System: Build My Own Territory Chapter 862 - 270: Profession System and Reassignment (10,000 Words)

Because of the far distance, Lynn was unable to catch the words Mr. Alan uttered.

However, Lynn clearly observed Alan's initially serene expression slowly turning grave.

The Guard Commander ceased his whispers.

Alan remained motionless, as if deep in thought.

Several minutes passed.

Then Alan advanced once more toward Lynn.

Upon arriving before Lynn, his voice carried deep regret.

"Master Lynn, I had hoped to linger a few more days in your quaint town."

"Savoring that peaceful, rustic existence."

"Yet now, it appears I must ready myself to depart..."

Before Lynn could ask, Alan started explaining himself.

"I'm unsure if you've gotten the news, Master Lynn..."

"My Guard Commander has just told me that Charlemagne VI, Emperor of the Kaladi Empire, has been assassinated."

"The culprit is none other than his second son, Caesar Carolin."

Lynn nodded, "I just got some intel myself."

"But I haven't had a moment to share it with you, Mr. Alan, since your carriage convoy had already come back."

Alan nodded in understanding and pressed on.

"However, Master Lynn... I've learned additional details."

"In Charlemagne VI’s chambers, the Imperial Guard discovered only Caesar alongside the Emperor's corpse."

"Plunged into the chest was the Dagger of Judgment, a gift Charlemagne VI once bestowed on Caesar for his coming-of-age."

"No other soul was present in the chambers."

"Upon hearing of Charlemagne VI’s murder, the eldest son, Mitchell, rushed directly to the Emperor’s chambers."

"Meanwhile, Caesar, protected by an Imperial Guard squad, fled Triumph City under cover of night, bound for the Duchy of the Red Dragon!"

Hearing this, Lynn's brows knit together faintly.

This fresh intel from Alan clearly came straight from his Guard Commander moments ago.

On matters of the Empire, Lynn shared no clashing interests with Alan.

In other words,

Alan had no reason to feed him fabricated tales.

Most importantly,

Alan stood to gain nothing from deception.

Merchants never harm others without profit in sight.

Should events unfold as Alan described,

Caesar Carolin, branded the slayer of Charlemagne VI, had bolted from Triumph City.

Even if Caesar was innocent, suspicion would cling to him inescapably!

This realization deepened Lynn's bewilderment.

If Caesar truly hadn't committed the act, why flee?

With Caesar labeled the killer and abandoning Triumph City,

Wouldn't control of the city seamlessly shift to Mitchell?

Regardless of future twists,

At minimum,

Defending the city offered far superior terrain advantages over assaulting it.

Suddenly, a notion flashed in Lynn's mind.

He inwardly sighed once more.

Intelligence gathering proved utterly vital.

Currently, his spies in the city supplied only scant details.

Nothing compared to the precise, in-depth reports reaching Alan!

He needed to hasten building an intelligence hub.

Alan's words flowed on.

His voice now brimmed with fervor.

"Master Lynn, the war... the war is on the verge of erupting..."

A strange gleam lit Alan's eyes.

At Alan's demeanor, Lynn frowned involuntarily.

He suddenly recalled that the Alan before him, unlike the slave merchant Grayson,

was a brazen war profiteer!

Thriving on pre-war or wartime market turmoil through ruthless speculation!

Snapping up cheap wares, hauling them forth,

Then offloading them at exorbitant rates to warring lords or forces.

Reaping colossal fortunes thereby.

War profiteers like him often amplify war's devastation and sway politics.

Just like Audrey, distant in the Portlands Empire!

Leveraging her financial prowess, she steered the Portlands Empire’s conflicts.

Alan's solo efforts might fall short of Audrey's feats,

Yet who knew

What merchant empires or martial titans backed him?

Merchants invariably entwine with the elite!

Once the final load of premium salt filled the carriage holds,

After bidding Lynn farewell,

Alan guided his brimming convoy from Lord’s Square, vanishing into the looming silhouettes of far-off peaks and forests.

Though evening had fallen and dusk deepened,

Nothing could halt Alan's urgent exodus.

Lynn remained rooted, eyes tracking the fading caravan.

Until it vanished entirely, he turned away.

The clash for Imperial power was at last igniting!

War was finally descending!

For a shrewd war profiteer like Alan, it brought a mix of perils and hurdles.

First.

Once the Empire dives into battle, merchants' trade paths grow treacherous amid fierce clashes.

Raids, ambushes, or outright confiscation and ruin of their wares could strike at any moment.

Second.

The marketplace will undoubtedly suffer chaos, with prices surging and plunging erratically.

On one side, warfare sparks dire shortages, rocketing the cost of essential items sky-high.

On the flip side, war drains people's wealth, drastically curbing demand for lavish luxuries.

Merchants find it nearly impossible to sway market needs or price swings.

Yet in the same vein.

Amid such perils and trials lurk immense prospects and staggering gains.