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Chapter 1679 - Monetisation
🕑 Added 2025-09-19 02:00:03 +0000 UTCThe Colony didn’t, and in many ways still doesn’t, understand money. There is no trade within the family, no exchange of any kind, for most ants. Almost none of them will ever have any sort of interaction with currency. Their needs are provided for, and they labour for the Colony gladly, without any expectation or need for remuneration.
Although there is an enormous amount of commerce that occurs between the Colony and others, these transactions are handled by exceptionally few individuals. If we were to consider the number of ants involved in the negotiating and setting of terms for these trades, those numbers fall even further.
If we were to consider the number of ants who actually understand the value of things, who are capable of navigating the nuances of interpersonal relationships, legal obligations and market forces, then the list is reduced to one.
- Excerpt from the personal notes of Historiant
“Gate travel is cheaper.”
“Gate travel was cheaper.”
The little ant took another puff of her cigar, tapping the ash into a crystal receptacle that she herself had provided. For some reason, Riggurt had the impression that she was smiling at him. Was it the tilt of the antennae? The shape of the mandibles?
And not a friendly smile either. The smile of a predator looking at their prey, knowing they were already caught, knowing there wasn’t any way out.
Riggurt always wanted a way out.
“The Colony has raised prices on gate travel?” he asked, sitting forward in his chair.
If so, it would have ripple effects across all of the independent cities absorbed by the Colony in the second and first strata. Say what you would about the ants, they ran the gate network as efficiently as the Legion setting up camp. Gate operating times were four times what they’d been before, and each trip was practically free. Considering the number of cities added to the network over the last year, Rylleh was connected to more places than before they’d been conquered.
Trade was booming, and that was an understatement.
If the Colony was planning to raise gate prices… several of Riggurt’s own businesses could be in jeopardy. It all depended on how large the rise was. Ten to twenty percent he could absorb, more than that and his margins would be uncomfortably squeezed.
“Indeed, a fifty percent price rise,” Merchant said, twirling her fore limb and watching the smoke spiral through the air.
There was something about the tobacco leaf that appealed to her. Was it the heady, earthy scent? The smoke? Or perhaps she simply enjoyed using it as a tool, a way to display a sense of affluence and power. After speaking to business people all over the Dungeon, many of whom enjoyed a smoke, she’d tried it for the first time and quickly grew to enjoy a fine cigar.
Already she had invested in Colony-grown tobacco. She was counting on her sisters to unlock the secrets behind the finest and most expensive of cigars. She didn’t even intend to sell them, oh no, that would be a waste. As a gift, an exclusive token of appreciation given to trusted partners, that was what she wanted them for.
“FIFTY?” Riggurt choked, face growing red.
“Indeed.”
“That’s insane! The Merchant Council won’t stand for it!”
Merchant clicked her mandibles a few times, a jaunty rhythm that put Riggurt in mind of a chuckle.
“There are a few relevant truths, my friend, that are worth remembering,” she said warmly. “First, the Colony has a monopoly on gate access, and that isn’t going to change.”
Knowledge of how to construct gates was extremely restricted. The resources needed to build them weren’t cheap to come by either. Even if someone were somehow able to muster both, the Colony, just like anyone in control of territory on Pangera, was not willing to allow outsiders to manage an unrestricted gate network within their domain.
“Secondly, our prices are still less than half of what you would be charged in other kingdoms and empires. Fact of the matter is, the Colony was being too generous and providing the service for far less than it cost. There is no reason for us to subsidise your businesses.”
This was true, sort of. Merchant understood very well that the Colony didn’t actually pay for any of the things that were used to create and maintain the gate. Labour costs were zero, as were material costs, along with research and development and maintenance and all the rest.
She’d been forced to calculate differently when it came to the Colony. Opportunity cost. If all of that labour, and all of those resources, were directed into other, more profitable industries, then what did the family stand to gain?
As it turned out, quite a lot!
It had become obvious that the fees collected for using gate travel had to increase, and significantly. Now the ants working on the gates, and the resources that went into maintaining and operating them, were bringing in a return.
This would have a dampening effect on some forms of commerce, naturally, but in some ways, it would make businesses more protected.
Merchant knew very well that Riggurt had set himself up as a distributor, using the gate network to buy from one place and sell in another. By cutting his margins down, he’d been able to drive his competition in other cities out of business. Riggurt benefited, but the local economy in other places suffered.
“Of course, I know this leaves you in something of a rough spot,” Merchant said, full of sympathy. She took another long puff on her cigar. “Which is why I really wanted to speak with you. After all, with the cost of gate travel rising so precipitously, moving goods through the Dungeon tunnels will become economically viable again.”
Gate travel had become so cheap that manually moving goods through the Dungeon itself had fallen almost entirely by the wayside. Wagoneers, guards, Dungeon experts, all of them had been forced to go into Delving work, no longer able to rely on the safer and more reliable income from joining caravans.
“An enterprising individual such as yourself should be able to make a tidy profit if they act quickly and offer contracts to snatch up the best men and women that Rylleh has to offer.”
Riggurt nodded slowly.
“And how do you stand to profit from all this?”
Merchant cleaned her antennae casually.
“Why, by partnering with you and others with our special Colony-Safe guarantee. Trouble in the tunnels will be a thing of the past, and all traders will have peace of mind knowing the Colony will come to save them from any danger. You’ll find the fees are entirely reasonable.”
Comments
1N7L68E
In return they're can help Nameless to set up shops that offer Elders wisdom for modest price. Alongside skin care routines. Hair styling. Etc. And Merchant and he's followers could help notice if eny new, spy's are making it through colony territory. In form of ledgers and taxes.
1N7L68E
Hmm.. Merchant and his eventually follower as Champion of Colony, should probably alliance themselves with Nameless and topper police. Not only they're information gathering network help bolster they're efforts, to aid the family. They ways with shadow paths would, alongside portal net work would helping they're, most likely relatively small number among all ants on colony. Plus to they're need work both inside and next to colony boarders. and nameless could offer possible ninja training make up for possible short comings in pure fighting strength, when making dealing outside colonys territory.
Koala Man
:)
Jon Wolfman
She is still getting a Thwacking for tobacco. Though can Monster Ants from the dungeon actually get nicotine addiction or lung disease? Who cares sure Anthoney won't over think it and just Thwack to be safe.
Dany boi
Don't worry hopefully fixant will do something
Caleb Herring
Good chapter!
FroggingurMom
Yes but i believe it was called chapter 1680 instead of 1679
Charles price
I knew that the champions were wildly powerful and that merchant was probably gonna be the same, but DANG Enid trained a business-CEO ant. Absolutely legendary. Very excited to see how Merchants gonna be with the brathians
RinoZ
that was Merchant
David Eddy
The ant that established the franchise system for tunnel-ball understands economics about as well as Merchant.
WRN
wasnt this chapter out yesterday?
Roombot
To be fair, the colony was taking a loss on the gate travel. And it’s STILL really cheap.
Codered999
Merchant's subordinate Accountant will rake debtors across the coals.
Adam Boshcoff
I’m surprised the title didn’t squeeze “ant” into it, like “monantization
Roombot
I LOVE this. 1) finally there’s an ant who understands opportunity cost and can optimize the Colony’s economic gains. More money = more cores, more hatchlings getting better evolutions, and also other resources like rare metals for the smiths. 2) Colony-grown cigars are going to become the hottest new black market item. Since they aren’t for sale, you can only get them as a gift from Merchant or buy them off someone who did! 3) I can’t wait to meet Merchant’s future team of followers. 4) Colony merchant caravan escorts! I wonder if the Nameless will have to start sending scouts to keep an eye on the escorts and make sure they’re sleeping 😂
Codered999
Create the problem then sell them the solution, a classic money making tactic
alt31415
Oh, that's simple. We don't know.
alt31415
"There was something about the tobacco leaf that appealed to her." [You have consumed a new source of biomass - Tobacco. +1 Biomass awarded]
giann flroesca
bro when I said I called that one of the chapter names would be this I didn't expect it to be so soon LMAO
Tsunami
Wiping a tear from my eye. They grow up so fast! Anyway, maybe you guys can help me with the timeline. How long has it been since Anthony slept? Just a rough estimate.
Sportpix
Nah... the transporters that didnt pay the fees will just have unlucky spawns around them.
jeffrey niski
Is....is she inventing the Mob?
KooZnack
Thanks for the chapter!
