Time passed quietly in tense combat readiness.
The surface of the stone steps after Salado's beheading was calm, but under the calm sea, the undercurrent was surging.
The docks of Bloodstone Island, Split Palate Island, and Torture Abyss were noisy day and night, with the sound of hammers and sawing wood endlessly, and the strong smell of tung oil filled the air.
Every day, several restored warships are re-enlisted and added to the growing fleet sequence.
On this day, the tense atmosphere was finally broken.
Rollo and Hal almost knocked open the door of Liu Qian's study, with provocative anger on their faces:
"My lord, something is wrong! The village of Spearhandle seized three of our grain ships, the Tailuosi people... They did it. "
In the hall, Jelena and Chai Yi, who had received the news that they had rushed back from the Torture Yuan, were also listed.
Jelena was dressed in a military uniform, with her long hair tied back at the back of her head.
Chai Yi stood silently aside.
When Liu Qian heard this, he laughed instead of angry, as if the long-awaited prey had finally fallen into the trap: "Finally I can't hold back, okay!" Since the Telosi people tore their faces first, don't blame us for being rude. "
He stood up, his voice like an unsheathed sword: "Jerena." "
"In!" The female knight took a step forward, her voice sonorous and powerful.
"I order you to immediately lead the fleet directly to Broken Spear Island, and drive all the Telosi entrenched there into pieces to feed me the fish."
Liu Qian's order was decisive.
"Obey!" Jelena's eyes rose with fighting spirit, and she took the order without hesitation.
Then, Liu Qian's eyes swept towards Luo Luo and Hal, full of murderous intent:
"Rollo, Hal, give me orders! From immediately on, the waters of the Shijie Islands will be completely blocked, from Bloodstone Island, Gray Gallows Island to Torture Abyss, every major waterway, every hidden route, send warships to patrol us day and night.
When encountering merchant ships flying the flag of Telossi, they attacked directly without warning, and 50% of all the goods and ships captured were divided equally among the brothers who fought and 50% were handed over to the warehouse. "
"Fifty percent?!"
Rollo's eyes lit up instantly, and greed and excitement almost erupted: "Don't worry, my lord, I, Rollo, promise you that I will never let the ships of the Tylosi people slip through our blockade." "
Plunder, this is the desire in the bones of pirates.
Although Hal didn't speak, his cold iron hook reflected a sharp light in the candlelight, and the corners of his mouth curled up with a cruel arc.
Since Liu Qian took control of the Shijie Islands, in order to stabilize trade routes, reduce enemies, only charge tolls, and strictly prohibit large-scale looting, these pirate-turned-giants have long been itchy.
Now, with war against Telosi on the horizon, the predatory nature is finally unleashed.
Meanwhile, the island of Telossi, the Maharajah's palace.
Petyr Belisi, the messenger from King's Landing, was looking with interest at the famous palace of Lord Telosi.
The pearl shells inlaid on the stone walls have a dreamy luster under the light, gold and colored glass outline intricate and ornate patterns, and the air is filled with the scent of exotic spices.
His gray-green eyes seemed to be intoxicated, like a tourist attracted by the beautiful scenery, but deep in his eyes was a cold calculation.
"The great and noble Maharajah..."
Littlefinger turned around, and his face was filled with extremely sincere admiration that could not be seen at all: "The magnificence and ingenuity of your palace are truly unparalleled in the world, and when I first stepped into this Hall of Glory, the bright light almost made me think that I had mistakenly entered the paradise of the feasting of the gods...
His compliments were just right, not too flattering, and fully satisfied the vanity of the master.
The Bluebearded Maharaja sits high on a throne inlaid with ivory and precious stones, his huge body like a giant bucket filled with padded mats, deep in the throne.
His fat fingers were unscrupulously kneading and wandering around a scantily clad and hot mistress beside him, causing bursts of exaggerated panting.
Hearing Littlefinger's compliment, a smug smile appeared on his face covered with a thick blue beard, and he was about to speak, but was interrupted by a cold voice next to him.
"Lord Belichic..."
Greenbeard, who was sitting under the throne of the Maharajah, had a cold tone and obvious impatience: "Compliments are excessive, as the envoy of the Seven Kings, you crossed the narrow sea to Telosi, presumably not to simply appreciate our palace and say your intentions." "
Petyr Belisi's eyes flashed with an imperceptible light.
The smile on his face remained unchanged, and he turned to Greenbeard, and his tone changed to a solemn one with a sense of worry:
"My lord, I am visiting your country on the orders of His Majesty King Robert and Prime Minister Duke Jon Arryn with the sinrest goodwill of the Iron Throne, hoping to form an alliance with the powerful Telosi and jointly send troops to eliminate the Oriental wizards who have become a threat to the Stone Steps Islands."
"Alliance? Eliminate a pirate leader? "
Greenbeard let out a short and contemptuous sneer: "Our fleet of Tellosi is invincible across the narrow seas, and against a mere pirate, do we still need to join forces with you seven nations to share the spoils?" "
His words were filled with caution against the Iron Throne's intention to infiltrate the Stone Steps.
The smile on Littlefinger's face was still impeccable, as if he hadn't heard the other party's ridicule:
"My lord, maybe you don't know this 'pirate leader' well enough.
According to the exact information we have, the Oriental wizard has an extremely terrifying army under his command, an army of real, magically resurrected corpses, dressed in indestructible Valyrian armor and armed with iron-sharpened Valyrian steel weapons, tireless, unafraid of death, and fighting far more than ordinary soldiers. "
The contempt on Greenbeard's face instantly froze, and his pupils contracted slightly, obviously shocked by the appalling news.
But he quickly regained his composure and questioned: "In the water confrontation, the advantage of Valyria's weapons is not as obvious as on land, as for what kind of corpse army you are talking about... Hum! Absurd, only a fool would believe this kind of nonsense. "
Littlefinger's expression did not change, and he began to throw more tempting chips: "My lord, the Iron Throne seeks cooperation, not coveting the land of the Stone Steps, we are just worried that if this wizard is allowed to sit tall, he will become the second 'Nine Copper Plate King', or even more dangerous."
Moreover, we placed an extremely important insider next to the wizard, about the Necrogencer Legion, about the Valyrian weapons, all of which were transmitted by this insider at the risk of his life.
My lord, what if all this information is true?
Can Tellosi alone deal with an undead Valyrian legion?
What's more..."
He changed his mind:
"After the fall of Salado, did the Reese have no idea about the Stone Steps Islands? Will they also be secretly accumulating strength and waiting to reap the benefits of the fisherman? "
The three words "Reese people" were like heavy hammers, striking Greenbeard's heart hard.
The battle between Telosi and Reese on the Stonestep Islands has a long history, and it is an unavoidable old enemy.
The little finger accurately poked Telossi's biggest external concern.
Greenbeard's face darkened completely, his brows furrowed, and he fell into a long silence.
He weighs the pros and cons, imagining the horrors of battling an army of the undead and the threat that the Reese might take advantage of.
Finally, he raised his head, with determination in his eyes, turned to the bluebearded lord on the throne who was still kneading his mistress, and said in a deep voice:
"Maharajah, I think it is in the interests of our Telossi to cooperate with the Iron Throne and jointly send troops to pacify the Stone Steps Islands and wipe out that Oriental wizard..."