I built the Black Tower City in Sumeru.

Chapter 16 secures Dolly's cooperation and two blueprints for technological creations.

The mass production process for Sulfa is not complicated.

If we don't consider full automation and add manual labor in some steps, it can be done with just a very simple mechanical structure.

It's just a matter of a few mechanical levers.

Chen Bo spent some time writing out the entire production process and provided the machining drawings for each stage.

All that's left is to find a buyer.

After asking many people, Chen Bo finally found Dolly.

This renowned black market merchant is currently directing pack animals to move goods.

Upon seeing Chen Bo, a student in the Order of the Order's uniform, approach her, she greeted him warmly: "Oh my, aren't you a student from the Order of the Order? What's up, looking to buy some contraband... oh no, rare research materials?"

Dolly rubbed her fingers together, a glint of shrewdness flashing in her eyes behind her sunglasses. "As long as Mora is available, I can get you even canned knowledge."

Chen Bo said, "I'm not here to buy anything; I'm here to discuss cooperation."

Then, Chen Bo handed over the Sumeru version of the auspicious drink he had made.

Dolly took the bottle and examined the unassuming liquid carefully, her interest waning. "Lord Sangmahabai isn't one to collect junk. What is this? A potion for failed alchemy?"

Chen Bo said, "Try it, it's a beverage."

Dolly unscrewed the cap, and the refreshing aroma of a carbonated beverage instantly wafted out.

Chen Bo introduced it at just the right moment: "I call it 'Auspicious Drink,' but of course, you can also call it 'Happy Water.'"

Dolly picked up the bottle suspiciously, brought her little nose close to smell it, and then stuck out the tip of her tongue to lick it lightly.

The next second, the bubbles burst on the tip of my tongue, and the sweet taste mixed with the aroma of herbs felt really pleasant.

Dolly took a few more sips and felt much more energetic: "This stuff... is interesting."

"It sounds like a nice drink."

Chen Bo nodded seriously: "A brand new drink that can cool you down without the need for ice, and it's very cheap."

"This thing has the potential to become a hard currency in desert regions, and even in Sumeru, it would probably sell very well."

Dolly was a shrewd businesswoman, and she immediately recognized the commercial value of this thing.

Indeed, if sold to desert mercenaries, probably no one would refuse.

Even the Sumeru people find it hard to resist this feeling.

"How do you want to cooperate?" Dolly put down the bottle, her tone becoming serious.

Chen Bo held up two fingers.

"Two options."

"First, I'll provide the formula and complete production process drawings, including the manufacturing blueprints for this gas compressor. Pricing, marketing, and sales are all your responsibility. I want 70% of the profits."

Upon hearing this, Dolly's face twitched in pain.

"Seventy percent? Are you robbing Lord Sangmahabai?! That's impossible!"

Chen Bo immediately proposed a second option: "Secondly, you pay 1 million Mora as a technology buyout fee, and I only want 50% of the subsequent profits."

Dolly fell silent.

She started mentally calculating her options.

This beverage, called "Auspicious Drink," is quite likely to cause a self-propagating effect.

In other words, you may not need to invest much in marketing, but you can use the desert mercenaries as a starting point to open up the market.

Given a sufficiently large market, the second option is clearly more likely to generate long-term profits.

However, this ratio is outrageous; we must haggle properly.

make up one's mind.

Dolly also started bargaining: "That's not how you do business. I work hard on production, distribution, and take on risks. I can only give you 10% at most, and you'd have to beg me to sell."

"Never mind then." Chen Bo reached for the bottle on the table. "I can't accept this price. I'll go ask other merchants."

"There is more than one merchant in Sumeru."

Dolly's hand was faster than Chen Bo's; she grabbed the bottle and pressed it down.

"Hey, young man, don't get so hot-tempered. Asking for an exorbitant price, try to bargain."

Dolly's face was full of smiles: "You see, you know my connections in Sumeru. Production, distribution, sales—if it were someone else, they might not be able to handle it all."

"Okay, one million it is, but how about... 20% split?"

"Thirty percent, not a penny less." Chen Bo wouldn't budge an inch: "I assure you, once production increases, I will provide updated machinery and equipment to guarantee output."

"I will also seek your cooperation on new projects in the future."

-

The two of them tugged at each other for a while.

Ultimately, the transaction price was set at a one million Mora buyout fee, plus a subsequent 30% profit share.

This roughly met Chen Bo's expectations.

Chen Bo's initial idea was Option 1, where he would only take 50% of the profits.

Option two: Receive around 1 million RMB worth of Mora and then keep 30% of the profits.

However, we had to give Dolly room to negotiate, which is why I said a little more.

"You little rascal, your heart is blacker than the Gilded Brigade's knife." Dolly muttered as she painfully counted the Mora. "One million Mora! How many drinks do I have to sell to earn that back?"

"Don't worry, you'll thank me." Chen Bo accepted the Mora that Dolly handed him, in a great mood. "This is called 'Auspicious Drink,' remember to make it famous."

It can also help to make the Little Lucky Grass King famous.

Mora has denominations, and with a large bag of Mora, Chen Bo could put many of his ideas into action.

In Teyvat, a world full of adventure, how can you survive without combat prowess?

Moreover, if Chen Bo chooses Teacher Tinari as his next mentor, he will inevitably have to deal with the Dead Zone in the rainforest.

We can't do without sufficient combat power.

However, Mora needs to purchase the parts, bionic fibers, and energy for the mecha.

Chen Bo is a second-year student and is not yet eligible to apply for research funding.

In short, it's because I don't have money.

Now that he has the money, Chen Bo can start building his own battle armor, and it would be best to finish it before heading to the rainforest.

In addition, there is another piece of good news.

I completed the task of earning Mora ten times!

Chen Bo immediately opened the task interface on the panel.

A system message popped up.

[Task 4: Earn Mora (Completed *10)]

[Congratulations, host. You have learned how to be self-reliant and obtain research funding in Teyvat.]

[Rewards: 100 Subject Experience Points, 100 Points in Honors.]

[Received: 10 chances to draw prizes (Due to the first completion of the task, the probability of a certain prize pool has been adjusted: junk items reduced to 9.9%, technology blueprints increased to 90.1%)]

Chen Bo now has ten chances to win a prize.

On one occasion, the probability of getting junk was 9.9%, and the probability of getting a random technology blueprint was 90.1%.

The other nine draws had a 99% chance of yielding junk items and a 1% chance of yielding random crafting blueprints.

All together, it's enough for a ten-pull.

In addition, a button for a 10-pull also popped up next to it.

Let's start drawing!

Chen Bo immediately clicked the ten-pull button.

The starry sky reappeared, and ten beams of light descended from the heavens.

White, white, white... gold, gold!

There are two gold ones!

That's really great.