Munitions Empire

Chapter 73: 73 Exaggerated Promotion

Tang Mo heard John's laughter and knew that his business deal was successful, so a smile also appeared on his face as he responded with a smile, "15 Gold Coins, one Tang's K1 Quick Gun, the price for the matching equipment and bullets will be calculated separately!"

"The price is very fair, at least it's not exorbitant," John said with a smile, nodding his head. Surprisingly, he agreed without even attempting to bargain.

This made Tang Mo feel a little uncomfortable; he thought he might be overcharging and acting somewhat "unscrupulous."

However, he also knew that if these elves could take the K1 Quick Guns back to their country, they would definitely make a profit off this price.

Moreover, once they presented these weapons to their country, the benefits they could receive from the upper echelons would likely be even greater.

"Then, how many of these rifles would you like to order?" As a businessman, Tang Mo immediately cast his conscience aside and asked.

"I hope to order 1000 of these rifles," John pondered and gave a number. "Could you deliver these weapons within a reasonable time frame?"

"What do you consider a reasonable time?" Tang Mo uncorked the bottle and poured himself another cup of barley wine before asking in return.

John extended three slender fingers, giving a very short time frame, "I can only stay here for up to three days, so is it possible for you to complete the order within that time?"

"That is indeed a bit difficult..." Tang Mo felt that these elves really did have money, to actually order 1000 expensive weapons.

The total price of these weapons would be at least 20000 Gold Coins, not a small sum which could potentially be the entire earnings from this maritime journey: this might even include the gross profit covering the cost.

John actually hadn't planned on spending so much money on so many K1 Quick Guns; he intended to take back a sample and then get more Gold Coins from his father.

If his father was happy, he might even be rewarded with an estate, which would be an asset far more enviable than 1000 Gold Coins.

John thought that Tang Mo could produce at most a few dozen Quick Guns in three days, and including inventory, it wouldn't exceed fifty guns.

Since firearms like these were costly and expensive, it was unlikely for a merchant to stockpile a large quantity of the product without securing buyers first.

So, with confidence, he asked, "Then, how many rifles can you give me within three days? Three? Thirty?"

"I could deliver about 500... and if you are willing to pay for overtime production costs, then I might deliver around 700 rifles," Tang Mo calculated carefully and replied.

"Hmm, seventy rifles' production rate is still... what did you say?" John was about to continue speaking when he was suddenly startled by the number Tang Mo had mentioned.

"I said, if you are willing to pay the overtime production fee, I might be able to deliver around 700 rifles," Tang Mo emphasized with a smile.

Tang Mo's factory had just completed an expansion; he had three workshops that could produce K1 Quick Guns. If he had the necessary materials, he was indeed confident that he could produce 700 K1 Quick Guns within three days with overtime work.

However, Tang Mo knew that when it came to weapons, the higher the technology, the better the price it could fetch.

"May I be so bold to ask? If... we give you sufficient profits, would you be willing to move your... enterprise... to my kingdom?" John chose his words carefully and said, "We can grant you a title, and your craftsmen will be rewarded handsomely. Elves are never stingy..."

"I'm afraid that's a bit difficult." Tang Mo politely declined John's offer, "Because we have other businesses here."

John sat back down in his chair, seemingly having realized the key issue: Since these damned humans had again come up with a brand-new weapon, they would certainly immediately sell it to neighboring nobility, to their own kingdom—it was a certainty.

So Tang Mo must have the official backing of the Leite Kingdom, he might even be a confidant of the King—therefore, the Elves' solicitations, especially his own informal one, were clearly not very tempting.

Unfortunately, he had guessed entirely wrong...

John, who thought he'd grasped the key point, could only temporarily give up on the idea of directly recruiting Tang Mo and instead said, "Draft a contract immediately for us to produce 100 K1 Quick Guns... You can take 10 percent as a deposit, but these two guns you have to leave behind!"

"Two guns?" Tang Mo feigned bewilderment, then asked with a puzzled look, "Which two guns?"

"Didn't you bring two K1 Quick Guns?" Pointing at the case Luff was holding, John asked, puzzled.

"Oh! Mr. John! Obviously, you are mistaken." Tang Mo quickly used his talent, pointed at the case in Luff's hands, and said, "These are not K1 Quick Guns."

"Then what? A box for money?" John asked with a smile.

"This is another entirely new weapon I was planning to pitch to you!" Tang Mo, feigning profundity, turned to the side and pointed at the case in Luff's hands, loudly saying, "Prepared for you, for your brave officers, for the noble knights... the very best! Weapons!"

"Officers?" John frowned again. He struggled with Tang Mo's exaggerated salesmanship because he had never encountered such a "merchant" before.

The merchant, in excitement, introduced his product, "Yes! Inside are two pistols! Specially designed and made for officers, the most outstanding and effective personal defense weapons!"

"You don't need to be so... over the top," John raised his hand, intending to stop Tang Mo's flamboyant speech.

However, Tang Mo's following words made the Elf nobleman forget what he wanted to say...

Because he heard Tang Mo solemnly declare, "This is a type of pistol that can fire continuously! While your enemies are still loading their rubbish-like Shireck Flintlock Guns, you could already have fired a second shot, even a third!"

"Let me introduce it to you! The world's most advanced pistol in a hundred years! The Tang-style Revolver! An epoch-making firearm!" He took the case from Luff's hands, placed it in front of John with the front of the box facing him, opened the case and said, "Once you try it, you won't want to put it down... Trust me! This is the ultimate weapon you've been dreaming of owning!"

As he spoke, he pushed the case towards John. And at that moment, John involuntarily looked down into the case.

Then, he saw two shiny silver, odd-looking pistols lying flat in the case, alongside the ammunition and caps.

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Today is my birthday, but I am reminded of my mother, missing her so much.