RinoZ
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Chapter 1704 - Wheeling and Dealing
🕑 Added 2025-10-24 01:00:04 +0000 UTC“Eldest, do you really intend to sell the delvers back to Green Mountain?”
“Of course, why wouldn’t I?”
Sloan seems to have reservations about my strategy.
“Won’t they just come back again?”
After putting up with the priests for a few weeks? Probably not.
“If they do, it’s good,” I say.
“Why would it be good?” the general replies, obviously confused.
“Because then we can capture them again,” I point out. “Which means we can sell them again.”
I’m no expert in history, but from what I know, the best way to stop a fight is to make it too expensive to continue. If capturing ants isn’t a path to riches and fortune, but debt and misery, then nobody will come looking for us, no matter how much the church wants to pay.
“Well… if you insist on doing it this way, we can only go along with you. I’ve done as you asked and found someone who will manage the negotiations for the Colony. They’ll be here in a few minutes.”
In that case, I should finish up my meal.
“Thanks, Sloan, I appreciate your help.”
Wait… where the heck did my food go? I swear I had more of this Biomass left….
[Tiny, turn around.]
The giant ape has his back to me. Unable to refuse my direct order, he slowly turns to face me, revealing his bulging cheeks.
[You can’t be that hungry, I’ve been bringing Biomass back for you, haven’t I?]
He manages to choke down the enormous mouthful of food and has the decency to look somewhat shamed.
Sheesh!
He might be getting older and wiser in some ways, but he’s still a very greedy boy! Before I can scold him too much, I feel a mind bridge reach out to me and I allow it to snap into place.
[Eldest. I have brought the negotiating team here to speak with you.]
[Sure, sure, let them in.]
A few moments later, I am treated to a very welcome sight indeed.
[Enid!] I cheer, clacking my mandibles happily as the old woman enters the chamber.
My word… she’s so small.
I crouch down low, finally flattening myself out and lying down to make myself as small as possible, but she still looks incredibly tiny to me. I didn’t get that big, did I?
[Enid,] I relay over the bridge, [have you… shrunk?]
[What? No! Well, sort of. I’m sitting down, you silly ant.]
She is? She is! I see it now, she’s in a chair with wheels. A wheelchair. Of course, I remember those. Luckily the floor of this chamber is nice and flat. A small ant is behind the old human, pushing the chair forward while gripping the back carefully with her mandibles, but my attention is focused on the retired merchant.
[Did the healers start slacking or something? You’re supposed to be getting healed every day!]
[I am getting healed every day,] she tells me, looking grumpy. Much like a healer, to be honest. [I’m old, not sick.]
[Your legs don’t work anymore?]
[Well enough to kick nosy insects who won’t stop asking about my legs. I’ve been walking too much lately and my joints are sore. Now be quiet about that and greet me properly.]
I feel like every time I see Enid, the less care she has for the things that don’t really matter. No more platitudes and pleasantries. Someone who loved getting down to business, seemingly anything else.
[Hello, Enid,] I say, extending an antenna towards her, gently. [It’s nice to see you again. How have you been?]
[Well enough, I suppose, for an old chook.] She reaches out one frail hand to rest against my extended antenna and peers up at me. [Was it really necessary for you to get this big? I can remember when you were small enough to fit under my dinner table.]
[I still could if you built a big enough table. You can’t even blame me for this one, I wasn’t responsible.]
Which is entirely true.
[Alright, hold that pillar you call an antenna there for a second and help me up.]
With a little effort, she grasps hold of a hair and pulls herself up, grimacing as she does so. After a moment, she’s up on her feet, hands on her hips.
[There, see. No problem at all.]
[Strong as an ox,] I tell her.
“Can we double the amount of healers taking care of Enid?” I ask the nearby ants, and they nod.
[I see how healthy you are, yet I’m surprised you volunteered to go negotiate with the Green Mountain for us. I thought you were retired from all of this. After you negotiated with the brathian, I thought you would never forgive me for dragging you into that mess.]
[I may never,] Enid chuckled. [But you are right, I am retired from such things. I didn’t come here to negotiate with anyone on your behalf.]
[Oh? If not you, then who will?]
[My student. Merchant? Say hello.]
The small ant who was pushing the wheelchair steps out from behind it and skitters towards me, giving me a sight of her for the first time.
What in the name of heck am I looking at?
Since when has an ant ever looked this… dapper?
“Greetings and well met, Eldest,” the little ant says smoothly. “How’s business?”
Comments
Roombot
Enid’s gotta live forever. She’s too fun to die
StarSeeds ProtocolDao
Like Harrison Ford meeting George Washington
MrrC
Infinite money glitch
BallsDeep69
Neat to think that Anthony is a legendary existence to most of the ants now. This is like an aspiring businessman meeting George Washington.
MUXIBA azarado
Merchant will love the eldest, because he is literally capturing and selling adventurers back to the city, a true visionary!
alt31415
Terrible idea. First, fighting in the 5th would be considered a fate worse than death, and second, the ants would constantly be having to check their backs lest the delvers make a panicked attempt to flee from the horrors of the 5th.
MrrC
Why not send the delvers to battle in the 5th, gets great use of fighters who have to fight for the colony or be killed by the Kratg
Jon Wolfman
Yes i agree.
Jon Wolfman
Wait with merchant being so low tier can she survive eldest's thwacking?
Pockman
Enid is so old: she reminds me of my feisty grandma. I’m so proud of Anthony for treating her with respect and love.
CentaureHeart
Alright, so Anthony needs to find a way to whack Merchant without killing her
Gonvas
Nah... first he captures every CoP members on Colony’s territory, then introduces Merchant to Happy Hour concept 😆
Babuui
Hell yeah
Koala Man
Oh , soo dapper 😂 Rinoz a plushy of very dapper Merchant would sell like hotcakes 😀 Shut up and take my monies!
Silent Consent
I’m a bit disappointed Anthony isn’t sipping on liquified priest exp but maybe Merchant will offer green mountains negotiator a sip when they sit down to discuss. Fingers crossed.
1N7L68E
At this rate, colony will pioneer new life extension, and energy enchantments. Thous are off sell well for old Rich people. Maybe sanctum off sleep, can help also on rest and recovery side?
SomeponyElse
RIOT we say!
Scott Faulkner
Now for more lessons from the eldest this time on repeat customers and renewable resources
carson
Gonna be so sad when Enid is gone. They've been building up to some point in the story when Anthony has been asleep for along time. I worry he's gonna wake to a world in which she's already passed.
UNKNOWN
Build a monument in Enid's honor once she dies, or we will riot....
TheLostGolem
Merchants first greeting to Anthony. "How's Business?" Well. Business is about to be booming.
Brandon14754
There were two waves while he was asleep so there should be 2 new champions
Cinnamon Toast
I'm not sure Enid could stand that
Wensber
Thanks for the chapter!
ImmortalTurnip
Honestly I feel like we are due for a character death and it might be Enid with how old she is.
Ether's Blessed One
RinoZ: Enid's time is getting closer. Anthony's Vestibule and Nascent Divine Realm: Not if I have anything to say about it.
Cylar
ENIIIID! It is so good to see her again. I would very much like it if the ants somehow find a way for Enid to get younger and be around for millennia to come.
Dennis Hornsby
So merchant is a champion. But according to Solant, there was a second wave while Anthony was evolving. So where is the champion from that one?
Aaron Schwartz
Correction. They have a way to turn people into creatures of Mana that doesn’t always work. And when it fails, it is always fatal. Which is why they usually only let Young high-level people that they’ve been power leveling in the upper levels of the dungeon Try it. And even then, the prodigy son of their legendary Commander still died. There is absolutely no way Enid would make it if she tried that
Marter
Please don’t let her die! turn her into an ant or give her back her youth anything but a sad, tearful death I don’t think I can handle it. Thank you for the chapters.
Rahsheem Reid
Ooooooooo Merchant is about it get busy!
kev mil
Cliffy strikes again
shawn B
Her merchant soul will live on in merchant… and Anthony’s vestibule
Chimurry Al
Enid progressive aging pains me, specially knowing the Legion and other have methods to mend (or solve) aging... 😪
blucube 14
Thanks for the chapter! Oh my god! This is gonna be great!
ImmortalTurnip
Going to be sad when Enid dies but I feel like it’s coming.
Hayden Leech
Merchant!! :D
