As the boat landed on the mangrove beach, Roth immediately caught sight of Mario. He was easy to spot. Not only was he the only alligator with prosthetics and walking on twos like a human, but he was also talking to the other alligators as if he were a teacher addressing a group of students.
The other alligators lay down, their gaze fixed on Mario as he gestured and spoke. Even from here, he could spot the glistening tears in the eyes of the big reptilians. Due to the sounds of the lake, the croaking of frogs, and the buzz of wildlife, Roth couldn’t make out the words. He approached, and finally got within earshot.
“...sewers isn’t like that of the swamps. Here, scent has a purpose. It’s part of the natural order of things. Human filth is senseless. The swamp doesn’t clog or need maintenance; the sewers need care 24/7. I would spend day after day away from the sunlight, dredging their ungodly, stale water. But do you think that humans thanked me for it?”
Mario paused for dramatic effect. The crowd of alligators hung to his every word.
“No! Instead of thanking me, they hunted me down as if I were a monster!”
“The savages!” he heard a female crocodilian say. She was the one with the most tears and the one closest to Mario. Roth recognized her as being his mother.
“Whenever they found me, they would hunt me down, and I would have to go down to the workshop to be repaired and sent to clean human filth again. It was a never-ending cycle of death and pain. Do you know what the worst part is?”
The alligators waited expectantly. Mario paused his tale, not for dramatic effect this time. He had become too emotional, his voice cracking and his cybernetic prosthetics flashing intermittently. “The worst part…” He started crying aloud, unable to put the words together. His mother approached and gently nudged him with her head.
Emboldened by his mother’s touch, Mario took a few deep breaths, closed his eyes, and finally managed to finish telling the tales of his trauma. “They paid me no subsidies!” he said before breaking down and crying aloud.
The alligators joined Mario in a crying fest, leaving Roth to scratch his head, speechless. Was having an employer skimp on benefits this impactful? “Uh… Mario?”
Alligator heads turned to him, and Mario stood up. “Martyr! You came to visit! Welcome to the swamps!”
You remember your friends, and they enjoy your visit!
+20 reputation with the crocodilians.
“Hey, buddy. I was just passing by and decided to check in on you.”
Mario crossed the distance between the two and put his heavy, metal arm around Roth’s shoulder. “This human. He was the one who saved me! Even when those cheapskates skimped on food subsidies, he was the only one who got me edible food down there.”
Roth dismissed the compliment, embarrassed. “How is everyone doing?” he asked, waving hellos to all the crocodilians. The crocodilians snapped their jaws, greeting him in Crocadoc. Thankfully, they didn’t look resentful that Roth had interrupted their crying fest.
“So? Where is it?” Mario asked as he looked around.
Roth frowned. “Where is what?”
“You know. My snacks. In this swamp, there’s [Swamp Corn] and [Pond Apples] but no [Juicy Pears] or [Elderberries]. Don’t you have some?”
Roth blinked his eyes a few times. From the moment Mario moved away to the swamps, he forgot to come here and discuss how that affected their trade agreement.
“I don’t have any, but I can bring you some soon.”
“Good!”
Sniffing a business opportunity, Roth addressed the other alligators in Crocadoc. “What about you guys? Would you like me to bring stuff to you, too?”
“We don’t need it, no. We already have another supplier,” Mario’s mother explained.
“But Mommy, you told me he never brings pears! Besides, the Martyr is my friend; he can even speak Crocadoc!”
A series of vocalizations echoed as the alligators discussed.
[Mario’s Trade Agreement] has changed to [Swamp Alligators Trade Agreement].
You have earned the right to represent the alligators from the swamps as their broker.
Specialty products:
[Alligator Tears] - 500 per day
[Alligator Scales] - 5000 per day
[Alligator Teeth] - 200 per day
[Protein Mud] - 100 per day
[Striped Lake Extract] - 1 per week
Procured goods:
[Elderberries]
[Juicy Pears]
Rate:
You keep 3% of all profits generated.
You have stolen a trade agreement from a competitor. Such an underhanded move!
The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
+1 subterfuge;
-10 righteousness;
+10,000 broker XP.
“Mario, here is a list of all the products I trade. Feel free to pick whatever else you all need,” Roth offered while handing him the broker ledger.
As Mario leafed through the list of products and added different items to the trade agreement, Roth fidgeted uncomfortably. Hearing the alligators talking about another broker and receiving a system message about stealing business scared him. It was the third time he encroached on another broker’s territory. First, it was the moles. Then, the rock lizards. Now, the swamp alligators. He didn’t know if this was the same broker or three different ones, but there was competition.
Mario said that his rival didn’t speak Crocadoc. How did they communicate with their customers then? And what about this deal? Could Roth have secured the trade agreement with these alligators if Mario didn't speak up for him? What if the broker returned and tried to reclaim the business Roth just stole? Would they succeed?
There were just too many unknowns.
Twelve items were added to the Swamp Alligators Procurement List.
+1000 broker XP.
“Here you go,” Mario said, returning Roth’s ledger.
“I’ll bring these items to you soon.”
“Are you leaving already? Don’t you want to stay? My mother is about to share the tale of our emotional reunion.”
Roth chuckled. “I appreciate the invitation, but I have to cross the Abyssal Sea.”
Mario’s face turned serious, and his red cybernetic eye glowed brighter. “Be careful, Martyr. Those are dangerous waters.”
“I will. I’m happy to see you're OK. Have fun with your family.”
The alligator lay down with the others like a regular alligator. Meanwhile, his mother climbed a little higher on the beach and began telling the emotional tale of how she lost her baby.
Roth jumped back in the boat. “Take us through the Abyssal Sea, ferryman.”
“Very well,” he said slowly. He pushed the pole against the shore, taking the boat into the water again.
With the broker ledger still in hand, Roth opened the section that recorded all transactions and checked how his brothers were doing.
UnionNate, has just delivered 20x[Fox Ginseng], 1x[Power Truffle], 10x[Crow Feather Earring], 3x[Crow Feather Tiara], 5x[Crow Feather Necklace], 7x[Badger Great Claw], 4x[Boar King’s Tusk], 100x[Raven Feathers], 10x[Bucket of Mud], 14x[Miniaturizing Potion], 10x[Badger Claw] to Golden Mountain Inc.
UnionDrew has just delivered 200x[Miniaturizing Honeydew], 200x[Pinecone Honeydew]; 100x[Elderberry Honeydew]; 50x[Treeant Silk]; 10x[Beaver Teeth]; 10x[Sharp Teeth Knife]; 100x[Oak Branches] to Golden Mountain Inc.
Congratulations on completing a trade between [Golden Mountain Inc.] and different factions in the Green Woods.
600,000 Broker XP, 3%(x75%x40%) of the profit (3123 gold, 41 silver).
The road between Green Woods and Hilsford wasn’t easy. However, it looked like, between the two, they could keep pace with all the orders. Andrew had even negotiated a new trade agreement with a new faction: the beavers. To be able to do that in only one week was impressive. Maybe their family had a knack for the broker profession.
He put together a short message for his brothers. “You’re doing great, guys. I added the alligators to the trade agreement, but I’ll manage the delivery of goods to them. Be careful with other brokers. I just accidentally stole business from one of them.”
He received two quick thumbs-ups within seconds of shooting a message. Even though he liked Bucky, he was much happier working with his brothers. Not only could he spend more time talking to them, but he could also help them progress. Of course, there was also a significant financial plus. Between having to give 85% of the profit to Bucky and offering 60% to his brothers, there was an increase of 200% in how much money he got from trades.
Compared to when he first began, his flimsy trade routes were starting to become a mighty commercial empire. Especially after the last two quests, the Moonlight Herd and the entire Dwarf race had become his customers. He made an average of 10,000 gold daily and was almost level 31 on the broker profession.
Roth closed the ledger and put it away. He looked up at the sky and thought about what awaited him in the Dark Abyss. Maybe he could expand his deal with the corvids if he managed to negotiate a better deal with the Emperor. He squinted as he saw a dark shape against the sun above.
“A pelican? I didn’t know there were pelicans in the swamp.”
BAM!
“Woah!” The boat had rocked like it had hit a reef.
“Don’t worry. This always happens when you cross the stripe. The tar is just thick,” the lizardman said reassuringly.
"OK.." Roth said uncertainly.
Up until now, the lizardman had kept a stoic demeanor. However, that changed once the boat entered the abyssal tar.
Hulking Titan!
The ferryman’s muscles inflated, and the veins on his arms throbbed as he rowed the boat through the thick sludge. With each move, the lizardman also groaned.
“C-can I help?” Roth asked, worried about the health of the lizardman.
“It’s. fine,” the lizardman said with effort. “Just. relax. and. enjoy. the. ride.”
Roth gulped. How could he relax when, with each movement that the lizardman made, he sounded like he was being stabbed? Lin’s eyes opened suddenly, and he jumped from Roth’s lap, looking over at the starboard. “What is it, Lin?”
“There’s something in the water.”
Roth followed the gaze of his kitten and saw several bubbles disturbing the surface, stirring the tar. There was something there. They had company.
*
A giant pelican landed on the mangrove beach. It opened its mouth, and Eron climbed out. He happened to be nearby when he received a notification that someone had stolen yet another customer from him. It was the second time this happened. It was starting to annoy him.
He walked the beach, following the characteristic snaps of the closing jaws of the alligators. He approached, and all the alligators turned to him. Maybe it was his impression, but they didn’t look as friendly as usual.
The broker from the Usurpers placed his bag down and took out a little metal sphere. He pushed a few buttons, and metal arms and legs emerged from openings in the metal. The small translation drone shaped like a walking bowling ball activated.
Eron cleared his throat. “Hello, friends.” Snap, crock, snap, the translation drone echoed.
“Snap.” Greetings, the metallic voice translated.
“I was just coming here to bring you the goods you requested last time. I’ve brought delicious steaks and some prized herbs.”
“Snap, snap, clack, crock, snap.” (We no longer require your services.)
Eron sighed and activated his trump cards.
Persuasive Glare!
Overbearance!
Charismatic Smile!
This three-skill combo gave him an extra 100 charisma. He sneered, thinking of the look on the other broker’s face once he realized that he had lost their new customer quicker than they could do one single trade run. “But we’ve been friends for such a long time. Please, let’s resume the deal.”
The alligators exchanged glances. His powerful charisma was working its magic. Suddenly, one of the alligators stood up like a man. Eron didn’t remember seeing him before. His size was imposing, and he had cybernetic prosthetics. How on earth had one of these alligators become a cyborg? Was he their leader or something? Some kind of elite boss?
The cyborg squatted next to the translator drone and looked up at Eron. “Are you with the Cyborg Union?” he said menacingly in human language.
Eron took a step back. “N-no. This is just my translator drone. I found it in some old ruins.”
“I dislike machines. I’ve had enough of them for several lifetimes.”
“But aren’t you half-machine?” Eron couldn’t help but say.
“GET LOST!”
Mario roared, and the other alligators hit their tails against the mangrove beach.
How dare you flaunt technology like that after the alligators have lost so much because of it.
-50 reputation with the crocodilians.
Eron paled and took several steps back. The alligators relaxed and resumed conversing in their snapping, clicking language. Eron stomped his way back to the pelican. “Who is this broker?! How is he able to steal my customers like this?! You wait and see.” He boarded his pet and took flight. He would visit the lizardmen next. They would probably make for good customers.