Honglou: This bastard is too persuasive.

Chapter 636: Pirates Also Come to Surrender

"But how do we know whether Jia Changsheng will accept us? After all, we are pirates. In their eyes, we are the representatives of evil." Barlow said with some concern.

Jack shrugged. "That's a problem. But we can send someone to test the waters first to see what kind of person Jia Changsheng is and what his attitude is towards us. If he is willing to accept us, then we can make plans."

Barlow thought for a moment and finally nodded: "Okay, let's do this. Pick a smart brother and ask him to find out the news as soon as possible."

At the headquarters of the Giant Whale Pirates, a heated debate was also going on.

"I am against surrendering to Jia Changsheng! Where is the dignity of us pirates? Are we going to be subordinates of a warlord on land?" A burly man with tattoos all over his face waved the big knife in his hand and shouted loudly.

The leader of the Giant Whale Pirates, "Sea Shark" Thomson, sat aside and watched his men quarreling quietly. He was a calm and strategic man, and he had his own ideas about joining Jia Changsheng.

"Everyone calm down first." Thomson's deep voice sounded, instantly quieting the cabin. "I know everyone is reluctant to give up our current life, but we must also face the reality. In the past few years, although we have dominated the sea for a while, we have also made countless enemies. Moreover, the resources on the sea are getting less and less, and our living space is getting smaller and smaller. The appearance of Jia Changsheng may be an opportunity for us."

"Opportunity? Captain, do you really believe that the landman will truly accept us?" The tattooed man asked somewhat unconvinced.

Thomson smiled slightly. "Of course I won't trust him easily. But we can contact him first to see his conditions and sincerity. If he can give us enough benefits and guarantee our status and rights, why not consider it? After all, we also have to consider the future of our brothers."

After hearing what Thomson said, everyone fell silent. They knew that what the captain said made sense, but they were still reluctant to give up their years of pirate life and join a stranger.

"I think the captain is right." At this time, a young pirate stood up and said, "We can cooperate with Jia Changsheng first. If it doesn't work, we can come back. It's better than sitting and waiting to die."

Thomson nodded: "Okay, since no one has any objections, let's send someone to contact Jia Changsheng first to see what his attitude is."

The discussions among the three island pirate groups were relatively calm.

The leader, "Ghost" Victor, sat on an exquisite wooden chair, tapping his fingers lightly on the tabletop, looking at several capable subordinates in front of him: "You have all heard about Jia Changsheng's matter, right? I want to hear your opinions."

"Captain, I think this is an opportunity to change our destiny." A tall and thin pirate said, "We have been drifting on this sea for so long, and have not achieved anything great. If we can join Jia Changsheng and use his power, perhaps we can make a name for ourselves in this chaotic world."

Victor nodded slightly: "Yes, I think so too. However, we can't blindly join him. We must first understand his strength and ambition to see if he is worthy of us following."

"So what should we do?" asked another pirate.

A cold light flashed in Victor's eyes. "Let's send a ship to quietly follow Jia Changsheng's army and observe their every move. At the same time, collect intelligence about Jia Changsheng to see what kind of person he is. It won't be too late to make a decision once we have enough information."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

The Light Pirates and the Heaven-Defying Pirates were also conducting similar discussions in their respective territories.

The leader of the Light Pirates, "Holy Hand" George, is a somewhat idealistic man. He hopes to bring some light and justice to this land by joining Jia Changsheng.

"Brothers, although we are pirates, we should also have justice in our hearts. What Jia Changsheng did gives me hope. I believe that under his leadership, we can do something practical for the people, instead of fighting and killing on the sea all day long like we do now." George said passionately to his men.

The leader of the Anti-Heaven Pirates, "Mad Blade" Rex, is an ambitious man. He has his eyes on Jia Changsheng's power and potential, and wants to use his power to realize his own ambitions.

"Jia Changsheng is at the peak of his career right now. If we can join him at this time, we will definitely get a share of the pie in the future. After we have gained a firm foothold, we will find ways to expand our power. Maybe one day, we can become the masters of this land." Rex said to his men with a greedy gleam in his eyes.

In this way, the five pirate groups were hesitating about whether to surrender to Jia Changsheng, while at the same time they were actively taking actions to try to understand Jia Changsheng's true situation and intentions.

Jia Changsheng had also heard about the pirates' movements. He knew that the pirates' surrender was both an opportunity and a challenge. If he could recruit these pirates, it would greatly enhance his maritime power and add a boost to his hegemony. However, the pirates' habits and loyalty were also a big problem. If he was not careful, it might bring him trouble.

Jia Changsheng summoned his advisers and generals to discuss countermeasures.

"General, we cannot trust the pirates' surrender. They do all kinds of evil on the sea and their nature is hard to change. If we accept them, it will probably affect the reputation and discipline of our army." A general said worriedly.

Advisor Li Xuan shook his head and said, "General, I think we can consider accepting them. Although pirates have a bad reputation, they also have their own advantages. They are familiar with naval battles, have strong maritime forces and rich sailing experience. If we can recruit them and transform them, it will be of great help to our attack on the eight northern cities and future development."

Jia Changsheng listened to everyone's opinions and fell into deep thought. He knew that this was a difficult decision and needed to be treated with caution.

"I decided to send someone to contact the pirates first to understand their true thoughts and conditions. At the same time, we must also strengthen our vigilance to prevent them from making any improper moves. We cannot make any promises easily before we are sure of their sincerity." Jia Changsheng finally made a decision.

Therefore, Jia Changsheng sent his trusted men to the five pirate groups to negotiate and communicate with them. In the following days, the two sides launched a tense and delicate game. The pirates tried to show their strength and sincerity in exchange for Jia Changsheng's trust and acceptance; while Jia Changsheng observed and tested the pirates, trying to find a way to recruit them while ensuring the stability and safety of his own army.

This discussion and negotiation about fate and the future continues on this turbulent land and sea, and the final result will gradually surface with the passage of time.

Inside Jia Changsheng's tent, the atmosphere was solemn and serious. A huge military map was spread out on the table, with the topography of Baekje marked in detail. Every city, mountain, and river was clearly visible. Jia Changsheng stood with his hands behind his back, staring at the map, planning the next strategic deployment in his mind.

At this time, a soldier hurried into the tent, knelt on one knee and saluted, "General, the envoys of the Skeleton Pirates want to see you. They claim to have important intelligence to report to you."

Jia Changsheng raised his eyebrows slightly, a hint of doubt flashed in his eyes, and then he said, "Let him in."

After a while, a man in black leather armor and with a cunning look walked into the tent. This man was the envoy of the Skeleton Pirates. He bowed respectfully to Jia Changsheng and said, "General Jia, I am here on the orders of my captain to present you with a great gift."

Jia Changsheng looked at him calmly and said calmly, "Oh? Tell me about it."

The envoy cleared his throat and pointed to the sea area in the north of Baekje on the map and said, "General, do you know that there are hundreds of islands in the north of Baekje? These islands are rich in resources and have a population of tens of millions. These islands have long lacked effective governance and have each been governed independently. If the general can take them into his possession, he will surely gain huge wealth and manpower support, which will be of immeasurable help in achieving your great cause!"

Jia Changsheng's eyes suddenly became sharp, and he stared at the messenger and asked, "Is what you said true?"

The messenger nodded quickly, "It is absolutely true, General. We pirates have been active in this sea area for many years and are familiar with the situation of these islands. However, we are pirates after all and do not have enough strength to conquer and rule these places. I heard that you are a man of great talent and strategy, so I thought of telling you this news so that I can find a way out for myself."

Jia Changsheng was silent for a moment, weighing the pros and cons in his mind. The existence of these islands is indeed a huge temptation. If they can be controlled, not only can they expand their sphere of influence, but they can also obtain abundant supplies and manpower, which is of vital importance for future development. However, at present, his army is marching towards the eight cities in the north of Baekje. If the troops are dispersed to explore and occupy these islands, it may affect the plan to attack the eight cities in the north.

Thinking of this, Jia Changsheng raised his head and said to the messenger: "Go back and tell your captain that I am very grateful for the information he provided. I will consider this matter carefully. After I take over the eight cities in northern Baekje, I will definitely explore these islands."

The messenger was a little disappointed, but he didn't dare to say anything more. He could only reply, "Yes, General. I will go back and report right away."

After the messenger left, Jia Changsheng immediately summoned his advisers and generals to discuss countermeasures.

Advisor Li Xuan spoke first: "General, the information from this pirate group cannot be trusted. They are pirates after all, and they are cunning by nature. There is no guarantee that they will not have some conspiracy. Maybe they want to use us to conquer those islands and then profit from it."

Zhao Meng also nodded in agreement: "Li Xuan is right. And our primary goal now is to capture the eight cities in the north. If we rashly split our troops to explore the islands, we will probably fall into the dilemma of fighting on two fronts, which is not worth the loss."

Jia Changsheng nodded slightly. He had the same concerns in his heart. But the temptation of those islands was too great for him to give up easily.

"What you said makes sense, but we cannot ignore the potential value of these islands. I think we can first concentrate on attacking the eight cities in the north, and at the same time send a small number of elite troops, disguised as soldiers, to secretly go to those islands to conduct reconnaissance, collect intelligence, understand the actual situation and distribution of forces on the islands, and prepare for future occupation." Jia Changsheng said after thinking for a moment.

Li Xuan stroked his beard and said, "General, this is a brilliant plan. However, the troops going to investigate must be carefully selected and kept absolutely confidential. We must not let the pirates or other forces be aware of our intentions."

Jia Changsheng nodded and said, "Li Xuan, I'll leave this matter to you. Select some smart, brave and water-savvy soldiers to form a reconnaissance team and set off as soon as possible."

"Yes, General." Li Xuan took the order and left.

In the following days, Jia Changsheng's army continued to march towards the eight cities in the north of Baekje, conquering several cities one after another. The reconnaissance team selected by Li Xuan also quietly set out and sailed to the mysterious island in the northern sea area.

During the march, Jia Changsheng did not forget to plan for the islands. He often discussed with his generals possible situations and countermeasures, and at the same time strengthened the training of the army, especially naval warfare training, in preparation for future island operations.

As the days passed, finally, good news came from the front. The reconnaissance team returned safely and brought back detailed information about the island.

Jia Changsheng immediately gathered everyone together and listened to the report from the investigation team.

The captain of the reconnaissance team described in detail what they saw and heard on the islands: "General, those islands are indeed rich in resources and have a large population, just as the pirates said. Most of the residents on the islands make a living by fishing and farming. They each have their own villages and tribes, and there is no unified political organization. However, there are also some fights and conflicts between islands, and some islands are entrenched in some small armed forces, and they are very wary of strangers."

After hearing this, Jia Changsheng fell into deep thought. This information gave him a clearer understanding of those islands and made him more determined to occupy them.

"Very good, you have completed the mission very well this time." Jia Changsheng praised the members of the reconnaissance team, "Next, we need to speed up the attack on the eight northern cities. Once we take the eight northern cities, we will immediately prepare for the occupation of the island."

The generals responded in unison: "Yes, General!"

As time went by, Jia Changsheng's army gradually approached the core area of ​​the eight northern cities, and a fierce siege was about to begin. In Jia Changsheng's mind, he had already outlined a more magnificent blueprint, which was to quickly expand his influence to those mysterious and rich islands after conquering the northern part of Baekje, establish a strong and prosperous regime, and make his name go down in history forever on this land.

(End of this chapter)