I was a knight in the Middle Ages

Chapter 537 Provocation at Sea (Page 12)

Upon hearing this, Leos was startled and quickly asked, "Lord Lei, what do you intend to do with the people we left behind?"

He was not worried about himself, but more concerned about the future of his entourage.

The governor could simply walk away, but if all the administrators were dismissed, the livelihoods of the hundreds of people behind them would be in serious trouble.

Alpha's gaze suddenly turned cold, a murderous glint flashing in his eyes: "It's up to you. But those who stay must follow my rules completely. Anyone who outwardly complies but inwardly defies me, or secretly obstructs me, don't blame me for killing them without mercy!"

Alpha paused, his tone carrying an ultimatum-like warning, "Go back and tell them that I can let bygones be bygones for past grievances, as long as they aren't heinous crimes. But if anyone causes widespread resentment on the island, they'd better get out of here now. Otherwise, when I have the time, I'll settle the score, and they'll have to bear the consequences."

Leos couldn't help but shudder; he had no doubt about the truthfulness of Alpha's words.

"Lord Lei, what are your plans for Cyprus going forward?" Leos couldn't help but ask.

He had a vague feeling that this might determine whether he stayed or left.

Alpha turned around and looked out the window at the shimmering sea, as if he could see a prosperous future.

He spoke slowly, his voice soft yet powerful: "The Cyprus of the future will no longer be a barren, remote island. I will transform it into a commercial hub connecting East and West, a free port, a commercial empire that even empires cannot ignore!"

Leos looked at Alpha's resolute and confident back, his heart filled with mixed feelings.

Leos suddenly realized that this young man might really be able to build an unprecedented legend on these ruins.

The next morning, while the port of Limassol was still shrouded in a thin layer of sea fog, Alpha had already arranged affairs in the city.

He mounted his horse, followed closely by old John, who was full of vigor and led an elite thousand-man knightly order.

At Alfa's command, the horses kicked up dust.

The group sped along the winding coastal passage towards Nicosia, the inland capital.

The sea breeze whistled in our ears, but as we ventured deeper inland, the road conditions worsened.

What should have been a journey of less than 100 kilometers took nearly six hours on horseback due to the uneven and potholed road surface.

As the last rays of the setting sun bathed the ancient walls of Nicosia, Alpha and his party finally arrived at their destination.

The bumpy ride left Alpha with aches and pains all over its body, giving it a more direct understanding of the backwardness of Cyprus's infrastructure.

Alfa secretly resolved that once it officially took over this land, the first thing it would do was to build a network of paved roads.

These dilapidated roads, which are difficult even for horse-drawn carriages to pass, must be completely eliminated.

Outside the city, Leos had been waiting for a long time.

However, apart from this administrator, Governor Parker did not send any other welcoming personnel, and even the guards at the city gate seemed lazy and indifferent.

Alpha was well aware of this—Governor Parker was full of resistance and dislike towards his arrival.

In a temporary tent outside the city, Leos expressionlessly handed over the pre-prepared handover agreement.

The signing and stamping process was eerily silent.

As soon as the last stroke of the pen was made, the commotion of packing bags immediately erupted from Governor Parker's mansion in the city.

Throughout the entire process, the former governor never even showed up to meet Alpha, as if he was eager to escape this troubled place that had just changed hands.

“Lord Lei,” Leos turned around, a hint of barely perceptible expectation in his voice, looking at the faint firelight visible within the city, “Governor Parker’s departure is a foregone conclusion, and I… if I choose to stay, would you welcome me?”

Alpha looked at the shrewd administrator before him, a slight smile playing on his lips, and patted him on the shoulder: "A warm welcome! Cyprus is about to usher in a new future, and with everything in need of rebuilding, it needs talent like you. However, I must also remind everyone who stays—"

Alpha glanced at the knights behind him and the attendants around him, his voice suddenly turning cold, "I will increase salaries by 30%, but if anyone dares to commit wrongdoing, embezzle, or accept bribes during this period, I will punish them severely! What I need is a fair and honest new government, not a bunch of bloodsucking parasites."

Old John nodded emphatically. As Alpha's right-hand man, he knew how much the lord valued discipline.

Immediately afterwards, Alpha issued his first decree in Nicosia: "Effective immediately, all taxes of the island's native inhabitants, whether farmers or fishermen, shall be halved!"

"But, Lord Lei!" Leos exclaimed in alarm, quickly trying to dissuade him, "If that's the case, the national treasury will probably be completely depleted next year, and the taxes simply won't be enough to cover our expenses!"

Alpha waved his hand dismissively, a shrewd glint in his eyes: "Our future tax revenue will not come from the land, but from commerce. The meager income of the common people is negligible. What I need to do now is to help them survive, and even thrive, so that we can attract more people to migrate here. Without people, there is no prosperous commerce."

"Tax on commerce?" Leos felt his head spinning. "Isn't that taking food from the mouths of the nobles? Merchants and nobles have always been one, and changing the commercial tax is like taking away the lifeblood of all the nobles on the island!"

“That’s right, I’m going to snatch this food from their mouths.” Alpha sneered.

Alpha knew all too well the character of these nobles; they used their monopoly to set extremely high prices for their goods, causing the market to stagnate and severely hindering trade.

This pricing power is the psychological foundation upon which they maintain their superior attitude.

“Don’t worry about those nobles, leave these troubles to me.” A cold glint flashed in Alpha’s eyes.

Alpha doesn't care about killing another batch of ungrateful elites; the true essence of rule lies in a combination of swift and decisive action and a combination of kindness and severity.

"Lord Lei." Just as everyone was discussing, a dark figure silently emerged from the night. It was Peter, who was in charge of intelligence.

"Alright, everyone's worked hard, go and rest!" Alpha waved for everyone to disperse.

His gaze, however, was fixed on the brightly lit mansion of Governor Parker in the distance. "After Parker leaves completely, I will take over everything here within three days!"

The night was as dark as ink, thick as grease, enveloping the humble post station outside Nicosia in silence.

Alpha sat alone under the dim light of an oil lamp, his fingertips tapping unconsciously on the table, making a dull sound.

A moment later, the door hinges clicked softly, and a dark figure slipped silently into the room like a ghost blending into the night. It was Peter, who was in charge of the intelligence network.

"What have you discovered?" Alpha didn't look up, his voice low and slightly hoarse.

Peter strode to the table, leaned forward, almost touching Alpha's ear, and reported in a whisper that only the two of them could hear: "Lord Alpha, we've discovered something unusual at the port of St. Napa. There's a group of people there who seem to be conducting a secret transaction, and the goods appear to be slaves."

"You mean someone is using San Napa for the slave trade?" Alpha suddenly raised his head, his brows furrowed, and a cold glint flashed in his eyes.

“Yes, I have personally infiltrated the dock warehouse to confirm.” Peter’s tone carried a hint of confusion and anger that he could not hide. “But what’s strange is that those goods… they’re not selling Black people, nor are they selling Asians; they seem to be selling people from the Empire itself.”

"What do you mean?" Alpha's heart sank.

“Most of the victims are young and beautiful women, with a few strong men as well.” Peter took a deep breath. “Judging from their behavior, it seems they heard that Governor Parker was leaving and were making a final cleanup, preparing to pack up this ‘cargo’ and take it away.”

Alpha's fingers stopped. This was clearly a dirty trick within the aristocracy, a shameful attempt by the privileged class to squeeze the last drop of profit during a change of regime.

Reason told him that it was not the right time to complicate matters.

These people may be involved in a complex web of interests, and rashly intervening could trigger an unnecessary political storm.

However, fortune favors the bold, and these are people of the empire, so there must be special reasons behind it; the enemy of my enemy is my friend.

“Perhaps they heard rumors and wanted to run away with their people before we took full control,” Peter added.

“Okay, I understand. Continue to follow them, but don’t alert them.” Alpha closed his eyes and finally made a decision. “You follow them. I will send men to intercept them at sea.”

After seeing Peter off, Alpha immediately summoned Old John.

Alpha entrusted the remaining cleanup and takeover of the city to this reasonably capable old knight, and specifically instructed him: "Old John, this is your responsibility. The main policy is still to liberate the workforce. Remember, crack down on all crime, especially the knights and administrators who remain. Don't be afraid of causing trouble; we have an absolute advantage on the island."

After giving his instructions, Alpha hurriedly left under the cover of night.

At this moment, there were still two warships and three transport ships in the port of Limassol. In order not to alert the enemy, Alpha only deployed the "Victory" commanded by Carson.

As the HMS Victory sailed out of the harbor under the cover of night, the sea breeze was biting.

Alpha had already instructed Carson to prepare an action plan.

In the Magic Vine region of Cape Gata, Alpha and the elf Dikona joined forces and, utilizing the properties of the Sea Iron Vine, built a warship almost identical to the "Victory" overnight.

Of course, they only looked the same, and the two ships completed the exchange of duties without anyone noticing in the darkness of night.

"Lord Lei, what are we planning to do after setting off?" Standing on the deck, Carson looked at the dark horizon in the distance, feeling both nervous and excited.

"Prepare to become pirates." Alpha's lips curled into a cold smile, his eyes piercing. "Later, go check if there are any flags on the ship that represent our identity, and put them all away. No one must know our origins on this voyage."

"Yes, Lord Lei!" Carson was incredibly excited.

He never dreamed that one day he would follow the lord and become a night hunter in this sea.

The salty sea breeze, carrying fine water droplets, pattered against the deck of the "Victory," making a soft rustling sound.

The warship lay silently anchored thirty nautical miles off the coast of San Napa, like a giant beast lurking in the deep sea.

This distance was precisely calculated by Alpha to ensure that the target was both outside Cyprus's field of vision and could be intercepted quickly upon detection.

More importantly, they can conceal their identities within the vast darkness and sea fog, preventing them from being easily discovered.

To pass the time and to prepare for any unexpected situations, Alpha once again employed his unique "gardening" techniques while waiting.

Thick, magical vines sprouted from the cracks in the deck, rapidly climbing and coiling as if they were alive, completely enveloping the warship's outline.

These vines are not only excellent camouflage, but also deadly weapons hidden in the shadows. With just a thought, they can transform into sharp blades to strangle the enemy.

Time passed second by second, from midnight to dawn, and from dawn to noon the next day.