Chapter 7: Stirring the Waters in the Shadows

"Only by striking at the enemy's resources can we force them to waver." As Li Chuan explained, he circled the target area on the map. His plan was daring: cut off the Black Flag Chamber of Commerce's supply lines while drawing the three major pirate factions into a joint operation. It was not just an adventure; it was a gamble.

"Our manpower and resources are limited," Yue Shan questioned, "how can we effectively strike the Black Flag Chamber of Commerce without exposing ourselves?"

"We only need to light the powder keg between them and let the enemy fall into chaos themselves." A faint smile played on Li Chuan's lips. He turned his attention to Lanna, "Your Highness, it is time for you to exercise your diplomatic skills."

Lanna stood to the side, her brow slightly furrowed as her gaze fixed on the markers of the three major pirate factions on the map. Although Li Chuan's plan was meticulous, she knew well that the three pirate groups were each harboring their own secret agendas and would not be easy to control. Furthermore, a three-way conflict could further threaten the security of the Nanyang Kingdom.

"If Shark Tooth, Snake Tail, and Sea Scale lose their balance in this conflict, wouldn't it be counterproductive?" Lanna asked.

"There is indeed a risk," Li Chuan nodded in acknowledgment, "but this is also our only chance. The news from your father indicates that the situation in the Nanyang Kingdom is already precarious; if we do not take action, the Black Flag Chamber of Commerce will only continue to encroach upon the kingdom."

These words silenced Lanna for a moment. She looked at Li Chuan and finally nodded, "Very well, I will cooperate with you fully. But remember, if this plan fails, don't think you can wash your hands of it."

"Rest assured," Li Chuan laughed, "my life is already in your hands."

According to the plan, Li Chuan dispatched several ships disguised as those of the Black Flag Chamber of Commerce, quietly approaching the territories of the three pirate factions. The "cargo" they carried was actually a carefully forged inventory list—seemingly flawless, yet containing a hidden trap.

Shark Tooth's men were the first to discover the disguised ship and seized it. Upon hearing the news, Shark Tooth boarded the vessel himself to inspect it. When he opened the inventory list, a flicker of greed crossed his eyes: "Haha, this is a massive fortune! It seems the Black Flag Chamber of Commerce is indeed hiding many treasures."

Meanwhile, through another secret channel, Snake Tail received false intelligence claiming that a Black Flag fleet was about to pass through his territory. This made Snake Tail suspicious: "How has the Black Flag Chamber of Commerce suddenly become so careless? Could it be a trap?"

Despite his doubts, Snake Tail did not want to miss this opportunity. He secretly ordered his men to increase vigilance while dispatching ships to lie in ambush near the shipping lanes.

The level-headed Sea Scale, however, adopted a different strategy. On one hand, he sent scouts to investigate the fleet's movements; on the other, he began gathering allies, attempting to seize the initiative before the battle broke out.

The three factions acted individually, wary of one another, yet all were fixated on the "resources" of the Black Flag Chamber of Commerce.

At the same time, Li Chuan observed the situation while arranging the next phase. He took Yue Shan and Lanna to a secluded island—an important supply point for the Black Flag Chamber of Commerce. His goal was clear: cut off the chamber's supply lines and force them to re-evaluate their relationship with the pirates.

"The waters here are complex, we can use the terrain to set an ambush," Li Chuan said, pointing at the map. "When their supply ships enter the kill zone, we strike and seize the goods directly. This will not only weaken them but also make the three pirate factions believe our intelligence even more."

"Sounds good," Yue Shan agreed, "but if we are exposed, won't that invite even greater trouble?"

"That is why this operation must be flawless," Li Chuan said firmly, "I will lead the team myself."

"You?" Lanna frowned. "What if it fails? Your intellect is our greatest asset."

"Precisely because of that, I must personally oversee the operation," Li Chuan said with a smile. "Don't worry, I will return alive; otherwise, who would protect Her Highness?"

Lanna couldn't help but blush slightly, though she quickly regained her composure. "Then I am coming too."

"You?" Li Chuan was surprised. "This operation is too dangerous."

"I am neither weak nor a burden," Lanna said with determination. "If you don't let me go, don't expect me to help you with the follow-up alliance negotiations."

Li Chuan sighed helplessly and yielded, "Very well, but you must follow orders and not act on your own."

As night fell, Li Chuan led the small team to hide in the dense forest near the supply point. They saw the Black Flag supply ships had docked, and the goods were being moved into the warehouse. Li Chuan observed for a while and whispered, "Wait until they let their guard down before moving."

Time passed, and the guards gradually became lax. Li Chuan seized the moment and led the team to approach the warehouse quietly. Using prepared smoke bombs to create confusion, they loaded the supplies with lightning speed.

"Hurry, any more delay and the enemy will react!" Li Chuan urged.

Lanna was helping as well, her movements faster than the others. "You men are far too slow!"

Just as the operation neared its end, a guard discovered them and raised the alarm. Li Chuan gritted his teeth and ordered, "All units, retreat!"

Although the escape was perilous, they finally succeeded in bringing the goods back to a safe zone. Looking at the ship full of supplies, Lanna finally breathed a sigh of relief. "You didn't make me risk my life in vain after all."

"This is just the beginning," Li Chuan said, looking at the distant horizon with a somber tone. "What comes next is the crux of this chess game."

After returning with the goods, Li Chuan immediately ordered them to be sent secretly to a designated location while dispatching messengers to contact the three pirate factions separately. In his letters, he deliberately sowed discord among Shark Tooth, Snake Tail, and Sea Scale, hinting that the Black Flag Chamber of Commerce was courting one faction to deal with the others.

This carefully designed piece of disinformation quickly caused a stir.

"Damn the Black Flag Chamber of Commerce! How dare they play tricks!" Shark Tooth shouted, slamming the table after reading the letter from his men. "Do they think a few favors can appease me? Or do they think I, Shark Tooth, only know how to rob and not how to calculate?"

His deputy asked tentatively, "Boss, should we play along for now and see what happens?"

"No! This cannot be tolerated. We will assemble our ships immediately and intercept their next supply fleet. Let everyone know that in Shark Tooth's territory, nobody gets to run wild!"

After receiving the letter, Snake Tail fell into deep thought. He had heard of the Black Flag Chamber of Commerce's fickleness, but the current situation appeared exceptionally complex.

"Boss, is this letter credible?" a capable lieutenant asked in a low voice.

"Whether it's true or false," Snake Tail sneered, "we have to take advantage of it. Notify the brothers to increase patrols and send men to check the activities in the other two territories."

Sea Scale's reaction was completely different. He studied every word of the letter, discovering certain inconsistencies.

"This letter is problematic," Sea Scale told his advisors. "The Black Flag Chamber of Commerce may be greedy, but they never make promises lightly. This letter looks more like someone is trying to stir up trouble."

"Then what should we do, Boss?" the advisor asked.

"Wait and see for now," Sea Scale said calmly. "However, this also gives us an opportunity. If Shark Tooth and Snake Tail truly start moving, we can sit back and reap the rewards."

Meanwhile, Li Chuan was preparing for the upcoming negotiations, but internal disputes flared up once again.

While organizing documents, Yue Shan said pointedly, "It seems Princess Lanna has been involved in everything this time; truly worthy of being Li Chuan's 'capable assistant'."

Lanna looked up and replied coldly, "If you think you can do better than I can, you are welcome to volunteer."

"Oh, I wouldn't dare steal the spotlight from the Princess," Yue Shan said with a sarcastic smile. "However, I am curious—are you putting in this much effort for the sake of the Nanyang Kingdom, or for the sake of Li Chuan?"

The remark was like a spark that ignited Lanna's anger: "Yue Shan, are you questioning my motives?"

"I am just speaking the truth," Yue Shan raised an eyebrow. "Don't forget, we are all taking risks, yet you are always the 'special' one."

"Enough!" Li Chuan commanded in a low voice. "What we need now is cooperation, not infighting."

The two women scoffed at each other and fell silent.

A few days later, Shark Tooth and Snake Tail, led by the disinformation, began attacking the Black Flag Chamber of Commerce, while Sea Scale remained calm, silently observing the situation.

Li Chuan seized this opportunity and sent an envoy with authentic intelligence to approach Sea Scale: "The Black Flag Chamber of Commerce is uniting to deal with all three of you. If you are willing, we can cooperate to bring them down."

After listening, Sea Scale smiled faintly: "I will consider it. However, the premise of cooperation is that you must show enough sincerity."

Li Chuan bowed deeply: "Of course. We will prove it with our actions."

After summarizing all operations, Li Chuan finally concluded before the map: "Next, we need to guide Shark Tooth and Snake Tail into the designated ambush zone, while forcing Sea Scale to choose to stand on our side."

"And if we fail?" Lanna asked.

"Then there is only death," Li Chuan replied calmly. "But I will not allow failure."