The boundless sea, bathed in the light of the setting sun, seemed to be cleft into two entirely different worlds.
On one side was the fleet of Flood Dragon Island, comprising over thirty warships. Having just changed masters and currently undergoing reorganization, their momentum was ferocious yet somewhat disjointed. The black banners bearing the silver character "TRAN" fluttered in the wind, exuding a mysterious and overbearing aura that could not be underestimated.
On the other side was the fleet of the Dai Viet imperial navy, boasting over fifty warships. Banners blotted out the sky, armor gleamed, and their formations were impeccably strict—as steadfast as a fortress of iron and steel upon the water's surface. The killing intent radiating from them was not the savagery of pirates, but the ironclad discipline of an orthodox army tempered through a hundred battles. The commander's banner in the center, bearing a golden character "Ly" (李) embroidered on crimson fabric, flew proudly, carrying the majestic authority of the entire Imperial Court.
Between the two fleets lay an empty expanse of sea. The air here was thick, taut as a bowstring; it felt as though a single stray spark could detonate an earth-shattering naval battle.
Tran Kien stood at the prow of the largest black ship. He had donned the lightweight black battle armor left behind by the Black Flood Dragon King, with the matte-black saber strapped to his back. He stood there in silence; his frame was not towering, yet it was as steadfast as a lighthouse amidst a raging tempest.
Beside him, Old Whale and Barbarian Bull wore incomparably grave expressions.
"Ly Kinh Thien..." Barbarian Bull murmured the name, his eyes brimming with complexity and deep apprehension. "He is one of the Five Tiger Generals of the Imperial Court. He has spent his entire life fiercely loyal and devoted to the nation; he is unyielding and detests evil as much as he hates his enemies. Stationed in the southern seas, he has always viewed pirates as a thorn in his side. For him to personally lead a grand army here this time, I fear..."
"I fear he hasn't come merely to talk," Tran Kien finished the sentence, his voice remaining placid.
He knew this was a trial far greater than the battle with the Black Flood Dragon King. Against the Black Flood Dragon King, he could utilize absolute martial power to suppress his foe. But facing a Great General of the Imperial Court who represented absolute righteousness, he could not strike recklessly. A single misstep, and his Flood Dragon Island would be instantly branded with the crime of "treason," becoming the public enemy of all Dai Viet.
From the navy's flagship, a small boat was lowered. A general clad in silver armor, his hair and beard peppered with grey yet his back as straight as a spear, rowed the small boat alone, slowly approaching.
It was none other than Ly Kinh Thien.
He brought no guards. A single man, a single boat—venturing straight into the tiger's den. This sheer audacity alone was enough to command profound respect.
When the small boat was a mere ten zhang from Tran Kien's black ship, Ly Kinh Thien stopped. His tiger-like eyes held not a shred of fear; as sharp as a falcon's, they locked straight onto Tran Kien.
"This old man is Ly Kinh Thien, commander of the southern naval forces," he called out, his voice as booming and resonant as a bronze bell, echoing across the sea. "Is the one standing at the prow the new chieftain of you Flood Dragon Island pirates?"
"This humble one is Tran Kien," Tran Kien replied, no longer concealing his identity. "I was fortunate enough to be given face by the brothers of Flood Dragon Island, and am temporarily managing this place."
"Tran Kien?" Ly Kinh Thien knitted his brows. He seemed to have heard this name before in confidential reports from the imperial capital. "A nameless nobody who could defeat the Black Flood Dragon King with a single slash, a peak-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator? Your Excellency is far too modest."
He clearly knew everything. The Imperial Court's intelligence network was no mere decoration.
"Great General Ly has led a grand army here today," Tran Kien did not beat around the bush, cutting straight to the point. "May I ask what instruction you have for us? If your intention is to eradicate pirates, our Flood Dragon Island has already established new rules; we no longer pillage the common people. If the Great General does not believe me, you may inquire with the merchant guilds."
"Hah! Do you think a single sentence claiming you no longer pillage can wipe away the monstrous crimes your kind has committed over the past centuries?" Ly Kinh Thien bellowed, the coercive pressure of a Great General erupting from him. "The Black Flood Dragon King is dead. But Flood Dragon Island remains. According to the laws of Dai Viet, you have only two paths. First, lay down your weapons and follow me back to the capital to face judgment. Second, resist the heavenly army, and your entire force shall be annihilated!"
There was no third path. This was the unyielding, ironclad nature of Ly Kinh Thien.
Aboard the Flood Dragon Island fleet, the pirates gripped their weapons tightly upon hearing this, their eyes flashing with savagery. They were accustomed to absolute freedom; telling them to return to the capital to face judgment was no different from telling them to go to their deaths.
But Tran Kien was not the least bit angered. He merely looked quietly at the old general before him. He saw the man's unyielding nature, but he also saw the exhaustion hidden deep within his eyes.
He does not wish to fight. Tran Kien instantly realized. If he truly wanted to fight, he would not have come here alone to waste his breath. He is probing. Or... he is searching for something.
A stratagem flashed through Tran Kien's mind. He would not clash head-on. He would hand the man an excuse. An excuse to avoid war.
"Great General Ly," Tran Kien suddenly spoke. "Your words are entirely correct. The crimes of Flood Dragon Island truly cannot be erased. But do you know who truly stands behind them, backing these pirates and allowing them to run rampant for all these years?"
Ly Kinh Thien froze.
Tran Kien did not wait for his reply. He retrieved an object from his robes and tossed it toward Ly Kinh Thien's small boat.
It was a ledger. The very ledger he had seized from the lair of the Black Eagle Fort. Within its pages were meticulously recorded the instances where the Marquis of Vinh An had secretly colluded with and ordered pirate factions to attack rival merchant guilds.
Ly Kinh Thien caught the ledger and quickly flipped through a few pages. The old general's complexion grew increasingly unsightly. The hand gripping the ledger trembled with rage.
"MARQUIS VINH AN!!!" he roared, a bellow infused with towering, heaven-shaking indignation. "That treasonous thief of the state! Daring to collude with pirates, harming the commoners, and manipulating the economy! His crimes warrant a myriad of deaths!"
"Great General," Tran Kien said, his voice brimming with utmost sincerity. "This humble one seized Flood Dragon Island not out of greed, but to sever an arm of that national traitor. I know that my meager strength alone is insufficient to stand against an entire Marquis's Estate. But I believe that within the Imperial Court, there are still loyal ministers like the Great General, who devote their hearts entirely to the nation and its people."
"Today, our Flood Dragon Island is willing to submit to the Imperial Court. We ask for no official titles. We only beg the Great General for an opportunity. Allow us to serve as a vanguard force, a dagger upon the seas, to assist the Great General and Duke Dinh Quoc in eradicating the Marquis of Vinh An's wings in these southern waters!"
A flawless theatrical play! The stratagem of "The Guest Usurping the Host" had been masterfully adapted. Not only did he resolve the immediate crisis, but he also transformed the enemy into his "superior," officially and righteously converting Flood Dragon Island from a pirate crew into an army of "justice."
Ly Kinh Thien was dumbfounded. He looked at the youth before him, a tidal wave of shock surging in his heart. This scheme, this vision, this majestic bearing... could this truly belong to a mere youth?
He remained silent for a long time. He was torn. According to military law, he had to obliterate Flood Dragon Island. But according to reason, cooperating with this faction to deal with the Marquis of Vinh An was an incredibly advantageous chess move for Duke Dinh Quoc.
Finally, he took a deep breath.
"You want me to trust you?" he said. "Very well. I will give you a chance to prove it."
He pointed a finger toward the south.
"In half a month, my naval forces will conduct a massive 'military drill' in these waters. A few of our ships will 'accidentally' stray into the territory of Black Water Island, an even more loyal hound of the Marquis of Vinh An."
"If you are able to, while we are 'drilling,' 'accidentally' annihilate them and rescue my men. Then I," he ground out every word, "will temporarily trust you."
Having said that, without waiting for Tran Kien's reply, he turned his boat and rowed back toward the flagship.
A short while later, the mighty fleet of the Dai Viet imperial navy slowly altered its course and departed.
A life-and-death game of chess had been resolved by a political chessboard of far greater complexity.
Tran Kien stood there, watching the fleet fade into the distance, the corners of his mouth curling into a faint smile.
"It seems," he murmured, "the journey back to the imperial capital will have to be delayed a little longer."