Chapter 514: Tan Mo and Tan Qiu

The deep night shrouded Snake Rat Island.

The light from the lighthouse guided a warship of the Sheng Ming Empire to dock smoothly at the pier.

This warship featured a broad bow, with its superstructure positioned squarely at the center of the deck, a cube-like structure resembling a treasure chest of equal length, width, and height.

The treasure chest-like superstructure was adorned with intricate, layered magic formations. Embedded within these arrays were countless gems: sapphires the size of fists, diamonds as large as human heads, and topazes as big as carriages.

This was the ship, Treasure Chest.

The lord of Snake Rat Island, Tan Qiu, had long been waiting at the dock with a retinue of subordinates.

As Captain Tan Mo of the Treasure Chest descended the gangplank with his party, Tan Qiu hurried forward to greet him.

“Cousin,” Tan Qiu said, "you've arrived! You must be weary from your journey. The banquet has been prepared for some time."

Tan Qiu, the lord of Snake Rat Island, was an ordinary-looking, stocky middle-aged human man. Tan Mo, captain of the Treasure Chest, was obese with a thick, short neck. His small eyes sparkled with a shrewdness that even the night couldn't conceal.

The two were members of the same clan.

Tan Mo remarked, “Cousin, it's been three years since we last met, hasn't it?”

Tan Qiu laughed heartily.

Tan Mo signaled to his subordinates with a glance: “Go, unload the cargo. These goods were specifically transported for my cousin Tan Qiu.”

A look of delight spread across Tan Qiu's face as he watched the sailors begin unloading. He once again invited Tan Mo to join the banquet.

Tan Mo replied, "I'm pressed for time. Keep it simple. No need to meet those who aren't essential."

Tan Qiu understood immediately, nodding repeatedly as he made new arrangements.

A carriage stood ready. Tan Mo and his men boarded and were swiftly escorted to the city lord's residence.

The dinner proved lavish indeed, clearly prepared with great care.

Originally, several key figures from Snake Rat Island were to attend, but since Tan Mo declined to meet them, Tan Qiu simply dismissed them.

The vast banquet hall now felt rather desolate, occupied only by the two members of their own clan and a handful of servants.

Tan Mo held a stemmed glass, sipped a small amount of red wine, then gazed through the floor-to-ceiling windows toward the harbor.

His gaze settled on the lighthouse at the harbor.

This lighthouse was no ordinary structure. Its slender tower was crowned by a 3-meter-square cube. Both the tower and the cube gleamed silver white.

Each of the cube's four sides bore an engraved, closed eye. Atop the cube sat a prismatic crystal, standing as tall as an adult.

This was the light cannon tower.

Tan Mo's expression remained cool, yet his words were laced with flattery. "Cousin, your financial resources are unexpectedly substantial. You've ruled Snake Rat Island for only so long, but you've already set up a light cannon tower."

“I'm certain the clan will be pleased to see your successful operations here.”

Tan Qiu hastily offered a wry smile. "Cousin, spare me the sarcasm. As a naval officer, you surely understand that light cannon towers cost far less than mage towers. They're deliberately developed by the Empire as disposable defensive assets for invading the Wilderness Continent."

“As for mage towers? I dare not even dream of them.”

“Even this light cannon tower, I tightened my belt, scrimped and saved, hesitated for ages, before finally gritting my teeth and buying it.”

“Sigh, this tower has practically drained the Snake Rat Island Lord's treasury dry.”

"Life's tough, but what can I do? Pirate activity is growing increasingly rampant. The seas are turbulent, and all manner of monsters are emerging. Just months ago, Two Eyes Island, not far from ours, suffered a massive assault by the fishmen."

“I saw intelligence reports indicating the spotlight turret performed quite well in that battle.”

"For the safety of my domain, I had no choice but to procure one. And just this one!"

Facing Tan Qiu's complaints and pleas of poverty, Tan Mo merely snorted. He gave Tan Qiu a meaningful glance before focusing his attention back on the red wine glass in his hand.

Leaning back in his chair, he swirled the stemmed glass leisurely. “Tan Qiu, do you think I'm unaware?”

“You captured Rou Zang's pirate crew and amassed a fortune in war spoils!”

"You took Gu Qiao alive and had him redeemed by the Great Pain Temple. You pocketed a hefty ransom for that too.”

"And then there's Rou Zang, a gold level pirate, no less. You handed him over to the Empire and earned massive military merit. Once this achievement is properly accounted for, it could very well earn you a knighthood.”

"But if I were you, I'd sell Rou Zang to the Great Pain Temple. They're willing to pay, and with their vast wealth and influence, they can afford the hefty ransom."

Tan Qiu's expression shifted for a moment before he sighed bitterly. "Ah, to be honest, I'd love to do just that. "

“But there's no way around it. The Sheng Ming Church originally controlled Snake Rat Island.”

“After the battle with Rou Zang, the priest was killed in action, causing shifts within the diocese.”

“Now, the Justice Church has taken over, aggressively pushing out the Sheng Ming Church and gaining complete dominance.”

“I had to mend fences with the Sheng Ming Church, so I followed their approach and sent Rou Zang up the chain.”

“But with all this skimming, my share of the battle merits is drastically reduced. Forget about getting promoted to a noble rank!”

Tan Mo raised his eyebrows slightly, intrigued. “That sounds like a good thing.”

“The Sheng Ming Church is too powerful. Compared to them, the Justice Church is just a minor church.”

“This greatly benefits your authority as a lord.”

“It seems your skills are truly formidable, cousin. You managed to secure the Sheng Ming Church without getting entangled in church rivalries.”

Tan Qiu gave another bitter smile: “Cousin, bringing in the Justice Church was part of the pre-war agreement.”

"Lord Guang Ke hails from the Justice Church, and we desperately needed his gold level combat strength.  Therefore, not only did I agree, but the priest also represented the Sheng Ming Church in giving his consent."

“Having a clear magic contract is the best reason to prevent the Sheng Ming Church from causing me trouble!”

Tan Mo gazed at Tan Qiu, whose face bore a bitter expression, his eyes growing distant.

He couldn't help but recall the past.

In his memory, this younger cousin had always been unremarkable. His peers within the clan had nicknamed him “Loach.”

“Who would've thought this little loach would actually revitalize Snake Rat Island?”

“On the Sheng Ming Continent, given his status, how could he possibly have acquired such vast territories?”

“Though somewhat barren, it has its pillars of industry!”

Tide snakes, smelt rats... even the Hunter Guild was drawn here, establishing a branch."

"Then there's the conflict between the Sheng Ming Church and the Justice Church... This cousin possesses considerable political skill and favorable fortune. The Sheng Ming Priest truly did perish in that naval battle."

“Henceforth, these two churches will check each other, only serving to highlight his authority as a secular lord!”

At this thought, Tan Mo's mood grew complex and subtle.

“My Lord, the cargo has been fully accounted for,” Tan Qiu's subordinate reported at that moment. “However, a batch of slime gelatin is missing.”

“Hm?” Tan Qiu's brow instantly furrowed.

The cargo unloaded from the Treasure Chest was procured through his family's channels.

This voyage happened to take Tan Mo's route past Snake Rat Island, so the family had arranged for the Treasure Chest to serve as a transport vessel.

The ship's interior offered ample space, making it ideal for shipping.

“Slime gelatin may not be expensive, but it's the most fundamental material for constructing my defenses. We absolutely cannot be without it!” Tan Mo frowned.

He pressed his subordinate, “Did you check thoroughly?”

The subordinate hurriedly replied, “We've counted it three times. The only possibility is that it's still...”

His voice trailed off involuntarily, growing faint. He quickly glanced up at Tan Mo across the table.

Tan Qiu sighed inwardly, thinking, “This was bound to happen.”

He knew his cousin's nature all too well. He had already paid the transport fees this time, yet this unexpected turn of events had still occurred.

Tan Qiu dismissed his subordinate and turned to face Tan Mo, only to see the latter wearing a smug, smiling expression.

He suppressed his anger and feigned confusion. “Cousin, our men just finished inventory and found a batch of slime gelatin is missing.”

Tan Mo let out a surprised “Oh? Is that so?”

Tan Qiu frowned, explaining that while slime gelatin was a basic alchemy ingredient, it was crucial for Snake Rat Island. He hoped Tan Mo would dispatch subordinates to search and recover the missing gelatin.

Tan Mo deliberately frowned. “That's difficult, cousin. It's not that I don't want to find it, but it's quite challenging.”

"You don't know, but there's a VIP on my ship. I dare not offend him!"

“It seems the slime gelatin was stored near the VIP's cabin, where noise is strictly forbidden.”

“Who might this important person be?” Tan Qiu pressed.

Tan Mo chuckled. "Someone from the Blood Light Punishment Institution. He's heading to Two Eyes Island to investigate matters concerning necromancers. I was ordered to escort him here. Truth be told, you owe him a debt of gratitude. Otherwise, how could my ship ever have come to Snake Rat Island?"

"The Blood Light Punishment Institution!" Tan Qiu's heart jolted, his expression shifting instantly.

Tan Mo invoking the Blood Light Punishment Institution was truly ruthless, Tan Qiu dared not entertain such thoughts.

He clapped his hands, summoning a servant. He whispered instructions into her ear.

The servant departed and soon returned, bearing a wooden gift box.

The exquisitely crafted wooden box was presented upon Tan Mo's desk.

Tan Mo feigned surprise: “Cousin, what might this signify?”

Tan Qiu plastered on a smile: "Elder cousin, just a small token. You've been escorting the Blood Light Punishment Institution's people, a demanding task, yet you still found time amidst your busy schedule to come here and help me transport supplies. Your kindness is overwhelming, how could I not show my gratitude?"

“This is a small token of my humble appreciation. Please accept it.”

Tan Mo gently opened the box, and a radiant glow instantly illuminated his face.

He saw three rare gold level treasures. The most striking was the mica pearl in the center, as large as a small bowl.

Tan Mo's heart skipped three beats.

Yet his expression remained impassive. He calmly closed the box and smiled warmly at Tan Qiu. "Cousin, this is too much! You've really gone out of your way!"

Though he protested, his hand moved smoothly and naturally, tucking the box into his storage bracelet.

Tan Qiu hurriedly insisted this was merely a token of his heartfelt gratitude, which couldn't possibly match his profound thanks.

He further emphasized his dire straits, stressing how crucial the slime gelatin was to him!

Tan Mo nodded, immediately summoning his subordinates. His demeanor shifted as he instructed them: “Find the slime gelatin and transport it down without disturbing the important figures. Do whatever it takes.”

Subordinates soon reported the supplies had been located and were being transported down at great risk.

Tan Mo's extortion succeeded. His men didn't even need Snake Rat Island's help, they transported the slime gelatin down themselves. His attitude now stood in stark contrast to before.

Tan Qiu's heart burned with rage, but he forced himself to suppress it. He raised his cup to Tan Mo in gratitude: “Cousin, you've truly done me an immense favor this time.”

Having secured what he wanted, Tan Mo relaxed and genuinely shared a few cups with Tan Qiu.

As the atmosphere grew more convivial, their conversation naturally turned to the development of Snake Rat Island.

Tan Qiu sighed, "The greatest resources in our domain are the tide snake and smelt rats in the underground caverns. To attract the Hunter Guild to establish a branch here, I offered them substantial concessions."

"Now, the populations of tide snakes and smelt rats have plummeted. According to our estimates, even if all hunting were halted immediately, it would take five years for them to naturally repopulate to their former peak levels."

Tan Mo expressed curiosity: "From what I understand, the Hunter Guild isn't known for such practices. They emphasize sustainable development. How could this local branch act so unwisely?"

Tan Qiu shook his head: “This isn't their fault.”

“The primary culprit is the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps!”

At the mention of them, Tan Mo gritted his teeth in fury. “Those bastards infiltrated my Snake Rat Island, secretly poaching countless tide snakes and smelt rats, devastating the ecosystem.”

“We were kept in the dark until recently, when we discovered massive numbers of tide snakes and smelt rats had been hunted down.”

“Oh?” Tan Mo raised an eyebrow.

He had specifically investigated Snake Rat Island's intelligence to blackmail Tan Qiu. The naval battle with Rou Zang was the most critical part, making the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps unavoidable in their collection of intelligence.

Thus, Tan Mo knew quite a lot about them.

"These people seem to be arms smugglers? Their strength is quite formidable!"

“They were a huge help to you in that naval battle.”

“Without them, you likely wouldn't have defeated Rou Zang.”

“Uh...” Tan Qiu's indignant expression faltered, replaced by awkwardness.

He continued, “The Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps made far too much profit off me.”

“When they left, they took numerous sea vessels. These were all spoils from the naval battle."

"What's most infuriating was how they had aggressively recruited here, snatching up all the island's talent. That included giants and magicians."

“Even low level magicians, I desperately need them.”

"So now, despite replenished supplies, Snake Rat Island is starved for manpower. I'm sorely lacking capable subordinates."

Tan Mo remained noncommittal, finally asking, "Have you investigated this group? Do you know who the arms dealer behind them truly is?"

Tan Qiu shook his head and shrugged, indicating he'd tried but to no avail. They were hiding too deeply!

Tan Mo felt the same frustration.

After learning of this identity speculation from intelligence sources, he mobilized his own channels and resources to investigate the background of the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps.

He came up empty-handed.

"It's only natural for arms smugglers to keep a low profile. This is a business where you risk your life!"

“If I uncovered them immediately, I'd actually doubt the investigation's credibility.”

“But if we could truly root out the arms dealers, that would be a monumental achievement!”

Having gained no useful information from Tan Qiu, Tan Mo saw no reason to linger.

After a lavish dinner, he parted ways with Tan Qiu, boarded the Treasure Chest, and set sail through the night.