World-Ending Demon Emperor
Chapter 743 - 365: Alliance and Marriage! Want to marry Suo Ningbing?

Chapter 743: 365: Alliance and Marriage! Want to marry Suo Ningbing?

Suo Lun finally met the master of the Hai Family of Yingzhou Island, Haigang!

This man’s ancestors were of the Yan Tribe, but by this time, there were few Yan traits left to be seen on him; his skin was somewhat dark, but much whiter than the Yan people.

Moreover, he was wearing a scholar’s robe, appearing gentle and refined as if he were a teacher at the Royal City Academy, instead of a regional overlord.

Just by looks, his face had no hint of a tyrannical air, but rather an air of delicate elegance.

If there was one thing about him that resembled a mighty ruler, it would be his height; he was considerably over one meter eighty tall and had very long arms that almost reached his knees.

Then there were his eyebrows, thick and black, like silkworms resting on his face.

What surprised Suo Lun was that at this moment, he was extremely courteous and even referred to himself as a person from outside the main society.

"Why does Lord Haigang show such presumption first, and then such deference?" Suo Lun said coldly, "I haven’t done anything yet."

Haigang said, "I was cold toward Lord Suo Lun from the beginning of the sea journey because I wanted to see what kind of temperament you have."

Suo Lun said, "Clearly, I have disappointed you. In just a couple of hours, I lost patience and seemed very lacking in subtlety."

"No..." Haigang said, "Your behavior has been very reassuring to me."

Suo Lun said, "Oh? How so?"

Haigang said, "Ever since two years ago, you rose meteorically, nearly undefeated in battle, obviously a person of supreme intelligence. I don’t think someone so intelligent needs to be so scheming. It worries me if someone who comes to talk about an alliance with me is too cunning."

Suo Lun said, "Yet your actions seem deeply calculative."

Haigang said, "Because I am scheming, I detest those who are equally scheming."

That statement was quite reasonable.

Haigang continued, "If I am not mistaken, Lord Suo Lun, you are here to discuss forming an alliance to deal with the Yan King?"

Suo Lun exclaimed, "You call him the Yan King?"

Haigang said, "My ancestors were from the Yan Tribe, and he indeed is the King of the Yan Clan, so naturally, I call him the Yan King."

Suo Lun said, "If I’m not mistaken, Lord Haigang, you are actively striving to ’de-Yan’ your lineage?"

Haigang said, "Lord Suo Lun is indeed perceptive. I have been working on removing Yan traits for over twenty years. It’s a complex feeling, maintaining Yan traditions makes my fleet powerful in battle. But if I do, not only my leaders but also the core of my fleet would identify with the Yan, and in the end, they might see the Yan King as their true lord, and all my efforts would be in vain for others to benefit."

Haigang was a smart man, and negotiating with such a person could be easy yet difficult.

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend," Haigang said. "Lord Suo Lun, as you have seen, I’ve always strived to align with the continent. I had two nations to choose from, but I’ve always chosen to be closer to the Rage Wave Kingdom and distant from the Flame Empire. The reason, I believe, you can see at a glance."

"The Flame Empire is too strong; getting too close, you risk being swallowed up," Suo Lun said.

"Exactly," Haigang replied. "Being close to the Rage Wave Kingdom is undoubtedly safer. So initially, I chose Ashi Luo because I valued his Demon Continent background, as well as his status as the number one noble of the Rage Wave Kingdom. I gave away thirty thousand of my navy as a dowry when he married, but in the first battle to eradicate Suo, my thirty thousand navy was annihilated by Lord Suo Lun. My first plan to align with the mainland failed."

Suo Lun shrugged. When Haigang spoke of the destruction of his thirty thousand navy, there was no hatred in his voice, only regret and sorrow.

Haigang continued, "Zhi Li thought you had died, so he launched the second battle to eradicate Suo. To please him, I deployed another ten thousand naval forces. In the end, it was a complete loss, my second plan to align with the mainland failed once again."

Suo Lun smiled and said, "So now, the third time to align with the continent has come."

Haigang said, "That’s right, Duke Turing Tuo did not disdain my daughter Hai Na’er for having been with Ashi Luo, and still arranged for his son Turing Chen to marry her. This has great comforted me."

At those words, Suo Lun was slightly taken aback.

Turing Chen was to marry Hai Na’er? Not to mention given Ashi Luo’s scoundrel nature, it’s unknown how he might have mistreated Hai Na’er. The key issue was that Turing Chen had been castrated temporarily by Suo Lun’s potions and secret techniques, rendering him incapable of performing marital duties.

Suo Lun smiled and said, "That’s indeed a reason to congratulate Lord Haigang. The Turing Tuo Clan is indeed the foremost military family of the Rage Wave Kingdom, the pillar that holds up the sky."

Haigang said, "Indeed it is so, but Lord Suo Lun, you rose too swiftly. Now, you and Zhi Li His Highness are equals, and it’s unclear who will win the battle for the throne. How can my Hai Family put all our eggs in one basket? Thus I’m uplifted and thrilled by Lord Suo Lun’s visit."

Suo Lun said, "Had it been before, it would indeed be unclear who would lose and who would win between Zhi Li and me. But now, the Yan Mo has cut off all my maritime trade, reducing my monthly Gold Coin income by sixty percent. My victory depended on a massive flow of Gold Coin, and with sixty percent less, I would be running a deficit. This time, the Yan Mo has truly caught me by the balls, leaving me unable to move."