Qian Ye was somewhat surprised by Carol’s keenness, and he nodded but chose not to speak. This matter involved the core control of the ship, and it was better if fewer people knew about it. Carol was already smart enough; he didn’t plan to say more.
Carol immediately understood and refrained from asking further questions, immersing herself back into her own thoughts.
The Valhalla sailed through the void, heading straight for the Eastern Sea. Qian Ye, with Carol, left the Valhalla and flew down to Nanqing City. The Valhalla, meanwhile, hovered deep in the void, awaiting orders.
Not long after Qian Ye’s return, a commotion suddenly arose in Nanqing City. Many people rushed out of their homes onto the streets, craning their necks to gaze at the sky.
A massive shadow slowly passed over the entire city. In the sky, an unprecedentedly enormous ship descended from the heavens.
The several-hundred-meter-long ship rivaled the largest cargo vessels, but its graceful, teardrop-like hull and steady, ethereal flight were unlike any cargo ship. At the bow and stern, long harpoon guns extended, a weapon never seen before in the neutral zone.
Not only at the bow and stern, but along the sides, though no harpoon barrels were visible, rows of faintly discernible side gun ports hinted at the terrifying firepower along its flanks.
Even those who knew nothing about aerial warships would be awed by such a menacing behemoth. It had no rivals in the neutral zone, and even in the entire Evernight World, there were few enemies that could match it.
Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, the giant ship slowly landed on the Dark Flame’s designated landing site. The area had been quietly expanded to twice its original size, and many ground installations had been moved away. Even so, the giant ship lying there still felt cramped.
Many people wanted to rush over to see the spectacle, but the Dark Flame mercenaries, following orders, had sealed off all the roads leading to the landing site, setting up three lines of security, sufficient to keep all onlookers outside the block.
Such a cordon couldn’t stop true powerhouses. But those with deep cultivation knew that Qian Ye and Song Zining were present; who would risk provoking them just to satisfy their curiosity?
The giant ship was painted in a deep gray, still in the classic style of the Imperial Fleet, though the identification number had been removed.
The ship’s door slowly opened, and a row of Imperial soldiers marched out, led by a major general.
Qian Ye and Song Zining were already waiting at the landing site. The major general strode up to the two, saluted, and said, “I am Bao Guangtu from the Great Qin, here to handle the handover!”
Song Zining returned the salute and then asked, “There are five escort ships, right?”
Bao Guangtu replied, “Those five are just ordinary vessels, how can they compare to this battleship? But they should be arriving soon.”
He pointed to the sky, and both Song Zining and Qian Ye looked in the direction he indicated. On the horizon, several indistinct black dots appeared, gradually becoming clearer and larger, indeed, a few airships were speeding toward Nanqing City.
They flew somewhat unevenly, far less gracefully than the battlecruiser, but still far superior to the centuries-old relics common in the neutral zone. Despite their smaller size, the escort ships were not as agile or fast as the battlecruise, which was why Bao Guangtu looked down on them.
Song Zining, familiar with various Imperial warship models, quickly recognized the type of these five escort ships from their appearance and speed. They were part of the current main fleet, formed less than thirty years ago, a solid force. Though not the best in performance, they were reliable, with ample spare parts and rich combat data, indicating the Empire’s sincerity in this deal.
Bao Guangtu said, “All six ships are here. The cargo fleet carrying the cannons and corresponding ammunition will arrive a day later. The blueprints you requested are in the… battlecruiser’s cargo hold. Please verify and receive them.”
Song Zining nodded, and a pre-prepared technical team boarded the ship to handle the handover. Bao Guangtu gestured, and a group of robust-looking men in civilian clothes ran over, automatically forming a square behind him.
“These are all veteran soldiers who have served in the military for many years, each an expert in their mechanical field. They have now left active service, regained their freedom, and voluntarily chosen to live in the neutral zone. This is a token of General Lan’s goodwill.”
The rank of non-commissioned officer was unique to certain branches of the Imperial military. While their personal combat prowess might not be exceptional, never reaching the level of a warlord, they were experts in specific technical fields. Especially in the Imperial aerial fleet, non-commissioned officers were crucial, receiving benefits comparable to those of generals.
With these dozens of non-commissioned officers, Qian Ye and Song Zining would find it much easier to manage these warships, especially the battlecruiser. Lan Xincheng’s gift was indeed substantial.
Naturally, Qian Ye and Song Zining did not refuse and immediately ordered the non-commissioned officers to be settled.
While they spoke, the escort ships arrived. After completing the handover, Bao Guangtu couldn’t help but say, “My lords, I have a word I don’t know if I should say. If you plan to form a fleet, the current combination seems a bit off. This advanced battlecruiser is one of only three in the entire Empire, more suited for solo operations or with high-speed destroyers. These escort ships, being old, can’t keep up with the battlecruiser’s speed.”
Song Zining laughed, “If I wanted high-speed destroyers, the Ministry of War wouldn’t give them to me!”
Bao Guangtu was taken aback, but a hint of understanding crossed his face. High-endurance, high-speed destroyers were the latest Imperial design, with only two produced so far, fewer than the battlecruisers, and impossible to give to the neutral zone. Even lower-tier destroyers, the elite striking force of the Imperial aerial fleet, were hard to come by, even for the top Imperial clans. If Song Zining asked, the Ministry of War’s decision to give or not would be uncertain.
Clearly, Song Zining’s request for the five escort ships was just a pretext to expand his military under the guise of this war. However, even if Bao Guangtu guessed, he wasn’t foolish enough to say it. He said, “Since the handover is complete, I will take my leave. A specialist will bring the next operational plan.”
After exchanging farewells, Qian Ye and Song Zining watched as Bao Guangtu and his entourage boarded an escort ship and ascended, leaving the area.
Song Zining rubbed his chin and smiled, “There are still many honest, true soldiers in the Imperial Army.”
Qian Ye remained silent. The Great Qin, having risen from the mire, had not declined after a thousand years because countless Imperial soldiers and noble clans fought to carve out territories from the darkness. Unfortunately, just as night and dawn intertwine in this world, rarely pure, there are always discordant voices on the path of human progress.
Bao Guangtu left, but the Dark Flame was still bustling. The tasks of inspection, maintenance, and protection were enormous, and the warships had to be guarded against sabotage.
Qian Ye and Song Zining returned to the command room, hanging the map of the floating continent on the wall and gazing at it in silence.
After a long while, Song Zining spoke, “Qian Ye, do you see any problems with this plan?”
Qian Ye shook his head, “I can’t see any. If there are risks, they’re within the normal range. But I feel something is not quite right.”
Song Zining frowned, “I feel the same, but I can’t pinpoint it. We are venturing deep into enemy territory and must hold our position, which seems dangerous, but it may not be. With control of the skies, we have endless reinforcements, and mobility is in our hands. Besides, Zhao Si is in the middle, and he knows your position. He’ll definitely fight to join you. Zhao Jundu is no fool. If the Imperial Ministry of War manipulates his forces, he might kill someone on the spot.”
“What about the route of Princess Hai Mi?”
“That route won’t have any issues. The princess was once a legendary figure, more renowned than Gao Yi.”
“Will we lose this battle?” Qian Ye mused.
Song Zining shook his head, “It doesn’t matter if we lose. We were almost defeated on the floating land. But if we follow Lin Shuai’s plan, we have at least a fifty percent chance of winning.”
Qian Ye said, “Then let’s not think too much. Overthinking is useless.”
“Unfortunately, we can’t divine the future…”
Qian Ye was startled, “Don’t be reckless! This battle cannot be divined!”
In the floating land battle, the Empire had mobilized nearly all its forces, and the Evernight side’s investment would be no less. The gathering of elite troops and commanders greatly increased the variables. Not to mention, many powerful figures might be involved. Divining the future rashly, if it directly connected to a Celestial Lord or Great Noble, Song Zining, with his current cultivation, would truly be courting death.
After some thought, Qian Ye added, “You can’t divine me either.”
Song Zining gave Qian Ye a strange look, patted his shoulder, and said, “Relax! I wouldn’t divine you for anything now!”
Qian Ye looked at Song Zining suspiciously, surprised that he was listening to advice. Song Zining, when talking about divination, was usually boastful and would never lose face. His current avoidance was unusual.
Discussing the plan further was pointless, so Song Zining and Qian Ye went their separate ways to prepare for the war.
The next day, the Ministry of War sent spare parts, main cannons, and ammunition. A large portion of these supplies was loaded onto the Valhalla by Qian Ye, further increasing the firepower of the legendary ship, which was still far from its maximum capacity.
After several days of retraining, the new crew of the Imperial warships gradually became proficient, though not yet skilled. Each key position was overseen by Imperial non-commissioned officers, so the fleet was well-coordinated.
Meanwhile, the Dark Flame recruited nearly ten thousand new mercenaries and intensified their training. The experienced mercenaries were dispersed among the new units as core members.
Every day, transport ships arrived from various places, landing in Nanqing. Once grounded, these former cargo ships were modified to become troop carriers. The modifications were simple, just enough to accommodate people. The conditions were rudimentary, but the neutral zone’s mercenaries were accustomed to the harshest environments. They wouldn’t complain about the crowding, knowing that every additional warrior on the ship meant one more comrade on the battlefield.
As the specter of war loomed, preparations accelerated. Major workshops in Nanqing worked around the clock, many abandoning their regular projects to produce supplies for the Dark Flame.
The merchants did not complain, even if most of their goods were sold on credit. They knew that war was the surest path to wealth. If they supported Qian Ye and Song Zining in winning this battle, their investments would be repaid tenfold, if not a hundredfold.
The neutral zone was small, with a limited population. All yearned to venture out and conquer new lands. Yet, the special environment of the neutral zone, while protective, was also restrictive. The Empire and Evernight could not touch the neutral zone, but any fleet that ventured beyond its borders would be swiftly annihilated.
This time, the scale of the Dark Flame’s war preparations was enormous, a campaign beyond the neutral zone. The major merchants hoped to ride on the coattails of the Dark Flame and explore new markets in the wider world.
Thus, amidst the tense and busy preparations, the Dark Flame awaited the war order from the Ministry of War.
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