Chapter 93

Long before the unfortunate soul embarked on his journey through the portal, most of the human nobles in the new world who were qualified to vie for the position of major power's proxy had collectively met their end. Those who survived by chance were mostly minor nobles of low lineage and collateral descendants. Even Godfrey Needham was merely a baron. To compete for the imperial throne, his bloodline and status were far too low.

Luo Zhengdao could enjoy the hospitality of the Yaling Empire with such composure largely thanks to his stepfather, the previous Fulu Count, who, before sending off his only male heir, had meticulously prepared all the necessary legal documents and tokens. The moment he breathed his last, his only son, Will Needham, could legally inherit the title of Fulu Count and all related powers. This was far more fortunate than the noble heirs who had narrowly escaped the goblin slaughter. Even if their bloodlines were impeccable, without valid legal documents to prove their identities, and with the College of Arms of the human kingdom reduced to rubble in the war, how could they possibly gain anyone's trust? Such a stark reality was indeed heart-wrenching!

Seizing the moment when his negotiating opponent was cornered and speechless, Luo Zhengdao said calmly:

"Warships, weapons, food, and operational funds—these items have been provided in large quantities by the Yaling Empire. May I ask what the Elven Federation can offer me?"

Having lost all initiative, even the seasoned and composed negotiator Yarol Tito could not help but break into a sweat. He took out a linen and silk handkerchief to wipe the fine beads of sweat from his forehead, forcing a smile as he said:

"Um, what kind of assistance do you hope to receive? Our country is very sincere in supporting Count's efforts to restore his kingdom."

Having already calculated the true strength of the Elven Federation and knowing that these people were absolutely unreliable, Luo Zhengdao felt no sympathy for his opponent's predicament. His smile turned cold as he said:

"Hehehe, sincerity? I have no interest in sweet talk. Please think clearly before you speak!"

According to Luo Zhengdao's personal analysis, compared to the Yaling Empire's all-out support for the human exiled nobles and its firm resolve to fight the Goblin Empire to the bitter end, the Elven Federation seemed more like amateurs joining in for the fun. Even though the elves and the Yalings were close relatives and both naval powers, the elves did not feel the urgency of the mainland crisis as acutely as the Yalings.

The elves' dissatisfaction with the Goblin Empire could be attributed to a few simple factors: the goblins' Second Empire had cut off the trade routes between the outer seas and the mainland, and they had attacked the Elven Federation's colonies in the Starry Sea. Many human exiled nobles had sought refuge in these colonies, and when the goblins launched their pursuit, they swept up the colonies along with the nobles. If they could cause trouble for the Goblin Empire at a low cost, the elves would be quite pleased. However, if it required a significant investment, it would be a miscalculation.

Despite this, the Elven Federation's消极 attitude toward the matter remained at the psychological level. For the specific handlers, a complete breakdown in negotiations would be seen as an extreme failure. Thinking of the challenges he would face when reporting back to his country, the commercial attaché broke into a cold sweat. He really couldn't afford to mess this up!

"Count, I've heard that the goblins have been hunting you down everywhere. Our country has recently developed a new type of equipment that can detect enemies at a distance. Are you interested?"

Hearing Yarol Tito's almost groveling tone, Luo Zhengdao, who was about to leave, felt a slight stir in his heart and then smiled, saying:

"Oh, really? A new technology like that? Can I see it in person, Mr. Tito?"

From the initial arrogance at the start of the negotiations to the current state of being thoroughly suppressed, Yarol Tito had lost all his former dignity in front of Luo Zhengdao. He dared not act rashly and cautiously replied:

"Ah! Of course, but please don't mention it in public... Please follow me."

Later, the commercial attaché retrieved his prized possession from a secret room protected by multiple magical anti-theft measures and demonstrated the magical artifact's usage and effects to Luo Zhengdao. Seeing the artifact's effectiveness up close, Luo Zhengdao's eyes gleamed with excitement. This was exactly what he needed. The wealthy Elven Federation had invented a device that could detect moving targets the size of ships from fifty nautical miles away and provide optical images within ten nautical miles. It was essentially a maritime search radar with a small drone!

Since Luo Zhengdao held the initiative in the negotiations, and since he wanted this device, there was no need to be polite to the weak and wealthy patron. He said straightforwardly:

"Hmm, a nice gadget. How many of these True Sight Crystal Balls can your country provide?"

Upon hearing this, Yarol Tito's handsome face, which could grace a movie poster, contorted like a chrysanthemum, turning red and then pale. Knowing he couldn't provoke Luo Zhengdao, he was seething with anger but had no outlet. The handsome elf could only say with a pained expression:

"How many? To be honest, Count, my entire fleet has only one crystal ball. If you are willing to reach a cooperation agreement with our country, any request can be negotiated."

Luo Zhengdao realized he had pushed the atmosphere too far. If he pressed too hard, it wouldn't be a good thing if the handsome elf couldn't take it. So, he softened his tone and said:

"Alright! I hope your country can provide a batch of magical potions and artifacts. As for the exchange conditions... I believe opening trade on the mainland and sharing the sea routes should satisfy your country, right?"

Hearing this, Yarol Tito still hesitated and did not nod in agreement. He was at a loss due to Luo Zhengdao's softened attitude and unsure if this outcome would satisfy his superiors. After a brief silence, he said softly:

"Please wait a few days. This matter exceeds my authority, and I must report it before a decision can be made."

There was no need to beat around the bush anymore. Luo Zhengdao nodded to indicate he understood and said:

"If your country is interested in this agreement, please provide a response within two weeks. During this period, I will stay in Zelan to prepare the fleet. If the deadline is exceeded, it will be very regrettable that we cannot cooperate."

"Alright, Count, I will give you a response as soon as possible."

As a mere attendant who did not participate in the actual negotiations, the half-elf beauty Vena Dubov followed Luo Zhengdao into the carriage and said softly:

"Will, why did you change your mind? Didn't you hate the Elven Federation?"

Luo Zhengdao's gaze lingered on the street outside the carriage window, covered by a plain thin veil. Hearing the question, he turned to look at Vena Dubov and said with a smile:

"No, I never changed my mind. The Elven Federation's bottom line is that their offer cannot exceed the Yaling Empire's, and their appetite is not great. I am prepared to take whatever I can get, as the aid from the elves is just a bonus."

Hearing Luo Zhengdao's shameless revelation of his inner thoughts, Vena Dubov, feeling a headache, lightly rubbed her temples and said, half-serious and half-teasing:

"Wow, Will, though you've never been a businessman before, you really have the face of a seasoned swindler now! When did you become so corrupt?"

In response to the half-elf beauty's teasing, Luo Zhengdao laughed self-deprecatingly. He leaned back against the soft cushion of the carriage, filled with natural sponge, and said:

"Thank you for the compliment, Miss Vena. The shameless ability of politicians to change their stance like turning a page is something I can't quite manage yet, I'm afraid I will disappoint you!"

In the old world, a famous investment master once said, seemingly in jest, that forming a marriage and investing in a company share many similarities. One of the key factors is not to have overly high expectations of your target. Only reasonable expectations can ensure a long-term cooperative relationship, rather than a premature breakup.

From the beginning, Luo Zhengdao had seen through the Elven Federation's frivolous intentions and decided to exploit them to the fullest. Therefore, his demands were tailored to their capacity. Sure enough, within a week, the Elven Federation's commercial attaché, Yarol Tito, sent a message that all of Luo Zhengdao's demands had been accepted. All that was left was to sign a formal document with legal binding force, and both parties could get what they wanted. For those reasonable demands, Luo Zhengdao had no reason to refuse, and soon both sides signed the document, sealed it with their stamps, and invoked the gods as witnesses, establishing a thoroughly mutual exploitation aid treaty.

...........................................................................................

"Attention, salute!"

Zola Hegel, the boatswain, temporarily serving as the master of ceremonies, raised his knife and directed the pirates to form a line. Luo Zhengdao, smiling, walked past the line, waving to his subordinates who raised their weapons in salute.

During his stay in Zelan, after the initial ten-day break for the pirates to indulge in drinking and debauchery to relieve the mental fatigue accumulated from long voyages, the pirates were reorganized for a month. They received basic drill training and adaptive training for the new weapons and equipment. Once the Yaling Empire's aid, including uniforms, arrived, the pirates donned neat, bright red uniforms with simple chest armor and black leather helmets adorned with white feathers, giving the ragtag group a semblance of a regular army.

PS: The morning update is now at 7 AM. Future updates will be at 7 AM and 7 PM.

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