"What?!"
"That guy from Ratchet is actually trying to steal my business!"
Hearing that name, alarms rang out in Noggenfogger's mind. The four major Goblin cartels each occupied their own sphere of influence. Noggenfogger controlled Gadgetzan and its affiliated Steamwheedle Port. Gazlowe governed Ratchet, whose docks currently provided a direct line to Menethil Harbor in the Wetlands. The other two were Everlook and Booty Bay.
Although all four cartels belonged to the "Steamwheedle Cartel," they usually stayed in their own lanes. While their moneymaking ventures overlapped privately, they officially operated only within their own territories to avoid direct competition. They didn't just exploit the land and sea; they controlled three of the five shipping routes between the two continents of Azeroth. For the right price, they would do anything—there were even rumors that some Goblins had taken Black Dragon gold to work inside Blackrock Mountain.
Now, hearing from Wayne that Gazlowe was coming for his business, Noggenfogger exploded with rage. He slammed the table and thrust his face forward. "I'll buy them! But I want exclusive distribution rights!"
Wayne's nose was nearly poked by the Goblin's pointed tip, but he didn't back down. Whoever lost their momentum first would lose the upper hand in this negotiation. "Exclusive rights are fine! But the price is non-negotiable!"
"Free planting instructions!" Noggenfogger demanded.
"Personal lessons, guaranteed mastery!" Wayne countered.
"What if they don't survive?"
"Their vitality rivals a cactus! Water them regularly and they'll live in the desert!"
"What if the seeds are defective?"
Wayne smiled. "Do you want to go through that whole 'maintenance fee' thing again? I don't mind."
The wound Noggenfogger had just forgotten was ripped open again, and he began to grit his teeth.
"Forget it!" Wayne said. "Since you're collaborating in good faith, I'll give you a free ticket to the party."
The moment the Goblin heard there was something for free, his entire demeanor changed, like a lecher hearing about a beautiful woman. "Oh? What party?"
"A party with unlimited drinks, all-you-can-eat food, and spectacular performances! But I'm only giving you one spot. If anyone else wants to attend, it's 5 gold per person."
"Deal!"
However, he didn't buy much—he spent only 100 gold on ten parsnip seeds and ten small tea saplings. Once the deal was finalized, he left two skilled confidants behind and sent the rest of his subordinates back to their usual business.
Wayne then collaborated with Silas Darkmoon to have their companions distribute flyers throughout the villages near Stormwind for a special joint event in early December—"The Band's Winter."
The event was split into two parts. The "Inner Circle" cost 5 gold per person, granting entry to the band's live performance via the glasses. The "Outer Circle" was held simultaneously at the Darkmoon Faire square south of Goldshire and the open space outside the net cafe for free, though drinks required separate payment.
As the days drew closer, everyone became increasingly busy. In Stardew Valley, one in-game day equals one hour in reality. This meant slow-growing crops needed perfectly timed watering and fertilizing, and scarecrows had to be placed to prevent crows from stealing the harvest before the event began.
The Fordring father and son worked tirelessly planting, harvesting, and cooking. Old Chen and Li Li spent their time in-game chopping wood, breaking stones, and clearing weeds until the skin on their hands felt raw. Pirelli used the harvested materials to craft over a dozen dining tables, along with a stage and lighting. Raymond and Little Tess began decorating Wayne's farm with harvested flowers.
The Tauren band, bolstered by their two new members, underwent a total transformation. Meanwhile, the participation of Amy and Snow-Falling brought a different flair to their musical style.
The night of December 4th, Year 24 of the Dark Portal.
Night fell over Stormwind, but the number of tourists gathering at the net cafe and the Darkmoon Faire camp grew larger, and they were reluctant to leave. Everyone was waiting for the start of the legendary party, wondering where the mythical dream manor—which no one had ever reached—actually was.
"Ladies and gentlemen!"
"Good~ eve~ning~ everyone!"
The suave Shadowbreaker appeared as the host for tonight's event, dressed in black and holding a golden microphone, looking exceptionally gentlemanly and elegant.
"Today, we gather in Stardew Valley to welcome the first 'Band's Winter' rock party!"
At this moment, not only had the guests inside the cafe put on their glasses to enter Wayne's farm, but the people at the Faire camp and outside the cafe could also see the beautiful scenery of flowers and green grass through a massive screen matrix composed of 24 monitors.
Many people had come because of the fame of the event but had never played at the cafe, so they didn't know where this displayed location was.
"Where is this?" "Where is this Stardew Valley?" "Look! Isn't that the owner of the Darkmoon Faire? He's in there too!" "You're right! And his bodyguard, that big fat guy!"
Shadowbreaker continued: "For this event, we have received the generous sponsorship of Mayor Lewis of Pelican Town and Silas Darkmoon, owner of the Darkmoon Faire! Let us offer our most sincere thanks to these two distinguished guests!"
There was a scattering of applause from below. Wayne thought to himself, Heh, neither of them spent a penny, yet they're getting plenty of credit.
"First, let us welcome the annual Flower Dance of Pelican Town!" "Please, let the young singles make their sweet entrance!"
The Flower Dance was an important annual festival in the game, though it was usually held on the 24th of Spring. Wayne had been busy recently accumulating items in the game to give to the villagers to increase their friendship levels and invite them to participate in this event.
Like the crew members in Uncharted Waters IV, these were no longer NPCs with fixed code and repetitive dialogue. While their personalities, quests, specific events, and schedules remained unchanged from the original game, their conversation content, intelligence, and personal emotions were nearly indistinguishable from real people.
Thus, when Mayor Lewis heard that the "newcomer" Wayne was willing to pay to make this year's Flower Dance several times larger, he agreed immediately and ensured all villagers attended in their best attire.
A piece of music began. Under the witness of over twenty Pelican Town villagers, sixty-seven players (including Noggenfogger) wearing glasses, and hundreds of spectators outside, six beautiful young single women in long dresses danced for their chosen partners.
Wayne couldn't help but find it amusing. This game had a famous nickname back in his world—"Cuckold Valley." If one played deep enough, a player could break up these six couples, claim one of them for themselves, and discover the town's complicated relationships—like the classic "Mayor and the Widow" plot, or the event where the Mayor leaves his underpants in another female villager's house and asks the player to retrieve them secretly.
Fortunately, there weren't many players yet, and they were all focused on farming and unlocking more seeds and fruits. So, everything looked pure and beautiful.
As the ethereal music ended, "The Band's Winter" officially began!