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nChapter 225: Arms Trade and Island Tour (2)

nTranslator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

nDespite the significant growth in the strength of the Crown of the Ocean and its lack of fear towards conventional power attacks, involving itself in piracy continued to be a less respectable pursuit. Therefore, it was advisable to maintain secrecy.

nAfter all, he had become quite famous among players by now. If news got out, it could have led to a tarnished reputation.

nHowever, in the near future, he would need to completely give up this undertaking and undergo a complete transformation of his image.

nOnce they had passed the initial capital accumulation phase, they could continue to develop using more sophisticated means, such as trade or military escort services, without the need to risk their reputation as pirates and engage in plunder for resources.

nJi Chen suddenly realized that his strategy resembled certain modern-day practices of certain countries on Earth.

nMy apologies, truly.

n“Lord? Are you alright, my lord?”

nRaymond’s voice snapped him back to reality, and he cleared his throat before signaling to continue.

n“Oh, right, we were discussing the conflict between several duchies and kingdoms in the Northern Continent… It’s causing our previous products to be unable to enter those regions, resulting in poor sales. After all, with the outbreak of the war, the nobles had little interest in purchasing these luxurious wood materials. Fortunately, the appearance of the Elves resolved our concerns.”

nWar?

nAt the mention of it, Ji Chen’s interest was piqued, and he inquired, “You said that there’s a war between those duchies and kingdoms? How intense is the fighting?”

n“Although it only started a few days ago, I’ve heard it’s becoming incredibly intense, with millions of soldiers engaging in battle.”

n“And due to the war, the most lucrative business in the Northern Continent has become arms trading. Merchants from other places are buying weaponry and transporting them in shiploads.”

nSmack!

n“That’s fantastic!” Ji Chen clapped his chair’s armrest and suddenly stood up.

nRaymond was startled by the abrupt noise. “My lord, what’s so good about this?”

n“Of course, it’s this war!”

n“This war?”

nThe chubby man was utterly bewildered, scratching his head in confusion.

nThe war nearly obstructed the sales of the territory’s goods, so how could it be seen as something good?

nSeeing Raymond’s confusion, Ji Chen chuckled and explained, “Did I mention before that 1 conquered an underground lizardmen kingdom?

nThe lizardmen have exceptional skill in forging iron equipment. Our warehouse is stocked with a massive quantity of high-quality weapons and armor. Since there’s increased demand for arms due to the war, why not clear out this inventory?”

nAt these words, Raymond also grew excited, his mind racing and ideas falling into place. “If that’s the case, we should quickly sell them during this period. Otherwise, it might be difficult to sell them after the war ends.”

nJi Chen nodded in agreement. He had considered selling these weapon and armor stockpiles to players earlier, given their vast numbers and extensive market. However, he eventually dismissed the idea.

nThe reason was simple: players were scattered far and wide, resulting in a highly fragmented market due to geographical distance. The efficiency of buying and selling was remarkably low.

nBut this war provided the perfect opportunity to transport dozens of ships at once, sending them directly to the warring kingdoms and duchies. I was incredibly convenient.

nSuch a great money-making opportunity shouldn’t be missed!

nThe moment Raymond spotted the opportunity for significant earnings, his excitement surged, almost boiling within him. Without hesitation, he promptly sought permission.

n“My lord, I request to have these weapons and equipment loaded onto ships in the next few days. Please allow me to head to the Northern Continent as soon as possible. The larger the cargo, the better!”

nSeeing this, Ji Chen didn’t hesitate either, raising his hand and giving his approval.

n“I grant permission. You’ll be in charge of this matter.”

n“Understood!!”

nAfter saluting, Raymond, moving at a speed incongruous with his body, rushed out.

nJi Chen’s orders were absolute.

nSoon, from top to bottom, a large number of unused weapons and equipment stored in the warehouse were transported in batches from the underground lizardmen world. They were stacked in the port, sorted, packaged by specialized individuals, and then loaded into the cargo holds.

nNumerous warships had their cannons removed to create more space for cargo.

nThe Crown of the Ocean operated at high speed, astonishingly efficient. In just two days, over thirty ships were packed with goods, causing them to sit much lower in the water.

nAnd yet, despite all this effort, only about a third of the weapons and equipment from the underground lizardmen world had been transported out.

nThis showed just how abundant their inventory was.

nOn the third day at noon, Raymond, who hadn’t been away for long, once again boarded the ship. Under the watchful eyes of an attentive crew, he set off with a massive trade fleet.

nThe fleet consisted of thirty-two cargo ships and eight escort warships.

nThe New Moon Islands left fewer than ten warships as a defensive fleet.

nTo evade the pursuit of Monica and her followers, Ji Chen specifically had the fleet depart from the western side of the Stormy Sea and enter the shipping lanes directly.

nBy the harbor’s edge, as the trade fleet gradually disappeared on the horizon, he turned and headed back.

nReturning to the Lord Manor, he waited in the hall for a while.

nSoon, accompanied by the rhythmic sound of boots, Monica’s figure appeared by the side entrance.

nWatching her attire, a hint of astonishment flashed in Ji Chen’s eyes.

nToday, Monica seemed to have dressed up especially. Her shining golden hair, even brighter than the sun, was tied into a neat and elegant long ponytail, giving her a heroic and gallant air.

nShe wore a set of hunting clothes suitable for traversing mountains and valleys. A brown vest and checkered shirt highlighted her graceful upper body curves, and the contours of her chest were particularly alluring.

nJi Chen glanced at her equestrian pants and boots below her waist, silently marveling. How did he not notice before that this young lady had such captivating and alluring long legs?

nSeeing Ji Chen scrutinizing her, Monica’s eyes revealed a barely noticeable sense of delight and pride.

nShe was indeed very beautiful; previously, she had appeared disheveled due to the escape.

nBut then, does Lord Ji Chen have a thing for legs?

nMonica squinted her eyes, suddenly recalling that both Alice and the girl named Anina, as well as the castle’s maids, all had remarkably long legs. Thinking this, she became even more convinced of her idea.

nWith that in mind, she confidently walked over, her long legs moving gracefully, and greeted Ji Chen with a charming smile.

n“Lord Ji Chen, I’m ready. Shall we depart now?”

nJi Chen came back to his senses, smiling and saying, “Of course.”

nDue to some circumstances, Alice had been urgently sent elsewhere. Therefore, it fell upon him to receive the daughter of the Grand Duke and accompany her in exploring the New Moon Islands.

nAs Ji Chen pondered where to go first, he suddenly felt his arm being held tightly.

nLooking down, he saw Monica casually linking her arm with his. Seeing the surprise in his eyes, she blinked her large eyes and gave him a sweet smile. “Let’s go.”

nThis woman’s skills were quite advanced!

nAs a lord of the land, he couldn’t be intimidated by such a small gesture.

nJi Chen’s mind stirred, and he nodded with a smile.

nThis time, it was just the two of them traveling together. Their first stop was the most common sight on the island—the jungle.

nFor him, he had seen this jungle countless times and found it rather dull, even if it was beautiful.

nBut for Monica, everything here was so novel.

nThe towering and dense trees, the impenetrable vegetation, the small insects hidden among the leaves, the birds gliding low through the forest, and the meandering streams—all of it was a captivating experience for her.

nGrowing up in the palace, she found it all incredibly refreshing.

nHaving only taken a few steps into the jungle, she was already captivated by various sights, hopping around to observe everything, occasionally letting out excited exclamations.

n“Your Excellency, look, it’s a seven-spot ladybird!”

n“Your Excellency, it’s a dragonfly!”

n“Your Excellency, there’s a snake!!”

n“Your Excellency, there’s a butterfly!!”

nWatching Monica jump in alarm as a harmless snake passed by, only to chase after a beautiful butterfly with a childlike expression of joy on her face, Ji Chen couldn’t tell if she was acting or being genuine.

nIf it was an act, her acting skills were truly extraordinary..

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