With the **Eternal Bite** gaining popularity among the lower-level players and smaller guilds, CODE found themselves at the start of a massive opportunity—but one that had to be managed carefully. The small-scale operation they had built was already bursting at the seams, with orders coming in faster than they could fulfill. It was time to **expand**.
Alex sat at the head of the table in their newly acquired office space within Ironclad City. The building had once been a warehouse for a now-defunct guild, but after some negotiation, they had managed to purchase it for a reasonable price. It was the perfect base of operations for the next phase of their plan.
"We're growing too fast for comfort," Betsy said, looking over the reports. "If we keep up at this pace, we’re going to run into logistical problems. We’re already at the edge of what we can handle here."
“I can keep the shades working around the clock,” Alex said. “But even with that, we’re going to need to start **outsourcing** some of the work. We can’t produce everything here and expect it to stay under wraps. If we expand our reach too much in this one place, we’ll start drawing too much attention.”
Betsy nodded. "Exactly. We need to **disperse the production**, establish **trade routes** with different cities, and spread the load across multiple locations. That way, if one part of our operation is compromised, the others can keep running smoothly."
“But we still have to be careful,” Alex added. “We can’t let anyone figure out that the **shades** are the ones producing the food. If anyone finds out how we’re doing this, it could blow everything up.”
Drax leaned back in his chair, grinning. "So, we’re expanding our empire, huh? Sounds like fun to me."
"It’s not just about expanding," Betsy replied. "We need to be smart about how we distribute **Eternal Bite**. The last thing we want is for some guild to copy our product and start selling a knockoff version. We need to **lock down the market** before anyone else can get in."
---
### **The Plan for Expansion**
Alex stood, looking over the map spread across the table. Ironclad City was just one of several large cities on the second floor. If they were going to make Eternal Bite the dominant product across the floor, they needed to reach out to the other cities and **secure trade routes**.
"We’ve got a few options," Alex said, pointing to the different cities on the map. "First, there’s **Stonehaven**, another dwarven city about a day’s travel from here. It’s smaller than Ironclad City, but it’s a major **trade hub**. If we can secure a foothold there, we’ll be able to distribute to smaller towns and guilds across the floor."
Betsy nodded. "And then there’s **Thornfall**, a mixed city where players and NPCs from different races live. It’s a bit rougher, more chaotic, but it’s got a large population of **adventurers** who are always looking for an edge. If we can get Eternal Bite into their hands, it’ll spread like wildfire."
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Drax rubbed his hands together. "And we’ll need **caravans** to defend those trade routes. I’m ready for some action."
Luke, ever silent, stood by the window, his shield resting at his side. “**Verum**,” he said softly.
---
### **Negotiations Begin**
They started with **Stonehaven**. Betsy, with her sharp mind for **negotiation**, took the lead in setting up a meeting with one of the **local merchant guilds**. Stonehaven wasn’t as large as Ironclad City, but it was strategically important. Its location made it a natural trade hub, and whoever controlled the flow of goods through Stonehaven could control the market for much of the second floor.
The meeting was held in one of the city’s grand halls, a massive stone structure lined with statues of dwarven warriors. The head of the merchant guild, **Gorin Ironfist**, was a stout dwarf with a shrewd expression. His thick beard was braided with silver rings, each one signifying a successful trade route he controlled.
“So,” Gorin said, sitting across from Alex and Betsy. “You want to start sellin' yer goods here in Stonehaven, eh?”
Alex nodded. “We’re looking for **distribution partners**. Our product, Eternal Bite, has been a hit in Ironclad City. We’re looking to expand into Stonehaven, and we’re offering you the chance to be the **exclusive distributor** in this region.”
Gorin raised an eyebrow. “Exclusive, ye say? That’s a tempting offer, lad. But what makes yer product so special?”
Betsy smiled, sliding a small **sample** of Eternal Bite across the table. “Try it for yourself.”
Gorin eyed the food suspiciously, but after a moment, he took a bite. His eyes widened slightly as the system notification flashed before him.
“**+1 Hour of Real-World Time Granted. +5 Strength for the next 24 hours.**”
Gorin looked up, his expression thoughtful. “Interesting. Real-world time, ye say? That’s no small thing.”
Betsy leaned in, her voice low. “No one else can make this. And if you partner with us, you’ll be the only merchant in Stonehaven who can offer it.”
Gorin stroked his beard, considering the offer. “Ye drive a hard bargain, lass. But I like what I see. I’ll take the deal, but I want a **15% cut of all sales** in this region.”
Alex exchanged a quick glance with Betsy, who nodded slightly. “Deal.”
---
### **Caravan Defense**
With the deal in place, CODE began setting up regular **caravan routes** between Ironclad City and Stonehaven. The shades handled the **production**, and the caravans transported the goods across the dangerous roads between the cities. Drax, true to his word, organized a **defensive force** to protect the caravans from bandits and rival guilds.
The first few runs went smoothly. CODE’s products were quickly becoming a hit in Stonehaven, and the money started pouring in. But it wasn’t long before they ran into their first **real challenge**.
A rival guild, **Silver Serpent**, had caught wind of Eternal Bite’s success and wasn’t too happy about it. **Valen**, the cunning leader of Silver Serpent, had made his fortune by controlling underground trade routes and dealing in black market goods. Eternal Bite threatened his entire operation.
“They’re moving too fast,” Valen muttered to one of his lieutenants as they watched a caravan carrying Eternal Bite supplies through a spyglass. “If they keep this up, they’ll control the market in a few months.”
“What do you want us to do, boss?” the lieutenant asked.
Valen smiled coldly. “We hit their caravans. Make it look like a **random attack**. But I want them to know who’s really behind it.”
---
### **The Ambush**
Drax was leading the caravan on their third run to Stonehaven when it happened. They were halfway between cities, traveling along a narrow mountain pass, when the first **arrow** flew past his head. He grinned, drawing his massive hammer. “Looks like we’ve got company!”
From the shadows, a group of **rogues** and **bandits** leapt from the cliffs, attacking the caravan with swift precision. Drax charged forward, his hammer swinging in wide arcs, while the caravan guards fought to hold the line.
Alex, who had been traveling with the caravan to oversee the route, quickly summoned a wave of **shades**, sending them into the fray. The shades moved like shadows, darting through the battlefield, disarming enemies and disrupting their attacks. But these weren’t just ordinary bandits—they were trained fighters, and they fought with a **ruthless efficiency** that suggested they weren’t just after the cargo.
“They’re targeting us,” Alex muttered, his eyes narrowing. “This isn’t just a random raid.”
Betsy, fighting at his side, nodded. “This smells like **Valen’s work**.”
The battle was intense, but with the combined efforts of the shades, Drax’s brute strength, and Betsy’s precision, the ambush was repelled. The surviving attackers fled into the mountains, leaving the caravan battered but intact.
Drax wiped the sweat from his brow, grinning. “Well, that was fun.”
Alex wasn’t smiling. “This is just the beginning. Valen knows about us now. He’s not going to stop until he controls the market—or destroys us.”