Danger!

He hadn't sensed this kind of warning from a Knight in a long time.

Even if it were a Peak Knight, theoretically, there should be no substantial threat to him, let alone trigger a warning.

Unless...

Dharma Seal!

Lula had some special Dharma Seal on her, which endowed her with the power to kill Great Knights.

This lady's radiance was so dazzling that even with several people around her, they would be subconsciously ignored.

"Miss Lula," Carl bowed, "I had heard of your name long ago. Meeting you here today is an honor."

"Haha..." Lula laughed, her voice slightly husky, which was strikingly different from her delicate features, "Speaking of which, when you joined the Dragon King Chamber of Commerce, it was I who set the terms. Unfortunately, we never really met face to face."

"You're always busy!"

As one of the heads of the chamber, this was the first time she was encountering a subordinate who hadn't come to meet her even a few months after joining.

"..." Carl chuckled dryly, "There were some matters to handle recently. I have settled them now; it won't happen again."

"I hope so," Lula narrowed her lovely eyes, "We were just talking about you. I wonder, Pharmacist Carl, could you increase the Potion production in the next half year?"

"The chamber can offer a higher purchasing price."

"This..." Carl hesitated, "How much do you want the production increased by?"

"Thirty percent!" Lula stretched out three fingers and said, "The chamber plans to open a new seaway this year, and we're currently short of various supplies, especially Potions."

"The purchasing price..."

"An increase of ten percent over the original!"

Thirty percent? Carl thought for a moment.

Ayala had been making most of the Potions in the past months. If he took action, a thirty percent increase wouldn't be hard. Moreover, Ayala's proficiency had also improved, and their own shop had some spare capacity, so it wasn't a big problem.

He nodded immediately, "No problem!"

"Good!" Lula clapped her hands, "Then it's settled. Starting from tomorrow, we'll increase the production. Susan, you are in charge of this."

Her style of doing things was decisive.

"Yes," Susan agreed.

"Right..." Lula tapped her forehead, belatedly turning to Carl and asked, "You must be here for something, right?"

"Yes," Carl nodded and said, "I wanted to inquire if the Chamber still has any captured water monkeys. If so, I'd like to buy a few."

"Water monkeys?" Susan laughed, "It seems the experiment you mentioned was successful. Unfortunately, the chamber doesn't have any water monkeys right now."

"No?" Carl frowned, "There must be some elsewhere, right?"

"Nobody wants to mess with water monkeys," Lula took over, sitting down and crossing her legs. "We don't have them here. No one in Freedom Port will either. If you're not in a rush, wait a few months."

"At that time, if any fleet passes by the water monkeys' stronghold, I'll instruct them to try and capture a few."

A few months? Carl said, "Does it need to take that long?"

"Of course," Lula nodded. "When a fleet goes out to sea, how can it return without making enough profit? Even with good luck, they'd drift for more than a month."

"Hmm..." She thought for a moment and said, "If you're willing to spend money, they could make a detour, catch the water monkeys, and return as soon as possible."

"But it would still take a few months!"

A sea ship venturing far offshore to hunt, with so many crew members on board—the consumption of supplies is not a trivial amount.

A few months?

Carl shook his head, "Is there no other way?"

"If you're willing to spend money, you could have a ship go out specifically to hunt water monkeys. Round trip..." Lula calculated, "About 20,000 Divine Grace Coins!"

"Last year, the Sea God Council made a special trip for a coral, on a small ship, and it cost the same."

Carl's expression turned bitter. Although he had saved a fair amount of money over the past few months, he wasn't that wealthy. 20,000 Divine Grace Coins could buy a lot of Dharma Seals.

"Actually..." Susan whispered, "There is another way."

"Oh!" Carl's eyes lit up, "What way?"

"There are some private ships in Freedom Port, including those of our chamber. They have fewer people and can travel more conveniently," Susan said. "A few thousand Divine Grace Coins should suffice for them to make a trip."

"A few thousand?" Carl said, "That I can afford."

"If you're okay with that, I can help introduce you," Susan offered. "However, let me say this first: they do not operate with the same assurances as we do. You might end up spending money and getting nothing."

"It doesn't matter," said Carl. "Let's try it then!"

「...」

Susan had a wide network, and it didn't take long for her to find someone to come over.

"Pharmacist Carl."

The blond man, Conni, was a ship captain with a Legendary background, known for his swift ship, the Cutting Wind. This was a man who was no longer young yet still handsome.

"Capturing water monkeys is a thankless and troublesome task. I'm confident I can take it on, but it will cost 10,000 Divine Grace Coins," he said, sitting down. "If it's less, no deal!"

Carl opened his mouth, then helplessly shook his head.

"Conni has a good reputation, and his character is guaranteed... when it comes to business," Susan whispered. "It's just a bit pricey."

"10,000 Divine Grace Coins..." Carl sighed. "I really can't afford that!"

He could also see the confidence radiating from the man, who might be a Great Knight. No wonder he could do business on the turf of the three major forces.

"Though we didn't make a deal, I'm pleased to have met Pharmacist Carl." Conni, perceptive to the mood, stood up voluntarily, shook hands with Carl, and then with a smile turned to the woman who owned the shop, "Susan, are you free tonight?"

"No," Susan rolled her eyes. "Come back to me when you've cleared the women around you."

"I've always been clear," Conni spread his hands. "If you don't believe it, you can inspect my room on the ship anytime. You're welcome."

"Shameless!" Susan huffed. "Get out!"

It was apparent that there had been some kind of relationship between the two.

「...」

"Carl," Susan extended her hand again to introduce, "This is Blackbeard Gray, and his deputy Charles. Both are seasoned old sailors."

"They are also two brave and skilled Knights!"

"Gray has a ship that can go to sea, often takes quick round-trip tasks from the Dragon King Chamber of Commerce, and has always had a good reputation."

Gray's face was covered with a thick beard, true to his nickname. He was short and stocky, carrying an axe on his back. Charles had triangular eyes and a hooked nose, giving him a somewhat sinister look.

They were members of the Dragon King Chamber of Commerce, though they were aligned with a different faction, not Susan's supporter, Lula, but rather another vice president.

"Water monkeys are troublesome," Charles spoke first. "These creatures live in a nest their entire lives, and they get angry at the slightest disturbance. Once they surround you, even a Great Knight could be torn apart."

"Exactly," Gray nodded, his voice muffled. "Moreover, water monkeys live in the deep sea. Even the nearest one is several days away, and you're asking us to capture them alive."

"It's too difficult a task!"

"Water monkeys are only tough when provoked. Otherwise, they're just a bit stronger than regular monkeys. With your strength, it shouldn't be too hard," Carl said. "Besides, you don't need to fight to the death. You can just knock a few of them out or tranquilize them and bring them back."

"Hmm..." He took out two Potions from his coat and placed them on the table, "These Potions can ensure the water monkeys stay asleep for a few days, enough to get them to Freedom Port and complete the mission."

"It's still not feasible," Charles shook his head. "It sounds simple, but the sea is their territory. If something goes wrong, we won't even have a chance to escape."

"Right, Captain!"

"Hmm," Gray slowly nodded.

"4,000 Divine Grace Coins, back and forth in no more than fifteen days. The pay isn't cheap," Carl offered a concession. "If you can make it back a day early, I'm willing to add an extra 100 Divine Grace Coins."

"Besides, if it weren't difficult, I wouldn't have sought you out."

"Well..." Gray appeared hesitant, seemingly tempted.

"Boss," Charles insisted, shaking his head, "This time it's different from before. We really might die, and 4,000 Divine Grace Coins is just too little."

"We can take the job, but only if the price goes up!"

"Exactly," Gray licked his lips, spreading his hands. "Five thousand!"

"Mr. Karl, if you are willing to pay 5,000 Divine Grace Coins, we will take this mission."

"Pay 2,000 Divine Grace Coins as a deposit, and the remaining 3,000 Divine Grace Coins upon delivery of goods."

Charles nodded in agreement at the side.

Five thousand?

Gazing at the two men, Carl's eyes flickered before he finally said, "Agreed!"

"But I need to see the water monkeys, or three samples of fresh blood from the heart of a water monkey, within half a month."

He had already met several groups of sailors who had come by word of mouth. Few indeed had the required capability, and 5,000 Divine Grace Coins was not an unacceptable amount. After briefly pondering, he simply agreed.

"No problem!" Gray stood up. "We will not disappoint you."

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