Honey Badger and his crew returned later to deliver their reports.

Even though Floki had already told them he possessed the resources, disbelief still lingered in their eyes.

That disbelief shattered the moment Floki casually brought out everything required, along with a surplus, in case anything got spoiled during construction.

They stood there, staring at the materials spread across the ground, stunned into silence.

Floki’s voice cut through their daze.

"How long would it take to complete it?"

The stern tone snapped them back to reality. They quickly turned toward him, respect evident in their expressions.

"Ten days," Honey Badger replied.

Floki’s frown deepened.

"Four weeks?" he asked, the words coming out slower, heavier.

Honey nodded quickly and began explaining the reasons behind the extended time.

Floki resisted the urge to slap his own forehead. He had assumed two hundred men with supernatural building abilities could handle everything in less than two weeks.

Clearly, he had miscalculated.

"Do you have any method to contact the Yellow Orchid?" he asked.

Honey Badger nodded and produced a scroll similar to the one used to contact the sisters. This one, however, was yellow instead of pink, likely belonging to the Yellow Orchid.

Floki gave it a brief glance, uninterested in the details.

He motioned for the workers to begin, then made his way to the town hall.

Once inside, he activated the scroll.

The face that appeared was the one he least wanted to see.

Evander frowned deeply as Floki’s image formed before him.

"Why do you have this?" he asked, suspicion sharp in his tone.

"I took it from your workers," Floki replied calmly. He leaned back in his seat, a faint smirk forming. "Is that how you greet your elders?"

Evander’s face twitched. For a moment, it looked like he might snap.

He paused, forcing himself to breathe, then leaned closer to the device. When he spoke again, a grin spread across his face, one that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

"Are you here to end our deal already?"

Before Floki could respond, Evander laughed.

"Haha. You were so full of yourself a few days ago. And now? Look at you, coming back to beg. What happened to all that talk about being a man?"

He let the words hang, clearly satisfied with himself, then leaned back.

"I apologize," he added, almost lazily. "I cannot end the deal."

’This brat...’

Floki felt no pressure from the outburst.

If anything, it reminded him of a child ranting after losing a toy. It was almost amusing.

"The deal still stands, Evans," Floki said.

Evander blinked, caught off guard.

"Ehh? You’re not here to break the deal?"

"Obviously not. I contacted you because I need more workers."

Evander’s expression shifted instantly.

"More workers? Do you have any idea how much it costs to employ empowered builders for even a single day? Tania and Thalia already paid in advance for two hundred men, and now you’re asking for more?"

He pushed himself up from his seat, agitation spilling over.

He began pacing the room, frustration written all over him.

As he moved, Floki took in his surroundings. A lavish bedroom. Excessively so.

On the bed lay multiple plates of half-eaten snacks, arranged on a steel tray. There was enough food there to serve ten people.

Evander noticed where Floki was looking.

His face flushed red, and he shifted slightly, trying to block the view.

"Don’t worry, little Evans," Floki said lightly. "Your secrets are safe with me. Of course, that depends on whether you fulfill my request."

"I am not little!"

Evander snapped, his voice rising sharply.

The outburst drew attention. Knocks echoed from the door.

"Young master, are you okay?"

Voices followed, concerned, respectful.

Evander clenched his jaw and barked at them to leave.

Silence returned.

He turned back to Floki, irritation still simmering.

"Fine. How many men do you need? I’m sure it’s not up to two hundred."

"Actually, it’s more than two hundred."

Evander froze.

"What?!"

"Yes, little Evans. I need one thousand men sent to Ironside as soon as possible. If there’s any faster means of transportation, use it. Don’t worry about the cost. I’ll cover everything when you return."

Evander stared at him.

For a moment, he waited, expecting a punchline. Some sign that this was a joke.

None came.

"One thousand men?" His voice rose again. "Are you playing with me? Do you think the Yellow Orchid is something you can casually throw demands at? We’ve brought down cities. Great cities. If you truly understood the weight of our name, you wouldn’t dare make such a request so lightly."

His frustration spilled over.

He went on for nearly five minutes, pacing, ranting, and venting everything he had bottled up.

Much of it turned into self-praise. He boasted about his caravan, his status, his connections, and even took the opportunity to mock Floki’s presumed lack of wealth.

In the middle of his tirade, details slipped out.

He was the son of a Marquis. A candidate for inheritance. Currently playing the role of a merchant as a test set by his father, meant to prove his capability and intelligence.

A Marquis. The lord of a great city.

’No wonder.’

Floki had suspected as much from the beginning. The confirmation barely surprised him.

He leaned back, watching the entire scene unfold with quiet amusement.

When Evander finally slowed, his anger still present but no longer explosive, Floki made his move.

Fifty pouches appeared around him.

Each one filled with gold coins.

He picked one up and opened it, letting the contents catch the light. Then another. And another.

He opened nearly a dozen, making sure there was no doubt.

Evander’s jaw dropped.

All words left him.

That level of wealth had no business being in the hands of someone managing a newly upgraded town. Even certain cities would struggle to produce that much gold at once.

He remained frozen for several seconds.

Then, slowly, his expression hardened.

"Say that again," he said, his tone completely different now.

Floki smirked.

He had just forced the negotiation in his favor by flexing his wealth.