Jane shot a playful smirk at Logan before pinching him sharply.
"Ouch!" Logan yelped, his face scrunching up in exaggerated pain as he flopped dramatically onto the bed.
Jane crossed her arms, unimpressed. "Oh, please, stop acting! You're a level seven warrior, and I'm just at level six. There's no way that actually hurt you!" she huffed, giving him an annoyed swat on the backside for good measure.
But Logan didn't budge. He stayed sprawled out on the bed, unmoving, his face buried in the pillow like he was sulking.
"My father always said you'd never bully me because you're weaker than I am," Jane continued, her voice growing sharper. "But now that you're stronger, you just push me around!"
Still, Logan remained silent, not even a flicker of a response. His nonchalance made Jane's frustration boil over. She stepped closer, ready to give him a piece of her mind when; without warning, Logan sprang to life. His hands shot up, grabbing hers, and before she could react, his lips pressed firmly against hers, cutting off her protests with a kiss.
"Mmmph!" Jane struggled, trying to push him off, but Logan held his ground. She wriggled and kicked, but after a few seconds, her resistance faltered, and her movements slowed. Eventually, she gave in, her arms falling limp at her sides.
Logan pulled back, a mischievous grin spreading across his face as his hands wandered teasingly. But before the moment could escalate, a sharp, insistent knocking echoed from the door.
"Knock, knock, knock!"
They both froze. Logan shot up from the bed, his expression shifting from playful to annoyed in an instant.
Jane quickly stood as well, fumbling with her clothes to straighten them out. This was her home, after all, and there was no telling who was on the other side of the door.
With a quick huff, she turned to Logan. "Hmph!" she grumbled, giving him a last glare before marching to the door.
As she opened it, she blinked in surprise. "Elder brother? You're back!"
Fisher stood there with a smirk. "Yeah, just got back. I heard Logan was visiting..." He trailed off, his eyes sliding past Jane to see Logan awkwardly standing beside the bed, his clothes slightly disheveled.
It didn't take a genius to figure out what had been happening. Fisher's smirk widened. "Ah, I hope I didn't interrupt anything..." he said, his voice dripping with amusement.
Jane's face flushed crimson, and she stamped her foot in embarrassment. "Brother! You two talk; I'm heading out," she stammered, her face still burning as she hurried past them and out the door.
Logan, now fully composed, gave Fisher a pointed look. "You sure have impeccable timing," he said dryly.
Fisher raised his hands in mock surrender, still grinning. "What, you're blaming me now?"
Logan rolled his eyes but couldn't help smiling. He plopped down on the sofa across from Fisher. "So, what brings you here?" he asked.
Fisher leaned back, crossing his legs casually. "Oh, nothing much," he replied, his smile softening into something more genuine. "Just thought I'd check in. That liquor deal you helped me with? The 520,000 kilograms? It's going to net me a small fortune, hundreds of thousands of gold coins, easy."
Fisher raised his eyebrows in surprise. "The Silvermane Tribe is going to expand even more? And in just two months?"
Logan smirked, a hint of pride flashing in his eyes. "Have you forgotten how quickly we've grown? It only took a few months for the Silvermane Tribe to reach this size. And now, with the famine worsening and chaos spreading across the desert, it's the perfect opportunity for ambitious tribes; big or small, to rise. This is the moment for us to expand even further."
Fisher nodded, digesting the information. "No problem!" he replied, though there was a slight hesitation in his voice. The grain trade wasn't as lucrative as the liquor or maltose businesses he was now involved in. It was tough work, and the margins were thin. Still, giving up the grain trade would be a waste.
He had spent years building those supply channels, and even though the money was hard-earned, it was still money.
"How much food are we talking about here?" Fisher asked, leaning back in his chair.
The rapid growth of the Silvermane Tribe was still hard for him to wrap his head around. He remembered just a few months ago when Logan, then the leader of a tribe of only a few thousand people, made bold claims about his tribe's future to Fisher's father. At the time, Fisher thought it was all wild talk, the ramblings of an overambitious young chief.
Now, seeing the results, Fisher wasn't so quick to dismiss those "crazy" words.
Logan smiled, his gaze steady. "As much as you can get your hands on. The more, the better."
Fisher blinked. "The more, the better?"
"Exactly," Logan said, his voice serious. "If you brought ten million kilograms, it wouldn't be too little. If you brought one hundred million kilograms, that wouldn't be too much either." He wasn't exaggerating. Food was the foundation of the tribe's growth, and with the right supply, there would be no stopping the Silvermane Tribe's expansion.
He'd take whatever Fisher could provide, knowing that it would be stored away for the future, even if it wasn't needed immediately.
"Alright," Fisher said after a moment, a determined look crossing his face. "If you can handle that much, I'll buy up as much food as I can."
He paused, thinking of a plan. "Originally, the Wind Walker Mercenary Group was going to escort liquor from Canyon City to the human world, but since they came back without any goods, it's perfect timing. They can bring back a large shipment of food instead."
Logan chuckled. "You've thought this through, haven't you?"
Fisher grinned, shrugging casually. "It's all about efficiency. This way, the mercenaries get paid for the return trip, and we put everything to good use. A win-win."
Logan nodded, impressed by the clever logistics. "Smart. It'll keep your mercenaries busy and your supply line moving."
Fisher's smile faded slightly, and his expression turned more serious. He leaned forward, fixing Logan with a steady gaze. "Now that your business is settled, there's something we need to discuss, something about the affairs of our Greymane family."
Logan raised an eyebrow, caught off guard by the sudden shift in tone. "What do you mean?" he asked, his curiosity piqued.
Fisher didn't answer immediately, but the look on his face told Logan this was something important.