Old Jack''s idea was good, and Rocky understood that, but he also knew that such an idea was simply impossible to realize.


    Since the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild had taken possession of such an important resource as the mines, it was clear that they would never give it up.


    However, since Old Jack wanted to give it a try, Rocky didn''t exin too much and let him go. However, he instructed Lin Feng to ensure Old Jack''s safe return, as Thunderhawk City still needed this experienced administrative officer.


    So, the next day, Old Jack and Lin Feng set off together aboard the Thunderhawk.


    After they had left, Rocky immediately ordered the Guard Corps and the Fleet to be ready for action. In his view, once Old Jack returned, the battle would begin!


    Just as Old Jack had thought previously, Rocky was determined to take back Backhill Vige at any cost. Regardless of the intentions and attitudes of the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild, he would retake Backhill Vige, even if it meantunching a major war.


    So when Old Jack left, Rocky immediately sprung into action.


    Actually, Old Jack returned much faster than everyone had anticipated because the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild had not even allowed him to enter Backhill Vige...


    Just like the encounter with the reconnaissance ship before, when the Thunderhawk appeared near Backhill Vige, the opposition sent out an Escort Ship to stop them, intercepting the Thunderhawk in mid-air.


    Afterwards, Old Jack did meet with the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild''s manager, as the other party was on the ship. The two talked for a while after their meeting. No one knew what exactly was discussed, but the result was just as Rocky had anticipated—the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild paid no heed to Old Jack''s suggestions.


    This oue had Old Jack returning to Thunderhawk City with his head hung low. Upon seeing Rocky, his old face turned red with embarrassment. After arriving back at the skyport, he saw the fully prepared Guard Corps and Fleet, immediately understanding that Rocky had known what the oue would be all along.


    And next, there was no need for further pointless talk. Rocky subsequently had the entire Guard Corps board the warships, and then the huge Fleet, led by the War Steed, took off one after another, majestically flying away from Thunderhawk City toward Backhill Vige!


    As the Fleet slowly descended into low altitude, Rocky, standing at the prow of the ship, once again saw the deste terrain. He had some memory of thendscape near Backhill Vige. He was unsure if it was due to the influence of Demons or if the ce was naturally so barren. In any case, the area around Backhill Vige was deste, with hard ground like a turtle''s shell, almost devoid of any vegetation.


    Perhaps it was because he had been in the sky too long, but even with the destion below, Rocky standing at the prow, looking toward thend, felt a deep sense of fondness from the bottom of his heart.


    Not long after, they approached the base of Skybreaker Peak, and Backhill Vige subsequently came into view.


    Just as Rocky and hispanions caught sight of the outline of Backhill Vige, several warships appeared around the vige!


    Ten reconnaissance ships.


    Three escort ships.@@novelbin@@


    As Rocky led the Fleet closer, the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild''s Fleet stationed at Backhill Vige also took to the sky! Continue your adventure with My Virtual Library Empire


    Just as Rocky had surmised before, the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild indeed treated Backhill Vige as their home, fortifying it and stationing a considerable military presence there.


    The Proud Dragon Commerce Guild''s headquarters were situated within a medium-sized Sky City, not particrlyrge, roughly on par with the Ruby Chamber of Commerce. Hence, the mines of Backhill Vige were of utmost importance to them. The guild nned not just to mine the site, but even intended to shift the entire focus of their operations to this mine.


    In light of this, they rebuilt the vige''s walls, making them wider, thicker, and stronger, and dispatched a formidable military presence to guard the area against demon attacks. As unexpected to Rocky as someone else upying Backhill Vige before him, the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild also never anticipated that others knew of Backhill Vige''s secret and woulde to contest it.


    Therefore, as soon as Rocky sent the first Reconnaissance Ship for surveince, the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild grew anxious, immediately reporting the situation to the guild and preparing for battle well in advance.


    "Thunderhawk City..."


    Standing on the deck of an Escort Ship, Nelson, the manager of the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild and the person in charge of Backhill Vige, had an expression as bitter as a gourd, for even from a great distance, he could clearly see the colossal Fleet led by Rocky, which inexorably made his heart sink.


    Being in Backhill Vige, with news hard toe by, Nelson hadn''t heard of the big news Rocky had recently made, but even without any knowledge of Rocky, just seeing the massive fleet before him was enough.


    A fleet led by battleships and whollyposed ofrge warships appearing suddenly was rming enough. Even if Nelson hadn''t met Old Jack and learned that Thunderhawk City was targeting Backhill Vige, he would have understood what the presence of such a vast fleet implied.


    Mineral resources have always been hotly contested by military powers. Except for The Forsaken People, whoever has the stronger fist ims ownership; there''s no logic in who arrived first.


    So Nelson clearly understood Rocky''s intentions.


    What he couldn''tprehend was that, having previously extracted information from Old Jack, he knew that Backhill Vige had been absorbed into a small Sky City, Thunderhawk City, but how could such a small Sky City possess such a vast and formidable fleet?


    Surely a fleet led by a battleship was something that only a medium-sized Sky City should be able to maintain?


    The reality he saw with his eyes and what he had anticipated in his mind were so far apart that Nelson on the deck was filled with conflict.


    Even so, he still wanted to try and see if he could intimidate the opposition into retreat with the reputation of Proud Dragon City.


    As mentioned before, the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild''s headquarters was located in a medium-sized Sky City, which was Proud Dragon City, and Nelson thought that since the other party was from a small Sky City, even if they didn''t give face to the guild, they should at least respect a medium-sized Sky City, right?


    It was with such a notion that he led all of Backhill Vige''s fleet to ascend, just as Old Jack had earlier, for Nelson also wanted to have a talk with Rocky.


    Thus, the fleets of both sides soon met mid-air, and simultaneously, Nelson had already prepared what he would say to the City Lord once they met; however, just as he was waiting for the two sides to approach, the sound of cannon fire, like distant thunder, suddenly erupted!


    The moment Nelson''s fleet came within range, Rocky chose to open fire without hesitation!


    Have a talk?


    What talk? From the beginning, Rocky never nned to resolve this matter through ''negotiation.'' If it hadn''t been for taking into ount Old Jack''s good intentions, which made it improper to outright refuse, he would have brought his forces to Backhill Vige long ago, not waiting until now!


    So as soon as the enemy entered range, he gave the order to fire immediately!