The meeting lasted for a long time before concluding, and it was precisely this meeting that signaled a shift in the world's balance of power—a commercial hegemon was about to emerge! The "Ghost Talent" strikes—who can contend! Oh yeah!