"What is that? A ghost ship?" asked Alustriel in an uncertain tone.

Because the glass bottle clearly had a dazzling arcane aura, she was not sure whether it was some kind of decoration or a container used to seal something dangerous.

"this?"

Zuo Si picked up the bottle and shook it gently, then smiled and nodded and replied, "Yes, that's right, this is indeed a ghost ship, and the soul of an old friend lives inside it.

He colluded with a shark-like city of murlocs in the deep sea, attempting to capture and plunder the ports and warehouses I built on the Nelanther Islands.

You see these interesting activated transformation parts and the ability to control water flow, which are the unique deep-sea technology of the shark-like fishman.

The churning water flow under the hull, which is difficult to distinguish with the naked eye, is actually a kind of elemental life called water monster, which is often summoned and driven by the shark-like fishman.

The algae at the bottom, which have been eroded and twisted by negative energy, can entangle anything that enters its attack radius, whether it is another ship or a person.

The undead soft tissue in the giant barnacles protruding from the side can not only be used to catapult undead creatures, but also to throw heavy stones two or three hundred meters away, which is equivalent to a biological catapult.

To be honest, I was amazed when I first saw it.”

"The Nelanther Islands were attacked by ghost ships and deep-sea races? Is this the so-called little trouble you just mentioned?"

Valamaradace showed an expression of disbelief.

You have to know that for most coastal cities, no matter which of these two appears in front of them, it often means a catastrophic disaster.

Especially the large-scale attacks of shark-like murlocs. According to many historical records of the continent of Faerun, even the one with the smallest loss resulted in the deaths of more than 100,000 or 200,000 people, and several cities were looted or completely reduced to ruins.

Moreover, these robbers from the deep sea have no interest in things like land. After burning, killing and looting, they will immediately retreat back to the depths of the sea, leaving the humans, elves, dwarves, gnomes, halflings and other races on the shore with no way to deal with them.

The Golden Dragon Queen could not imagine the terrifying sight that would occur when a city of shark-like murlocs came out in full force, or the devastating damage that would be caused by giant sharks, deep-sea monsters, siege crabs and other creatures summoned and raised by the shark-like murlocs, all rushing towards a city or an archipelago.

Even she would feel helpless facing so many enemies.

What's more, the shark-like merfolk are no pushovers. A considerable proportion of their population are divine spellcasters who can heal wounds, provide protection and strengthen spells for those strong warriors.

"Haha, ma'am, have you forgotten my identity?

Or have you forgotten how the orcs in the north disappeared?

To me, numbers mean nothing unless they are elementals, undead, or machines that are completely immune to disease and poison.

Unfortunately, these shark-like fishmen chose the wrong enemy, so they have now completely disappeared from this world, and not even a single egg could have survived.

Since you dare to provoke me, you must be prepared for revenge.

When it comes to dealing with my enemies, I will never show mercy.

By the way, I am quite satisfied with the amount of gold, silver and treasures stored in that underwater city, especially the large number of magic items, precious materials, gems and pearls. "

Zuo Si spoke these creepy words in the most calm tone.

Because in these few short sentences, it means that a kingdom of shark-like fishmen with a population of perhaps tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands or even millions of people has completely disappeared.

Even though similar things have happened before among the orcs in the north, I still feel my scalp tingling when I hear it again.

However, since the shark-like mermen themselves are an extremely evil race, and have been regarded as a scourge on the same level as demons by coastal residents since their inception, if merchant ships are unfortunate enough to encounter them in the middle of the ocean, they basically have no hope of surviving.

Therefore, even Eribes, a holy knight, did not express any dissatisfaction with the massacre, but just frowned subconsciously.

It goes without saying that the ghost ship was none other than Hallet's soul which fell into the sea after his death and merged with the sunken ship.

Filled with strong resentment and unwillingness, he not only successfully transformed himself into a powerful undead creature similar to "Umibozu", but also secretly attacked passing ships in the Moonshadow Islands, killing all living people and transforming them into undead creatures under his control.

After crazy devouring, evolution and transformation, the ghost ship controlled by Hallett has long been powerful enough to easily crush a fleet.

Later, after cooperating with the shark-like fishman, he obtained a stable source of souls, corpses and bones.

Especially the several "Banshees" transformed from the Sirens, each of them can release terrifying group negative energy attacks similar to the nine-ring magic [Banshee's Howl].

Not to mention ordinary people, even elite adventurers with a professional level above LV10 will be killed instantly if they are not fully prepared.

In addition, there are a large number of demon soul corpses, rotten war corpses, corpse demons, boda corpses, and giant skeleton creatures spliced together with the bones of marine creatures that are twisted under negative energy.

The ability of "Umibozu" itself is like a natural disaster in the sea. Just the gaze emitted through the shadow can make people feel an intense fear that cannot be described in words, and thus fall into a state of paralysis and unable to move.

If stared at a second time, the negative energy will erode the body and cause a negative level.

And when Hallett merges with the ghost ship, he will wrap it up with his huge black shadow-like body and dive completely thousands of meters underwater.

This is why he attacked so many ships but was never caught or had any witnesses.

Unfortunately, this guy's strong obsession with revenge made him decisively propose a plan to attack and plunder the Nalanther Islands to his shark-like murloc allies after he thought his power was strong enough.

He wanted to kill that bastard Eric and all those traitors with his own hands, turn their bodies and souls into his own subordinates again, and torture and enslave them for a thousand or ten thousand years.

Since the shark-like merman had no idea about the information on land and was also very keen on looting towns along the coast, he agreed without even thinking about it.

The two sides hit it off immediately and decisively gathered their forces to launch an attack.

However, before these guys had time to go ashore, the lich stationed in the magic tower on the island was the first to discover the enemy situation, and then promptly notified Zuo Si's clone who stayed in the continent of Faerun.

As a result, a long-planned sneak attack turned into a one-sided massacre.

Although there are many high-level shark-like fishmen from the depths of the ocean, the two princes are truly legendary warriors, and there are two or three priests who can cast divine spells above the seventh level, but the number of arcane spellcasters is almost zero.

As expected, they were easily defeated and killed by the liches led by Zuo Si, who began to release a horrific magical plague against the shark-like murlocs, using spells and rituals to summon elementals and aquatic creatures from other planes to stalk and kill them.

There are more than twenty water element elders alone, and others like the Infernal Ferocious Shark, Infernal Giant Octopus, Dragon Turtles, and Dragon Eels are in large numbers.

Before long, thousands of shark-like fishmen's corpses appeared on the surface of the sea.

Even the siege crab that was ten stories tall lost its ability to resist under the touch of the shadow creature and was directly made into a card.

After killing all the invading enemies and capturing the ghost ship controlled by Hallett, Zuo Si was obviously not satisfied. Instead, he rushed into the opponent's underwater city and wiped out the most powerful shark-like fish-man kingdom entrenched in the depths of the Traceless Sea.

In the end, he himself had no idea how many murlocs he killed.

Anyway, blue mana has ushered in an unprecedented bumper harvest.

The corpses recovered after the war alone piled up into a small mountain. They were all prepared to be taken back and handed over to the necromancer wizard Ludevi to be processed, dismembered and turned into various corpse creatures.

Since the emergence of him and his fully automatic assembly line factory, the floating city has basically stopped using low-level undead creatures like skeletons and zombies, and instead uses corpse-smacking creatures that have a certain level of intelligence and stronger combat power.

However, since there are too many forces and gods watching over Faerun, there are no plans for large-scale replacements for the time being.

"Aren't you afraid of angering the father of shark-turned fishmen, Sekola, by doing this?"

Alustriel's expression was obviously a little complicated, and he asked in an uncertain tone.

Zuo Si spread his hands indifferently and said, "What is there to be afraid of?

First of all, this god is cold, ruthless and cruel, and he especially hates weakness.

So from the moment those shark-like mermen were defeated and turned to flee, they were abandoned by their own gods.

What's more, the Nelanther Islands are located in a shallow sea, and the shallow seas of the entire Faerun continent are ruled by the sea goddess Amberlee.

In addition, the shark-like merfolk's unbridled expansion, conquest, and killing have long threatened the living space of the sea elves. It has also angered the patron saint of the sea elves, the great Dolphin Prince - Seshela, as well as the elven pantheon behind him and a series of animal lords and sea god allies.

I assure you that if the father of shark-like fishmen dares to descend incarnate, the same result will be waiting for him as when the Lord God of the Orcs descends.

As for driving other shark-like fish-man kingdoms in the deep sea to attack the areas I control...

If he is not afraid that the entire race of shark-like murlocs will be completely wiped out from the ocean world of Toril, then come on.

No matter if there are millions, tens of millions, or hundreds of millions, I will kill as many as come, and this will also teach the intelligent creatures in the ocean to learn to respect Talona, the goddess of poison and disease."

There is no doubt that when carrying out the extermination massacre of that underwater city, Zuo Si had already thought clearly about the consequences of offending Sekola and the countermeasures he could use.

Simply put, Sekola is not a very powerful god and has no allies, but has countless enemies.

His shark-like merfolk even frequently clashed with the Isi rays who believed in the demon prince Demogorgon.

So this is basically no different from the Prince of Lies, Cyric, an evil god who has become so hated by everyone that everyone hates him.

In addition, Zuo Si, whose divine power was only medium, could summon Talona's incarnation at any time, so he didn't need to worry about it at all.

"As expected of you..."

The corners of Alustriel's mouth twitched as he sighed slightly.

Sometimes, she really envied Zuo Si for being able to fight back against the enemy's temptations and provocations without any scruples.

Especially after the gods of Faerun realized that Talona was willing to start an all-out war with any opponent for the sake of her chosen people, even the most powerful gods did not dare to provoke this pair easily.

After all, although they are not afraid of the plague, their mortal believers are.

With the living example of the northern orcs, no one would doubt that Zuo Si could use something as terrible as the plague as a weapon.

In addition, there are the world-destroying creatures, the Odrazi, who come from the dark void.

Although Io, the God above all gods, has expressly prohibited the summoning of this thing in the "Kingdom Sky Crystal Wall System" where the planet Toril is located, it does not mean that it cannot be summoned in the outer planes where the various kingdoms of the gods are located.

The most important thing is, when facing a planeswalker like Zuo Si who can teleport to other time and space at any time, as long as you cannot kill him with one blow, then you must be prepared to endure endless and unscrupulous revenge.

Of course, Alustriel was not the only one who envied this. There was also Lord Nasir, who was often troubled by the endless barbarians, dragons, monsters, giants and dark elves in the Neverwinter Forest.

Just two days before coming to Luskan to attend the Northern Lords Alliance Conference, a small town east of Neverwinter was invaded by hundreds of barbarians, including beastmen who believed in the beast god Mara.

Although the casualties were not heavy, the entire town was almost looted, and the enemy even set it on fire before leaving.

Although the church of Tyr, the god of justice, has been trying to bring these tribes wandering in the wilderness under the jurisdiction of order and law, teaching them to settle and produce instead of plundering.

However, because the means were too mild, not only did it fail to achieve the desired effect, but it was instead seen as a symbol of weakness and gullibility.

Thinking of this, Lord Nasir couldn't help but propose, "Lord Soth, I wonder if you are interested in signing an offensive and defensive alliance with Neverwinter City to jointly deal with the threats from Neverwinter Forest and Cliff Hill?"

"Covenant?"

Before Zuo Si could respond, Eribes showed a surprised expression.

Because this is not part of the plan of this trip.

Lord Nasir glanced at this capable assistant with a very high paladin level and explained with a wry smile, "Yes. The area of Neverwinter Forest is really too large, far beyond the control of Neverwinter City.

According to Arian's report, an unknown force seems to have entered the depths of the forest recently, as if they are planning something.

The recent frequent attacks may be a precursor to this.

So we need an ally, an ally that is close enough and has a strong deterrent power.

Fortunately, we can at least rule out the Arcane Brotherhood as the biggest suspect this time."

"Then what can I get from it?" Zuo Si asked with a smile.

"In exchange, first, Neverwinter is willing to give up all of its navy, but your fleet must guarantee the safety of our merchant ships.

Second, we will be fully open for business with no restrictions.

Third, Neverwinter will pay you 50,000 gold coins per year as compensation and is willing to follow your lead politically and militarily.

Of course, the premise is that it does not violate the principle of justice. "

Lord Nasir quickly put forward the conditions he had been brewing for several days.

The first one is easy to understand. With the Nelanther Islands fleet unifying the entire west coast of Faerun, the few pitiful warships owned by Neverwinter are simply a mantis trying to stop a chariot. It would be better to throw them away as bargaining chips, which would save some maintenance costs every year.

The second concession in the business area was also well thought out.

Neverwinter was not originally a city with a strong commercial atmosphere. It mainly produced handicrafts, wood, rare and precious garden magic plants, and a small number of magic items, scrolls, and potions made by spellcasters of the Star Cloak Guild.

In other words, its industrial structure is dominated by high value-added manufacturing, supplemented by agriculture and fisheries. Even if the trade sector is completely occupied by outsiders, there will be no turbulence.

On the contrary, it may become more prosperous as a result.

As for the huge hidden dangers that may arise from the control of the commercial and financial fields...

I'm sorry, Lord Nasir can't see that far with his limited knowledge and insight.

He only hopes that he can fulfill his duty of "protecting the country and the people" so that civilians can live and work in peace without having to worry about their homes being attacked by monsters or wild beasts all day long.

The last one is equivalent to saving the part of the expenses originally used to deal with the threat of the Arcane Brotherhood and paying it to the other party as "reward" or "protection fee".

Coupled with the political statement, in exchange for the deterrent power and military protection that Neverwinter needed most at the moment.

In fact, Neverwinter was founded to resist the invasion of Luskan Pirates and the Arcane Brotherhood, and it has no ambition to dominate or expand outward.

It is not difficult to see from Lord Nasir's attitude that the city does not mind following a powerful and friendly neighbor and putting itself in a subordinate position.

Zuo Si lowered his head and pondered for a moment, then quickly stretched out his right hand and said with a smile: "Deal! I wish us a happy cooperation!"

"It's a pleasure to work with you! I will assign Eribes to be in charge of this matter in the future."

Lord Nasir also stretched out his called right hand and held Zuo Si's hand tightly.

Seeing that the two most important coastal port cities in the North had reached an alliance, Valamaradace immediately complained in a low voice: "Well, this Northern Lords Alliance meeting finally has some exciting good news.

Sometimes I really don't understand why those human rulers are always so keen on fighting each other.

Can't we just take a step back and get along as friends? You didn't see the ugly scenes of the lords and representatives arguing and cursing at the meeting. "

Zuo Si turned around and glanced at the Golden Dragon Queen who had transformed herself into a "blonde little girl" and responded meaningfully: "Madam, fighting is one of the inevitable natures of all intelligent creatures in order to obtain better survival resources and to pass on their genes.

Or it can be said that it is a universal competition phenomenon that exists in the entire natural world.

Not to mention intelligent creatures, even wild beasts, birds, fish, insects and plants all follow the rule of the survival of the fittest.

It is almost impossible to eliminate it.

Would you expect two male bears in estrus to get along harmoniously while fighting for mating rights? Would you expect a female praying mantis to let go of an exhausted male mantis after mating instead of eating him?

If you don't expect this absolutely impossible thing to happen, why would you expect it to happen to a higher intelligence that understands the benefits of resources?"

moment!

Valamaradace fell into deep thought. After a long while, she raised her head and asked, "But the members of the Northern Lords' Alliance were not like this before. They were very united, and often supported each other when facing the threats of the Luskan Arcane Brotherhood and the orc army. Why do they start fighting each other now that the threat is gone?"

“This is exactly the second phenomenon I want to talk about.

That is, when faced with a huge external threat that is sufficient to threaten one's own survival, internal conflicts will be alleviated to a certain extent, or even temporarily shelved.

You have to know that in this world, from a country, an alliance to a tribe or a village, if you want to maintain unity rather than division, you need to have a basic concept of "us" and "them".

Generally speaking, "us" refers to our own people, while "they" refers to our enemies and potential external threats.

Because if we are not united, we will be invaded or even occupied, and lose everything.

In order to ensure that this will never happen, all members are willing to sacrifice part of their own interests.

After all, at this time, in the eyes of various towns and noble lords, we are all one of us.

But when the external threat disappears, the original concept of "them" also disappears, and the rulers need to find a new "them" to maintain internal unity.

At this moment, those of us who once had conflicts of interest, frictions and hatred with us will naturally become us.

In other words, the positions and mindsets of the members of the Northern Lords Alliance have changed.

Since you already regard the other party as an enemy, quarrels and insults are inevitable.

To be honest, I was a little surprised that they have been able to hold on until now without a war breaking out.

If we continue to extend this idea, it can also be used to explain the formation of a country or even a nation.

It is easy to find out from the history of Furen that the establishment process of all countries and nations with a long history has been constantly distinguishing between "us" and "them".

If [they] disappear or are defeated, find a way to establish another one.

After all, establishing a sense of group identity through culture, religion, thoughts and behavioral habits is very difficult and takes time to develop.

Even the shortest time would be hundreds or even thousands of years.

There are too many uncertainties that could interrupt it over such a long period of time.

But it's much easier to find an enemy, isn't it?"

As these words came out of his mouth, the four guests present were immediately shocked beyond words.

Lord Nasir and Erebeth recalled the history of Neverwinter from its founding to the present day, and discovered that it was during the constant confrontation with Luskan that it united a group of rebels and gradually developed into what it is today.

Similarly, Valamaradace and Alustriel also realized that the establishment of the Silvermoon Alliance seemed to be originally intended to deal with the endless invasions of orcs. It was a military alliance established with Silvermoon City as the leader, and later new members were continuously added to reach its current scale.

After a long silence, Willamaradace was the first to break the silence. She stared at him with her two golden pupils that kept flashing with strange spirits and exclaimed, "What a refreshing insight, and it is very accurate and insightful. No wonder Elastro always thinks of you first when he encounters a headache."

“Thank you for the compliment.

But this is not just my opinion, but the research results of other experts who specialize in related fields.

I am simply telling them, that's all.

Let’s sit down and talk while we eat, otherwise some of the dishes will not taste good if they get cold.”

After saying that, Zuo Si made a gesture of invitation and then took the lead to sit on a chair next to the dining table.

There is no doubt that people like the Golden Dragon Queen Valamaradace, and the Chosen Ones who possess the Silver Fire like Zuo Si and Alustriel, would not feel anything at all if they missed a meal, and would not even feel hungry.

For them, tasting delicious food is more of an enjoyment than a nutritional supplement necessary for survival.

But Lord Nasir, a human, is different from the half-elf Erebeth.

Moreover, both of them are warriors, and their appetites are much larger than those of ordinary people.

In addition, he had spent the entire morning trying to find ways to resolve the conflicts between the various towns and the noble lords, and his stomach was already growling with hunger.

After Zuo Si gestured for them to please feel free, the two of them immediately put the food into their mouths with quick and elegant movements.

In just a few minutes, the fragrant roast goose was destroyed, leaving only a pile of bones.

Then he ate some steaks covered with delicious sauce, fish fillets in tomato sauce, fried mushrooms with onions, crispy lasagna with a lot of meat filling, and a bowl of clam and vegetable soup. Only then did he reluctantly put down his cutlery and began to taste the dark red fine wine in the glass.

There is no doubt that from the astonishing amount of food they ate and the astonished and satisfied expressions on Lord Nasir and Eribes' faces, it was not difficult to tell that they were quite satisfied with the taste, texture and color of the dishes.

In fact, since both of them were believers of the God of Justice Tyr, even though one was the supreme ruler of Neverwinter and the other was his most trusted right-hand man, they rarely spent time, energy and money on enjoyment.

So the tongue and taste buds are instantly conquered by these carefully prepared flavors.

Alustriel and Veramalandes nodded in praise as they ate, and even asked Zuo Si for a recipe, planning to promote these delicacies when they return to Silvermoon City so that the people under their rule could also enjoy them.

When the main course was over and the various dishes and staple foods were replaced with exquisite desserts and cakes, Alustriel once again shifted the topic back to the politics of the North.

She organized her words a little and quickly asked, "Sos, in your opinion, is the dissolution of the Northern Lords' Alliance inevitable?"

“It’s not certain that they will disband, but division is inevitable. Unless… you can find a [them] that is powerful enough to make everyone feel threatened.” Zuo Si shrugged and replied.

This is also why he would rather focus on the West Heartlands where Baldur's Gate is located, rather than expand in the North based on Luskan.

There is no other reason, there is simply no foundation here to establish a unified country.

In particular, the castles and nobles of all sizes that are everywhere have formed a complex network of relationships after hundreds of years of intermarriage and alliances.

Moreover, the people in the territory rely heavily on the lord's military protection, so their loyalty is often very high.

Any expansion into this land would be a recipe for disaster and would almost certainly provoke strong resistance, which is why Luskan and the Arcane Brotherhood have always failed.

"You mean... find a common enemy?" Elastro frowned quickly.

"That's right. Not only does the Northern Lords Alliance need an enemy, the Silver Moon Alliance also needs an enemy.

Otherwise, it is only a matter of time before the internal strife intensifies and turns into war.

In addition, I suggest that you should shift more of your attention internally and be careful of inflammatory remarks.

If I were an enemy of the Silver Moon Alliance, I would never miss such a great opportunity, but would do my best to spread rumors and hatred to make the civilians in different towns hate each other.

Because the masses are the easiest to be incited, fooled and angered, and under the group effect they have almost no ability to distinguish right from wrong.

Ultimately, by mobilizing public opinion, evil organizations like the Zhentarim, the Red Wizards, and the Cult of the Dragon can force local rulers to do something to ensure that they are not driven out by the angry masses.

After all this time, the sense of identity you have spent hundreds of years to build up will soon disappear."

When saying this, Zuo Si's tone clearly contained a strong warning.

He was not exaggerating, but had received a lot of relevant intelligence.

Even the Church of Bane, the god of tyranny who is best at overthrowing regimes, actively participated in it, wanting to disintegrate the Silvermoon Alliance, which was a thorn in their side.

The increasingly acute internal conflicts within the Northern Lords' Alliance are most likely due to the secret fanning of the flames by these guys.

When Alustriel heard this, his expression instantly turned ugly. He immediately exchanged glances with Valamaradace and asked seriously, "Do you already know something?"

Zuo Si nodded slightly: "Yes. As far as I know, part of the Zhentarim has formed an alliance with the Dragon Worship Cult and plans to provoke conflicts between humans and dwarves.

The Red Wizard cooperated with the Church of Bane, trying to use the conflicts among the towns and lords within the Northern Lords' Alliance to expand his influence in this land.

In short, the situation will be very turbulent for a long time to come.

And this is not a short-term process, but a long-term process.

Maybe in a few years, a new organization similar to the Arcane Brotherhood will emerge.”

"Damn! This is really bad news."

Valamaradace couldn't help but curse under her breath.

“It’s just the way the world we live in is.

Good and evil, chaos and order always maintain a certain dynamic balance.

When you actively pursue the promotion of goodness and order, evil and chaos will naturally breed.

From a macro perspective, the total amount between the former and the latter usually remains unchanged.

Where there is a turn toward goodness and order, there must be a place that falls into the arms of evil and chaos.

I made this point clear long ago in Candlekeep.

This is why I always maintain neutrality in the areas I control.

Neither pursue kindness excessively, nor pursue order excessively.

Because only in this way can it present a sustainable and stable state.”

Zuo Si expressed in a casual tone the experience he had gained through observation and practice.

"Thank you for your reminder. I swear that no one will destroy the unity of the Silver Moon Alliance."

A silver light flashed in Alustriel's eyes.

It goes without saying that the despicable tricks of those evil organizations have completely enraged it, and the power of the silver fire from the deepest part of the magic network is burning fiercely.

But before long, she suddenly changed the subject, pointed at the airship under her feet and said, "By the way, I almost forgot to ask, what is this means of transportation we are riding now? Is it one of your new inventions?"

"Ah! You finally noticed.

I was just thinking about what reason to bring it up.

This is not my invention, but was first invented by a man named Giffard.

Several of my men redesigned and enchanted it, eventually transforming it into this form.

It can fly at an altitude of several thousand meters at a speed of about 400 kilometers per hour, easily carrying thousands of people and thousands or even tens of thousands of tons of cargo.

There is no need to worry about the bad road conditions on the ground, the robbers and monsters that may rush out of the woods at any time, or the terrible wind and waves on the sea, or the giant beasts and murlocs hidden under the water.

Compared with ships and carriages, both safety and speed have made a qualitative leap.

Next, I plan to open fixed routes to important cities on the west coast, such as Luskan, Nelanther Islands, Silvermoon City, Neverwinter City, Waterdeep City, Askatla, Mylatma, Calim Port and Sul'dorfor.

Anyone who is willing to spend money to buy a ticket can enjoy a comfortable and fast flight service.

Merchants can also rent space to transport their own goods.

Just imagine, if you travel by land from Luskan to Silvermoon City, it will take at least two weeks even on a fast horse, and if you travel by caravan, it will take at least a month.

It can be replaced by an airship, which can arrive in just one day.

At that time, trade and cultural exchanges between cities will become incomparably simple, fast and frequent.

The fruits produced in Silvermoon City can even be transported to the southernmost Calim Port for sale within three days, and the silk and spices produced in Calim Port can also be sold in the markets of various towns in the Silvermoon Alliance at a lower price..."

Zuo Si used illusion magic to create out of thin air a prosperous scene brought about by the popularization of airships.

Anyone with a little modern knowledge would understand that his purpose in doing this was actually to further monopolize the extremely important industry of transportation.

At the same time, it also prepared to control Amn, capture Baldur's Gate and the West Heartland region, and finally take over Calimshan and Tethyr from King Shayne VII to build a west coast empire.

You must know that the reason why a huge empire collapses and splits rapidly after expanding to a certain extent is that it is restricted by transportation and communications and cannot fully mobilize its own resources and financial resources.

The lack of economic and cultural exchanges and the isolation caused by geographical factors will make some regions relatively independent and closed, which naturally leads to separatist tendencies.

But now with the airship, it only takes three days to travel from Luskan in the north to Calim Port in the south.

Coupled with a civil service management system similar to that of modern countries, as well as the supervision and deterrence of the liches within the organization, it is basically possible to maintain the stable operation of a huge country.

After all, although the construction and enchantment of an airship are not complicated, the helium filling it is not something that just any person or organization can produce.

Alastor stroked his chin and pondered for a moment, then immediately responded with a smile, "I can't think of a reason to refuse. Strengthening trade and exchanges is beneficial to the people of all cities. I look forward to seeing all the cities on the entire West Coast usher in unprecedented wealth and prosperity under your leadership."

"Me too. Although it would be a waste to use such a high-speed flying tool given the distance between Luskan and Neverwinter, it would be nice to be able to bring our handicrafts and exquisite clocks to the farther south for sale."

Lord Nasir also quickly expressed his attitude.

What's more, he really likes the wonderful feeling brought by flying.

"In that case, let's make it a deal."

Seeing that his goal had been achieved, Zuo Si immediately raised the wine glass in his hand, clinked it with the other two, then tilted his head back and drank it all.

After finishing the wine in the glass, a faint blush immediately appeared on Alustriel's fair face and neck. He pursed his lips and asked in a meaningful tone: "Do you have a place to take a bath? I feel a little tired, and I want to soak for a while to relax my tense nerves."

"Of course! How could I possibly forget your little hobby."

After saying that, Zuo Si immediately stood up and pushed open the door leading to the next cabin.

After passing through a slightly narrow corridor, he came to a bathroom filled with white mist and with several giant beige porcelain basins underneath.

It can be clearly seen through the water inlet that this thing is closely connected to a hot spring somewhere through space magic.

Alustriel took off his boots and socks and tested the water temperature with his toes, then walked straight in and began to undress.

Lord Nasir, who believed in the god of justice and had a somewhat old-fashioned personality, could not stand such provocation and immediately turned around and left without even saying hello.

The Golden Dragon Queen, Valamaradace, had long been accustomed to this. She also took off her clothes and walked into the bath. She sat down in a very relaxed posture and waved to the bewildered Eribes with a smile: "Come along! Nothing can make you feel more relaxed and happy than lying down and taking a bath after eating and drinking. And the water temperature is just right."

"Uh-thank you for inviting me, I...I'm not very comfortable taking a shower with others."

After saying that, Eribes glanced at Zuo Si who was standing next to him with a red face, then ran away in panic.

Watching her quickly receding figure, Alustriel couldn't help but laughed and splashed a handful of water at Valamaradace: "Ha! You bad guy, you still like to tease the paladin so much."

"Hehe! This is not a prank. I just simply want to make these dull guys a little happier." A sly smile appeared on the face of the Golden Dragon Queen.

"Thoth, what are you waiting for? Do you want me to get up and drag you in?" Elastro urged in a very frivolous tone.

“This is not good…”

Zuo Si subconsciously glanced at the Golden Dragon Queen.

If he remembered correctly, this woman was already married and had a legal husband who was an ancient silver dragon.

What's the matter with going in by yourself?

NTR?

Cuckolding a married woman?

Oh, no, it should be Dragon's Wife.

But unfortunately, Alustriel obviously didn't care about this, and neither did Valamaradace.

Or in other words, in the dragon's view, things like being naked are nothing at all.

Because in dragon form, they were originally wearing nothing.

Finally, under the strong urging of the two, Zuo Si had no choice but to sacrifice his life to accompany the gentleman, took off his clothes and slowly walked into the bathtub...

(End of this chapter)