Munitions Empire

Sometimes, power is just that simple, when someone plans to give you a city, and your heart remains undisturbed, just calmly promising to consider it—that is power.

Tang Mo stepped out of the reception room and into his small office, where he saw Li'ao and several confidants waiting for him.

Tang Mo briefly told them about the Dorne envoy's offer, then saw the astonishment on their faces.

He knew his subordinates were drooling over the port called Hotwind Port, but he also knew that further expansion now wasn't good for the Great Tang Group itself.

In fact, he had already lowered many standards due to rapid expansion, and being eager to expand their influence further wasn't a good thing.

So he began to explain, "Don't think it's such a good thing. Dorne is too hasty in expanding. They haven't firmly secured the territories they have already swallowed up."

"Unstable public sentiment, the vast territory, it will lead to backlash. Especially with Shireck―if they instigate rebellion in Dorne, things will get very complicated," Tang Mo said, sitting in his chair, staring at the huge map hanging on the wall in front of him.

"Then, what if we just take it over and not rush to develop it?" Li'ao thought for a moment, came up with an idea, and asked Tang Mo.

Tang Mo nodded and said to him, "That's also why I'm considering it instead of rejecting it outright. Dorne's expansion is risky, but taking Hotwind Port is actually not a problem for us at all."

"We just need to send a few people there, honestly and gradually develop it. After all, it doesn't need to become another Brunas, so it won't involve too much of our energy." As he spoke, he instructed Li'ao, "Bring over Hotwind Port's information, let's look at the situation there before making a decision."

The allure of a port is indeed great. Dorne's offer to cede Hotwind Port to the Great Tang Group actually includes many aspects.

This includes stationing Great Tang Group's troops in Hotwind Port, setting up administrative institutions, and establishing a complete customs tariff system. In other words, Dorne is recognizing Hotwind Port as a city-state within a nation, enjoying equal treatment from another country.

"Also, find 20 dandelions and send them to Dorne! Capture the essentials as much as possible; we don't want Dorne to make any major blunders..." After some thought, Tang Mo added another command.

Luff laughed and teased, "They're really getting a blessing in disguise. You know, so many people in other countries are waiting for our trainees, and they're getting 20 without lifting a finger."

"We're not giving it to them for nothing!" Tang Mo also smiled and said, "That's it for today. I'll leave tomorrow's negotiations to you, Li'ao. I want all the land within a 20-kilometer radius around Hotwind Port! Plus extraterritorial rights and two baron titles; that's not too much, right?"

"Nobility titles?" Li'ao was taken aback and asked subconsciously, not knowing what Tang Mo was fussing about nobility titles at this time.

"This is for you and Wes. After all, one is my intelligence director, and the other is my personal guard. It's not too much to confer a baron title, is it?" Tang Mo explained.

Wes was stunned; he had never imagined that he, a Ranger from Northern Ridge, could one day receive a baron title.

In theory, although he was just Tang Mo's driver and bodyguard, he was already a noble.

Li'ao was also stunned in place because he, as a criminal, had never thought that one day, in a foreign land, he would receive a noble title.

This was an honor that would glorify his ancestors, and in that instant, he was so moved he was nearly brought to tears, even feeling an impulse to worship Tang Mo.

"At your age, save the emotion for outside," Tang Mo said, sending Li'ao's tears back with one sentence. He then turned to Luff and said, "Don't be impatient, I've got someone coming to knock on my door for another deal soon, and after that, I'll consider a baron title for you and Tagg as well."

In his words, it seemed getting a title was an easy task, as if by merely asking, no one would refuse him.

Indeed, that was the case. Some nobles of the Leite Kingdom had repeatedly approached Tang Mo behind the scenes, hoping to nominate him as a count of the kingdom.

Even before Leite VII was crowned Emperor, they believed Tang Mo should receive the title of marquis of the kingdom.

At that point, upon the new Emperor's coronation, Tang Mo could rightfully become a duke. They'd even thought of the title for him: the Dragon Duke!

Of course, if Tang Mo didn't like it, the title could change, arranged entirely according to Tang Mo's wishes, with absolute attention to detail and meticulous care!

"Since I call you my lord, I will not be pretentious," said Li'ao, still with moist eyes, bowing his head to thank Tang Mo.

Wes didn't speak but just smiled and stroked his chin―he didn't need to express anything; his loyalty was worth this price.

Luff's face was also filled with smiles because he knew Tang Mo's promise would be fulfilled. He just had to wait a few days, and the title would fall on him.

The Shireck Consortium seldom put effort into matters of nobility titles; in fact, those who were pulling the strings behind the scenes at the Shireck Consortium did not want all their pawns to become nobility.

They looked down upon the world from their high vantage, as though they themselves were transcendental and noble.

Wes was the opposite; he rather enjoyed assigning interesting identities to his subordinates, such as making Susan, with whom he had a deep collaboration, into a singer who had now become famous far and wide.

Any theater that could secure her performance was guaranteed to sell out, making tickets highly sought after, leading countless people to go to great lengths to obtain one.

Before long, the situation had evolved to the point where not attending a performance by Miss Susan was tantamount to not qualifying as nobility.

Those who managed to secure a private box during Miss Susan's performances were invariably the most prestigious and influential local elites.

And this renowned female singer only wore dresses and adomed herself with jewelry designed by Great Tang Group's subsidiary, Grand Hall Fashion, in public appearances.

Thus, products from Grand Hall Fashion became the hottest luxury brands in fashion circles. Even a pair of socks with a Grand Hall Fashion label could sell for an astronomical price.

The next day, while Li'ao represented Wes in negotiations with Dorne's envoy regarding the ownership of Hotwind Port, envoys from the distant Poplar Kingdom finally stepped off the train onto the platform in Brunas.

Only now did they realize what Poplar Kingdom had missed out on—the sight of automobiles had already made them extremely nervous, as if they were treading on thin ice.

When they witnessed the trains, they were completely conquered by the power of technology. Before their eyes unfolded the great future ushered in by technological progress.

When the elves awoke on the train to find themselves nearing Brunas, everyone sensed the immense pressure weighing on their shoulders.

Owing such a formidable power 100,000 Gold Coins was anything but desirable. If the other party were to hold a grudge against Poplar Kingdom, the loss would outweigh the gain.

The entire city filled Fitteral with an inexplicable urge to worship. He looked up at the giant hot air balloon floating outside the train station, at a loss for words.

What brought him even more overwhelming pressure was the pace at which the entire city operated. No one here was not in a hurry; the streets were filled with either horse-drawn carriages or whizzing automobiles. Compared to here, the King City of the Poplar Kingdom seemed as tranquil as a retirement home.

As Fitteral walked along the bustling streets, he felt an almost surreal sensation. The towering buildings and the frighteningly bright neon lights made him feel like a country bumpkin.

There were even more chimneys than in Southwater Port, stretching out like a forest into the far horizon beyond his sight.

Entertainment venues, more resplendent than the Imperial Palace, lined the streets, where scantily clad girls shamelessly flirted, offering anyone with money the chance to find their "true love".

Nobles dressed in decent Brunas suits drove ornately decorated T-model cars with their partners, flaunting their status as the car horns punctuated the city's hubbub.

Everywhere the elves encountered wonders they had never seen before, groundbreaking achievements that overturned their cognition, and marvels that challenged their decades of life experience.

The Poplar Kingdom, which had not seen a shipping fleet come to Brunas Port in over a year due to debts, seemed to have missed out on something...

After witnessing what real prosperity looked like, these elves from afar had no doubt that the city before them was the largest metropolis in the world.

Moreover, when a few horse-drawn carriages really came to the station to pick them up and gave them a tour of Brunas, they harbored no doubts about the telegram they replied to back in Xidos.

It testified that Brunas truly had a means of long-distance communication with Xidos, which meant they had indeed provoked someone they shouldn't have messed with.

"Gentlemen, as the consortium's executives are quite busy, I will arrange for you all to stay at Brunas' Great Tang Hotel today. Tomorrow, the consortium's manager Harry will meet with you at nine in the morning," said the man responsible for reception, smiling in the carriage as he informed Envoy Fitteral about the schedule for the next day.

The other party made no inquiries about the convenience of the elves, directly arranging the entire schedule.

Clearly, this arrangement was not subject to change, for he didn't ask for any opinions from the elf side.

On the contrary, after making arrangements for the next day, the man charged with reception said, "Mr. Harry detests people being late, so everyone must be sure to leave on time tomorrow, as the carriages will not wait."

--------

Two updates for today, more to come tomorrow.