Sauron spoke with absolute finality, leaving no room for compromise. Hai Gang’s heart skipped a beat.
He had put on such a grand show precisely to use his daughter’s death to extort even greater benefits from Sauron.
According to their previous treaty, Sauron was to hand over thirty percent of his maritime trade profits to the Hai clan each month.
Now that Hai Zhi’er had effectively died at Sauron’s hands, this share should be raised to at least forty five percent. Otherwise, Hai Gang would completely turn against him. In his view, faced with such a predicament, Sauron had no choice but to comply.
But he had not expected Sauron to cut off all retreat so resolutely, with no room whatsoever for negotiation.
Hai Wuyan said from the side, “Father, if we kill Sauron, Prince Zhiyan Li will bestow the reward of kingship.”
As he spoke these words, Hai Wuyan’s heart burned with intense eagerness.
Though Hai Gang’s heart stirred, he turned a cold gaze towards his son, letting out a long sigh in his heart.
The Rock Clan were undoubtedly two extremes.
The first extreme, those who greatly respected their traditions and took pride in their identity as Rock People. This also represented barbarism and primitiveness. According to Rock tradition, beautiful women were to go to the mainland to select the strongest and most heroic men to borrow seed from, then marry a male Rock Person after becoming pregnant. Such traditions could not even be described as ignorance.
The second extreme, those who completely abandoned tradition, utterly ashamed of their identity as Rock People, trying by every means to de Rockify themselves, striving to draw closer to human kingdoms. Passionately obsessed with the noble titles of human kingdoms, even more strictly adhering to the etiquette of human nobility.
And Hai Wuyan was of the latter sort. He deeply felt the ignorance and backwardness of the Rock People, so desperately sought to break with the past, eagerly drawing closer to Zhiyan Li.
Zhiyan Li had once privately sent people to make promises to Hai Wuyan, Yan Mo and others. If they killed Sauron, he would bestow the title of king.
Therefore, Hai Wuyan was passionately eager to kill Sauron.
Yan Mo, however, was at a completely different stage. He still maintained the true character of a great hero. All the characteristics of a Rock Pirate could be found in him.
Vulgar, powerful, unreasonable, overbearing, cunning!
Undoubtedly, Yan Mo scoffed at Zhiyan Li’s promise of kingship.
…
Hai Gang stepped forward, “Lord Sauron, Prince Zhiyan Li once promised that whoever could kill you, Sauron, would be generously rewarded with kingship. What are your thoughts?”
Sauron said, “Lord Hai Gang, are you threatening me?”
Hai Gang said coldly, “I suppose so. Who told Lord Sauron to be so ignorant of when to advance and when to retreat?”
By now, the Demon Star had neutralised all the neural toxins in Sauron’s body. He pushed himself up with both hands and rose from the chair, pointing at his own face, “Hai Gang, do you see even a trace of fear on my face?”
Hai Gang said, “Lord Sauron, do you truly believe I dare not kill you?”
Sauron shrugged his shoulders, without the slightest interest in responding.
If Hai Gang were a fool, a profit blinded fool like his son Hai Wuyan, then Sauron would indeed worry for his life.
But the Hai Gang before him was a man of extreme cunning and calculation. Could he not see the gains and losses of killing Sauron?
If he killed Sauron, what could Hai Gang gain?
Even if Zhiyan Li did not intend to break his promise, and after ascending to the throne Hai Gang became the greatest vassal of the Raging Wave Kingdom, and Zhiyan Li broke tradition to ennoble him as a king of a different surname.
Then what? Would the Hai clan’s territory have expanded by even an inch?
Moreover, after being ennobled as king, the Hai clan would likely immediately become the target of public criticism. Whether the Tu Lingtuo clan or the Yan clan, all would itch to bite the Hai clan to death.
These two clans had served the Zhi clan for so many years, rendering countless meritorious services. Yet in the end, a newly submitted Hai clan had jumped ahead to receive the title of king. Next, whether the Tu Ling clan or the Yan clan, they would probably strike the Hai clan to death.
And if Hai Gang killed Sauron, what would he lose?
Firstly, the one who would benefit most from killing Sauron was Zhiyan Li. Hai Gang would merely have vented his anger, without any substantive benefit.
And most importantly, without Sauron fighting Yan Mo to the death, that bastard Yan Mo would probably immediately turn his ships around and attack Yingzhou Island.
And most terrifying of all, though Sauron and Yan Mo were currently fighting to the death, if Sauron died at the hands of the Hai clan, then Yan Chuo’er and Suo Ningbing would immediately hand over all the gunpowder to Yan Mo. Next, the Hai clan of Yingzhou Island would suffer catastrophic destruction.
Were it not for these reasons, how could Sauron have dared to swagger into Yingzhou Island? Only the ignorant and fearless vicious young girl Hai Zhi’er, only the profit blinded Hai Wuyan, would think of killing Sauron.
And Hai Gang was of intelligence. Given a hundred chances to choose anew, he would never kill Sauron. It would be entirely harmful to others without benefit to himself.
Precisely because of this, Sauron showed not the slightest intention of compromise.
Seeing that Sauron had not even the slightest willingness to explain, Hai Gang could not help but sigh inwardly.
At this moment, he deeply felt how painful it was to face a clever man like Sauron, because the other party could see through your thoughts at a glance, could see at a glance what you would do and what you would not do. The reason Sauron would agree to certain conditions was not because your negotiation skills were so formidable, but because he was already willing to give them in his heart.
This truly illustrated a saying, what I give you is yours. What I do not give you, you cannot seize even if you try.
Thus, Hai Gang fell into a very awkward and difficult situation.
Had he known this would happen, why act as he did? He never needed to sell this daughter at all.
Even after his daughter Hai Zhi’er was killed, he could have appeared in a completely different manner, rather than taking the opportunity to extort.
Now, not only could he not obtain any benefit, but he had torn off all pretence, being slapped across the face again and again.
Sauron sighed, “Lord Hai Gang, you still do not understand me. If you had sincerely allied with me, I would only have given you more. I would even have given you certain promises, truly priceless promises. Yet you chose the benefits before your eyes.”
Hai Gang’s face twitched, saying nothing.
Sauron said, “My staying here will only increase the awkwardness. I shall take my leave now. Of course, if you wish to kill me, by all means act.”
As he finished speaking, Sauron turned to Zhiyan and Zhuang Zhixuan, “Let us go.”
Then, the three of them simply walked out.
Hai Gang’s face twitched repeatedly. The arm in his sleeve stirred restlessly, itching to order ten thousand arrows to fire and turn Sauron into a hedgehog.
In his heart, he truly wished he could tear Sauron limb from limb, flay his skin and pull his tendons. He, Hai Gang, had never been so humiliated. This hypocrite had never been exposed in such ugliness. Now, Sauron’s words had peeled away the painted skin from his body layer by layer, letting countless people around him see through him, completely losing face.
Killing Sauron would vent this foul anger.
But he was a man of绝顶 intelligence. How could he do such a foolish thing?
Killing Sauron would probably make Yan Mo laugh his teeth off. It would truly have a hundred harms and not a single benefit!
Thus, Sauron and his two companions swaggered out of the VIP courtyard of the Yingzhou Island Governor’s Residence.
Hai Wuyan was burning with anxiety, his voice nearly a shriek, “Father, if we let Sauron walk out alive today, our Hai clan’s face will be completely lost!”
“Smack…” Hai Gang could endure no longer. He struck out with a fierce slap, his voice a shriek, “Fool, an incurable fool!”
Then, Hai Gang said, “Lord Sauron, please stop.”
Sauron halted, “What instruction does Lord Hai Gang have?”
Hai Gang stepped forward several paces, bowing deeply, “I have been lax in discipline and raised unworthy children, causing Lord Sauron to be startled. Hai Gang is truly apologetic.”
“Damn…” Sauron marvelled inwardly. Hai Gang’s ability to let spit dry on his face, truly formidable.
This art of thick skinned black heartedness, Sauron could not learn in a hundred years.
Moreover, faced with Hai Gang’s sudden change of face, the previously aggressive Sauron instead felt awkward, not knowing how to respond.
Hai Gang bowed, “Marquis Sauron, though I cannot detain you, the alliance between us still stands.”
“Very well.” Sauron said.
“Pleasant cooperation.” Hai Gang extended his hand, “In one month, you and I shall join forces to eliminate Yan Mo.”
“The sooner the cooperation, the better.” Sauron said, extending his hand to clap palms.
Then, Sauron gave a half bow, “Farewell.”
“Safe travels.” Hai Gang said.
Sauron and his two companions thus departed, arriving at the dock and boarding their vessel to return to Tianshui City!
“Father, why?” Hai Wuyan’s voice was nearly a shriek.
Hai Gang suddenly struck out with a palm, shattering a nearby rockery to pieces, his voice a shriek, “In this lifetime, I shall never forget today’s humiliation!”
…
Back on the great ship, on the sea route returning to Tianshui City.
It was now deep night. Sauron stood at the ship’s bow, gazing at the bright moon on the horizon. He let out a sigh, “In the great battle months from now, we cannot count on the Hai clan.”
Hai Gang was a man of绝顶 intelligence, with far reaching vision, yet narrow minded and treacherously fickle.
Just now, Sauron had completely torn off all pretence with him. Though he had finally let spit dry on his face, indicating the alliance still stood, in his heart he already hated Sauron to the bone.
Now, his only scheme was to let Sauron and Yan Mo fight to the death, finally perishing together, then his Hai clan would reap the benefits of the fisherman.
“It is all my fault.” Princess Zhiyan said, “Zhuang Zhixuan’s sword pierced Hai Zhi’er’s lower abdomen, while my sword pierced through her chest, killing her. If Hai Zhi’er had not died, things would not have come to this.”
“Nonsense.” Sauron smiled, “This girl Hai Zhi’er, polluted by Demon Continent until her heart was venomous as a serpent’s, would have been a calamity had she grown up. Dead is dead.”
Truly, fate toys with men. Had this girl Hai Zhi’er not caused trouble, this alliance would have been truly sealed.
Two clans’ combined army of a hundred thousand to battle Yan Mo, a battle they could not lose.
Alas, because of one vicious and ignorant Hai Zhi’er, everything had evaporated like bubbles.
However, Sauron was still somewhat surprised. When Zhiyan rushed out, she had directly pierced through Hai Zhi’er’s chest, killing her outright.
“Yan, when you killed Hai Zhi’er, what were you thinking?” Sauron asked.
Zhiyan said, “I did not think much. I simply killed her with a sword.”
Then, she nestled in Sauron’s embrace, “I am not like Ji Xiuning, so full of love for all. My thoughts are cold and sparse. I do not cherish human lives so tenderly, so I often strike ruthlessly.”
Sauron kissed her enchanting little mouth, “After giving birth to a child it will be better. When maternal love surges in your heart, nothing can stop it.”
Then, Sauron sighed, “Now, we can only rely on ourselves.”
Zhiyan said, “We have money. Can we hire pirates with it?”
Sauron shook his head, “Yan Mo is the ancestor of pirates. Even if we hired pirates to aid us in battle, it would be a calamity. Moreover, we are not familiar with pirates. In our hands, they would merely be a disorderly mob.”
Now it seemed, in one month’s time, it would truly be Sauron’s twenty five thousand navy against Yan Mo’s hundred thousand navy.
…
Sauron’s vessel sailed south all the way. At a place three thousand li from Tianshui City, they once again encountered Yan Mo’s fleet.
A full four to five hundred warships, over fifty thousand men. They were currently conducting naval battle drills, making final preparations for the great battle with Sauron’s navy in twenty odd days.
Sauron watched for a while. Yan Mo’s grand army formation was extremely practiced, commanding several hundred ships as easily as his own arms and fingers. Every warship moved as nimbly as a flexible fish.
The drill was divided into two sides. One side played the role of Sauron’s navy, the other played the role of Yan Mo’s navy.
By now, the drill was nearly concluded. The side playing Sauron’s navy had, without surprise, lost, surrounded so tightly that not even water could pass through. The only outcome was total annihilation.
Know yourself and know your enemy. Yan Mo in leading naval warfare was even stronger than his mother Yan Chuo’er.
All along, the one who truly led armies in external campaigns was Yan Mo. The Rock Pirates he led truly fought one against two.
A hundred thousand navy in Yan Mo’s hands, on the surface of the Eastern Ocean, were truly invincible under heaven.
For Sauron’s twenty five thousand navy to battle Yan Mo’s hundred thousand navy, it was truly harder than ascending to heaven!
And just at this moment, Yan Mo also discovered Sauron’s vessel. His flagship immediately drew close, and his bold and wild laughter carried across several thousand metres.
“Sauron, my younger brother, have you returned from Yingzhou Island? How did the alliance negotiations go?” Though separated by a great distance, Yan Mo’s voice still drilled into Sauron’s ears.
He clearly knew Sauron had gone to Yingzhou Island to seek an alliance with Hai Gang, yet still did not stop him.
Yan Mo continued, “You may wonder in your heart, I clearly knew you went to seek an alliance with Hai Gang, yet still did not stop you, correct?”
Sauron smiled, not answering.
Yan Mo said, “Because even if you allied, I would not take it to heart. Your two clans’ combined army, plus some other miscellaneous pirate shrimp soldiers and crab generals, would amount to at most a hundred thousand navy. A hundred thousand against a hundred thousand. If I do not beat the shit out of you, I would have lived in vain as King of the Rock Clan.”
As he spoke these words, Yan Mo was filled with absolute confidence and boundless heroic spirit. This man was truly arrogantly divine and brave.
Yan Mo continued, “That old thief Hai Gang, narrow minded, sinister and treacherous, obsessed with becoming a high noble, throwing away all Rock traditions completely. Once a man forgets his roots, what fighting power does his army have? Your alliance with Hai Gang is completely like a mouse marrying a turtle. What use is it?”
Sauron smiled, “Originally the alliance had already succeeded. But that ignorant young girl Hai Zhi’er attempted to kill me, and ended up being killed by me instead. So the alliance fell through.”
Yan Mo said, “That Hai Zhi’er who is only fifteen this year, studying in Demon Continent? Did you bed her?”
“No.” Sauron said.
Yan Mo said, “What a pity, Sauron you hypocrite. You should have bedded her before killing her. Truly a waste of heaven’s gifts!”
Sauron drew close to Yan Mo’s flagship, “Yan Mo, my elder brother, can we talk again?”
Yan Mo said, “My younger brother, there is nothing to talk about. Either hand over the Heaven Shaking Thunder formula and production site, or await my devastating strike, completely annihilating your navy, turning your coastline and all your industries into a pile of rubbish.”
Sauron said, “You want Heaven Shaking Thunder, very well! I will freely provide you with eighty thousand jin each month from now on, how about that?”
Freely providing eighty thousand jin of gunpowder to Yan Mo each month, accumulated over several months, would be enough for Yan Mo to conquer Yingzhou Island.
Facing Yan Mo’s hundred thousand navy, Sauron truly retreated again and again.
“Hahaha…” Yan Mo laughed heartily, “Sauron, how about this? You tell me the Heaven Shaking Thunder formula and production site, and I will freely provide you with a hundred thousand jin each month from now on, how about that?”
Sauron’s face suddenly twitched violently. Truly bullying to excess, an intolerable humiliation.
Yan Mo and Hai Gang were equally greedy. It was merely that Hai Gang was skilled in calculation, using political trickery to extort. While Yan Mo was direct and straightforward plunder.
Which of the two was more hateful? There truly was no answer.
Seeing something desirable and seizing it, this was the Rock Pirate tradition, deeply engraved in Yan Mo’s blood, completely taken for granted.
Since this was so, there was nothing more to discuss. Sauron had retreated with no further room to retreat.
“Farewell.” Sauron said.
Then, his vessel set sail south.
“Younger brother, safe travels, I shall not see you off.” Yan Mo said loudly, then stood at the ship’s bow, untied his trousers and pulled out his member, pissing towards the sea in the direction Sauron had departed.
Princess Zhiyan suddenly spoke, “Husband, this Yan Mo deserves to die!”
…
Two days and three nights later!
Sauron returned to the waters of Tianshui City. Yan Chuo’er rode a griffin and landed on Sauron’s vessel, asking, “How did the negotiations on Yingzhou Island go?”
Sauron shook his head, “Not well. Success fell short at the last moment.”
Then, he told Yan Chuo’er in detail what had happened on Yingzhou Island.
After hearing this, Yan Chuo’er suddenly stepped forward to embrace Sauron, kissing him full of tender love on his face, “Thank you, child. Precisely because you risked your life to protect us, this family seems especially warm.”
Sauron smiled gently, saying nothing.
Fu Lingxi was no longer fit to be a mother. In Sauron’s heart, Yan Chuo’er was his mother.
“Aunt, from now on everything depends on ourselves.” Sauron said.
“We can only fight with our lives, doing our utmost!” Yan Chuo’er said, “By the way, Sauron, two matters. First, those three cannon warships have officially launched and begun trial voyages, but they have not yet conducted firing drills. This first shot must be fired by you personally.”
“Very well.” Sauron said excitedly, “Let us go fire this first shot immediately. Whether the great battle in twenty odd days will mean life or death depends entirely on the power of these cannon warships.”
Yan Chuo’er said, “Second, the people from the Dark Society have arrived. They are waiting to have final discussions with you.”
Discussions about what? Of course, whether to place the order to assassinate Yan Mo, and at what cost.
Sauron said, “Aunt, you go to the cannon warships first and wait for me. We shall fire this first shot together.”
Yan Mo was, after all, Yan Chuo’er’s son. Sauron did not want her involved in the matter of assassinating Yan Mo.
“Very well.” Yan Chuo’er said, then rode the griffin south to the sea area where the cannon warships were located.
And Sauron’s vessel continued forward. After docking at the Suo clan fleet’s pier, he brought Princess Zhiyan and Zhuang Zhixuan to a castle several dozen li away, to hold discussions with the people from the Dark Society!