Chapter 12: Claiming the Isle

Nan Ruohuai was quite self-aware of his position, maintaining a pleasant smile without any signs of awkwardness, completely indifferent to the city lord’s attitude.

Qian Ye asked, “Do you know this man? What’s his relationship with that so-called Wuge?”

Nan Ruohuai replied, “Although he doesn’t know me, I recognize him. Wuge is one of the four most likely candidates for the throne. The recent change in the city lord here is probably related to that. This Lord Luo is Wuge’s uncle, his real uncle.”

Nan Ruohuai emphasized the last few words, and Qian Ye understood.

Qian Ye scrutinized Lord Luo from head to toe, then said calmly, “From now on, this island belongs to Prince San Shi Yi. We might even vie for the title of Duke Zheng. You either surrender now or die.”

Lord Luo, both shocked and enraged, shouted, “You, you are rebelling!”

“Looks like you won’t surrender,” Qian Ye’s face darkened, and he raised two fingers, drawing a line in the air. A flash of blood light, and Lord Luo’s head soared high into the sky!

Seeing this, Nan Ruohuai turned pale, his heart pounding almost out of his chest. He had seen killing before, and his hands weren’t entirely clean, but that moment, an overwhelming pressure descended upon him, paralyzing him instantly.

At that moment, Nan Ruohuai truly felt that if Qian Ye wanted to kill him, he wouldn’t need to lift a finger—just a thought would do. Lord Luo was well-known in the capital, associated with the royal family, and had records of defeating enemies beyond his rank.

A person of such renown and formidable strength, cut down without a single move by Qian Ye—it was as if a chicken had more dignity in death.

Chaos reigned within the city.

To the inhabitants of this remote floating island, Lord Luo was a godlike figure. If such a person could be killed, what could they possibly do?

Qian Ye pointed at the city and commanded, “Marines, enter the city! Any resistance shall be met with immediate execution!”

The transport ship sailed straight to the city walls, deploying elite soldiers onto them. Many of the guards threw their weapons to the ground, and anyone showing the slightest hint of defiance was cut down like vegetables.

Within less than an hour, Qian Ye was seated on the high chair in the city lord’s mansion. On his left sat a few mercenary generals he brought along, while on his right, the room was packed with the city’s notables from all walks of life.

Outside, the sound of gunfire and occasional cries of agony filled the air, making the so-called big shots of the city uneasy. In fact, Qian Ye had brought more mercenaries than were present, with those absent busy securing important facilities and buildings.

Once the room quieted down, Qian Ye cleared his throat and said, “This is His Highness Prince San Shi Yi, as everyone knows.”

“Of course, of course!”

“His name is well-known!”

“I have heard much about him, and seeing him today, I realize what it means to be a true dragon among men!”

Flattery poured in, making Nan Ruohuai feel like he was walking on clouds, nearly forgetting where he was. Fortunately, he still had a shred of clarity, knowing that these people didn’t actually know who Prince San Shi Yi was; all the flattery was directed at Qian Ye and his warships.

Yet, they weren’t wrong. With Qian Ye and the fleet, Nan Ruohuai had gone from a nobody to a top contender for power. If not for Qian Ye’s mysterious origins, Nan Ruohuai might have become one of the three hottest candidates.

Gunfire continued outside, and Qian Ye addressed the crowd, “It seems there are still many rebels and traitors in the city. Ruohuai, how does the Kingdom of Zheng deal with treason?”

Nan Ruohuai replied, “Zheng mainly follows the Qin legal system. The punishment for treason is similar across nations—once verified, the entire clan is executed.”

He spoke confidently, clearly well-versed in the basics.

Qian Ye nodded and said mildly, “Considering this is a first offense, we don’t need to be so harsh. Since I’ve appeared, anyone still daring to resist is a traitor. Execution of the immediate family will suffice, no need to involve the extended family.”

“How merciful, sir!” Nan Ruohuai praised.

But the city’s notable figures grew restless, some even breaking out in sweat. Qian Ye, noticing this, kindly said, “If you have any urgent matters to attend to, please do so. I plan to take a walk around the city in half an hour.”

“Thank you, sir! I do have some pressing matters at home that need attention.”

Similar voices echoed, and soon, a majority of the people had left. Qian Ye had given them an extra half hour, and after that, anyone resisting would be executed. If Lord Luo, a powerful figure, could be killed like a chicken, who could possibly escape?

The few remaining exchanged wary glances, each recognizing the danger in the other’s eyes.

Qian Ye closed his eyes, seemingly dozing, and only after half an hour passed, did he rise and say, “Let’s take a walk in the city.”

Far Horizon City was simple yet beautiful, built with white stone and adorned with vibrant colors. There were few signs of battle, and damage was minimal. The resistance was, after all, a minority, and with the help of the noble families, the few resistors were likely already dead.

The bustling commercial street was adjacent to the aerostat landing field, and every shop was hurriedly restocking their goods. Clearly, the sudden outbreak of war had forced them to close, and upon learning that the fighting was over and that Qian Ye would be inspecting the area, they rushed to reopen, fearing that an idle market would be seen as a sign of resistance and anger this fearsome figure.

Qian Ye strolled through the streets, occasionally stepping into shops that caught his interest, casually asking a few questions.

Far Horizon City was the only port on the floating island, and the shops mainly sold local specialties, luxury items, and various industrial products. The floating island was primarily agricultural and mining, with its only industrial sector being smelting, converting raw ore into basic metal ingots for shipment back to the kingdom.

The island produced mostly basic materials, though it certainly had rare strategic minerals. However, the technology to extract them was lacking, leaving these resources untapped.

As Qian Ye walked, he chatted with Song Lun and Nan Ruohuai. In front of a shop, his gaze was drawn to a piece of ore with green speckles. He picked it up and examined it.

This ore, known as Green Barite, was a composite of several rare minerals, used in high-grade engines and crossbows. Qian Ye hadn’t expected to find this ore here, especially carelessly placed among common items.

He asked Song Lun, “I didn’t expect to find this here. Do they not use it themselves?”

Song Lun replied, “They probably don’t.”

“Why?”

Nan Ruohuai answered, “The refining cost of Green Barite is extremely high, and its application is very limited. To be frank, the technology for high-grade engines and crossbows is only possessed by the Empire. Our small Zheng Kingdom lacks the capability. Even if we extract it, we can only sell it to the Empire, and their purchase price leaves us with little profit.”

Qian Ye weighed the Green Barite, shook his head, and tossed it to Song Lun, saying, “Collect as much as you can.”

“Yes, sir.”

The shop owner, overjoyed, repeatedly thanked them.

Throughout the walk, Qian Ye made several valuable discoveries, greatly satisfying him. These minerals, if handled properly, could be immediately put to use, as there was already a complete production line for aerostat engines in the Neutral Zone.

The Neutral Zone needed resources, Zheng Kingdom’s resources needed downstream industries, and the core technology was in the hands of Ningyuan Heavy Industries. The three parties were interdependent, and any disruption could be managed by Qian Ye, who could cut off the void channel, rendering all three operations useless. Thus, even someone like Zhang Bushou, despite lacking key resources, could only watch the development of South Azure City, with limited benefits and great costs.

Qian Ye asked more questions, puzzled why Zheng Kingdom, with its abundant resources, did not develop. Nan Ruohuai gave a concise explanation.

In truth, Zheng Kingdom wasn’t short of capable people, but the vast, sparsely populated land was fraught with dangers, and most of the time, they were engaged in battles with dark race tribes. The need for immediate combat strength was dire. For Zheng Kingdom, the fastest way to obtain high-level equipment was to fight in the Empire, earn military merit, and exchange it for gear.

Self-development would take decades, and even if they succeeded, without independent research and reliance on the Empire, the equipment would still lag behind. The investment in core technology was astronomical.

After hearing the explanation, Qian Ye shook his head and said, “Zheng Kingdom has been established for a hundred years. If you had focused on building a complete system from the beginning, it should have been ready by now. Even if full coverage in research is impossible, focusing on a few key areas could have been viable, preventing your resources from being sold at a pittance.”

This was a concept Nan Ruohuai had never considered, and he was momentarily speechless.

By nightfall, after Qian Ye had dinner, a detailed list of the floating island’s mineral and resource output was presented to him. The data was meticulous, including categories, quantities, and reserves, with environmental descriptions and maps for key minerals.

Nan Ruohuai’s efficiency in compiling such a document was commendable.

After reviewing the list, Qian Ye had a clear idea. The resources on the floating island were sufficient for initial activities but would be insufficient once the larger forces arrived.

Qian Ye spread out a detailed map of Zheng Kingdom and asked Nan Ruohuai, “Are there any other notable places on the outer islands? And in the mainland cities, which ones have well-established workshops?”

Nan Ruohuai, having done his homework, pointed to a spot on the map, “Here, Liao City.”

Liao City, located in the western part of Zheng Kingdom near the continent’s edge, had a developed metallurgical system with numerous furnaces and workshops. The majority of the city’s population relied on the metal industry.

Due to its geographical location, Liao City and the floating island had formed a complementary relationship. Most of the metal ingots transported from the floating island were refined in Liao City or turned into various metal products, then shipped to the capital or the inland.