Chapter 850: 266. Noland walks the tightrope
“Oh? The Sea Monsters let them go?” Noland Lee took the letter from Selena’s hand and glanced at it, seeing the content he had anticipated.
He couldn’t help but sneer:
“Heh, interesting. The Sea Monster Queen is even playing mind games now.”
The letter in Noland’s hand came from the Island Affairs Department of City of Suman.
Last night, a small group of wizards who were dragged into the seabed managed to survive.
They returned to the Suman Archipelago, dragging their broken bodies.
...
This group included Yorksim.
These survivors claimed that they had witnessed the brutality, bloodthirstiness, and power of the Sea Monsters the previous night, a deep-sea might that human wizards could not possibly contend with, not even the Deep Sea Branch.
The Sea Monsters spared them, but they would not spare the Suman Archipelago, especially the Deep Sea Branch in the Core Circle and the City of Suman in the Inner Circle.
If they couldn’t submit the required magical supplies to the Sea Monsters within 30 days, then the Sea Monster Queen Isidora’s army would launch a massive attack on the City of Suman to wash away the shame of centuries past.
Sure enough, after a brush with death at the hands of the Sea Monsters, Yorksim and others had become loudspeakers spreading the Sea Monsters’ prestige throughout the Suman Archipelago.
These folks said the Deep Sea Branch was weak and incapable, calling for everyone to quickly prepare the supplies required by the Sea Monsters to avoid a dire situation in the City of Suman.
As the principal of the wealthiest family in the Suman Archipelago, Yorksim was willing to put forward a portion of his family’s wealth to shield the City of Suman, setting an example for others.
What’s worse, Yorksim also blatantly promoted the power of the Sirens Kingdom.
“Queen Isidora,” “Queen’s Domain,” and “Sirens Kingdom” were no longer secrets known only to Noland Lee and Selena. noveldrama
Yorksim had shared this information with wizard forces he corresponded with.
By the time Selena had received the letter, the rumors spread by Yorksim and others had already spread throughout the City of Suman.
Selena was shocked and angered by what the others had done.
However, Noland was calm, placing the letter steadily back on the table.
He knew more than what was shared.
There were two key pieces of information in the Deconstruction Results that hadn’t made it onto the letter.
First:
The magical supplies needed by the Sirens Kingdom referred to high-concentration Magic Stones, not materials for Magic Scrolls or Magic Circles.
Each high-concentration Magic Stone could store 10,000 points of Magic Energy.
This was urgently needed by the Sirens Kingdom.
As for the type of Magic Energy stored in the Magic Stones, the Sirens Kingdom placed no restrictions.
Second:
Yorksim, this guy, was going to make a secret pact with the Sirens Kingdom.
He indeed intended to lead the tribute to the Sirens Kingdom.
But after the tribute!
The Sirens Kingdom would fully return his supplies, and as a reward, give him a small portion from the other wizard forces’ tributes.
That’s why Yorksim was so actively urging other wizard forces to pay tribute to the Sirens Kingdom.
Noland hadn’t disclosed this to Selena, as he had other plans.
He considered his tone, feigning ignorance of the inside information, and sighed:
“Sea Monster Queen Isidora is quite impressive, truly worthy of being the queen who dominates the vast seabed territories, both brutal and fierce, yet possessing strategy and intelligence befitting her station. Yorksim and his group aren’t wrong; the Deep Sea Branch is too passive, nearly weak, completely led by the nose by the Sea Monsters.”
Noland paused:
“But rest assured, these days will soon be over. I promised to help the Suman Archipelago return to order and usher in prosperity, and I will do so. Call Lonco back now, and tell him I have a way for the Deep Sea Branch to turn the tables in the next month and a bit, but I need his help.”
“Okay, Jarvis, I’ll do it now,” Selena said with a deep breath. Then she asked:
“Aren’t you planning to show Yorksim and the others a big stick?”
Noland Lee smiled:
“I’m preparing to wield a different kind of big stick. Let them jump around for a while. The more they jump, the more we gain. Once Lonco is back, I’ll discuss the strategy with him. You don’t need to worry.”
“All right, I trust you.” Selena nodded and watched Noland leave.
Noland Lee was about to flip the table in a different way this time.
A way that could intimidate the Sea Monster Queen and help the Deep Sea Branch get a grip on the Mantas Family at the same time.
Of course, the prerequisite was for the Deep Sea Branch to be willing to take his favor.
If not, there was no need for Noland to help them through the current crisis, even with Selena as the link.
…
…
The next day, in Selena’s study room.
Noland Lee brought the non-metallic ore distribution maps as promised for four small islands.
Four islands, corresponding to four maps.
Before officially deconstructing the islands, Noland joined the “Ore Elements Association” as a member and got the advanced textbooks for “Ore-exploration Science” and “Ore-mining Science.”
These two Knowledge Skills had reached Level 50 now.
The reduction in Deconstruction Consumption they provided was quite astounding.
Noland had originally estimated that he would have at most five billion Energy Points leftover.
To his surprise, with the discounted deconstruction from the Knowledge Skills, he spent just over twenty billion Energy Points to obtain the four maps.
His Energy Points reserve remained at a high of nine billion.
The maps provided by the Deconstruction Core System were incredibly detailed, down to the underground depth, reserves, and grade of the ore veins.
Noland compiled the four distribution maps into a Magic book.