If one were to identify an iconic building in the largest ghetto in Ascatra, it would have to be the Bronze Crown Inn.
Because this is one of the very few places that has directly rejected the demolition and reconstruction project of the city hall. It still maintains the original original masonry and wooden structure, which is completely different from the surrounding buildings built with cement.<
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It feels like a nail-nailed house, no matter how you look at it, it feels very eye-catching.
No one knows what method the hotel owner used to get the city hall to give up the paid expropriation of this land.
The only thing that is known is that he has contacts with many nobles, wealthy businessmen, and even the shadow thieves who rule the underground world of this city, so he has ensured that his industry will not be affected in any way during such a large-scale urban reconstruction.
Of course, in order not to make the dilapidated Copper Crown Hotel too eye-catching, this guy still asked the construction team to repaint the mottled and dilapidated walls.
In addition, the shanties built with wooden frames on the second and third floors were demolished and rebuilt into a four-story large comprehensive hotel.
Because it can provide illegal services that other hotels in the city simply cannot provide, including private sales of magic items, slave trading, bloody gladiatorial fights, gambling and brothels, the income of the Bronze Crown Hotel has always been very amazing.
Only a handful of high-end restaurants, pubs and comprehensive entertainment venues under Zuo Si's control can surpass it in terms of profitability.
As for ordinary pubs that cater to the general public, such as Sea Gift in the dock area, they may not even reach one-twentieth of the revenue of the Bronze Crown Hotel.
Boss Lei Tinan even more nakedly explained what it means to make more money by abandoning kindness and humanity.
But what he didn't know was that six shapeshifters had already sneaked into this hotel, and those so-called secret businesses that were unknown to everyone were always under Zuo Si's supervision.
However, considering the complex environment here and the possibility that various intelligence organizations might plant spies, he hesitated repeatedly and did not seize this place.
Instead, they chose to send shapeshifters to infiltrate and then control them secretly.
Lei Tinan would never have dreamed that his most trusted subordinates would have been replaced by shape-shifters a few years ago, almost without exception.
Zuo Si's understanding of his industry, interpersonal relationships, partners, trading partners and earning power far exceeds even his own.
At the moment, this man who is doing whatever it takes to amass money in order to complete primitive accumulation is standing near the bar with a smile like many hotel and tavern owners, constantly patrolling the crowded first floor lobby, and those who don’t know where they came from.
adventurers and mercenaries.
Suddenly!
A man wearing a red robe and hood appeared in his sight, and asked directly: "Have you not got what I want?"
"Sorry, Dear Lord Edwin.
The kind of material you want is not something that can be obtained casually.
After all, the laws of Amn prohibit all transactions related to arcane magic.
What's more, the price you offered is too low, making it difficult for me to compete with other mages who also need this material.
But if you can double the price, I guarantee that I can bring the materials back in up to ten hours."
Lei Tinan responded with a smile and a respectful tone.
It is not difficult to tell from his perfunctory tone that he is definitely raising the price on purpose, hoping to make more profits from the other party.
"Damn it! You've already charged me a full two thousand five hundred gold coins! Can't these satisfy your greedy appetite?"
Edwin grabbed the other party's collar and asked fiercely.
At this moment, the red-robed mage had already begun to greet the other party's whole family and eight generations of ancestors cordially in his heart.
As a very proud person who regards everyone around him as uncivilized monkeys, how could he possibly endure this kind of behavior that is obviously extortion?
You must know that Lei Tinan's asking price was only 500 gold coins at the beginning. Two days later, he shied away, saying that there was a problem with the channel, causing the price to increase, and he needed to pay an additional 1,000 gold coins.
The lion raised the price three or four times in a row, and finally it became the outrageous price it is now.
The same casting materials may not even cost one-sixth of the price elsewhere.
Facing the anger of the red-robed mage, Leitinan replied with a very calm smile: "Sir Edwin, have you forgotten that Ascatla is a commercial city?
In this city, supply and demand are the key to determining the price of an item.
When a customer urgently needs to buy something, and there are few suppliers of this thing, a price increase is almost inevitable.
If you are not satisfied with the price, you can always find another way.
However, the deposit paid in advance will definitely not be refunded."
When saying this, the hotel owner showed a confident attitude.
Because he knew that the red-robed wizard in front of him had just obtained a scroll from a group of adventurers, and had been studying and interpreting it in the room recently.
If nothing else, it must be related to some kind of powerful magic.
When mages are obsessed with studying magic, they often do so regardless of the cost, almost crazy.
If you don't kill yourself severely at this time, how can you be worthy of yourself?
As for possible revenge from the mage afterwards...
Sorry!
Maybe you might have to worry about it in other cities.
But this is Ascaltra, a city where arcane magic is almost completely banned.
If there is any reckless guy who dares to release arcane magic here at will, then just wait to be punished by the Masked Mage Guild.
"Asshole!!!"
Edwin was clearly about to explode.
He couldn't believe that he was being manipulated by a hotel owner.
If it were not long ago when we still maintained a cooperative relationship with Maiwa, Edwin would have arranged the most painful and desperate way for Leitinan to die.
But as the former became more and more radical, and even planned an attack on the headquarters of the Shadow Thieves Guild, he decisively chose to quit and terminated contact.
After all, when caught in a fight at this level, anyone with any sense should choose to protect themselves wisely.
What's more, Edwin only regards Maiwa as a tool that can be used to get the crucial ancient magic scroll for himself.
Now that I have the scroll, there is no need to play this dangerous game with the other party.
In addition, he is also very afraid of the vampires in the cemetery area who provide support to Maiwa.
Unlike those thieves who have very limited knowledge of undead creatures, Edwin has received orthodox magic education in Sale and understands how powerful and terrifying the Vampire Queen Badi is.
Once a vampire lord of this level joins the fight within the Shadow Thieves Guild, God knows what will happen.
So he decisively chose to run away and hid in the Copper Crown Inn in the slums to study the magic mysteries on the scrolls, hoping to transform himself into an immortal lich.
All that is left now is the last expensive material.
Once he becomes a lich, he can spend as much money as he wants as long as he hides his life box, and he no longer needs to make such careful calculations as now.
"Dear Sir Edwin, please control your temper.
After all, this is not Sel, let alone the traditional sphere of influence of the red-robed mage.
If you do something dangerous, don’t blame me for being rude."
Leitinan pointed at the guard standing nearby holding a sword and a crossbow and threatened.
He is no ordinary businessman. Just to suppress the slaves and gladiators hiding in the back area near the sewers, he hired more than twenty thugs with professional levels and even a low-level mage.
This is why there are so many adventurers and drunkards pouring into the Copper Crown Inn every day, but there are very few fights.
Anyone who wants to take action here must first consider whether he can defeat so many guards.
Edwin subconsciously raised his head and glanced, just in time to see a guy holding a bow and arrow having drawn the bow at some point and aiming a sharp arrow with a cold light at him.
Instantly!
The red-robed mage, who was aggressive one second, returned to his nonchalant appearance the next, and even helped the hotel owner smooth out his wrinkled collar, forcing out a smile: "Okay, what you said makes sense. I
I admit that I was a little too excited just now, and I hope you won't take it to heart."
"Haha, it doesn't matter, I don't care. When I treat guests, especially those with money, I am usually very generous."
Lei Tinan grinned with a playful expression.
Just like that, filled with anger that he couldn't vent, Edwin quickly turned around and found an empty table to sit down, ordered a glass of wine and two plates of the Copper Crown Inn's specialty barbecue, and while eating, he thought about what to do.
Are you going to continue to accept the blackmail from this greedy profiteer?
Or should we find a way to obtain the last casting material from another channel?
Just as he was hesitating, he suddenly saw a woman with her face covered walking towards him and sitting down across the table in a carefree manner.
This move instantly made Edwin frown, and he said bluntly: "I'm sorry, could you please change a table? I don't like sharing the same table with strangers."
"Haha, you seem to be in some trouble, don't you?" the woman asked with a half-smile.
To be continued...