Chapter 121: The Wind on the Mannheim Coast
Summer had pa.s.sed.
Although the Mannheim Coast was close to the Nahrin Desert and had never experienced four seasons, the many races living on the Coast could still sense that the sweltering heat of summer had begun to fade.
The breeze coming from the Sea of Stars crept over the Coast.
The leaves swayed with the wind. Sensing the arrival of autumn, they would turn light yellow within a few days.
Autumn was around the corner.
However, the autumn wind filled the sails that were hanging on the mast on the merchant s.h.i.+ps on the Sea of Stars that were loaded with goods, bringing the s.h.i.+ps to the fertile Mannheim Coast.
There were also a large number of merchant s.h.i.+ps entering and leaving the port of the Kingdom of Grey Mane.
And there were quite a number of them.
On both sides of the stone wharf, various merchant s.h.i.+ps were docked.
The Jackalan laborers were loading and unloading goods for the merchant s.h.i.+ps at the wharf.
In the market at the wharf, merchants from all races could be seen.
Jackalan, Lizardmen, elves, humans, and even the Beastmen.
They were all discussing fervently or haggling intensely. The straightforwardness, honesty, friendliness, and cowardice of all the races had all turned into the craftiness of the merchants without leaving a trace on their faces.
All for the sake of earning a few more Great Silver coins.
This s.h.i.+ny round silver object was something that all races sought after.
Including these Jackalans.
The port in the capital of the Kingdom of Grey Mane was the only deep-water harbor on the entire Mannheim Coast. Although the Jackalans weren’t good at ocean navigation, just the berthing fees and business taxes would make them rich.
This was how they maintained a monopoly on the Mannheim Coast.
The only port that could harbor a large number of merchant s.h.i.+ps and accommodate a huge amount of business trade was the port of the Kingdom of Grey Mane.
This was also something that the lizardmen had been brooding about.
They were good at sailing and ocean trading, but in their own Lizardmen Kingdom, there were only two small ports. The number of merchant s.h.i.+ps that could dock there every day was pitifully small, and only very few large merchant s.h.i.+ps that had a deep draft could dock.
It was nothing compared to the king’s city port that could accommodate at least 50 large merchant s.h.i.+ps.
However, the two races had a long-standing feud.
In order to sustain their trade, the Lizardmen chose to compromise.
However, the Jackalans’ term was that the Lizardmen had to rent a pier at a high price. At the same time, they had to pay a huge amount of business tax for each deal. The conditions were extremely harsh, and it was almost blatant extortion.
Because of this, the two races had even gone to war.
The population of the Kingdom of Grey Mane was 40,000.
The population of the Kingdom of Lizardmen was 70,000.
Although the infantry of the Kingdom of Grey Mane was the strongest, the crossbowmen of the Lizardmen were not bad either.
Besides, the Lizardmen had their own navy, as well as a few fierce pirate gangs that they had secretly trained. When the war started, they sealed off the port of the capital, making the Kingdom of Grey Mane, which relied entirely on taxes to survive, hesitate to take action.
It was because no one could do anything to the other, and they were all afraid of each other’s strength, that this tradition continued.
It was only until the elven parliament came across the sea and established a colony city on the east side of the Mannheim Coast. Although there were only a few thousand people, they were good at fighting, and their combat strength was extremely strong. This caused the Lizardmen Kingdom, which originally occupied the east side of the Mannheim Coast, to suffer a fair amount of losses. Only after negotiations did they reluctantly acquiesce to the existence of the elves.
The fragile peace created by the three races also continued because of mutual fear.
But early this morning, five wars.h.i.+ps slowly sailed into the port of the king’s city.
The streamlined hull accurately cut into the side of the dock and slowly docked.
The many merchant s.h.i.+ps that docked there were puzzled. They glanced at the empty flagpole that did not indicate any race and power. The faces of some shrewd merchants suddenly turned pale, and their hearts beat faster.
There were many pirates on the Sea of Stars.
Among them, there were Jackalan pirates who liked jumping overboard. They wore chainmail armor and held two-handed battle-axes in their hands.
Usually, if these ferocious pirates jumped onto the deck, the battle would be over because no merchant of any race could defeat these strong and burly Jackalans on the deck.
Just like those burly Jackalan warriors who were lining up to come down from the five battles.h.i.+ps.
If the merchants’ eyes were sharp enough, they could even see the familiar faces who had once robbed them.
However, the entire port received a statement from the Kingdom of Grey Mane. They claimed that for the stability of the Sea of Stars and the safety of many merchants who had come to the port of the capital, they had already recruited and reorganized these pirate gangs of their own race, by including them in the Army of the Kingdom of Grey Mane. This vicious Jackalan pirate gang would no longer appear on the Sea of Stars in the future.
The new young merchants might believe these words.
However, those experienced merchants secretly sneered.
This vicious Jackalan pirate gang had roamed the Sea of Stars for so many years. It was absolutely impossible that they did not have a backer, and there was only one person who could fully support this Jackalan pirate gang.
However, the merchants could totally live without these pirates.
But the Lizardmen and elves were all shocked.
As forces that had already taken root in the Mannheim Coast, they naturally understood that this pirate gang, which was all made up of Jackalans, was a force that the Grey Mane Kingdom had secretly set up on the Sea of Stars.
Now, they were called back, claiming that they had been recruited and reorganized.
It was like handing over the authority of the Sea of Stars to someone else. How could anyone believe that?
After all, if the Kingdom of Grey Mane, which only relied on the harbor had power over the deep-water harbor in the capital, they would be in trouble if they lost control over the Sea of Stars.
Some things could not be done openly.
For example, one would wonder why were the Lizardmen’s merchant s.h.i.+ps often plundered.
And some merchants who relied on the port for a living and were on good terms with the Jackalan would also be visited by the pirates.
These were all hidden truths.
Losing these measures was like losing some of their partners. Even for merchants who had formed good trade relations, they had to consider whether or not they should befriend other races.
The king’s city port was indeed under the control of the Jackalans.
But it did not mean that they would be in the Jackalan’s hands for the rest of their lives.
The Mannheim Coast was surging with undercurrents.
But for the upper echelons of the Kingdom of Grey Mane, this was just a way to distract the enemy.
Calling back these 300 fierce pirates was also part of their plan because these Jackalan pirates would, together with the 1,000 elite Jackalan soldiers and 2,000 Jackalan warriors that were transferred from the army, form an expeditionary force of 3,300 people. This force would go past the Nahrin Desert and head to the strange world on the other side to plunder as many resources as they need.
This was what they had been planning for ten years. If possible, the Kingdom of Grey Mane would even extend its territory to the south of the Nahrin Desert, conquering the humans there, and creating a rear area for the high-level Jackalans.
They were creatures on land.
The vast and turbulent sea was not the ideal battlefield for the Jackalans.
The undulating deck was not as good as the thick and stable land.
After these high-level Jackalans of the Grey Mane Kingdom came into contact with and fought with the Lizardmen and elves, they had to admit that when they were on land, their vanguard was invincible in the field.
But on the sea, they were no match for the Lizardmen Navy or the Elven Navy.
The Lizardmen were agile, good in the water, and preferred crossbows.
The elves were intelligent, had all kinds of extraordinary spells, and excellent archery skills.
These tall and burly high-level Jackalans had nothing worth mentioning other than their close combat skills, or even more violent close combat after the shamans used the basic witchcraft.
That’s right.
Even they themselves concluded that they weren’t suitable for the sea.
Thus, they made a strategic decision.
Since they weren’t suitable for the sea and couldn’t have a powerful navy, then they would give up the hegemony of the Sea of Stars and guard the only deep-water port on the Mannheim Coast, extending their power towards the human kingdoms to the south of the Nahrin Desert. They would create their land hegemony and even conquer the human kingdoms. Then, they would take the opportunity to develop and devour the Mannheim Coast.
In the Nahrin Desert, the Jackalans who had good stamina had nothing to worry about. They could endure the heat and cold and march during the day and night to launch surprise attacks.
Therefore, they recalled the 300 most elite Jackalan pirates.
They were all experienced elite soldiers who had fought against the Lizardmen and the Elven Navy every day.
In addition, there were 1,000 elite Jackalan elite soldiers stationed in the capital, 2,000 brave Jackalan warriors, and a few shamans who had magical powers. They were enough to conquer the human kingdoms.
Of course, this colonizing army would set off in a month.
Now, the first to go was the 300 most elite Jackalan pirates.
They would seize the recorded Oasis Lookout and lead the low-level Jackalan tribe in the Nahrin Desert to establish an outpost base so that the remaining 3,000 Jackalan expeditionary soldiers would be able to set off safely.
This conquest of the human Kingdoms could not fail.
And the upper echelons of the Grey Mane Kingdom thought that even 500 weak human soldiers could not stop 50 ordinary Jackalan warriors.
Although the human soldiers also had long-range weapons such as bows and crossbows, their shooting skills were not as good as the elves. Moreover, their close combat skills were too poor, and they could not even jump into the sea to hide temporarily and waited for an opportunity to strike like the Lizardmen.
The actual examples had already shown that.
There were indeed brave men worthy of praise among the humans.
However, most of the time, when the ferocious Jackalan pirates resisted the arrows and jumped onto the deck of the human merchant s.h.i.+ps, it meant that a ma.s.sacre was about to begin.
The humans were really weak.
300 of the most elite Jackalan pirates were enough to seize the Oasis Lookout.
Perhaps, they could also order the low-level Jackalans who lived in the desert to attack first.
They didn’t need the main forces of the Kingdom of Grey Mane to be there. They could easily slaughter the human countries.