Friendly Negotiations
“If you have no objections, it’s settled.”
Kuro sat back and arrogantly sucked on his cigar. “There is no war allowed in the sea around Moe Island and the back and forth sea routes. Of course, I have no objections if you are willing to go around in a big circle and continue to fight. I am a Marine, not a minister of your kingdom. I don’t care.”
“That’s true, but Mr. Kuro…”
Salor organized his words and said, “I have no problem with you saying that this is a Marine base, but the upper echelons of the kingdom may not agree. After all, you don’t even have a base here. If you just say that this is a base, there is no evidence, right?”
“That’s right!”
Enoch, who was twitching on the ground, got up and leaned on the table. “You said this is a Marine base, where is the approval? Where is the base? A Battleship doesn’t mean anything. You can stop us, but can you stop the power of our whole kingdom? Can you stop those armed merchants who can turn into pirates at any time, not to mention those evil pirates!”
“Even if we can stop it, that’s our Marine’s business. As for the base…”
Kuro left his seat and walked out. “Who said that there is no base? Look, isn’t that a base?”
He walked outside and pointed at the empty hillside in Uptown.
The few of them went out together. Salor was silent. Enoch paused for a while, holding his swollen cheek and gritted his teeth. “You are insulting me. Even if I die, I will never admit that you have a base here!”
As soon as he finished speaking, Kuro raised his hand.
Enok screamed and hid behind Salor with her head in her hands.
“What are you panicking for? I won’t hit you.”
Kuro glanced at him and clenched his fingers. “If I say it has it, it has it!”
Boom!
The floating ruins in the sky landed on the hillside with a bang. When the ruins landed, they began to arrange themselves and built the appearance of a Marine Base fortress. There was a huge lion head hanging on it, and there were two big stone lions on both sides of the door. At the top, there was the Marine’s symbol of Peace Seagull.
“Look, it’s gone.”
Kuro said without any self-consciousness, “Send a report later, say that I am having a co-discussion with the nobles of the two countries in a friendly atmosphere. The two countries have tentatively decided to give Moe Island to our Marine as a base. The specific details will be finalized by the higher-ups.”
He emphasized the words ‘kind and friendly’.
Salor was speechless.
Enoch was speechless.
So, how is this friendly?
“I will respond to the World Government!”
Enoch took a deep look at Kuro and left with his men.
There was no point in fighting. This island would not have any mishaps under the strong pressure of this Marine. There was no point in staying any longer.
“I have also withdrawn. You can wait for your superior to punish you. You are so willful, the World Government will not indulge you.”
As Salor spoke, he paused again and watched Enoch leave with his men. He said in a low voice: “To be honest, I am very grateful to you. Whether it is Joman or Sukenai, they actually don’t want to fight anymore, but this is our tradition. We can’t change anything. If you really have the ability to make the two countries peaceful, that is a great thing. If you can’t do it… You better be able to do it. No one wants to waste their lives wantonly.”
He left with his men.
The fleets of the two countries, one after the other, sailed into the sea.
After they left, the nearby residents dared to come out.
Several people of the older generation trembled as they looked in the direction of their departure, tears streaming down their faces. “How can this be, why are they here? Is Moe Island going to suffer another war?”
Twenty years of peace have made the younger generation forget the tragic state of Moe Island in those days, but they still remember that there were corpses everywhere and no production. Only chaotic pirates and merchants who took the opportunity to capture slaves are here.
Flames, coke, and corpses. The environment was still vivid in the minds of the older generation. They did not want to experience this hellish scene anymore.
“Why did this happen!”
An old man roared, “We have already contributed to Lord Poropa. My son and my daughter have been handed over to Lord Poropa. What happened to bringing us peace? Why did the fleets of the two countries come here? Then what is the purpose of everything we have done? If they are destined to come, then give me back my child!!!”
“My child is also… Back then, Lord Poropa conscripted my child. After that, I could no longer see him, but now there is peace, where is the peace!”
A group of old men shouted. Several middle-aged women hugged each other and cried silently. Their children, or their husbands, were also summoned by Poropa and never returned.
These are all for the sake of peace. They are willing to endure and ‘pay tribute’. But now, if peace does not exist, then what is the point of everything before!
The crowd became noisy and everyone’s faces began to show grief and indignation.
Kuro glanced at it and silently exhaled a mouthful of smoke. He held the handle of the Autumn Water Blade and a crack appeared.
Whoosh!
The killing intent materialized and pressed on everyone’s nerves. This sudden powerful aura made these people quiet down.
“Listen up.”
Kuro took back Autumn Water and said loudly, “Poiropa, your Knight here died because of an accidental fall off the cliff and was washed away by the sea. Even his body was not found. This means that you don’t have to ‘pay tribute’ to him from now on, because this place is taken over by us Marines. From now on, this place will become a Marine base.”
“This place will be more peaceful than before. You don’t have to pay anything except your taxes. We will protect your personal safety!”
“Lord Poropa is dead?”
“Marines will keep us safe?!”
“In that case, no one will force us to send people…”
The crowd was bustling and whispering.
Some were happy, some were worried.
The joy is that they no longer have to hand over people to the ruler, and the worry is whether Marine can have Boropa’s prestige and maintain the peace here.
“Is he really dead, that Bonaparte Poropa…”
An old man walked out, trembling, and confirmed again and again, “That guy, no, that short man, is he really dead?”
Seeing Kuro nod, the old man immediately pounded his chest and stomped his feet. He danced for a while before covering his face and crying.
He was the old man who had just summoned his son and daughter to Polo.
“Marine, can you really keep us safe?”
He looked up and his old face looked as if it was soaked in water.
Kuro looked around at their worried and scared expressions and said slowly, “I guarantee on Marine’s honor that you will be fine.”