Chapter 47: Alliance
The coffin exploded on the spot, but this didn't interrupt the continuation of the memorial service. Since it was originally an empty coffin, Su Xiao immediately had it replaced.
The memorial service continued. Su Xiao stepped toward the inner side of the venue and, after entering the meeting hall inside, casually found a chair and sat down.
Before long, Vice Officer Belock hurried in and said in a low voice, "Sir, the people on the list have been notified."
"Mm, you may withdraw."
"Yes."
Vice Officer Belock retreated. A few minutes later, Kingsley's nephew, Hao Huo, and the others entered the meeting hall. Besides these individuals, there were also a lieutenant general and a major general from the Southern Alliance and the Eastern Alliance.
The four old men representing the two major financial conglomerates also arrived. The four of them could fully represent the Southern Alliance and the Eastern Alliance.
Everyone took their seats. Su Xiao sat at the head of the table, scanning the room.
"I deeply regret Kingsley's death. The departed have passed on. Shouldn't the living take this as a warning?"
Su Xiao placed a golden button on the round table. Seeing this golden button, Kingsley's nephew, Hao Huo, and the others all had slight changes in expression.
"This is Lord Kingsley's…"
"That's right. He had it sent back before his death and conveyed a message to me: Emperor Taiyatu is still alive."
Su Xiao lit a cigarette and tossed three more documents onto the table.
"Not long ago, Kingsley and I clashed on an unknown continent, fighting over the dangerous object S-006, the Mermaid. For now, let's call that unknown continent the Western Continent. After returning to Jiaman City, I investigated records about the Western Continent and learned that it is the territory of the Taiyatu Civilization. To this day, the Taiyatu Civilization exists in a special form."
With that, Su Xiao opened a document bag and signaled to Tide Hunter behind him to distribute these documents to everyone. Tide Hunter snorted coldly but didn't refuse Su Xiao's request and handed out the documents.
"The Taiyatu Civilization is older than the era of the many kingdoms. The origins of the Holy Knight Order, the earliest firearm technology, and steam technology can all be traced back there. A few days ago, Kingsley and I secretly allied. He was responsible for probing the situation on the Western Continent, while I stayed on the Eastern Continent to suppress the civilian supernatural forces here. The result is obvious—Kingsley is dead. So, I propose a full-scale war against the Western Continent."
Su Xiao extinguished his cigarette and, in the calmest tone, spoke words that could change the configuration of the three continents.
"Full-scale war? How full-scale?"
An old man with a monocle spoke up.
"Deploy all steel warships, over 70% of military soldiers, over 90% of the supernatural beings from the Mechanisms and Eclipse Organization, and gather resources to urgently manufacture high-power explosives…"
"Hold on."
A hook-nosed old man interrupted Su Xiao. He said, "Aside from war, isn't there a more diplomatic approach? For example, negotiation, trade annexation, economic pressure."
The hook-nosed old man clearly opposed a full-scale war. War was just burning money. Kingsley's death certainly made everyone vigilant, but in the eyes of those in power, interests and authority came first.
"Initially, Kingsley and I had the same idea. So before he set out, he dispatched three steel warships loaded with daily necessities, ornaments, and crafts. You've all seen the result."
Su Xiao tapped his index finger on the documents on the table. Hearing his words, the four old men representing the two alliances fell silent.
"That was Kingsley's personal action. Just because he couldn't do it doesn't mean no one else can. I deeply respect Mr. Kingsley, but he's not a god."
A young man wearing rimless glasses spoke up, pushing up his glasses as he talked. He was a young high-ranking official from the Southern Alliance, whose father nearly monopolized the maritime trade business. Clearly, this side didn't support going to war.
Hearing this, the four old men around the table all smiled. The young man's humor amused them. Each of them had been outmaneuvered by Kingsley at some point.
"From today onward, I resign from my position as Legion Commander of the Mechanisms."
Su Xiao pulled out a badge and placed it on the table. Everyone around the table looked puzzled, not understanding what Su Xiao was up to.
"This is intelligence I obtained from the Extreme Southern Cold Land. Please take a look."
Su Xiao opened the second document bag and signaled Tide Hunter to distribute it. Tide Hunter poked Su Xiao's lower back with his thumb, as if to say, "Do you really think I'm your secretary?"
After Tide Hunter distributed the documents, the few people around the table examined them carefully. The records about Moon Wolf were sparse, mainly focusing on Emperor Taiyatu, the threadworms, and so on.
"Every living being on the Western Continent hosts threadworms within their bodies. This makes them savage, irritable, aggressive, and highly combative.
Emperor Taiyatu no longer needs civilization. What he wants is rule and immortality. Those primitive warriors parasitized by threadworms are the monster army he has cultivated. The Abyss Passage grants him immortality, but suppressing its revival requires unimaginable resources. As a result, the Western Continent has become barren and unfit for survival. Once resources are completely exhausted, what will Emperor Taiyatu do?"
Su Xiao scanned the room. Beside him, Baha was about to speak when someone else spoke up first.
"Plunder."
Kingsley's nephew's tone was resolute.
"Plunder from us."
Hao Huo put down the document in his hand, saying this while inwardly speculating on the document's authenticity.
"That's right, plunder from us. Whether my words are credible is for you to verify through your own channels. I believe that among you, some already know about the Western Continent and the existence of those threadworms."
Su Xiao's finger tapped the golden button on the table as he continued:
"Rather than waiting for them to come and plunder, I prefer to strike first. Everyone, this isn't a puzzle—it's a choice. Do we take the initiative, moving the battlefield to the Western Continent, or do we passively defend, letting the war spread to the Eastern and Southern Continents? That's your decision. I regret Kingsley's death, but interests are interests. Ultimately, what we're discussing today isn't revenge—it's the gain and loss of interests. War burns money, but being invaded means having your money stolen."
Su Xiao's words left everyone in the room silent, weighing the pros and cons. If Su Xiao had gone on about avenging Kingsley, those four old men would have nodded in agreement but contributed nothing.
They were grieved by Kingsley's death, but only grieved. If dinner was delicious that evening, they might temporarily forget about it. But now, the situation had touched their immediate interests, and that was intolerable—enough to keep them awake at night, even wrench their hearts.
"A scattered force will cause us greater losses in war. This is an opportunity. Now that we have a common enemy, we should temporarily unite and give them a beating."
Su Xiao emphasized the word "temporarily," raising his voice. A full alliance would only be possible if the situation was dire, but a temporary alliance was easy to achieve, and afterward, everyone could go their separate ways.
"What does Legion Commander Bai Ye mean?"
The hook-nosed old man feigned confusion, though in truth, he was as clear as a mirror. He just found some words hard to say outright.
"Form a temporary alliance, elect a temporary supreme commander to direct the war."
"Agreed."
"Seconded."
"Mm, this proposal isn't bad."
"And the candidate? Who will be the supreme commander?"
Kingsley's nephew delivered a perfect assist. Truly worthy of being Kingsley's close associate.
"I recommend that the supreme commander be Kingsley."
Su Xiao spoke. He wasn't worried about the still-living Kingsley seizing power. Only a "dead" Kingsley could serve as supreme commander. If Kingsley miraculously came back to life, the position would immediately become vacant. Given the current situation, no living person could become the supreme commander of a temporary alliance.
"This proposal… isn't bad, not bad at all."
"Mm, honoring the departed Kingsley. Legion Commander Bai Ye is thoughtful."
"Seconded."
The four old men passed it unanimously. Hao Huo, the representative of the Eclipse Organization, naturally supported it too. Dean Victor and Lady Xiu Lin had no objections either.
"The supreme commander is settled. As for the deputy commander…"
Kingsley's nephew looked troubled, delivering another perfect assist. Hearing this, Dean Victor tapped the table to draw everyone's attention and said, "Let's vote."
Dean Victor followed up the assist with a double strike.
"It has to be this way."
"Let's begin."
Everyone tore a piece from the documents in front of them and started voting.
The result was a foregone conclusion. Just moments ago, Su Xiao had resigned from his position as Legion Commander of the Mechanisms in front of everyone. He was now a free agent, the convener of this meeting, and the provider of various intelligence.
"Everyone, this meeting ends here. I am no longer a Legion Commander of the Mechanisms. Farewell. If fate allows, we'll meet again. I'll take my leave."
Su Xiao made as if to stand and leave. Just as he rose, the hook-nosed old man across from him said, "Deputy Commander, where are you going?"
The hook-nosed old man smiled, pressing the paper slip in his hand onto the table. On it was written: "Kukulin Bai Ye."
The other three old men, Kingsley's nephew, Dean Victor, Lady Xiu Lin, and the others all smiled. Their thoughts were unanimous, to use a modern analogy: "We're all thousand-year-old foxes—why are you putting on an act of innocence?"