Pirate King Nab was intimately familiar with the dark underbelly of human nature. He excelled at sowing discord and suspicion within enemy ranks, leaving them paranoid, unable to trust anyone around them, and ultimately crumbling from internal contradictions. His tactics against the tourist cities this time were a classic example.

If he were to explicitly name a target tourist city, it would inevitably drive that city to desperation, forcing it to put forth its full strength to resist him. This might even stir feelings of shared peril—the fear of the next domino falling—among neighboring cities, prompting them to form an alliance against him.

Although the Caribbean Pirates possessed enough strength to deal with any space city in the Asteroid Belt, such a direct assault was still the work of brutes.

By forcing the three tourist cities to decide upon a sacrifice among themselves, the Pirate King immediately shifted the conflict inward.

They wouldn't need to face the formidable Caribbean Pirates; they only needed to contend with the other two tourist cities, staging an evenly matched contest of three. With a two-thirds survival rate for each city, there was little incentive for the strongest resistance; they merely needed to determine one loser. And the loser, unable to fend off the other two cities, certainly wouldn't be able to defy the Pirate King’s will.

Thus, Nab could absorb a tourist city without drawing a single drop of blood.

Once Yang Ying understood the strategy, he felt immense admiration for the Pirate King's methods, though not much awe. After all, for the Tran Mercenary Group to establish itself in the Asteroid Belt, interacting with the Pirate King was inevitable.

While the Tran Mercenary Group's current power paled in comparison to the Caribbean Pirates, given the development speed of Palmtop Interstellar, they could catch up within a few years.

For one thing, according to the construction plan set by the General Staff, the first battlecruiser would be completed in two years. Based on its technical specifications, even in its most basic configuration, the battlecruiser would surpass the most powerful warships from Earth and the Ancient Legions, boasting four Level-Six Laser Cannons, a Level-Seven Yamato Cannon, and frighteningly thick armor.

The principle that one mountain cannot host two tigers is universal. By that time, the Pirate King would undoubtedly become a stumbling block in Yang Ying’s path, and he would have to be removed.

Furthermore, regarding the current matter, Christina wasn't asking him to oppose the Pirate King directly now; she only needed him to overpower the other two cities. This was not a difficult task for the Tran Mercenary Group. Moreover, making a slight connection with the Pirate King now and gathering intelligence would aid in future strategic planning.

The reward of twenty billion Energy Ingots, offered in exchange for a single word from Yang Ying, instantly made him realize the value of his affirmation.

However, this was a major issue, and caution was paramount. Christina brought them to see the Energy Ingots just moments before their departure, promising they could take them if they agreed. Clearly, her motives were somewhat self-serving, and he couldn't agree so easily, lest the Tran Mercenary Group be underestimated in future collaborations.

He cycled through every thought in his mind, suppressing the urge to agree immediately, and finally stated, "Christina, the terms you have proposed are highly satisfactory to me."

Christina responded instantly with a brilliant smile.

But Yang Ying immediately added, "However…"

Her expression shifted, betraying a flicker of annoyance.

Yang Ying shrugged. "This matter should not be decided so hastily. I need my General Staff to analyze it and assess the risks involved. I will give you an answer in a couple of days."

Christina was displeased with this response and tried further persuasion. "Please believe me, the risk involved for the Tran Mercenary Group in this matter is minimal…"

"I know," Yang Ying interrupted. "The Pirate King commands such vast resources; he must be perpetually occupied. His enemies are everywhere, and he has the major threat of Somalia lurking behind him. He won't casually bring his full force down squarely upon us, the Tran Mercenary Group. He has far higher-priority enemies in his view. He won't even bother with us until we demonstrate substantial threat and hostility."

"Then why not agree? Are the terms I've offered insufficient?" Christina stood up, looking down at Yang Ying, questioning him with a stern tone.

Lilia also stood up to meet her gaze. "Please do not speak to the Commander in that manner!"

"Miss Christina, you presented these terms right before our departure, precisely to rush us into agreeing, didn't you? Few people can resist a pile of Energy Ingots sitting right in front of them," Yang Ying said nonchalantly. He gave Lilia a look, signaling her to sit down.

Hearing this, Christina retracted her challenging expression, becoming somewhat flustered. Finally, she sat down with a frown, looking troubled. "I... I apologize. I did employ somewhat unscrupulous methods by showing you the Energy Ingots at this precise moment. I hoped Your Excellency would agree to our alliance sooner. I didn't intend to cause a misunderstanding. However, everything I said before is factual; there was not a shred of deception. I harbor no ill will towards the Tran Mercenary Group, nor did I set any traps. I resorted to such means because I genuinely wish to forge this alliance."

"I stand by what I said. Matters of alliance should not be rushed like this. After my staff studies the proposal, we will provide your side with a response. If it proves genuinely advantageous to us, I personally will not reject an alliance over such a minor issue."

With that, Yang Ying stood up. "We will conclude our discussion here for today. We shall take our leave, and I will assign a dedicated liaison to communicate with you regarding cooperation matters."

He then glanced back at the Energy Ingots still emitting their captivating glow in the secure room. "As for these Ingots, you should keep them for now. We can discuss them once the specifics of the arrangement are settled."

Christina knew resolving the alliance today was impossible, but since both parties clearly intended to cooperate, it was only a matter of time. She was also pragmatic enough to let the matter rest. She rose. "In that case, please allow me to escort you off the ship."

The group arrived outside the cargo bay. Yang Ying turned back. "Miss Christina, there is no need to see us off. We bid you farewell here, and I hope we meet again."

Christina offered a captivating smile and waved. "I must apologize again for my rashness today. When you next visit Kussen, I will host a banquet for you at the city’s finest hotel to express my regrets."

Katerina and Lilia also bid their farewells. As for the bodyguard brother, he remained as if non-existent; the group had never heard him speak since they met him, as he always maintained a stern expression, so everyone simply treated him as background noise.

At that moment, the port’s alarm blared suddenly. (If you find this book worthwhile, please recommend and favorite it)