Chapter 595: Only My Unique Method Chapter 595: Diplomatic Secret Talks

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Protagonist:

Chen Yi

Among the 12 Divine Art Knights, only one failed to obtain the Three Divine Techniques, though their Divine Art levels did increase.

The other 7 Combat Knights who did not advance looked dejected, completely lacking the high spirits they had upon arrival; for them, the most glorious moment of their lives had already ended.

Few altars would ever give them another chance to enjoy so many believers with so few knights. If they applied to the Water Dragon Temple or Fire Dragon Temple, after exhausting all efforts, at best they would only gain the chance to compete with hundreds of knights for a single position...

Several people knelt in the passage and began to pray, as if by unspoken agreement.

Yin Senyong had seen many failures and felt no sympathy for it, simply stating: "You all signed agreements before departure, and you all knew the cost of this ritual. So, upon returning to the West Continent, you must still participate in the war. However, after the war ends, survivors will have a chance to participate in the Water Dragon Temple's festival, and the families of those who die in battle will also have one chance. Regardless of whether they fall in battle, those who earn merit and receive awards will be rewarded by the West River Festival."

The Earth Organization's memorial ceremonies are larger in scale, with fewer participants, thereby increasing the odds of becoming a Divine Art Knight. For a family to produce a single Divine Art Knight, the price paid is far more than money — it is the cost of countless lives stacked up.

The 7 Combat Knights did their best to maintain resolute expressions, so as not to reveal the weakness of the defeated.

Presently, a heat wave struck from outside the door; the Combat Knights responsible for transport shouted loud chants as they carried various oversized, overweight non-standard equipment down. The Divine Art Knights and the students operating the machinery were much quieter, but they too were drenched in sweat.

"You each have two days of rest time. If there is anything you need to do, hurry up and do it. In two days, enter combat readiness." Yin Senyong's words carried a hint of cruelty, yet it was a way of life that West Continent people were accustomed to.

Many had already said their goodbyes when heading to Earth. At this point, the gentlemen who had become Divine Art Knights still had the desire to return home, while the Combat Knights who failed to succeed tacitly remained in the West River City-State. They still had a sliver of hope — to earn merit and receive awards, gaining rewards from a new West River memorial ceremony; otherwise, who would have the face to go back?

"Your Excellency!"

Chen Yi watched the Martial Arts Hall students deliver the missiles into the warehouse, then walked out of the subway passage. At this moment, the Russians, who had been waiting impatiently, rushed up; Yu Weichao and She Lei couldn't stop them and could only follow behind.

"Mr. Maxim, is something the matter?"

"We want to know when we can return to Black Port?"

"We will restore the control zone as soon as possible." Chen Yi spoke vaguely. Black Port had never been within the control zone; the West River City-State's current control zone was a 200-kilometer radius. Only after the Wuguan System and West River Association members completely swallowed this region would Chen Yi commit military force to expand forward. Doing the Russians' work for them — saying it verbally was fine, but that was it.

Maxim was the new envoy dispatched by Moscow, high-ranking and vested with some dictatorial powers; he was a candidate for the future West Continent Governor. Therefore, he actively said: "Your Excellency, if you have plans to expand the control zone, we are willing to actively cooperate."

This was tantamount to indirectly raising the issue of the control zone's scope.

Chen Yi smiled and saw no need for further explanation.

Maxim could only continue: "We have already prepared two ships of arms, which can be transported to the West Continent at any time. If you need them, these arms can also be temporarily lent to you."

"Temporarily lent" is an interesting term; it asserts ownership while leaving the time limit on usage rights quite vague, giving the owner considerable initiative.

Chen Yi shook his head and refused: "We do not need arms for the time being. If you want to transport arms, you still have to follow the regulations."

The West Continent's arms regulations were finalized with the participation of the arms dealer Mo Shaoqiu. Besides categorizing arms types, non-defensive weapons were often subject to tax rates of 500% or more.

Mo Shaoqiu's non-defensive weapons were all sold to the West Continent Government Office — that is, Chen Yi's. No matter how high the tax, it was just a mathematical game on paper. Maxim was different. The West Continent's passage fees were so high that a single shell could sell for tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands; with a 500% tax on top, that shell was practically cast from gold.

Maxim, having gained nothing, left the passage area and lingered on the streets of the West River City-State, like a stray dog that had lost its way.

As he walked, he ran into an acquaintance.

"Mr. Zhou Zhixue?" The person Maxim bumped into was precisely a member of the Chinese observation delegation, his tone full of pleasant surprise.

If it had been two or three days ago, Maxim would have ended the dull chance encounter with a flat tone, even if he didn't keep him at arm's length. However, after a short period of understanding, Maxim had already realized that the master of the West Continent was not the government represented by Zhou Zhixue, but Chen Yi himself.

In other words, the two of them were not natural opposites, but had quite a few common grounds to explore.

Zhou Zhixue likewise shared the feeling of meeting an old acquaintance in a foreign land, and smiled: "Mr. Maxim, wandering about at afternoon tea time — you're in high spirits."

"Not at all, I was just thinking about some things. Would Mr. Zhou Zhixue be interested in chatting and clearing up doubts together?" Maxim's Chinese was quite good. Of course, he was currently using Konjac.

Like Chinese and West Continent language Konjac, the wholesale price on the Xima Market was quite cheap; Level 5 and below Konjac were even cheaper than apples from Earth. This was also a benefit brought by technology. Konjac produced and cultivated with the aid of recorders cost who knows how much less than the Konjac West Continent people cultivated by speaking non-stop. If not for the still-small scale of local production and cultivation, and the large export market, a price collapse would have long since occurred.

Zhou Zhixue readily agreed, pulling Maxim into a teahouse, and smiled: "West River has only one coffee shop, and it's classified as a luxury goods store. We might as well talk in a teahouse."

The main consumers in West River City were Martial Arts Hall students and staff; these young people, half from Jiangbei, often didn't have the habit of spending in coffee shops. Teahouses were for merchants.

Being classified as luxury goods meant extra taxes, and the tax rate included the passage fee. Maxim immediately thought of his two ships of arms and sighed.

"What's wrong? Did talks with Chen Yi not go smoothly?"

"Exactly. I heard their equipment is insufficient, so I voluntarily offered..." Maxim spilled the beans like pouring beans from a bamboo tube — though the beans were poured with considerable technique.

Zhou Zhixue smiled and said: "I'm afraid you don't know — the Chen Yi family's prosperity far surpasses the past, faintly taking the mold of China's number one aristocratic family. If he wants arms, he has no need for you to provide them."

Maxim certainly knew this, yet said: "If that is truly the case, then I was reckless."

Hearing the second half of the sentence, Zhou Zhixue nearly sprayed tea, slammed the table, and laughed heartily: "The Konjac you're using is truly too interesting."

"I selected the solemn-type Konjac, thinking it was a formal diplomatic occasion — is there something wrong with what I said?"

"No, no. Merchants these days..." Zhou Zhixue paused mid-sentence, intentionally or not adding: "It is said that the giant dragon Chen Yi currently intends to deal with might be the rival of the local giant dragon."

This was a piece of entirely new information. Maxim hurriedly asked: "What's going on? What do you mean by 'rival of the local giant dragon'?"

"The place we are in actually belongs to the Water Dragon Temple, and the Water Dragon, it is said, is a giant dragon."

"A single dragon owns several million kilometers of land?" Maxim was so astonished his tongue practically stuck out.

Zhou Zhixue nodded with mock seriousness: "Correct. So it seems giant dragons might truly be intelligent beings. Of course, we have no specimens and cannot make an accurate judgment."

However lightly he put it, Maxim was still shocked, and hurriedly said: "If that's the case, Chen Yi letting us Russians go to Black Port had ulterior motives?"

"That... I can't say for sure."

"This matter cannot end well." Maxim's gaze sharpened, and he said angrily: "I'm going back now to immediately report this. Their interests in Siberia must all be withdrawn."

This time it was Zhou Zhixue's turn to be secretly surprised. Senior Management estimated that Moscow and Chen Yi had reached some degree of interest exchange on the Siberia issue, but they hadn't expected the depth to be this great.

Purely in terms of interests, trading Siberia for the West Continent was truly a win-win move.

Chen Yi gains an overseas exclave, while the Russians gain a new colony... Zhou Zhixue gave Maxim a deep look and said: "Actually, if not for the giant dragon, how else could you have obtained Black Port?"

This was a fair statement.

Black Port is a natural deep-water harbor. The West Continent has no large ships, so they don't have a deep feeling for it, but Chen Yi and the others are different. If not for the danger of the giant dragon and the distance of over a thousand kilometers, Chen Yi would have settled in Black Port himself long ago.

Maxim had long forgotten how they had refused Chen Yi's persuasion, and said angrily: "Even so, I will definitely report to Moscow."

"I have a method that might let him try to steal a chicken only to lose the rice used to lure it."

"Oh? What method?"

"Have a Giant Dragon from the Water Dragon Temple step forward, after all, we are on the Water Dragon Temple's territory."

"Then how do we get a Giant Dragon from the Water Dragon Temple to step forward?"

Zhou Zhixue took out a piece of konjac and laughed, saying: "Chen Yi can become a Grand Knight of the West Continent, so can we. Although, the temple has some special rules, but I've studied them pretty much thoroughly."

Maxim's gaze flickered, and he asked: "Mr. Zhou's opinion is very key, hmm, what do you want again?"

"You also need to give me a portion of the supplies you use. How about that?" Zhou Zhixue was directly dispatched from Xijing. If he applied upward, there was no way to avoid Chen Zhongguo. Moreover, important supply transfers concerning the West Continent were all under Chen Yi's strict surveillance; what Zhou Zhixue wanted to do seriously threatened Chen Yi's status, and the supplies he needed were not few, so besides Overseas, there were almost no other channels.

Maxim licked his lips and asked: "What supplies are needed?"

"Mainly precious metals; in my opinion, heavy metals are even more useful than precious metals."

... (Unfinished. If you like this work, welcome to come to Qidian (qidian. com) to cast recommendation tickets and monthly tickets; your support is my greatest motivation.)