Munitions Empire

Tang Mo heard John’s laughter and knew that his business deal was successful, so a smile also appeared on his face as he responded with a smile, "15 Gold Coins, one Tang’s K1 Quick Gun, the price for the matching equipment and bullets will be calculated separately!"

"The price is very fair, at least it’s not exorbitant," John said with a smile, nodding his head. Surprisingly, he agreed without even attempting to bargain.

This made Tang Mo feel a little uncomfortable; he thought he might be overcharging and acting somewhat "unscrupulous."

However, he also knew that if these elves could take the K1 Quick Guns back to their country, they would definitely make a profit off this price.

Moreover, once they presented these weapons to their country, the benefits they could receive from the upper echelons would likely be even greater.

"Then, how many of these rifles would you like to order?" As a businessman, Tang Mo immediately cast his conscience aside and asked.

"I hope to order 1000 of these rifles," John pondered and gave a number. "Could you deliver these weapons within a reasonable time frame?"

"What do you consider a reasonable time?" Tang Mo uncorked the bottle and poured himself another cup of barley wine before asking in return.

John extended three slender fingers, giving a very short time frame, "I can only stay here for up to three days, so is it possible for you to complete the order within that time?"

"That is indeed a bit difficult..." Tang Mo felt that these elves really did have money, to actually order 1000 expensive weapons.

The total price of these weapons would be at least 20000 Gold Coins, not a small sum which could potentially be the entire earnings from this maritime journey: this might even include the gross profit covering the cost.

John actually hadn’t planned on spending so much money on so many K1 Quick Guns; he intended to take back a sample and then get more Gold Coins from his father.

If his father was happy, he might even be rewarded with an estate, which would be an asset far more enviable than 1000 Gold Coins.

John thought that Tang Mo could produce at most a few dozen Quick Guns in three days, and including inventory, it wouldn’t exceed fifty guns.

Since firearms like these were costly and expensive, it was unlikely for a merchant to stockpile a large quantity of the product without securing buyers first.

So, with confidence, he asked, "Then, how many rifles can you give me within three days? Three? Thirty?"

"I could deliver about 500... and if you are willing to pay for overtime production costs, then I might deliver around 700 rifles," Tang Mo calculated carefully and replied.

"Hmm, seventy rifles’ production rate is still... what did you say?" John was about to continue speaking when he was suddenly startled by the number Tang Mo had mentioned.

"I said, if you are willing to pay the overtime production fee, I might be able to deliver around 700 rifles," Tang Mo emphasized with a smile.

Tang Mo’s factory had just completed an expansion; he had three workshops that could produce K1 Quick Guns. If he had the necessary materials, he was indeed confident that he could produce 700 K1 Quick Guns within three days with overtime work.

However, Tang Mo knew that when it came to weapons, the higher the technology, the better the price it could fetch.

The reason why the K1 Quick Gun could be sold at such a high price and why the wealthy elves across from him didn’t even bargain was also that Tang Mo’s weapons were technically far superior to Shireck Flintlock Guns.

Therefore, Tang Mo wanted not only to sell the K1 Quick Guns but also hoped to sell the outdated revolvers to these elves before him.

Because the production speed of a revolver wasn’t much slower than a K1 Quick Gun, yet the price could be inflated to more than ten times.

Of course, if possible, he even wanted to sell steam engines to the elves of the Elf Race: including weapon blueprints, steam engines, and the full set of production technology.

"Are you joking?" John furrowed his brow and spoke with some displeasure as he looked at Tang Mo, "Do you know how long it takes for a worker to make a single gun barrel?"

"I know, a worker can produce about four gun barrels a day," Tang Mo gave a conservative figure, although in reality, his workers could produce five or even six gun barrels a day.

"That’s impossible! A worker can’t even drill one barrel a day for Shireck Flintlock Guns!" John stood up and emphasized as he stared into Tang Mo’s eyes.

"I have a new technology, sir," Tang Mo explained as if it were a given, "That’s why I said earlier that I am the owner of a company... there is a difference between a company and a workshop."

"Even with technology, can you ensure that all the barrels you produce are up to standard?" The elf captain standing behind John continued to question Tang Mo.

Tang Mo shrugged and retaliated, "You can place an order, can’t you? If I can’t fulfill it, you can receive compensation."

"You!" The captain wanted to step forward but was stopped by John extending his hand.

"Do you really have the means to produce 200 of these K1 Quick Guns in a single day?" John looked at Tang Mo again and asked, word by word.

Tang Mo nodded and replied, "This would require the workers to do overtime, but under normal circumstances, producing about 100 K1 Quick Guns a day is a more economical choice."

"I’ll take 100! With all the accompanying... equipment!" After some thought, John gave a well-considered figure.

"Didn’t you say you wanted 1000..." Tang Mo nearly blurted out the words—but at the crucial moment, he swallowed them back.

He knew that John’s earlier claim of wanting 1000 K1 Quick Guns was obviously a bit of a bluff.

When it came time to place the actual order, John was clearly more serious, and the figure he stated was also much more realistic.

"No problem!" Tang Mo didn’t feel that 100 K1 Quick Guns was a small deal at all because he knew that John certainly wouldn’t just buy 100 rifles.

If a kingdom purchased 10,000 or even 100,000 rifles, and if the whole world took up Tang-style K1 Quick Guns, Tang Mo might become the richest man on the planet.

After hearing Tang Mo’s response, John nodded slightly and continued to speak earnestly, "Let’s reintroduce ourselves. My name is Augustine John..."

"Tang Mo. The owner of Great Tang Group." Tang Mo also reintroduced himself.

"May I be so bold to ask? If… we give you sufficient profits, would you be willing to move your... enterprise... to my kingdom?" John chose his words carefully and said, "We can grant you a title, and your craftsmen will be rewarded handsomely. Elves are never stingy..."

"I’m afraid that’s a bit difficult." Tang Mo politely declined John’s offer, "Because we have other businesses here."

John sat back down in his chair, seemingly having realized the key issue: Since these damned humans had again come up with a brand-new weapon, they would certainly immediately sell it to neighboring nobility, to their own kingdom—it was a certainty.

So Tang Mo must have the official backing of the Leite Kingdom, he might even be a confidant of the King—therefore, the Elves’ solicitations, especially his own informal one, were clearly not very tempting.

Unfortunately, he had guessed entirely wrong...

John, who thought he’d grasped the key point, could only temporarily give up on the idea of directly recruiting Tang Mo and instead said, "Draft a contract immediately for us to produce 100 K1 Quick Guns… You can take 10 percent as a deposit, but these two guns you have to leave behind!"

"Two guns?" Tang Mo feigned bewilderment, then asked with a puzzled look, "Which two guns?"

"Didn’t you bring two K1 Quick Guns?" Pointing at the case Luff was holding, John asked, puzzled.

"Oh! Mr. John! Obviously, you are mistaken." Tang Mo quickly used his talent, pointed at the case in Luff’s hands, and said, "These are not K1 Quick Guns."

"Then what? A box for money?" John asked with a smile.

"This is another entirely new weapon I was planning to pitch to you!" Tang Mo, feigning profundity, turned to the side and pointed at the case in Luff’s hands, loudly saying, "Prepared for you, for your brave officers, for the noble knights… the very best! Weapons!"

"Officers?" John frowned again. He struggled with Tang Mo’s exaggerated salesmanship because he had never encountered such a "merchant" before.

The merchant, in excitement, introduced his product, "Yes! Inside are two pistols! Specially designed and made for officers, the most outstanding and effective personal defense weapons!"

"You don’t need to be so... over the top," John raised his hand, intending to stop Tang Mo’s flamboyant speech.

However, Tang Mo’s following words made the Elf nobleman forget what he wanted to say...

Because he heard Tang Mo solemnly declare, "This is a type of pistol that can fire continuously! While your enemies are still loading their rubbish-like Shireck Flintlock Guns, you could already have fired a second shot, even a third!"

"Let me introduce it to you! The world’s most advanced pistol in a hundred years! The Tang-style Revolver! An epoch-making firearm!" He took the case from Luff’s hands, placed it in front of John with the front of the box facing him, opened the case and said, "Once you try it, you won’t want to put it down… Trust me! This is the ultimate weapon you’ve been dreaming of owning!"

As he spoke, he pushed the case towards John. And at that moment, John involuntarily looked down into the case.

Then, he saw two shiny silver, odd-looking pistols lying flat in the case, alongside the ammunition and caps.

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Today is my birthday, but I am reminded of my mother, missing her so much.

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