Above the mage!

Chapter 521 Northern Territory Office in the Blue Flame Islands
Throughout the entire negotiation process, Sarah maintained one attitude: you can ask for anything, she will agree to it without hesitation.

However, Gaode was extremely careful not to take advantage of the situation and did not try to repay the favor or push its luck.

While all his demands were aimed at securing benefits, they were all based on the premise of not harming the interests of the Gold Coin Hunters' own group, or even on the premise of a win-win cooperation.

These include:

[Exclusive Trading Rights and Priority]:
The Gold Coin Hunters became the preferred "agents" for Northern specialties in Black Sails City, prioritizing the procurement and transportation of Northern goods and using their channels to help sell them at the best prices.

Of course, if Sarah abandons the purchase or is unable to meet the North's shipment volume, the North can find other buyers on its own.

This one is mutually beneficial:
Sarah secured a stable, high-quality, and exclusive supply of goods, which allowed her to solidify her dominant position in the black market trade and earn substantial profits.

Gaode Maps found the most reliable and highest-priced export channel for supplies from the northern border.

[Procurement and Transportation Support]: Request Sarah to utilize her Black Sails City's trade network to procure, at more competitive prices, the North's urgently needed resources that are inconvenient to source from the Plantagenet Kingdom.

They also used their fleet to provide a stable and more cost-effective transportation service to bring these supplies back to the North.

The Bloodsail Pirates already possessed a sizable fleet within their assets.

However, when it was in Davy Jones's hands, this fleet was used for plundering.

While Sarah may not necessarily be considered part of the Chaotic Good faction, she has certainly fallen to the level of Chaotic Evil.

She definitely doesn't respect and has no intention of engaging in piracy.

In this situation, it was already in her mind for the fleet to switch to purchasing and transportation business.

Gaode's proposal was equivalent to providing her with a large client and a stable order.

The collaboration also provided Gaode with a stable channel for the input of external resources, which may be cheaper and more efficient than what it could find on its own, making it a mutually beneficial partnership.

[Technology and Talent Acquisition]: Sarah uses her powerful influence in conjunction with the Crow's Den's strong intelligence capabilities to assist the North in recruiting various technical talents needed for development and construction.

The North is undergoing rapid development, and there is a huge shortage of talent in all fields.

But for most people, especially talented individuals, the North is a desolate wasteland with no appeal whatsoever.

Moreover, if personnel were rashly brought in from other places, it could easily expose the situation in the North to the outside world.

But the City of Black Sails is different.

Most people who come to such places are those who have nowhere to go on the mainland and have no choice but to seek refuge here.

Many of them must be vicious and ruthless.

Gaode certainly doesn't plan to bring in this type of talent from the North, because that would be like inviting a wolf into the house.

However, there were also many good people who were persecuted, such as scholars persecuted by nobles and craftsmen ostracized by their families.

They didn't like or adapt to places like Black Sails City, but they had no choice but to grit their teeth and flee there to survive.

These are the key people that Gaode Maps is focusing on recruiting.

These people live in constant fear in Black Sails City. If they could be provided with a relatively stable environment, even if it is somewhat backward and primitive, they would most likely be willing to accept it.

Moreover, since these people were already ostracized on the mainland, the possibility of them secretly leaving the North and leaking information about the North to others after entering the North was greatly reduced.

Originally, identifying such people was a difficult problem, but now, with the help of the local gangsters, it has become much easier.

As for the transportation of personnel, it can be included in the previous section on "Procurement and Transportation Support".

[Intelligence Sharing]: Sarah's side provides the North with macro-strategic intelligence, such as the political landscape and major events on the mainland.

The remoteness of the North and its lack of information access are major drawbacks. They haven't affected us yet, but we definitely need to plan ahead in terms of intelligence. We can't wait until we need it to start thinking about solutions, because by then it will be too late.

This intelligence, while not core strategic intelligence, is low-cost but provides the North with an extremely important "information window."

So, even though it was essentially a one-sided effort from Sarah's side, Sarah readily agreed.

Finally, God hoped to gain Sarah's support and protection so that the North could establish a permanent official institution in Black Sails City, namely the North's Office in the Blue Flame Islands.

The office is mainly responsible for handling trade liaison, negotiations, and information collection, and also serves as a formal foothold for the North in Black Sails.

This will improve trade efficiency, benefit both parties, and make communication between the Gold Hunters and the North and even the Highlands more direct and convenient.

Gaode's demands seem numerous, but they do not require sharing the management rights of Black Sails City, nor do they require Sarah to do anything that would obviously make enemies or damage her reputation, nor do they require unpaid, one-sided contributions.

This is precisely his principle of cooperation: focusing on establishing a long-term, stable, and mutually beneficial cooperation framework, rather than extracting profits in a one-off transaction.

Sarah not only readily agreed, but also offered even more favorable terms.

Examples of benefits include long-term shipping discounts in the "Procurement and Transportation Support" section, and the direct, free gift of a tavern as the premises for the Northern Office.
Once this collaboration is finalized, it will be equivalent to the North gaining a new hub that can quickly connect it to the outside world and help it develop.

For Sarah, it means an emerging market with huge potential, a source of exclusive goods, and even a powerful geopolitical ally in the future.

Of course, she is not aware of this yet; she simply wants to repay Gao De's kindness on her own.

—Because it was inconvenient to explain, Gao De did not reveal the identity of the King of the North.

He simply said that due to some special circumstances, he had ventured deep into the heart of the North and gained the trust of the powerful tribal leaders there, becoming their representative in the outside world.

To find the most reliable and highest-paying outlet for the resources of the North, and in return for everything they desperately need for development.

Upon closer examination, there is not a single lie in these words; it's just that they don't tell the whole truth: as the King of the North, Goddard did indeed gain the trust of the War Mother Sunefa.

While being the supreme ruler of the Zhenbing tribe, it is perfectly reasonable for him to call himself the tribe's spokesperson.

Even if the truth comes out later, Sarah cannot accuse him of deception.

Moreover, it is an undeniable fact that the North holds immense potential.

After long-term cooperation yields benefits, the relationship between the North and the Gold Coin Hunters will naturally transform from a benevolent alliance between Sarah and God to a more stable community of shared interests.

With the cooperation agreement finalized, Sarah stood up, straightened her clothes, and prepared to leave.

She still had many things to worry about. However, before leaving, she still reminded him: "The situation in Black Sails City is still unstable. There are definitely remnants of the Bloodsail Legion. In addition, other forces are also watching from the shadows. Although no one dares to provoke our Gold Coin Hunters on the surface, their underhanded actions are hard to guarantee."

"You need to be careful. I'm afraid some force might make a move against you."

Gao De nodded, taking Sarah's advice to heart.

Sarah said no more, turned around and quickly walked out of the tavern.

As for Gao De, after thinking for a moment, he called Lan Wen and they headed towards the black market together.

He still has an order over there that hasn't been settled yet.

“The raw materials needed to prepare Bone and Blood Thorn Oral are not common, and my stockpile is limited. You need it urgently, and there is no time to place an order. So I used up all the materials I had and only managed to prepare these 18 bottles of Bone and Blood Thorn Oral.”

It was still the first stall at the entrance to the largest black market in Black Sails City. Old Ghost Yao slowly took out a wooden box from the box behind him.

Upon opening the wooden box, 18 bottles of dark red potions were neatly arranged inside.

It is the very essence of bone, blood, thorns, and nectar.

"That's enough for now." Gao De picked up a bottle of Bone and Blood Thorn Elixir, examined it carefully, and confirmed that the quality was almost the same as what he had bought before. He nodded slightly.

One bottle of Bone and Blood Thorn Oral Liquid can last for seven days, and with the ten bottles he bought the first time, it will be enough for him to use for half a year.

18 bottles of Bone and Blood Thorn Elixir, each bottle costs 100 Golden Bird Coins, and there's still a buy-five-get-one-free offer, totaling 1500 Golden Bird Coins.

After the auction, Gao De only had 500 Golden Bird Coins left in his savings.

However, some of the cargo left behind by the Columbus was sold off gradually during this period.

His savings once again exceeded 3000 gold coin, and Sarah did not charge him for purchasing the magic potions and materials, so he had more than enough to pay for the expenses.

“I need the Bone and Blood Thorn Elixir long-term. This time I’m planning to place another order for 100 bottles. Can you give me a discount? I don’t have high requirements. Delivery within six months is fine. Can you do that?” Gao De asked after the payment was completed.

Upon hearing this, a glint of light flashed in the old man's cloudy eyes.

He priced a bottle of Bone and Blood Thorn Elixir at 100 Golden Bird Coins. The total transaction amount of this order was already close to 10,000 Golden Bird Coins, enough for him to live on for several years.

“I can do it. You’re a regular customer, and you’ve placed such a large order, so I’ll give you a fair price.” “Old Ghost Medicine” tapped the table lightly with his withered fingers. His eyes, hidden behind his mask, gleamed slightly, but his tone remained calm and composed: “How about 7500 Golden Bird Coins?”

After a quick calculation, Gaode Maps concluded that this is equivalent to a 25% discount, which shows they are being quite generous.

"Okay, deal."

The transaction was completed, but Gaode did not offer to pay a deposit, nor did Yao Laogui ask for one.

In a place like Black Sails City, trust is scarce. If Gaode pays a deposit, Yao Laogui might run off with the money the next day and never be found again.
Conversely, if Yao Laogui prepares the goods in advance but Gao De delays payment, he can only accept his bad luck, but at least the potion is still his own.

Therefore, doing business without discussing deposits and relying entirely on the credibility and courage of both parties has long been an unspoken rule in the Black Sail City's black market transactions.

This is a tavern located in the central district. It is extremely luxuriously built with exquisite wood. Even though the sea breeze has left uneven patterns on the wooden walls, it still exudes a sense of weight and solidity.

There is no land in the Blue Flame Islands to grow trees, so all the timber is transported from elsewhere.

A faded sign hangs above the tavern's door, bearing the words "Blood Orange".

Gao De pushed open the door and led Lan Wen inside.

An aroma mingled with the scent of aged wine and the fresh fragrance of wood wafted towards me.

The tavern is spacious inside, with more than a dozen round tables on the first floor. Unburnt charcoal still remains in the fireplace in the corner, and several strings of dried seaweed and fishing nets hang above it.

The second floor has four separate rooms that can be used as offices and rest areas. The windows face the port area of ​​Black Sails City, and from this vantage point, one can clearly see the ships coming and going and the busy dockworkers.

This tavern is in an excellent location. It originally belonged to the Bloodsail Pirates, was later acquired by the Gold Coin Hunters, and is now being given to God by Sarah to set up an office.

Because the powerful backer is the most sought-after gold hunter group in Black Sails City, there is basically no need to worry about safety even in a chaotic place like Black Sails City. It can be said to be a prime location with unlimited appreciation potential.

Gao De led Lan Wen to look out the window and slowly said, "I plan to set up an office here and need a trustworthy and capable person to serve as the ambassador. I think you are the most suitable person at the moment. Do you want to stay?"

Lan Wen was visibly taken aback upon hearing this.

"Don't rush to answer, let me finish," Gao De continued calmly.

"If you are willing to stay, your position will be adjusted, and you will need to step down from your position as deputy director of the Public Security Bureau. As things stand, this is undoubtedly a demotion."

The Northern Territory's office in the Blue Flame Islands is certainly far less important and prestigious than the Sheriff's Office.

Choosing to become the head of the office and giving up the position of deputy director of the Public Security Bureau is, in this light, an extremely foolish choice.

After all, the former was just a newly established temporary organization, while the latter was a core department of Phoenix. The difference in both scale and influence was enormous.

Moreover, choosing to become the head of the office meant being far away from Finex and the North, essentially a form of "exile."

But this does not mean that choosing to become the head of an office is a dead end.

Gao De said firmly, "But in the long run, the prospects of this ambassadorial position in the office may even surpass those of the deputy director of the security bureau."

"You may not know this, but the Northern Territory's office in the Blue Flame Islands theoretically has a superior department. However, due to the current development situation in the Northern Territory, I have not set one up yet."

"But the fact that it has not been established yet does not mean that it will not be established in the future. In fact, I can say with certainty that this department will definitely be established in the future."

"Once this department is established, as the first head of the Northern Territory's office in the Blue Flame Islands, you are familiar with foreign affairs and have made great contributions, so you will definitely be the first choice for the position of head of this department."

Gao De had no interest in testing people's hearts, so he spoke frankly, telling Lan Wen about the pros and cons of serving as the head of the Northern Territory's Blue Flame Islands office, as well as the future prospects, and letting Lan Wen make his own choice.

A hint of doubt flashed in Lan Wen's eyes. After hesitating for a moment, he finally asked, "My King, may I know the name of this department?"

“Of course,” Gao De shrugged and laughed, “If nothing unexpected happens, its name should be…”

"Ministry of Foreign Affairs!"

(End of this chapter)