The first words out of Yan Mo’s mouth trampled upon Suo Lun’s bottom line. He actually proposed that Suo Lun swap wives with him.
Moreover, as he said this, his gaze unabashedly lingered with lust upon Princess Zhi Yan’s face and figure.
Rage blazed ten thousand zhang high in Suo Lun’s heart, yet his gaze remained icy calm.
As for Zhi Yan’s incomparably beautiful face, it was even more light and indifferent, as if this were not about her at all.
Yan Mo certainly did not truly harbour any delusion of swapping women with Suo Lun. It was purely to enrage Suo Lun, to make him lose his reason.
Suo Lun immediately calmed himself, sitting cross-legged opposite Yan Mo, looking at this elder half brother of the same father.
This face, seventy percent similar to his own, remained incomparably handsome and resolute, yet his gaze was wild and untamed. He wore the most luxurious robes, yet his chest was bared open, his bronze skin like rock.
Even while sitting, he was half a head taller than Suo Lun, filled with a sharp, oppressive air.
Seeing Suo Lun’s icy gaze, Yan Mo smiled, “Suo Lun, although my martial arts are very, very high, they should still fall somewhat short of your wife Princess Zhi Yan’s. Faced with such humiliation from me, surely your killing intent has not suddenly risen?”
Suo Lun certainly wished he could tear Yan Mo into ten thousand pieces, but that was impossible!
This was a negotiation of the highest level. Each side had brought only one woman.
The Rock Pirates were a group that placed great emphasis upon honour. If Suo Lun killed Yan Mo here, then next the hundred thousand pirates would tear the few thousand men of Suo Lun’s fleet into shreds.
Not to mention that at this moment, Yan Mo still held several thousand hostages in his hands, among them Ye Jing Yu who was escorting the gold coins, Suo Lun’s trusted warrior.
…
Yan Mo’s wife, Hai Die Er, was only seventeen this year.
Her skin was much fairer than that of other Hai clan women, and her pupils were brown. Her absolutely beautiful face was exquisitely perfect, carrying an air both innocent and seductive.
Despite her young age, she was already very fully developed. The twin peaks upon her chest were round and pert, their size exceeding that of the vast majority of women.
Her slender waist was like a snake’s. Her bottom was round, pert, and startlingly pronounced. Her two long legs were firm and straight.
In short, this was a girl with an incomparably fiery figure, so sexy she could make one’s nose bleed.
Moreover, her gaze always carried shyness and curiosity.
When Suo Lun appeared, her beautiful eyes unabashedly fell upon his handsome face, actually showing seven parts shyness and three parts invitation, appearing exceedingly bold.
“What, my younger brother is far more handsome than I. You are craving him?” Yan Mo reached into the front of her chest and kneaded forcefully.
His young wife Hai Die Er’s legs twisted and tightened, clearly her body was very sensitive.
Facing an otherworldly beauty on the level of a celestial being like Zhi Yan, ordinary women would feel ashamed of their own vulgarity. But Hai Die Er was not like this. Instead, she proudly raised her chin, as if competing in beauty with Zhi Yan.
Yan Mo continued to let his fiery gaze roam over Princess Zhi Yan’s face and figure, clicking his tongue, “Suo Lun, you truly are blessed with extraordinary romantic fortune. There is probably no woman in the world more beautiful than your wife. What a pity that you are too uptight, unwilling to share with me.”
Then, his palm patted his young wife’s captivating round bottom, “How about this? Let us have a spear contest. You do your woman, I do mine. Whoever surrenders first loses. If I lose, I will return all the merchant caravans and gold coins I hijacked. How about it?”
As soon as these words were spoken, his young wife Hai Die Er was already impatiently kneeling prostrate upon the deck, assuming a posture ready for battle.
One must know, she was wearing only a single layer of thin gauze upon her body. One could see everything.
“Do not waste time, Yan Mo,” Suo Lun said. “First enraging me, then attempting to bewilder my mind. Speak plainly. What do you want?”
Yan Mo opened his mouth, bit his young wife’s bottom, then patted it, “The opponent does not accept the challenge. Next time then.”
Immediately, Hai Die Er pouted her little mouth and gently lay upon Yan Mo’s leg.
“Suo Lun, my dear younger brother. A few months ago, I was forced to push you down a ten thousand zhang abyss. Whether you believe it or not, my heart ached like it was being twisted. I apologise to you here.” Yan Mo remained seated, bowing towards Suo Lun.
Suo Lun did not answer.
Yan Mo continued, “Last time, the Queen Mother personally came to the Thunder Islands to request my aid. I thought you were already dead, that the Suo clan was destined for extinction. So I simply went the whole way and dispatched five thousand Rock Pirates to join the Gui Xing Fu allied army, taking advantage of the fire to rob, attacking your Rocky Island. Here I apologise to you once more. But you must believe me. If the Suo clan had been destroyed at that time, I would have rescued the Queen Mother, Yan Xue Er, and Suo Ning Bing and the others. You should believe I have such capability and magnanimity.”
Suo Lun nodded.
Yan Mo said, “Do you know the principles by which I conduct my affairs? First, everything is for the interests of the Rock People, everything is for the ideal in my heart. Second, I yield to soft approaches but not hard ones. No one can damage my pride.”
Suo Lun did not answer, still staring at Yan Mo.
Yan Mo continued, “I never thought that not only did you not die, but you achieved a great victory. Not only did you defeat the Gui Xing Fu allied army, but you also annihilated Zhi Wei’s entire army. You even frightened away Tu Ling Tuo’s two hundred thousand strong army, and beat Zhi Li into utter disgrace. In the Raging Waves Kingdom, your momentum is like the sun at high noon, unstoppable by anyone. Impressive, my younger brother. Truly worthy of being a man who shares the same blood as I.”
Suo Lun said, “Speak plainly. What do you want?”
Yan Mo reached his hand under his young wife’s gauze skirt, fondling her captivating bottom with great relish, sighing, “In the Raging Waves Kingdom today, there is no one who can do anything to you, no one who can blunt your sharp edge. Your prestige is momentarily without equal! But unfortunately… that is on land. The king upon the sea surface is still me!”
As he said this, Yan Mo’s face turned cold. His large hand suddenly gripped his young wife Hai Die Er’s vital spot, causing her delicate body to tremble.
“Suo Lun, my dear younger brother. No matter how formidable you are on land, it is useless. The king upon the sea surface is still me.” Yan Mo said coldly, “As long as I am willing, I can sever any one of your trade fleets, preventing you from obtaining a single gold coin from the sea surface. I think I have already proven this point.”
Suo Lun said coldly, “Speak plainly. What do you want?”
Yan Mo said, “How much do you earn each month now? One hundred thirty thousand? One hundred fifty thousand gold coins? Over sixty percent of that comes from maritime trade, does it not? What did you rely upon to annihilate the Gui Xing Fu allied army, annihilate Zhi Wei’s great army, and frighten away Tu Ling Tuo’s great army? Money. Astronomical sums of money and supplies. You have governed Sky Water City in good order, with a total population of five hundred thousand, two hundred fifty thousand of whom are engaged in military activities, either building castles or transporting military supplies. Yet the livelihood of Sky Water City has not been affected in the slightest. Instead, it has achieved unprecedented prosperity, unprecedented unity of purpose. What did you rely upon? Still money!”
Yan Mo’s head lowered, his gaze like that of a beast hunting prey, staring at Suo Lun, “If I completely sever and blockade all your maritime trade routes, what would be the consequences? You should be very clear about that.”
What would be the consequences?
The expansion of the great army would halt. The livelihood of the Southeast Province and Sky Water City would suffer tremendous impact.
Suo Lun’s money would be unable to maintain his vast army. Internal unrest would arise, let alone expansion.
Once the sea routes were blockaded, it would be like pinching Suo Lun’s lifeline.
“Speak plainly. What do you want?” Suo Lun still used the same words.
Yan Mo said, “You captured three thousand of my Rock Pirates and took them for your own. When the Queen Mother came to request aid, she also said, either be a friend or be an enemy. She threatened me like this. Tell me, what do you think I want?”
What did Yan Mo want?
Suo Lun had captured his three thousand Rock Pirates, so he wanted them back? And to teach Suo Lun a lesson?
Or did he see the enormous profits of the Rocky Salt Fields and the Magic Mirror industry, and wanted a share of the pie?
“My dear younger brother, guess what I want?” Yan Mo smiled.
Suo Lun said, “Speak directly.”
Yan Mo said, “I want to ally with you, form a brotherhood alliance, a blood alliance!”
This answer should be exceedingly unexpected!
After speaking, his gaze fixed tightly upon Suo Lun, wanting to see astonishment on his face.
Who in the world acts like this? Before wanting to ally with you, first fiercely slapping you a dozen times, beating you half to death?
“Suo Lun, my dear younger brother.” Yan Mo said loudly, “You are king upon the land, I am hegemon upon the sea. With you and me allied, we will be invincible under Heaven!”
Yan Mo withdrew his hand from beneath Hai Die Er’s skirt, wiped it upon his own robe, then heavily patted Suo Lun’s shoulder, “Why did I hijack your fleet? Why did I kill your men? It is obvious. I wanted to display my strength to you. Only someone sufficiently strong can become an ally!”
Suo Lun said indifferently, “You are warning me that you can be my ally, or you can be my enemy, and you are capable of bringing about my destruction.”
“Precisely, that is the meaning.” Yan Mo said, “At that time, the Queen Mother came to me and said, either become an ally or become an enemy. At that time, I felt you were not qualified. Now you are qualified, so I return those words to you!”
Suo Lun and Yan Mo were truly natural allies!
For the time being, neither side had any conflict of interest. Suo Lun had little interest in maritime hegemony. He only wanted to earn money through maritime trade, only wanted to help Zhi Yan ascend to the queen’s throne.
As for Yan Mo, he only wanted to dominate the ocean, then annex the Hai clan of the Hidden Continent Island, becoming the sole hegemon of the entire Eastern Ocean.
From the perspective of interests, an alliance between the two sides truly came together perfectly.
“What do you want? Specifically, what do you want?” Suo Lun asked.
Yan Mo said, “Do you think I will demand the return of those three thousand Rock Pirate captives? No, you keep them!”
Three thousand Rock Pirates, given away just like that. Generous enough.
Yan Mo continued, “Do you think I will demand a share of the Rocky Salt Fields and the Magic Mirror industry from you? No. I already have enough money. There is no need to cut another piece of meat from you. Whether it is the Rocky Salt Fields or the Magic Mirror industry, I do not want half a share.”
Suo Lun narrowed his eyes. He knew what Yan Mo wanted.
Yan Mo smiled cunningly, “My younger brother, from your eyes I can tell that you already know what I want.”
Suo Lun said, “You want the Heaven Shaking Thunder!”
The so-called Heaven Shaking Thunder was gunpowder, Suo Lun’s current top secret weapon of mass destruction!
“Correct.” Yan Mo nodded, “I only want this one thing. You tell me the formula. Its raw material is a mineral, is it not? Where can it be mined and manufactured on a large scale, you tell me that as well!”
Suo Lun inwardly sighed in admiration. The Yan Mo before his eyes truly was no less than a true cunning hero and outstanding figure!
In one strike, he hit the crucial point. In one glance, he saw through the essence of the matter.
Money, he did not want!
Three thousand Rock Pirates, he did not want either.
The only thing he wanted was the revolutionary weapon that would change warfare: gunpowder!
What was Yan Mo’s strategic objective for the next ten years? Very simple and clear: destroy the Hai clan, occupy the Hidden Continent Island, become the sole hegemon of the Eastern Ocean.
He was a true cunning hero. By one’s couch, how could one allow another to sleep peacefully!
He and the Hai clan’s leader Hai Gang, one a fierce tiger, one a male lion. One mountain could not accommodate two kings of beasts.
Presently, the Hai clan’s maritime strength was already inferior to the Rock Pirates. But unfortunately, warships could not sail onto land. The Hidden Continent Island stretched a thousand li. No matter how formidable Yan Mo’s navy was, it could not attack cities on land, could not shake the Hai clan’s foundation.
Why had the Hai clan’s leader Hai Gang agreed to lend the Thunder Islands to the Rock People for refuge? Because his benevolence suddenly overflowed? Of course not. His purpose was singular: to completely annex the Rock Pirates, to become the sole maritime hegemon in one fell swoop, his power spanning both sea and land.
Yan Mo and the Hai clan were completely in a relationship of waxing and waning. Either annex or be annexed.
Presently, the Hai clan was forming a marriage alliance with the Tu Ling Tuo family, backed by the continent. Although their navy had suffered damage, their power was still enormous.
Yan Mo appeared powerful and invincible on the surface, but in reality, he was in a passive position.
And once he had gunpowder, his army could attack onto land, completely occupying the thousand li territory of the Hidden Continent Island.
Otherwise, after his sixty to seventy thousand Rock Pirates went onto land, facing the Hai clan’s countless sturdy castles and towering city walls, they could only become pitiful cannon fodder, dying cleanly and completely.
Yan Mo raised himself to stand, extending his large hand, “Suo Lun, my younger brother of the same father, let us ally! With you and me allied, we will be invincible under Heaven!”
Suo Lun looked coldly at Yan Mo, “Are you begging me to ally, or forcing me to ally?”
Yan Mo said, “I am begging you to ally!”
Suo Lun said, “Hijacking my merchant fleet, causing me losses of several hundred thousand gold coins. Detaining several thousand of my people, and threatening to blockade and sever all my trade routes. This is how you beg me to ally?”
Yan Mo spread his hands, “Very well, then consider it me forcing you to ally!”
Suo Lun said, “My elder brother of the same father, any kind of alliance requires giving something. You want my secret weapon, the Heaven Shaking Thunder. What can you give in return?”
Yan Mo said, “I guarantee the safety of your sea routes. Every day you will earn astronomical sums of gold coins through maritime trade. No one will dare hijack any of your merchant ships.”
Suo Lun said, “But those things originally belonged to me. What you are doing is equivalent to first robbing my things, then using them as your bargaining chip to trade with me. A person cannot be shameless to this degree!”
Of course, in reality, such shameless matters abounded. The hegemonic nations of Earth typically first robbed your things, then used them as chips to blackmail you.
Yan Mo nodded, “What you say makes sense. I still must pay a price. One cannot only take without giving, correct? Suo Lun, do you love your wife?”
Suo Lun smiled, “Of course.”
Yan Mo said, “She is the other half of your life. No matter what price others offer, you would never give away your wife, would you?”
Suo Lun sneered coldly without speaking.
“My wife is also my other half. Her significance to me surpasses everything.” Yan Mo’s gaze was fervent, his tone solemn, “Now I give her to you. Having given so much, you can no longer call me shameless, can you?”
Then, Yan Mo patted Hai Die Er’s bottom.
His absolutely stunning young wife once again knelt prostrate upon the ground, raising her bottom.
Yan Mo said mournfully, “Come, my younger brother. I use the most precious other half of my life to exchange for your external possession, the Heaven Shaking Thunder. I trade a green hat for a weapon. Sincere enough, is it not!”
Suo Lun stared coldly at Yan Mo. This elder brother of his was truly thick-skinned and black-hearted to the extreme.
“What if I am unwilling?” Suo Lun asked.
Yan Mo said, “Then I can only completely blockade your maritime trade routes. Upon the sea surface, once I see any ship of the Suo clan, whether warship, merchant ship, or civilian ship, I will attack every single one! Moreover, I will completely destroy your Rocky Salt Fields. I will also dispatch over a hundred thousand pirates to search every island in the Eastern Sea until I discover your Magic Mirror secret base, then forcibly seize it. Then I will also find your secret fire oil production site and take it for my own. In short, I will leave you with no foothold whatsoever in the Eastern Ocean. I will kill every single person of the Suo clan upon the sea surface. I will also dispatch pirates to land, harassing your Southeast Province territory from time to time, raping and pillaging, burning and looting, committing every imaginable evil!”
Yan Mo took a deep breath, his expression sincere, his gaze wild, “My dear younger brother. On one side is Heaven, on the other side is Hell. Let us ally. On one side is survival, on the other side is destruction. Let us ally!”
At the same time, Yan Mo’s seventeen year old young wife, this fiery, sexy, absolutely stunning beauty, twisted her snake-like, captivating slender waist, sending Suo Lun a silent plea and incomparable seduction.