Cassius, in his human form, gave a casual wave of his hand.
Accompanied by ripples in the Weave, the rigid space that even the legendary wizards of Cassander found difficult to breach was torn open, revealing a teleportation portal.
From his throne, Cassius smiled and said, "Send my regards to His Majesty Otis. Though the empire remains neutral in this war, I endorse him as the legitimate heir to Fadlan.
"Go on. As long as you offer enough gold, you will receive whatever you desire."
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
Flushed with excitement, Navin bowed repeatedly in gratitude before stepping into the portal.
*This emperor truly looks favorably upon Cassander!*
*He even expressed his personal support!*
Having received the emperor's regards, Navin Bessarius thought with deep jubilation in his heart. Yet he had no idea that Cassius merely held a deep fondness for the Kingdom of Cassander's bountiful treasury and the Fadlan heritage it had inherited.
Beyond the portal, Zhandi Lunyiren had been waiting for a long time. The moment he saw someone emerge, his face broke into an ingratiating smile. He first performed a textbook Fadlan bow, then stepped forward with overwhelming enthusiasm.
"You must be Lord Navin! I've heard so much about you.
"I am Zhandi Lunyiren, product consultant for this transaction. Please follow me."
"Very well. Thank you."
"Don't mention it, don't mention it, it's my duty! We at the Claubau Group have always treated our customers as... er, honored guests."
The corner of Zhandi Lunyiren's mouth twitched.
The man's exuberant warmth made Navin feel slightly awkward, but he nodded repeatedly out of courtesy.
Zhandi Lunyiren had received intelligence days in advance, knowing this plainly dressed man was Navin Bessarius, secret envoy of the Kingdom of Cassander.
*This is a rare, prime fat sheep!*
*No, a VIP client!*
Ever since his successful pitch to the Kingdom of Thrace earned him a hefty commission, it felt as though a door to a new world had swung open for him, and there was no looking back.
By now, he was already the top product consultant of the Claubau Armaments Group. His performance numbers were miles ahead of the competition, and after consecutive sales championships, he was steadily working toward the position of group sales manager.
Elezerg was so realistic and multifaceted.
Combat and adventuring were by no means the only way to play; every player could find their niche.
And for Zhandi Lunyiren, since he lacked the talent for the battlefield, he would conquer the workplace!
*Bang! Bang!*
Loud booms echoed from afar, but the people around were long accustomed to it. Zhandi Lunyiren calmly led the way ahead, while only Navin looked around with curiosity.
This place lay on the outskirts of Isdalia, and from here one could still see the Grand Altar looming atop the cliff in the distance.
The pungent stench of gunsmoke hung everywhere. Across an open field, neat rows of humanoid silhouette targets and bullseyes stood in formation, while cratered shell holes pitted the ground farther out.
Along the wide roadway, squads of hobgoblins marched with firearms in hand.
Zhandi Lunyiren introduced, "This is the Imperial Army Firing Range. It's not only a training ground for infantry, but also a testing ground for our Claubau Group's new products.
"This way, please. I'll take you to our dedicated product-testing facility."
"Very well."
Navin watched the drilling hobgoblins in the distance, lost in thought.
The weapons in their hands seemed quite different from those held by the soldiers of the Kingdom of Thrace.
Yet he didn't dwell on it, following Zhandi Lunyiren down a fork in the road toward another facility.
"Alright, here we are."
*Clap! Clap!*
Zhandi Lunyiren clapped his hands.
"Present the group's wares to our new client!"
At his command, a squad of hobgoblins immediately stepped forward bearing wooden cases, while several ogres hauled cannons over from the distance.
Zhandi Lunyiren turned back, his eyes gleaming as he looked at Navin. "Lord Navin, having traveled all this way, what kind of products are you hoping to purchase?
"Rest assured, the product quality of the Claubau Group is unrivaled across the entire continent of Feanso. It will undoubtedly satisfy your demands."
Navin pondered for a moment before speaking. "I have no doubt about the quality of your weapons.
"After all... on account of the weapons you sold to the Kingdom of Thrace, our Kingdom of Cassander has suffered quite a few setbacks.
"I need equipment capable of arming mortals—at the very least, allowing them to match Thrace's forces. I wonder if you can still provide something suitable?"
"Aiya!"
Zhandi Lunyiren slapped his hands together in exaggerated fashion.
"Then you've come at the absolute perfect time!"
He cast a glance back, and the hobgoblin behind him opened the wooden case in his hands, revealing an oiled firearm nestled within.
Navin hurried forward to get a closer look.
Striking while the iron was hot, Zhandi Lunyiren quickly added, "You might not know this, but the firearms Thrace received were Foe-Breaker Fire Model IIIs. Our army phased them out long ago, and our assembly lines are already preparing to halt production on such obsolete goods.
"To put it bluntly, they were just garbage cluttering our warehouses.
"What you see before you, however, is a completely different story..."
Zhandi Lunyiren leaned in with a conspiratorial air and murmured, "This is our latest innovation—the Wyvern's Flame Model I, king of the battlefield in this new era!"
He lifted the firearm from the wooden case, loaded ammunition with practiced ease, raised it, and took aim at a distant silhouette target.
*Bang!*
Gunfire rang out, and a hole punched through right between the humanoid target's brows.
Zhandi Lunyiren didn't even glance at the target. He simply turned around with flair, patted the rifle in his hands, and enthusiastically began his pitch.
"This is the empire's cutting-edge infantry weapon, pioneering an entirely new series—the Wyvern's Flame Model I.
"Compared to the previous generation, this product innovatively utilizes smokeless propellant, offering dramatic improvements in range, accuracy, and power. It has earned immense acclaim across the Imperial Army.
"Even five-star general—no, Imperial Marshal Duoluo himself praised it: 'If a soldier does not hold a Wyvern's Flame Model I in his hands, he is no proper imperial warrior!'"
"Th-this is..."
Hearing these words, Navin was startled at first, followed immediately by a surge of ecstasy welling up in his chest.
So Thrace had merely received the worst, lowest-grade batch of weapons!
Whereas he could bring the Cinder Empire's most advanced, highest-rated military equipment back to the Kingdom of Cassander, granting Cassander the technological edge over Thrace!
One had to understand that currently, Cassander's army was evenly matched with the coalition forces of Thrace and Seleucia. Any slight disturbance could tip the balance of power.
This could even turn the tides of the war!
Zhandi Lunyiren's pitch droned on. Navin suppressed the ecstasy in his heart, listening intently to every single word—even if it was full of endless blather and heapings of empty fluff.
Chapter 421