Chapter 590: The Higher-Ups' Callousness

Zong Ge judged that the mercenaries at Snow Bird Harbor Branch were unlikely to face enemy attacks, leaving Zi Di puzzled.

She pressed him directly for the reasoning and logic behind this assessment.

Zong Ge replied, “Our primary enemy right now is that mysterious force lurking in the shadows of the Ice Sculpture Kingdom.”

“We've clashed with them several times already.”

“It's like two armies facing off. After multiple engagements, you can discern the opposing commander's temperament, thought patterns, and behavioral habits.”

Zi Di nodded slightly. “So?”

Zong Ge continued, “Based on the impression I've formed of this enemy group, their commander is exceptionally strong.”

“The assault plans he/she devises are both steady and incisive.”

“The steadiness lies in the fact that after I counter-killed three gold level operatives, we went a long stretch without any attacks.”

“The sharpness manifests in how their strikes consistently target our vulnerabilities.”

"For instance, when I intimidated the enemy, they didn't falter, they immediately shifted their assault positions. They annihilated our supply convoy. Remember that?"

Zi Di: “Of course I remember.”

Zong Ge: “This was their tactic, striking our vulnerabilities to force us into disarray, or at the very least, to reveal more of our cards.”

"Our countermeasure was to secretly transport goods through the minor merchant alliance of Snow Bird Harbor City Lord. For a time, supplies continued uninterrupted, and the enemy couldn't discern the outcome. Under these circumstances, they immediately attacked Snow Bird Harbor's alchemy workshop."

Zong Ge's gaze sharpened as he continued his analysis: “In my view, the enemy's attack plan was exceptionally well-crafted.”

"In terms of troop strength, the enemy must have conducted precise calculations. They deployed only transcendents, several silver levels. There was only one gold level."

“This force was neither too few nor too many; it successfully destroyed our four alchemy workshops.”

“Achieving this alone was no small feat. On the battlefield, deploying precisely calibrated forces is no ordinary task, it's exceptionally difficult to execute.”

"The unexpected support from Shuang Lian caught the enemy off guard. However, they quickly made up for it shortly afterward. Now Shuang Lian, Bu Quan, and even the Honey Snow Tower have vanished. Such losses are truly devastating!"

Zi Di nodded in strong agreement yet also felt profound relief: “Had we not deepened our collaboration with the Li Jian Clan in time, relying on their strength for alchemy, distribution, and sales, our business plan would have certainly failed by now!”

Zong Ge continued: “The enemy is well aware of the Li Jian Clan's partnership with us. Given their vast hidden influence, couldn't they have destroyed the Li Jian Clan's alchemy workshops?”

“Of course not.”

“Yet to this day, not a single workshop of the Li Jian Clan has been attacked.”

“That's because these alchemy workshops are no longer our weak point.”

“The Li Jian Clan's business is vast. Destroying countless alchemy workshops, or even entire factories, would barely scratch their surface.”

As the analysis unfolded, a sharp gleam flashed in Zi Di's eyes.

She grasped the logic behind Zong Ge's earlier assessment: “So you mean even if the branch is destroyed, even if our entire force is wiped out, it won't cripple us!”

“Exactly.” Zong Ge replied without hesitation. “The big guy has already been seized. The greatest loss would be the magic ship itself.”

Zi Di drew a sharp breath. "You seem to have forgotten that there are other surviving comrades at the branch. There's Chi Lai, Men Shi, and other silver level fighters. Plus the two squads you painstakingly trained..."

Zong Ge cut her off: “Even if all of them were wiped out, our core strength would still remain intact, wouldn't it?”

“Chi Lai and Men Shi have exhausted their potential. Though they're skilled silver level fighters, they're not irreplaceable.”

“As for the two teams I trained, they've never been fully developed, still in their infancy.”

"As for the likes of Mu Ban and Bai Ya, they're not even transcendents. After leaving Mystifying Monster Island, their usefulness has dwindled to near-negligibility."

“Their greatest value now might be as bait.”

Zi Di snapped coldly, “Do you realize what you're saying?”

Zong Ge met her glare without flinching or remorse. “Of course I do.”

“This is precisely what I've been trying to say!”

“Our Commander is far too merciful and lenient.”

“Expanding our ranks, recruiting new members, operating under the corps' banner, I support all of that.”

“But if we cherish them too much, these men cease to be our strength, they become our burden!”

“Do you think we recruit them, lead them, only to shield them from every storm in the end?”

“This isn't a game of house.”

“We seek an opportunity to atone to the Empire. We fight for our very…survival!”

Zong Ge continued, “Given our current situation, we need these men to rapidly improve their military skills.”

“They could become our escape route off this island.”

“Of course, their primary role is as bait.”

"We can leverage the Li Jian Clan, Snow Bird Harbor City Lord, and others to set up ambushes. If the enemy takes the bait, they'll be thoroughly impressed."

“Though it's naval training, the Li Jian Clan's spatial technology can easily conceal ambush forces.”

"Personally, I believe this bait ambush plan has low odds of success. But there's no harm in trying."

Zi Di fell into a long silence.

She knew Zong Ge's words made sense.

Among the survivors, within the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps, Zi Di was a transcendent, a superior figure.

It made no sense for a superior like her to risk her life protecting inferiors. It would only let the inferiors reap the rewards without effort.

“From Zong Ge's perspective, this reasoning is perfectly logical.”

“But in my view, it's not that simple.”

This was because Zi Di knew of the Bloodcore!

“The Bloodcore can alter a person's innate potential.”

“If potential can be changed, then the value of the other survivors becomes unmeasurable.”

"The most crucial factor is loyalty. They are in the same boat as us, possessing innate loyalty and the bond of comradeship forged through shared life-and-death experiences."

"I've already tested most of their bloodlines, and the Bloodline Purification Formation is complete. The hardest part is behind us, Lan Zao has already benefited..."

Sacrificing these survivors at this stage would be a tremendous waste.

Zi Di was a merchant.

Merchants thrived on weighing pros and cons, calculating gains and losses.

In this regard, Zi Di and Zong Ge were actually quite similar.

Therefore, Zi Di understood Zong Ge.

But she couldn't reveal any information about the Bloodcore to him just yet.

“Zong Ge is already a gold level, while the commander isn't.”

“What would he do if he learned about the Bloodcore?"

Zi Di couldn't guarantee Zong Ge's subsequent reaction. She couldn't handle the potential disastrous consequences.

After a moment of deep thought, Zi Di finally spoke: “We'll do as you say, but I must summon Fei She.”

Zong Ge immediately agreed: "Of course. He's a veteran of the Wisteria Merchant Alliance and can refine the level zero secret order. This will aid us in unearthing the Wisteria Cache."

“What about Tripleblade?” Zi Di inquired.

Zong Ge hesitated not a moment: “He must remain there, of course.”