Volume 5 Chapter 13: First step to independence

There was a row of ten twenty ton large transport Magic Cars newly developed by the Frestech Chamber of Commerce that drove across the Falling Rain Road.

Large tires that were one meter in diameter and thirty centimeters in width drove across the firm road. They created a thud sound that drew the attention of all the other vehicles and pedestrians on the road.

Seeing this powerful motorcade with the half wing symbol of the Frestech Chamber of Commerce, everyone revealed a knowing smile.

It seemed like the Frestech Chamber of Commerce was transporting cargo to Banta City again.

Since her majesty Seveni took the throne, the Frestech Chamber of Commerce made a contract with the Lampuri Kingdom, so this scene was very normal.

Especially for the Frestech Chamber of Commerce's "old home" of Banta City, there were motorcades from the Frestech Chamber of Commerce every few days.

Other than transporting household magic machines, they also transported other goods.

For example, for this motorcade, they were delivering a batch of new semi automatic Magic Lathe Machines.

If they were assembled, they would become a new Magic Air Conditioner assembly line.

This was one of the projects that the Frestech Chamber of Commerce worked on with Banta City.

But what was different was that this new semi automatic Magic Air Conditioner production line would completely belong to Banta City.

This meant that the Frestech Chamber of Commerce wouldn't earn a single cent from the Magic Air Contioners produced.

To put it more directly, the Frestech Chamber of Commerce had sold this semi automatic Magic Air Conditioner production line to Banta City, their partner.

Compared to the factories that were invested in by the Frestech Chamber of Commerce and the Lampuri Kingdom, this was the first production line that belonged solely to the Lampuri Kingdom. There was a strong significance for the Lampuri Kingdom here.

When the motorcade approached the Falling Rain Valley, there was a group of people waiting by the road ahead. There was even a small stage constructed that had fresh flowers and several red clothes to represent celebration, it was clear they were planning on holding a ceremony.

The motorcade stopped at the entrance of the Falling Rain Valley. Banta City's City Lord Count Will brought a group of Banta City officials forward to welcome them.

The first Magic Car stopped and the door opened to reveal Xu Yi as the first person who came out.

This new cooperation wasn't just important for the Lampuri Kingdom, it was also very important for the Frestech Chamber of Commerce. It represented the deepening of the cooperation between the two sides, so naturally Xu Yi attended on behalf of the Frestech Chamber of Commerce.

He had been planning on driving over two days ahead of time in his Magic Sedan, but because something happened on the Black Rice Wasteland, he had to go to Black Rice City instead.

When the motorcade passed through Black Rice City, Xu Yi had taken the large transport Magic Car to come here.

When Xu Yi came out, Count Will spread his hands with a wide smile, warmly giving Xu Yi a big hug.

"Chairman Xu, long time no see. You really seem more energetic."

Xu Yi loosened his hands and looked over Count Will before saying with a faint smile, "Lord City Lord, after not seeing you for some time, you seem to be much skinnier. Could it be that there have been many things in Banta City that has made you exhausted?"

Count Will gave a sigh and shook his head, "Banta City is in a crucial period of development, of course I as the City Lord have to do everything in my power. Not to mention that this is an important task handed to me by her majesty, how could I disappoint her?"

Xu Yi smiled and just patted his shoulder, "Relax, Banta City is currently developing very smoothly. It is several times stronger than when her majesty took the throne, which of course is your merit as the City Lord."

Count Will nodded with a smile, "That is right. If nothing unexpected happens, Banta City's revenue should be three times that of last year, it might even surpass the high standards of a few years ago. Of course, this is the result of chairman Xu and the Frestech Chamber of Commerce's great support. Speaking of this, I should properly thank chairman Xu."

Xu Yi waved his hand, "No need. In the end, I am a merchant, so I'm working with you to make money."

Count Will laughed, looking at Xu Yi with a look of deep meaning.

Actually, there were many times when he felt he couldn't understand Xu Yi.

If Xu Yi really was just a merchant like he said, doing this to make money, that would be easy to explain.

But to Count Will, if he looked at it from the angle of the Frestech Chamber of Commerce's benefits and from the angle of making money, there were many choices that Xu Yi made that were very strange.

For example, Xu Yi agreed to give Banta City this semi automatic Magic Air Conditioner production line and let them control it completely. This was equal to giving Banta City the ability to research and develop Magic Air Conditioners independently.

It was different from other companies obtaining the technology from the Frestech Chamber of Commerce and producing on their own. This time, the Frestech Chamber of Commerce was not just providing technical support, they also provided the complete equipment, even providing technical personnel. Finally they completely let go and didn't meddle in the factory like before with joint investment and profit sharing.

This production line could represent the Lampuri Kingdom's first step in becoming independent in the magic machine industry.

If it was Count Will, it simply was no different from helping Banta City.

Because with the Frestech Chamber of Commerce's absolute dominance in the industry, even if they didn't do this, no one could say a thing.

But Xu Yi had really done this.

Every time he pondered this question, Count Will could only think of one possible answer. It was that Xu Yi's plan wasn't for normal monetary gains, rather he was looking for something higher.

As for what that higher was......

When he returned to Anvilmar City to report, Count Will had seen her majesty and Count Sean who had been with Xu Yi the most as the previous Banta City City Lord. The two said that Xu Yi paid great attention to the development of the magic machine industry and earning money was secondary to him.

Count Will didn't really believe this answer.

But other than this explanation, he couldn't think of a better one.

According to the trend from before, once the motorcade arrived, Count Will on behalf of Banta City would hold a welcoming ceremony for Xu Yi who came on behalf of the Frestech Chamber of Commerce.

When this ceremony was over, Count Will had people bring the motorcade to the Falling Rain Valley. After resting, they would set up the production line in the afternoon. At the same time, he and the other officials of the City Lord Manor would invite Xu Yi back to Banta City for lunch.

The two rode the same Magic Sedan and drove off on the Falling Rain Road.

With the speed of the Magic Sedan that Xu Yi gave Count Will three months ago, it took less than an hour to reach Banta City.

In the car, the two talked for a bit. Count Will paused before lowering his voice and asking Xu Yi, "Chairman Xu, since you just came from the Black Rice Wasteland, you should understand the matter on the Black Rice Wasteland, right?"

"Un." Xu Yi nodded.

"How is the matter coming along?" Count Will asked.

Xu Yi looked at Count Will's worried look and after thinking about it, he replied, "It's not a problem at all. I've sent people to comfort the beastmen tribes that were attacked and promised in the name of the Frestech Chamber of Commerce to take care of them. Now those beastmen have calmed down and aren't doing anything, but......"

Xu Yi's face turned serious and he asked in a deep voice, "Lord City Lord, I didn't see commander Lantis this time in Black Rice City, so I couldn't ask him face to face. Why could the Sack Kingdom invade the Black Rice Wasteland so easily? Wasn't the western army guarding the northern borders of the Black Rice Wasteland? Moreover, our company has constructed fortifications for them. If they can't stop the Sack Kingdom's attack like this, then they might not be able to stop the Sack Kingdom from invading the Lampuri Kingdom!"

The sudden matter on the Black Rice Wasteland was that five tribes near the border with the Sack Kingdom to the north had been invaded by the Sack Kingdom. Those five tribes were completely slaughtered by the Sack Kingdom's army, creating a large stir on the Black Rice Wasteland. All the beastmen were worried on the Black Rice Wasteland.

After receiving this shocking news, Xu Yi immediately headed to the Black Rice Wasteland and properly followed up on this matter.

However, this matter had serious effects, so Xu Yi was of course angry.

"This......" Count Will gave a cough and revealed an awkward look, "Commander Lantis never expected this to happen......The Sack Kingdom attacked this suddenly and they sent in a small elite team, it is very hard to guard against."

"Is that so?" Xu Yi gave a cold laugh, not pursuing this topic.

Actually he knew that there was this loophole with the western army which gave the Sack Kingdom this chance was because the Lampuri Kingdom never treated the Black Rice Wasteland as their territory. They just treated it as a buffer zone between the Sack Kingdom and the Lampuri Kingdom.

After all, the majority of people on the Black Rice Wasteland were beastmen. No matter how the beastmen were injured, it was unrelated to the Lampuri Kingdom.

But Xu Yi couldn't think this way.

There were over seventy thousand workers in the Frestech Chamber of Commerce and over ten thousand of them were beastmen. This was a power that couldn't be ignored in the Frestech Chamber of Commerce.

Xu Yi had to consider the matter of the beastmen's moods.

Moreover, the Frestech Chamber of Commerce had Black Rice City on the Black Rice Wastelands, it was a very important production base for them.

After developing for several years, Black Rice City was already a large base for the Frestech Chamber of Commerce and the other companies, so it was very important.

Black Rice City sat on the Black Rice Wasteland, so if the Black Rice Wasteland wasn't stable, it would greatly affect the stable development of Black Rice City.