“Alright, I agree,” the fly demon said with a blank expression.
Though its face had no expression, the demon had indeed communicated with a certain existence after stepping outside and reached an agreement for this cooperation.
Lynn gave a faint smile. He knew who was backing the fly demon.
After his last departure, Lynn had suspected that the fly demon was looking to align itself with someone influential. Such behavior was common in the Abyss. For most demons, being associated with a promising leader was a mark of honor.
The Abyss was a stage brimming with talent, but opportunities for advancement were scarce. If Lynn’s guess was correct, the one behind the fly demon was Dyo.
Kathryn’s biological mother—perhaps next time, he could find an opportunity for Kathryn to meet her. This Dyo had just become an Abyss Lord. If one were to compare it to a country, it was like a newly established kingdom, fraught with conflicts with neighboring lands, beset with internal strife, and in the midst of rebuilding.
Such a kingdom, in its developmental phase, often required foreign “investment,” presenting a golden opportunity for Lynn.
Much like the transaction with the fly demon, Lynn suspected that the fly demon itself wasn’t in dire need of the weapons. The quantity requested far exceeded what the fly demon would personally require. Lynn wasn’t in a hurry, though. Even in cooperation, one had to demonstrate their worth.
In this instance, Lynn saw an opportunity to showcase his capabilities through the weapon trade. By delivering a substantial number of high-quality weapons, he would prove his value as a partner. The success of this initial collaboration would set the stage for more favorable negotiations and the acquisition of further projects.
With the emergence of a new Abyss Lord, the redistribution of resources would surely be a bloody storm. The corners of Lynn’s mouth rose, and he found himself looking forward to the unfolding events.
After collecting the ores, Lynn returned to his laboratory in Demon City. Without delay, he began analyzing the properties of this batch of Abyss raw ores, researching relevant information on the market. The ores provided by the fly demon were not particularly rare; there were several similar types available commercially, including finished ore products. Lynn noted the prices quietly and realized he had secured a considerable bargain.
At a small tavern, Lynn arranged to meet a wizard apprentice who specialized in the study of ores and metals.
The apprentice had just finished her research, and her clothes were still covered in dust and grime from the ores. She pushed up her oversized glasses and, sitting across from Lynn, said, “So you’re here for a knowledge exchange?”
“Hm, that’s right,” Lynn replied. “I’ve heard that you have some expertise with Abyss ores, and I’m in need of that data. In return, if there’s any specific knowledge you’re interested in, I can offer a portion of what I have.”
Knowledge was priceless, yet it also came at a steep cost. For many wizard apprentices, the expense of acquiring experimental source materials was already burdensome. Adding significant expenditure on knowledge could be a harsh blow to an already strained budget.
Therefore, some savvy apprentices had formed a knowledge exchange society, allowing them to trade and share information.
Since knowledge was challenging to quantify, exchanges were usually based on prior agreements about the content and scope of what would be exchanged. Typically, the trade involved fields where apprentices were currently lacking in knowledge, and the value was less of a concern.
Lynn had never participated in such exchanges before, but he had heard about the society over the years. He had taken the initiative to contact Jado, whom he knew, to gain access to this small circle and find an apprentice who focused on ores research.
Now, the quality of this batch of finished weapons could be considered excellent even among weapons of the same level in Demon City.
That is, if one were to overlook their five-year lifespan.
Lynn reentered the Abyss and threw the fly demon’s token on the ground. Then he returned to Demon City and, after waiting for about a day, he re-entered the Abyss.
As soon as he stepped in, he saw the fly demon squatting nearby, looking at him with a resentful expression.
“Cough, how long have you been waiting?” Lynn asked.
“Half a day,” replied the fly demon.
“...”
“I went back to switch mount this time, so it only took half a day,” the fly demon said, brushing the dust off its body as it stood.
“Alright, let’s see your materials,” the fly demon urged.
Lynn presented the newly crafted weapons. The designs were, as usual, in the distinctive style of the dwarves.
However, the fly demon did not pay much attention to the appearance, as it had already seen it before. The primary concern was the quality of the weapons. Despite the short span of only half a month, the demon was skeptical about any significant improvement in quality.
The fly demon picked up one of the weapons and seemed intent on testing it by striking its own arm.
Lynn reminded kindly, “How about we use a different test subject? I’m worried you might injure yourself.”
The fly demon pondered this for a moment, noting Lynn’s confidence and deciding that the suggestion made sense.
With a wave of its hand towards the sky, a dark speck began to grow larger as it approached. Rays of sunlight pierced through the shadowy figure descending from above.
With a gust of wind stirred by its mighty wings, a bone dragon with slightly yellowed bones landed from the sky.
——