Chapter 1677 - 861: Mountain and Water, Willows Dark and Flowers Bright

I have to say, tail-end payments are indeed a common disease across various industries, frequently seen and forming a routine, affecting not just White Deer or Tian Yuan.

However, it's always been only White Deer delaying others' payments, rare for anyone to dare the Reversed Heavenly Gang.

The problem still lies in the sale of Disaster Beast remains.

Such large-scale transactions involve various aspects, easily extending four to five months, half a year, dragging on for ages, and are not a matter of a day or two.

The numerous intermediary stages keep getting bogged down, with all sorts of messy problems and changes constantly emerging, any of which might delay the borrowing.

No way around it, the output of Disaster Beast materials during the Harafeng season is too large.

Across the Endless Sea, among the Thousand Islands, so many Disaster Beasts and remains suddenly erupted like a volcano, burst like a dam breach, spewing out in just a few months. Even if the market wants to absorb them, it needs time. To maintain market price stability, various parties will certainly impose restrictions.

This itself is a threshold; the entire process and duration are excessively long, and small businesses relying on monthly silver coin income simply can't drag on for that long. Only middlemen like Desert Market branches with strength and capability can withstand it.

Therefore, during Harafeng season, it's time for regional platforms controlled by Desert Market funding across Thousand Islands to work their magic.

They typically secure purchases from the initial discoverers, small and local commerce, integrating scattered materials into substantial supplies, then providing them to heavyweights like the Federation, Empire, Tianping Commerce, and Taiyi Ring.

In this process, the presence of Desert Market throughout acts as a lubricant, bridging the upper and lower, ensuring that supplies and the market remain problem-free.

To maximize revenue from it, the funds for purchasing Disaster Beast materials are basically advanced by Desert Market; otherwise, with processes and time, everyone can sell the items elsewhere.

You know, sometimes the difference between Desert Market's buying price and selling price can be calculated in multiples, with some rare materials even being tenfold, hundredfold, thousandfold!

This is a big business that can fill any branch with profit, like celebrating New Year every day.

Unfortunately, the festival is too far, and the profits are insufficient.

Business?

The business is almost all gone!

The cause of this predicament is mainly two things.

The first is, last night, Taiyi Ring issued an announcement—a newly appointed Director of Association Auditing, Du Erchang, was dismissed for embezzlement, betrayal of Ember, manifold evildoings, a mountain of crimes, with ironclad evidence, after a unanimous decision by the council, case filed for thorough examination, becoming the first major culprit to fall under President Gustav's rectification initiative.

And therefore, exposed a chain of parasites and embezzlement within the association, with a respectful notice to those inside and outside the association, Taiyi Ring will never tolerate any misconduct bulabulabula…

This is the association's explanation to Ji Jue.

Kill one to warn a hundred!

Did you offend your Uncle Ji?

You bastard, oblivious creature, die!

A loud bang blowing up a kid like a firecracker, letting Ji Jue hear the noise.

Besides, to exchange for Ji Jue's leniency, not pursue further, the unlucky Medman councilor even gritted his teeth and permitted an additional week for Ji Jue's Grand Library access rights.

Admitted defeat!

Externally, this matter is actually minor, no more than the Artisan Association cleaning out a batch of harmful elements.

However, what it led to was the second issue...

Also another announcement.

Given the previous Director of Auditing Du Erchang's misconduct and embezzlement, resulting in assessment errors in a large number of Disaster Beast materials he handled, they all need to be re-evaluated and verified.

Therefore, the 171 bulk material appraisal certificates he 'granted' are now all revoked, truly sorry!

Thus, a feather-light announcement from Tianshu descended on the Endless Sea, turning into a mountain, stirring up a stormy sea.

All companies and commerce that paid to skip queues for expedited handling and special approvals faced bad news.

Not only did the appraisal certificates in their hands become waste paper, the associated bulk material transactions were now entirely stalled!

Finished.

.

.

"What the hell is this?"

At the highest point of a ship reef in Iron Hook District, Satria raised his head in astonishment, looking towards the sweating Himawan: "What do you mean Du Erchang was sent to Absolute Prison?

Wasn't everything fine yesterday!"

"It's news from last night, officially released today. Not just him, but a large group, including the one always working for us, all..."

Himawan swallowed hard: "Basically, got wiped out."

Long silence, Satria sat in silence, almost doubting his ears.

Gone?

All gone?

Gone is gone, but where's my money!

After so many years, the investment for securing connections and costs for gaining expedited appraisal?

"So many materials' appraisal certificates nullified, is Taiyi Ring crazy!" he almost crushed the armrest of his chair: "What the hell are those craftsmen doing!"

No response.

Including the association.

Apart from notification, there has been no statement at all.

Considering such a big debacle, they should apologize; at least give a statement, say sorry.

No.

Not only no, but they didn't even bother with a bow.

Now, when faced with questions from all sides, they simply brush it off with 'internal affairs, no comment' and that's it.

The problem is that if the Association has issues, they can't even change to a different appraisal agency.

Sorry, in this world, there's only one place, no branches anywhere else!

For hundreds of years, the influence of the Association has touched every facet, relying on the power of numerous craftsmen to firmly grip the rights to establish product standards and discourse in their hands.

This is the monopoly position of the Taiyi Ring!

So that in any formal trades involving alchemy creations, without the Association's certificate, regardless of quality, they have to be treated as defective or black market goods, getting no price even if one wants to sell.

At this moment, not only Iron Hook District and Hidden Mist Reef, but all implicated commerce associations are completely dumbfounded, like ants on a hot pan.

Without the Association's certification, they've been barred from bulk purchasing, turning these prized goods into a hot potato, stuck in their hands going rotten.

The moment the news broke, all related procurements and negotiations stopped dead, stalling.

All acquisitions were put on hold, and even those already completed had to be returned as per contract contingencies because the appraisal became ineffective.

"It's not working, really can't do, hey, it's not about the price, brother, we've known each other for so many years, if I could help, I definitely would, but it's really not possible."

On the other end, the regional manager of Tianping Commerce sighed helplessly, interrupting Himawan's laments: "I know, it's not easy for everyone, our relationship over the years is here, I won't make it difficult for you, just make sure you get the appraisal redone this week, and it'll be at the original price, I'll ignore the contract breach fees and what not.

Don't make it hard on me, alright?

I really can't take this order, it's non-compliant, if there's a report from above and it gets traced back, everyone involved will get in trouble."

No matter how politely Himawan invites and pleads, saying all the good words, the other side refuses to budge, steadfast in not accepting anything without a certificate.

This drove Satria into a complete frenzy, cursing incessantly, with fists crackling from being clenched so tightly.

In the past, addressing each other as brothers, all friendly coziness, grabbing goods like dogs, and now pulling this crap after putting their pants on?

Even so, he kept his anger in check, refraining from lashing out, forcing through clenched teeth: "Why all this trouble, if it doesn't work, just cut the price a bit, let them take it back and appraise it themselves, isn't that enough?"

"..."

Himawan's expression twitched, increasingly despondent amid numbness: "The appraisal from Taiyi Ring requires tracing the source.

The Artisan Association has always been a key collaborator of Tianping Commerce, they definitely wouldn't risk offending the Association for a little benefit."

More crucially, if any problems arise during source tracing, don't even think about the appraisal, let alone regular sales, it can only be secretly sold in bits and pieces until who knows when!

So, after going round and round futilely, the problem once again falls back on the damn [appraisal]!

"Then go and get it appraised for me!!!"

Satria's face turned red, yelling angrily, almost wanting to throw the chair he was holding across the room.

Himawan was speechless.

Looking all around, already pondering where to find a rope to hang himself.

If appraisals were that quick, would they have spent so much money to cut in line? If they queue up for appraisal now, it'll drag on for at least a month!

Time is money, especially at this critical point, a day late, even one batch late, the price could be completely different!

Yet the Association is acting completely unfazed, slow as death.

Don't push!

The more you push, the slower it gets, push too hard and it'll stall!

Letting dozens of involved commerce associations anxiously run in circles, giving no face…

Finally, after several hours of constant requests and urging from all sides, even the Desert Gathering Headquarters sent letters, the Artisan Association eventually acted decently, issuing a supplementary announcement.

——In view of market demand and special conditions, to compensate for the negative impact caused by Du Erchang's dereliction of duty, the Association will handle special cases, opening a special channel for the materials previously revoked for Disaster Beast, facilitating re-evaluation, and urgently accelerating the issuance of appraisal results.

Additionally, given the urgency of the situation and the shortage of manpower, to avoid repeated running about and wasting time, this special channel appraisal will authorize local branches to handle them on behalf.

No need to run far, appraisals can be done right at your doorstep.

Saves time, effort, and hassles!

Are you happy and surprised?

In no time, those who received the news, as if they had been PUA'ed, forgot their previous anger and tears, overjoyed and clapping, rushed to the designated places to queue up.

Express service, great! Fast service, great!

What, need to pay a bit? Whatever, just pocket change! As long as it's done!

Shut up and take my money!

Hurry and get it done!

Only a few felt something was not quite right.

This applies specifically to the three Desert Gathering branches of Hidden Mist Reef, Iron Hook District, and Shiye Islands, as everyone's eyes fell on the list attached to the announcement, the smiles didn't even have time to appear before the situation... rapidly deteriorated.

So, who's in charge of all Disaster Beast material appraisals in the western Endless Sea region?

What a coincidence this is!

Even though our outlying countryside lacks an Association branch, we in Thousand Islands also have our Sky-Supporting White Jade Pillar, Sea-Raising Purple Gold Beam!

It just so happens that Mr. Ji, Master of Glory from the Association, personally came to appraise and oversee for everyone!

You're in for a treat!