"I still find it strange!"
"That guy might be making fun of us! You can't trust a word a businessman says!"
They walked in a hurry, with angry expressions on their faces, and raised their voices from time to time when talking.
After leaving the tavern, the group could no longer bear the humiliation of being fooled by a Corinthian merchant and decided to seek an explanation from the Athenian official who provided the "inside information".
Although he was called an official, in fact, he was a member of the Athenian Naval Committee.
It was a committee of ten members that served as the Assembly's main executive and advisory body on naval matters.
In the past, these captains gave a lot of benefits to the naval commissioner. Of course, they could also receive some information faster than others.
Just like the news that Holy Egypt had no ships was also revealed to them by that guy.
"That bastard Corinthian merchant! How dare he joke about the Holy Egyptian Fleet? He almost made us make a wrong investment!"
"Yes, those so-called new warships are simply fantasy!"
"How can a ship without rowers sail on the sea? I've never seen a large ship without rowers!"
"Stop talking, stop talking. Didn't you see the Holy Egyptian money bag in his hand? We'd better ask him clearly."
They passed through the bustling agora outside the city of Athens and stepped onto the broad central avenue.
The roadside statues and public buildings cast long shadows in the setting sun.
A few teenagers were laughing and playing football. When they saw the group of angry ship owners, they quickly hid to the side of the road.
"The Navy Commissioner should be working in the small room to the right of the administrative hall."
The elderly boat owner who took the lead recalled.
A bearded ship owner just shook his head in frustration.
"If what the businessman said is true, then I was terribly cheated, wasn't I?"
"I'm also planning to sell my family's newly built trireme to Holy Egypt for a high price. I've even added gold decorations to it."
"All this really wiped out my entire fortune. I spent a full six gold coins!"
The other captain frowned at this time.
"Shh, stop talking. When we meet that guy, we'll have to ask him what's going on."
They turned into a quieter path and saw a magnificent building in front of them.
Two armed soldiers stood at the door, watching the newcomers with a wary look.
A ship owner came forward and explained his purpose.
"We're here to look for the Athenian naval commissioner. You two should remember us, right? Please let us know that we have something urgent to discuss with him."
The soldier looked them up and down, then nodded: "Wait a moment, I'll go and report."
After a while, the Athenian naval commissioner hurried out and was a little surprised to see so many familiar faces.
"Hey, aren't these the ship owners? What brings you here today?"
The leading ship owner immediately got straight to the point.
"We would like to ask Your Excellency about the Holy Egyptian Fleet."
"We received news today that Holy Egypt has assembled a large fleet and is sailing towards Thermopylae."
"We need an explanation. You know, we invested a lot of money."
"If these ships can't be sold, we'll have to sell them at a discount, but then the ones we gave you before..."
When the Athenian naval commissioner heard this, he immediately raised his hand to interrupt the other party, and his expression suddenly changed.
"What the hell? The Holy Egyptian Fleet? Heading to Thermopylae?"
"You're speaking Greek, but I don't understand a word you say."
"Okay, come in and talk."
He quickly pulled everyone into his office and closed the door.
"What happened? Where did you hear about this?"
So the ship owners told what had happened in the tavern.
After hearing this, the Athenian naval commissioner immediately fell into deep thought.
"That's strange."
He paced slowly, his brow furrowed.
"You know, my superiors once set foot in the desert of Holy Egypt when Holy Egypt and the Hebrew Empire were still at war."
"According to what he saw with his own eyes, Holy Egypt did not have any decent warships at the time, let alone a fleet."
"So, the fleet of a hundred ships that the merchant mentioned is pure nonsense to me. It's completely fabricated."
When the ship owners heard this, they immediately became excited.
"Look, look!"
"I told you that Corinthian merchant is talking nonsense! He's probably trying to disrupt the market so he can buy our ships at a low price!"
"These damn vampires, if he wasn't one of Collins, I would have someone break his legs and sew his mouth shut!"
The Athenian naval commissioner then shook his head cautiously.
"But we can't completely rule out the possibility."
"The Holy Egyptians have always been mysterious. They may be secretly building a fleet in a hidden shipyard somewhere. However, this possibility is minimal."
"Of course, it is also possible that they purchased the ship from somewhere else. This is the most likely possibility."
"A kingdom that can defeat the Hebrew Empire should not be underestimated."
One of the captains was dismissive of this.
"Even if they have the money and the technology, it's impossible for them to build hundreds of warships in just a few months!"
"We in Athens have a well-developed shipbuilding industry, but it took years of accumulation to achieve today's achievements. How could they achieve it overnight?"
"If that's the case, then it must be the gods who helped them build the ship."
When the Athenian naval commissioner heard this, he simply nodded in agreement.
"It is true that shipbuilding is a long-term project that requires skilled craftsmen, a sound supply chain and extensive experience."
"Even if Holy Egypt had the resources, it would not be able to overcome these obstacles."
“So, it’s possible that Saint Pharaoh had ships, but those ships might have been purchased from somewhere else.”
"Furthermore, I guarantee that their ship is definitely not as good as yours. If the Holy Pharaoh saw your ship, he would definitely be willing to pay a large sum of money to buy it."
When the ship owners heard this, they felt relieved as if they had taken a tranquilizer.
Some people looked at each other proudly, while others took a deep breath.
"Did everyone hear that? That Corinthian merchant is just talking nonsense!"
Another ship owner added: "By the way, he also claimed that the Holy Pharaoh was going to Thermopylae and that the Persians had already arrived there. This is even more nonsense!"
"The Persian Empire is thousands of miles away from Greece. How could it possibly reach Thermopylae without making a sound?"
"Besides, I heard from people in the city that they had already signed an armistice agreement with Greece..."
The Athenian naval commissioner was stunned when he heard this.
"The Persians... Thermopylae..."
"What?!"
"Could it be, those guys?!"
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