Chapter 440: Battle of Dragon Crystal Island

"Ge Er Man! It's you!"

Wa Luo Gen sprang to his feet; he recognized the middle‑aged mercenary and knew him well, having served alongside him years ago, a long‑time extraordinary mercenary stationed in Hai Tuoke under the Prince's command, who, had his strength been sufficient, might even have risen to the higher ranks.

Ai Mi Li Si was both shocked and disappointed.

After they learned the civil war had ceased, they had been probing for leaks, yet they never suspected Ge Er Man.

"Count, are you sure it's Ge Er Man?" Wa Luo Gen couldn't help asking, still harboring a hint of doubt.

Before Lei En could answer, Ai Mi Li Si replied for him, "Lei En wouldn't be mistaken."

Having spent over a year in Ge La Mo Gen, she knew well that Lei En possessed a peculiar ability to see through people's hearts and discern lies, so she never dared to lie before him.

Ding La Ji also said, "Wa Luo Gen, you shouldn't doubt the Lord's ability."

He followed Lei En to meet those mercenaries, made a quick round, uttered a few inconsequential words, and singled out Ge Er Man from the hundreds. Moreover, once Ge Er Man was named, he appeared very nervous, making it almost certain that something was wrong with him.

"I wouldn't dare."

Wa Luo Gen realized he had slipped, and hurriedly bowed to Lei En to apologize.

The ability to gather intelligence had been his pride in this life, and now the enemy had infiltrated his ranks, causing massive losses—truly a slap to his own face, leaving his mind unbalanced.

Lei En didn't mind, "I've uncovered the traitor; what follows is up to you—find out who he is."

After all, this was an internal matter under Ai Mi Li Si's command, and he didn't want to intervene.

"Yes, sir." Wa Luo Gen took Ge Er Man away.

A moment later, he returned to the sitting room and reported, "Your Highness, Count, the answer has been obtained." His complexion was odd; after a pause he continued, "Ge Er Man's patron is Dan Si Duke, and has nothing to do with Ma Er Ke."

The answer surprised everyone.

【8】 Ding La Ji reacted most violently, nearly leaping from his chair, "Dan Si Duke? Wa Luo Gen, this is no time for jokes."

Ding Laji's reaction was the most intense, almost jumping up from his chair, "Dens Title: Duke? Wa Luogen, this is no time for jokes."

Lei En couldn't help glancing at the Demon sorcerer; Ding La Ji was also a member of the Dan Si family and the Duke's biological son, though for unknown reasons father and son had fallen out, and years ago he had been stripped of his surname and expelled from Kangjiatuo.

"I'm not joking," Wa Luo Gen said gravely, "Ge Er Man has followed Your Highness for years, deducing Your Highness's identity from many clues, yet pretended ignorance. Over the past few years he has been seeking a chance to sell that information at a high price, and ultimately sold it to Dan Si Duke."

At this point, Wa Luo Gen extended three fingers and said coldly, "For three thousand Gold Shields, he betrayed us. Dan Si Duke even promised that Ge Er Man could stay with us to relay messages, and once the deed is done, grant him a knightly fief."

"Greedy fool!"

Ding La Ji sneered, "Someone actually believed my father's promise, lost his life, and still wants a fief?"

Ai Mi Li Si's face showed contemplation as she analyzed, "Ge Er Man sold the information to Dan Si Duke, who then passed it to Ma Er Ke, offering terms for peace, forcing Ma Er Ke to withdraw his troops—killing two birds with one stone. It not only eliminated the danger of being wiped out by Ma Er Ke, but also avoided a mutually destructive outcome, giving us a bargain."

"Cunning old man..." Ding La Ji seemed to recall the past, his face gloomy.

Wa Luo Gen, looking thoughtful, said, "Dan Si Duke has served as the Prime Minister for so many years; his methods are shrewd. After we seize Kangjiatuo, we'll inevitably have to deal with him. Mo Er Si and Fei She, the two great families, are also his allies; his threat to us is second only to Ma Er Ke's."

He glanced at Ding La Ji, "You're Dan Si Duke's son, most familiar with him; please pay close attention when the time comes."

Ai Mi Li Si also cast a glance.

Ding La Ji clearly lacked confidence, yet could not refuse, and nodded, "I will do my best."

The meeting lasted the whole day, from morning until dusk, and the orders had already been issued; everything was ready.

Wa Luo Gen had a lavish dinner prepared as the final mobilization before departure.

Besides Lei En and several dragons, many senior captains of the mercenary corps and the centaur chieftain Na Ha Qi were invited.

Ai Mi Li Si delivered an impassioned speech at the banquet, revealing her identity and promising everyone a bright future.

After the meal, the crowd dispersed, waiting for dawn to set out.

Lei En entered Ai Mi Li Si's room a little later, finding her seated at the table, staring absentmindedly at a Kangjiatuo map. The map was very old, its corners yellowed from countless turnings, bearing the dragon‑head crest of the Zhuo Geng Bao family.

Under the crystal lights, Ai Mi Li Si appeared somewhat weary, no longer the spirited figure from the banquet.

"What's wrong?" Lei En asked concernedly.

Ai Mi Li Si seemed only now to notice Lei En's arrival, looked up, and smiled, "It's nothing; after planning for so many years, it's finally about to begin, and I'm nervous."

Lei En sat beside her, embracing her shoulder, and comforted, "With me and the Wizards of Weizelan backing you, you won't fail. I assure you, even in the worst case, you'll at least reclaim the lands belonging to the Zhuo Geng Bao family."

The entire Kangjiatuo Kingdom was divided into seven duchies, each ruled by a great family; since the Zhuo Geng Bao dynasty was overthrown, the family's lands were annexed by Ma Er Ke's Lao Bo Di Er family.

Ma Er Ke has usurped the throne for forty years, yet has not managed it earnestly.

The lands that once belonged to the Zhuo Geng Bao family still bear the marks of the dragon‑born families everywhere, and the populace's faith in the benevolent dragon god Bahamut remains unchanged.

As the previous generation passed, people gradually forgot the atrocities of the "Mad King" Xi Rui Ya, and the dragon‑born families became legend; the distance turned into a beautiful yearning.

A foundation of over three thousand years of rule cannot be erased in merely a few decades.

If Ai Mi Li Si reveals her status as a dragon‑born heir and calls out from a height, displaying wisdom and goodwill, a massive crowd will surely respond.

This is also the source of Ai Mi Li Si's confidence in restoring the nation.

Most importantly, the mithril mine with the companion crystal that Lei En covets lies within the Zhuo Geng Bao family's lands; retaking the Zhuo Geng Bao duchy is his primary goal.

Ai Mi Li Si nodded lightly, yet a trace of worry remained in her eyes.

Lei En continued to soothe her with a few more words, holding her delicate figure close, his warmth soft as jade; after months apart, he couldn't help himself, his hands grew restless.

In the past, Ai Mi Li Si would have responded enthusiastically, very proactive.

Tonight, however, she seemed somewhat resistant, as if not in the mood for intimacy; Lei En always prefers mutual consent and never forces, so he ceased his actions.

Ai Mi Li Si showed remorse, "I'm a bit tired, sorry."

"Fine."

Lei En gave her a brief hug, "Then have a good rest tonight." After speaking, he stepped out, asking Wa Luo Gen to arrange another room for him.

Before dawn the next day, the mercenaries in the manor set out.

According to the plan, over five hundred extraordinary mercenaries, led by their captains, departed the city in batches toward a hidden dock in northern Hai Tuoke.

Lei En rode in the same carriage as Ai Mi Li Si.

After a night's rest, Ai Mi Li Si's complexion improved greatly from the night before, radiant, exuding a powerful and majestic aura.

Soon after, the convoy arrived at the small dock outside the city.

The dock was built in a remote forest; from afar it seemed unremarkable, just a segment of the long, cold coastline, but entering the woods revealed a concealed camp with stringent defenses, patrolled throughout by centaur guards.

The convoy entered the camp built on the cliff, a path cut into the sheer rock that led down to the dock below.

The dock was hidden within the fjord, with two steamships moored on the narrow water.

At this moment, squads of centaurs were boarding.

The steamships were purchased at great cost by Ai Mi Li Si from the Empire, normally handed to Wa Luo Gen for operating maritime trade.

The vessels had five decks, spacious enough for each ship to carry over five hundred centaurs; with ten ships in total, they could transport the entire centaur army and mercenary corps across the Thousand Islands Sea in one go, landing at Kangjiatuo.

A moment later, two steamships filled with centaurs carefully sailed out of the fjord.

The ships ahead had just departed when another two vessels entered.

This repeated five times, and all the centaurs and mercenaries boarded, leaving only a small detachment of mercenaries to guard the hidden dock.

Lei En boarded with Bo Er Qi, staying next to Ai Mi Li Si.

The ship not only carried troops but also a large stock of provisions and equipment, enough to sustain the army in Kangjiatuo for over a month; the plan calls for the steamships to ferry people to Kangjiatuo and then shuttle back and forth, delivering additional supplies.

After the ten steamships left the fjord, they formed a fleet at sea.

Each ship carried mercenaries as a disguise; as long as the centaurs remained hidden, the fleet was indistinguishable from a normal merchant convoy.

The fleet sailed along the coastline toward the northeast, the sea wind growing colder.

As the fleet crossed the Thousand Islands Sea and neared Kangjiatuo, the cold wind cut the face like an ice blade; an ordinary person without warmth would freeze to death on deck in just half an hour.

"This cursed weather…"

"Can anyone really live in Kangjiatuo?" Lei En muttered inwardly, at least minus twenty degrees.

He faced the wind and gazed into the distance; with his current eyesight, he could already make out land on the horizon ahead.

"Of course it can," Ai Mi Li Si said, standing beside him. She wore a thick long dress over warm trousers, a precious fur wrapped around her neck, making her once slender figure look a bit bulky.

Lei En gave her a glance.

In the past few days aboard the ship, the two had not been intimate; Ai Mi Li Si had no mind for it, spending all her time discussing battle plans with subordinates.

The first step of the campaign was to seize Dragon Crystal Island.

This island, at the southern tip of the narrow Kangjiatuo Kingdom, lies only dozens of miles from shore; most of it is barren and sparsely populated. Yet its strategic position blocks the kingdom's busiest bay entrance, so a small garrison can control the majority of the kingdom's maritime trade and grip its economic lifeline.

The Zhuo Gengbao Dynasty could not tolerate Dragon Crystal Island falling into outsiders' hands; it has kept the island firmly under its control, granting it only to the most direct dragon‑born heirs.

When Ai Mi Li Si was born, the previous lord of Dragon Crystal Island had just died, so she was titled Princess of Dragon Crystal Island.

Recapturing Dragon Crystal Island would not only choke Kangjiatuo's vital point but also proclaim the Zhuo Gengbao family's return to the kingdom!

Shortly thereafter, an island rose on the sea ahead.

Ai Mi Li Si stared at the rugged island, her expression complex, silent for a long while; after exhaling a long plume of white breath, she said to Lei En, "Let's begin."

Lei En nodded, drew a war hammer in his right hand, and a pale blue sigil lit up on the back of his left hand.

A portal opened before him, and he immediately led the charge through it.

(End of chapter)