Colonel Alec was so irritated that he burst into laughter: "We've provided the personnel, we've granted the passes; what now? Do we have to cough up the funds for your trip home?"
"It's a loan."
"No! Impossible!" Colonel Alec waved his hand dismissively.
"Then there's no other way," Winters shrugged. "We can only proceed as we are, selling off some cargo along the way to accumulate travel funds."
He earnestly began to lay out the finances for Colonel Alec: "Due to war and banditry, various parts of Jiangbei Province are experiencing a mix of glut and shortage. Local goods cannot be transported out, and foreign goods can't come in. Therefore, for a caravan like ours... one that faces no obstructions, there exists a delicate profit margin..."
Colonel Alec, having a background in artillery rather than commerce, felt dizzy and irritated after hearing all the business talk.
