The two exchanged a few pleasantries before Wang Dong got straight to the point.
"I'll be in the City of Gods for a few days. I've already gotten a good grasp of the situation here. Brother Xingyu, if you need any resources, just let me know. Maybe I can help you find something useful."
"I need food and equipment," Su Xingyu replied calmly.
After annexing the Barbarian Bull and Giant Tiger tribes, the Night Tribe's population had surged and continued to grow. Winter was approaching, and the demand for food had spiked accordingly.
As for equipment, the tribe wasn't entirely lacking. The Night Tribe possessed an iron smelting furnace provided by the system, and with a number of skilled blacksmiths, they could normally meet their own needs.
However, Su Xingyu had recently decided to expand the army and integrate all the conquered warriors into a single force. The current production rate simply couldn't keep up.
If there were available equipment here, he wouldn't hesitate to purchase it in bulk.
After annexing two large tribes, he might be low on certain resources—but when it came to blood crystals, he was wealthy beyond compare.
"Food and equipment..." Wang Dong's eyes flashed with surprise, though it lasted only a heartbeat before his face returned to its usual friendly expression.
"There's not much lacking here, but food and equipment? We've got those in abundance. You can buy as much as you like," he said with a grin. "The only question is—how much are you planning to get?"
"Let's start with 400,000 units," Su Xingyu replied after a brief pause.
According to the system's algorithm, a single unit of food could sustain an average person for one month.
The Night Tribe had stockpiled a considerable amount already, both from their own reserves and those inherited from the conquered tribes. Surviving the winter wasn't the problem.
But with an army to train, basic supplies wouldn't suffice.
If the soldiers were going to drill properly and remain battle-ready, they needed more than just bare rations. Intensive physical training increased appetite, and those reaching extraordinary levels would require even more sustenance.
Their appetites were monstrous. Literally.
In such a scenario, hoarding more food was not only wise—it was essential.
"How much... how much??"
Wang Dong, who had just taken a sip of tea, nearly sprayed it across the table.
"Four hundred thousand units. Don't tell me you don't have that much?" Su Xingyu asked, his brow rising slightly.
Wang Dong snapped out of his daze and quickly waved his hand.
"Yes, yes! Of course we do. Drink your tea, brother. I'll get it arranged immediately."
Big client! Wang Dong's heart raced.
Using the communication function built into the system, he immediately contacted a major merchant listed in his network. At this stage, an order of 400,000 units of food was a colossal transaction. Only a handful of people could even handle such volume.
Luckily, Wang Dong knew just the right person.
Soon, a large figure arrived—hurried and heavy-footed. A middle-aged man, towering at nearly two meters with a round belly and a satisfied look of wealth on his face.
"Wang brat, if you try to screw me over again, don't even dream of getting another deal!" the man bellowed as he stormed into the courtyard.
"Uncle Huang, you can't blame me for last time! How was I supposed to know the kid didn't understand pricing?" Wang Dong rushed forward, feigning indignation.
The middle-aged man dragged a chair over and dropped into it, then turned his eyes on Su Xingyu.
"So you're the one buying food?"
"Yes," Su Xingyu replied with a simple nod.
Wang Dong smiled and chimed in. "This is Brother Xingyu's first visit to the City of Gods. He trusted me to help with introductions. Uncle Huang, you've got to give us a discount. Considering our relationship, at least ten percent."
Uncle Huang clicked his tongue and rolled his eyes. "Name's Huang Duoduo. I'm a religious spirit."
"Xingyu, leader of the main gods."
"You want 400,000 units of food? That's a serious order. Since it's your first time here, let me warn you—prices can vary."
"Don't worry. As long as the food's good, I'll take it."
In the City of Gods, food was relatively cheap. One unit of Divine Source could purchase 400 units of food—complete with dried meat at a one-tenth ratio. For someone like Su Xingyu, 400,000 units was a drop in the ocean. Even if the price doubled, he could afford it.
Huang Duoduo raised a brow, impressed, then waved his hand.
Two towering piles of food appeared in the courtyard: one mound of rice and another of dried meat. These were the samples.
"These grains have all been certified by the City of Gods," Huang said, producing a card engraved with the words Certificate of Conformity.
Su Xingyu glanced at it and gave a nod of approval. "Blood crystals for payment."
"Very well." Huang Duoduo grinned.
The City of Gods recognized three hard currencies: World Origin, Divine Source, and Attribute Crystals.
World Origin was the rarest. No one offered it in trade unless they were desperate.
Divine Source was a second-tier currency, generated through faith. As long as one had believers, it could be replenished constantly. It also had versatile uses—cultivation, divine arts, blessings, and more.
Attribute Crystals, on the other hand, depended entirely on luck. Territories rich in crystal veins meant wealth.
The Night Tribe had five crystal veins: four for blood crystals and one for dark magic crystals.
In short, Su Xingyu was flush with resources.
Huang Duoduo's eyes gleamed. "At the current rate, food trades at one unit of Divine Source for 400 units. That translates to 100,000 blood crystals for your order."
"Ahem."
A discreet cough came from the side.
Huang Duoduo hesitated, then broke into a smile. "But since we hit it off and you're a friend of Xiao Wang, I'll give you a ten percent discount. Let's call it 90,000."
"A very fair price," Su Xingyu agreed.
He had already done his research. The going rate hovered between 1:400 to 1:430 for Divine Source, and about 1:4.2 with blood crystals. In a time of rapid expansion, food prices had soared. A 10,000 crystal discount was a real savings.
With official notarization by the City of Gods, Su Xingyu had no concerns about being swindled.
"Brother Xingyu," Huang said, "if you ever need more food, you can always come to me. There are discounts for large orders."
Su Xingyu nodded. He could earn back 100,000 blood crystals in time. But not everyone was as fortunate.
Huang Duoduo, being a religious god whose abilities didn't revolve around combat, only controlled one crystal mine. After covering the cost of his cultivation, he didn't have much left.
This transaction could fund an entire legion.
"Alright," Su Xingyu said, accepting his contact request.
Although 400,000 units was a lot, it wasn't enough for the growing population of the Night Tribe. Achieving food self-sufficiency wasn't realistic in the short term.
It would be smart to keep a reliable supplier close.
Just as Huang Duoduo was about to leave, Su Xingyu called out to him.
"Do you have high-yield grain seeds?"
Self-reliance was always better than dependency.
The Black Soil Plain was fertile, ideal for planting. If cultivated properly, the Night Tribe could become completely food-independent.
Food was the lifeblood of a tribe. Su Xingyu wasn't keen on having others control his throat.
"No matter how much you want, I'll give it to you for free. Consider it a gift," Huang replied generously.
His divine power was the real secret. Even ordinary seeds, when blessed by him, outperformed so-called high-yield varieties. He wasn't worried about hurting his own business.
"That's too much. I'd rather buy them," Su Xingyu said, clearly embarrassed.
"It's fine. I have a ton of seeds lying around."
"Ten thousand units."
Huang Duoduo froze.
Wang Dong nearly choked on air.
After a long pause, Huang Duoduo gritted his teeth. "Ten thousand it is."
Su Xingyu smiled and completed the transaction with five thousand blood crystals. He had no intention of taking unfair advantage of a new ally.