Extraordinary Rise: Starting Contract with the Silver Dragon Countess

Chapter 330 The Princess: "Where did this mermaid come from?"

Cohen's eyes lit up with thought, and he quickly understood Gaius's plan.

Coincidentally, just as Cohen planned to lead the Scarlet Raiders to seize Pearl Harbor, Ceylon's golden port, after Ceylon fell into civil war, Gaius had the same idea.

The enemy is planning to use the ghost ship to seize Efein's two outlets to the sea, which would not only cut off Efein's sea routes to the outside world, but more importantly, enable a landing operation and open a second front on Efein's homeland.

Cohen couldn't help but admire Gaius's plan; it was definitely the best solution that could be thought of in the current situation.

Emerald Harbour is located next to the political center of Effie, the royal capital of Florence.

Golden Sail Port is aimed at the southern border, the rear area of ​​Effie's expedition to Ceylon.

Establishing battlefields in these two locations would greatly alleviate the crisis situation in Ceylon.

Cohen concealed his emotions and replied with a faint smile:

"Amphibious operation?"
That's a bit difficult, Your Majesty. Our previous contract didn't include this clause.

King Gaius remained calm:
“We didn’t have it before, but we can add it now. I believe we can have a deeper cooperation. You can rest assured about Ceylon’s sincerity.”

Cohen's lips curved into a slight smile as he asked calmly:
"If I'm not mistaken, His Majesty is preparing to attack the homeland of Efein?"

Gaius's expression turned much colder:

"You and Her Highness the Princess are not outsiders. Now that things have come to this, I will not hide it from you. This is indeed my next action plan."

To tell you the truth, the two ports of Alfie have always been important strategic targets for us. Ever since Alfie showed signs of rising, the top brass of the Ceylon military has had specific operational plans targeting the two ports.

However, due to international treaties, we have not taken any action.

Now that they've thrown caution to the wind, we have nothing left to hold back!

Cohen cursed the other party in his heart. He thought that only the Saxons were a bastard who harbored evil intentions towards Effie, but it turned out that Ceylon had been ill-intentioned towards them for a long time.

After a pause, Gaius's voice softened considerably as he stared into Cohen's eyes and said:

"These two ports are of great significance to Effie, and Effie will certainly send a large number of troops to guard them. Not to mention that King Corleone now has a powerful orc legion under his command."

Previously, I wasn't so sure of success, but now, with Mr. Yann's help, I'm full of confidence in taking down these two ports!
I plan to deploy the East China Sea Fleet and the South China Sea Fleet, with the help of Mr. Yarn's ghost ship, to take over Golden Sail Port and Emerald Port.

Of course, I would prefer that your Crimson Raiders operate alongside the Ceylon Navy!

Gaius's gaze remained fixed on Cohen, his eyes fixed on him. The Crimson Raiders' combat prowess was evident from the annihilation of the North Sea Fleet.

Not to mention that the Crimson Raiders' power would definitely increase further after annexing the North Sea Fleet. If they could join forces with the Crimson Raiders to attack Eifine, their chances of opening a second front on Eifine's homeland would be even greater.

Cohen did not show any particular emotion, nor did he respond to Gaius's words. He wore a standard smile and remained silent.

Gaius was secretly furious at Cohen's unyielding attitude. Cohen's behavior was clearly an attempt to raise the price and prepare to take advantage of Ceylon to deliver a fatal blow.

But the situation was critical, so he had no choice but to swallow his pride and take the hit. Otherwise, if things dragged on, Ceylon would fall into internal strife, and those countries that had long harbored ill intentions would definitely take the opportunity to pounce on Ceylon and tear off pieces of flesh from its body.

Gaius was never worried about the few nobles or rebels in the country, including their supporter Effie.

What he was truly worried about, and even feared, was Ceylon's sworn enemy, the Windrise Kingdom, whose size and power were no less than Ceylon's, as well as the various empires that wanted to extend their tentacles into the northwestern continent.

The attitudes of the Northwest Alliance and the Charter Agreement towards Efyin's military intervention reveal that these morally bankrupt politicians deliberately watched Ceylon fall into division so that they could profit from it.

After a brief weighing of the pros and cons, Gaius offered his terms:

"All weapons, energy, personnel, and logistical supplies for this operation will be provided by Ceylon. After the two ports are captured, all profits from these two ports for the next five years will belong to you, sir."

Gaius's offer was undeniably substantial; anyone else might have readily agreed, but unfortunately, both ports already belonged to Cohen.

Cohen's lips curled into a playful smile as he said:
"Your Majesty, compared to the benefits that have not yet been obtained, I still prefer the present."

Gaius's face showed a strange expression, and after a moment of silence, he asked:
"Please explain 'the present moment' more thoroughly, Mr. Yann."

Cohen said calmly:

"All I want is a ship. Port shares and profit distribution are useless to me."

I can't wait five years, nor do I want to guard a stationary port; I just want ships I can see and touch.

Gaius's expression turned much more serious, and he asked:

"How many?"

"Fifty ships, main battleships."

Gaius's pupils dilated as if an earthquake had struck; if it weren't for the presence of the Eastern Empire's eldest princess beside Cohen, he would have slammed his fist on the table and stood up.

To ask for a lion's share of the pie is an understatement; it's more like a dragon's mouth beating open.

Of Ceylon's four naval fleets, apart from the North Sea Fleet which had already been annihilated by Cohen, the largest of the three fleets, the East Sea Fleet, had one hundred main battleships. Cohen's demand for fifty ships was equivalent to taking away half of the East Sea Fleet, which Gaius could not accept.

Gaius's face contorted with intense emotion. He stared at Cohen for a moment and said:

“Mr. Yarn, fifty ships… Do you know how many resources it would take to build fifty capital battleships?”
"We, Ceylon, are known as the strongest kingdom in human history, yet we only have fewer than two hundred capital battleships. You're asking for a quarter of them all... Ceylon simply doesn't have the capability to provide that."

Cohen was not surprised by Gaius's reaction; asking for the moon and then settling for less is the basic rule of business.

Cohen looked extremely troubled and said:

"It's not that I insist on such a high price, it's just that... if we cooperate with His Majesty to attack Efein's homeland, it will cause us huge losses."

Your Majesty surely knows that Princess Eldest's 'Flaming Red Lips' trading company was initially established with the help of Isabella Wenze, the daughter of the Golden Wing.

To this day, the Golden Wing family still retains a certain number of shares in the 'Flaming Red Lips' trading company, and the Pale Wings has always been a strategic partner of the Flaming Red Lips, with the two sides having in-depth cooperation in many aspects.

"Once I decide to take over the ports of Alfein, do you think the Golden Wing's daughter, who is the lover of the King of Alfein, will still do business with us?"

Gaius was stunned by Cohen's explanation; he had never considered this matter before.

He hadn't delved into the relationship between fiery red lips and pale wings, never imagining there was such a deep connection.

If that's the case, then the other party's concerns are reasonable.

Cohen continued:

"Offending the Golden Wing family and the Pale Wings is one thing, we can simply stop doing business with them. I think the strongest kingdom in humankind will definitely make up for it in this regard."

Gaius immediately stated:
“Of course, the Ceylon market will be completely open to Fiery Red Lips in the future.”

Cohen chuckled and continued what he had been saying:

“But apart from the Golden Wing family, the most important thing is still the King of Efein. If the time is not right, I really don’t want to fight against this young king who can rival the two great empires.”

Gaius understood. The so-called "right time" meant seeing how many warships Ceylon could provide him so that he would have the confidence to stand with Ceylon against Efein.

He fell into a long silence. Fifty capital warships, while not exactly crippling for a kingdom as vast as Ceylon, were indeed a significant expense.

Especially now, with domestic turmoil and a sharp increase in military spending, directly sending out fifty main warships is almost equivalent to sending out half a fleet.

This decision was really hard to make.

Cohen wasn't in a hurry, patiently waiting for Gaius's decision. After a while, Gaius spoke:
"According to your estimate, including the time for building the ghost ship and training the crew, how long will it take to completely capture Eifine's Golden Sail Port and Emerald Port?"

Cohen's answer greatly surprised Gaius:
"If I fail to capture Golden Sail Port and Emerald Port within a year, not only will all fifty capital ships be returned to His Majesty, but all the ghost ships built during this period will also be given to His Majesty for free!"

He was confident that he could break through the heavily guarded port of Effie within a year.

Cohen's powerful confidence surprised even Gaius.

In his estimation, opening a second front on Efein's homeland within five years would already be considered fast. Gaius hesitated for a moment, then asked:
"It's not that I don't believe you, sir. Emerald Harbor and Golden Sail Harbor have been improved and built by successive generations of the Effiin royal family. The ports and the surrounding waters are filled with various high-level magic arrays."

In particular, their queen possesses a high talent for magic arrays. During the Northwest Regional Exchange Meeting, she repelled the attacks of the two great empires with the magic arrays she had set up in advance. It is said that the main magic arrays of Emerald Harbor and Golden Sail Harbor were personally set up by Queen Effie.

Add to that their orc army, and it won't be easy to take them down in a short time!

Cohen chuckled inwardly. Taking over Emerald Harbor and Golden Sail Harbor was just a matter of a word from him.

In order to better persuade King Gaius to willingly hand over fifty capital battleships, Cohen lowered his voice:
"Of course, my strength alone is limited. The reason I am so confident is because I have other helpers!"

Gaius's eyes lit up as he stared at Cohen.

Cohen smiled slightly and said:

"Your Majesty, when I was clearing out the Weeping Banshee clan, I cooperated with other forces. Does Your Majesty recall?"

Gaius immediately recalled the battle in which the Crimson Raiders first made a name for themselves in the Endless Sea!
The legendary battle of the Weeping Trench.

According to the intelligence analysis sent back initially, legendary-ranked warriors from the Merfolk and Sharkfolk tribes also participated in the battle alongside the Crimson Raiders. Gaius roughly understood Cohen's meaning and asked:
"Sir, is it still possible to contact the Siren Clan for help?"

Cohen smiled and said:

"I still maintain good relations with the Shark Clan and the Merfolk Clan. If I pay a certain price, they are still willing to cooperate with me."

Gaius found the phrase "certain price" particularly jarring, and to prevent Cohen from raising the price further, he quickly said:
"I have agreed to fifty capital ships, but it will take a while to gather them. How about this, I guarantee that I will deliver these fifty capital battleships to the Crimson Raiders before Mr. Yahn sets off for Eifine."

Cohen hesitated for a moment, then said:

"It's not that I don't trust His Majesty the King, it's just that this matter is of utmost importance..."

King Gaius, his face tense, asked:

"Then we'll deliver half within six months, and the other half before the war begins, sir."

Cohen didn't hesitate this time and extended his hand to Gaius, a gentle smile on his face:
"Happy cooperation!"

Gaius breathed a sigh of relief, grasped Cohen's hand, and said in a deep voice:
"Happy cooperation!"

……

When Cohen got back, he picked up Windsordler, spun her around, and kissed her several times.

Windsordler patted Cohen on the shoulder and said in an annoyed tone:
"What are you doing? Did you find some money? Why are you so happy?"

Grace followed him in, smiling faintly:
"Finding money?"
That's way more impressive than just finding money!

Cohen put down Windsordler and said with a smile:

"I extorted another fifty battleships from Gaius. I have to say, these kings of great powers are really powerful. They just throw out fifty battleships without even haggling over the price. I'm starting to regret asking for too low a price earlier."

After Windsordler and Cohen explained the whole story, they couldn't help but sigh:
"Gaius is really unlucky to have gone against you. He's practically handing weapons and funds to his enemy. If word gets out... I suspect Gaius will be so angry he'll die!"

After saying this, Windsordler glanced at Grace beside her and gave Cohen a wink.

Seeing that the two clearly had some private matters to discuss, Grace was considering whether to leave when Cohen spoke first:
"Her Highness the Eldest Princess is not an outsider, and besides, Your Highness can offer some suggestions on this matter."

A smile appeared on Grace's face, making her alluring features even more captivating.

Windsordler didn't say much, handed the compiled intelligence to Cohen, and said:
"Xia Zuo of the Eastern Empire has left Dragon City. According to intelligence, he took five hundred [Breaking Formation Dragon Riders] with him this time, which are 'special forces' troops."

The two thousand members of the Dragon Wing Guard are 'elite'.

In addition, there are a large number of 'regular' troops and mercenaries temporarily recruited from some neighboring countries.

A hint of surprise flashed in Cohen's eyes. Xia Zuo had actually sent out a "special forces" army this time. It seemed that he was quite determined this time.

He looked at Grace, who said:
"I heard that Xia Zuo had a heated argument with several imperial military secretaries at the imperial conference, but in the end he persuaded the emperor, who decided to fully support his operation. Otherwise, he wouldn't have made such a big decision."

Xia Zuo only has three special forces units, most of which are deployed overseas. Only the [Dragon Riders] are based in China. He brought half of their forces this time, seemingly intending to regain the face he lost in Florence.

A faint smile appeared in Cohen's eyes:
"Your Highness, if I leave his special forces in Ceylon this time, won't Xia Zuo's image in Emperor Eberon's eyes be greatly diminished again?"

Grace covered her red lips and chuckled softly:

"Of course. After suffering heavy losses one after another at the hands of a king of a small country, not to mention Father, even the forces that originally supported him in the country will be shaken."

Xia Zuo made such a big decision this time to make up for his previous failure.

Cohen then analyzed the intelligence:

"According to intelligence, Xia Zuo did not bring many high-level superhumans with him."

Windsordler replied:

"Yes, it is certain that no extraordinary individuals above the legendary rank will appear."

The last war of the saints had already led to several rounds of emergency consultations among the five great empires, who reiterated the ban. The current control over the saints is several levels stronger than before.

Furthermore, according to Meg, the station chief of Longcheng Station, Xia Zuo's main purpose in coming to Ceylon this time was to seize territory and extend his influence into the northwestern continent. The role of high-level superhumans was limited; the military was still needed to control the land and population.

Meg, the station chief of Dragon City mentioned by Windsordler, was someone Cohen developed after signing a blood pact with Grace. Meg was previously Grace's personal maid and had always been in charge of intelligence work, earning Grace's deep trust.

When Cohen proposed establishing a Military Intelligence Station in Dragon City, Grace recommended Meg, and directly changed Meg's original intelligence group into the Military Intelligence Station in Dragon City.

Therefore, Cohen still leans towards Meg's analysis.

Cohen thought for a moment, then said slowly:
“I reckon that after Xia Zuo arrives, he will definitely contact that third prince, Saxon. Windsor, you tell the people at Quession to keep a close watch on Saxon’s movements in the coming days.”

Windsordler glanced at Grace, his tone carrying a hint of intrigue:

"No matter what, Xia Zuo is Grace's cousin. Does he think he wouldn't greet her when he comes to the Eastern Empire?"

Grace raised her eyebrows slightly and replied:

“My father did tell me that he suggested that Xia Zuo ask my fiancé for help after he arrived. However, based on my understanding of him, Xia Zuo would not only not come to me, but would even try his best to avoid me, fearing that I would take the opportunity to ruin his plans.”

Cohen spoke up to ease the tension:
“Grace and Xia Zuo are already irreconcilable enemies in China, and we are a thorn in his side.”

"Well, let's not talk about him anymore. What did they say about the Central Empire?"

Windsordler continued:

"Although Joren brought a large number of people, their combat strength is no match for Xia Zuo. According to Samuel's intelligence, Heisenberg has deployed 1,000 elite troops and 10,000 'regular' troops this time."

Cohen then asked:
"Did Her Majesty the Empress reveal any other information?"

Windsordler glanced at Cohen silently and said:

"Shanise didn't tell me. She said if someone wanted to know, they should ask them themselves."

Noticing Windsordler's strange gaze, Cohen was speechless, wondering what was wrong with Her Majesty the Empress this time.

Windsordler knew perfectly well that she was probably still resentful towards him because he had stolen her fiancé.

However, since Shanis wasn't going to bring up the relationship, she was happy to remain a peaceful and content Princess Effie.

Cohen shook his head and said:
"It seems that Joren is much less of a threat than Shazo, but his destination in Ceylon is uncertain. I wonder if he intends to support the current royal family or the legitimate royal family?"

Windsordler pursed her lips and said:
"He will most likely remain neutral and wait for a significant change in the situation before intervening. His target is still you."

Cohen agreed with Windsordler's point of view, and then said:
"We have just returned from the Northern Empire and do not yet have any valuable intelligence."

That leaves only the Southern Empire. Oh, and the Black Tomb. I need to find some time to ask Melantha. If the Black Tomb is planning to cause trouble in Ceylon during this period, they will definitely contact this Northwest Branch leader.

Windsordler asked:

"What are you going to do about the Southern Region Empire?"
Didn't you say that the Southern Empire and the Pirate King's lineage have a deep-seated hatred? Now that you're operating in Ceylon as the Pirate King, and even planning to cooperate with Gaius, won't the Southern Empire take this opportunity to send someone to interfere?

Cohen was about to answer when he suddenly paused, his mind racing.

But Grace, standing to the side, chimed in:
"What's the big deal? Let Cohen ask that mermaid. They've been fighting the Southern Empire for so many years, they must have intelligence agents planted among them."

Windsordler frowned, fixed his gaze on Cohen, and asked:
"What mermaid?"

Grace paused for a moment, then turned her gaze to Cohen as well:

"I'm telling you, haven't you confessed to your princess yet?"

A cold sweat broke out on Cohen's back, but he calmly said:

"What confession?"
My relationship with Chief Claire is purely platonic, Your Highness, please don't slander me to Windsor!

Grace raised an eyebrow, adding fuel to the fire:

"Normal exchanges?"
What was Claire doing naked in your room that night... mmm..."

Cohen quickly covered Grace's red lips, but the words had already reached Windsordler's ears.

Windsordler's gaze turned colder as she calmly said:

"Could you tell me what exactly this Claire is all about?"

Cohen sighed and said:
"I was just about to tell you, but I haven't had the right opportunity yet."

Since the Princess brought it up today, I'll keep it brief. It's not as outrageous as Your Highness makes it out to be. My relationship with Chief Claire is simply a business partnership.

Windsordler's words left Cohen speechless:
"If I remember correctly, Isabella, Asuna, Melantha, Mavis, and even this succubus beside you, were all partners with you from the beginning!"

(End of this chapter)