Extraordinary Rise: Starting Contract with the Silver Dragon Countess

In the reception room, Viktor, the special envoy of the Demon Lord Sal, casually leaned back in a large armchair.

Dressed in a dark formal gown, her elegant posture seemed somewhat out of place in the cold and rigid mechanical environment around her.

Sitting opposite him was the supreme ruler of the Mechanical Continent, the mid-level Legendary [Mechanical Warrior], the Alchemist Baron Hex.

Baron Hextech's appearance is closer to that of a perfect humanoid construct, with his body forged from dark gold metal and his joints inlaid with glittering gems.

Its face has features almost indistinguishable from a real person's, and just sitting there, the energy field emanating from its body makes the air seem thick and sticky.

Viktor wore an impeccable, faint smile, his voice gentle:

"My Lord Baron, when the banners of my Lord Thrall point, the war will begin."

The mechanical continent under your rule will be our army's most solid and reliable rear base.

By then, every piece of sophisticated equipment needed by the soldiers on the front lines, every crucial logistical supply, and even strategic war machines that would determine the course of the war, will all depend on the invaluable support of your "all-powerful workshop," my lord.

Baron Hextech's metallic face remained almost unchanged, his voice steady and cold:

"Mr. Victor, there's no need for formalities."

The creed of the Machine Continent is equivalent exchange and precise fulfillment of contracts, as long as the Demon Lord Sal's army's combat power and advance efficiency are as formidable as he previously promised.

Therefore, there will be absolutely no problem with the supply of materials I have promised.

Just as Victor was about to elaborate on the details of the cooperation, a faint but continuous magical fluctuation came from an antique-looking communication stone at his waist, interrupting his train of thought.

Viktor frowned slightly, and out of habit, he diverted a wisp of his mental energy to scan the identification runes imprinted inside the communication stone.

Soon, an undisguised displeasure and irritation surfaced on his face.

It's that persistent, haunting symbol again: Keith Stevens, the envoy of Gaius, the former King of Ceylon.

Viktor was secretly annoyed. How could Stevens be so tactless?
My repeated cold responses to his meeting requests, or even intentional or unintentional ignoring them, have sent an unmistakable signal of alienation and contempt.

Does he really not understand the situation at all? Does he not realize that a "king in exile" who has lost all his territory, army and people, and is like a stray dog, has long lost any value in forming an alliance in the face of the raging waves that are about to sweep across the continent?

Such persistent pestering not only wastes his time, but also makes the other party seem utterly shameless and unwilling to retain even the last shred of dignity.

In the strategic game of Viktor, and even the Demon Lord Thrall behind him, he is an "ally" who cannot provide actual troops, territory, resources, or even the influence to stir up the situation as a pawn.

He's a complete liability. Instead of wasting time on him, we should focus on strengthening our alliance with powerful factions like the Mechanical Continent and the Abyss Demon Tribe.

Stevens’s obsession was utterly tiresome to Victor.

Viktor was about to refuse when he suddenly paused, a look of astonishment crossing his face.

Stevens claims he bribed the trade commissioners of Burgundy and Zankat.

How can this be?

The first thought that popped into Victor's mind was absurdity.

The two duchies' trade ministers were both powerful, cunning, and ruthless figures who valued their own country's interests and even their own status more than their own lives.
Lawrence, the "Silver Scales" of Burgundy, Horatio, the "Iron Abacus" of Zankat, how much effort did Victor put in, how many benefits did he secretly promise, and how many connections did he use?

They barely managed to maintain a distant relationship with them, hoping to get through crucial points at critical moments and obtain vital resources, especially food, for the chaotic Demon Continent.

Even so, the other side always maintained its distance and never truly sided with them.

Where did Gaius, that exiled king who had lost his home, get such amazing energy and resources to "buy" these two tough nuts to crack in one fell swoop?

Unless... Gaius possesses a vast secret treasure unknown even to himself, or some fatal weakness that could make the two ministers submit to his will.
Countless thoughts flashed through Viktor's mind in a flash. He forced himself to calm down and forcibly suppressed the astonishment on his face.

He subtly adjusted his breathing and ended his meeting with Baron Hex as quickly as possible.

Upon returning to his temporary residence in the city-state of the Codex, he immediately dismissed all his servants.

Victor sat alone in his study, not replying to Stevens immediately, but falling into a brief moment of contemplation.

“Burgundil…Zankat…grain…”

He repeated these keywords in a low voice, his eyes gleaming.

He knew better than anyone the biggest weakness of the Chaotic Demon Continent and even the vast power under the Demon Lord Thrall.

While the demon legions are indeed ferocious, what sustains them and constitutes the main body of the legions are still countless mortal bodies that have been bewitched, conquered, or transformed.

These bodies need to eat; they need the most basic food supplies to maintain their form.

The Lost Lands are barren, and the Demon Continent has limited resources. In the past, they could rely on plunder and clandestine trade, but ever since the Endless Alliance began to consciously blockade them, especially after cutting off the vital supply line of the "Cultivator City-States".

The food problem in the Chaotic Demon Continent has become a Damocles' sword hanging over the head of the Demon Lord Thrall.

As the time for the uprising draws ever closer, the Chaotic Demon Continent's demand for logistics, especially food, will reach an unprecedented and terrifying level.

If Stevens's words are true, this is absolutely a game-changer capable of turning the tide of a local strategic situation.

However, we cannot blindly believe Stevens's words; we must verify them immediately!

Viktor's heart skipped a beat.

Without further hesitation, he immediately took out a rhombus-shaped communication stone from his pocket.

This was no ordinary item used for general communication; rather, it was one of the core communication nodes of his secret intelligence network, which he had built over many years at great expense.

He took a deep breath, focused his mental energy into the communication stone, and activated one of the directional communication runes.

The target was none other than Lawrence von Althausen, the Minister of Trade in the capital of the Duchy of Burgundy, whose emblem was the "silver scales" and who held the reins of the country's economy.

Just as Victor had treated Stevens with a condescending and impatient attitude, Lawrence von Althausen, the Minister of Trade of the Duchy of Burgundy, was when he received a message from Victor, the "Middleman of the Lost Lands".

His tone also conveyed a businesslike detachment and a hint of displeasure.

The moment the communication connected, before Victor could even fully organize his probing words, Lawrence, with a distinctly bureaucratic coldness mixed with a hint of impatience at being interrupted, bombarded him through the encrypted mental link:
“Mr. Victor, I have repeated this many times.”

The annual import and export quotas, trade routes, and partners of the Duchy of Burgundy are all plans determined at the beginning of the year after being reviewed by the Senate and approved by His Majesty.

The process is rigorous and cannot be altered without authorization.

To now rashly request the insertion of new, especially large-scale, transactions involving the Lost Lands—that notoriously lawless and chaotic region—is neither in accordance with regulations nor feasible.

Lawrence didn't even give Victor a chance to interject, his tone becoming even harsher as he continued:
"Furthermore, our trade with the forces of the Lost Lands has always been conducted with prudence, limited in scale, and with extremely strict selection of partners."

Your friend may have some connections, but if I may be frank, this attempt to bypass official channels and establish unofficial contacts is not only futile but may also lead to unnecessary trouble.

I suggest you look for another way.

You don't need to contact me again for similar matters in the future.

Lawrence paused, as if to completely cut off Viktor's escape route, or perhaps to deliberately exert pressure, and presented a more competitive comparison:
"Moreover, even in formal trade, we have more stable and reputable partners."

For example, the Golden Wing family always offers generous prices, and most importantly, they never delay payments, demonstrating their outstanding credit.

And dealing with the Lost Lands…

Lawrence let out a slight nasal sound, "The risk is too high. A deal agreed upon today might fall apart tomorrow because of a power struggle or a lord reneging on the agreement."

If they run away and default on their debts, where will I go to collect them?
Our duchy's treasury cannot withstand such bad debts.

Viktor was not surprised by these blunt, almost dismissive remarks.

Having dealt with high-ranking officials of these human kingdoms for many years as a "resource middleman of the Lost Lands," he had long been accustomed to this superficially polite but actually wary and contemptuous attitude.

The chaos and lawlessness of the Lost Lands are ingrained in the very bones of the rulers of the human continent, making it extremely difficult to gain their genuine trust and cooperation.

Lawrence's reaction perfectly matched his nickname "Silver Scales"—he was shrewd and had a strong sense of risk aversion.

He was not discouraged by the other party's indifference; instead, it made him even more certain of the difficulties of using conventional channels.

Then, changing the subject seemingly casually, he said:
"What the Grand Minister says is absolutely right. I was being presumptuous and did not consider things carefully."

However... while communicating with you just now, I suddenly remembered something that I may not have mentioned to you before.

I have a very close personal relationship with a nobleman from the Kingdom of Ceylon—Baron Stevens.

Some time ago, he came to this place of loss for some reason, and during our small gathering, he mentioned that he seemed to have some connection with you, sir.

Upon hearing Victor "casually" mention Baron Stevens's name, Lawrence, the Minister of Trade of the Duchy of Burgundy, immediately changed his reaction on the other end of the communication.

The previous businesslike, aloof, and cold demeanor was as if blown away by a sudden warm breeze.

His voice instantly became infused with visible enthusiasm and familiarity:

"Oh my! So Mr. Victor, you and Baron Stevens have such a deep relationship?"
Look at you, why didn't you say so sooner! This is really...

"If I had known earlier that you were connected through Baron Stevens, we could have spoken frankly much earlier. Why go through all this trouble and create unnecessary misunderstandings?"

His sudden change in tone caught Viktor off guard.

Viktor instantly went from being a "suspicious middleman in the Lost Lands" to a "trustworthy friend of a friend."

The last vestige of doubt in Victor's mind vanished completely in the face of this enthusiastic, almost exaggerated response. He was almost certain that Stevens and this Minister Lawrence were not just casual acquaintances, but perhaps even had some kind of secret alliance.

Otherwise, given Lawrence's consistent caution and snobbishness, it would be impossible for him to undergo such a dramatic change in attitude just because of a name.

He suppressed the turmoil in his heart and, seizing the opportunity, steered the conversation to the core issue:

“Your Excellency the Grand Minister is so understanding, I am deeply grateful to you.”

"In that case, regarding what I mentioned earlier, the possibility of large-scale grain trade with the Lost Lands... well, specifically, with my region..."

Lawrence's voice remained enthusiastic, but he didn't give any definite answer immediately:
“Well, Mr. Victor, this matter is of great importance. The details, risks, and... well, the coordination in all aspects cannot be explained in just a few words.”

In my personal opinion, it would be most appropriate for Baron Stevens to act as an intermediary to discuss this matter with us.

He understands your needs, and he's also familiar with our rules and... 'bottom line'.

He paused, his tone becoming even more candid, as if he were imparting his experience:
"You see, it's a good thing that you have a close relationship with Baron Stevens."

However, building trust in making friends and doing business, especially in such a wide-ranging business, takes time and effort.

Even if you two have a very good personal relationship, with all due respect, given your status and location...

Overall, we tend to trust Baron Stevens, a middleman we know well and who has a solid foundation, more.

I think, given your relationship with him, he should be happy to help you make this happen.

With him in charge, many things are easier to discuss, and many issues...are much easier to handle.

Viktor quickly understood what the other party meant.

Without pausing, he immediately reactivated the encrypted communication line to Horatio, the trade governor of the Duchy of Zancat.

He needs cross-validation to ensure everything is foolproof.

The communication process with Horatio was almost a replica of that of Burgundy, but the details differed slightly due to Horatio's personality.

Initially, Horatio's reaction was even more direct and impatient than Lawrence's, with sharper language and a more blatant emphasis on the risks of the "lost land business."

However, Horatio's attitude softened noticeably when Victor "casually" mentioned Baron Stevens' name and hinted at his connection to the matter.

Then they gave almost the same answer as Lawrence:

"...Let Stevens talk to me about this himself."

Price, quantity, delivery method, guarantee conditions... these things are hard to explain to strangers.

Since he dared to take on this, he must have something real to offer. As for you... for the sake of potential business, I'll listen for now.

But specifically, I only recognize Stevens.

If he reaches an agreement, you'll naturally benefit; if he fails to reach an agreement, or tries some tricks..."

The results of the two communication verifications were highly consistent.

Both of these high-ranking officials from the human principality, known for their shrewdness, prudence, and even harshness, showed extraordinary recognition and importance to the name "Baron Stevens," even regarding him as the only reliable intermediary for large-scale, sensitive trade.

Viktor slowly put down the communication stone and sat alone in the dimly lit room, the last trace of doubt on his face completely disappearing.

Stevens, whom he had thought had become a discarded pawn, actually possessed a network of connections and influence far exceeding his expectations.

The power to simultaneously influence, and even potentially "drive" to some extent, the trade officials of Burgundy and Zankat, two key grain-exporting countries, is simply incredible.

What this represents is far more than just money; it could be a deeper political entanglement, an exchange of interests, or even that the "King Gaius" may still possess some unknown, deadly bargaining chip or secret channel.

"It seems... I underestimated this 'stray dog'."

Viktor muttered to himself, a cold smile curving his lips.

It seems necessary to reassess the value of Stevens and the deposed monarch behind him, and seriously consider having a substantive meeting with this "Envoy of Gaius".

Viktor's eyes gleamed as he quickly began to formulate his next course of action in his mind.

Viktor sat alone in the silent room for a while, then, without hesitation, reached out and picked up the communication stone from which he had just spoken with two high-ranking officials of the human duchy.

It activated the common encrypted frequency band that Stevens had previously used to contact him.

Infuse with mental energy and establish communication:

Baron Stevens.

I have carefully considered your suggestion.

Some details might be better discussed face-to-face.

Tomorrow evening, at the abandoned outpost where the Twilight Barrier meets the Rusty Plain.

It was a neutral zone, and secluded enough, suitable for a private meeting.

Hopefully, by then you will bring more concrete and convincing evidence to convince me.

On the other end of the communication line, Stevens, who had been waiting for a long time, felt a sudden jolt when he heard that Victor had finally taken the bait, and replied in a deep voice:

"Very well, I will definitely keep the appointment on time and will not disappoint you, sir."

After ending the communication, Stevens immediately told Cohen that Victor had taken the bait.

Cohen showed no surprise upon receiving the news.

He wasted no time; after a brief discussion with Sister Bay, they devised a plan to capture Victor.

Viktor is a peak ninth-tier transcendent being, and is considered a significant figure in the Lost Lands.

They are the most skilled claws under Thrall's command, adept at handling shady dealings.

He is skilled in shadow jumping and mind control, and is especially adept at escaping and hiding.

Once he becomes alert, or has the opportunity to sound the alarm, it will alert Sal and make him take precautions.

Therefore, we must strike swiftly and decisively, giving him no chance to react or send a message.

Cohen unfolded a magic map and looked at a tiny point of light representing Rift Outpost:

"This abandoned outpost has a complex terrain with many natural rock crevices and abandoned mine tunnels, which are conducive to ambushes and escapes."

Viktor's choice of this meeting place was clearly well-considered.

With his extraordinary level of Gold Ninth Rank, it would be difficult to capture him unless a Legendary Rank fighter intervened.

Belmod's red lips parted slightly as she spoke:
"I will use 'Void Imprisonment' to seal off all spatial fluctuations around the outpost, cutting off all forms of long-distance teleportation and communication, including any emergency spatial beacons and soul communication secrets he may be carrying."

"Alright, I'll be in charge of suppressing him head-on, breaking through his defenses as quickly as possible, and destroying his will to resist!"

The plan is set; all that's left is for the prey to fall into the trap.

The following evening, the twilight, as red as blood, stained the desolate, rocky landscape at the edge of the Rust Plain.

Rift Outpost is an abandoned outpost that has been abandoned for many years. Half of the tower stands crookedly on the edge of a huge fissure in the earth. The wind howls through the broken window openings, adding to the mystery and desolation.

Stevens changed into a dark traveler's outfit that allowed him to move around easily, and arrived at the agreed location half an hour early. He waited quietly in the still relatively intact hall of the outpost's main building.

At the appointed time, the shadow at the entrance of the hall seemed to wriggle as if it were alive, and Viktor's figure appeared silently as if emerging from the darkness.

He was dressed in what appeared to be an ordinary but actually well-made merchant's outfit, and even had some simple disguise on his face, making his originally sinister appearance look much more peaceful.

But those unfathomable eyes, which seemed to absorb all light, could not be completely concealed.

He glanced around the empty hall, his gaze lingering briefly on Stevens, and only after confirming there were no ambushes did he slowly walk in.

There were no pleasantries, nor did they look around at their surroundings.

For a master of shadows and stealth, the surrounding environment is already clear the moment they step in.

He walked directly a few steps away from Stevens and stopped, getting straight to the point:

"Baron Stevens, time is precious, so I'll get straight to the point."

I have confirmed your relationship with the Grand Secretaries Burgundy and Zankatna. Very well, this proves your worth, and also proves that His Majesty Gaius… may not yet be at his wit's end.”

Stevens said politely:
“Mr. Victor, I’ve said it before, there are still many possibilities for cooperation between us.”

Viktor smiled nonchalantly and leaned forward slightly:

"To be frank, I need you to go and persuade those two immediately—no, I need to beg them!"
We must be provided with a stable, continuous, and enormous supply of food in the shortest possible time!
The quality must meet the highest military ration standards, the transportation route must be kept absolutely secret, and the initial quantity must not be less than this number.

He made a gesture, a terrifying number that could sustain an army of tens of thousands for over a month.

Victor stared intently into Stevens' eyes, trying to catch any hint of something amiss:
"In return, whatever you and your Majesty desire—whether it's military support for the restoration of the kingdom, scarce magical resources, or a piece of territory in the Lost Lands—"
If you are sincere enough and the grain can be delivered on time, in the correct quantity, and safely, I can do my best to persuade the Demon Lord to help you.

But remember, I want to see real food, not empty promises! (End of Chapter)