Super Mothership
From the very beginning, Nie Yun had never intended for the Twin Dragons and Black Sail factions to fight each other to the point of mutual destruction.
That would only make it easier for the Locke Consortium to deal with the Gemini System. It offered no benefit to Nie Yun whatsoever.
"Here for peace"... that wasn't just an empty slogan. It had genuinely been Nie Yun's original objective.
Whether it was repairing the Red Dragon to strengthen the Twin Dragons, or orchestrating the "Empty City Self-Destruction Plan" to ensure Black Sail gained nothing from its campaign, every move had been aimed at gradually eroding Flint's confidence and determination to continue the war.
Then, once the timing was right, he would reveal the shocking news that the Locke Consortium had suffered a crushing defeat...
Nie Yun was eighty percent certain that Flint was already considering a withdrawal.
In fact, Flint's willingness to sit down and negotiate with the Twin Dragons was proof that he had already begun to waver.
And now came the most crucial step...
"Commander Flint, aren't you curious why everything happened so conveniently?" Nie Yun asked with a smile.
"Oh? You know something else?" Flint stared at Nie Yun, his eyes flickering.
"Heh! The chaos that has engulfed the Shattered Star Region over this period has clearly been fueled by someone operating behind the scenes, manipulating events and steering circumstances, all to plunge the region into disorder so that the Locke Consortium could attack the Gemini System without any worries.
Even if I didn't tell you this, you should have already noticed it yourself."
"You mean... either Shadow or Karon has likely been bought off by the Locke Consortium?" Flint narrowed his eyes.
It was undoubtedly a highly plausible theory.
The Locke Consortium was his own arms supplier. Given Black Sail's massive military purchases recently, it wouldn't have been difficult for them to deduce that he was preparing for a major operation.
And the individual they had bought off had deliberately engineered conflicts, luring another major pirate group out of the Shattered Star Region and creating what appeared to be a perfect opportunity for him to strike.
At the same time, the Locke Consortium had sent him reports of imminent victory and rapid expansion, effectively pressuring him to strengthen his own forces as quickly as possible...
The timing, the location, the circumstances—everything was perfect. If not now, when?
Flint could almost picture the mastermind behind the curtain, methodically removing every obstacle from his path before whispering in a seductive voice, urging him to give the order:
"Begin the operation."
If that truly was the case, then he had been completely manipulated from start to finish.
Flint was used to manipulating others. Realizing that he himself might have been manipulated filled him with both suspicion and anger.
"Bought off one of them? Heh. Why couldn't it be both of them? Or perhaps... more than just two?" Nie Yun replied with a smile.
"More than two?" Flint froze momentarily before his expression changed. "Are you saying that not only the Dark Temple and Karon, but even Gold Coin is involved with them?"
"What?"
Not just Flint—even everyone present was shocked.
Nie Yun had effectively swept all three major neutral pirate groups into the same net.
"That's impossible, isn't it? The Locke Consortium may be powerful, but its influence in the Shattered Star Region isn't that great. Buying off one pirate group would already be astonishing. Three? They'd have to be ruling the heavens." Even Red Dragon stepped forward to voice his doubts.
Simply put, the Locke Consortium didn't possess the power or prestige necessary to command all three major pirate forces simultaneously.
The leaders of pirate groups were powerful figures in their own right—proud individuals who wielded enormous authority. Since neither side vastly outmatched the other in strength, why would any of them willingly submit to a businessman like Gold Locke?
"Gold Locke naturally doesn't have that capability. But among the shareholders of the Locke Consortium... there happens to be a very important person." Nie Yun smiled as he offered a reminder.
"What? You mean... that Second Prince?!" Messiah exclaimed in alarm.
She exchanged a glance with Red Dragon, and both saw something unusual in the other's eyes.
This time, Flint was genuinely shocked.
It was only a theory, but if the mastermind truly had ties to the Empire's Second Prince...
Then the implications were enormous.
Although not the Crown Prince, the Empire's Second Prince was one of the leading contenders for the throne of the Wolf Empire. After all, the First Prince had died of illness decades ago.
Barring unforeseen circumstances, he was highly likely to become the next Emperor of the Wolf Empire.
Beyond his prestigious status, the Second Prince's maternal family wielded immense influence within the Empire. His grandfather was one of the Empire's Five Grand Dukes, commanding countless star systems and fleets.
The prince himself was also reputed to be an exceptionally talented and ambitious individual, supported by numerous followers and factions throughout the Empire. His influence was far beyond what ordinary people could imagine.
And his stake in the Locke Consortium was merely one of many private assets he possessed...
Such a figure was completely beyond the imagination of a group of pirate leaders.
Even Madman, who remained unfazed in the face of death, twitched his eyebrows several times.
Seeing everyone's expressions—practically screaming don't scare us, we're fragile—Nie Yun silently gave thanks to ancient masters of persuasion like Su Qin and Zhang Yi.
Seeking benefits and avoiding harm was instinctive to all intelligent races.
The first line used by many ancient persuaders when addressing kings had often been:
"Do you know disaster is about to strike?"
It was a classic fearmongering tactic.
Whether it was true or not, whether there was evidence or not, it didn't matter.
The objective was simple:
Scare them.
What Nie Yun had done was merely take all the available intelligence, stitch it together, and fabricate the most terrifying conspiracy scenario possible.
And why the Second Prince?
Because among all the people remotely connected to the matter, he had the biggest background.
With greater power came greater responsibility, after all.
[Second Prince: "..." (I #&%@!^$#@!)]
"You're saying... the Second Prince intends to intervene in the Shattered Star Region?" Flint asked uncertainly.
"Heh, I wouldn't dare make such a claim. I've only heard some interesting rumors through my organization's intelligence network. Perhaps they're nothing more than baseless speculation." Nie Yun's answer was deliberately ambiguous.
Naturally, he possessed no actual evidence, nor did he intend to make definitive accusations.
But like Sima Yi had demonstrated long ago, the smarter a person was, the more suspicious they tended to be.
As long as he planted a seed of doubt in Flint's mind, Flint would rather believe it was true than risk it being true.
"Among the three neutral pirate groups, Gold Coin has by far the deepest hidden reserves of strength. I believe everyone present has noticed that to some extent." Nie Yun continued.
He was confident that if even Gold Fang had recognized it, then it certainly wasn't a secret among the upper echelons of the major pirate groups.
Sure enough, several people appeared thoughtful.
"Which brings us to an interesting question.
Where does all of Gold Coin's hidden profit go every year?
Who exactly is backing Gold Coin?
And during this upheaval, the remarkable unanimity with which the three pirate groups chose neutrality—was that really because they wanted to sit back and wait for the outcome?
If both sides destroy each other, if Red Dragon and the Dragon Knights are eliminated, and the three pirate groups then unite...
Commander Flint, are you confident you could survive?"
Those three consecutive questions struck directly at Flint's deepest concerns.
The Second Prince might currently enjoy tremendous popularity, but the reigning Emperor was still in his prime. Given the Wolf Empire's average lifespan of three hundred years, the prince might still have to wait another hundred years or more before ascending the throne.
Furthermore, the imperial family had many heirs. Competition for the throne was fierce, and no one could predict who would ultimately prevail.
Under such circumstances, the princes naturally sought to expand their own power bases, both openly and secretly.
The Shattered Star Region was a lawless land filled with lucrative black-market profits—a prize that would tempt anyone.
And in that regard, the Second Prince, as a shareholder of the Locke Consortium, certainly enjoyed a significant advantage.
If he truly had his sights set on the region, then he unquestionably possessed both the motive and the resources to secretly control Gold Coin for financial gain and perhaps even cultivate the Dark Temple and Karon as hidden assets...
For a moment, the pirate leaders present all wore different expressions.
Flint looked wary.
Madman looked intrigued.
Messiah's face was solemn.
Red Dragon was the strangest of all—he actually appeared somewhat angry.
Taking in everyone's reactions, Nie Yun knew that his efforts to establish an "imaginary common enemy" were nearly complete.
"You've told us all this. What exactly is your objective?" Flint finally asked after a long silence.
He didn't believe for a second that Nie Yun had revealed such explosive information purely out of friendship or goodwill.
Based on Nie Yun's recent recruitment efforts, it was obvious that he harbored ambitions of his own within the Shattered Star Region.
"Heh. Since we've come this far, I'll speak plainly.
People bustle about for profit, and crowds gather for gain.
The reason I've told you all this is because I intend to secure the greatest possible benefit from the immense changes about to sweep through the Shattered Star Region.
Think about it. If both sides truly destroy each other, only for the mastermind behind the scenes to reap all the rewards, then the Shattered Star Region will belong to the Second Prince.
And once that happens, what place will there be for small pirate groups like ours?
That is not a future I—or the organization behind me—am willing to accept.
If any of you wish to cling to a powerful patron, then pretend I never said any of this.
But if you're unwilling to live under someone else's rule...
Then perhaps my organization and I can be of assistance."
Nie Yun smiled calmly.
After the classic line of "Disaster is about to strike," the next step in the playbook was naturally:
"Only I can help you."
"What do you want?" Flint asked with a frown.
"Very simple.
I want to stand as an equal with everyone here."
Nie Yun's declaration stunned the room.
"What?!"
Everyone present—including Red Dragon and Messiah—stared at him in disbelief.
Had they misheard?
A pirate group ranked well outside the top hundred wanted to stand on equal footing with the major powers gathered here?
Granted, he was a member of the Mechanical Race, possessed a legendary mech, and belonged to a mysterious organization. Given ten or fifteen years, he might genuinely earn a place among the Seven Great Pirate Groups.
Potential was one thing.
But to leap directly into the ranks of the giants overnight?
That sounded absurdly overambitious.
"After everything is settled, I want a seat among the Seven Great Pirate Groups."
Nie Yun continued as though he hadn't noticed their reactions.
"And what gives you that right?" Flint's gaze sharpened.
"Because I can provide all of you with countless weapons, warships, manpower, and wealth.
Well?
Would you be interested in hearing more?"
Each word caused a flicker in Flint's eyes.
He was tempted.
TL Note- Offer....
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