"So what?" Chen Qing smiled at everyone, "When you're enjoying the good life, you remember we're all players. But when you're monopolizing things, I don't get to enjoy any of your benefits."
Everyone: "."
" Your Lord King of Qin, what are your conditions? Speak plainly." A deep voice came from above, clearly indicating that the probing had been completed.
Knowing his own inferior background, the other party was already at a disadvantage in negotiations. Expecting him to make concessions based on his fellow townsman status was obviously unrealistic. The other party had amassed such power in just a few years, so he was certainly not a soft-hearted saint.
"Then I'll be frank," Chen Qing said with a smile. "First, let me state that, nominally, I will have no connection with the Heavenly Python Palace, and this aid to you will not involve directly confronting the imperial army."
"Then what are you doing here?" a female voice scoffed from above. "Taking over territory?"
That's roughly the idea.
"Your Highness King of Qin," the guild leader of the Divine Martial Guild frowned, "Even when negotiating, there should be limits. Wanting benefits without giving up anything? It's not that easy."
"Why not?" Chen Qing laughed. "The conditions you offered are just so-so. Although I do want a share of the pie in the North, compared to defying the world, this little bit of benefit is a complete loss, isn't it?"
"So what do you want?"
"I will enter the Northern Lands under the guise of assisting the imperial court. You, as insiders of the Heavenly Python Palace, will provide me with information on which areas are easier to conquer and which are inhabited by more formidable snake demons. I will currently occupy the vast majority of the territory, blocking the imperial court's path to expanding its power, while you will retreat to the Northern Wasteland, creating a stalemate. If the other side still wants to devour my territory, then a fight will be justified."
"You have quite the appetite." Beside him, the guild leader of the Tianhua Guild looked at Chen Qing. Under the gray bamboo hat, there was a distorted void that Chen Qing could not see through.
"We'll act as inside agents, and you'll try to seize the territory first? What's in it for us? And can you even handle it?"
The guild leader of the Divine Martial Guild chuckled, "Do you think we'd agree to such conditions?"
"Why not agree?" Chen Qing sneered, "What kind of situation are you in now? Still trying to negotiate? Don't assume we're all family just because someone from your hometown calls you that. Once you recover, the danger you face is far greater than that of the Xiao Household emperor, isn't it? Being allowed to retain some of your strength and have a passage through the Northern Wasteland is already a good outcome. Do you really want to keep the entire North and the Heavenly Python Palace?"
"What an arrogant newcomer." The guild leader of the Tianhua Guild looked at Chen Qing, and an invisible pressure piled up in the void.
Chen Qing smiled but remained silent. He didn't believe the other party would dare to make a move from his position.
Any energy disruption here could cause an irreversible void storm, and the Fourth Guild that controls this area would certainly not allow it.
Sure enough, the next moment a voice came from above. "Alright, enough with the intimidation tactics. This guy clearly knows where he is."
Upon hearing this, the leaders of both guilds fell silent instantly.
Having immense power, yet being forced to watch helplessly as a mere insect squawks arrogantly, is truly an extremely unpleasant experience.
It seems that after this Samsara, we need to increase our efforts in the initial planning stage.
"I only have one question for Your Highness King of Qin," a deep voice from above inquired of Chen Qing, " King of Qin Highness has quite the appetite, but I wonder if your current forces are sufficient to meet it?"
--
"My lord, this is indeed a bit of a stretch!"
After learning the overall plan, Tian Heng and the Shen Family all frowned as they looked at the map.
Jiangnan expanded too quickly this year. First, it took over the West Sea. Including many island nations overseas, its area has increased at least tenfold. However, the overseas island nations are all empty islands and there is no pressure from the other three seas for the time being. Even with its exaggerated size, the required military force is actually less than that of the Southeast region.
However, whether it's clearing land for human settlement or defending against undead that haven't been completely cleared from the seabed, a certain number of people are still needed.
With the previous military strength, it would have been just right to hold Jiangnan and expand into the West Sea.
That year, they not only conquered the southeastern lands but also opened up the Northern Wasteland region in the North Sea.
In the south, we need to fight against the Southern Wilderness Barbarians beyond Tiannan Pass, and we also need to guard against the imperial court and Cloud Capital, even though Tian Heng has been desperately recruiting soldiers recently, manpower shortage is still the norm.
The submission of Northern Yan was originally a benefit, but now, along that line in the Arctic, it's impossible to leave no troops behind. The alliance states that the North Sea will not be invaded, so are we just going to leave an empty city there?
The battle lines have been stretched so thin that the once abundant military strength in Jiangnan is now extremely strained!
"How are our current combat-ready troops? And what about the newly recruited troops?" Chen Qing asked the crucial questions.
The terms were agreed upon, and both parties signed a contract, but the other party cleverly added a clause.
If the allies cannot hold the entire territory of the Northern Lands, then they have reason to send troops to occupy the places captured by the Northern Court for their own safety!
In other words, the opportunity is given to you; if you are useless, you can't blame us for doing our part to protect ourselves.
It was obvious that the shrewd enemy had realized that their forces couldn't possibly be that sufficient.
"Let me speak first," Tian Heng said. " The West Sea Army currently has 300,000 combat-ready soldiers, but their overall strength is not as good as that of the Fighter Army, which is at least Fifth Rank. Most of the lower-ranking soldiers are still hovering around Rank 6 or 7. The elite force numbers 30,000, and almost everyone is at Rank Third Rank or above. They are mainly stationed at the border between Tiannan Pass in the Southern Wilderness and Cloud Capital, to deter both sides. My suggestion is that the soldiers in these two locations should not be moved."
Chen Qing nodded upon hearing this. After being driven back last time, the Southern Wilderness had been unwilling to accept defeat. Several scouts reported that a large number of troops were lingering around Tiannan Pass. It seemed that King Chujiang had not been able to successfully contain the other barbarian states, or at least had not fallen into civil war.
The contract only covered the Northern Lands, not the Southern Wilderness wilderness. If the other side wanted to cause trouble and try to divert their troops from the south, it was entirely possible.
As for Cloud Capital, that place is incredibly mysterious. Even now, Chen Qing doesn't know who's behind it all. As the capital of a former dynasty, it's impossible for it to be completely devoid of fighting power. The remnants of the former dynasty, those who once pledged allegiance to the King of Qin of Qin, and the forces of guild players may all have infiltrated there. The unknown is what needs the most vigilance.
With the protection of the West Sea Island, Tian Heng's West Sea Army, which is capable of fighting, probably only has a little over 100,000 low-ranking soldiers of the 60,000 to 70,000 ranks.
"We can withdraw 20,000 troops from North Sea City," Xu Hu said from the side. "By combining them with the garrison troops on the northern front, we can muster 50,000 elite troops of the Fourth Rank and above, and 100,000 of those below the Fifth Rank. That's the most we can manage!"
Chen Qing fell silent upon hearing this.
A force of over 100,000 soldiers would have been the peak military strength of a dynasty in ancient times. But the world is different. The population and territory are on a completely different level. The territory of the Northern Lands alone is comparable to a map of ancient Asia and Europe. A force of over 100,000 soldiers trying to conquer so much land is impossible.
Obviously unlikely!!
One more chapter will be released later.