Chapter 826
Chapter 826
“I have seen you before. The Easterner who died and came back to life, husband of Duchess Dybas.”
The Bloody Baron said, looking at Shen Lang. Shen Lang replied.
“I have seen you as well. At the wedding, you were standing in the seventh seat over there.”
“I was the only pirate in attendance at the wedding.”
“No, you seem more like a nobleman than a pirate. Might I invite you to my fortress for a drink?”
He glanced at the fortress and said.
“Is that your fortress? It looks… quite unique.”
He was clearly unimpressed with Shen Lang's fortress. It was too ugly, too small, and utterly lacking in any artistic sense. Besides, another reason kept him from landing in Shen Lang's city.
“If I were to invite you to my flagship for a drink, would you refuse?”
“It would be an honor.”
* * *
After settling the exchange of gold for goods, Shen Lang boarded the Bloody Baron's flagship. It was a massive warship, displacing over two thousand tons, with nearly a thousand sailors and warriors aboard, and a total of eight large ballistae. Moreover, it was as comfortable as a luxury cruise liner.
“Congratulations. You've become the hegemon of these waters. Under your protection, I'm sure this region will maintain perfect order.”
Shen Lang said with a smile. The Bloody Baron replied.
“You flatter me, my mysterious Eastern friend. I am more skilled in trade than in slaughter.”
‘Bullshit!’
This Bloody Baron had killed countless people. Who knew how many city-states he had plundered, how many fleets he had destroyed. The number of people he had killed reached the tens of thousands, and the mere mention of his name was enough to stop a crying child. In this world, names might be given in error, but nicknames never were. Yet, in these waters, he did indeed present a very gentle facade, engaging mostly in trade and acting as a fair arbiter, earning him the title of a maritime noble.
He said with a smile.
“My mysterious Eastern friend, you are like a magician. In less than two months, a city has appeared at the southern tip of this peninsula—it is truly a miracle. Your name will spread far and wide, Master Magician.”
“Fame is hardly a good thing for me. I am already well-known enough.”
“Indeed. You are already famous enough. You are the husband of Duchess Dybas, and is she not the queen of this region?”
“Your Excellency, I don't think that's what you intended to tell me.”
“Master Magician, do you intend to build your kingdom on this new continent?”
Shen Lang shook his head.
“No, no. I am merely a passing guest in this land.”
“Then how long do you plan to stay here?”
“For a very short time.”
He said with a smile.
“Then that is a relief. In that case, I must inform you. This is our last transaction.”
Shen Lang shrugged.
“From today onward, I will no longer be sending you ships, provisions, or slaves.”
“So, my trade has been blockaded?”
“That is correct.”
“What have I done wrong? Or have I offended someone? If so, I will offer my apologies.”
“No. Our dealings with you have been most pleasant. You are a generous and dignified man, and we have greatly enjoyed doing business with you. However, Duchess Dybas, defender of the southern territories of the Third Sauron Empire, has issued a blockade against you. Do not forget, the Azure Tide Peninsula you currently occupy belongs to her domain. If you were to picture her as a map, you are currently standing on the tip of her toes.”
“I thought she wouldn't mind. After all, she was the one riding me for three long months.”
The Bloody Baron merely shrugged as if he didn't know and said nothing.
“A complete blockade?”
“Yes. A complete blockade. No merchant or pirate will trade with you. Otherwise, the Russo family will consider them an enemy, and that means becoming an enemy of the Third Sauron Empire.”
“Has the Witch Empire's Queen's City fallen already?”
“All the other city-states of the Witch Empire have fallen, except for the Queen's City. Of course, the most important matter right now is not attacking the Queen's City, but enthroning His Majesty, the Emperor of the Third Sauron Empire. However, an army of over a million will continue to besiege the Queen's City. So, your Medusa Queen will likely be in grave danger.”
“So, how many princes are vying for the throne of the Third Sauron Empire? Of course, if it's a top secret, you don't have to tell me.”
“A total of three Highnesses are competing for the position. The first is Prince Alfonso. He is the legitimate grandson of the last emperor of the Second Sauron Empire. The second is Sauron IX, who possesses the purest royal bloodline. He is the successor to the First Sauron Empire, and because the blood of Empress Helene does not flow in his veins, he has the support of all the northern nobles.”
Empress Helene was the one who built the Queen's City. She was long called the traitorous empress of the Sauron Dynasty, and to this day, many northern nobles remain hostile to all her accomplishments.
“Then it seems Sauron IX has the highest chance of becoming the Emperor of the Third Sauron Empire?”
The Bloody Baron replied.
“No, not at all! There is a third competitor, Prince Solon. He is the most competitive heir to the throne.”
“Why is that?”
“Prince Solon possesses the Golden Aura, and ten years ago, he had already reached the pinnacle of power in the Sauron Dynasty. Ten years ago, he ventured alone to the northernmost continent. As you know, venturing into the world's forbidden zones is the honor of a hero. Of course, those heroes usually don't return alive; they all die. Whether it was the Ten Thousand Li Desert, the Devil's Great Triangle, or the northernmost continent, all who went there died!
But Prince Solon, with his Golden Aura, returned successfully, and he became the supreme hero of the entire Sauron Dynasty. If he was that powerful ten years ago, he might now be the strongest in the Sauron Dynasty. Furthermore, some say that Prince Solon has received the blessing of the White Capital.”
“The White Capital, you say?”
Shen Lang was startled. What was its connection to the White Jade Capital?
“The White Capital is the dwelling of gods in legend. It is said to be a place where there is no dark night.”
“Hasn't the ship of the White Capital appeared in the Western world? The one that brings snow wherever it goes?”
“That is a tale that circulates among pirates. Perhaps it's just the ramblings of a drunken man. I know another legend, besides that one. Would you like to hear it?”
“I'm all ears.”
“When the ship of the White Capital appears at sea, you must not look at it. Even if you see them, you must forget. Because wherever they stop, whatever race resides there, they will be annihilated. It is said that if they dock in any nation, that nation will fall.”
“But isn't that just an absurd legend?”
“Most unfortunately, it is not a legend, but a fact. Decades ago, the snow-drifting ship of the White Capital went to the Aska Empire in the south, and in the end, the Aska Empire fell. One hundred and fifty years ago, the snow-drifting ship went to the Midia Empire further east, and that empire fell. A thousand years ago, the snow-drifting ship went to the Dayak Empire, and the Dayak Empire fell.”
“The Dayak Empire was the only great empire in the history of the Veda people, was it not?”
“That is correct. In fact, you can still see the ruined cities of the Dayak Empire today. Even if there are no records in the history books, I have visited the city-states of the Dayak Empire and found traces of their time as a mighty empire. I believe that if the Dayak Empire had not vanished, when Sauron the Great marched south, he would not have been able to so easily sweep through the new continent and establish the Sauron Dynasty. After all, he only had thirty thousand men under his command.”
Shen Lang was filled with doubt.
‘Is the Western world's White Capital the same as the Eastern world's White Jade Capital?’
Frankly, in the Great Yan Empire, the White Jade Capital was as mysterious and powerful as the White Capital here. But it wasn't so powerful and strange that its ship would cause the downfall of an empire or tribe wherever it went, as the Western legends claimed. Could it be that the influence of the White Jade Capital spans both the Eastern and Western worlds, with its main power base in the West? When the Great Yan Empire was closing its net to annihilate Shen Lang, no one from the White Jade Capital appeared, but their ship did. This implies that the White Jade Capital must obey the edicts of the Great Yan Emperor. Does that mean the Emperor of the Great Yan Empire is even more absurdly powerful than imagined?
To Shen Lang, this world was too mysterious. The moment he felt he was getting closer to the truth, an even greater truth would emerge, making him feel like a blind man touching an elephant. A sense of crisis washed over him; he couldn't let this continue. He decided he needed to study the materials left by Prince Jiang Li more thoroughly. Prince Jiang Li had explored the Western world for many years, so his records would be closer to the truth than any other source.
* * *
Returning to the matter at hand.
“Receiving the blessing of the White Capital is as good as Prince Solon having half the imperial crown on his head. The other half must be placed there by the various lords of the south. Duchess Dybas and Duke Russell are supporting Prince Solon.”
It was Duchess Dybas and Duke Russell who initiated the siege and attack on the Witch Empire this time. The army they mobilized numbered over a million. Shen Lang had originally thought their only goal was to destroy the Witch Empire, but now he saw this was a war to establish a new nation. In the past, Crown Prince Ying Yi had personally gone to the Southern Chu Kingdom to fight a decisive battle with the Yue army, hoping to achieve an unparalleled military feat to solidify his position as crown prince. Similarly, this peerless warrior, Prince Solon, intended to ascend the throne of the Third Sauron Empire through the merit of destroying another nation.
“So where is this Prince Solon now?”
“He is currently performing a miracle.”
“What kind of miracle?”
“The miracle of 'pacifying the world with a single sword.' He is marching south from the eternally frozen sea, entering the Sauron Dynasty, and as he passes through each city-state, those who submit to him prosper, and those who defy him perish.”
‘Is he that incredible?’
Shen Lang could picture the scene. An incomparably noble prince, returning from his adventure on the northernmost continent—that alone was enough to be called a hero. When a prince with such an achievement marches south alone, carrying a single sword, entering city after city and pointing that sword at its master, every lord, be they a count or a duke, faces a single question.
‘Will you pledge your loyalty?’
Refuse to pledge loyalty? Then you are slain. His momentum was simply heaven-piercing. Some might naturally ask why thousands or even tens of thousands don't rush him all at once and kill him. But was that even possible? Solon Sauron was an imperial prince, the great hero who, in hundreds of years, was the only one to successfully return from the northernmost continent. Countless officials, citizens, and soldiers already admired and worshipped him from the bottom of their hearts. How could they possibly kill him?
“It seems he is trying to repeat the miracle of Sauron the Great. Is he really marching south alone with just a single sword? Does he have no army following him?”
“None. A vast army wished to pledge their loyalty and follow him, but he refused. He declared that he would seize the throne with his own strength alone.”
“How many city-states has he conquered so far?”
“Thirty-nine.”
“All of them conquered with just a single sword?”
“That is correct. Fifteen lords were slain, and twenty-four chose the path of loyalty.”