Chapter 579: Chapter 563: The Gradually Dispersing Mist
This battle, from the start, has always been too mystical, providing enough evidence to support speculation in any direction.
For years the Pirate Group had been holding the position of “third leader” open for San Niang, with Hai Qianfan always only claiming to be the “temporary leader”. The moment San Niang returned, he willingly ceded power without showing any desire to fight for it. If he had wanted to control the Pirate Group, honestly, it would have been child’s play—San Niang would not have contested it at all. Was there really any need for such a performance?
Besides, over the years, there had been changes within the Pirate Group. Newcomers had been consistently educated about the existence of the third leader out there, to be followed upon her return. This wasn’t something that could be easily feigned; the attitude of the pirates was apparent at a glance.
In recent years, the Pirate Group has been trading secretly to earn money for the Four Symbols Sect, always diligently, even allowing them very little “under the table” money. This time, upon realizing that the Power of Faith was accelerating the Sea Emperor’s recovery, they were sent to persuade the fishermen and merchants of Xia Country to return, executing their orders meticulously.
They seemed to be loyal subordinates in every way.
Most importantly, the last time they were attacked at night by the Sea Race, it was deadly serious. Not to mention the heavy casualties among the pirates, the Sea Race’s elite forces suffered countless losses as well; powerful shark people, the dwindling number of Crystal Core water beings—they were all destroyed there, ordinary fish people lay strewn across the sea, dead or injured in disarray.
Could all this be an act?
To say it was a ruse to trap San Niang—but she didn’t fall for any traps. When she fought with the water beings, it was a close battle with no ambushes.
This time it looked as though the pirates had joined forces with Penglai to attack the small country’s fleet and suddenly it was to make sacrifices to the Sea Emperor?
Isn’t that absurd? Why not trust them once and assume there’s another reason?
Perhaps the two families were originally related, and had reached some secret agreement targeting maritime supremacy. The pirates might not even be aware of the sacrifice. Moreover, this kind of conspiracy must have been in communication for a long time, not something recently agreed upon, so it didn’t have anything to do with San Niang.
Even if you guessed that Penglai and the Pirate Group were one and the same from the start, playing a role and splitting into two factions to deceive the Sea Emperor, that would also be completely plausible.
How to judge, whether to trust Hai Qianfan once?
As Zhao Changhe communicated with San Niang about this matter in secret, San Niang couldn’t make a decision, only still responding with those three words: “It’s up to you.”
Willingness to listen was enough, Guigui’s charm lay in her willingness to hand over the decision-making power to someone else when her own mind was overwhelmed, rather than being stubborn.
And once the judgment was given to Zhao Changhe to make, he who had no connections with the pirates, naturally would not be swayed by emotion. He just needed to conduct a test. Pressed by Hai Changkong in disadvantage, he hadn’t used his left sword or right knife, instead hiding his skills and intentionally exposing flaws, appearing as if one more straw might break his back, ready to fish.
And the bait was taken as expected.
Hai Qianfan, who was over fifty, had been Dragon King Hai Pinglan’s guard commander back in the day, a few years older than the young Hai Changkong. Now with his whiskers white with age, his venerable and white-haired appearance truly looked honest.
At this moment, faced with San Niang’s furious fist, Hai Qianfan stepped back slightly and swung his sword diagonally: “The Princess was injured before, just now gathered strength to break the water being, and now is injured again… it’s better not to get so heated.”
“Snap!” Fist Power and Sword Light clashed, each taking several steps back. San Niang clutched her not yet healed rib injury, her expression icy cold.
Hai Qianfan was also not feeling well. With the stark difference in real strength, even his punch with injuries made him feel like he was going to vomit blood.
He took a deep breath, looked towards Zhao Changhe, who was still brandishing his sword and knife, dealing with Hai Changkong and Hua Zhenming’s combined attack, and said slowly: “Mr. Zhao’s test is actually very dangerous. One misstep already injured you at Hai Changkong’s hand. By doing this, I presume you’re inclined to see me as the enemy, preferring to take a risk to force me to reveal myself. Could I ask Mr. Zhao’s reasons? I want to know where I have shown flaws—is it really just because of this sea battle? The cause of this sea battle is indeed unrelated to what you two might think.”
San Niang glanced at Zhao Changhe, curious to know his reasons too.
Zhao Changhe pushed back Hua Zhenming with a sword and laughed, “My confusion started with Brother Hua… On the night when the base was attacked by the Sea Race, San Niang had just arrived and wasn’t in charge of commanding the fleet. It’s not surprising that she didn’t think to evacuate the civilians on Taiping Island, but as a pirate captain who constantly needs to shift locations and appear and disappear like a ghost, this should have been an immediate reaction. Yet, Brother Hua somehow didn’t think of this… I find such a fatal oversight hard to understand. What’s even more puzzling is that after the fact, Elder Hai didn’t even display the slightest rage or blame.”
Hua Zhenming’s face grew stern as his attacks became more frenzied, but, unfortunately, he was decidedly weaker, posing no threat to Zhao Changhe.
Hai Changkong, on the other hand, was quite interested in the conversation, refraining from using his ultimate moves and clashing swords with Zhao Changhe as if they were practicing martial arts, tingling and twanging with every strike.
“I can only understand it as Taiping Island was something you were ready to abandon, a gift for the Sea Race, maybe even as food to strengthen this new breed… Every race needs to eat, what do they eat after they’ve mutated and gained intelligence?”
The onlookers’ expressions changed dramatically.
“Of course, thinking this way is a bit conspiratorial, not something one should voice publicly, lest it seem petty, making a mountain out of a molehill from one mistake… Hence, I never mentioned this to San Niang,” Zhao Changhe continued. “But something else happened after that, and I really can’t understand it.”
Hai Qianfan asked in a deep voice, “Which is?”
“Commander Hai Changkong stated that there was a spy among the pirates, and they already knew the location of the new base the pirates had moved to… This is outrageous. The time frame is incredibly short; even moving locations takes several days. Someone must have immediately gone to report to the Admiral as soon as you settled at the new base to have this information transmitted so promptly. If someone sneakily left the base by boat as soon as you arrived at the new location and you didn’t detect it, how has the Pirate Group survived until now? Is Uncle Hai going to tell San Niang that you’re useless and it’s all been luck that’s gotten you this far?”
Hai Qianfan fell silent.
Zhao Changhe said, “That’s why I suspect that it wasn’t a spy who sent the message; the spy is one of you. Even the method of sending the message wasn’t by boat, but rather some sort of image transmission by the Sea Race. Your speed of information is far superior to ordinary people, and perhaps this is the main reason why you’ve dominated the East Sea for so many years, growing stronger and stronger instead of being annihilated by other forces. Otherwise, the growth of the Pirate Group surpassing other nations is too fantastical… You’re essentially the official pirate group of the Royal Family of Penglai, and that split from years ago was all an act.”
He paused and sighed, “I’m inclined to believe what you said earlier: ‘The cause of this maritime war really has nothing to do with the two of you.’ Perhaps it’s true that the cause of this maritime war is Penglai beginning to pull the strings, seizing the perfect opportunity of the ‘Sea God’s Decree to Eliminate Bandits’ to unify the East Sea.”
Even Hai Changkong couldn’t help but sigh, “Brilliant. Is there more?”
He appeared eager for more, like a book fan anticipating the next chapter.
“Although there is more, I don’t know it,” Zhao Changhe said. “Penglai aims to unify the East Sea, and the Sea Emperor won’t agree. It involves a game between the Dragon King and the Sea Emperor, some of you listen to the Dragon King, while others lean towards the Sea Emperor, creating a bewildering situation… San Niang and I inadvertently got involved, and because of San Niang’s identity, it influenced your allegiances even further, becoming more bizarre. As for what you really think, I’m not a worm in your bellies, how could I possibly know? Now that I’ve told so much of the story, can you reciprocate and clear up my confusion?”
Hai Changkong burst out laughing, “If all the people of Central Earth are like this, then I’d better stay in the sea for the rest of my life and not go ashore.”
At about the same time, far away in Penglai, Dragon King Hai Pinglan was receiving Xia Chichi, the Holy Daughter of the Four Symbols Sect, and they were drinking and talking.
It’s unknown how much they had discussed before, but at this moment, Xia Chichi’s expression was the same as the stunned onlookers on Dong’an Island, “San Niang is Your Majesty’s daughter?”
“She didn’t tell you?”
Xia Chichi scratched her head, “I joined the sect late and haven’t seen my Master Xuanwu much, so these things were never mentioned to me. Wait, I suspect even the Vermilion Bird Venerable doesn’t know about it; she didn’t mention it before I came.”
Hai Pinglan chuckled, “She doesn’t acknowledge me and doesn’t want to talk about the past. Aren’t you the same?”
Xia Chichi narrowed her eyes, “Your Majesty knows a lot about my affairs?”
Hai Pinglan seemed quite nonchalant, “The Wang Family guessed it, and I think they’re pretty close to the truth.”
Xia Chichi admitted unabashedly, “I don’t acknowledge him because he doesn’t deserve it. Why doesn’t my Master acknowledge you?”
“Because I don’t deserve it either,” Hai Pinglan said calmly. “I personally oppressed her, sent people to kill her, and told Changkong to show no mercy. If she had been killed, perhaps the Crown Prince would have been yours.”