The Vastness of Magical Destiny
Chapter 826: Volume 25 The Midstream Strikes the Water - 13 A Stern Appearance but a Feeble Heart

Chapter 826: Volume 25 The Midstream Strikes the Water Chapter 13 A Stern Appearance but a Feeble Heart

"Lord, we cannot agree to your demands; the losses of the Sanjia Tribe in this war have been enormous, and our warriors have made significant sacrifices for your cause. Your request is simply too much," said Chief Dvanch with a calm gaze that betrayed no particular emotion, yet his tone was exceptionally firm. "The Sanjia Tribe is not your subject, a point you should make clear. If those smaller tribes want to join your Caucasus, that is their affair, but the Sanjia Tribe is not one of them."

"Oh? Chief Dvanch, I truly cannot understand your thoughts. Have my actions truly harmed the interests of the Sanjia Tribe? Yes, in this war, the warriors of the Sanjia Tribe indeed provided me with significant assistance, and their losses are visible to all, but I have compensated for that. The families of each fallen warrior have received five to ten times the compensation they got for the sacrifices made in the southern wars, and the same goes for the injured soldiers. I have not only once provided a reward sufficient for them to live a fairly comfortable life for the second half of their lives, but I can also offer them living conditions in the Caucasus. Does such treatment still amount to mistreating your Mountain people warriors?"

Komer’s attitude was also very calm. He had anticipated the joint visit by the leaders of the Sanjia Tribe, and it was precisely because he had detained the army comprised of warriors provided by the Sanjia Tribe that the tribal leaders had been forced to come to Ugru again. This negotiation would herald a new era, an unprecedented time for both the Sanjia Tribe and the entire Mountain Tribe of the Cordillera Wilderness.

"Lord Komer, you seem to have forgotten our initial agreement and the status of the Sanjia Tribe. The Sanjia Tribe is a member of the Mountain People Alliance and belongs to a completely different race than you mortals. If I’m to speak politely, we can be peaceful neighbors, but if I’m to speak bluntly, you are nothing more than a pack of wolves with covetous eyes on us," said Chief Dvanch, his face finally showing a faint mocking smile, seemingly ridiculing Komer’s forgetfulness. However, Komer found it amusing; the normally calm Chief of the Garong Tribe seemed a bit agitated, perhaps stimulated by the current delicate situation, making it difficult for him to maintain a calm demeanor, which was precisely what Komer hoped to achieve.

"Heh, Chief Dvanch, don’t you think that’s a bit much? Am I the forgetful one? When the Sanjia Tribe was in dire straits and sought our Caucasus’s help to tighten our belts and provide you with food, when the Sanjia Tribe lacked various necessities, when the Mountain People Alliance pressured the Sanjia Tribe, weren’t you and your companions using a different tone and attitude?" Komer retorted, "Are we wolves? Would wolves provide lambs with food and necessities? Would they help lambs fend off the bullying of the alpha? Such wolves would indeed be utter failures."

Chief Dvanch was momentarily at a loss for words. Indeed, there were flaws in his earlier statement. Even if the Caucasus had some designs on the Sanjia Tribe, he should not have exposed them face to face. By piercing this thin veil, it might leave both parties with no room to maneuver. Not even Chief Dvanch knew why he had become so impulsive so suddenly. Glancing at his two companions, Chief Dvanch could tell that neither of them agreed with confronting the other party this way at this time.

"Since Chief Dvanch has opened the topic, I too would like to discuss this issue with the three leaders. Yes, I still very much need the support of the Sanjia Tribe’s soldiers, and I even hope that the Sanjia Tribe can provide me with more military support." Komer raised his hand to stop the three chieftains, who looked indignant and were about to interject, and continued directly: "Perhaps the three leaders feel that I am insatiable and overreaching, and this request is utterly unacceptable. But I want to ask in return, how does the current situation of the Sanjia Tribe compare to five years ago? Has it improved or worsened? Are your citizens continuing to decrease, or are they steadily increasing? Are your people satisfied with their current lives or not?"

A series of rhetorical questions made the three chieftains’ faces turn somewhat unsightly. After exchanging a glance with Bellamong, Chief Dvanch spoke up: "Lord Komer, these questions are unrelated to our negotiation today. We just want to retrieve our Sanjia Tribe soldiers according to our agreement. Your actions breach our contract. As for the points you’ve just mentioned, I only wish to tell you that we Mountain people will never submit to anyone for some small favors, especially not to outsiders!"

"Hehe, trifling favors, well said, Chief Dvanch, do you dare to say the same to your own citizens? Trifling favors, huh, it seems that countless supplies and necessities of life are just minor favors in your eyes, Chief Dvanch. Aren’t my favors, Komer’s favors, a bit too valuable? Are the survival issues of hundreds of people really something you can set aside without a care, all for the sake of what you call worthless pride? Is this how you maintain your so-called self-respect? I fail to see what this proves at all!" Komer sneered, "I want to remind the three of you not to overlook the demands of your citizens, and not to think that your own will can decide everything. That will only end up hurting yourselves in the end."

"Lord Komer, we mountain people will decide our own matters, and we don’t need outsiders pointing fingers and giving orders," Chief Dvanch suddenly became furious. This fellow was too arrogant and presumptuous—did he really think he could control everything?

"Chief Dvanch, harsh truths can be beneficial to your actions, and bitter medicine can be good for your ailments. There’s no malice in what I’ve said, I hope you don’t misunderstand. With your wisdom, I believe you can analyze my words calmly and understand whether I am right or wrong. Why make the situation so unpleasant?" Komer slightly softened his tone; this kind of direct confrontation was not what he wanted.

"Lord Komer, we are here without ulterior motives, and the Sanjia Tribe also hopes to continue maintaining a close cooperation with the Caucasus. But now that the war on Battlefield has subsided and the original terms have been met, does Lord Komer have any reason to continue holding our Sanjia Tribe’s soldiers? Could it be that Lord Komer truly wishes to annex the Sanjia Tribe as the rumors suggest?" After Bellamong gave Chief Dvanch a look, he joined the fray, "We mountain people have never been conquered by outsiders and will never submit to external pressure. History has proven this, and I hope Lord Komer will think twice before acting."

Komer chuckled lightly; these ostensibly fierce but actually timid fellows had even lost confidence in their control over these soldiers, or else they wouldn’t insist on such a nominal transfer procedure. Barbarian Soldiers weren’t fools; people go where they are treated best, and water flows downhill. The treatment they received with him was tenfold better than in the Cordillera Wilderness, so why should they go back? As long as he still needed them, they would want to stay here. It was laughable that these chiefs, supposed leaders, couldn’t even see this basic principle, and were here haggling with him. Even if these people returned to the Cordillera Wilderness, would they really stay there contentedly? Perhaps they would quietly flee to the Caucasus with their families.

"Three leaders, it seems that no race is easily conquered by outsiders, but the collapse of a race often comes from within. Ignoring the tides of historical development and the survival needs of the people, such races are bound to either be destroyed or conquered by another race, as you put it, or have their upper echelons completely overthrown in a revolution—there are only two possibilities! It’s no longer possible for the mountain people to retreat to their former closed-off world. The worsening internal environment and an increasingly open world outside have left you no way out. If you cling to your rigid ways of thinking, I believe sooner or later you’ll find that you will be discarded by the tides of history, buried in the ashes of time."

Komer’s seemingly profound speech profoundly moved the three leaders.

In the interest of achieving his goals, Komer did not mind employing some Psychic Magic, a minor enchantment called "Mind Erosion" that could greatly enhance the effect of his speech. Such tricks were useless on the Battlefield, but in a relatively peaceful environment like this, they could have unexpectedly great effects, especially when his arguments were already convincing enough.

"Three leaders, ask yourselves, can your citizens still leave our Caucasus? The connection between us has far exceeded that among your Sanjia Tribe and other mountain tribes. If you still maintain a considerable connection with the other tribes, I think it’s because the Sanjia Tribe serves as a transfer station between the Caucasus and those tribes to some extent. You cannot deny this reality." Komer sighed softly, "I always thought our previous cooperation should serve as a model for mortals and other races to interact with the mountain people, possibly leading to broader exchanges and collaborations between the Mountain People of the Cordillera Wilderness and the outside world. However, I never expected the three leaders to harbor such narrow prejudices and thoughts, which is rather disappointing. Does preserving the so-called self-respect and independence of the mountain people mean reverting to your previous state? I have never believed so." (To be continued... For more details, please visit www.qidian.com. More Chapters are available, support the author, support Authorized Reading!)