Chapter 12

C12 – Too Many Idiots

He noticed that a single piece of bread could fetch 50 spirit coins. Naturally, the price for an entire snake’s meat would be significantly higher.

So, he priced it at 1,000 spirit coins without hesitation.

This was the International Trade Hall, where a processing fee was expected after each sale.

The fee amounted to 10% of the sale price.

At the National Exchange Hall, it would be only 5%.

For private transactions among Lords, the teleportation fee was a mere 1%—effectively a delivery charge.

Regardless of the venue, Lords were in constant need of spirit coins.

Without them, they were powerless to act.

To Qiang Nantie’s surprise, the Black Scaled Snake sold immediately upon listing.

The Territory Notification read: “You have sold a Black Scaled Snake in the International Trade Hall, earning 900 spirit coins.”

“What’s happening!” Qiang Nantie was astonished.

Were people truly that desperate for food?

This was merely a carcass he had casually collected in the wild.

In the outside world, a whole Black Scaled Snake would only sell for a few dozen to a hundred spirit coins.

Yet here, even with a tenfold price surge, it was snatched up eagerly.

In that moment, Qiang Nantie burst into wild laughter.

He had stumbled upon a lucrative opportunity!

It looked like he was set to make a substantial profit.

But Qiang Nantie had no interest in aiding foreigners.

Observing the dire food shortages among the Lords, he opted to list the Black Scaled Snake in the National Exchange Hall, pricing it reasonably at 1,200 spirit coins.

Later, he placed another Black Scaled Snake in the International Trade Hall, this time for 5,000 spirit coins.

He was determined to extract a higher sum from the foreign buyers.

In the Whispering Land, the real world was free of war.

Yet, conflicts between nations were ever-present.

The resolution was straightforward.

Military forces from the two nations would engage in direct combat on the Lord Continent.

Naturally, such territorial conflicts were kept within certain bounds, never crossing an established threshold.

In the Whispering Land, the powerful beings who had ascended to immortality and godhood forbade excessive casualties in conflicts between nations. They could engage in combat and inflict harm upon one another, but outright warfare was off-limits. Battles were typically confined to specific areas to ensure fairness.

The Rikrovaria Dynasty’s territory had expanded swiftly, drawing the ire of foreign powers. It was common for Rikrovaria to engage in territorial skirmishes with other nations, and more often than not, they emerged victorious. Qiang Nantie swelled with pride for his homeland.

As a result, each nation invested heavily in cultivating lords of exceptional talent. A standout performance in the Overlord Trial could catch the eye of the prestigious University of Overlords. Success meant not only academic accolades but also substantial rewards from the state, which was always generous to its most promising lords. These distinguished individuals could even join the ranks of the national lord’s army.

But Qiang Nantie had other concerns. He had to keep his possession of two Overlord Spaces under wraps.

A notification from his territory popped up: “In the National Exchange Hall, you have sold a Black Scaled Snake, earning 1,140 spirit coins.”

“Wow! That sold faster than I expected!” he exclaimed.

The anonymity provided by the sales process meant no one knew he was the seller. Qiang Nantie listed several more Black Scaled Snakes, and notifications kept confirming their sales, each bringing in another 1,140 spirit coins. His mood soared with each transaction.

Lords intent on developing and safeguarding their domains needed to summon barracks right from the start. The soldiers called forth might belong to any of the myriad races of the world, not just humans. The better the territory’s quality, the rarer the soldiers a lord could summon. But no matter their origin, all these soldiers had one thing in common—they needed to be fed.

When lords come across soldiers of formidable strength and voracious appetites, they must ensure these warriors are well-fed. If not, the soldiers’ loyalty could dwindle to the point of rebellion—an outcome no one can afford to face.

This logic is simple and sheds light on why the Black Scaled Snake fetched such a steep price on day one, despite its modest value in the real world. With this insight, Qiang Nantie priced the Black Scaled Snake at 1,500 spirit coins and listed all the remaining ones on the market in one fell swoop.

A notification from the territory popped up: “You have sold a Black Scaled Snake at the National Exchange Hall, earning 1,425 spirit coins.” Seeing the influx of spirit coins, Qiang Nantie couldn’t resist a snide remark. “The evils of capitalism!” Clearly, those who could amass such wealth early on had brought props with them—luxuries only the truly affluent could procure.

Another notification arrived: “In the International Trade Hall, you sold a Black Scaled Snake for 4,500 spirit coins.” “Holy smokes!” Qiang Nantie was floored by the news. He had only meant to give the foreign lords a hard time, but to his surprise, someone with deep pockets had actually made the purchase. The temptation was too great; he listed the last Black Scaled Snake, the one he had saved for himself.

The territory chimed in again: “In the International Trade Hall, you sold a Black Scaled Snake for 4,500 spirit coins.” The poor can’t even begin to fathom the lifestyle of the wealthy. Logging into the chatroom, Qiang Nantie found it ablaze with conversation.

“Unbelievable! The enigmatic lord has listed a Black Scaled Snake and it sold for an astonishing 1,200 spirit coins. Are we witnessing the collapse of morality or a twist in human nature? Time will tell!”

“Outrageous! The mysterious lord has gone too far. The price of the Black Scaled Snake has skyrocketed to 1,500 spirit coins. What a heartless merchant!”

“Infuriating! On the international stage, a Black Scaled Snake fetched a whopping 5,000 spirit coins. It’s outright thievery!”

“And yet, there are still fools who buy it.”

“The real fool isn’t you—after all, you don’t have the money.”

“Despite the steep price, someone’s still buying it. Curse those wealthy devils!”

“Here we are, my soldiers and I, just gnawing on bread because we can’t possibly afford a Black Scaled Snake that’s so expensive. Back in the real world, you could get one for a mere 100 yuan!”

“Kid, you can’t afford it either, can you? I can tell you’re green with envy. Truth be told, so am I.”

“To the Lord who’s selling the Black Scaled Snake, send me a private message. I’m skilled in many areas and guarantee your satisfaction.”

“It could be a woman, you know.”

“Or perhaps this Lord swings both ways.”

“I represent the Irbive Group and am interested in discussing a transaction with the person selling the Black Scaled Snake.”

“The chairman of Qrigi is my dad. How about we become friends, snake-seller?”

“I’m with Contrafers, and I’d like to have a serious talk with the big brother who’s selling the snake.”