Chapter 501: Seeking Peace

"After the death of德拉罗萨, the main forces of the Dragon Witch Cult dispersed and withdrew on their own. Their guerrilla harassment continues, but all death squads and elite professionals have broken up into smaller units. The legends of the Dragon Witch Cult have also gone into hiding."

Clark Banfield continued his report: "I am monitoring the movements of some of them and have detailed intelligence on the approximate locations of twelve legends and the hiding places of thirty-three death squads."

Li Mochen's spirits lifted at this: "Give me their addresses!"

He once again felt fortunate to have replaced his intelligence director in time before the war. Jeremy Burt could never have achieved this.

"Yes, boss. I will have my magical messenger deliver them to you shortly."

Banfield answered without hesitation: "Also, Brigadier General Noah Badru has now assumed command and is reorganizing the troops and adjusting combat strategies. The overall morale of the security department is still good. Their next goal is to completely destroy the Dragon Witch Cult's hidden altars in Florida and other states with the support of legendary experts. At this stage, high-level combatants should be our advantage. However, there are also unfavorable developments. We are encountering difficulties in recruiting new personnel. Throughout all of America, our security personnel are undoubtedly the most dangerous profession. Boss, I suggest you increase funding for personnel matters."

Li Mochen smiled bitterly. Many of the recruits from Rising Sun had died within a month of starting work—truly dangerous.

This problem was actually easy to solve. In this world, magical professionals had a high tolerance for war and casualties. As long as the pay was sufficient, heavy casualties were not an issue.

But as the leader of an organization, Li Mochen could not help but feel pained and ashamed.

Tonight alone, he would spend at least fifty billion gold shields. And the heavy loss of life—Li Mochen could not remain indifferent.

He could offer three times the normal compensation and high benefits, which would surely make many magical professionals flock to Rising Sun Group. But in essence, these expenditures were blood money.

After ending the call with Banfield, the blood sacrifice of the 'Scarlet Dragon Armor' was nearing its end. At that moment, his magical satellite phone rang again.

This time, the caller was Michelle Medici.

"Andre, you've surprised me once again."

Li Mochen was full of anger and resentment, so his tone carried a hint of sarcasm: "But it sounds like you're not in a good mood, Michelle, are you?"

"It's a bit complicated. I didn't expect you to kill德拉罗萨."

Michelle chuckled: "Let's get to the point, Andre. The Dragon Witch Cult's chief cardinal,雅拉德, has approached me again to mediate the conflict between you."

"Not interested."

Li Mochen replied without hesitation: "They started the war, but it's not up to them to decide when it ends."

"Don't you want to hear the terms?"

Michelle's voice was calm: "They will hand over Blacktooth Clement. And pay compensation of ten billion gold shields—"

"Utterly insincere. The losses from my Rising Sun Electrical Retail Company's over a hundred stores alone exceed ten billion."

Li Mochen sneered: "Michelle, do you think I should stop?"

"Be patient and let me finish, OK? If it were just that, I wouldn't have agreed to relay their message."

Michelle said calmly: "Besides that, they offered several conditions I couldn't refuse. Interested? First, the Stones of Fate—you've been collecting these, right? Their treasury holds over twenty, worth about five billion gold shields. Second, the Dragon-Slaying Holy Sword 'Lafayette,' a weapon used by Emperor Barbarossa in his prime, a weak mythical item. But it's damaged, though not beyond repair. Third, fifty drops of Blood Red Dragon Spring."

At this, Li Mochen's expression changed slightly. This was a quasi-mythical item second only to the Tears of Amphitrite and the Fountain of Life.

Legend says it comes from dragon cemeteries hidden in the astral plane, or perhaps the blood of ancient dragons, but both claims are denied by dragons.

Its effects, however, are genuine: it can heal most injuries of legendary experts and slightly extend lifespan by twenty to thirty years. Fifty drops of Blood Red Dragon Spring are worth between five and seven billion gold shields.

"Also, the Dragon Witch Cult's seven hundred and twenty stores and various assets nationwide, plus their medium-sized military fortress 'Gray Dragon Rock' in the dark world, along with several mines and farms attached to it, totaling about fifty billion gold shields. Finally, they will help you clean up the mercenary groups involved in the war, including the legends. Now it's your turn to counter, kid. I guess you don't want their guerrilla war to continue, do you?"

Li Mochen thought, how interesting. Were they trying to divert trouble elsewhere?

And these compensations, though seemingly generous, none directly boosted his power. Especially 'Gray Dragon Rock'—it would only further disperse his forces.

As for those stores and assets, who knew if their origins were legal or illegal?

Li Mochen could roughly guess the government's next move: these assets were things the Dragon Witch Cult couldn't keep anyway.

"Then please tell them: First, I have no interest in 'Gray Dragon Rock' or the like. If they truly want peace, they should offer five hundred billion gold shields in cash. Second, I know they have collected many relics of the Moshla civilization; I want them. Third, I know they control the majority stakes in 'Boston First Bank' and 'Zunlong Fund'; I want these bank and fund transferred to my name soon. Fourth, the ownership of Saint George Hotel Chain and德拉罗 Catering Group."

This was tit for tat. The other side wanted peace but didn't want the Dragon Witch Cult's sacrifices to boost his power; Li Mochen aimed to weaken the cult's future war potential as much as possible.

'Boston First Bank' and 'Zunlong Fund' were the cult's money bags. Like Saint George Hotel Chain and德拉罗 Catering Group, they were tools for money laundering.

The latter also relied on these four commercial entities to control and unite the cult's local forces.

Michelle laughed again: "Wow, that's at least two hundred billion gold shields in assets. I doubt they'll agree."

"Mr. Medici, you're just a messenger, aren't you? Just relay my reply."

After hanging up, Li Mochen turned to Delfinia: "We must hurry. I'll have to trouble you again, Lady Void Night Monarch."

Before the peace talks, he intended to eliminate as many of the Dragon Witch Cult's 'legends' as possible. This was both to vent his anger and to further pressure the enemy.

"I promised you, didn't I? Just give me the coordinates."

Delfinia was concise, playing happily with the 'Sea Demon Holy Ring' in her hand.

Although Li Mochen's conditions had made her hesitate for a while, now that she had this fifth-level holy artifact, Delfinia felt thrilled and satisfied.

At that moment, an owl carrying a document leaped out from the astral plane.

Li Mochen recognized it as the magical familiar of Lady Christie Brad. He took the document and raised an eyebrow.

He knew the Dragon Witch Cult might still 'struggle' a bit, but they had little room for bargaining left.