Chapter 2483: Chapter 2483
For the princes of the Holy Land Dynasty, the more exposure they had to various matters, the better decisions they could make—decisions that aligned more closely with the Sacred King’s will.
Xiao Mu’an thus came to understand the immense pressure the Holy Land Dynasty faced against the foreign invaders. Despite thorough preparations, the enemy was clearly well-prepared as well.
Even if Satellite Island were expanded twofold, it could only accommodate four to five million soldiers—still far outnumbered by the invaders.
Upon returning to his residence, Xiao Mu’an immediately contacted Ye Liuyun and relayed the situation.
"What’s the point of telling me all this?" Ye Liuyun questioned, suspicion lacing his voice.
He had already sensed something different about Xiao Mu’an—no idle chatter, no beating around the bush, just straight facts about the battlefield.
Though he couldn’t yet verify the truth, the sheer scale of the enemy’s potential assault suggested the Holy Land Dynasty was indeed in grave danger.
Xiao Mu’an ignored the question and cut straight to the chase: "Under what conditions would you deploy your forces?"
"Genuine cooperation," Ye Liuyun replied tersely.
"That’s not up to me. How about this—I’ll trade you two treasure locations in exchange for sending your falcons to intercept the enemy fleet. What do you say?" Xiao Mu’an proposed.
"Trying to lure me into another trap like last time?" Ye Liuyun shot back bluntly.
"I’m nothing like them," Xiao Mu’an countered, then immediately disclosed the two treasure sites.
He added, "These are Xiao Muhong’s private stashes. The haul might not be vast, but it’ll more than cover the cost of deploying your falcons to take down some enemy ships.
"Whether I’m lying, you’ll know once you check. After retrieving the treasures, I expect you to honor your word. Otherwise, the invaders might just breach the Holy Land’s borders this time."
As soon as they strike the sacred homeland, the corpse demons will multiply rapidly. By then, driving them out will be a far more difficult task."
Ye Liuyun memorized the two treasure locations but didn’t respond to Xiao Mu’an immediately, instead pondering the man’s true intentions.
Xiao Mu’an, for his part, remained silent, making no move to press Ye Liuyun for an answer.
"Is this some princely power struggle? Unlikely. Xiao Mu’an is clearly far more cunning than Xiao Muhong. If his target were just Xiao Muhong, he wouldn’t need my involvement."
"Luring me into action? If it’s just about deploying the Hawks to intercept warships, there’s hardly any real danger. Could he genuinely want me to intervene? But that doesn’t align with the Sacred Dynasty’s usual tactics."
Xiao Mu’an’s maneuvers had left Ye Liuyun thoroughly perplexed.
"This man is a true adversary. Xiao Muhong may seem steady, but his methods pale in comparison."
Ye Liuyun had to admit—Xiao Mu’an was far more formidable than Xiao Muhong. The real challenge lay in deciphering his true motives.
Though resources weren’t an issue for him now, the allure of the two treasure troves and his burning curiosity about Xiao Mu’an’s intentions proved too tempting to resist.
After careful consideration, he decided to investigate the situation firsthand.
A darker suspicion even crossed his mind—had Xiao Mu’an secretly allied with the Black Killers?
The prolonged silence from the Black Killers warranted caution. However, Mo Sha confirmed that no elite operatives had been dispatched recently, and Xiao Qiwu remained at headquarters.
Thus, Ye Liuyun set out to inspect the treasure sites. Though each location was guarded by natural barriers, man-made traps, and other hazards, none proved insurmountable.
Proceeding with meticulous care, he systematically overcame every obstacle and ultimately secured the treasures.
Not a single Hawk was lost in the process—a flawless victory.
"Nothing’s really wrong after all!"
Ye Liuyun couldn’t help but feel a twinge of surprise as he secured the resources...
"Now that I’ve got the supplies, it’s time to decide whether to honor the agreement. What if Xiao Mu’an genuinely wants to cooperate? If I don’t show up, that’d be pretty unreasonable.
Even if he has ulterior motives, I still have to act—otherwise, he won’t have room to make his next move."
With that thought, Ye Liuyun ordered all his Falcon fighters to prepare for battle. Meanwhile, he mounted his nine-headed demon dragon and soared into the void, ready to intercept the alien fleet.
The stretch of space between the Sacred Land and Satellite Island was patrolled by numerous small skiffs.
Even if they spotted Ye Liuyun’s colossal nine-headed demon dragon, none dared to intercept it. Cloaked in an invisibility mantle, he remained unseen as he passed.
Yet, when word reached the Sacred Dynasty, they quickly deduced that Ye Liuyun had made his move.
The Sacred King summoned Xiao Mu’an for confirmation.
By the time Ye Liuyun had claimed the treasure, Xiao Mu’an had already been keeping tabs on Xiao Muhong. The moment he saw Xiao Muhong hastily leading armed cultivators out of the palace, he knew Ye Liuyun had acted.
So when the Sacred King questioned him, Xiao Mu’an admitted it outright.
"He’ll take the Falcon squadron to intercept the alien warships. I’ve already informed Commander Liu Kui to monitor how many Falcons he deploys," Xiao Mu’an reported.
"Good work," said Xiao Qitian Dynasty Dynasty Dynasty, pleased that Xiao Mu’an’s plan was progressing and that Ye Liuyun would help eliminate some of the alien threat.
Still, he hadn’t forgotten about the Falcon fighters.
"But you didn’t order Liu Kui to seize his Falcons while he’s distracted?"
"Your son believes that if we can’t even replicate the inferior Swift Swallow, the Falcon would be far beyond our capabilities. Not only might we fail to reproduce it, but we’d also risk exposing our intentions. The losses would outweigh the gains."
"It would be wiser to let him lower his guard. As long as he continues to join the battles, opportunities to acquire his equipment will surely arise."
"Hmm, you’ve thought this through thoroughly!" Xiao Qitian Dynasty Dynasty Dynasty nodded in approval.
"But how did you convince him to fight?" Xiao Qitian Dynasty Dynasty Dynasty pressed further.
"Every fish needs bait. I struck a deal with him—revealed the location of Eldest Brother’s hidden treasure," Xiao Mu’an replied calmly, without hesitation.
"Outrageous!" Xiao Qitian Dynasty Dynasty Dynasty’s expression darkened with displeasure. "This will only fuel his greed further!"
"Father, please calm your anger," Xiao Mu’an explained patiently. "I consulted with Commander Liu Kui. The invading forces are overwhelming this time. If we don’t offer Ye Liuyun some incentive, he won’t intervene, and even Commander Liu Kui doubts he can hold Satellite Island against the invaders."
"By sacrificing a few resources, we not only lure Ye Liuyun into action but also relieve pressure on Commander Liu Kui. In the grand scheme, we still come out ahead."
Xiao Qitian Dynasty Dynasty Dynasty pondered this and found the reasoning sound, his anger subsiding.
"Very well," he conceded. "But next time, inform me beforehand. And prepare additional resources—don’t involve your brothers in such schemes!"
Objectively, Xiao Mu’an’s methods were far more effective than Xiao Muhong’s. Yet, his demeanor remained unwaveringly composed, even when addressing the king.
To Xiao Qitian Dynasty Dynasty Dynasty, this lack of deference was unmistakable, though he couldn’t pinpoint why. It left him with an inexplicable distaste for this prince. There was something unsettling about those cold, calculating eyes.
"As you command," Xiao Mu’an replied impassively before withdrawing from the palace.
