Chapter 12: Trust

The Gao Hu people stirred once more, not expecting Qing Yue to hold Qian Ye in such high regard. According to the standard of the Neutral Zone, where size equates to strength, Qian Ye appeared to be just a scrawny pretty boy, hardly the image of someone with formidable power.

However, since it was Qing Yue’s decision, they accepted it. Besides, many incredible miracles had already unfolded around Qian Ye.

The renovation of the Valhalla was proceeding smoothly. The Gao Hu people, all masters of machinery, could attach various tools directly to their arms or bodies, and portable power cores made them tireless, allowing them to work day and night.

When Qian Ye returned to the South Blue City, it was already late at night. It had been half a day since he left the Valhalla, and he hadn’t sensed the power left by the North Pole King being triggered.

Qian Ye smiled; Qing Yue had passed his test again. Not everyone could resist temptation. Many would still succumb even if they knew it was a trap, as long as the temptation was strong enough.

Qian Ye didn’t know what the North Pole King’s power was, only that if it were triggered, it could instantly kill Qing Yue and all the Gao Hu on the ship. If this had happened, it would have been a great regret, given Qing Yue’s significant role over the past period.

Now, Qing Yue had finally earned Qian Ye’s trust, though not entirely.

The South Blue City remained as desolate as ever. The dissolution of a large mercenary group left deep wounds that were hard to heal. The city guards suffered heavy casualties in the battle, and the tasks of compensations, consolations, and recruiting new soldiers were carried out openly or secretly. Qian Ye’s last visit to the city lord’s residence was no longer a secret, which meant that the city lord, Ji Rui, had acknowledged the defeat, and the city had to bear the bitter fruits of the battle.

People in the Neutral Zone were pragmatic, recognizing only strength and interests. After a defeat, the focus was on quietly healing the wounds. Any hatred, if present, would be buried deep, waiting for a chance to erupt like a volcano in the future.

Compared to his last visit, some weapon shops in the city had recovered. On one hand, Qian Ye’s orders provided them with a chance to profit again, and on the other, Ji Rui was purchasing heavy trucks and construction machinery in bulk. These orders made merchants realize that the Black Forest lumber mill would restart. This was a big business, and no merchant wanted to miss it, so they began to recruit more staff, search for supplies, and expand their shops.

Qian Ye strolled through the South Blue City and arrived at the city lord’s residence. He told the guard, “I am Qian Ye, here to see Lord Ji.”

The guard recognized Qian Ye and quickly ran inside to report. In no time, Ji Rui emerged with a broad smile, personally welcoming him. As soon as they met, Ji Rui warmly took Qian Ye’s hand and said, “Oh, General, you’re back so soon? Why didn’t you tell me in advance so I could prepare a proper welcome for you?”

Qian Ye smiled, “I originally planned to come in a couple of days, but I thought it better to meet you sooner. Some things can be said anytime.”

Ji Rui’s face twitched slightly, but he maintained his smile. “You can come to me anytime, General. Come, let’s go inside! These guards are clueless, how could they make you wait at the gate?”

Holding Qian Ye’s arm, Ji Rui led him into the study and ordered the servants to prepare the best tea and snacks. Once everything was ready, he dismissed the servants and then asked, “General, what brings you here? Are you satisfied with the goods from last time?”

“The goods are good, of high quality. You have been very considerate, Lord Ji.”

“Good, good,” Ji Rui sighed in relief.

Qian Ye sipped his tea and said, “I came here for two matters. First, I want to purchase some new items. Here is the list, please take a look.”

Ji Rui took the list and examined it carefully. Then, he exhaled and exclaimed, “General, you are planning to build a fleet!”

Qian Ye smiled, “I don’t have such grand ambitions.”

Ji Rui put down the list and said, “Most of the items on the list I can get, but some are out of stock and need to be sourced from Evernight or the Empire, which will take some time. However, I’m a bit puzzled, why are there no weapons listed?”

Qian Ye replied, “I have high standards for weapons. Do you think you can obtain crossbows from the Empire or the Blood Clan of Evernight?”

Ji Rui was slightly startled and pondered, “This might be difficult. Crossbows are hard to make, and the materials are rare. The annual production is very limited. Neither the Empire nor Evernight has enough for their own fleets, let alone for sale. Even if we offer a high price and use old connections, we might only get one or two, and they won’t be new.”

Qian Ye knew this well and immediately said, “One or two is fine. I’ll take what I can get. And as many bolts as possible.”

Ji Rui smiled bitterly, “I will do my best.”

Qian Ye then looked at him, half-smiling, and said, “There’s another matter I almost forgot to mention. The people from the Imperial Army, Lord Ji, don’t need to wait for them. They won’t return.”

Clang! Ji Rui dropped his teacup, shattering it on the floor.

But he was a crafty old fox, and although he lost his composure for a moment, he quickly regained it and laughed, “General, you must be joking.”

Qian Ye chuckled, “If Lord Ji doesn’t believe me, then just wait and see.”

Ji Rui said, “It’s not that I don’t believe you, General, but I have no connection with them, and I’m not waiting for them.”

“Oh, is that so? But your reaction just now seemed a bit strange.”

Ji Rui bent down, picked up the broken pieces of the teacup himself, and calmly said, “I might as well tell you, these people from the Empire are the main customers for the Black Forest lumber. I went to great lengths to reopen the lumber mill because of their orders. This is my biggest source of income lately, and it’s natural to be a bit shaken hearing such news. May I ask, General, where did you get this information from?”

“Simple. They prepared three warships to intercept my cargo in outer space, but I destroyed all of them.”

Ji Rui’s nose started to sweat. He knew the weight of three Imperial warships in the Neutral Zone and the strength of Lu Saobei’s people. How could Qian Ye have destroyed them so easily?

“Is…is there anyone who survived?”

“No.”

Ji Rui felt a sudden relief.

Qian Ye asked, “Where are the others now?”

“General, what do you intend to do?”

“Exterminate them all.”

Ji Rui frowned, “This…might not be a good idea. The main culprits are already dead, and the rest are just lackeys following orders. Killing them won’t help, and it would be pointless.”

Qian Ye didn’t answer but instead asked, “What does Lord Ji suggest?”

Ji Rui hesitated for a moment and then gritted his teeth, “I still want to continue the lumber business. They are my only customers right now. Moreover, I haven’t figured out what they need the Black Forest lumber for.”

Qian Ye nodded, “What does this business mean to Lord Ji?”

“It’s the biggest business in recent years and could change the landscape of this area.”

Qian Ye smiled, “Do you have a divine general backing you, Lord Ji?”

Ji Rui’s face turned awkward, “Not yet, but with this income, it’s not impossible to hire one.”

“Fine, I’ll spare those people. But I need their names, positions, and their purpose here.”

“This…can be arranged. Wait a few days, and I’ll have the information for you.”

Qian Ye nodded, finalizing the details of the transaction before leaving. When he was gone, Ji Rui returned to his study, his face as dark as a thundercloud, no trace of his earlier panic, only a long, silent contemplation.

Meanwhile, in the void continent, the battle had been at a stalemate for a long time. The Zhao family, centered around the Unfallen City, had fortified the entire defense zone like an impregnable iron bucket.

After Qian Ye’s betrayal, the Zhao family reacted with unexpected intensity and ruthlessness. They struck both openly and covertly, ousting several key officials in the court for various reasons. Though these officials were not high-ranking, they held crucial positions and were core members of the Imperial Party. With their dismissal, everything seemed to run less smoothly, starting from the Right Premier down.

Moreover, the Zhao family produced irrefutable evidence through the court officials, imprisoning one of them and awaiting execution in the autumn. The Right Premier tried to rescue him, but to no avail, surprising the court officials.

In addition, within a month, several accidents occurred both inside and outside the Empire, including a carriage falling off a cliff and an airship disintegrating in mid-air. These seemingly unrelated incidents were clear to the discerning eye: each accident resulted in the death of one or two members of the Imperial Party, who, though not high-ranking, wielded significant influence and were considered promising.

Only then did the court officials remember that the Zhao family, located at the border and controlling two provinces, had a substantial military force. Such a powerful family must have hidden, unknown forces. Their consecutive elimination of key Imperial Party members was a clear warning: the Zhao family, if provoked, could wreak havoc.

The Right Premier and his faction were furious, but besides their heated rhetoric in the court, they had no effective countermeasures. After much deliberation, they found no way to prevail except by launching a military campaign against the Zhao family.

This infuriated the Imperial Party, prompting many to mobilize the Military Department to exert pressure on the Zhao family. Such reckless actions, however, achieved nothing. The Imperial Party merely wanted to show the Zhao family their determination.

Amid this intense conflict, especially when the Zhao family’s actions nearly breached the tacit bottom line, the Imperial Family surprisingly remained silent, as if nothing had happened. The Longevity King, who held immense power in the Military Department, retreated into seclusion, ignoring political matters, and adopted an unusually peculiar stance.