"About 700,000."
"The materials for this aren't rare; the most costly component is probably the magic stone," Zhao Manyan observed, his affluent background giving him a quick understanding of such costs.
In this world, water, wind, and electricity didn't exist as before. Instead, magic stones powered everything: fire stones for cooking, ice stones for refrigeration, and wind stones for fans. Ye Chenfeng noticed that the periodic table had expanded by dozens of new elements, far surpassing the original 27-element table. While he didn't have the capacity to develop all these, he focused on a select few.
The elements he utilized were often upgraded or high-performance versions, which he dubbed Adaptive Elements Pro, High-performance Max, and the Original 27 Elements Plus.
Modern society's emphasis on magic over science saved money on research and labs, which, under old standards, would have cost hundreds of millions just to get started. However, the true expense lay in creating blueprints and energy conversion systems, protected by steep patent fees.
With all costs factored in—including labor, patent fees, procurement, and materials—the price of producing one firearm ranged from 200,000 to 250,000. Given the fluctuating value of magic crystals, selling these firearms was likely to drive up prices even further.
Zhao Manyan, seeing Ye Chenfeng deep in thought, continued, "Old Ye, we can't set the price too high. To sell these guns in bulk, we need to target mid-level mages. Your product isn't essential like the Star Mark, nor does it teach constellation patterns like the Star Chart Book. Its strength is its longevity and broad usability for those below the high-level mark."
"I get it, Lao Zhao!" Ye Chenfeng's eyes brightened. "You're saying our target market is mid-level mages, right?"
"Exactly. Take our Pearl Academy's Green Campus, for example. Nearly 50,000 students are there, plus those staying on for special reasons. Most reach mid-level and transfer to the main campus within three years. With their saved allowances and school resources, a price that feels expensive but manageable will drive them to buy, fearing they'll miss out."
"A promotion strategy would help: announce an original price of 700,000 and mark it down to 699,000. Add a referral bonus of 2,000 per successful sale with no cap. That way, new mid-level mages are incentivized, spreading word-of-mouth and saving on advertising."
"Old Zhao, that's your plan, right?"
"Exactly."
Zhao Manyan, stunned by Ye Chenfeng's business tactics, felt a rush of realization. He had been raised in a wealthy family, and while he preferred leisure, he knew the basics of business from listening to his father's advice. But Ye Chenfeng's ideas were on another level—brilliant, layered, and strategic.
Ye Chenfeng, putting an arm around Zhao Manyan, spoke quietly, "Want to make some pocket money?"
"What?" Zhao Manyan was momentarily puzzled. Did he need more money?
Ye Chenfeng shifted to a serious tone, "Just consider it as a favor. I control the supply chain, and the factory is in production. I'll use your name discreetly; I don't want rivals getting jealous. If you agree, I'll set an internal price: 600,000 per gun for you, compared to the public price of 699,000."
"For every unit your family buys, I'll give you a 50,000 cashback. Ideally, focus on military sales for strong support."
Zhao Manyan, lost in thought, returned to his room dazed, his mind echoing with numbers: 699,000. 649,000. 600,000. The prospect of earning 50,000 per sale was dizzying.
Calculating production and logistics costs, Zhao Manyan realized the potential. Even with distribution, the Zhao family stood to earn handsomely. As for himself? "Fifty thousand per sale… A thousand sales means fifty million. Ten thousand sales means five hundred million!"
Suddenly, he shouted, "Five hundred million!?"
Twelve months in a year… Five hundred million a month. Five billion a year.
"Unbelievable!" Zhao Manyan grinned. The business world's allure became clear, and with this deal, he saw a way to secure wealth beyond his family's earnings.
For the Zhao family's future, his own empire, and to spread his legacy far and wide—this was it.
The Zhao family's strong international presence would redefine everything. The domestic mid-level mage market might be limited and shrinking, but abroad lay untapped potential. The market Ye Chenfeng envisioned spanned the world, not just one nation.
Would it saturate? Zhao Manyan smirked