The secretary of the merchant association kept wiping cold sweat with his handkerchief, putting on a puzzled expression to satisfy the vanity of the big shot in front of him. "What do you mean?"
"What's the name of that merchant guild again?" Alcadio pondered.
The secretary cautiously reminded him, "The Glittergold Guild."
"Look at that name," Alcadio smirked with a hint of disdain. "Just a bunch of rural upstarts banding together for warmth. The best use for these overestimating small-timers is paving the way for those in power with their hard work, sparing us the trouble when we need to make a move."
"I let these small-timers, who are only fit to handle trivial tasks, scurry back and forth in the region. It's all to let them set up a trade network, and then I'll effortlessly pluck this ripened fruit."
The secretary internally cursed the cunning old fox but outwardly praised, "Visionary as always, sir. It's no wonder you're a pillar of the state. Your perspective, being central to national affairs, is leagues beyond those who muddle about in the provinces."
He then asked, "So, do you intend to reach out to the guild members and make them our association's affiliates?"
Alcadio raised an eyebrow. "Do you know what it means to be noble? When needed, you simply command others to act. There will always be sycophants willing to do the work for you. Spending your days immersed in petty matters—what kind of 'noble' is that?"
---
In the docks of Kalmar City, Sasarion was inspecting goods in the warehouse rented by his merchant guild, alongside the guild's directors.
Kalmar City's own production capacity could not meet the demands of its growing population. As a result, the city, like a massive beast, consumed vast resources transported daily through its bustling port.
The Glittergold Guild was formed by various local merchants across different industries, whose primary goal was selling their goods. This aligned perfectly with the needs of a metropolis like Kalmar.
Under Sasarion's persuasion, the merchants agreed to band together and form the guild, aiming to break into the capital's vast market.
Now, it seemed to be yielding results, Sasarion thought with satisfaction.
Bang!
Just as Sasarion felt pleased, the warehouse door burst open. A group of fully armed soldiers stormed in.
Several guild members tried to approach and inquire, but the leading official pushed them aside and loudly demanded, "Who owns this warehouse?"
Sasarion, experienced in trading, assumed they were here for a bribe. He signaled to a director nearby and cautiously stepped forward, "That would be me..."
Before he could finish, the official cut him off, scrutinizing him. "So, you're Sasarion, the president of the Glittergold Guild?"
The official's tone carried a hint of malice, unsettling Sasarion.
As he attempted to placate him with more flattering words, the official waved to the soldiers. "Arrest this tax-evading merchant!"
---
The storm began to pour down in torrents.
In Alcadio's room, the merchant association secretary and Gin had just left, replaced by new visitors.
Alcadio sipped his tea leisurely and said to the man across the sofa, "Arresting one president isn't enough. I want to break them. Taming people is like taming dogs—if you don't strike hard enough once, they won't understand who holds absolute power."
"What do you want to do?"
"I heard they have some capable fighters on their ships, ones who've driven off some small-time pirates. Because of that, their trade routes have been smooth. In the East Sea, you can't do business without ships, and certainly not without the sea. I want them to understand that without my consent, their goods won't even leave the dock."
Gin reentered the room with a stack of documents, just as a lightning bolt illuminated the outside. The flash cast a stark light on the men sitting across Alcadio, making their faces look ghostly pale, startling Gin.
It wasn't without reason that Gin reacted this way. The two men sitting opposite Alcadio were completely out of place in the luxurious room and its opulent host.
The man farther from the door was as burly as a brown bear, wearing a slightly yellowed white shirt with a black vest over it. His tight upper clothes barely contained him, with buttons undone, revealing his hairy chest.
On his head sat a black tricorn hat, too small for his massive head and thick hair, leaving his unruly red mane and half his head exposed.
His matching red beard nearly obscured half his face. In contrast to his rugged appearance, the beard was meticulously groomed, shining with oil, and hung long enough to reach his chest.
He bore severe injuries—scars crisscrossed his face, his left eye hidden under an eyepatch, and his left hand replaced by a silver prosthetic with an iron hook at the end.
The tricorn, eyepatch, hook, and beard made him look like the archetypal pirate captain Gin had heard about in childhood tales.
Next to him sat another equally intimidating man, though less "theatrical" in appearance.
This man was also tall and robust but noticeably heavier. His shabby shirt, discolored and half-open, barely covered his hairy gut. His face, however, was the most shocking—a massive burn scar covered half of it, leaving him with a grotesque "yin-yang" look.
The scarred side had sparse, curly hair forming a rough goatee.
This terrifying man grinned at Gin as he entered, revealing large, yellowed teeth that made him even more frightening.
Gin had seen these two men before, yet each encounter left him uneasy.
Damn pirates! Gin cursed inwardly but showed no sign of discomfort outwardly. Alcadio was flanked by armed guards, two of whom carried seastone weapons. These guards hadn't been present when Alcadio met the merchant association secretary, suggesting that even Alcadio felt apprehensive about these men.
Suppressing his earlier alarm, Gin bowed to the man with the tricorn. "Mr. Barbarossa."
Then to the scar-faced man, "Mr. Hayreddin."
The two men casually nodded in acknowledgment.
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