Raising Funds In Reality

The next day, the villagers had gathered by the boat, their resources piled up and ready to be unloaded in exchange for the food Devin had brought. Devin spotted the village chief taking charge, a sense of responsibility evident in his demeanor. The quality of the pearls the villagers had brought was exceptional, surpassing even the ones Devin had purchased at the trade fair. This display of sincerity warmed Devin's heart, strengthening his belief in the people of Stone Village.

As the villagers unloaded the resources onto the ship, the village chief pulled Devin aside. He explained that the five bags contained the piles of stones that Devin desired, with each bag containing at least a hundred large stones. In order to assure the chief, Devin made the decision to keep the bags in his storage ring, instead of loading them directly onto the ship. This act demonstrated his seriousness in keeping their village's secret intact.

With everything loaded onto the ship, Devin knew it was time to set sail back to Sun Haven. He relayed this information to the village chief, expressing his gratitude for their assistance.

"Thanks to your help, our food problem will be alleviated. The priest, Priest Aja, would also like to accompany you back to Sun Haven. She mentioned that she hasn't visited in a while," the village chief informed Devin.

Devin was surprised to hear that the priest of a village rarely left her own village. He wondered what reason Priest Aja had for leaving Stone Village. Nonetheless, he assured the village chief, "No problem, the priest can travel with us. Gary, an experienced sailor, will ensure her safety and bring her back."

Chief Attulla, although still with a hint of worry on his face, seemed to find solace in Devin's words. He nodded in agreement, trusting in Devin's ability to protect and take care of the priest.

"Thank you, Devin. You are a true friend to our village, and your kindness is sincerely appreciated," Attulla expressed his gratitude, his words filled with authenticity.

[Congratulations! You have earned Chief Attulla's approval and have been designated as a friend of Stone Village.]

Devin didn't pay much attention to the system prompt, but being acknowledged as a friend was certainly a positive outcome.

And so, with the preparations complete and the promise of a safe journey ahead, Devin and the gathering sun bid farewell to Stone Village. As the ship sailed away, Devin couldn't help but feel a sense of fulfillment. The exchange had been successful, and the bonds forged between Sun Haven and Stone Village were only growing stronger.

The return journey from Stone Village to Sun Haven progressed smoothly. As the ship arrived, Attulla, accompanied by the village elders, eagerly welcomed Priest Aja. There were smiles exchanged and warm pleasantries shared among them. However, Devin excused himself briefly, as there were still matters he needed to attend to.

His first stop was at the paper mill, where he met with Kylian. Devin discussed the possibility of purchasing seashells from Stone Village at a fair price, ensuring a mutually beneficial trade. Satisfied with the lack of issues in the paper mill and noticing the increased productivity, Devin left after offering words of encouragement to the workers.

Next, Devin visited Ethan, who was still on the island. Upon entering the room, Devin noticed the boxes of potion that were neatly piled up. Upon closer inspection, Devin realized that they were body augmentation potions.

"You've been working hard," Devin remarked with a smile.

Ethan nodded and replied, "I'm also a member of the adventurer group. I have to contribute in my own way. It seems that you'll be needing this potion, and taking it to Elysium City will garner popularity for it amongst the adventurers."

Devin recognized the logic behind Ethan's words and nodded in agreement. As a reward for his efforts, Devin gave Ethan three new prescription potions. The first was a potion that detoxifies the body, as adventurers often ventured into dangerous places where they could be exposed to toxins. This potion would be well-received in the market.

The second prescription was for the Golden Sore potion, designed to treat injuries. Devin had confidence in its effectiveness, as the pharmacopeia prescription was the best and most efficient. It healed wounds faster than any other product on the market.

Finally, there was the Acceleration potion. Devin had chosen this potion because it was a highly valuable product that had yet to hit the market. Even though runes for acceleration might exist, potions offered a different advantage. This particular potion would grant practitioners temporary enhanced speed, potentially saving lives in dangerous situations. Devin recalled Alex's encounter in the forest and how an acceleration potion could have helped him escape the pursuing beast due to his initial speed.

"Are you sure you want to give me this prescription?" Ethan asked, visibly shaking with excitement.

"Return it if you don't want it," Devin teased Ethan, playing along with his excitement.

"Never, once it's in my hands, it belongs to me," Ethan replied with determination.

Devin chuckled, "Stick around, and there will be more. This is also a reward for your hard work, and it is a marketable product."

"So you're giving it to me to make me your slave?" Ethan jokingly questioned.

"Are you complaining?" Devin teased back.

"As long as you provide the ingredients, I have no complaints," Ethan replied. He appreciated this kind of reward, as he had always lacked quality prescriptions. With this, his potion-making skills would truly thrive.

"I know you're busy, but don't neglect your potion-making either," Ethan advised.

"Yes, Master," Devin playfully responded.

Devin then sent a message to Alex, inquiring about his progress in finding the source of the strange fire. Alex had obtained some information but unwittingly triggered a dungeon and was about to explore it with other players. Devin was aware that, at level 15, players could now enter dungeons, which were like mini-secret realms.

Devin warned Alex to be careful and take care, as he had some matters to attend to himself.

Nearly four days had passed since Devin promised Elijah the funds, and he also needed to start playing the game himself. With that in mind, Devin logged out and messaged Elijah, requesting a meeting.

Devin decided to rent a warehouse where he could store items from Oasis, as well as those he intended to take there. After thorough research, he found a location with high-security measures, both technologically and in terms of personnel. The warehouse offered privacy, with no cameras inside and no interference in one's activities. Devin shared the address with Elijah for their meeting. The warehouse came at a cost of five hundred thousand points for a two-year rental, but it was worth it to ensure the utmost security and secrecy for Devin's operations.

Knowing that Elijah had deep connections, Devin trusted him to handle the disposal of the pearls better than he could. He wanted to avoid using the auction house, as this transaction was significant and might attract unnecessary attention.

"Boss, this is different. Why are we meeting here?" Elijah asked curiously.

"I have a task for you. I need your help with something," Devin replied, showing Elijah the pearls in the boxes and the certification he had obtained from the auction house.

"I'm not sure if you have connections that can assist with selling these pearls, but this is the method I've come up with to raise funds," Devin explained.

"Boss, is this a one-time thing?" Elijah asked.

"Selling the pearls is a one-time thing, but using pearls is not. I plan for our company to venture into cosmetic industry, utilizing these pearls to create a skincare line including makeup, creams, soaps, and more. It's the best way to utilize them, as the energy they contain is not harmful to the human body but rather nourishing. It can slow down aging, whiten the skin, and help prevent wrinkles," Devin explained, outlining his plans for the company to Elijah.

Elijah realized that this plan would bring about a significant change in their workload. "Boss, this changes things. The workload will increase," he voiced his concern.

"You are a competent man, and I believe with your expertise, you can handle it," Devin assured Elijah, patting him on the shoulder.

Elijah smiled, unfazed by the increased workload. That's exactly why you hire capable people. A good boss knows how to delegate. "Boss, if we're going to open a skincare line, perhaps it's better to acquire a struggling company in the market and rebrand it. That way, everything we need will already be available."

Devin recognized the wisdom in Elijah's suggestion. They only needed to register a parent company, under which various subsidiaries could operate. "So, do you have a way to acquire the pearls?" Devin inquired.

"Boss, I know someone who would be interested in these pearls, as long as you don't mind the method," Elijah responded, casting a meaningful look at Devin.

"I don't care, as long as it can't be traced back to me. I want this handled with the utmost secrecy. I detest unnecessary problems," Devin declared.

Elijah was surprised by his young boss's assertiveness but pleased to see that he wasn't rigid in his approach. "Understood, boss," he replied.

Devin didn't mind the gray areas of society; he had navigated them in his previous life.

"So, how is your game going?" Devin asked, changing the subject.

"Boss, I spawned in a dwarf village. They are highly skilled and inventive, but they are distrustful of outsiders. They're trying to figure out how I spawned in their village, as it's a secret realm that no outsider should have access to," Elijah explained.

"What's the name of the village?" Devin asked.

"It's called Valendor," Elijah replied.

This revelation shocked Devin. Wasn't that the same village where they obtained their mental cultivation and learned about their story?

"Is there a priest named Xander?" Devin questioned.

"Boss, how do you know? There's a statue of an old man that they revere as the great and wise priest Xander. I don't believe he's still alive. They don't allow me to explore much, so I don't have much information," Elijah said.

"You're clever, you'll figure it out. Try to gain their favor by suggesting things that can benefit them and improve their village. Once I enter the game, I'll add you to my contacts. I'm not sure if we can communicate, though," Devin instructed.

Devin and Elijah refined their plans before parting ways. Devin had full confidence in his capable manager, believing that Elijah wouldn't disappoint him.

As Elijah watched his boss leave, he chuckled to himself, "I made the right choice. My boss isn't ordinary. It seems like working for him will be a lot of fun." Elijah then left to contact the buyer for the pearls.