The air inside the tent was slightly heavy.

General Hamoldon did not respond immediately. Instead, he stared intently into Luo Yan's eyes. After pondering for a moment, as if reaching a certain decision, he slowly began to speak.

"Since Your Highness is so candid, I have no reason to hide anything... In fact, our Saint Yil Castle—and the entire Eastern Coast of the New Continent—are facing a supply shortage crisis."

As soon as he heard this, Ticky, who was drinking, nearly spat out a mouthful, and only stopped coughing after several attempts.

General Hamoldon had previously suggested procuring grain through Withered Wood Port, and the deepwater trade port under construction was prepared for this purpose.

But he never imagined that the phrase "the more, the better" had such a heavy implication behind it, nor did he expect the general to reveal this top-secret information so plainly to Lord Demon King.

Of course—

This Demon King is now called Prince Colin.

It wasn't just Ticky; a trace of surprise also flickered in Luo Yan's eyes, but he quickly hid it behind a furrowed brow. After a moment of contemplation, he spoke.

"This is indeed a tricky issue... But, General, you should know that the grain reserves at Withered Wood Port are not ample either. We cannot completely achieve self-sufficiency ourselves, so it might be tough to offer you any substantial help on this issue."

General Hamoldon was not discouraged by these words. Instead, he straightened up, looking at Luo Yan with bright eyes, and said, "Your Highness has misunderstood. I am well aware of the situation at Withered Wood Port! Considering the disaster conditions along the Northern Coast, you indeed cannot assist, but your neighbors might be able to!"

He paused, revealing the purpose of his visit with a serious tone, "I wish to request you to act as an intermediary, to help us purchase grain from the Gutaf United Kingdom!"

Hearing this, Luo Yan was taken aback, a surprised expression fleetingly appeared on his face, then quickly turned into one of interest.

"The Gutaf United Kingdom? We do indeed have trade exchanges with them, but the grain we import is only enough for the needs of Withered Wood Port. I assume what you need is far more than food rations for a few hundred people... Are you sure they would be willing to export grain to the Empire?"

After a moment of silence, Hamoldon looked seriously at Luo Yan and said, "That is precisely why I am imploring you to step in!"

Not waiting for Luo Yan to speak, Hamoldon persistently shared the intelligence he possessed and the deductions he made based on it.

"According to the information I gathered, the Gutaf United Kingdom has widely adopted steam engines in agriculture, putting them well ahead of us. Additionally, the hot and humid climate of the Gana Continent, with its abundant rainfall, is ideal for growing crops like corn and rice."

Pausing to restrain the excitement in his voice, he continued, "Corn and rice are precisely the staple grains we have been procuring from various ports on the New Continent for years! If we could procure grain from the much closer Gana Continent, our supply pressure would naturally be alleviated, and the saved capacity could be allocated where it's most needed!"

"Withered Wood Port's advantageous location makes it a potential supply port for the Eastern coast of the Empire, and I suspect our enemies have noticed this and sent demonic minions to cause trouble here at this critical juncture."

Luo Yan listened to General Hamoldon's meticulous analysis, producing a timely admiring expression on his face, though he smiled faintly in his heart.

This reasoning was indeed Hamoldon's own conclusion, but it was also influenced by Luo Yan through a series of pawns like Lumier, Ticky, and Kedson, guiding his thoughts toward a desired direction.

This was a required course at the Demon King Academy—

Demons never proactively promise anything to their followers but instead lead them to develop an intrinsic desire for unoffered bait.

After pondering deeply for a long while, Luo Yan raised his head, looked at the eagerly eyed General Hamoldon, and slowly spoke.

"Your Excellency's words indeed reminded me; in fact, I do have some connections with the Royal Family of the Gutaf United Kingdom, and if it's merely to act as a go-between, I am willing to give it a try!"

General Hamoldon was overjoyed upon hearing this, pledging confidently, "Regardless of the outcome, the Empire will always be grateful for your assistance!"

Luo Yan smiled faintly.

"General, you overpraise me. As a member of the Empire, it is naturally my duty to contribute to the Empire's endeavors. However..."

Hearing Luo Yan shift his tone, General Hamoldon grew anxious, hurriedly asking, "However?"

Luo Yan: "However, with Withered Wood Port's current capacity, I'm afraid it's unable to handle such a large-scale grain transportation task—"

Before finishing his sentence, Hamoldon laughed heartily and promptly interrupted, "This is something you needn't worry about, Your Highness! We can resolve the issue of inadequate capacity! As long as you're willing to help us connect with the Gutaf United Kingdom, the expansion of the port will be entrusted to the Imperial Navy! We will dispatch the finest engineers to ensure the port can accommodate large cargo ships!"

His firm tone slightly surprised Luo Yan, but soon he displayed a troubled expression, knitted his brows, and continued, "While expanding the port may resolve part of the problem, there are still difficulties. The Gutaf United Kingdom is located on the southern side of the Sun Step Mountain Range, while Withered Wood Port is on the Northern Coast, with no road network connecting the two places and an imposing mountain range between us. Even if the grain reaches the port, the transportation along the way would still be quite challenging—"

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