Chapter 993: Fourth Faction Emerges

## Chapter 983: The Fourth Faction Appears

This is the overt strategy Bega favors; those who can't handle it would do best to surrender quickly.

Yu Zecheng made no secret of this, and He Lingchuan was keenly aware of it.

The mirror in his arms chuckled, "These Bega people aren't very clever. They know we've heightened our defenses, yet they still insist on making their move tonight." A sneak attack is only a sneak attack if the target is unaware. Now that the time and place of their attack are known, it's an open hand, which immediately halves their chances of success.

He Lingchuan shook his head, "Look at how Yu Zecheng has cornered Zhu Erniang, yet he struts around our island with such composure. In reality, he himself has no choice."

"Huh?" He didn't understand.

"Yu Zecheng is a military general and an imperial bureaucrat. Since he's been assigned this mission, his biggest fear is failing to deliver results." In his homeland, high-ranking officials and executives also operate under the curse of KPIs. "If you linger outside for too long, and your superiors see your performance is unsatisfactory while you're not doing any serious work, they'll replace you without a second thought, won't they? Because superiors also have their own superiors to answer to, and their own performance metrics to meet. In any case, Bega is teeming with talent, and many people are likely eyeing Yu Zecheng's position. If he doesn't perform, they'll simply replace him."

"Yu Zecheng has been pursuing Zhu Erniang for over half a year; it's time to close the net. If he misses these next two days and the opportunity to cooperate with the Bailong people, finding another suitable moment will be a distant prospect. If his superiors press him on his future plans and when he intends to act, do you think he'll have an answer?" He Lingchuan continued, "The capture of Zhu Erniang was a mandatory assignment from the Heavenly Palace. There's no way they'd allow him to delay indefinitely. Above him is State Preceptor Frostleaf, and above State Preceptor Frostleaf is the Heavenly Palace; they all have reports to make."

So it's tonight; these Bega people have no choice. Yu Zecheng wants to seize the opportunity to act, so he'll draw the snake out of its hole. The first wave of attacks from the Bega people can be tested for their quality tonight.

Fortunately, He Lingchuan doesn't just have Zhu Erniang as an obvious asset.

He chuckled, "An old empire like Bega is particularly interesting. Its internal hierarchy, along with its reward, punishment, and promotion systems, is remarkably flexible yet equally strict."

Lingxu City is a renowned center for study and travel, attracting young talents from all over the world.

Some are dazzled by its prosperity;Some are awed by its power;Some revere its system as a golden rule, studying it while paying homage.

But He Lingchuan, back then, ventured into Lingxu City amidst intense contradictions and conflicts. What he saw was a giant elephant treading through a swamp.

The giant elephant can ignore the challenges of other creatures, but its own weight is too great. The swamp appears flat and expansive, yet it's full of pits and bogs. Once an elephant steps into it, it's difficult for it to pull itself out.

The giant elephant is Bega.And the swamp?

The swamp is also Bega itself.

Others see Bega as majestic and inviolable; He Lingchuan sees nothing but opportunities.

The mud before the elephant is his opportunity. If he uses it effectively, he won't fear the Northern Demon Nation's indirect interference.

Just one trip to Bega, and he gained profound insights.

He sometimes wondered, what about Zhong Shengguang? What did Zhong Shengguang discern when he studied in Lingxu City over 170 years ago, that made him so resolute for decades to come?

"Boss, boss!" At this moment, Ding Zuodong and Guan Ke also rushed over, quickly reporting the situation on each island.

As the island master, He Lingchuan still had a lot of things to coordinate. The pressure Yu Zecheng wanted to exert on him had long been thrown into the sea.

Currently, the fourteen island estates, docks, farmlands, and collection gardens have all been mobilized. Food and water are being prepared, and residents near the mountains and lakes have been temporarily evacuated.

Facing the sudden hurricane, preparations on the Yangshan Archipelago were busy and chaotic, with numerous mishaps along the way.

He Lingchuan was not surprised, and even said to his trusted aides, "The hurricane came suddenly, which is a good thing."

Dong Rui remained on Suoding Island after vomiting. The wind and waves were too strong for him to return to his own island, so upon hearing He Lingchuan's words, he indignantly replied, "A good thing? You can enjoy that kind of good thing all by yourself!"

"Dealing with natural disasters is like fighting a war," He Lingchuan said with a smile. "Heaven has simply given me a chance to train my troops. How is that not a good thing?"

Disaster relief, much like military campaigns, severely tests large-scale mobilization and organizational capabilities.

He Lingchuan's large group of subordinates had all been pieced together, and this was precisely the opportunity for them to integrate and work well together.

Before his trusted aides could react, someone behind them clapped twice and exclaimed, "Well said! That's perfectly logical!"

Guan Ke couldn't help but roll his eyes. Who was this now? The flattery came faster than his own.

He Lingchuan turned and saw the old captain approaching with a vast procession of people.

A quick glance showed at least over a hundred people.

And striding at the very front was none other than Fang Canran!

Upon seeing this familiar face, He Lingchuan's mind immediately screamed, 'What the hell!'

Out of 365 days a year, why did he have to show up tonight, at this precise moment? Was his good brother trying to make him even busier and more chaotic?

But outwardly, he had to appear surprised and delighted, immediately stepping forward to greet him, "Brother Songyuan! What brings you here?"

Fang Canran had already gone into hiding, so He Lingchuan called him Shao Songyuan in front of others.

"I came to deliver something to you, but didn't expect to run into a storm." Fang Canran had never lived by the sea, so he wasn't very knowledgeable about maritime weather. He turned back and introduced He Lingchuan, "Brother He, this is my martial uncle, Wang Xingyi. He is the State Preceptor of the Mou Kingdom."

The person beside him appeared to be in his early thirties, with neat brows and whiskers and an elegant demeanor. He was indeed the one who had applauded He Lingchuan earlier.

Those who heard were stirred; even passing porters looked surprised. The title "State Preceptor of the Mou Kingdom" was quite intimidating.

He Lingchuan immediately clasped his fists in greeting, "Greetings, Senior Wang!"

No wonder so many elite guards disembarked from the ship; the State Preceptor of the Mou Kingdom certainly maintains a grand entourage.

He Lingchuan observed their retinue: their armor was either pristine, or their eyes gleamed with spiritual energy, indicating cultivation. State Preceptor Wang's guard team was clearly comprised of hand-picked individuals, each with formidable martial prowess.

He Lingchuan secretly groaned to himself.

The armed forces He Lingchuan kept on Suoding Island had been carefully calculated to appear, on the surface, neither too many nor too few, neither too strong nor too weak, just enough to entice potential enemies to test them. (He coughed, noting that, of course, there truly was no excess manpower; the archipelago's territory was too vast, and many areas required protection.) But now, State Preceptor Wang had arrived with so many elite guards and was striding casually onto the dock. What if this frightened the opponents into retreating?

Wang Xingyi stroked his beard and nonchalantly accepted his bow. "You've spoken well. Disaster relief is indeed like training troops. Nowadays, children are all afraid of difficulties; not many possess such a mindset anymore."

He Lingchuan smiled, "You flatter me, Senior. You and your companions must be weary from your journey; please come to the guesthouse to rest."

At this time, there was still about an hour until sunset. The fiery clouds had reddened half the sky, the sea wind grew increasingly biting, and the crashing waves reached over a zhang in height.

Experienced fishermen knew at a glance that a storm was coming and that it would arrive no later than tonight.

All of He Lingchuan's subordinates went to busy themselves, but with such esteemed guests arriving, he, as the island master, naturally had to lead the way personally.

However, before leading the way, he whispered to the eyeball spider on his lapel, "The plan has changed. I can't be the bait anymore."

The State Preceptor had arrived; he had to accompany him. He had originally planned to use himself as bait to draw out the enemy, but now it seemed that wouldn't work. Plans don't keep up with sudden changes.

The Spider Queen immediately asked, "What do you intend to do?"

"We need to switch baits," He Lingchuan said urgently. "Who will do it?"

A voice replied without hesitation, "Me!"

"Alright, it's you then." He Lingchuan quickly gave a few instructions, then turned back to greet his guests.

Last time on Platinum Island, Fang Canran had promised to introduce him to a prominent figure from the Mou Kingdom.

Sure enough, he had come to fulfill his promise. He truly kept his word.

The State Preceptor of the Mou Kingdom also hailed from the Taihang Sect, illustrating the sect's high status in that nation.

Fang Canran also told He Lingchuan, "One thousand five hundred sets of weapons and armor have been transported in two ships. Find someone to move them. Also, I've brought the spirit ore you wanted."

These were all items He Lingchuan had ordered from him on Platinum Island, but he hadn't expected Fang Canran to procure them in just a few days.

He Lingchuan clapped his hands, full of praise: "Brother Songyuan is truly a godsend!"

These were all things he desperately needed right now.

The uniforms and armor for the Yangshan guard team were easy to handle and could even be custom-made. But over a thousand sets of weapons? There was nowhere to buy them.

Both the Qing Kingdom and Bailie strictly prohibited the export of weapons, let alone wholesale quantities.

You couldn't buy them even with money.

Otherwise, why would Min Tianxi and others have smuggled weapons in the past? It was precisely because of the lucrative profits.

Only Platinum Island, which claimed to buy and sell everything, could procure so many prohibited items for He Lingchuan in such a short time.

Fang Canran also smiled, "You're lucky. Someone came to Platinum Island to sell several batches of weapons right after you left. They also gave me face and provided the goods directly. However, the price is slightly higher, so you'll need to pay a bit more."

"Of course, of course." He Lingchuan had prepaid ten thousand taels of silver to Fang Canran, but with the actual acquisition price, he would need to make up a difference of at least several thousand taels.

Military expenses have always been a substantial sum.

Wang Xingyi asked He Lingchuan as they walked, "How long have you been managing this island?"

"Less than forty days since I bought it, I suppose."

Passing by stretches of buildings, Wang Xingyi pointed with his hand, "These are all newly built by you, aren't they?"

"Precisely."

Fang Canran also wondered, "How did my martial uncle know?"

"Two years ago, I also returned from the Ya Kingdom to the Mou Kingdom by merchant ship, taking the sea route. That ship stopped at the Yangshan Archipelago midway to resupply water. The island was dilapidated... Best not to mention it."

He Lingchuan lightly coughed, "That was the Blackpage Island supply station. I demolished it before I took over."

"To have only taken over for just over a month and have it so orderly, that's impressive."

Right by the shipyards were repair facilities, and ashore there were warehouses, taverns, restaurants, guesthouses, and inns. The basic needs of travelers and merchants upon landing could all be met.

The vegetation around the guesthouse had been trimmed, and several spots were landscaped using white sand and soft moss gathered from the beach, along with maple or fruit trees. Though hastily done, the cost was low and the aesthetic effect was quite good.

Fang Canran smiled, "My martial uncle rarely praises people, but tonight he's complimented you twice. Brother He, you can certainly brag about this."