novelraw Chapter 8: I Have a Low-Risk, High-Profit Business!
Chapter 8: I Have a Low-Risk, High-Profit Business!
Although this siege battle seemed like complete garbage in Henwil's eyes.
Plains City was still captured by the Allied Forces, using a strategy that was quite old-fashioned yet extremely classic.
With cooperation from inside agents, the city gates were opened late at night.
Soldiers of the Silent Battleaxe Legion charged into the city in complete darkness without even wearing their armor, only carrying weapons.
The combination of traitors and night assault threw the defending forces into complete chaos.
The defenders didn't even have contingency plans for such situations, and by the time another fully armed legion from Worui Duchy charged in, they had already lost any chance of retaking the city gates.
When Worui Duchy's Fifth Legion entered the city, it essentially announced the outcome of this battle.
The next day, all defending soldiers of Plains City were executed except for nobles and valuable prisoners.
The Allied Forces didn't plunder this large city since it remained completely intact.
Not only could it serve as a forward base for the Allied Forces' advance, but it also significantly eased their logistical supply burdens.Compared to others in the logistics unit, Henwil moved into a three-story townhouse within the city two days later.
This was living quarters allocated to Kavizé, as only nobles or senior officers among the Allied Forces could obtain such townhouses within the city.
The reason a lone wolf mercenary like Kavizé received such treatment was mainly because he had made significant contributions during the city capture operation.
It was Kavizé who infiltrated the city to contact the inside agents and, at the critical moment, diverted the patrols to ensure the city gates opened smoothly.
For this achievement, the legion commander personally commended Kavizé and rewarded him with substantial wealth.
This served both as recognition of Kavizé's contributions and as a symbolic gesture to attract more talented individuals to serve under him.
After moving into the townhouse, Henwil began cleaning bloodstains from inside the building. As for the fate of the original homeowners, Henwil didn't want to know, and even if he did, what could he possibly do about it?
Over the following days, Allied Forces troops gradually assembled here, while the allied nations had already lost their best opportunity to retake this place.
Kavizé had been quite idle recently. Not being an officer, he didn't need to attend military meetings or manage subordinates, enjoying complete freedom.
Correspondingly, Henwil's living conditions improved significantly.
He now took care of Kavizé's daily needs and even cooked for him.
Kavizé praised Henwil's culinary skills endlessly, believing he had potential to become an excellent chef.
While Kavizé loved money, he wasn't stingy when it came to food, clothing, and daily expenses.
Now Henwil went out daily to purchase food ingredients and returned to cook.
Because Henwil leveraged Kavizé's reputation, the soldiers guarding the market became much more restrained in their extortion attempts when dealing with him.
Consequently, vendors gave him reasonable prices, allowing Henwil to always save some money.
Henwil also bought some things for himself—secondhand clothes, shoes, and other daily necessities.
Kavizé didn't mind this, since he only gave Henwil that fixed amount of money daily.
In his words, as long as his own dining standards didn't decline, whatever money Henwil managed to save through his skills was his own business.
One day, Henwil approached Kavizé: "Master, would you like to earn more money?"
Kavizé tossed a dried fruit into his mouth: "Oh? Do tell! I never have enough of those shiny little treasures!"
Henwil's method was simple—exchange some artworks plundered by the Allied Forces with the city's noble families for cash.
Normally, this situation would be unlikely since, in Henwil's understanding, cities typically suffered three days of plundering after being captured in battles of this scale!
But the reality was different!
Looting did occur, but only targeting commoners and middle-class citizens.
The truly powerful nobles and wealthy families within the city remained completely untouched.
Of course, they didn't escape completely unscathed either, having to pay protection fees instead.
This followed the continent's established rules between nations—nobles remained superior, even nobles from other countries.
Simply put, aside from nobles, everyone else essentially belonged to another species in the strictest sense.
Kavizé understood Henwil's meaning: "You're saying these local noble families are willing to acquire these items? Are they so confident that this place will be retaken by the allied nations?"
Henwil shook his head: "Of course they're not certain, but regardless of who controls this territory later, they'll always remain part of the nobility!"
Kavizé laughed mockingly: "How calculating! Those precious artworks and jewels are currently selling at cabbage prices.
Acquiring them at one-tenth or even one-hundredth of their original value, then watching their prices skyrocket once the war ends!"
Henwil said calmly: "Without such bottom-fishing methods, how do you think they accumulated such enormous wealth? It's all built up gradually like this—chaos is the ladder of advancement!"
"Chaos is the ladder of advancement! Well said!"
Kavizé sat up: "So little one, what's your plan? I'm a mercenary—I could simply take those spoils away from this chaotic zone and sell them at high prices in peaceful regions. Why would I accept such losses here?"
"First, with war chaos and long distances, carrying those items would be quite inconvenient for you.
Second, those items are quite fragile and easily damaged, which would greatly diminish their value!
Finally, and most importantly, the real profit doesn't come from the items in your possession, but from those held by the Allied Forces."
Kavizé laughed: "Haha! I admit you're clever! But if you can think of this, wouldn't others have the same idea?
There must already be people among the Allied Forces starting transactions with these nobles. Trying to profit from price differences now seems rather naive!"
Henwil also smiled: "Indeed, but that's the nobles' business. So many Allied Forces soldiers don't have such channels!
Rather than carrying those cumbersome spoils, wouldn't it be better to exchange them early for shiny little treasures, since that's ultimately what everyone wants?
Additionally, warehouse supervisors are human too. With so many valuable items inside, who would notice if one more or one less goes missing?
After all, those don't belong to the warehouse supervisors anyway. Instead of working diligently and taking risks guarding them, why not secure some benefits for themselves?"
Kavizé looked at Henwil with astonishment: "You really keep surprising me! Are you really only ten years old? I feel like you're forty!"
Henwil bowed slightly: "When fighting for survival, people's minds sometimes work exceptionally fast!"
Kavizé frowned in thought for a moment: "Fine! Give me a detailed plan, and I'll execute it.
I'm a fair person! Since you're bringing me benefits, what do you want in return?
Let me be clear upfront! Letting you go is impossible! Given current circumstances, I don't think you'd risk leaving here either!"
Henwil didn't immediately make demands: "This is what I should do! As for what master wishes to reward me with, that depends on how many gold coins this method can earn for you!"