King
Chapter 890 - 890 89 Strike First to Gain the Upper Hand_3

890: Chapter 89, Strike First to Gain the Upper Hand_3 890: Chapter 89, Strike First to Gain the Upper Hand_3 This cowardly decision wasn’t suitable for a king to make, but the Chancellor’s presumption still irritated him.

Of course, what angered him more was the provocation from the Clergy.

The Kingdom suffered a disadvantage, with his royal authority being the first to be damaged.

During the era of Caesar III, the Clergy had never done such a thing.

“Your Majesty, the overall situation is critical!”

“Your Majesty, the situation in the Kingdom is dire…”

…

The continuous persuasions from his ministers left Caesar IV in utter misery.

It was just a vent of his internal discontent, why it seemed endless!

Hudson pretended not to see his king’s distress.

Past conflicts with the Clergy had been between two major powers; put simply, they were all official matters.

While the two powers clamored fiercely, the impact on individuals wasn’t actually that great.

This time, however, the dispute centered around the descendants of the clergy nobility, and it had involved personal grievances.

Moreover, compounded by the disappearance of the Treasure Hunting Team, the conflict between the two sides intensified.

Fortunately, the Clergy only speculated about the Divine Artifact; had they confirmed its existence, their reaction would have been even more vehement.

Moreover, the northward movement of the Church Fleet was a humiliation for the Kingdom, but for him personally, it was an opportunity.

Since the Ghost Ship had been following him, it hadn’t indulged in pillage even once, and the robbery-loving ghosts aboard were feeling aggrieved.

Feeling uneasy about harming his own people, he felt no pressure in setting up the Clergy — after all, they were there to exterminate the Ghost Ship, and getting ambushed by it was justifiable.

Determined to lure the Clergy’s people over, Hudson naturally added fuel to the fire, helping them make up their minds.

“Your Majesty, the Chancellor’s proposal is very sensible, and at this moment, we absolutely cannot compromise with the Bright Kingdom.

For the reputation of the Kingdom, not only should we not lower our demands, but we should purposefully raise our demands on the Bright Kingdom.

We don’t need to go overboard, just slightly higher than the others.

Perhaps this provocation will lead the other four houses to directly come to an agreement with us, leaving the Bright Kingdom unable to support itself for long.

As for the Clergy’s fleet heading north to exterminate the Ghost Ship, then let’s accommodate them.

Send someone to release news that the Ghost Ship is lurking deep in the Misty Marine Region, and let them go in and search.

Even the most experienced captain cannot guarantee free passage through the Misty Marine Region.

If they happen to be unlucky and lose their way inside, we can’t be blamed!”

Upon hearing Hudson’s suggestion, Caesar IV was visibly shaken and quickly filled in the blanks in his mind.

If the Clergy were causing trouble at such a time, the Human Alliance would definitely interfere.

For the Bright Kingdom, they might not be able to withstand the pressure.

After all, the Kingdom of Alpha was only targeting common soldiers and serfs, and it wouldn’t harm the elites’ scions at all.

Even if the parents were angry, they wouldn’t break off relations immediately.

But if it involved the “Staff of Glory,” that would be a different matter.

Unless he immediately handed over the Divine Artifact, the Clergy’s agents would sooner or later come knocking.

Already guilty, Caesar IV had now concluded that the news of the Divine Artifact had leaked out, but since the Clergy wasn’t sure the item was in his possession, they made a probing move.

“The Church Fleet is heading north, and we truly can’t stop them.

But is the Misty Marine Region really so perilous that it could bury a powerful fleet?”

Caesar IV asked uncertainly.

Confronted with a matter of expertise, Duke Eufeele, Minister of Military Affairs, stepped forward to answer:

“Your Majesty, the Misty Marine Region itself is not dangerous, nor is it home to any formidable sea creatures.

The real peril lies in the vastness of the area shrouded in fog.

Once ships enter it, all navigational tools become ineffective.

Apart from Poison Dragon Island in the center, no other points of reference can be found.

Oftentimes, it may seem as though you’re heading in one direction, but due to the fog’s influence, you may deviate without even realizing it.

Even fleets entering together can lose track of each other’s ships.

If the Church Fleet ventures deep into the area, I dare not claim they will definitely get lost, but suffering heavy losses is inevitable.

Of course, this assumes they are unfamiliar with the area.

If they have a guide familiar with these waters and mages on board continuously dispelling the fog, there might be some hope of their withdrawing unscathed.”

Hearing this explanation, everyone turned their gaze towards several Coastal Lords, seeking a definitive answer.

“His Grace is correct; under normal circumstances, the Church can make it through the Misty Marine Region if they’re well-prepared.

However, the situation is now different, as three extremely dangerous Ghost Ships lurk within the region.

Our people have spotted them at the fringes of the mist.

The Allied Forces have tried a few times to go in and rout them but ultimately had to give up.

The fog doesn’t affect these monsters, but to avoid friendly fire, the Magic Crystal Cannons on board become useless.

If the Church dares to enter, they will undoubtedly pay a heavy price.

After all, no matter how many mages they have on their ships, they can’t dispel the entire region’s fog, always leaving an opportunity for a ghost ship to launch a surprise attack.

No matter who wins or loses, it will decrease one risk for the Kingdom.

Even if the Church does manage to wipe out the Ghost Ships, the Church Fleet will suffer heavy losses.

If we’re lucky, we might even be able to move in and deal the final blow.”

Earl Piers said menacingly.

The last time they had besieged “pirates,” the Dalton Family had suffered heavy losses.

They paid a painful price, but ultimately didn’t gain a single thing.

Since the pirates were cultivated by the Church, this debt naturally fell on their heads.

Especially since the matter also involved a Divine Artifact, if a conflict erupted between the Kingdom and the Church in the future, the Dalton Family as the involved party would definitely bear the brunt.

Bound to face them sooner or later, it’s better to make arrangements in advance rather than waiting for the enemy to come knocking, and to deal a severe blow to the Church’s naval power.

Even if the Church wants to retaliate, they would need to build a new fleet, which would take at least a year at the very shortest.

Moreover, the Church’s enemies aren’t limited to the Alpha Kingdom alone.

Once their naval fleet suffers heavy losses, their overseas trade will inevitably be severely damaged.

With naval trade damaged, fiscal revenues will inevitably decline, and correspondingly, the funds available for the navy will decrease.

Many maritime powers that have suffered a major defeat have gone into decline, not because they don’t want to struggle, but because the vicious cycle makes it impossible to regain strength promptly.

Delay even a bit, and others will have taken all the advantages.

The gap between their powers widens, making it even more unlikely to regain their former benefits.”

After hesitating for a moment, Caesar IV finally nodded.

“Good!”