Chapter 672: Urgent Military Intelligence
Igloo City.
In the city government palace.
Mian Li Zang studied the intelligence in his hand: “Still no clear response from the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps...”
Under the magic light, his expression darkened.
Members of the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps, including Long Fu (Zong Ge) and Yao Ma (Zi Di), were temporarily lodged in accommodations provided by the Li Jian Clan.
“So far, the royal capital has detected no activity matching the reports from Magician Yao Ma.”
“They've mastered some form of communication, one so covert even our clan can't detect it?”
“Also... Magician Yao Ma purchased two bottles of sorrow-dispelling red wine.”
"Heh, such resourcefulness is truly remarkable. Entrusted by her arms dealer to open markets in the Ice Sculpture Kingdom, she clearly possesses considerable skill."
“Unfortunately... we've already detected that Long Fu is bedridden.”
Despite Zong Ge and Zi Di's extreme caution and repeated checks, they remained under the secret surveillance of the Li Jian Clan. Neither Zong Ge nor Zi Di had noticed.
Clearly, the Li Jian Clan wielded formidable surveillance capabilities.
Thus, when Zong Ge returned to his quarters bedridden after his victorious duel, the Li Jian Clan learned of his condition.
The steward they had dispatched knew the truth—that “Long Fu” was actually the Magician Yao Ma in disguise.
“From this, it's clear the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps possesses exceptional disguise techniques.”
“Had we not detected two ‘Long Fus’, Magician Yao Ma's disguise would never have been exposed.”
Mian Li Zang murmured to himself, though he found it unsurprising.
In his view, as an arms dealer's agent, smuggling weapons demanded formidable camouflage skills.
“The two bottles of sorrow-dispelling red wine you purchased, may they offer you a taste unlike any other... Heh heh heh.”
A glint of anticipation flickered in Mian Li Zang's eyes.
“Urgent military intelligence, Clan Leader!”
At that moment, a voice suddenly sounded outside the study door.
Mian Li Zang's expression shifted slightly as he immediately commanded, “Enter.”
Intelligence delivered by specialized agents was invariably critical and urgent.
“What?”
“Feng Lian engaged Da Han in combat and fled in defeat.”
“The Icebound Pirates are pursuing the Divine Wind Pirates and have approached our coastal defense zone?”
Mian Li Zang's expression instantly hardened.
“Feng Lian did this deliberately!”
“He deliberately lured his formidable enemy toward our clan to escape Da Han's pursuit.”
“His earlier raid on the Intoxication Church's fleet may have been intended to draw out the Second Naval Fleet.”
Analyzing the intelligence, Mian Li Zang immediately sensed Feng Lian's deep animosity toward the Li Jian Clan.
Beyond the intelligence, there was also Kong Pan's request for instructions.
The enemy threat was grave, and Kong Pan, weighed down by concerns, needed to reach consensus with the clan leader.
Mian Li Zang grew restless. Rising abruptly, he paced the study with furrowed brows.
His mind raced, thoughts flashing relentlessly through his mind.
"The bulk of our clan's strength lies within the Second Naval Fleet. It absolutely must not be compromised; it is our clan's greatest foundation!"
“Feng Lian and his Divine Wind Pirates alone are troublesome enough, let alone with Da Han and the Icebound Pirates backing him.”
“Military logic dictates we should avoid his sharp edge.”
“But that's impossible now.”
“Feng Lian is attacking the Second Naval Fleet's defense zone; retreating isn't an option.”
"The military tribunal's accountability is secondary. The greatest loss lies in the political realm. Should we retreat without a fight, our clan's reputation will plummet to rock bottom. After that, the royal family will have a legitimate reason to intervene in our affairs and dismantle our power."
Just moments ago, Mian Li Zang had been smugly plotting his scheme against the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps.
Now, he had to rack his brains to devise a course of action that would align with the Li Jian Clan's interests.
“A direct retreat is out of the question.”
“But engaging in direct combat offers no chance of victory either...”
With the military situation urgent, Mian Li Zang raced against time. Once he reached a conclusion, he immediately dispatched a message.
He ordered Kong Pan and the others to contact the First Naval Fleet of the Ice Sculpture Kingdom without delay and join forces with them to initiate hostilities!
“We absolutely must bring in the First Fleet.”
“This way, all sides will suffer losses, greatly mitigating the negative impact of our navy's weakened strength.”
“Once the battle reaches a certain stage, we can plan our retreat.”
By then, withdrawal would be justified.
After all, Feng Lian's forces were formidable opponents. Da Han was a saint level sorcerer, and his Icebound Pirates even possessed an Ice Crystal Jellyfish.
The Ice Crystal Jellyfish was a saint level magic beast. Counting them up, that made two saint level enemies!
This was the world of the strong.
In terms of sheer numbers, the Second Naval Fleet naturally had the advantage.
But the mere thought of facing two saint level opponents sapped the clan leader's will to fight.
He didn't know that the Icebound Pirates also harbored Qian Xing, a third saint level fighter.
Military intelligence traveled through the fastest communication channels. Kong Pan swiftly received the order from Mian Li Zang.
She fully endorsed it and acted immediately.
Shortly thereafter, at the First Naval Fleet.
“Rear Admiral Mei Lin, the Vice Admiral summons you for urgent military matters!” a naval officer announced.
Receiving the notice, Mei Lin felt puzzled: “Strange. If it's urgent military intelligence, why didn't the Vice Admiral just use the communication device to notify me?”
“Sending someone to report like this wastes time.”
With lingering doubts, Mei Lin arrived at the flagship of the First Naval Fleet.
Entering the conference chamber, the First Fleet's primary commander was already present, along with another Rear Admiral level official.
The main commander was a snow elf of royal lineage, holding the rank of Vice Admiral.
Below him stood three Rear Admirals. Mei Lin was one of them.
Seconds after Mei Lin took her seat, the third Rear Admiral arrived.
The Vice Admiral pointed at the alchemy sea chart and addressed the three Rear Admirals: “Feng Lian is being pursued by Da Han and has charged headlong into this sea sector.”
“The Second Naval Fleet was tasked with defense. Now, Kong Pan has delivered an urgent distress signal.”
“Share your assessments.”
“Da Han?!” Mei Lin instantly grasped the gravity of the situation and immediately stated, "Our forces are not far from the Second Fleet's defense zone. If we deploy now, leveraging the speed of our new warships, we can definitely reach them in time."
“We can preemptively set up the battlefield, arrange our formations, and maximize our advantage of terrain.”
The Vice Admiral remained noncommittal, turning his gaze to the other two Rear Admirals.
One of them cleared his throat. “The enemy force is overwhelming. Even if we give our all, we absolutely cannot match two saint level opponents.”
“Quite right,” the other Rear Admiral chimed in. “Even if we form the strongest possible battle formation, it won't withstand Da Han's assault.”
Mei Lin's frown deepened. "Gentlemen, it's true the enemy is stronger than us. But as soldiers of the Kingdom, how can we shrink from battle? At worst, we sacrifice our lives for our country!"
This statement immediately drew a rebuttal from the other Rear Admiral: “Mei Lin, you are mistaken. We should preserve our useful bodies to serve the kingdom.”
“Precisely,” the other Rear Admiral added. “This battle cannot be won by our navy alone. Our chance of victory lies with our nation's three saint level combatants.”
“Our navy's role is to buy time, gather intelligence, and wear down the saint level forces like Da Han as much as possible.”
“And that task can be accomplished by the Second Naval Fleet.”
“Indeed.”
“There's no need to sacrifice all of us.”
"Once the Second Naval Fleet has depleted the enemy's strength, our saint level forces will surely prevail. At that point, our First Naval Fleet will still need to shoulder the defense of the Kingdom's maritime zones."
“And when that time comes, surely we can't expect the three saints to personally patrol the waters around Ice Sculpture Island?”
Mei Lin fell silent, but a sudden realization dawned within her.
Her earlier thoughts had focused solely on military strategy, yet there were political factors to consider as well.
“The Li Jian Clan maintains ironclad control over the Second Naval Fleet, which has practically become their private military force.”
"Not long ago, when the Intoxication Church's fleet was plundered, the Li Jian Clan reported that even the accompanying recording devices were destroyed. Such brazen audacity lays bare the Li Jian Clan's complete control over the Second Naval Fleet!"
What did the Vice Admiral mean by this?
Mei Lin immediately recalled that when she received the notification earlier, it hadn't come through the alchemy communication device, but via a naval soldier.
Though it was an urgent military matter, they'd deliberately chosen this time-consuming method of delivery.
Not only that, but the Vice Admiral had also summoned his subordinates for a meeting.
If the military situation were so straightforward, why would discussion be necessary?
Viewed this way, the Vice Admiral's intentions became crystal clear!
Mei Lin promptly nodded in agreement, acknowledging the validity of the other two Rear Admirals' arguments.
Seeing the three Rear Admirals reach consensus, the Vice Admiral's heart swelled with satisfaction. Seizing the momentum, he decided to provisionally agree to the rescue mission, but insisted on time to reorganize and deploy forces. He demanded the Second Fleet remain stationed at the battlefield, awaiting the full reinforcements of the First Fleet. To safeguard the homeland, he urged the Second Fleet to uphold military discipline and honor the nobility's legacy!
After the meeting, Mei Lin returned to her flagship, letting out a soft sigh that betrayed a hint of melancholy.
She wasn't a snow elf, but a mermaid. Though a star within the Naval First Fleet, she remained an outsider in the Ice Sculpture Kingdom dominated by snow elves.
Truth be told, she felt more at ease among the duelists than within the navy.
The main reason was the duelists' diverse backgrounds, like rabbitman, wood elves, humans, and more.
Thinking of the duelists, Mei Lin naturally turned her thoughts to Long Fu.
“Bing Yang suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of Long Fu. This battle clearly shows he is in peak condition and possesses even greater combat strength.”
“We must continue to weaken him.”
“Next, we can spread the rumor that he was struck by the Frost Aura, fell victim to the effects of the [Beautiful Future] potion, worsened his injuries, and cannot be healed.”
"On one hand, this urges Long Fu to keep accepting challenges and prove himself. On the other hand, it lures other silver level experts to clash with him."
At this thought, Mei Lin sighed softly to herself.
“Long Fu is likely gold level, but his silver level disguise serves as his best cover.”
“Truly, very few silver level fighters pose a real threat to him.”
Mei Lin resolved to continue her previous strategy against the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps.
Her primary focus now could not be on the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps. Da Han and his Icebound Pirates were closing in.