A short yet dashing tan-skinned woman flicked back her long, coca-colored hair. She was currently inside the Public Trade Hall, located inside the Salvation Provinces, west of the border.

The interior of the building was lavish, especially for a public place. It was split into two floors, and at the bottom was where receptionist desks were manned mostly by women. Plant vases split up the monogamous brick wall and concrete floor combo.

Upstairs, at one of the tables positioned to the side of the hallway, the cocoa-haired girl was working out a deal.

“Ms. Moto, you must give me a discount, I’m a loyal customer. I’m always the first to buy your wheat stock,” A fellow merchant bargained. He leaned in closer to raise tension.

“Hmph, loyal until the local monopolies have a sale” Yu Moto responded.

She crossed her legs and leaned on her clasped hands which rested on the table. “Final offer, 100 Penn per pound or a bulk discount of 50 Penn per pound when you buy 100 pounds,” she said firmly.

The bargainer clenched his jaw slightly.

“Your customers will go elsewhere if you don’t ensure their satisfaction!” The cheapskate threatened.

He then pulled out ten-hundred-dollar Penn notes, as though it hurt his soul, and slid it across the table.

Ms. Moto quickly deposited the Penn into her designer wallet with a smile, her head tilted slightly to the side.

“Nice doing business with you,” she said, ignoring the responding scoff.

“The goods will be in your warehouse within the next two to three business days.”

She strutted her way downstairs and out the exit.

As a businesswoman, Ms. Yu Moto was extremely busy, however for whatever reason today specifically was even more action-packed.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

To be more specific, the number of requests for foodstuffs she had received in a single day far exceeded what was normal even in a month, and her Merchant senses were tingling.

Although she knew not why, more demand than supply meant less resistance from buyers to price increases. She monopolized this fact and increased her normal prices from 50 per pound to 100.

Currently, she was on her way to another appointment.

She took a carriage along the main street en route to a noble’s house. When she exited, her path was obstructed by a large gathering of individuals.

“Dissolve the treaty! The Thucians have gone too far!” One roared in anger.

“How can they destroy our livelihood over dried blood?! Send in the Army!”

“Only Thucians are capable of making plaque bugs, their cultivators specialize in it!”

The shouts of an angry mob resounded in the main street surrounded by townhouses.

Yu Moto took a second, then realized why there had been such a meteoric rise in the demand for foodstuffs.

Listening intently, she raised her eyebrow in suspicion.

‘Lucians capable of making plaque-bugs? I’m not too sure they can even raise a proper cultivator…’ She thought to herself.

Walking over to the crowd, she tapped the one who made the preposterous claim on the shoulder.

“From where have you heard Lucians are capable of plaque-bugs?” She asked earnestly. He turned around and looked moderately surprised.

“Young lady, don’t you know? The Lucians have already accomplished non-perishable food, a sorcery without precious salt! Only people with that kind of knowledge could engineer such a fast-acting plaque bug!” He said in absolute confidence.

Ms. Moto pretended to nod in agreement as she began to leave.

Quickly, she exited the crowd by gently pushing past protesters.

She continued along her path but started thinking.

‘that logic is as sound as a donkey’s ass’ She thought bluntly.

‘But I wonder… a protest of this size would get immediately noticed by the town’s guard, and yet nobody is here breaking it up. Considering all protesting is illegal, that’s extremely odd’ She deduced.

“I’m not sure this plaque bug is actually of Thucian descent.’

Later, at an unnamed dark market for information, she found that the Thucian empire quietly closed off all imports & exports from The Salvation Provinces.

Ms. Moto was initially skeptical, but this act wavered her confidence.