Extraordinary Rise: Starting Contract with the Silver Dragon Countess

Shanis's sudden question, which seemed like a grand one, caught Cohen off guard for a moment.

Ask yourself what your opinion is on the Central Empire. Is there something important that needs to be entrusted to you?

Before Cohen could fully grasp the potential deeper meaning behind the question, his thoughts were interrupted by Shanis's slightly displeased tone:

"Tell me as much as you know. I've never even considered you my subject, so why are you hesitating like this?"

Cohen suppressed his thoughts and replied with a smile:
"I have some understanding of the political landscape within the empire, the organizational structure of the major administrative regions, their locational advantages, cultural traditions, and even the local customs and practices of some areas."

Cohen gave a perfectly timed smile that was both confident and approachable.

In terms of understanding the Central Empire, Cohen was certainly no less knowledgeable than Shanis, and perhaps even more so than the emperor who had only been on the throne for a few years.

In the previous game, most players' main activity area was in the Central Empire.

As a top-tier player, Cohen naturally has a deep understanding of the Central Empire.

Shanis's face clearly showed surprise, and she was somewhat skeptical of Cohen's confident answer.

She raised an eyebrow, a gesture that caused the wisps of hair on her forehead to sway gently.

"Oh?"

Shanis drawled out the question casually:
"Then tell me, who is the current governor of the 'Golden Harvest District'?"

After a moment's thought, Cohen answered:
“Governor Celine Carden, Cardinal of the ‘Agricultural Church’”.

Surprise flashed in Shanis's eyes as she handed the document to Cohen:
"I was originally going to let you familiarize yourself with the situation first, but since you know so much about it, let's get started right away."

"Golden Harvest Grain Safeguard Strategic Reserve Plan".

Cohen read the title softly, his brow furrowing slightly.

He paused for a moment, then opened the thick parchment, and the fresh scent of ink wafted out.

The document is incredibly detailed:
"...As the core granary responsible for supplying more than 60% of the empire's staple food, the Jinshui District's food security is directly related to the empire's survival and stability."

This plan aims to build a robust security network capable of withstanding multiple risks and ensuring stable food supply within one to two years through the systematic construction of a three-tiered reserve system, the design of a modern allocation mechanism, and comprehensive safeguard measures…

Cohen reads very quickly, but it still took him more than an hour to finish reading this document.

Throughout the ordeal, aside from pouring him a glass of red wine, Shanis remained in the same position, staring at him without moving, like a perfect statue.

When Cohen finally looked up, he found Her Majesty the Queen staring at him.

Those crimson-gold eyes were exceptionally captivating in the dim light.

Cohen suppressed his erotic thoughts and focused his attention entirely on this document, which could be considered the Empire's top secret.

From the various measures and plans mentioned above, it is clear that Shanis must have started planning this operation a long time ago.

If the soldiers and horses are not moving, the grain and grass will go first.

No matter how significant the future political landscape of mainland China may change, food will always be the fundamental issue.

Superhumans can go for days and nights without rest or food, but millions of soldiers and hundreds of millions of civilians cannot.

If food security issues arise, even with a large number of superhumans and soldiers, a huge crisis will occur.

"Your Majesty means..."

Cohen closed the file, met Shanis's gaze, and spoke cautiously.

Shanis stood up, her silk nightgown rustling softly.

She walked to the window, her back to Cohen:

"In my initial plan, I intended to take advantage of this noble martial arts festival."

They secretly consulted with the higher-ups of 'Pale Wings'.

Shinys turned around, the moonlight casting a dreamlike silver rim on her silhouette, and a strange look appeared on her face:
"To be precise, she is the Golden Wing daughter of the Golden Wing family, one of your queens!"

Cohen nodded thoughtfully.

The Golden Wing family controls more than 70% of the continent's grain trade. If Xenise wants to complete this plan, the cooperation and support of the Golden Wing family are indispensable.

"But now that we have you,"

Shanis walked back to her desk, her skirt trailing an elegant arc on the floor.

"Then I don't need to look for anyone else. I'll leave this to you and my little sister!"

Cohen ignored Shanis's way of addressing Isabella and asked in a deep voice:
"The key to the plan is Governor Celine of the 'Golden Harvest District.'"

Cohen looked directly into the Empress's eyes:
"Can Your Majesty trust this person?"

Needless to say, Shanis's plan of action will definitely be kept secret from the people in the House of Nobles.

The importance of the "Golden Harvest District" under the jurisdiction of Governor Celine was comparable to that of the "Thousand Streams Court" under the jurisdiction of Governor Torg.

It's inevitable that various forces will try to win them over.

Cohen was unsure of Governor Celine's stance and didn't want to end up doing all the work for someone else's benefit.

Shanis's expression was very determined.

She leaned forward slightly, lowering her voice even further:

"Governor Celine was specifically mentioned by my father before his death; she is absolutely trustworthy."

Besides, she came from a poor peasant family and had absolutely no connection with those guys in the House of Lords.

She paused for a moment, then continued:

“She is currently in Juntandins. I will arrange for you to meet when you have time.”

Cohen nodded thoughtfully.

Shanis raised the wine glass beside her, gesturing for Cohen to pick up the red wine she had just poured for him.

The two clinked their glasses lightly, which could be considered as a preliminary consensus.

Next, Shanes began to explain the specific plan to Cohen.

As Shanis explained, Cohen gradually grasped the sheer scale of the entire plan—

"All the preliminary preparations have been completed. The next step is to do the following two things."

First, there is the strengthening of food production capacity and reserves. Governor Celine has already implemented the 'Holy Ear Improvement Plan' in the United Church.

Using church resources, high-yield seeds were distributed to farmers and landowners loyal to the royal family, and intensive farming was promoted in the core grain-producing areas of the Jinshui District.

In terms of reserves, the Empire plans to excavate temperature-controlled warehouses in thirty-four hidden valleys within the "Golden Harvest Zone," with a plan to store staple grains equivalent to three years' worth of the Empire's production, which will be directly guarded by the Imperial Guard.

This task was entirely overseen by Governor Celine and would take approximately one year to complete.

Secondly, it concerns the integration of land resources within the designated zones.

Food must be grown from the land, but in the "Golden Harvest Zone," more than 40% of the land is not under the control of the empire.

These lands are all in the hands of local nobles, and even if Governor Celine were to personally intervene and try to reclaim them, he would face considerable resistance.

It might even alert the enemy and arouse the suspicion of other forces.

A thoughtful look appeared in Cohen's eyes, and he said softly:
"In other words, official methods are not working."

"Does His Majesty wish me to purchase or lease these lands in a private capacity?"

A look of approval appeared in Shanis's eyes, and she nodded, saying:

"Yes, so my initial plan was to go find the Golden Wing family."

Only the wealthiest family on the continent and the largest business guild behind them could afford to acquire so much land.

Cohen lowered his head and thought for a moment, then slowly agreed:

"Just give me the specific list and the land areas, and there shouldn't be any problem."

Shanis was clearly prepared, as she took out a map from a hidden compartment next to her desk and unfolded it on the table.

The map was marked with densely packed symbols using different colored inks.

Although Shanis had great confidence in Cohen, the task was too difficult, and even she couldn't think of a good solution.

After handing the map to Cohen, I still asked him a few questions out of concern:

Could you briefly explain your work approach?

Cohen gently swirled the wine in his glass, the amber liquid rotating within.
"In fact, His Majesty may not really want ownership of these lands."

As long as we can ensure that every grain of food grown on the lands controlled by these nobles is transported to the empire's granaries before the continent descends into complete chaos, is that alright?

"exactly!"

Shanis nodded, her eyes showing appreciation.

Cohen suddenly smiled, a smile that made his handsome face appear exceptionally vivid:

“Those pampered nobles would not personally farm the land, nor would they personally count how many grains of food were in their granaries.”

They only care about the numbers that increase in the annual accounts.

He stood up, walked to the map, and his voice carried a strange undertone:

"As long as we can win over the small landowners and middle and lower-level managers who manage the land, we can decide what grains to plant and where to transport them."

A thoughtful look flashed in Shanis's eyes as she asked:

"What are you going to do?"

Cohen tapped his fingers lightly on the map and said softly:

"I will secretly sign three-year agreements with these small landowners in the name of the Pale Wings."

Those willing to cooperate will be paid a generous reward.

His eyes had become much sharper:
"As for those who don't know what's good for them... I'll give them a reason they can't refuse."

Suddenly, Shanes reached out and grabbed Cohen's wrist.

Her hands were cold and soft, yet possessed an irresistible strength:
"Remember, this matter must be kept absolutely secret."

In particular, you mustn't let those people in the House of Nobles know that the House of Nobles has a secret intelligence organization called the Intelligence Agency, whose influence spans the entire continent. You must be extremely careful in your actions.

"I understand, Your Majesty."

Cohen took Shanies' hand in his own, leaned down slightly, and gave her a standard hand kiss.
"For the future of the empire."

For...our future!

When his lips left the Empress's hand, their eyes met.

The air inside the palace seemed to freeze, with only the crackling of the magic lamps standing out clearly in the silence.

Shanis was the first to look away and withdraw her hand:
"It's getting late, you should go back." Her voice returned to its usual coldness:

"I will arrange for you to meet with Governor Celine in a couple of days."

Find an opportunity to talk to Isabella about this as well.

Cohen smiled slightly, bowed, and turned to walk towards the palace gate.

Just as he was about to leave, Shanis suddenly called him back:

"Cohen!"

"Does Your Majesty have any further instructions?"

Cohen turned around, his voice low and gentle, a faint smile playing on his lips.

Xenise's fingers unconsciously tightened around the tassels of the curtains, and a brief silence fell over the bedroom.

"Be careful……"

Shanis finally spoke, her voice softer than usual, the last syllable almost fading into the air.

She paused, her crimson-gold eyes fixed on Cohen, and added:

"Be careful, don't push yourself."

Cohen noticed that Shanis's delicate chin was slightly raised, a gesture she often made when concealing her emotions.

Is Your Majesty worried about me?

Cohen chuckled lightly, deliberately making his voice sound teasing.

He slowly walked back a few steps, his eyes lingering aggressively over Shanis's delicate body.

Shanis immediately resumed her icy expression:
"I just don't want you to ruin my plans because of carelessness."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Cohen performed a standard courtly bow, his movements impeccably elegant.

"Oh, right, there's something else I need to tell His Majesty."

Shanis frowned:
"what?"

"Your kiss today was so sweet!"

After saying that, he pushed open the door and left without waiting for the Empress's response.

The heavy palace gates slammed shut behind him, cutting off any possible reaction from Shanis.

Only Xenia remained, her face flushed, silently cursing...

……

Late at night, Cohen returned to his room. Since he had no bed partner tonight, Cohen simply chose to advance to the Gold tier.

It's good to familiarize myself with my own strength as soon as possible so that I can face the upcoming Gold Group competition.

Unlike the Silver group, the Gold group has no level advantage, and is even at a disadvantage. To win the title of "Strongest Gold", they may have to reveal some of their hidden cards.

Cohen closed his eyes and concentrated, the peak silver-level magic power accumulated within his body boiling like molten lava, and faint crimson-gold patterns peeked through his skin—

That was a sign that bloodline and life level were about to break through the shackles.

Suddenly, the air seemed to freeze.

Cohen felt an invisible pressure erupt from the depths of his soul, like the claws of a dragon tearing apart the shackles of his mortal body.

His consciousness was pulled into a void, and a whisper, like a system notification, sounded in his ear:

"Experience points meet the advancement requirements. Begin advancing to the Gold rank!"

After the sound landed, Cohen's body began to change.

The bones crackled like popping beans, the muscle fibers reorganized into energy conduits, and even breathing created vortexes of elements.

A surge of magical power overflowed from his entire body, and an even more powerful force emerged.

The moment the advancement was completed, the mental pressure spread out like a tide, and then quickly receded.

Immediately afterwards, a series of sounds began to ring in my ears:

"Shadow Master", "Gate of the King", "Transform into a Thousand Soldiers", and "Counterattack Storm" have been upgraded.

"Mastering the Shadows": A rule-based skill, level four. Grants free access to the sub-plane—"The Shadow Plane"—and grants control over the "Shadow Plane," with authority equivalent to that of a "Shadow Bishop." ("Shadow Bishop" authority: Can bring one hundred people into the "Shadow Plane"; summons Bronze-tier Shadow creatures "Shadow Phantoms," Silver-tier Shadow creatures "Shadow Hunters," and Gold-tier Shadow creatures "Abyssal Shadow Beasts.")

The control authority in the Shadow Plane, from lowest to highest, is as follows: "Shadow Guardian", "Shadow Knight", "Shadow Priest", "Shadow Bishop", "Shadow Pope", "Shadow Lord", and the highest level, "Shadow Lord".

Starting with the Silver rank and acquiring the rule skill "Shadow Mastery," Cohen's Shadow Authority reached the level of "Shadow Bishop" after advancing to the Gold rank.

In addition to being able to carry more people in and out of the Shadow Dimension, it can also summon more Shadow creatures:

Shadow Phantom: Bronze tier, resembling a fleeting humanoid shadow with no physical form. It can actively merge into the shadows and excels at ambushing from the shadows. Its attack method is relatively simple, typically using shadow tentacles to entangle enemies.

Shadow Hunter: Silver tier, a humanoid shadow creature. Capable of moving swiftly through the shadows, instantly appearing behind enemies. Can drain the life force of its enemies, converting it into its own energy.

Abyssal Shadow Beast: Gold Rank, the size of an ox, exuding a dense aura of shadow. Its skin is incredibly tough, making it difficult for ordinary weapons to harm it. The Abyssal Shadow Beast primarily attacks by charging at enemies with its sharp horns or stomping with its powerful limbs.

It can also unleash shadow waves, which deal continuous damage to surrounding enemies and weaken them.

Undoubtedly, the appearance of the summoned Abyssal Shadow Beast greatly enhanced Cohen's individual combat capabilities. In terms of the quality of the summoned creature, he could even be considered a qualified summoning mage.

Next is another rule-based technique, which is also Cohen's most relied-upon skill.

"Gate of Babylon": Rule-based skill, level 4. Simultaneously performs a Willpower check on 1,000 enemies. If successful, the enemy's weapons are added to the "Gate of Babylon". The collected weapons can be used as arrows to unleash 80% of their power.

The number of people targeted by the looting of weapons has increased, but until now, outsiders only know that Cohen can loot weapons, but they don't know how many people he can take.

Cohen had always considered this his biggest trump card, waiting to use it as a killer move in future wars.

The system's mechanical noise continued:
"Transform into Ten Thousand Soldiers: Level 7. Provides a magical weapon to one thousand friendly units (including the host). The weapon's level is determined by the host's class level."

"Counterattack Storm: Level 7. Swing your weapon and enter an absolute defensive stance for one minute. This skill can be activated at any time, stunning enemy units for ten seconds. (Absolute Defense: Immune to attacks of the same or lower tier, reduces higher-tier attacks by 80%)"

Gain two free attribute points.

Without much hesitation, Cohen immediately added his attribute points to Strength.

His golden body has been enhanced once again, and his physical strength is now almost on par with that of a legendary-level transcendent.

"The host has advanced to the Gold rank and has obtained three random runes."

The advanced stage has been reached, and there are now more enhancement runes available for drawing.

A golden light flashed in Cohen's eyes. To his excitement, this time two prismatic runes appeared, one of which was golden:
[Zhonya's Hourglass (Prismatic Quality): Enter a 3-second stasis state, making you untargetable and immune to all damage during this time. Cooldown: 24 hours]

【War Symphony (Prismatic Quality): Removes all negative effects from friendly forces.

[Shrinking Ray (Gold Quality): Your attacks reduce enemy damage by 20% for 3 seconds.]

Of the three runes, the one that surprised Cohen the most was the first one, [Zhonya's Hourglass].

According to the game, this skill can make you immune to all damage, making it an undisputed trump card for survival.

The second rune, [War Symphony], also has a powerful impact on future wars. When used in combination with the rune [Banner of Command], it can definitely elevate the army's combat power to a new level.

The third rune is also decent, suitable for solo combat, allowing you to avoid the opponent's ultimate move.

The sound finally stopped, a golden light flashed in Cohen's eyes, and then a familiar character panel appeared:
Name: Cohen Corleone

[Race: Human]

【Age: 21】

[Attributes: Strength (MAX), Agility (13), Willpower (MAX), Intelligence (17), Charisma (MAX)]

[Talent: Child of the Mist]

[Exceptional Profession: Mystic, Dragon Seal Weapon Master.]

[Job Rank: Tier 7 (Low Gold Level), Experience Points: 0/10000000]

[Professional Skills: Transform into Ten Thousand Soldiers (Level 7), Counterattack Storm (Level 7)]

[Rule Skills: Mastery of Shadows (Level 4), Gate of Babylon (Level 4)]

[Passive Skill: Weapon Mastery]

[Runes: Add Fuel to the Fire, Might, Agility, Scope, Frozen Foundation, Banner of Command, Blade Waltz, Zhonya's Hourglass, Symphony of War, Shrink Ray]

[Equipment: Ghostcrab, Power Drink, Guardian Dagger]

Cohen stared at the string of experience points displayed behind him, speechless with astonishment.

However, he was not worried. Not to mention that when the Gold Group competition of the Noble Martial Arts Festival started, he had always been fighting against opponents of higher ranks and was able to gain a lot of experience points.

After the martial arts festival ends, return to the Kingdom of Ceylon to continue the war. You will gain a huge amount of experience points for each army you defeat.

After the war in the Kingdom of Ceylon ended, they joined forces with the Kingdom of Wind's Breath to deal with the Kingdom of Serene. Cohen estimated that he could accumulate experience points to the peak of the Gold rank within a year.

Only by breaking through to the legendary rank before the covenant of the gods and the upheaval of the continent can one protect the queen from all covetous enemies.

Having completed the breakthrough, Cohen slowly let out a breath.

His gaze swept over a corner not far away, and a playful smile curled at the corner of his lips:

"Sister Bei, since you're already here, don't leave."

The air seemed to distort, and a mature and alluring figure appeared before Cohen.

Vermodi asked in surprise:

"You can actually sense my presence?"

Although Cohen's breakthrough was only fleeting, Belmody still sensed it.

They came to protect Cohen secretly because they were worried that his breakthrough might be in danger, but they didn't expect that the person in question had already discovered them.

Cohen had already reached Belmotti, leaned down, took a deep breath, and said:
"I said I smelled a fragrance on Sister Bei, would Sister Bei believe me?"

Vermouth's ears flushed red, and she spat lightly:
"Such a big thing as breaking through the gold price didn't even get a heads-up."

Alright, now that you've completed your breakthrough, I'll be leaving.

Cohen wasn't about to let the prize slip away.

He reached out and grabbed Belmody's arm, and whispered:
"After the Gold Group competition comes the Legend Group. I'm here to give Sister Bei a check-up."

"Don't be silly, Melantha could wake up at any moment... mmm..."

"Don't tear it, I'll take it off myself..." (End of Chapter)