Chapter 121 For the Expedition of Steel and Ale The morning mist...

The morning mist had not yet dissipated. On the main road between Hope Town and Blackrock City, Ryan von Kaslan reined in his horse, looking back at the vibrant and wondrous city behind him, and at the seemingly ordinary young man standing at the city gate to see him off. His eyes were filled with complex emotions—gratitude, admiration, and a hint of helplessness at being dragged onto this pirate ship.

“Brother Lin Yue,” he said, after riding back a short distance, he dismounted and solemnly gave Lin Yue a standard noble gesture of respect, “The journey ahead is long and arduous, and the future is uncertain. I entrust everything in Blackstone City to you. If all goes well, we’ll meet at Broken Stone Pass in a month.”

"Then I wish you a safe journey, Lord City Lord." Lin Yue returned the greeting with a smile, patting his sturdy arm armor. "I'll take care of things at home, so you can go out and cause as much trouble as you want. Remember what we agreed on: make a big show of it, but... don't really hurt our harmony."

“I know.” Ryan looked at him, unable to suppress a bitter smile. From the moment he embarked on this path, he had been firmly bound to a mad chariot called “Change” by this mysterious merchant who claimed to be from the East, and there was no turning back.

"Take care of yourself."

Be careful in everything you do.

Without exchanging many words, the two young allies exchanged a deep look in the morning light, then turned and headed toward their own battlefields.

Watching their departing figures, Aunt Leah, standing behind Lin Yue, finally couldn't hold back any longer. She stepped forward, her voice filled with unease, "Mayor, are you...are you really going to do this? This...how is this any different from hunting wild beasts for their skin? What if that young master Ryan..."

"Don't worry, Auntie." Lin Yue turned around, still wearing that calm and collected smile. "He will. Because he needs this victory more than we do."

Three days ago, at Hope No. 1 Store, in the study on the second floor.

The light from the oil lamp cast the shadows of the two people on the wall, making them appear longer and shorter.

"Brother Lin Yue, things... are done." Ryan's voice carried a hint of weariness and barely suppressed excitement. "Father has volunteered to the royal family to send troops to the Mountain Iron Kingdom for peace negotiations. The royal family has given a verbal reply, and we are just waiting for the final edict to be stamped and issued."

Lin Yue pushed the tea towards him, looked at Ryan's face, which was slightly flushed with excitement, and calmly said, "Be careful in everything."

“To be honest,” Ryan picked up his cup but didn’t drink. He looked out the window at the silent night of Blackrock City, a hint of confusion in his eyes, “I really want to replace Karl, take over from my father, and manage this territory properly. But is it too much to take such a big step? I always feel like I’m being pushed along by an invisible force, with every step I take treading on a knife’s edge.”

"So, are you scared?" Lin Yue asked.

Ryan was silent for a moment, then finally nodded honestly: "Some."

“It’s good to be afraid.” Lin Yue’s lips curled into a smile. “Because we’re doing something big. This game is too big; any player would feel apprehensive. But, Young Master Ryan,” he looked directly into Ryan’s eyes, “the opportunity has arrived, like a summer thunderclap, fleeting in an instant. We can’t afford to miss it by being too hesitant. Besides…”

"I'm helping you from behind, aren't I?"

Looking at his confident demeanor, which seemed to say, "With me here, you can all rest assured," Ryan felt his unease was indeed dispelled considerably.

This plan had already quietly taken shape in Lin Yue's mind when he received Horn's secret letter about the civil war in the Dwarf Kingdom. Upon learning that the Dwarf Kingdom had suffered a large-scale outbreak of "decay disease" due to its long-term blockade, and confirming that this so-called strange disease was nothing more than a severe malnutrition syndrome, he immediately sent someone to secretly deliver this news, along with a detailed pathological analysis and dietary recommendations for "decay disease" compiled with Norm's assistance, to Ryan. He also maintained frequent communication with Ryan throughout the development of Hope Brand II canned food.

"...You mean, you want me to persuade my father to volunteer to the royal family to attack a dwarf kingdom that even the royal family finds troublesome? Lin Yue, do you want me, or the entire Caslan family, to go to their deaths?" Ryan's first reaction was that Lin Yue had gone mad.

"No, not an attack, but a negotiation." In his reply, Lin Yue painted a completely new picture for Ryan with a seductive touch. "The dwarves' biggest problem right now isn't weapons, but disease. They don't lack steel, they lack food and medicine. And we happen to have all of that. What you need isn't an army that can breach the mountain stronghold of the Dwarven Kingdom, but a team of 'peace envoys' who can deliver our Hope Brand canned goods and special therapeutic diets to the Dwarven king's table."

"Imagine this: when the entire dwarven kingdom is helpless against that damned disease of decay, you, Ryan von Kaslan, descend from the heavens with a miracle cure for their ailment. Do you think they'll greet you with warhammers or treat you like a savior?"

"And your father, Duke Caslan, also knew that what he wanted wasn't a bloody victory, but a way to curry favor with the royal family and gain the greatest political advantage from this stalemate. Otherwise, why do you think he would agree to volunteer to send troops to negotiate peace? Volunteering demonstrates the Caslan family's loyalty to the royal family. Sending troops under the guise of negotiation preserves their strength to the maximum extent. Once the negotiations succeed, the royal family's biggest worry will be resolved without bloodshed, and they might even obtain the minerals and technology that the dwarves have been dreaming of from them. The Caslan family will have a greater say in the kingdom... And this achievement will be enough to completely disqualify your foolish brother from competing with you."

The contents of the letter completely threw Ryan into turmoil.

After several sleepless nights and secret planning, he was finally persuaded by Lin Yue's crazy plan, which was full of risks but also contained huge rewards. Using all the political maneuvering he had learned in his life, he managed to convince his greedy and suspicious father.

That's why we have Ryan's reply today, "It's all done."

The two men, under the dim light of an oil lamp, discussed the specific details of the troop deployment, the preparation of supplies, and how to secretly coordinate with the transport team in Hope Town for an entire night.

A few days later, Ryan returned to the Duke's mansion with his personal guard.

Before leaving Blackrock City, he publicly announced that during his absence, all civil and commercial affairs in Blackrock City would be entrusted to Chief Development Advisor Mr. Lin Yue.

This appointment caused an uproar in the increasingly turbulent power center of Blackrock City. The nobles of Karl's faction almost jumped up on the spot, but Ryan had already left with his army, leaving them only a cold letter of authorization and the guards loyal to Ryan at the city gate.

Meanwhile, in the distant capital...

Inside the Prime Minister's residence, in the secret meeting hall.

Several of the kingdom's most important ministers were sitting around a large round table, engaged in a heated debate. There was no King present, only these individuals who truly controlled the kingdom's operations.

“My lord,” a minister of military affairs said with deep concern, his brow furrowed so deeply it could almost trap a fly, “forgive my frankness, but this matter is far too risky. Duke Caslan is a man of great ambition and ruthless ambition. Last time, his son Karl led troops to invade Hope Town without authorization, angering Silvermoon Forest, which already made us wary. Now he has volunteered to send troops to the Dwarf Kingdom; we must be wary of his true intentions.”

“Indeed,” another finance minister echoed, tapping his fingers rhythmically on the table. “Although the Dwarven Kingdom has been weakened by the blockade, it remains a formidable force. Their mountain fortresses are easy to defend and difficult to attack, and their weaponry far surpasses ours. Caslan’s trip is ostensibly for negotiations, but given the current situation, conflict is inevitable. If the war goes poorly, it will deplete a significant portion of our northern forces. If he manages to win and annex the Dwarven technology and resources, the consequences will be dire. He will then become too powerful and likely won’t even heed the royal orders.”

The prime minister listened quietly to their argument, saying nothing, only tapping the armrest lightly with his fingers. This man, over sixty years old, had graying temples, but his eyes remained as sharp as an eagle's.

After a long silence, he finally spoke, his voice low but enough to quiet the entire council chamber: "I am well aware of your concerns. But have you considered whether we have any other options now?"

He stood up and walked to the huge map of the kingdom against the wall. His withered fingers slowly traced the map: "The barbarians in the north are restless, the orc tribes in the east are beginning to unify, and the dwarves in the south are like a thorn in our side. We seem powerful, but in reality, we are beset by internal and external troubles. The royal army must guard the capital and protect the core. The dukes below are all self-reliant and unwilling to expend their own strength for the benefit of the royal family."

"Now that someone is finally willing to step forward and tackle the toughest challenge—the dwarves—for us, why should we refuse?"

"As for his little schemes..." the prime minister turned around, "why can't we take advantage of them?"

He sat back down in his chair, his tone even colder: "Gentlemen, the game of politics is never about who has the stronger pieces, but about who can better exploit the opponent's ambitions."

“If Kaslan wins, as you say, he might become too powerful. But as long as we intervene immediately and claim the spoils of victory in the name of the royal family, what can he do to us? In the end, the dwarves' technology and mineral resources will still be in the hands of the royal family. Kaslan is just a foreman working for us.”

“If he loses, or even if both sides are severely weakened,” the prime minister’s lips curled into a chilling smile, “that would be an even greater boon for us. A weakened Kaslan family and a similarly devastated dwarven kingdom… then the royal army can march south to clean up the mess, wouldn’t that be twice as effective?”

"Win or lose, it's a sure-fire deal for us. All we have to give up is an empty decree and a few high-sounding words of praise."

A brief silence fell over the secret council chamber. Several high-ranking officials looked at each other, and finally nodded slowly.

...

Earlier in Hope Town, in the Lin Family Restaurant.

Lin Yue also told Gray, Aunt Leah, Brother Li, and others about his entire plan without reservation.

Standing before an increasingly detailed map of the mainland, he held a charcoal pencil in his hand: "Saving Uncle Stone Fist is merely the most direct and superficial objective of our operation this time."

"We have three real goals."

He drew a circle on the map, marking the location of the dwarven kingdom, and then held up his first finger: "First, break the human kingdom's economic blockade against the dwarves. We will use our unique canned food and grains to open a brand new trade route led by Hope Town. We must let the dwarven civilians suffering from hunger and disease know that what can save them is not war, but the canned food from Hope Town. We must make Hope Town an indispensable hub on this new trade route."

He drew another line on the map, connecting Hope Town and the Dwarf Kingdom, then held up a second finger: "Second, we'll exchange our advanced dietary therapy techniques for the dwarves' core forging technology. The grade of cement, the toughness of steel... these are all bottlenecks limiting our development. Only by mastering the dwarves' industrial technology, refined through countless trials, can we truly achieve industrialization and build stronger walls, sharper weapons, and more sophisticated machinery."

Finally, he marked the locations of Hope Town, Silvermoon Forest, and Mountain Iron Kingdom on the map, connecting them with three thick lines to form a huge triangle. "Third, and most importantly, we want to establish a tripartite trade system on this land, led by us."

“Look,” he said, pointing to the triangle, “Silvermoon Forest is located deep within the Cursed Lands, rich in resources and brimming with magic, but it is isolated from the world and needs to communicate with the outside. The human kingdoms and the dwarven kingdoms almost completely surround the Cursed Lands. Once the human kingdoms completely annex the dwarves and their power increases significantly, it’s hard to guarantee that they won’t covet the nearby Silvermoon Forest. Therefore, the elves will never allow the human kingdoms to dominate. That’s their bottom line.”

"What we need to do now is to take advantage of this delicate balance. Provide the dwarves with the life-sustaining supplies they desperately need in exchange for their technology and friendship, enabling them to continue to contend with the human kingdoms. Provide the elves with the magical foods and technologies they are interested in, gaining their protection and high-end combat support. And Hope Town, with its unique production capabilities and geographical advantage of being located at the crossroads of the three parties, will become a trade and technological exchange center that none of the three parties can do without."

"We do not favor either side and are open to all friends who are willing to trade peacefully. Because if Hope Town were to side with either side, it would immediately become a thorn in the side of the other two. Only by remaining neutral and becoming an indispensable presence can we be truly safe."

"Once this tripartite trade system is established, Hope Town will no longer be a small settlement that can be manipulated at will. We will become an existence that the entire North, and even the entire continent, cannot ignore. At that time, not to mention Duke Caslan, even the human king will have to ask our elf and dwarf friends for permission before they can touch us."

Gray stared at the map for a long time, then nodded thoughtfully. Aunt Leah was a little confused, but she could also sense the grand scale of the plan.

“The problem now is,” Lin Yue put down his charcoal pencil, turned to look at everyone, “how to make everyone feel that this is their own idea. To make Duke Caslan feel that he is working for the benefit of his family, the dwarves feel that they are saving themselves, and the elves think that they are maintaining the balance. In reality, everyone is following our script.”

Norm was completely confused and tilted his head: "So... are we going to rescue people or go do business?"

"Why can't we have both?" Lin Yue retorted matter-of-factly, his expression as natural as Ah Hu asking, "Why does one plus one equal two?" (Ah Hu: Speak up for me!)

Li Ge looked at him with some worry and asked in a low voice, "Then... what if... Uncle Stone Fist doesn't want to come back?"

"That would be even better. We'll just set up the factory right next to their mines. The dwarves need our canned goods, and we need their ore, so what does the location matter?"

He paused, then added, "But I reckon Uncle Stonefist would definitely want to come back. After all..."

He pointed to the steaming kitchen of Store No. 1 in the distance: "This is where you can find the best sauerkraut, vermicelli, and smoked meat stew in the entire continent."

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Author's Note: I apologize to everyone! I've been quite busy around the holidays, so my update schedule has slowed down. However, please rest assured that I will definitely meet the weekly requirement of 15,000 words for the rankings; it's just that updates may be concentrated over a few days.

Also, I'd like to let you know that I'll be attending my senior's wedding during the National Day holiday. All the other members of my group will be going, and I'll have to dress up for it too. So I might not be able to update as frequently during the holiday.

Wishing everyone a happy Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day in advance! Feel free to check back when you have some free time. If you forget or find a more engaging story later, that's okay too—may we meet again in the next story.