xymnovel Chapter 71 The sword is drawn, the knife is sharpened.
Chapter 71 The sword is drawn, the knife is sharpened.
As Constantine walked out of the parliament hall, the dazzling sunlight shone on his golden sash, yet the chilling aura seemed to still linger over Prime Minister Zaymis.
Zaimis stood frozen in place, while the oligarchic members of parliament around him continued to celebrate in hushed tones for the impending "victory."
But Zaimis couldn't manage a smile.
Constantine's last smile kept replaying in his mind.
That was not the laugh of a gambler at all.
That was the hunter's laugh as he watched the fat wild boar run headfirst into the trap!
A strong, chilling premonition crept into his mind.
He seems to have... done something wrong.
……
at the same time.
Outside Athens, there is an abandoned royal estate.
Fifty men were rolling around in the mud as usual, undergoing hellish physical training under the roar of their Prussian instructors.
Sweat and mud mingled and dripped from their bronze skin as each person gritted their teeth and endured the limits of their bodies.
The training over the past two months has completely worn away all their impetuousness and arrogance.
What remains is only an iron will and the ferocity of a wolf pack.
But at this moment, everyone is carrying a heavy burden in their hearts.
They had already seen the news in the newspapers through bribed servants.
The Crown Prince's Secret Army!
The Shadow of Dictatorship Looms Over Athens!
These days, they've been like a bunch of rats that can't stand the light of day, even lowering their voices during training.
They don't know where their future lies.
Perhaps in the next second, the regular army will rush in, disarm them all, and send them to a military court.
"Has no one fucking eaten?! Hurry up!"
Kruger's whip cracked loudly in the air before lashing the muddy ground beside him, splashing up a cloud of filth.
Just then, a team member responsible for perimeter security rushed in, tumbling and crawling, holding a recent newspaper high in his hand.
"Boss! Boss Costas! Big news!"
The training session was interrupted.
Everyone stopped what they were doing and turned their gazes in that direction.
Former Inspector Costas wiped the mud off his face, took the newspaper, and his breath caught in his throat after just one glance at the headline.
A Bold Gamble! His Highness the Crown Prince Makes a Pledge: Tariffs Will Double in Three Months!
Kostas read it word by word, his voice going from low to trembling, and finally to an overwhelming ecstasy!
"Parliament...has passed a temporary bill!"
"We...we are now the 'Royal Tax Police'!"
"We have three months of independent, law enforcement authority!"
The entire training ground fell silent for a full three seconds.
then!
"Aww!!!"
Someone shouted first, and then a thunderous cheer rose into the sky!
Lagudas, this towering man, slammed his fist into the mud, creating a huge crater, then roared to the sky, laughing until tears streamed down his face!
Sharpshooter Demetrius clenched his fists tightly, his body trembling with excitement!
They are no longer shady private soldiers!
They are the Crown Prince's sword! They are the legitimate, parliament-authorized machinery of state violence!
Your Highness Constantine!
He did not abandon them!
Despite being accused of "treason," he fought his way through the jaws of those wolves in Parliament and carved a bloody path for them!
At this moment, the last bit of doubt in everyone's hearts completely vanished.
They were willing to die for that man!
The manor gates were pushed open.
Constantine walked in, followed by Andreas, who was pale but had excited eyes.
"Your Highness!"
Kostas roared in anger.
"Whoosh!"
Fifty men, no matter how much mud they were covered in, stood up straight in a single second and formed a neat square formation!
They looked at Constantine with eyes that burned with intensity!
"It seems you all know."
Constantine's gaze swept across every young and resolute face.
"Yes, we have a legitimate sword, but it's not sharp enough yet."
He walked to the front of the group, his voice clearly reaching everyone's ears.
"I'm giving you your first official task!"
"All troops relocate! Destination—Piraeus Port!"
"From now on, you have one week to turn that area into your backyard! I want you to be able to draw a map of every dock and every alleyway with your eyes closed!"
"I want you to know which warehouses are hiding smuggled goods, which taverns are sailors' dens of iniquity, and which policemen are taking bribes!"
"Andreas!" Constantine turned to his secretary behind him.
Andreas immediately stepped forward.
"My office will become your brain! All intelligence on smuggling activities in Piraeus Port, including personnel networks and ship information, will be compiled into a booklet and distributed to each squad leader within 24 hours!"
"Kostas is your blade, and Andreas is your guiding eye!"
"The unity of literary and martial arts, understand?"
"clear!"
The deafening roar made the entire manor tremble.
……
Inside Athens' most upscale gentlemen's club.
Prime Minister Zaymis is raising a glass in celebration with a group of core members of an oligarchic group.
Cigar smoke swirled, and fine red wine swished in a crystal glass.
"Your Excellency, that's a brilliant move!"
The spokesperson for shipping magnate Sigros, a portly senator, smiled obsequiously.
"That kid jumped into the fire himself, thinking he'd won! It's hilarious!"
"Double the tariffs? Hahaha! If he can do that, I'll give him my entire fleet!"
The club was filled with a cheerful atmosphere.
Zaimis leaned back in the soft sofa, gently swirling his wine glass, the gloom on his face vanishing.
He has completely figured it out now.
The little prince was indeed quite clever, but he was ultimately too young.
He had no idea how deep the waters of Piraeus were!
"Gentlemen, do not let your guard down."
Zaimis took a sip of red wine and began to speak slowly and deliberately.
"Of course we can't let him stay comfortably for three months."
"So what do you mean?" asked the banker's representative.
A cruel smile curled at the corners of Zaimis's mouth.
"I heard that the dockworkers' union in the port of Piraeus is very dissatisfied with their wages recently."
"I heard that the port police haven't received their 'extra allowance' in a long time, and they're not very motivated to work."
"That so-called 'Royal Tax Police' are unfamiliar with the area. If they get into a minor 'scuffle' with a drunk dockworker during their patrol and get injured, that's perfectly normal, right?"
Everyone present smiled knowingly.
"Your Majesty, the Prime Minister is wise!"
"That's right! We need to teach these arrogant country bumpkins a lesson they'll never forget!"
"Let them know who the true masters of Piraeus are!"
Zaimis nodded in satisfaction.
He could already foresee that so-called elite force would be battered and bruised in the face of a deeply entrenched network of interests, and would slink back to Athens in disgrace.
All he had to do was sit comfortably in his office and wait for the arrogant prince to bow his head and confess his sins three months later.
An invisible net has quietly been cast over the port of Piraeus.
Dark clouds began to gather over Greece’s largest port.