The Price of Interstellar Cores

"Zhu Ge, please help me check if there is anyone in the Business Alliance looking to purchase 'fish meatballs'," Li Zhi said.

"Of course, please wait a moment."

After about three seconds, Zhu Ge regretfully said, "I'm sorry, but there is currently no information available on the purchase of 'fish meatballs' on the Interstellar Business Alliance information network."

Li Zhi thought for a moment and asked, "How much does it cost to post a message on the Business Alliance information network?"

Zhu Ge replied, "It is calculated based on time." The price for posting a regular message for one week is 1000 credits, for three months it is 10,000 credits, and for one year it is 30,000 credits. "For urgent messages, there is an additional fee of 1000 credits per day, and for priority messages, there is a fee of 100,000 credits per hour."

Li Zhi rolled his eyes, feeling like he was dealing with Baidu, focusing on ranking and bidding.

"Help me post a message selling fish balls." Happy Fish Balls are priced at 60 credits per catty. The buyer is responsible for the transaction fee, and we can ship up to 20 catties!

"No problem!"

Li Zhi wasn't sure if he could sell them. If there was a market for them in the Interstellar Business Alliance, the Fish Head Island Village factory could produce items at full capacity without being constrained by the sales volume of the 'Happy Fish Balls' store. He was worried about overproduction.

Twenty catties of fish balls only cost 1200 credits, but Li Zhi estimated that the shipping cost in the Interstellar Business Alliance would definitely not be cheap.

Ten thousand credits for three months—it was akin to advertising on the Interstellar Business Alliance information trading network with money. What if someone could buy in bulk?

Although the possibility was not very high, it was worth a try. Who knows what might happen?

Taking an order for a million bottles of canned goods was not in vain. Tens of millions of "small money" were still considered as currency.

"Oh, help me search for the price of the 'Interstellar Core!'" Li Zhi suddenly thought of something and turned to Zhu Ge.

"Okay!"

Soon, rows of information about the "Interstellar Core" appeared in front of Li Zhi. Many members of the Business Alliance were interested in purchasing the "Interstellar Core."

Even a "Micro Interstellar Core" had a price of up to 1 billion US dollars, and that was just the market price. Even if you had the money, you might not be able to buy it. It depended on luck and influence.

The price of a 'Standard Level' Interstellar Core was 1000 interstellar credits.

Officially available at the Interstellar Business Alliance!

"What is an interstellar credit?" Li Zhi looked at Zhu Ge with a puzzled expression.

Zhu Ge explained, "Interstellar credits are the exclusive currency used for transactions between members of the Interstellar Business Alliance." They can be used for transactions between members and to purchase items within the Interstellar Business Alliance. They are much more widely accepted than the "regional" currencies of the members.

"How can they be exchanged?"

"1 interstellar credit is equivalent to 10 million US dollars!" Zhu Ge said.

Li Zhi frowned and thought, "So, the price of a 'Standard Level' Interstellar Core is 100 billion US dollars, and ten 'Micro Interstellar Cores' can form a Standard Level Interstellar Core, is that correct?"

Zhu Ge said, "Absolutely correct!"

A "Micro Interstellar Core" worth 1 billion US dollars could open a "Micro Gate" to the Interstellar Business Alliance a thousand times. Did that mean the cost of visiting once was as high as 1 million US dollars? Damn, it was shocking to calculate.

The joy of receiving an order for a million bottles of canned goods vanished in an instant.

Depressing!

Using a "Micro Interstellar Core" once meant one less opportunity, and the cost of crossing over was in the millions. Compared to the small profit of one or two million, the return was simply not proportional.

"What did you just say?" Interstellar credits can be used to purchase items within the Interstellar Business Alliance. "Do you also participate in transactions between members of the Business Alliance?" Li Zhi asked in confusion.

Zhu Ge smiled and said, "Yes, the Interstellar Business Alliance can purchase goods from its member companies."

Li Zhi's eyes lit up as he inquired, "Will the Business Alliance purchase the 'high-quality' fish meatballs I have?"

"I need to inquire, please wait a moment!"

After about a second, Zhu Ge smiled and said, "It can be purchased." The purchase price offered by the 67th Interstellar Business Alliance is 48 credits per kilogram.

"48 credits per kilogram?" "24 credits per catty?" Li Zhi rubbed his chin and thought to himself. The price was acceptable. Even at 24 credits per catty, he would still make a profit. It was just a matter of how much profit, but this could be considered a sales channel.

"Do they charge transaction fees for transactions with the Business Alliance?"

"They do; the transaction fee is 10% of the total price!"

"…Damn!" Li Zhi couldn't help but mutter. He could see that the Interstellar Business Alliance was becoming greedy. They even charged a transaction fee for transactions between members. Was this right? Was it? It really shouldn't be!

Zhu Ge said, "The 10% transaction fee is the lowest value within the 67th Interstellar Business Alliance!"

"So, no matter what you do in the Interstellar Business Alliance, do you have to include a 10% additional transaction fee?"

"You can understand it that way; 10% is the minimum value!" Zhu Ge emphasized the 'minimum value' of 10% again.

Li Zhi thought for a moment and said, "Change the price of the fish balls I set earlier to 500 credits per kilogram."

Pf-word suggestion: word-sub0 per catty!

Anyway, even if a blind cat catches a dead mouse, the price has to be at least ten times higher than selling to the Interstellar Business Alliance. Otherwise, who would bother!

After bidding farewell to Zhu Ge, Li Zhi returned to his rented room through the 'Micro Gate.'

He unplugged the power and removed the 'Micro Interstellar Core.' This trip had been unproductive for two hours, and he had lost a million US dollars. It was painful to think about.

Make money, make money, make money!

Money was needed everywhere. Without money, it is not only difficult to move an inch in this world, but also in any other place.

Li Zhi took out his phone, intending to call Dong Xiaorou, but upon reflection, he decided to put it away. Although he was the boss, he couldn't oppress his employees indefinitely. Dong Xiaorou was already tired from managing the processing factory and running the "Happy Fish Balls" business. It would be inhumane to drag her along to run errands.

He took a taxi to the intermediary company.

Sitting in the car, Li Zhi couldn't help but sigh. It was really inconvenient without a car. When he made money this time, he decided to treat himself to a high-end, classy "ride." It was inhumane not to spend money when you had it, especially on yourself!

A million bottles of canned goods were not a small quantity. Even if he went to the supermarket, the quantity and price would be difficult for Li Zhi to accept.

As for the quantity, even if Li Zhi searched all the supermarkets and convenience stores in Haicheng, he might not be able to find so many in a short time.

So, Li Zhi had only two options left. First, visit a food factory in the city and directly order one million bottles of canned goods.

Within three days, the other party must produce one million bottles of canned goods.

The second option was to find a "middleman," or as they commonly say, an "intermediary."

Li Zhi was the boss himself. If he went to negotiate with the canned goods factory, who knew how long it would take. He didn't have much time; only three days. Time was money, so it was better to let the "specialists" handle these matters.

As the saying goes, everyone has their own expertise!