The Farmer's Market the next day went off without a hitch. Only Cassian and Travis showed up at the barn where Thaddeus scheduled the auction.

“Where’s everyone else?” Thaddeus asked.

“Lidia, Phillip, and Phoebe have agreed to purchase their goods from my shop.

“Makes sense,” Travis said.

Arthur, Sean, and Mathew stood behind Thaddeus. Arthur and Matthew would be responsible for transporting the fruits and vegetables and Sean was responsible for transporting the grain to Cassian and Travis.

After speaking with Alfred, his A.I. settlement manager, he decided to auction 10% of his crop. The rest he would preserve in his bag of holding, in a virtual box the system labeled produce. His bag of holding only had 10 slots, which looked like virtual square boxes, it was part of his basic equipment when he joined Heaven’s Gate. He desperately wanted to buy a larger spatial ring or bag, but those items were rarely auctioned, and he couldn’t compete with large guilds or billionaire players.

Over 2.5 billion people played Heaven’s Gate. It was the largest game in the history of humankind. It dwarfed other VRMMORPGs by a wide margin. However, whether you were wealthy or poor, every player, NPC, and animal in the game had one thing in common, they all had to eat. With the influx of players, the food supply was strained. The price of carrots costs almost as much as uncommon armor.

It was a good time to be a farmer or rancher.

Two hours later the Farmer’s Market ended with Travis’s smug victorious face. Unlike Cassian who only had his wealth, Travis could tap into the Vulcan Company reserve fund. Travis bid knowing he’d market value was 10 times more than the wholesale price. Unfortunately, that meant Cassian was only able to purchase what Travis did not.

During the auction, Thaddeus realized the pros and cons of a Farmer’s Market. The auction was good for him financially. Thanks to Travis’ bids, the settlement fund increased dramatically. But at the same time, his villagers could only purchase that which Travis did not. Auctions worked great when a lot of people bid over similar items. But Cassian was woefully outmatched by Travis’ spending.

“That’s not how I saw things going?” Cassian whispered in disbelief, slumped over a pile of hay.

“How about I make you a deal,” Thaddeus offered.

“What deal?” Cassian said cautiously.

“I’ll let you purchase 2% of the harvest at wholesale price,” Thaddeus said.

“Now you’re taking pity on me. How far have I fallen?” Cassian mumbled.

“I’m not taking pity on you. You’re helping me?” Thaddeus said reframing the conversation.

“Why would give money away like that?” Cassian asked.

“Because I know that money helps my villagers,” Thaddeus replied.

“What happens when I sell out of something?” Cassian asked.

“You can purchase more at wholesale price, What do you say?” Thaddeus explained offering him a hand up.

“It’s a deal!” Cassian said, standing up with Thaddeus’ help.

Soon after Cassian left happy with his new units of produce and an expected shipment of flour from Sean. Arthur and Mathew took Carl, returned to the field to finish sowing, and Sean returned to the gristmill.

With the barn cleared of people, Thaddeus walked over to a very pregnant Betsy. Betsy was a Clydesdale horse he bought when he left his starter town. It was thanks to her; he was able to travel here. The horse looked content, happy even in her stall munching on hay. He petted her and she whinnied happily for the attention. He could tell that even though she was pregnant she wanted to get out and walk.

“Don’t worry, I’ll have one of the boys walk you around the village,” Thaddeus said leaving to find someone to help her.

Thankfully, children were one thing his village did not have a shortage of. Followers of Demeter tended to several children. And in Woodhaerst that was certainly evident. There were children of all ages running around helping their families with chores.

The livestock and horses were taken care of by mainly Arthur and Sean’s oldest sons. The 13-year-old boys feed and cleaned the chicken coops, feed the pigs, and took the goats and sheep out to graze. Younger boys collected the eggs and milked the goats. On the other hand, older girls helped their mothers with laundry, baking, shopping, and collecting herbs.

The one thing all the children had in common was their desire to become adventurers. When the Bright Guard adventuring party arrived, they instantly became children’s idols. With them gone, their idolization fell to Andrea. Who despite her quiet nature did her best to live up to their hopes and dreams.

After telling Sean’s oldest son to take Betsy for a walk, Thaddeus set off to visit Travis. He finished his bed frame this morning and needed to place an order for a mattress and box springs. He also needed to sell the two skill books Cassian brought him. His contract with the Mythical Guild required he gave the guild the first right of refusal. Only after that could he auction the skill books and other valuable items.

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The Trading Post was a two-story stone building like the other shops. The second floor was housing, and the first floor was his shop. When he walked in, he saw Travis behind the counter staring at a ticker screen. The screen showed daily prices of all manner of tradable items. It was the same ticker that any player could see in their own HUD or Head-Up-Display. However, the screen was invisible to NPCs, so Travis wrote the updated values on a blackboard behind the counter.

If Cassian General Store looked like a grocery store filled with shelves, then the Trading Post looked like a pawn shop filled with cases. Leather boots, weapons, armor, rope, lanterns, pots and pans, empty crates, skill books, saddles, and there was even a canoe. The Trading Post was an adventurer’s paradise. Everything for quests and conquest was available to purchase or order.

“Welcome Philomelus,” Travis said dropping the honorifics and using his guild name.

Unlike Phillip, Phoebe, or Kelly he was not here by choice. He was banished here for breaking guild rules for not meeting his farm quota. This was his last chance at redemption. Failure here meant expulsion, and he couldn’t afford to lose a lucrative guild salary. Whether he admitted it or not, Thaddeus could tell he enjoyed this job. All he did was sit around a day and collect a paycheck from the Mythical Guild. After all, Thaddeus was his only real customer.

“Please don’t call me that,” Thaddeus sighed.

“Fine by me, I never liked that we had to choose a different username to join the guild anyway,” Travis said lazily.

“Did you already give the produce to the guild?” Thaddeus wondered.

“Yeah, it saved the guild money or something. Like they care. Now they’re asking me to do more work, thanks!” Travis said sarcastically.

“I came here to sell two skill books and purchase a mattress set,” Thaddeus said looking forward to sleeping in his house for the first time.

“Where did you get two skill books as expensive as they are? Oh, I bet your friend Cassian got them for you, slick. You won’t make as much on as if you auctioned, but the guild is willing to pay a premium. And here’s the order form for the bed,” he said looking at the common [Basic Swordsmanship] and [Dodge] skill books Thaddeus handed over.

When he was finished, Thaddeus handed Travis the order form and asked, “Does the guild want the skill books?”

“Yeah, they’ll take them. They’re willing to pay 600 gold for both,” Travis announced.

“Don’t bluff me, I know basic skill books go for upwards of 800 gold in the player auction. I won’t sell them for less than 900 gold,” Thaddeus said.

“Ha-ha, you must be trying to get ready for the auction in a few days. Well, you and everyone else. Everyone’s selling right now. It’s a buyer’s market. Check for yourself, the average common skill book sells for 800 gold. The guild asking for 600 is not a bad offer,” Travis defended.

“For someone so lazy, you are good at your job. Fine, I’ll take 750 gold,” Thaddeus said after checking the player auction.

“The guilds won’t go higher than 700 gold. If you want anything higher than 700 you must appeal the price. It will take the guild a couple of weeks to put together an appeals tribunal and by then the auction will be long over. You can take 1,400 gold today or walk away with nothing,” Travis explained.

“Okay, I’ll take the 1,400 gold. What have you heard anything about the auction from the guild?” Thaddeus asked.

“We read the same guild newsletter; I don’t know much beyond that. But I heard from an old acquaintance the guild leader is taking thousands of gold coins. Is that impressive, he’ll probably be the richest one there. Small people like yourself may not be able to afford anything,” Travis said nonchalantly.

After leaving Travis’ shop he went back to his carpentry shop and finished the dovetail joints on matching nightstands.

However, he didn’t make it two steps before a guard rushed over and reported, “Bandits, sir. We spot bandit camp a mile up the road.”

“Prepare for combat,” Thaddeus said.

Not long after Travis opened the Trading Post than did the nearest two towns Pine Bluff and Pine Hill started sending wagons over to trade goods. Thaddeus knew the wagons pulling in and out of Woodhaerst would go unnoticed forever.

Around mid-afternoon, Andrea, Hunter, two guards, and Thaddeus got set to travel. Andrea scouted ahead and Hunter kept an arrow notch on his bow. The three guards followed behind Thaddeus as they walked a mile to the suspected bandit camp. When they arrived at the camp, Thaddeus saw four boulders set around an extinguished flame.

“Someone was here, but they left a few hours ago. Judging by the footstep they left the road and walked into the forest, no doubt to get past our patrols,” Hunter said looking at the tracks.

“Can you track them?” Thaddeus asked.

“Yes, most of these footprints are clumsy, but look at this one. This person tried to hide their footprints as they walked. This person’s a professional,” Hunter warned.

“Which way are the tracks headed?” Andrea asked.

“Back into town,” Hunter said frowning.

“Hunter, lead the way. Andrea, stay by his side. Guards behind me, you’re on rearguard duty,” Thaddeus commanded as they stepped into the forest undergrowth.

“Everyone, Luna’s caught their trail. There upheld, probably near the wolf den we cleared out,” Andrea said.

“Okay, Hunter, Andrea, you go on ahead. Make yourselves invisible,” Thaddeus said. Soon both active their camouflage and disappeared into the back growth. Using their stealth, Thaddeus couldn’t even hear the two leave.

“All right, we have the moment of surprise let’s go!” Thaddeus said as the three guards as he took out his large one-handed axe and shield.

A moment later he gave the order and three guards and himself shot from the forest and attacked the bandits.

“We’re under attacked!” said a skinny taking out a pair of knives.

Thaddeus crashed into him using [Bash] sending him crashing into a tree. While he was stunned, he activated the [Cleave] and cut off the bandit’s arm.

‘Something doesn’t feel right. This is too easy?’ Thaddeus thought as he moved to help the guards.

Thanks to a couple of timely arrows, they were easily able to detain the bandits. Andrea came out from hiding with a worried expression.

“I don’t think they’re bandits. Their levels are too low?” Andrea said.

Thaddeus ungagged one of the men and asked, “who are you, and why are you camping in these woods?”

He looked Thaddeus in the eye and said nothing.

“Here’s the deal, either you tell me, or I jail you for the rest of your lives,” Thaddeus said honestly.

“We’re just the scouts. Our boss is on his way here and then it’s your funeral. He’ll skin you alive for sure. All that belongs to you will soon belong to him,” he said with a sharp grin.

Andrea jammed her blade into the back of the man’s spine. The man wreathed in pain and screamed in agonizing pain. His body seized and he fell dead.

“Andrea the point is to keep them alive for questioning,” Thaddeus explained.

“They talk or they die. I’m not here for commentary!” Andrea explained.

The other four bandits looked at Andrea in abject terror. From that point on they spoke to Thaddeus like he was an old friend. They shared that their boss Felix the Fraud was on his way. Felix was an underground boss who trafficked young children, owned several brothels, where those girls were forced to work, and relative of Earl von Calvin. He was the sleaziest of scum bags. That information was enough for Thaddeus to piece in the puzzle. Earl von Calvin wanted the gem mine by hook or by crook.

The bandits were imprisoned in the new keep and set about readying for battle.