"If Liu Kai Xuan insists on exterminating us completely, then we, these wandering ghosts!"
"Can still launch retaliatory strikes against his transport fleet!"
"I believe Liu Kai Xuan, with such strength, is definitely a smart person!"
"Mm!" Bald Wolf nodded in agreement, "What you're saying does have some logic!"
"We have to make a living, otherwise, it'll be a fight to the death!"
At these words, the murderous aura radiating from Bald Wolf suddenly intensified.
Immediately, Bald Wolf dispatched Tuoma to communicate with Duke Merkai and discuss a reconciliation with Liu Kai Xuan.
Tuoma, this fellow, was an utterly insidious and cunning individual!
He saw the current situation with absolute clarity!
The pirate forces and Liu Kai Xuan had already fallen out and gone to war, and in this conflict,
Liu Kai Xuan had emerged victorious with his overwhelming strength. The pirates had lost completely.
Since they had lost, they needed to humble themselves to negotiate with the victor.
To lose and still try to maintain an arrogant stance was simply courting disaster.
Tuoma had Duke Merkai act as an intermediary, pleading with Liu Kai Xuan to be magnanimous and allow them a way to survive.
Furthermore, the Bald Wolf Pirate Gang would henceforth pledge their loyalty to Liu Kai Xuan, ready to be commanded at his will.
Duke Merkai had long been in league with the pirate forces; this was no secret.
Liu Kai Xuan was not surprised by Duke Merkai's arrival.
However, when it came to dealing with this matter, Liu Kai Xuan was somewhat conflicted.
From a practical standpoint, the difficulty of exterminating all the pirates was immense.
Even ants cling to life; how much more so for a group of living people?
If the pirate forces realized they were no match for Liu Kai Xuan, they would undoubtedly shift their operations underground.
Once they went underground, it would be exceedingly difficult for Liu Kai Xuan to ferret them out from hiding.
Pirates were, after all, desperate outlaws. If pushed to the brink, they would dare to do anything.
If it were a head-on confrontation, Liu Kai Xuan would not be afraid.
What he feared was the pirates launching suicidal attacks from the shadows, which would be a considerable problem.
Merchant ships transporting oil were extremely vulnerable on the sea.
Take the recent conflict for example: as soon as hostilities began, drones launched a devastating strike against the pirate vessels.
From the start of the engagement to the pirates' retreat, it lasted less than five minutes.
And it was precisely these few minutes that caused Liu Kai Xuan immense losses.
Therefore, even with his absolute and formidable strength, Liu Kai Xuan was still wary of being "targeted" from behind.
Forcing the entire pirate organization to their doom was definitely not the optimal strategy!
If Liu Kai Xuan were to compromise with the pirate forces, he would also face a predicament!
In the previous incident, the escort team responsible for transporting supplies and the ship's crew suffered over a hundred casualties during the pirate attack.
To stabilize morale, Liu Kai Xuan had publicly pledged to eradicate all pirate forces.
His words still echoed in their ears; if Liu Kai Xuan were to compromise with the pirates now, how would those people perceive it?
Liu Kai Xuan absolutely could not let those loyal to him be disheartened.
Thus, this matter had evolved to a point where Liu Kai Xuan found himself in a dilemma, caught between a rock and a hard place!
That day, Liu Kai Xuan did not give Duke Merkai a definitive reply, instead asking him to return and await news.
Duke Merkai, being perceptive, stated that he would temporarily reside at the oilfield hotel and await Liu Kai Xuan's summons at any time.
After Duke Merkai departed, Liu Kai Xuan immediately summoned his trusted subordinates to discuss the issue.
Ouyang Yu was the most vehemently opposed.
"Boss, the pirates killed so many of our people!"
"They also destroyed a vast amount of our property. Now that they've lost, they want to negotiate for peace? It's preposterous!"
"In my opinion, even killing them all wouldn't be enough to satisfy me!"
"We need to grind their bones to dust to quell the fury in my heart!"
Zhao Feiyan echoed her sentiment, "Yes, the conflict between us and the pirates is far more than just an economic dispute!"
"Now, the enmity between us is a deep, bloody feud!"
"With such a blood feud, it's impossible to resolve all issues with just a single agreement of cooperation!"
However, Liu Yu Long held a different view.
Liu Yu Long had arrived not long ago, his primary purpose for visiting the oilfield being a commercial inspection.
Since he had encountered this matter, he naturally needed to voice his opinion.
Liu Yu Long reasoned, "Boss, the current situation is that we are in the open, and the pirates are hiding in the shadows!"
"I believe it's unrealistic to achieve a permanent solution and eliminate all the pirates!"
"No matter how powerful our strikes are, there will always be some who slip through the net!"
Pirates are inherently desperate individuals!
"If we continue to escalate the hatred and adopt high-pressure tactics to hunt them down relentlessly, it's highly likely we'll push them to extremes!"
"They are no match for us in a fair fight, so they will certainly resort to cunning tactics for revenge!"
"At that point, it's highly probable that we'll end up in a situation where both sides suffer heavy losses."
Ouyang Yu retorted, "What are you afraid of? Liu Yu Long, are you even a man?"
"The pirates are now nothing but a bunch of cowards hiding in their shells!"
"Facing the current situation, they can only cower in dark corners, trembling!"
Liu Yu Long chuckled, "Miss Xiao Yu's point is valid!"
"However, we should still listen to the boss's perspective!"
At this moment, Zhao Feiyan spoke again, "I think Yu Long's viewpoint is more practical, and I retract my previous statement."
Ouyang Yu stomped her foot anxiously, "Sister Fei Yan, why are you like this!"
"Once an opinion is stated, can it be changed so casually?"
Zhao Feiyan gave an embarrassed smile, "Xiao Yu, don't be impulsive, let's wait and hear Kai Xuan's opinion."
At this, everyone turned their gaze to Liu Kai Xuan.
Liu Kai Xuan spoke with a grave tone, "As the saying goes, 'Do not pursue a cornered enemy, and leave a way out when surrounding an army.'"
"Those pirates are all desperate individuals!"
"If we push these people to their absolute limit, they will fight back with all their might!"
"If we were only dealing with land transport, there wouldn't be much to fear!"
"The crucial point is... our maritime shipping routes are simply too long!"
"Along these vast sea routes, we are constantly exposed on open water, with no cover!"
"The risk factor is simply too high!"