Ant Lord in the Star Realm-Chapter 637 - 569: Ingenious Plan_3

Silvergrass: "Since what's missing is an elder, then just find another one. Lord White Ivy, you can sever your blood ties with Spider King Spurge, then acknowledge a new elder—like Wormwood Spider King, for example? I can help make the connection, it'll definitely work."

Silvergrass: "You're not really recognizing a new elder—think of it as a transaction, an 80-year cooperative arrangement. Once it's done, we can give up part of the Wujia Fruit share, maybe even throw in some extra compensation. And as for the hidden benefits, Lord White Ivy, they're yours to keep."

Beep~beep~beep~

All the spiders' eyes lit up.

A brilliant plan!

Absolutely, the shortest shortcut to the finish line!

"No way! Silvergrass, Wormwood Spider King is way too young, not fit to be our elder."

White Ivy politely refused, then changed the subject, asking: "Red Peach, what about that Snow Velvet Spider King? Only deals in divine-grade trade? Holds steady trade rights for over twenty types of divine-grade fruit? Can get their hands on over eighty kinds? What do you all think, should we recognize it as our elder? Heh, wouldn't that make squashing the likes of Seven-Leaf Melde a breeze?"

"..."

Speechless.

Grass Dragon reminded: "Isn't Snow Velvet Spider King an Illusory Color Flame Spider? Can outsiders really meddle in our Dulai Flame Spider internal matters?"

Lupine also chimed in: "Snow Velvet Spider King is from the Southern Hemisphere, it's not like we can just go running all the way south for roving trade."

"Oh, right—"

White Ivy looked disappointed, pondering, and said: "Come on, let's think—are there any other Spider Kings in our Dulai Flame Spider Tribe who have enough strength but lack a qualified junior...?"

Grass Dragon: "Heading toward the Wan Country continent, can't think of any."

Lupine: "Wormwood Spider King barely makes the cut, but compared to Aconite Spider King, it's not even the same league."

Silvergrass: "..."

White Ivy: "What about over on the Ten-thousand Tribes Continent?"

Lupine: "Over there, the strongest are Skewed Wing Spider King and Southern Serpent Spider King, but both have direct juniors taking part in the selection for leader."

Grass Dragon: "No other Spider King can be mentioned in the same breath as Aconite Spider King."

White Ivy: "No one left, huh..."

White Ivy looked at Red Peach.

Red Peach said slowly: "I don't think there's any need to randomly acknowledge an elder—imagine the gossip. I've got a better solution."

Red Peach: "From what I've observed, Snow Velvet Spider King is a spider filled with a sense of justice. It's not too pleased with what Aconite, Spurge, and the others are doing. Since it's supposed to be the young generation of Flame Spiders competing, it should be a fair contest based on each young spider's abilities."

Red Peach: "We could work with Snow Velvet Spider King! Not as an elder, but as partners."

Silvergrass: "How would that work?"

Seeing her own direct elder and brilliant plan rejected, Silvergrass was feeling quite indignant.

Red Peach replied unhurriedly: "Snow Velvet Spider King needs all sorts of divine-grade fruits—not just for itself, but for many friends and tribesfolk as well. But most divine-grade fruits in the Northern Hemisphere are found on the Ten-thousand Tribes Continent. Meanwhile, Aconite Spider King, Spider King Spurge, and the rest mostly operate on the Wan Country continent; their main resources come from there. So, we can try to propose a partnership: Snow Velvet Spider King promises to supply us with all the divine-grade fruit it can secure, and we take those fruits over to Ten-thousand Tribes Continent, roam about all the Great Tribes, and discreetly seek trade in divine-grade goods."

Red Peach: "For flows of divine-grade fruit, we can demand to settle the intermediary profit by cutting us in on a share of the Divine-Given Seed harvest."

Red Peach: "As for our caravan—we'll need to split in two. Me, Lupine, Grass Dragon, and Silvergrass as one group, sticking with Spider King Spurge and keeping our current deals unchanged, putting special focus on communication with Dragon Cypress Ant King and Snow Velvet Spider King. Column Spotted is sharp, so Lord White Ivy, you and Column Spotted as another team, head to Ten-thousand Tribes Continent to open up new trade routes, traveling among the Great Tribes, and, following Snow Velvet Spider King's lead, concentrate on divine-grade trade. At the same time, do some Divine-Given Origin Force Food dealing needed for the leader selection, but to lighten our load, we completely drop all ordinary Origin Force Food and Origin Force Honey trade."

Red Peach: "Lord White Ivy, you can also take a leaf from Snow Velvet Spider King's book—announce that your wealth is more than enough, and you're not out to make more Source Stones. But the Kingdom's rules state that all deals must bring in at least 20% profit—so all your trades will earn exactly 20%. Not a Source Stone more, not a Source Stone less."

Red Peach: "The plan can be roughly divided into two stages. First stage: before your promotion to Spider King, Lord White Ivy, you continue to travel with the other Tribe Spider King caravans, using two or three established caravans as a base to open channels to the Great Tribes and get to know the manager Insect Kings of each tribe. Second stage, after becoming Spider King, you meticulously plan your roving merchant route, travel freely, and cover all the top Great Tribes of Ten-thousand Tribes Continent in the least possible distance. You might even go faster and bring Wan Country into your network as well."

Red Peach: "The Flame Spider Kingdom's contest to pick a young leader will definitely soon spread throughout Ten-thousand Tribes and Wan Country, and all the clans across the lands will surely start acting. This is our opportunity—by riding the coattails of Snow Velvet Spider King, you too can become a spider like it."

"!!!"

All the spiders shot upright.

This is real top-level scheming!

Silvergrass's ideas—what a crock! Can you just randomly pick an elder? If word gets out, how are any of us supposed to be proper spiders later?

All eight of White Ivy's eyes sparkled as she showered praise: "Red Peach, you're the smart one, we're totally on the same page. That's it—Silvergrass, Grass Dragon, Lupine, you don't get to object, no more discussion, we're doing it this way!"

...

They hadn't waited long,

when Heliotrope returned alone.

"Dragon Cypress Ant King, Aconite Spider King says if you heard something from Snow Velvet Spider King and you're just trying to jack up the price, they can add a little extra incentive. Of course, if you truly feel it's unfair, Aconite Spider King can always offer a bit more support to White Ivy and Lord Melde—after all, you're all of the same stock, and fair competition is only right."