The boss of a foreign organization called the police, claiming that he was defrauded by me

Song Jitian nodded and said:

"Alright! We'll do as you suggest! Mr. Yang Xia, I'll leave this matter to you and Lord Sun. I will fully support you."

"If you need any supplies or manpower, you can report to me at any time."

Yang Xia and Sun Zhengming responded in unison:

"Your Majesty, please rest assured, we will make all necessary preparations and will not allow the Nebula Kingdom any opportunity to take advantage of us!"

Song Jitian nodded in satisfaction, and after discussing some details about the follow-up arrangements with the two, he let them leave the palace.

After leaving the palace, Sun Zhengming looked at Yang Xia and said:
"Mr. Yang Xia, it seems we're in for a busy time."

However, with you here, I believe we can definitely handle any challenge from the Nebula Kingdom.

Yang Xia smiled and said:

"As long as we work together, there is no problem that cannot be solved."

Let's go, we still have a lot to do.

The two walked side by side on the stone path outside the palace, the sunlight shining on them as if gilding them with a golden glow.

They knew that although they had won this time, the real challenge was yet to come.

The threat from the Nebula Kingdom is ever-present, and they must remain vigilant at all times to safeguard the security of the Yan Kingdom.

"If my guess is correct, the Nebula Kingdom will definitely take action, and the Yan Kingdom should also make full preparations."

As Yang Xia finished speaking, the smile on Song Jitian's face vanished instantly, replaced by a grave expression. His fingers tapped unconsciously on the table before him, his brow furrowed as he rapidly processed the deeper meaning of Yang Xia's words—the Nebula Kingdom had suffered two consecutive failures in transporting supplies; given their vengeful nature, they would never let it go. If the Yan Kingdom hadn't taken precautions, the consequences of a sudden attack from the Nebula Kingdom would be unimaginable.

“Mr. Yang Xia is right, I did not consider things carefully.” Song Jitian took a deep breath, stood up, and glanced around the hall before finally landing on Sun Zhengming standing to the side. He said in a serious tone, “Lord Sun, you heard what Mr. Yang Xia said. This matter concerns the safety of Yan Kingdom and cannot be taken lightly.”

Sun Zhengming immediately stepped forward, bowed, and replied, "Your Majesty, I understand. Please give your instructions."

"Immediately issue the order to put the entire nation on Level 3 alert." Song Jitian stepped into the hall, his voice suddenly rising several decibels. "Increase patrol boats at all coastal ports and reinforce border checkpoints, ensuring round-the-clock vigilance. Furthermore, have the intelligence department closely monitor the movements of the Nebula Kingdom. Whether it's official news or rumors circulating among the people, any unusual activity must be reported immediately without the slightest delay!"

"Your subject obeys!" Sun Zhengming solemnly replied, not daring to delay for a moment, and turned to walk quickly out of the hall. His footsteps echoed in the empty hall, each step conveying a sense of urgency—he knew that every second of delay would bring more danger to the Yan Kingdom.

Watching Sun Zhengming's hurried departure, Song Jitian's gaze returned to Yang Xia, his tone tinged with emotion: "Mr. Yang Xia, if it weren't for your reminder, I'm afraid I would still be immersed in the joy of victory, completely unaware of the potential crisis. This time, Yan Kingdom was able to avoid disaster, and you deserve much credit."

Yang Xia shook his head slightly, but his expression remained unchanged: "Your Majesty flatters me. I was just doing my duty. However, what we need to guard against right now is not just a direct attack from Xingyun Kingdom on Yan Kingdom."

Song Jitian was taken aback and asked in confusion, "What do you mean by that, Mr. Yang Xia? Is there some other hidden danger?"

Yang Xia didn't answer directly. Instead, he walked outside the hall, gazing at the distant, continuous palace rooftops, his eyes deepening. He knew that while the interception of Xingyun Kingdom's supplies appeared to be a clash between Yan Kingdom and Xingyun Kingdom, the true threat lay with the Great Zhou Dynasty behind him. If Xingyun Kingdom followed the clues and discovered the Great Zhou Dynasty's presence, given Xingyun Kingdom's ambition, they would undoubtedly attack this "hidden adversary."

It's important to understand that in the eyes of the Nebula Kingdom, the Great Zhou Dynasty was merely a loosely organized force comprised of a few small islands, utterly vulnerable. However, it was precisely this "contempt" that made them even more relentlessly retaliate once they discovered the Great Zhou Dynasty's true strength or sensed its obstruction of their plans. At that point, not only would their painstakingly built power be destroyed, but the countless citizens of the Great Zhou Dynasty would also be engulfed in war.

"Mr. Yang Xia?" Song Jitian couldn't help but call out softly when he saw that Yang Xia hadn't spoken for a long time.

Yang Xia snapped out of his daze, turned around, and bowed to Song Jitian, saying, "Your Majesty, I have some personal matters to attend to, so I will take my leave now. If you need anything in the future, you only need to send someone to deliver a message, and I will come immediately."

Seeing Yang Xia's hurried expression, Song Jitian didn't ask any further questions and nodded: "Okay, then go ahead, and be sure to be careful."

Yang Xia bowed in thanks again, then quickly left the palace. He traveled swiftly and soon arrived at the dock outside the palace. At this time, Meng Yin was leading several trusted men guarding the shore. Seeing Yang Xia approach, he immediately went to greet him: "Your Majesty, you're back! The King of Yan..."

"The situation is urgent, there's no time to say more." Yang Xia interrupted Meng Yin, his tone urgent. "Immediately gather your men and load all the weapons we've captured onto the ship. We must return to the Great Zhou Dynasty within three days!"

Meng Yin was taken aback for a moment. Although he didn't understand why there was such a rush, he immediately replied, "Yes! Your subject will make the arrangements immediately!"

"Wait a minute." Yang Xia called out to Meng Yin, adding, "Once we get back, contact Meng Yu immediately and have him select elite soldiers from the various islands to conduct special training using these captured weapons. Remember, the goal is to build an extremely powerful elite force, and the sooner the better. This matter concerns the safety of the Great Zhou Dynasty, and there can be no mistakes!"

Meng Yin then realized the seriousness of the situation. The ease on his face vanished instantly, replaced by solemnity: "Your Majesty, rest assured, I will handle it properly! But... won't the Yan Kingdom object to our hasty departure?" "No," Yang Xia shook his head. "I have already spoken with His Majesty Song Jitian, he will understand. The most important thing right now is to ensure that the Great Zhou Dynasty has the ability to protect itself. The Xingyun Kingdom will never let this go easily. If they trace it back to us, we will be unable to cope without sufficient strength."

Meng Yin nodded heavily: "Your subject understands! I will make the arrangements immediately!" After saying that, he turned and left quickly, and began to gather manpower. The dock soon became busy - soldiers carried rifles and pushed ammunition boxes, loading supplies onto the ships in an orderly manner. The "splashing" sound of oars cutting through the water and the shouts of soldiers intertwined, revealing a tense atmosphere that did not allow for any relaxation.

Standing on the shore, Yang Xia watched the bustling scene before him, but his worries did not lessen in the slightest. He knew that building an elite force was only the first step; subsequent steps included strengthening the defenses of the Great Zhou Dynasty's islands, improving the intelligence network, and even establishing alliances with neighboring smaller powers in advance. Only with thorough preparation could the Great Zhou Dynasty be preserved in the face of the Nebula Kingdom's counterattack.

Just then, a trusted aide quickly walked to Yang Xia's side and whispered, "Your Majesty, Lord Sun of Yan Kingdom just sent someone to deliver a message saying that Xingyun Kingdom has begun to reinforce its borders and there seems to be some unusual activity."

Yang Xia's heart sank. It seemed his worries were indeed justified; the Nebula Kingdom was moving faster than expected. He clenched his fist and said in a deep voice, "Understood. Tell the brothers to speed things up. We must leave here as soon as possible and absolutely cannot let the Nebula Kingdom discover our presence."

"Yes!" the confidant replied and left.

Yang Xia looked out to sea again and saw several large ships already loaded with weapons. Meng Yin was standing at the bow, waving at him. He took a deep breath, leaped onto one of the ships, and shouted to the crew, "Set sail! Target: Great Zhou Dynasty!"

"Yes!" the crew responded in unison, rowing vigorously as the large ship slowly sailed away from the dock and headed towards the distant sea.

The sea breeze brushed against Yang Xia's cheeks, carrying a salty, damp scent. Standing at the bow of the ship, he gazed at the gradually shrinking coastline of Yan Kingdom and secretly vowed in his heart: no matter the cost, he would protect the Great Zhou Dynasty and would never allow Xingyun Kingdom's conspiracy to succeed, nor would he allow his people to be plunged into the flames of war.

Meanwhile, a thousand miles away in the capital of the Nebula Kingdom, inside a magnificent palace, the Nebula King angrily slammed the memorial in his hand to the ground. "Useless! All useless! Two shipments, two failures! What's going on with the Yan Kingdom? Did they already know our plan?"

The ministers in the hall knelt down, not daring to breathe. One of the military officers said tremblingly, "Your Majesty, according to news from the front lines, the Yan Kingdom has recently strengthened its border defenses, and... and it seems that the fleet that intercepted our supplies was not only from the Yan Kingdom, but also involved by an unknown force."

"Unknown forces?" The King of Nebula Kingdom raised an eyebrow, his eyes turning cold. "Investigate! Investigate thoroughly! No matter what forces they are, anyone who dares to block the path of Nebula Kingdom will pay the price! Also, send word to the border troops to prepare for an immediate attack once they find any trace of that unknown force!"

"Yes!" the ministers replied in unison, but they all knew in their hearts that an even greater storm was about to break.

At this moment, Yang Xia was unaware that the Nebula Kingdom had already begun investigating the whereabouts of the "unknown forces." He was standing at the bow of the ship, watching the crew hurry along, constantly calculating the subsequent plans in his mind—the training program for the elite troops, the construction of defensive fortifications on each island, the establishment of an intelligence network... Each item required careful planning and could not tolerate the slightest mistake.

Meng Yin walked to Yang Xia's side and handed him a cup of water: "Your Majesty, you have been standing here for a long time. Please rest for a while. We still have three days' journey ahead, which is enough time for you to plan what to do next."

Yang Xia took the water glass, took a sip, and said, "Time waits for no one. The faster Xingyun Kingdom moves, the less time we have to prepare. Meng Yin, after you go back, you must urge Meng Yu to make sure that the training is not relaxed in the slightest. The soldiers must be familiarized with these weapons as soon as possible. Only in this way can they be used at critical moments."

“Your Majesty, I understand.” Meng Yin nodded. “Actually, Your Majesty, you don’t need to worry too much. The terrain of our Great Zhou Dynasty’s islands is complex. Even if the Nebula Kingdom really attacks, we can use the terrain advantage to maneuver. In addition, with the newly trained elite troops, we may not be without the ability to fight.”

Yang Xia gave a wry smile: "That's true, but we can't afford to be complacent. The strength of the Nebula Kingdom far surpasses ours. If they launch a full-scale attack, the terrain and a newly trained army alone will not be enough. We must prepare for the worst and even form alliances with neighboring forces in advance to create a united front against the Nebula Kingdom."

Meng Yin fell silent. He knew Yang Xia was right, but forming an alliance was no easy task. The surrounding smaller powers were either allied with the Xingyun Kingdom or were timid and afraid of trouble. Persuading them to join forces against the Xingyun Kingdom would be extremely difficult.

Yang Xia seemed to see through Meng Yin's thoughts and patted him on the shoulder: "I'll figure out the alliance. You just need to focus on training the troops and strengthening the defenses. Remember, the more preparations we make now, the safer the Great Zhou Dynasty will be."

"Yes! Your subject will certainly not fail in your mission!" Mengyin replied solemnly.

The large ship continued its voyage across the sea, speeding towards the Great Zhou Dynasty. As the sun set, its golden rays bathed the sea in a crimson glow. But beneath this beautiful scene, turbulent undercurrents lurked—the Nebula Kingdom's pursuit, the Great Zhou Dynasty's preparations for war, and the Yan Kingdom's vigilance; the power struggle between these various forces had quietly begun, and an even greater storm was brewing.

Yang Xia stood at the bow of the ship, gazing at the distant horizon. He knew in his heart that the days to come were destined to be turbulent. But he did not flinch, for he knew that he carried the hopes of countless people of the Great Zhou Dynasty on his shoulders. He had to do everything in his power to protect his homeland in the impending storm.

At this critical moment, they must be absolutely meticulous and not let the Nebula Kingdom detect even the slightest disturbance. Otherwise, the Great Zhou Dynasty will face an irreversible catastrophe.

Yang Xia had just finished a tense strategic meeting, and the weariness still lingered on his brow. He hadn't even had a chance to sit down and have a sip of tea when he received an urgent report from the front lines. When the attendant presented the confidential letter, he had just unbuttoned the silver buttons at his collar, and his outer robe was still half-draped over his shoulder.

"Your Majesty, General Yu Meiren has sent an urgent message."

Yang Xia took the parchment scroll sealed with sealing wax, his fingertips unconsciously tightening as he unfolded it. The flickering candlelight made his sharply defined profile appear even more solemn. After reading the last word, he remained silent for a moment, then suddenly stood up and ordered, "Summon Meng Yin to see me immediately."

Before long, Meng Yin arrived at the palace gate with brisk steps. He didn't even have time to straighten his slightly disheveled clothes before stepping inside, still covered in the dust of his journey. Seeing Yang Xia standing with his hands behind his back before the huge map, his expression more solemn than ever before, Meng Yin's heart sank.

"Your Majesty." Mengyin knelt on one knee and clasped his hands in greeting.

Yang Xia turned around and handed him the secret letter: "The Xingyun Kingdom has made a move. You must quickly lead your fleet to escort the captured supplies back to the Yan Kingdom. Remember, this journey concerns the fate of the nation; there must be no mishap." (End of Chapter)