The Vastness of Magical Destiny
Chapter 466: Volume 10: Thunderous Movements and Winds Rising, - 2: Sanjia Tribe

Chapter 466: Volume 10: Thunderous Movements and Winds Rising, Chapter 2: Sanjia Tribe

Although smuggling alleviated many of the Mountain people’s difficulties, they gradually discovered that these smuggling groups actually had secret agreements with the states and regional powers that imposed blockades on them. These agreements ensured that the amount of food smuggled would never exceed a certain limit that would allow the Mountain people to store and stockpile food.

The food acquired from each smuggling venture cost a huge sum of money, and it was only enough to meet the bare necessities. Whenever you hoped to smuggle in more food, no matter how high the price you offered, those smuggling groups would find various reasons to refuse.

And once a famine year struck, the Mountain people had no choice but to find ways to unblock various connections, mobilizing all their power and using every channel to obtain food. At such times, Mortals and other ethnic nation-states and forces would turn a blind eye to the smuggling groups bringing in food, allowing them to earn high profits.

But even so, the famines that occurred every few years still brought immense losses to the Mountain people. Not only did they deplete the wealth obtained through various mineral products and specialties, but there were still masses of the elderly, weak, women, and children who starved to death.

This cyclic disaster every few years meant the total population of the Mountain people not only failed to increase but was actually gradually decreasing, which was the biggest problem faced by all the tribes within the Alliance.

It seemed there was only one way to break this vicious cycle: to wage war abroad and capture land capable of producing food.

For hundreds of years, the wars between the Mountain people and other races were almost always about this reason, and each time such circumstances arose, without exception, Mortal countries of the Whole Continent and other neighboring ethnic forces would join together to fight against the Mountain people. These wars of vastly unequal strength always ended in predictable defeat for the Mountain people, bringing them nothing but endless humiliation and pain.

With such experiences, aside from quietly licking their wounds, the Mountain People Alliance seemed to have no other options. They could only watch the reality of their slowly diminishing numbers and feel helpless about it, until a new Lord appeared on the desolate land of the North, bringing some changes.

To the Mountain people, aside from the fatal weakness of food scarcity, their lag in production technology and the blockade of strategic materials were also significant constraints on their survival and development. All ethnic countries and regions prohibited the transfer of important production technologies to the Mountain people, such as mining, smelting, manufacturing, etc. It was the absence of these technologies in the Mountain region that kept the Mountain people in a primitive and backward state, unable to compare with other races in any aspect.

This was also the main reason for their repeated defeats in wars. Although their Army had strong units and exceptional individual soldier qualities, defeat ultimately belonged to them.

A whirl of complicated thoughts rolled in Volen’s brain like the tide at this moment. His current mission to Caucasus was not as simple as it seemed on the surface—to gift two Earth Dragon Cubs. But right now, in this situation, he could not reveal his intentions, and he had to wait for the right opportunity.

"Lord, it seems these two young dragons really share some fate with Sir. If it were someone else, I’m afraid these two young dragons would have already been raging furiously. Yet, upon meeting Lord, they are so gentle and well-behaved, which is truly delightful."

Volen’s words were somewhat insincere, but in this situation, he could only use such slightly hypocritical language to smooth things over.

Komer could detect the unspeakable complexity in the other party’s words and understood the conflict in his heart at that moment. This Volen was considered quite knowledgeable among the Barbarians. His visit this time likely wasn’t that simple—there were surely secret affairs to discuss, which he would only learn about once Volen revealed his intentions.

"Is that so? If that is the case, then it is indeed cause for celebration. Mr. Volen, please come inside," Komer said, smiling neither servile nor overbearing, gesturing for the group to enter. He noticed that, besides Volen, there was one individual in the group whose attire and demeanor were quite different from the other Barbarian warriors.

As Komer had expected, only the Barbarian who caught his attention entered Komer’s study with Volen. Though not as robust as Volen, the rugged aura on his face still left a deep impression on Komer.

Komer’s opulent and spacious study profoundly shocked the two Barbarian representatives. The exquisite crystal glass curtain walls made it impossible for them to hide their fascination.

Komer was somewhat amused. It was unexpected to see that these Barbarians were so captivated by such decorative items that virtually had no practical value, revealing quite unusual tastes.

The antique rosewood furniture and paintings, elegant and luxurious velvet drapes, soft and exquisite cashmere carpets, bookcases filled with the rich scent of scrolls, and two pots of hanging silk osmanthus by the windows that added a touch of liveliness and greenery—all these features revealed an elegantly luxurious ambiance in the study, subjecting the two Barbarian representatives to an unspoken pressure as soon as they stepped inside.

Fortunately, Volen was also someone who had a few interactions with Mortals, from Ugru to Cyprus, and these outings had broadened his horizons. Although Komer’s study filled him with astonishment and sighs, his good psychological quality allowed him to quickly recover from his initial daze.