Colonia Storm Tour

The concept of levitation is not new or unfamiliar in this world, so there is no reason to be surprised by it.

Chapter Twenty-Four: Dogma Day (VI)

"Oh? Harrison, do you have a way to resolve the trouble they're causing the Empire without using force? You don't mean you want me to bribe them with fame and fortune to expand the Empire's territory overseas, do you?"

This was the only nonviolent solution that Decore van Duckholm could think of that would benefit them.

"Your Majesty is wise. This is exactly what I was thinking. I believe the leader of the Azur Lane organization will be tempted, because they are located in a strategically important maritime area. If they do not choose a powerful ally, they will be attacked from multiple sides. It is not only the Empire that is eyeing the Fenggou Strait route. The Eternal Revelation of Seraphim Continent, the elves of Teldrassil Continent, and even the Republic Alliance of Ikchino of Rosno Continent all want to establish their influence here. The economic value is also quite significant. However, if the Empire directly launches an expedition to the Qubi Islands and the Fenggou Strait, other countries will certainly not ignore the impact on their trade. It will definitely attract the attention of other countries and thus face strong resistance and obstruction. But if we choose to support these armed forces organized by people from the Dieying Islands who are not our subjects, as long as we are careful and discreet enough, then any conflict they have with in the future will be a relatively easy point for the Empire to enter the strait route, which can reduce the resistance and public opinion pressure from other countries."

Harrison Friedman’s words unequivocally recommended that their Supreme King wage an unconventional proxy war.

"A very good suggestion, but it's impossible that only you could think of intervening in the Scimitar Islands and the Peak Strait in this way, so we can't be too happy yet. If they get in touch with the Federation, the Alliance, and the Eternal Empire, we will have no choice but to find an opportunity to eliminate their existence. Tarlissus, have your intelligence agents find a way to try to contact the leader of that organization, convey the goodwill from the Empire and me, and tell their leader that the Empire intends to recruit them and act as their protector and backer. But first, we must meet to establish a mutual impression. In order to avoid being discovered by intelligence agents from other countries, the meeting place cannot be in the capital. Let's meet at the East Castle Keep, the capital of the Sakura Island Province in the Sakura Islands. Remember to closely monitor their every move and make sure that when necessary, we can find their pirate stronghold based on their tracks and eliminate these pirates who drive other pirates to try to occupy territory."

De Corres could declare whether they were a legitimate, recognized force or illegal, evil pirates, depending on their subsequent attitude. In any case, no one would speak up for them unless they made connections with other countries, and this action could also be seen as luring them out of their hiding places.

“Yes, Your Majesty,” replied Intelligence Minister Tariceus Dirac.

"Harrison, if they are willing to meet with our people in the Eastern Governor's office in the Cherry Blossom Islands, you need to arrange for some people to communicate with them along with the intelligence department to see if they are willing to establish an independent state. Encourage them to establish an independent state as much as possible. If necessary, we can treat them as pirates, and other countries can also treat them as pirates. If they establish an independent state, the Empire will immediately recognize them and establish diplomatic relations with them. In this way, we will have a reason to directly interfere in the affairs of the Crested Arm Islands and the Fenggou Strait shipping route."

De Corres knew the importance of legitimacy and recognition when occupying territory, otherwise he would only be seen as an aggressor and a bandit.

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Foreign Secretary Harrison Friedman readily agreed.

"Very well, but the reason I've summoned you here today isn't just about the Azur Lane organization. There's something else going on, something that only a select few know about right now, and Harrison, you're about to become one of those few who do. It concerns the Eternal Revelation..."

As DeCorres spoke, his blue eyes blinked and his furry fox ears twitched.

Tariceus's cat eyes glanced elsewhere unintentionally, its two gray cat ears perked up, and then it raised the sapphire staff it was holding and waved it, setting up a soundproof magic barrier around them to prevent anyone from eavesdropping on such a confidential conversation.

The topic of the Eternal Revelation Alliance is usually sensitive here because it relates to the nuclear weapons they have demonstrated to the world, making the entire world wary of them. If they didn't adhere to pacifist ideology, they would probably be like the Americans, using the name of love, peace, democracy, and freedom to blackmail people all over the world with their nuclear weapons.

At this time, the sudden emergence of the Azur Lane organization not only attracted the attention of the Astoria Empire, which had the idea of ​​recruiting them behind the scenes, but also the Eternal Revelation Alliance, the Teldrassil Federation, and the Ikchino Republic Alliance, which also realized the importance of the route, had the idea of ​​recruiting them as front-line henchmen. However, they all called this potential underlings differently. The Eternal Revelation Alliance called them Peace Pioneers, the Teldrassil Federation called them War Trees, and the Ikchino Republic Alliance called them potential overseas comrades.

Of course, they also have one thing in common: if you don't choose to cooperate with one of them, you're undoubtedly just a pirate who's no different from the king of the sea. Then someone will immediately surround and deal with these pirates. As for who will deal with them, that remains to be seen. In short, they can forget about continuing to live in that kind of place.

Therefore, in the days to come, Li Xiangyang, who has already established some contact with the natives and merchants of the Crested Arms Islands, will definitely have a pile of suggestive letters from these countries on his desk. It will depend entirely on the unified decision of the four transmigrators on which sweet words and promises they should accept, or which invitations they should refuse.

In short, it's not that simple: either choose everyone as your enemy, or choose one enemy as an ally and then fight the others. But none of this will progress that quickly, since the Azur Lane organization's members don't reside on the Crested Arms Islands, but rather regularly travel by ship to trade with the island's residents and merchants.

Therefore, Lin Haiyuan, who was still learning to be an Allied commander without Walkernet, could still live a relatively peaceful life... However, the final result of the search and rescue operation did not give Lin Haiyuan the result he wanted. The search and rescue operation, which lasted for several days, finally ended in the exhaustion of the search and rescue personnel. They dug up almost the entire island and neighboring islands, but found no trace of Lin Haiyuan's eldest daughter, Lin Shiyin. It could be determined that she was either not here or had fallen into the deep sea... becoming food for the fish.

Faced with this disappointing result, Lin Haiyuan simply sighed without confirming his daughter's death. Instead, he continued to focus on the task assigned to him by Shinononozuka. Upon hearing the news, Li Xiangyang and Kang De called to comfort him, but Lin Haiyuan did not accept their comfort. He simply said that there was still a sliver of almost impossible hope, and that once he got there... he might find out the real result.

Thank you to Lord of Rivers and Swamps (Forbidden Membrane), Ye Xiyu, Royal Navy Edward, Zi, Book Guest 59, and Naval Warfare Expert for the donations. Ah, the monthly tickets are fantastic! As for the blades, emmmmm...

My path is set! (No practical meaning)

Chapter Twenty-Four: Invitation Letters from Various Countries (Part One)

A week later, four differently decorated letters appeared on the desk in Li Xiangyang's (the commander's) office.

“Commander, these four letters are arranged in order: Astoria, Teldrassil Federation, Eternal Revelation Alliance, and Ikchino Republic Alliance. There is no tampering or poison on the letters (Note 1), so you can read them with peace of mind. However, the act of sending these letters seems to be an attempt to force us to make a choice.”

Standing close to Li Xiangyang, the head maid of Belfast explained carefully, "Without a doubt, the maid ship girls of the Royal Maid Corps are the most suitable people to take care of the commander's daily life. Among them, the leader is none other than Belfast. Moreover, she wears her own Cladda ring on her ring finger, proving that she is not only the head maid but also the commander's wife."

"Although I knew I would be asked to choose a team, I didn't expect this day to come so soon. Moreover, it was intelligence agents from four major countries on Earth who sent recruitment letters through our subordinates at the same time. Their intelligence stations here seem to be quite efficient. Are we supposed to make a choice...?"

Li Xiangyang knew that choosing one of them would make them enemies of other countries, but choosing nothing would make them enemies of the whole world. However, the most important thing was how to choose in a way that would be in their best interests. Remember, it wasn't just his interests, but the interests of all the other transmigrators within Azur Lane.

"Reducing an enemy and gaining a powerful ally is a good thing. It means we can get military and political support from an ally and reduce the attack directions an enemy can choose."

Belfast knew that being attacked from both sides and fighting on multiple fronts was the most taboo thing to do on the battlefield, but sometimes the person involved would choose to do it even if they knew it.

"Open the letter for me first, Belfast. Let me see what benefits they've promised me and what they want me to give up."

Li Xiangyang knew that it was better to carefully read the contents of the letters from the four major countries than to remain blindly watching, so that he would have a clear understanding of the situation when he convened the meeting of the transmigrators.

"Okay, but you would never agree to me giving up Xiangyang."

Belfast also used an affectionate nickname to communicate with Li Xiangyang. Since this was a private occasion, there was no need to worry about etiquette. Belfast quickly opened all the letters.

Li Xiangyang first received the letter from Belfast. It was from the Astoria Empire. Aside from the letter's format, which was identical to Earth's, the most significant point was that the Supreme King of the Astoria Empire, Decores van Dackholm, stated that if he was willing to cooperate with the Astoria Empire and forgive their previous rudeness and attacks, the Astoria Empire would immediately cease all military operations that treated them as pirates and provide public support. If he desired control of the Fiery Cross Strait and the Crested Arm Islands, he would immediately receive a marquisate and a large reward upon swearing allegiance to the Astoria Empire. If he had other ideas, he should send someone to the capital of the Crested Arm Islands, the Eastern Governor, for a meeting to discuss the details. The Empire consistently demanded the establishment of a port for their fleet to anchor and maintain, and to jointly safeguard their interests in the Fiery Cross Strait and the Crested Arm Islands.

"Giving me a title directly to someone without noble blood, or someone who is suspected to be from the Dieying Islands, I don't know if this is a truly bold choice or just an empty promise that can't be cashed. However, if I have other ideas, I'll go to the Eastern Prefect to discuss them in detail. It seems there is still room for negotiation."

Li Xiangyang wasn't immediately tempted by such a tempting offer. For him, cooperating with the Astoria Empire was a huge risk. Who knew if he would become the next Japan controlled by the Americans? The fact that Yokosuka Port was designated as the headquarters of the Seventh Fleet already spoke volumes. They hadn't been able to allow agents from other countries to infiltrate Azure Island, relying entirely on their own security and secrecy measures. All external transactions were completed outside the island. Ships were responsible for transporting goods out of or back to the port, while robot tanks and kappa hover tanks accompanied and inspected the goods. As for the Astoria prisoners of war who had fallen into the water, they were all properly kept in the prison.

Belfast appropriately handed the letter from the Tedahill Federation to Li Xiangyang for him to review.

He opened the letter and summarized its contents. The elves of the Teldrassil Federation were surprised by their appearance on this world route. However, they greatly admired the peaceful behavior of the two elves who met without resorting to force or retaliating, but instead yielding to each other and eliminating pirates. As peace-loving nations, the Teldrassil Federation valued their strength, which was comparable to the moving Ancient Tree of War. They were willing to cooperate with the Teldrassil Federation to maintain peace in the region, prevent other empires from interfering, and provide them with ports for their fleets to station. They also agreed to recognize the elves' independent existence and grant them convenience in international affairs.

"As expected, they still want a legitimate port for their fleet to be stationed here, to compete for control of the Fenggou Strait. As for me, I'm likely to be seen as a subordinate. But the term 'Ancient Tree of War' is really strange. I thought I was playing Warcraft. The words are too ambiguous. Next."

Li Xiangyang spoke as he received the letter from the Eternal Revelation Alliance from Belfast. In summary, the Eternal Revelation Alliance was astonished by their presence on the shipping lanes. They hadn't expected a purely human force to appear in the Fenggou Strait and the Qubi Islands. Given their peaceful actions in combating piracy and maintaining regional tranquility, and their belief that peaceful development was the only path to the continuation of human civilization, the Alliance requested that if they were willing to engage in trade and sign a peace treaty, their navy would work with them to maintain peace in the Fenggou Strait and the Qubi Islands. They also hoped that both sides could jointly manage a port for fleet resupply and maintenance.

"The Alliance of Eternal Revelation was more tactful in its words. It didn't directly say that it wanted to take over a port and make it an enclave port here. It just said that it would be jointly managed by both parties. However, the incentives were very limited. Next."

Li Xiangyang received the last letter from the Ikchino Republic Union from Belfast. The red envelope and the golden sickle and hammer exuded a strong Soviet atmosphere.

"Yes, that's very Soviet, it brings back memories..."

After a sigh, he picked up the letter and began to read it, then summarized the contents of the last letter: "I convey the greetings of the great Comrade Stellin. Greetings, humans of the Azur Lane organization. Your appearance in the Peak Strait and the Crested Arm Islands is truly astonishing. We have learned of your initial battle with the Astoria Empire, and it is unbelievable that you actually repelled an Astoria Empire squadron. Your courage and strength are commendable, but the Astoria Empire will certainly not give up so easily. Therefore, I extend a solemn invitation to you. Even though we are not of the same race, we can still join hands to create a better future. Perhaps we have some differences in ideology, but we believe that without mutual exchange, the solution to all problems cannot begin. Therefore, you can send people to Cosmo to exchange ideas and discuss how to ensure the long-term success of our cause in this region."

Note 1: Coating envelopes with poison is a common assassination tactic.

Chapter Twenty-Five: The Second Meeting of the Transmigrators (Part Two)

“Stalin, oh my god, Stalin! But he was surprisingly cautious in his words. His main request was for me to send someone to their capital for secret talks. He didn’t mention anything about naval fleets or port deployments. It’s actually more reassuring.”

As a young man born under the red flag, Li Xiangyang naturally couldn't help but feel a good impression of this otherworldly version of CCCP. It seemed like the older brother could be a little cheaper, but this time there was no mysterious power from the East to make the older brother generously contribute, and they might not even be interested in the older brother's generosity.

"Stanline? That's quite similar to the name of that pipe-smoking, bearded man, in terms of both Chinese and English pronunciation. So, Xiangyang, what choice do you plan to make?"

As Li Xiangyang's wife, Belfast's unique circumstances, coupled with her own hard work and learning, made it relatively easy for her to master Chinese.

"The Astoria Empire is too close, and it has shown sincerity in negotiations. The Ikchino Republic Union is more sincere than the Soviet Union. Of course, they didn't mention anything about the naval fleet. Their naval fleet is not strong enough, I suppose. Anyway, as people under the same red flag, it is necessary to talk to them. I have decided to send people to talk to both of them. But before that, I need to consult with Kant, Shinonono no Tsukasa, and Hayashi Kaihara. Inform them to come here for a meeting, Belfast."

Li Xiangyang has already made his decision, and he will now need to compromise based on the opinions of other transmigrators.

"I understand, I'll make the arrangements now."

Belfast responded, then picked up the landline next to him, dialed a few numbers, and spoke with other subordinates, issuing a meeting notification to the other transmigrators as Li Xiangyang had instructed.

Ten minutes later, in the conference room at the Azure Island headquarters, Lin Haiyuan, Shinonono no Tsukasa, Kant, and Li Xiangyang sat in chairs in front of a round table. This time, Belfast was standing behind Li Xiangyang, while Jiang Feng, with a serious expression, stood behind Kant. Lin Haiyuan and Shinonono no Tsukasa were left alone.

At this moment, Kant, Lin Haiyuan, and Shinonono Tsukasa were passing around the invitation letters from the four countries. After they finished reading them within one minute, the three of them looked at Li Xiangyang, who was the BOSS.

"Boss, what are your thoughts on these invitation letters from their agents?"

Kant clapped his hands together, leaned back in the folding chair, and waited for his reply.

"We declined the recruitment letters from Teldrassil and Wangu. Instead, we sent people to the Eastern Governor of the Cherry Blossom Islands and Skomo of the Roseno Continent to communicate with their representatives and see what they were planning to do with us. Then, we will compare the conditions they offered and choose which one to be our ally. The Astoria Empire is too close, and the Icchino Republic Alliance... well, let's not even talk about it."

Li Xiangyang believed that they had all grown up under the socialist cause, and that choosing to communicate more with the Ikchino Republic Union would also be influenced by their shared ideology and positive sentiments.

"Then I agree with your idea, Boss. What kind of sincerity do Teldrassil and the Alliance of Eternal Revelation have? At least the Astoria Empire knows how to lure you into surrendering with a marquisate title and a large reward, along with the fiefdom you conquered yourself. As for the Republic of Ikchino, I want to see if they can achieve the Internationale in this world."

Kant held Teldrassil and the Eternal Revelation in utter contempt, and his views on the Astoria and the Icchino Republic Alliance were consistent with Li Xiangyang's.

"My thoughts are roughly the same as yours, Kang De and Li Xiangyang, so there's not much to say. However, if we establish a cooperative relationship with the Republic of Ikchino, their fleet strength is still at the level of the Green Water Navy. They don't have the ability to cross the ocean to support us. In the end, apart from international support and some material assistance, it's unlikely that we can get fleet support. Ultimately, we'll have to rely on ourselves to deal with the enemies from all sides. But we are very confident in our strength. They won't be able to get the upper hand in our fleet and air force."

The limitations imposed by Shinonono no Tsukasa's mobile construction technology and Li Xiangyang's personnel recruitment capabilities on their rapid troop production capacity are merely the allocation and total quantity restrictions brought about by oil well extraction and refining.

"I don't have any particularly bold or special ideas, but we may still have to fight alone. The issue of positions and interests will never allow them to get everything they want, nor will we get everything we want. We need to be strong ourselves. However, before that, we can talk to the Astoria and the Republic of Ikchino. Astoria is the closest country to us and we have fought with them before, so we should try to keep them calm first. So we should talk to them first, and then talk to the Soviet Union from the other world. As for Teldrassil and the Eternal Revelation, we can't directly refuse them. We need to use delaying tactics and not let them immediately determine their attitude towards us. This is the safest approach."

Lin Haiyuan did not want the enemy to adopt a hostile attitude towards them so quickly, otherwise it would be difficult for them to prepare in advance. Moreover, if war broke out, it would be very difficult for him to lead the fleet to search for Exile's island and find her.

"That requires someone who can represent our collective will to talk to their negotiators. Who can go?"

Li Xiangyang needed a transmigrator to represent the Azur Lane organization in talks with representatives from those countries. His subordinates and ship girls recruited by the system were clearly not up to the task; they were now the main combat force and could not be left behind.

“I recommend Lin Haiyuan to do this; he’s the most suitable person for this kind of thing.”

Shinononozuka gestured with her thumb to Lin Haiyuan, who was sitting next to her, to indicate a seat for someone else, and everyone's eyes immediately turned to Lin Haiyuan.

"Uh, Shinonono no Tsukasa, judging from Lin Haiyuan's abilities and attire, he's more suited to assassination than to negotiation."

Li Xiangyang subtly expressed his opinion, which was that it seemed to be a mismatch between his major and the job.

"But apart from Lin Haiyuan, no one else can leave their post to represent us in negotiations. Li Xiangyang, you and Kang De both have to guard the port area, handle affairs, and deal with the war. I also have to work hard every day to contribute to our armory. How can we possibly put down our work and run far away to negotiate with others? Moreover, you should know that this is very dangerous. They might want to use the negotiation as an opportunity to capture all of us leaders and then control and force the ship girls to fight for them. But we don't have to worry about that with Lin Haiyuan. With his superpowers and combat experience, it's not easy for anyone to catch him. He also knows how to read people's expressions and understand their hearts. If he goes to negotiate, it doesn't matter as long as we establish our fundamental conditions and principles before negotiating. We will not agree to any conditions that violate our principles and cannot be achieved. There is no problem with that. We just need to stick to those two points and not give in."

The statement by Shinobu no Tsukushi is reasonable and irrefutable. Li Xiangyang and Kant both nodded in agreement after hearing it.

"I have no objection. I don't want to be cooped up in the command room either. I feel like my body parts are about to rust. Tell me your bottom line and principles, preferably in a summary. Then, take our military transport plane to the Eastern Governor of the Cherry Blossom Islands. Don't use naval warships for escort. That would be too conspicuous, and their naval warships and aircraft might be able to track you back to the location of the main island. Using a transport plane will greatly reduce the probability of the base being exposed, and it would be too slow."

Lin Haiyuan readily agreed, while reminding them of the risks associated with shipping. As for the negotiations themselves, he had nothing to worry about; his mental abilities would tell him everything the negotiators were thinking and then give him control of the negotiations—airplanes still exist in this world, so it's not surprising that there are airports.

"Alright, then... let's do it this way. Belfast, draft a reply based on what we just talked about. Brother Lin Haiyuan, get ready. We'll talk about the blessings after we board the plane."

Li Xiangyang nodded to Lin Haiyuan.

“I know. By the way, I have a question for you. Does any of your ship girls have time to make me a set of clothes? I can’t wear this Altaïr armor all the time. There’s no technology in this world to maintain my combat suit right now, and I’m used to wearing the Altaïr armor every day, so that’s why I’m asking.”

Lin Haiyuan also took the opportunity to bring up the matter of ordering an Altaïr armor himself. It would have been strange and ambiguous if Shinonono had asked about it.

"Oh, so your Altaïr armor is really made with nanotechnology? If it is made with nanotechnology... that is indeed a bit more troublesome. Since it's not time for your business trip yet, go find Mingmiao first and let her see your Altaïr armor so that it can be replicated. Since there are no blueprints, someone will take you there later."

Li Xiangyang wasn't too surprised and readily agreed to Lin Haiyuan's request.

"Thanks, Boss. I'll pay you later, but it'll be a little slow... I haven't been paid yet."

Lin Haiyuan is now penniless.

"No need to pay, I'll cover the cost for you. I'm not that stingy. Just have Ming come to me for the money later."

Li Xiangyang generously waved his hand, indicating that he would pay directly.

And so, Lin Haiyuan and Shinonono followed Li Xiangyang and Belfast to find Mingmiao, while Kant returned to his port with Jiang Feng, and the brief but effective meeting came to an end.

The construction timelines for Changchun and Taiyuan are truly cursed; they still haven't been completed...

Chapter Twenty-Six: Trip to the Cherry Blossom Islands (Part One)

They left their respective reply addresses at the end of the letters, so Belfast's drafted replies were quickly delivered to the intelligence agents. The contents of the letters were then presented to the boss behind the scenes. Apart from the Ikchino Republic Alliance and the Astoria Empire receiving replies that they would send negotiators to the designated locations, the Teldrassil Federation and the Eternal Revelation Alliance, faced with the letter that said "I need to think it over," took their statement about needing time to consider seriously until they had a better understanding of the contents of the letters they had sent to the Ikchino Republic Alliance and the Astoria Empire. Of course, since these letters were sent to the intelligence agents of various countries, letters with different wording were sent to them again.

In their subsequent replies, the Teldrassil Federation and the Eternal Revelation Alliance expressed their hope that Azur Lane would carefully consider their choices and avoid doing anything that would cause everyone great regret. The Ikchino Republic Alliance and the Astoria Empire both designated secret negotiation locations within the city. However, in a later reply to the Ikchino Republic Alliance, they stated that their list of negotiators had not yet been finalized and that they would need to wait a few days before sending anyone to Cosmo. In contrast, the reply to the Astoria Empire stated that their negotiators would depart immediately.

In this way, as long as Ms. Stelline, who is separated by a continent and an ocean, is not a fool, she should know that they may still choose to negotiate with one country first, just like mercenaries who see who can offer the highest price and then work for that country. However, they can't say anything because they don't have a powerful ocean-going navy to make the Azur Lane organization negotiate with them first. On the contrary, the powerful ocean-going fleet of the Astoria Empire is right next to them. Why would they go to the faraway Republic Alliance of Icchino instead of going to Astoria first?

Therefore, the subsequent reply from the Icchino Republic Union did not contain any strong or obvious hints; it simply expressed its sincere hope that a mutually beneficial agreement could be reached after their arrival in Cosmo.