This Game Is Too Real
Chapter 713: Riddled with Embargoes

Chapter 713: Chapter 713: Riddled with Embargoes

At the southern section of the ceasefire line between the Empire and Jinjaron Harbor, at the outlet of one of the tributaries of the Everflow River, there is a small bay connected to it.

This bay has a nearly ten-kilometer-long coastline. The relatively high terrain of the peninsulas on both sides shields it from most of the wind and waves, forming a small natural good harbor.

Because the peninsula on the southern side resembles half a banana on the map, the nearby survivors simply named it "Banana Head Bay."

Due to its abundance of fresh water resources and tranquil waters, numerous fishermen from within a hundred kilometers regarded it as a shelter. Whenever a storm arose, they would steer their fishing boats into the densely wooded inland rivers on both shores to take cover, while they themselves hid in nearby pre-prepared shelters.

Some cargo ships bypassing the southernmost tip of the Poluo Province also chose to take refuge here from storms. Although they couldn’t enter the tributary of the Everflow River, they could shelter from the wind and waves between the peninsulas flanking the bay.

Over time, this place had turned into a fishing village of moderate size. A man with a large nose, who seemed to be from Weilante, even opened an inn called "The Forsaken Town" using a stranded derelict cargo ship. He provided cheap alcohol, food, damp moldy bedding, and even aging prostitutes for nearby fishermen and passing merchant sailors.

Perhaps it was because Jinjaron Harbor was too dazzling, or perhaps it was because the land was not suitable for farming, and it was mostly uninhabited most of the time, the Empire seemed to have selectively forgotten this land and never appointed a governor here.

Gradually, this place became a "paradise" for fishermen, sailors, and runaway fugitives and slaves.

However, recently, there had been significant changes here.

First, people from the Alliance planted a flag on the northern peninsula, then left without looking back. Soon after, a squad of Imperial soldiers carrying the Tiger army flag also arrived and, after some consideration, began clearing land and digging trenches on the southern peninsula.

The relatively low-lying Banana Head Village was sandwiched between the two armies. Although they couldn’t see the Alliance’s machine guns, the Empire’s machine guns were already mounted overhead.

The local fishermen, having never seen such a display, didn’t even wait for the Empire’s men to come and command them; they were frightened into jumping into their boats and fleeing the bay. They scattered along the coastline, some heading south, and others north, each returning to their own villages and homes.

And those sailors, lacking ships to come by, gradually disappeared from sight. Now, only some desperate outlaws with nowhere else to go remained hidden here, endlessly waiting for those favorable winds that never seemed to come...

It had been some time since crossing the "border line" of Jinjaron Harbor.

Since entering this hidden fishing village in the bay, Kunal’s heart had been pounding fiercely, his palms sweating while holding a bundle of burlap sacks.

Being a local from Jinjaron Harbor, particularly from the slums near the port, he had certainly heard of Banana Head Bay and the small fishing village located there, but he had never actually visited.

Ah Xin walked beside him, expression normal, but his hands remained in his pockets.

Behind him followed about twenty young men, all neighbors from the same street. They carried a variety of tools wrapped in plastic sacks used for corn, including sticks, hoes, and even fishing rods, which made it impossible to tell from the outside whether they contained guns or something else.

Glancing at the leader walking beside him, perhaps inspired by his calm demeanor, Kunal felt somewhat reassured and began observing the surroundings.

Most of the shanties here had been abandoned, only the stranded derelict ship still faintly lit by a flickering light.

The village, which should have housed two to three hundred people, now had fewer than half remaining.

And those remaining were either emaciated runaway slaves or ruthless characters with blood debts.

As Kunal quietly scrutinized them, the locals were also warily watching these unwelcome visitors.

Several menacing-looking men turned into the alley between hovels, and several dark windows on the street suddenly closed their shutters.

Every rustle of wind made Kunal tense up uncontrollably. He swallowed a lump of saliva and couldn’t help but move closer to Ah Xin, whispering,

"Boss, many people are watching us."

"Let them watch if they want to. Besides, we stand out," Ah Xin glanced at Kunal standing beside him and instructed softly, "Relax, act naturally, as if you come here often. The more afraid you appear, the more they’ll be tempted to act... Now, take a deep breath."

Kunal obediently took a deep breath.

Ah Xin hooked his arm around Kunal’s shoulder, pointing with his other hand to the only lit hotel "The Forsaken Town" lodged amid the beach.

"Imagine that it’s our property, not just that ship, but all the land on the beach..."

"Of course, we have to take it step by step. Once we make our first bucket of gold, I’ll start by buying that broken ship."

The now calmer Kunal looked at his boss, puzzled.

He could understand the residential project in front of the Governor’s Mansion since many citizens and merchants had already sniffed out the news and even foolishly offered to pay without having seen the houses.

But this was just an abandoned fishing village?

He couldn’t fathom what was worth investing in here.

The Alliance and the Empire’s positions were not far from here. Once His Majesty took action, this place could become the front line of a battlefield.

Even the fishermen living here had abandoned the place, leaving only some incorrigible fellows staring blankly at the sea.

He had indeed mentioned wanting to buy a ship, but he hadn’t meant a stranded, clearly irreparable wreck...

As Kunal was baffled, the group had already reached the only lit lamp in the village.

Through the rusty hull and door, the group standing at the entrance could already hear the faint sounds of clinking glasses and raucous laughter inside.

Swatting at the flies in the light, Ah Xin stepped forward and knocked gently on the door. Soon, footsteps approached, and with a creak, the door opened.

Unsurprisingly, a rifle-backing Imperial soldier stood at the door.

The tall, imposing man glanced at Ah Xin and his group of scrawny youths behind him, scoffed, and waved them away like shooing flies.

"Scram, this place is booked. Go beg somewhere else."

Unperturbed by his mocking tone, Ah Xin nodded respectfully, imitating the servants at the entrance of the Triumph Hotel.

"Please give my regards to your commander and tell him a businessman named Ah Xin has brought something of interest."

Before the soldier could scoff, Ah Xin withdrew his right hand from his pocket and slipped a hundred West Winds bill into the soldier’s hand.

The soldier’s face clearly showed surprise before discreetly pocketing the money.

"Wait here."

Ah Xin nodded slightly, watching the thick hatch door close again, patiently waiting for the hurried footsteps to fade away.

It didn’t take long for the footsteps to return and push through the thick hatch door once more.

This time, the soldier did not waste words but simply waved him over.

"You, come here."

Ah Xin asked,

"Can I bring my servant with me?"

Considering the one hundred West Winds coins from before, the soldier was hesitant to refuse outright and just said impatiently,

"Only one."

"Thank you."

Ah Xin gave Kunal, standing beside him, a look.

The latter, understanding immediately, turned around and whispered some instructions to the nervous young fellows following them, then proceeded to follow his boss through the hatch door they had opened with 100 West Winds coins...

...

The space inside the cabin was unexpectedly spacious.

The hotel’s owner had converted the lowest deck into a large dining hall where drinking and eating took place, and the guest rooms were up the ladder.

About fifty Imperial soldiers were seated at square wooden tables, loudly gambling with dice and fingers while drinking inferior beer and eating appetizers.

Kunal hastily glanced at the food and drinks on their tables, which were even worse than the swill poured at the Triumph Hotel.

A month ago, when he was eating dirt, he would probably have salivated over it, but now it only made him feel nauseous.

Unlike him though, these soldiers were enjoying their meal, each crunching on a fried bean accompanied by a big gulp of beer.

It was evident what kind of swill they usually ate.

Despite fearing the guns in their hands, Kunal, who had eaten and drunk his fill, couldn’t help but look down on these poor wretches from the bottom of his heart.

Without lingering in the hotel’s hall, the guarding soldier directly led them to a "private room" along the corridor of the cabin.

This place used to be either the captain’s or a prominent bedroom for rest, but now it had been turned into a VIP lounge. The not-so-spacious room had three old sofas arranged in a circle around a wooden coffee table, and the pungent smell of tobacco mixed with sweat was suffocating.

Five burly officers sat on the sofas, their faces flushed, displaying a drunken grin with a hint of ruffianism.

Their coats hung on a rack by the door, and they wore only a white shirt, each of them embracing a scantily-clad woman. At first glance, it was hard to tell who was at a disadvantage.

"So you’re the one called... cough, what’s it again?"

The officer seated at the center scrutinized the young man at the door and chuckled, rubbing his reddened nose before continuing, "I heard you’ve brought something I might be interested in?"

"Yes, esteemed Mr. Gerhardt, Thousand Leader of the Imperial Tiger Army," Ah Xin nodded slightly, respectfully saying, "My name is Ah Xin, and I’ve long admired your renown."

The air quieted for two seconds.

Gerhardt squinted slightly, the drunkenness on his body momentarily sobering up, and he looked at him with a half-smile.

"Where did you hear about me?"

It’s indeed this person.

Ah Xin kept his expression calm, but he breathed a sigh of relief internally.

He didn’t actually know the man in front of him but had heard from fishermen recently returned from Banana Head Bay that the leader of the thousand team up in the southern mountains was named Gerhardt. This man was a drunkard who often brought his cronies down to The Forsaken Town inn to drink, always putting it on a tab and often drinking all night long, babbling indiscreetly when drunk.

Of course—

He couldn’t tell this man the actual situation but used a vague general statement instead.

"A distinguished person in Jinjaron Harbor, waiting for good news from His Majesty, told me. He instructed me explicitly to find Thousand Leader Gerhardt, and he confidently told me that you are in charge of security for this entire area."

The officer named Gerhardt narrowed his eyes further, his changeable expression seeming to weigh something.

They had only been here for less than two weeks, yet someone had figured out not only the defensive setup here but even who was stationed here among the officers.

This "distinguished person" must have a significant status...

Undecided, Gerhardt continued to stare at the young man in front of him.

"You said you brought something of interest to me? Where is it?"

Ah Xin glanced at Kunal behind him, who nervously swallowed and stepped forward somewhat hesitantly.

Although he tried to mask it, the trembling of his hands betrayed his internal fear.

Observing those incessantly shaking hands, Gerhardt mocked the wriggling dog with a laugh and motioned to his subordinate with a flick of his index finger.

"I bet it’s a bag of black beans." The subordinate joked as he stepped forward, snatching the burlap bag from the clumsy man’s hands and deftly untied the hemp rope tied around the bag.

However, in that moment, as he saw what was in the bag, he froze.

A whole bag of West Winds coins...

He involuntarily swallowed.

Having been a Centurion for so many years, he had never seen so much money!

"...Sir," he quickly turned his head to the Thousands of leaders, his eyes filled with surprise and greed, almost visibly writing "let’s get moving" on his face.

Gerhardt, sitting on the sofa, of course, saw the sack stuffed with bills too. Although his reaction wasn’t as exaggerated as his subordinate’s, he couldn’t help but stiffen the smile on his face.

He lowered the leg that was propped on his knee, pushed away the girl who sat on his lap, whispering in his ear, sat up straight, and stared at the young man called Ah Xin, pointing with his chin at the sack filled with bills and asked.

"What’s this?"

"It is a gift entrusted by a noble to be presented to you," said Ah Xin with a slight nod, speaking with the politeness of a servant from a truly affluent household, "I wonder if you are interested in this gift?"

Kunal sneaked a look at Ah Xin next to him, sending him a look of surprise.

Before setting off they had clearly agreed that this was a "deposit" for the smuggled goods, so why had it suddenly turned into a gift?!

Gerhardt also stared at the young man called Ah Xin, his eyes filled with surprise, greed, and a barely noticeable apprehension.

Unlike his rather simple-minded subordinate, beyond money, he still needed to consider other issues.

The sack contained at least four to five hundred thousand, obviously not a sum that a destitute person from the Rat Clan could afford.

His mind raced, quickly cycling through the names of all the significant figures in Jin Galun Harbor, but still, he couldn’t figure anything out.

The atmosphere in the hotel lobby momentarily became so tense it was as if you could wring water out of it, the two soldiers at the door, under the suggestive gaze of the Centurion, unconsciously rested their hands near their guns.

Kunal swallowed nervously, concentrating on his ship and the girls waiting for tickets, striving not to let the look of fear show on his face.

Watching Ah Xin attentively for a long while, Gerhardt, the Thousands of leaders, said slowly.

"I’ll ask you again, where did the money come from?"

His voice carried a sharp edge, as piercing as his gaze, like a dagger pressed against the throat of a prey.

Taking a breath of the murky air, Ah Xin struggled to maintain his composure and continued.

"He prefers not to reveal his name, maintaining necessary mystery is better for both of us... You wouldn’t want to be seen as a troublesome issue once the ceasefire agreement takes effect."

"What the hell did you just say?" Suddenly, the Centurion on the sofa exploded, standing up with his sidearm already drawn and pressed against Ah Xin’s head.

For a moment, Ah Xin felt his limbs go cold.

In a daze, the man pointing the gun at his forehead seemed to transform into Vikram—the Wolf clan man who was shot in the head by him.

The way these men looked at him probably mirrored how he had looked at Vikram back then, as if staring at a dead man.

Even if they were scattered like rats by the Alliance on the battlefield, even if their abilities were no better than those of a pig, these powerful figures remained untouchable when standing before him; they could crush him with a flick of their fingers.

However—

He couldn’t die.

His family had just started living a good life, and the future would be even better. He still wanted to send his younger brothers and sisters to study in the City of Dawn, find them educated spouses, buy his first friend, Kunal, a boat, and ensure those depending on him had enough to eat...

He absolutely couldn’t fall before dawn!

Sitting on the sofa, the prostitutes were already stunned, and Kunal was frightened by the sudden drawing of the gun.

Ah Xin gently swallowed, struggling to hide his fearful expression behind a numb face, and lightly raised his hands, stepping back half a step.

"Calm down, friend," he said. "Killing me will only dirty your clothes and won’t change anything."

The man had already turned off the safety, his thumb flicking the hammer, but just as he was about to pull the trigger, Gerhardt spoke.

"What does that noble want me to do?" he asked, signaling with his eyes for the soldiers at the door to take the prostitutes out of the room, interestedly watching Ah Xin.

Seeing the gun moved away from his forehead and a door being closed nearby, Ah Xin knew that this man was genuinely interested in what he was saying, so he steadied himself and continued.

"It’s something quite easy for you, just turn a blind eye at the border, allowing the Empire’s goods to pass through to Jin Galun Harbor. The noble can assure you that you’ll receive forty percent profit from every shipment that enters the port."

Gerhardt scoffed.

"His Majesty has strictly decreed a ban on all persons and goods entering Jin Galun Harbor. That ’noble’ has some nerve."

"The entire border line spans hundreds of kilometers. His Majesty’s eyes can’t possibly cover every inch," Ah Xin said smoothly. "If he actually had that capability, your supply situation wouldn’t be the way it is now... I apologize for not finding a more polite description, but you know what I mean."

Gerhardt’s expression shifted slightly.

That guy not only grasped the strategic deployments and personnel arrangements of the Tiger Army but even knew about their supply situation?!

What the hell is the point of fighting then!

He had even vaguely guessed the noble behind this man.

To have such deep influence within the military system of the Empire, it couldn’t be anyone other than Prince Dilip. Even Governor Nehak couldn’t possibly!

Yet Prince Dilip should be detained by the Alliance at this moment—could the Alliance be involved in this matter too?!

As his heart churned with turbulent waves, Ah Xin’s mind raced, adding the last sentence to his impromptu speech.

"General Gerhardt, His Majesty’s hope to crush the Alliance with an embargo is unrealistic, and ultimately, it’s the Empire’s citizens who will suffer. Similarly, the Alliance’s hope to feed the entire city’s livestock from just one harbor is not cost-effective. They have to continuously spend their own money on corn to keep those people, who need to be well-fed to work."

"What does that have to do with me?" Gerhardt asked, narrowing his eyes.

"It has a lot to do with you," Ah Xin said earnestly. "They don’t wish for the survivors of Jin Galun Harbor to starve under their rule. If the goods from Banana Head Bay are crucial for the local survivors’ livelihood, I think even if the Empire and the Alliance were to clash again, they wouldn’t lay a hand on this place."

He couldn’t guarantee this, nor could he offer any assurances.

However, he couldn’t resist the identity of this "nobleman," which he had rationalized in his mind as Centurion Gerhardt wildly speculating.

Makes sense...

If he were the commander of the Alliance, he would bombard anywhere regardless, never targeting places related to interests.

Just thinking about it got him excited, and after pretending to consider for a moment, he spoke up.

"I don’t have time to calculate your profits, I am going to take a twenty percent cut from the total transaction amount."

This wasn’t a deal he could conclude alone; he needed to bribe some people too, including those in the ten thousand troops.

"No problem!"

Ah Xin agreed instantly.

Although he soon regretted agreeing too quickly, the other party seemed to be doing this for the first time and detected nothing unusual.

Thus, the matter was pleasantly settled.

Under Gerhardt’s command, the thousand team disguised as logistic purchases covered the transport of merchants and goods through the gates to the fishing village in Banana Head Bay, where payment and transaction negotiations were carried out in a hotel at The Forsaken Town.

For their first transaction, Gerhardt offered a total of six hundred tons of chickpeas and black beans at a price of five million West Winds currency.

This batch was priced at 4.2 West Winds currency per jin, even cheaper than the market price at Jin Galun Harbor before the Alliance’s landing!

The current price per jin of beans had already soared to ten, selling this batch at Jin Galun Harbor could almost double the profit!

Though Gerhardt generously waived the commission for the first deal, Ah Xin was well aware that this greedy fellow had surely included the cut in the total price.

As to where and how these many beans were scavenged, he didn’t bother to ask, after all, it was none of his business.

He simply proposed purchasing a batch of Double-headed Cows next time and asked Gerhardt to keep an eye on the flax and dye merchants, to which the latter readily agreed.

They agreed on a time for the payment.

In a show of cooperation, Gerhardt even grandly waved his hand, gifting the hotel, built on an abandoned ship, directly to Ah Xin.

For him, it was merely a matter of speaking a word.

As for the original owner of the hotel, he had been thrown into the sea with a stone tied to him a week ago for demanding unpaid liquor bills and having an insufficiently large nose.

To end up managing a shabby hotel in such a remote area and still be clueless—it’d be no surprise if he was actually a Rat-man from Weilante.

Moreover, was it not Gerhardt who had the final say?

The staff here didn’t even know their boss was gone, still hoping for that self-proclaimed Weilante old man to come back and settle their wages.

"...Farewell, friend, this was the most enjoyable drink I’ve had, and I hope it will be in the future too."

Standing at the hotel’s entrance, Gerhardt, with a joyful smile, drunkenly hooked Ah Xin’s shoulder.

Since being sent to this godforsaken place, this was the first time he hadn’t drunk till dawn and left satisfied.

Ah Xin respectfully nodded slightly, smiling at the officer.

"Welcome back anytime, I assure you that in a couple of days, you’ll be able to drink liquor truly befitting your distinguished status. Recently, Jin Galun Harbor received a lot of exquisite items available only for Silver coins, including those from the Residents of the refuge."

"Haha! Then I really have something to look forward to!"

Hearing this, Gerhardt was delighted, chuckling and patting the young man’s shoulder, clearly showing his stance in front of his subordinates.

Just by looking at their close interaction, one couldn’t imagine that Gerhardt’s men had just held a gun to this young man’s head.

Watching the group of soldiers head south until they were out of sight, Ah Xin lightly patted his shoulder.

As if brushing dust off.

The group of young men standing in front of the hotel looked at their boss with reverence, as if beholding a god.

But they didn’t know that just standing there without lying down nearly exhausted all his strength.

"Faster than I thought, I originally planned to make my first fortune and then buy this place, but it happened even before that..."

Clearing his nearly choked throat, Ah Xin resumed his original tone.

He first casually glanced back at the hotel, then glanced at Kunal, who almost had the word "admiration" carved on his face.

"Many guests will be coming here, we need to renovate this place... at least upscale it."

"Yes, boss! I’ll find someone to handle it right away," said Kunal, standing upright like a loyal soldier with no doubt about the "general’s" orders.

Ah Xin nodded, then looked over at the lowly shacks nearby and the fearful eyes hidden in the dark corners.

Before, those eyes dared to scrutinize him blatantly, now they didn’t even dare meet his gaze.

However, there was not a hint of ridicule or mockery in his heart.

The most important lesson he learned from the Empire’s catastrophic defeat in Jin Galun Harbor was unity, and he constantly contemplated how to unite these impoverished folks like him.

Money and dignity.

He just happened to have surplus to give them.

"Kunal, my friend, you were right... indeed, we need a ship to work with, and here we have a crew of inexperienced but manageable ’sailors’."

He paused, then softly added with contemplation.

"We might just find them some work to do."

Search the lightnovelworld.cc website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.