Chapter 1714 - 881: Welcome

Qiao Sike, the confidant of the talker of the Broken Reef Branch in the West Sea Wilderness Collection, acknowledged by all Broken Reef Branch members as the deputy, and even the successor after the talker's demise.

Ling Shuo remembers this guy, his eyes always fixed on people's throats, seldom speaks nor smiles, always indifferent. Even when visited by myself as the Seven City Leader, he merely nodded slightly after rising from his seat.

Proud and cold, like the most dangerous predator.

And now, he has become a mad dog driven to a dead end.

Eyes glowing red, ready to devour.

Clearly a guest bringing money to buy goods, yet appearing like a robber wielding a weapon ready for action, unable to control his rage and murderous intent.

It seems the rumors are true, the Broken Reef talker was truly betrayed by his sworn brother of many years, and is now on the verge of dying.

"Flame Element Explosives, grenades, directional mines, and solo rocket launchers..."

With a gaze of Blood Eyes, Ling Shuo seemingly unaffected, casually flipping through the opponent's order, raised his eyebrows: "Oh, even daring to ask for missiles? Oh, just missing a Fusion Bomb."

"Cut the crap, I want a Fusion Bomb, do you have it?" Qiao Sike interrupted him: "Just tell me if you have what's on the list!"

"Look at what you said, these things are troublesome one by one, you dare to want them, and I don't dare to sell them."

Ling Shuo shook his head and sighed: "Do you know, missile-type deadly things, even if counterfeit, wanting to enter the market needs both the Federation and Empire's approval? Over twenty times markup, at least ten times is for paying passage money to both sides, and the maintenance and satellite guidance aren't something a computer and a wrench can fix.

Your idea is really unrealistic."

"Whatever you have, just take it out, why beat around the bush!" Qiao Sike said expressionlessly: "Surely not worried I'd default?"

"If you say that, I might have to ask you to leave."

Ling Shuo's smile faded, his demeanor became serious: "The rules of Seven Cities are not to ask origins and destinations, but also please don't cause us trouble."

Weapons from Seven Cities can be used to solve trouble, but not to create it.

This guy obviously seems to be looking for a target to blow up together, who knows what kind of chaos will ensue.

"Besides, with just this much capital, going against Rot Swamp? Dying isn't the way to go about it."

Just as Qiao Sike rose silently to leave, he heard Ling Shuo's voice, mocking and pondering: "Rot Swamp pulled a lot of sponsorships from that cheap godfather of mine, quite a few of my brothers are really active over there... What else do you have?

A bunch of old brothers with no retreat? A few broken ships? What else? Hmm, a fearless heart?"

In silence, Qiao Sike slowly turned back, his expression indifferent, unfazed by his taunts: "Even if we can't win, at least die proudly."

"Why die when you can live well? Isn't standing on the tomb of your opponent, popping champagne better than a death that, aside from self-satisfaction, serves no purpose?"

Ling Shuo casually tapped the freshly printed agreement beside him, held it down, and slowly said: "But, Mr. Qiao Sike, there are many ways to live... some live on their knees, some crawl like worms, and of course, some stand with a straight backbone and take charge, yet it often comes with a price."

In an extended silence, Qiao Sike stared at him, his expression growing colder.

"You want our votes?"

"Seven Cities have no interest in this election, we emphasized this on the platform of the general meeting."

Ling Shuo lazily yawned, "Rest assured, if Seven Cities want your vote, the little stunts between Gray Port and Rot Swamp are what you intend to combat now."

He waved, stopping Qiao Sike's words, bluntly said:

"Keep your vote, give it to whoever you like, ripping or burning it for fun is all fine, just don't give it to East City or Gray Port, then the loan is yours.

No interest, swiftly, repayment date or amount, everything can be negotiated, all up for discussion.

But only one condition, before the loan is repaid, Broken Reef's channels must first distribute our goods, regardless of any natural disaster or falling knives, must unconditionally cooperate with our sales and market strategies."

As he said this, he pushed the agreement in his hand forward, lit a cigar: "If you're not sharp enough, find someone who understands to take a look, it's your choice on whether to sign or not, only, after signing if any other ideas remain... Seven Cities' approach, I think, needs no explanation?"

"..."

Qiao Sike said nothing, leafing through the agreement in hand, eventually took a signature pen from his pocket, signed his name, and tossed the agreement back.

No matter how uneducated he might appear, after all, being a law master's graduate from Imperial Glory University, he's not unable to understand this.

The conditions are harsh, yet compared to such a significant risk loan, it's impossibly generous, the other party didn't even intend to permanently grip Broken Reef, merely requiring them to adhere to commercial strategies before settling the loan.

Just this is equivalent to money dropping from the sky.

Not signing would be foolish.

He straightforwardly asked:

"When does the money arrive?"

Ling Shuo coldly laughed, countered: "What's the use of money for you now? Giving you such a big sum, what if you run away?

Currently drawing such a massive flow of funds, who could bear it?

You should also consider for us, Seven Cities."

Before Qiao Sike could angrily explode, he already pulled open a drawer, pulled out a product catalog, and tossed it into his arms.

"Alright, don't be greedy, the same money can't buy such good stuff in the market, just consider it a membership card, from now on, Broken Reef is deemed a prestigious VIP client of Seven Cities, all products at an eighty percent discount."

Qiao Sike's trembling hand flipped to the first page of the product catalog, froze in place, incredulous.

When he raised his gaze to look at Ling Shuo, he saw that sinister face curl into a grin in the shadow, like a ravenous beast.

He said:

"Wish you a pleasant shopping!"

Even after leaving the room, Qiao Sike was still in a daze, seemingly lost and unaware that he hadn't left the intended advance payment.

He didn't pay attention to the excited chatter of his subordinate outside, not until they reached the port that he snapped back to reality and looked at his animated subordinate.

"What were you just... saying?"

"I was talking about our goods, Second Brother!"

The man, whose face was still healing from burns, eyes gleaming like they were on fire, raised his hand pointing towards the massive crane. The enormous container moved through the air and landed precisely on the deck, lined up with the other cargo.

The third one!

The containers at the front had already been opened, and the waiting subordinates on the ship cheered and shouted like it was New Year, waving newly modified weapons with bullet chains wrapped around them, dancing with joy.

The first container was packed tightly with various weapons, each box crammed together that crowbars were needed to pry them out.

Under the tarp at the back were two armored vehicles mounted with machine guns, now excitedly driven halfway out by the subordinates inside, engines roaring loudly.

The second container opened, occupying half of the space was the Coast's new large-scale drone launch management platform, along with over a hundred drones.

And large iron boxes resembling coffins, with interfaces perfectly sealed, without any logos present.

A group of people surrounded an iron box, scratching their heads, puffing cigars, and suddenly genius struck—Hey! Why don't I pry this thing open with a crowbar?!

Then, they were kicked aside by Qiao Sike.

He pulled out the manual given by Ling Shuo. After verifying the palm print, the perfectly sealed iron coffin instantly opened, separating, as iron light diffused. A massive exoskeleton that stood like a giant rose from within, chest and abdomen blooming like a lotus, revealing an empty interior.

The entire deck fell into silence.

"Se-Second Brother... this... this..."

Behind Qiao Sike, a subordinate who had participated in the Central Earth war as a mercenary stood frozen, cold sweat silently seeping from his forehead, voice raspy: "Is this... the thing I think it is?"

"Ah, maybe."

Qiao Sike's stern face twitched once, then again, barely suppressing the corners of his mouth.

Each unit, rented weekly for hundreds of thousands, with operational time billed by the minute, even to avoid damages and scrapping, with accompanying insurance costing millions per hour for the [industrial heavy exoskeleton]!

And now right in front of him stood forty-one exoskeletons, known as initial knock-off power armor, each unit had undergone basic transformation with fluid alchemy and alchemy creations blessed by the Legion!

When the third container was opened, everyone was speechless.

Inside were only sixteen strange, gigantic metal cubes, pieced together from countless intricate parts, yet no openings were found, blood-colored light flowed between the cracks, emanating a chilling and sinister aura.

Just looking at them made one's hair stand on end.

On the frontmost cube lay a remote control with a sticky note attached.

[Gift: Coast Escort Disposable Trial Pack, spiritual entry completed, usage time: 30:00]

"What the hell is this thing?"

Qiao Sike stiffened, instinctively cursed, as if that would dispel the chill that seeped into his bones.

Hesitant, for a long time, he finally took down the remote.

One red, one blue, two buttons, utterly simple, as if worried he wouldn't understand, even labeled with on and off!

It's all just for show, pretending to be mysterious!

Qiao Sike initially wanted to say this, until his finger instinctively pressed lightly on the red button... instantly, the metallic grinding sound came piercing from the container, sixteen cubes shook suddenly, then as the sharp scales opened and closed, bodies compressed to their limits gradually stretched, expanded, with piercing scraping sounds, the container's iron walls like thin paper were torn apart by the expanding scales.

Snake-like metal tails unfurled on the ground, and just before Qiao Sike, towering ominous shadows slowly rose, enveloping him entirely.

Six metal hands beneath scale-like armor unfolded, claws formed by four fingers grasped, ejecting a silver blade over two meters long.

Heavy armored assault-type autonomous device · Mermaid, activated!

"Authentication complete meow!"

The metal Mermaid with bizarre cat ears on its head inched closer, scrutinizing Qiao Sike's pale face, suddenly spoke: "Coast Escort, trustworthy!"

"Shall we start service now, boss?"

"..."

Qiao Sike said nothing, his pale face gradually flushing, turning red, barely caring about the blood pouring into his eyes from the wound.

He restrained the urge to tremble, but the corners of his mouth curved involuntarily.

Initially, it was like quiet breathing laughter, but gradually, unable to contain, laughing forward and backward, hysterically!

"Haha, hahahaha, hahahahaha..."

He turned around, looked at the stunned faces: "Did you all see? We've won, damn it, we've already won!"

"Tell all the brothers, eat freely, drink freely, tonight we counterattack Rot Swamp!"

Qiao Sike clenched the controller tightly, as if gripping fire from Hell, serpentine blood slowly streamed down from his maniacal laughter:

"Kill all those treacherous bastards, avenge the boss, and take revenge!!!"

Ten minutes later, the revenge ship loaded with the last resistors from the Broken Reef Branch set sail.

Drowning into the long night along with the blood-red dusk on the horizon.