"We need one hundred thousand bottles of orange juice!"
In the cabin, the young Paso uttered a number that left Pierre stunned, and he added, "Mr. Pierre, one hundred thousand is just the initial quantity we require. If you have the capacity, we'll take everything you can supply!"
This statement immediately made Pierre's breathing quicken, his face flushing with excitement.
One hundred thousand bottles, just for starters!
Even if he made only two gold coins profit per bottle, the sheer volume would still yield a significant sum of gold coins, and for Ranch, that would be even more.
The only concern was whether Mr. Ranch had enough stock to meet the demand.
Thinking this, Pierre became restless, quickly stating, "Mr. Biso, the quantity you're asking for is immense; I need to discuss this with my business partner. I'll give you an answer by tonight at the latest."
Biso waved his hand, indicating Pierre could leave.
After Pierre departed, Biso turned to Paso, inquiring curiously, "Paso, can you explain why you want to purchase so much orange juice? The sailors and dockworkers at Maple Dock don't need that much."
Paso smiled, shaking his head, "Mr. Biso, I am well aware of that."
He then took down a nautical chart hanging on the cabin wall, pointing to some islands and ports of other cities marked on it, "In all the port cities we sail to, we haven't encountered orange juice like this; it's likely to be one of a kind. And such exclusivity often translates to immense profit. Besides, the unique taste of the orange juice means it has a market beyond just sailors."
With this explanation, Biso immediately understood.
He called over a few of his men, instructing, "You guys, keep an eye on Pierre, see who he talks to."
The subordinates nodded and left upon receiving the orders.
Paso and Biso exchanged a glance, clearly understanding each other's intentions.
Such a unique product would entice anyone, and Biso Lexman intended to meet the real supplier behind Pierre and discuss potential collaboration.
As for Mr. Pierre, it seemed he might be left out again.
…
After leaving Maple Dock, Pierre immediately went to the inn to find Ranch, bursting in and exclaiming, "Mr. Ranch, it's a big business!"
He rapidly recounted the recent events.
After listening, Ranch furrowed his brow and asked, "One hundred thousand bottles, just for the first order, did Mr. Biso really say that?"
Pierre nodded, staking his life on his guarantee.
At that moment, Sophia, who had been looking out the window, approached and whispered to Ranch, "Ranch, we are being watched. It seems someone followed Pierre here."
"Hmm, I got it," Ranch said calmly, grasping the situation.
He stood up and said to Pierre, "Lead the way, Pierre. I would like to meet this esteemed Navigator of Mapleleaf myself. Sophia, you should come too."
"No problem, Mr. Ranch," Pierre stood up, though still somewhat anxious, he added, "Mr. Ranch, about the... the stock of orange juice…"
Ranch smiled and responded, "Don't worry about that, Pierre. The one who should be concerned is Biso Lexman. I hope they really can bring enough gold coins to buy all my stock."
Buying out all the stock was, of course, impossible!
The cost of orange juice in the system store was one gold coin per bottle, and with Ranch's current reserve of gold coins, he could purchase over four hundred thousand bottles.
He could sell these in batches to recoup funds, which would multiply his initial gold coins several times over, meaning his gold coins would continue to increase.
The more he sold, the more gold coins he would have, enabling him to buy even more orange juice.
Even if Biso Lexman possessed endless wealth, it was utterly impossible to buy all the orange juice.
Maple Dock wasn't far from the inn, and under Pierre's guidance, Ranch and Sophia soon arrived.
Before their arrival, the subordinates Biso had sent to follow Pierre returned first to report to him.
After receiving the news, Biso instructed Paso, "Paso, go greet our supplier."
Paso nodded in agreement, "Yes, Mr. Biso."
Despite previously suffering from scurvy, drinking a bottle of the orange juice had rapidly cured him, showcasing the miraculous properties of the juice.
Of course, Ranch, the owner of the orange juice, seemed unaware of this fact.
After all, Ranch had never embarked on long voyages, nor had he even set foot on the sea, so naturally, he had never contracted scurvy.
Paso met Mr. Ranch at the entrance to the dock, confidently approaching and saying, "Mr. Biso is waiting for you on the deck."
Following Paso, Ranch and his companions climbed aboard the large ship's deck.
On the deck, there was a small wooden table set with enticing food and fruit, emitting irresistible aromas.
Biso gestured for Ranch and his companions to sit, introducing, "These are specialties from some islands on the high seas; this is merfolk tribe's coral cake, made from a special kind of edible coral; this is the explosive fruit exclusive to the Eira Archipelago, this fruit explodes upon ripening, hence it's harvested just before…"
Biso Lexman went on at length, and Ranch discerned Mr. Biso's intent – to flaunt his wealth and knowledge, aiming to gain an upper hand in the forthcoming orange juice transaction.
However, clearly, Biso Lexman had picked the wrong target.
Perhaps Pierre would feel intimidated by this, but Ranch was not such a person.
He took out a few dreamfruits from his storage ring, smiling, "Mr. Biso, I've never been to the sea, nor have I seen the many wonders it holds. You've offered me such a variety of delicious foods, so these humble fruits can be my gift to you."
Upon first purchasing the dreamfruit, he and Sophia each consumed one.
The taste was satisfactory, and it significantly boosted their spirits, but regrettably, it only had an effect the first time it was consumed.
Pierre, who had never seen a dreamfruit before, muttered, "What an odd fruit."
Biso Lexman, true to his reputation as a navigator and despite his burly appearance resembling more of a fighter than a sailor, possessed ample knowledge.
He stood up, looking at the fruit Ranch offered with utter astonishment, exclaiming, "Dreamfruit! It's the dreamfruit that can permanently enhance one's mind power!"
The young Paso standing aside was equally astonished.
He seemed well-informed about the dreamfruit, stating,
"This fruit has only existed in the Dream Realm. The last time it appeared was at the Star Island auction five years ago, where a single fruit fetched a price of 180,000 gold coins!"
"180,000 gold coins!" Pierre's eyes widened.
Just one fruit selling for 180,000 gold coins was insane.
Ranch too was stunned by this revelation, not expecting the dreamfruit to be so valuable.
He realized a serious issue at this moment: his understanding of this world's economy was too limited, having priced valuable goods based solely on his own assumptions.
However, this approach was often incorrect.
Like the dreamfruit, if he were to price it as he saw fit, at most he would mark it up tenfold, selling it for 50,000 gold coins.
Although he'd make a profit of over 40,000 gold coins, others could resell it for over a hundred thousand gold coins.
That would be akin to charity.
Ranch became interested in Biso Lexman, a navigator with such broad knowledge; having him on his side might bring even greater wealth.
Indeed, Ranch contemplated recruiting Biso.
Unaware of this, Biso Lexman was still reeling from shock, taking a good two and a half minutes to compose himself before speaking with immense respect,
"Mr. Ranch, it seems I have underestimated you. Regarding the orange juice transaction, we, the Maple Navigators, are willing to show ample sincerity."
Hearing this, Ranch smiled and then said, "Mr. Biso, let's not rush the orange juice deal. I have other goods as well; you might want to review them first."