Super Gene Hunting Ground

Duan Jinjiang of the Vulture Chamber of Commerce is getting increasingly troubled.

Today is the monthly Elder Council meeting of the Trade Union, with nine elders present excluding the expelled Tenth Elder.

Everyone sat in the meeting room, and the atmosphere was somewhat oppressive.

The Second Elder was reporting on the Trade Union’s performance for the past month.

”We have basically lost the supply of goods from Yang Xiao’s five cities. In over two hundred cities across the Central Continent, losing five cities doesn’t have a significant effect on us,

but the problem now is, those five cities under Yang Xiao have become wholesale distribution centers, and their prices are about half of ours. Over twenty cities neighboring theirs have started to wholesale goods from them, causing our sales to plummet by about 10%,

If this continues, as Yang Xiao’s reputation grows and word spreads, I fear more cities will purchase goods from Yang Xiao, which will have a huge impact on us.”

Duan Jinjiang frowned deeply, his face dark with lines, and thumped the table heavily.

”Yang Xiao must be eliminated. The sooner, the better.”

”Yes, I see this youngster Yang Xiao is quite ambitious. He’s recently been cultivating and planting grains; his five cities have already reclaimed tens of thousands of acres, planting various crops,

The intelligence from the frontlines tells us Yang Xiao’s first batch of grains has been harvested abundantly. If this continues, in about two to three years, not only will they be self-sufficient in grains, they might even sell to other city residents. At this rate, our crucial grain trade might be cut off by him.”

”If this goes on, won’t the Vulture Chamber of Commerce be disbanded?”

”Recently, many city traders have given us feedback, saying City of Hope’s goods are much cheaper than ours. If we don’t lower our prices, they will stop procuring from us and turn to City of Hope.”

”Indeed, Yang Xiao is like a disruptor. Currently, his capabilities can only meet the trade demands of a dozen cities,

but his prices are excessively low. If we don’t reduce our prices, customers will constantly compare ours to Yang Xiao’s goods, urging us to lower prices, which we can’t withstand.”

”I’ve heard Yang Xiao has now organized a formal trade caravan, and the caravan’s leader is our former Tenth Elder, Ma Kui. It was Yang Xiao who saved Ma Kui’s family back then,

”I think Yang Xiao had long premeditated this.”

”What is he really after? How does this benefit him?”

”The benefits are obvious. Not only has Yang Xiao gained fame, but more importantly, a large number of people are migrating to his territories. Recently, Yang Xiao’s area has seen an increase of about a million people, which is terrifying,

Moreover, he’s seized a portion of the market from our commerce. Even though his prices are half of ours, he’s still making a profit, as he doesn’t have to pay protection fees to the three great demon City Lords of the Central Continent.”

...

The elders discussed among themselves, with the entire meeting revolving around Yang Xiao.

The Second Elder, Ma Xiaotian, said:

”Everyone, the current situation is that Yang Xiao’s actions are severely damaging our Vulture Chamber of Commerce. If we don’t eliminate Yang Xiao, our Trade Union will not find peace and might not survive.”

Saying so, the Second Elder turned to look at the Great Elder, Duan Jinjiang, beside him.

”President, what do you think.”

Duan Jinjiang gritted his teeth and said:

”I wish I could kill Yang Xiao right now, but even Mr. Master on the Dark Web dares not assassinate Yang Xiao, what should we do?”

”If there’s no other choice, I think we can only turn to Ba Tianhu.”

The Fifth Elder was impetuous, and spoke urgently.

There was a moment of silence in the meeting room, everyone looking at Duan Jinjiang.

Duan Jinjiang thought for a moment, sighed, and said,

”If there’s really no other way, we can only turn to Ba Tianhu, knowing we’ll be extorted a huge sum of money, but we have to brace ourselves for it,

But I’m puzzled, doesn’t Yang Xiao’s actions affect Ba Tianhu’s cities? Why doesn’t Ba Tianhu hate Yang Xiao or act directly against him?

This doesn’t match Ba Tianhu’s typical demeanor!”

The Third Elder thought for a bit and said:

”If we’ve guessed correctly, Ba Tianhu isn’t acting against Yang Xiao actively because he’s waiting for us to approach him with a large sum of money,

The dozens of cities he controls are relatively far from Yang Xiao’s domain, so they aren’t very much affected for now, and he can afford to hold off temporarily.”

Hearing this, Duan Jinjiang couldn’t help but curse,

”That demon, old fox, truly detestable! The Vulture Chamber of Commerce pays him two billion crystal disks in protection fees annually, and now when we’re in trouble, he stands idly by,

No way, I’ll go find him tomorrow, I must ask why he doesn’t step up to protect us. Are our two billion crystal disks paid yearly all for nothing?”

...

The next day, Duan Jinjiang, along with the Second Elder Ma Xiaotian and others, arrived in Sky Tiger City.

They were first greeted by Ba Tianhu’s Think Tank, Yuri.

”Ah, President Duan, long time no see. What wind brought you here?”

Yuri laughed heartily, inwardly gleeful, seeing the money-bringer come knocking, confirming City Lord Ba Tianhu’s accurate anticipation; no doubt worthy of being one of the Central Continent’s three great demon City Lords.

”Ha ha, Master Yuri, how have you been? It’s been a while since we saw you; I’ve missed you, brother. I invite you to dinner tonight, we won’t leave until we’re drunk.”

”Alright, since President Duan is inviting, I’ll happily accompany you to the end.”

”By the way, where is the City Lord?”

”You mean the City Lord? He’s cultivating in the backyard; is there something President Duan needs?”

Yuri pretended to know nothing, waiting for Duan Jinjiang to say.

Duan Jinjiang, helpless, forced a smile, and said:

”Master Yuri, you all enjoy a leisurely life here, but we are miserable; our Vulture Chamber of Commerce is about to go bankrupt, sigh, brother, I need the City Lord’s help to save me!”

Yuri feigned shock and said:

”President Duan, what happened? The Vulture Chamber of Commerce has such a vast business; who dares to bother you?”

”Sigh, Master Yuri, don’t mention it. Lately, our Vulture Chamber of Commerce has had one misfortune after another,

a person named Yang Xiao killed the City Lord of Death City, then successively took control of the surrounding Titan City, Firebird City, Shuize City, and Cold Valley,

This person inexplicably broke former rules, set up his own trade caravan, and transported goods back from the outside,”

”Ah, you mean the Vulture Chamber of Commerce lost the business of five small cities?

That’s not such a big deal; there are over two hundred cities in the Central Continent; losing business in five cities is trivial, why go bankrupt over it?

President Duan sure knows how to joke?”

”Sigh, if Yang Xiao just traded to meet his city residents’ needs, it would be fine. However, he’s now providing a large exterior supply of various goods at half our prices,

Look at this; how will we maintain our business?

Master Yuri, I annually pay the City Lord two billion crystal disks in protection fees; in this matter, you must stand up for our Vulture Chamber of Commerce!”

Yuri: ”...”

Damn, Duan Jinjiang sure is cunning, pushing this responsibility onto us?