Chapter 51

"Then... we are going to the headquarters of the martial arts group in the Sea Kingdom as representatives of our martial arts group?" Zhang Heng once again tried to straighten the long bow on his body, then continued to check for any wrinkles, while asking.

Hao Qi replied absent-mindedly, "That's right. This is an unwritten rule of martial arts groups. When a martial arts group enters a country, the representative, who doesn't necessarily have to be the group leader, can also be the spokesperson of the group, must register with the country's martial arts organization in the name of the group. It's understandable, after all, the strength of the Inner Strength Realm is too powerful, and for ordinary people, it's like a human nuclear bomb. Without proper management, the world would really be in chaos."

"Nuclear bomb... what is that?" Zhang Heng asked curiously.

"I've already said, don't pay attention to those details!"

Hao Qi, seeing Zhang Heng still tidying up his appearance, said helplessly, "You don't need to be so formal. Although it's the martial arts organization of various countries and the Human Alliance, the staff are actually civil servants from various governments. I've never seen anyone of the Inner Strength Realm working there. We're just going to register and inquire about buying a ship, it's not that formal."

Although he said that, Zhang Heng continued to tidy up, saying that this was his first time participating in martial arts group affairs as a member of the Traveling Group, and he couldn't let people see him in a disheveled state. He wanted to appear as solemn as possible. After Hao Qi said a few more words, Zhang Heng still didn't change, so Hao Qi let him be.

The headquarters of the martial arts group in the Sea Kingdom was in the capital. Hao Qi and Zhang Heng had been in the Sea Kingdom for a week. They had been traveling and relaxing all the way, after all, the two of them had been exhausted for several months in the mountains. This rest was well-deserved. When the two arrived at the capital of the Sea Kingdom, it was already a week later.

The territory of the Sea Kingdom was indeed very strange, extending from the inland into the sea like a long corridor. The farthest end was the capital of the Sea Kingdom. The longest part was only about ten kilometers, a narrow corridor extending into the center of the sea. The most famous scenic spot in the Sea Kingdom was this long corridor extending into the center of the ocean, getting lower and lower, and finally disappearing into the depths of the sea, a straight line as if connecting to the horizon, named "Sea and Sky Line."

No matter what, the capital of the Sea Kingdom was indeed a very maritime city. It was almost surrounded by the sea on two sides, and the seabed topography was full of excellent deep-sea ports. From what Hao Qi and Zhang Heng saw when they entered the capital of the Sea Kingdom, the commerce here was indeed prosperous. From entering the capital to reaching the headquarters of the martial arts group, the two saw at least ten large ports along the way. Each large port was bustling with people, with a large number of ships unloading and loading cargo. Hao Qi even saw containers and large steam engines for loading containers, a very modern scene, almost on par with some of the seaports he had seen in his previous life.

In the market at the port, there were a large number of merchants from all over the world, and the population of the Sea Kingdom was the largest Hao Qi had seen since coming to this world, especially in the capital, which could be described as crowded, a very prosperous modern metropolis.

The two received very good treatment at the headquarters of the martial arts group, especially when they asked for the name of the Traveling Group, the reactions of the people there were surprisingly enthusiastic. This made not only Hao Qi but also Zhang Heng realize that something was amiss.

"Probably the news from the Hundred Herbs Kingdom has spread. Although it's unlikely that the people from the Hundred Herbs Kingdom would reveal our agreement, as that would be too embarrassing for them, the news of the battle underground must have spread." Hao Qi used his Inner Strength to transmit his voice to Zhang Heng, who then understood.

In this situation, the civil servants at the headquarters of the martial arts group were naturally very forthcoming, and the two obtained a lot of information at the headquarters. The headquarters also relayed Hao Qi's request and, after asking about their accommodation, informed Hao Qi that they would notify him of the results as soon as possible.

"Is that it?"

After leaving the headquarters of the martial arts group, Zhang Heng still couldn't believe it and asked. Hao Qi, who seemed to be familiar with the process, replied, "Martial arts groups come in many types. Most martial arts groups actually just rely on the reputation of someone in the Inner Strength Realm, like a nominal leader. I've even heard of an Inner Strength Realm person who was the nominal leader of over a dozen martial arts groups, even in different countries, and there were cases where martial arts groups relying on the same leader fought each other. These types of martial arts groups, and those with a Quasi-Inner Strength Realm leader, are collectively called Quasi-Martial Arts Groups or Lower-Level Martial Arts Groups, but they are still called martial arts groups."

"Then there are martial arts groups with an Inner Strength Realm member, which are the true martial arts groups. They are still called martial arts groups, but such groups are usually specially marked. When the country issues important tasks, especially those of great value, they usually prioritize these groups. These groups also have a property that the previous type of group does not have, which is trustworthiness. This is not written in the group's record, but it does exist. I only learned about it after achieving the Inner Strength Realm."

"Then there are even higher-level martial arts groups, those with two or more Inner Strength Realm members. These groups are considered elite martial arts groups. They are still called martial arts groups, but such groups usually receive the patronage and hospitality of a country. These groups often have a main base, staying in a country as a semi-permanent national martial arts group. If such a group registers in a country, the hospitality they receive will be much greater than what we experienced, and even the country's leaders, like the royal family, high-ranking officials, or even the president or prime minister, might personally receive them."

"Then there is a more special type of martial arts group, which is different in name from ordinary martial arts groups. They are directly called Upper-Level Martial Arts Groups because they have a member in the Inner Qi Realm, and it's not just a nominal position, but a real member of the group. Such groups are called Upper-Level Martial Arts Groups."

After hearing all this, Zhang Heng's eyes were full of stars. He looked at Hao Qi and said, "There are so many secrets! By the way, Hao Qi, aren't you a先天道体 (Xiantian Dao Ti)? And you're only nineteen years old and already have this level of strength. If you ever achieve the Inner Qi Realm, our martial arts group will be an Upper-Level Martial Arts Group! Keep it up!"

Hao Qi replied irritably, "It's not that simple. I have no idea how to achieve the Inner Qi Realm, what kind of strength it requires, or what that realm is like. I have no clue at all. Let's just go with the flow. Now we just have to wait for the Sea Kingdom to send someone to receive us. After all, what we want to do is not a small matter, but to buy their country's confidential special ships that can cross the entire Blue Sea without worrying about the sea beasts. I think money alone might not be enough; it depends on whether the intimidation from what we did in the Hundred Herbs Kingdom is enough."

As Hao Qi had predicted, the next day, a government official from the Sea Kingdom received the two. This official was introduced as the Minister of Public Relations of the Sea Kingdom, a high-ranking official, which showed the Sea Kingdom's emphasis on Hao Qi's Traveling Group. However, the subsequent negotiations were not smooth. When Hao Qi proposed to buy a large ship that could cross the Blue Sea, he received a polite refusal. The official formally stated that the ships capable of crossing the Blue Sea were all owned by the state, and private individuals had no right to own them. Private individuals only owned near-sea ships that could not cross the Blue Sea.

The state leased these ships to companies or groups, which only had the right to use them. The official also explained that if Hao Qi wanted to lease such a ship, the Sea Kingdom could make an exception and lease it to him, but he would have to sign a contract with the Sea Kingdom, serving as a patron for three years, and the price would be favorable. As for buying, it was absolutely impossible.

Hao Qi was also helpless. He could directly threaten, force, or even be unreasonable with the government of the Hundred Herbs Kingdom because they had been in the wrong first, and what they did had offended Hao Qi. However, the Sea Kingdom was different. They received him as a country, and what the Sea Kingdom said was indeed true, as Hao Qi had learned from various sources over the past ten days. They were not deliberately making things difficult for him, and he could not use force to threaten or coerce them.

"State secrets, huh..."

Hao Qi looked at the smiling, middle-aged, fat man who was negotiating with him without giving in, a mere ordinary person, not even a Quasi-Inner Strength Realm. He was somewhat impressed. After a moment of thought, Hao Qi said, "What about non-large ships? Like yachts, for example, as long as they can cross the Blue Sea."

The fat minister smiled and said, "Mr. Hao Qi, you're joking. In fact, the reason our ships can cross the Blue Sea is due to a secret technology that can only be implemented on large cruise ships, warships, or cargo ships, with a minimum displacement of 20,000 tons. So, small boats are basically impossible. I wonder if Mr. Hao Qi is willing to serve as a patron in the Sea Kingdom for three years?"

Hao Qi weighed the pros and cons in his mind. Three years, not too long, not too short, but still three years. Of course, for him, it wasn't a long time. The Sea Kingdom was beautiful, and the country was well-developed, almost on par with the civilized world of his previous life, except for the lack of computers and cell phones. Serving as a patron here for three years would definitely be an enjoyment, living in the best places, eating the best food, enjoying the best scenery, and even women provided by the Sea Kingdom...

But... freedom...