The Vastness of Magical Destiny
Chapter 969: Volume 31: Attempting to Cover the Sky with One Hand, - 13: Dawn of Civilization

Chapter 969: Volume 31: Attempting to Cover the Sky with One Hand, Chapter 13: Dawn of Civilization

The method of voting determined the outcome. With simultaneous signatures and voting, excluding the Sanjia Tribe, who chose not to participate, the stark result of ten to zero attested to the unique and skillful manipulation Komer exercised over the new alliance.

Although there had been continuous cursing and vows to resist to the end before, when that "sacred" vote was placed in the hands of these chiefs, for the first time they all felt the grave responsibility it carried.

If one were to cast a dissenting vote on behalf of their tribe while others voted in favor, what would happen then? It would mean that the decision would be executed regardless, but one would become the target of collective enmity, and Komer would certainly not miss any opportunity to suppress their tribe. One would inevitably become the sinner of their tribe, a burden that the once dominant tribal chiefs may have borne. But now, it might just be a precursor to their dismissal. These mortals would certainly not pass up such an opportunity to stir up dissatisfaction within the tribe and thus achieve their subversive goals.

The facts made all the chiefs feel sorrowful yet secretly relieved—relieved that they had not resisted the decision from that individual from the Caucasus as they had initially agreed to. This vote meant more than just an attitude towards the construction of the road through the Cordillera Wilderness; it was more importantly a clear indication to the chiefs of how their partners, including themselves, had long discarded the once-cherished tribal creed of faith and loyalty.

Karmani’s appearance in Ugru was perfectly timed. Whenever there was a major and challenging construction opportunity, the Laurent family was never one to lag behind. The news of the road being opened through the Cordillera Wilderness had already spread throughout Nicosia and Iberia, even exceeding the buzz created by the opening of the Catania Channel in the past.

The fact that Barbarians would agree to a road construction project that seemed almost inconceivable caused widespread disbelief in both Nicosia and the Southern Mediterranean Region. No one believed that the Barbarians could so quietly submit themselves to Komer’s feet.

In their eyes, Barbarians were unconquerable. The vast and complex terrain of the Cordillera Wilderness, the rebellious traditions spanning hundreds of years, the violent and fierce racial habits, and the closed and conservatively aggressive national temperament—all of these factors marked the group as unsuitable for Mortal Society. To claim that such openness of thought among Barbarians could be achieved without the experience of a real battle was utterly fanciful.

Komer did not expect people to believe all this. In fact, he did not wish for the special relationship between him and the Barbarians to be too thoroughly understood by others. It would in fact be counterproductive in maintaining the mystique of the Barbarians. A moderate sense of mystery could demonize the Barbarians to a significant extent, keeping them somewhat aloof from Mortal Society, which would be more convenient for his own manipulations in many future endeavors.

The construction of this road was merely to facilitate his regime’s control and plundering of the abundant resources available on the Cordillera Wilderness. To put it more precisely, Komer did not intend to open up the entire Cordillera Wilderness to everyone just like that. Civilization needs a process, and this process must align with his interests.

The road stretching over a thousand kilometers, although Komer’s requirements for the road conditions were not too high and many sections could make use of the existing trails used by the Barbarians, was after all a complete road being constructed in the Cordillera Wilderness. For a race that had been self-secluded for hundreds of years, such a groundbreaking initiative would still encounter resistance from opposing forces, even with the approval of the tribal upper echelons.

"What do you plan to do? I believe you’re well aware of the difficulty of this project. I hope your Laurent family can keep the impact of the construction to a minimum and avoid causing me any unnecessary trouble. In short, smoothly and successfully complete this project—that’s my most basic requirement."

Komer had long grasped the olfactory acumen of the Laurent family and trusted the Gisa People’s capacity. However, this time it was different. The Cordillera Wilderness was not like other places; his control over the region was not yet strong enough. Only with the completion of this project could he truly permeate his influence into every nook and cranny of the Wilderness, so he needed to understand the Gisa People’s specific operational details. He did not want a commotion without accomplishing the goal.

"It’s simple, Lord Komer. Things aren’t as complicated as you imagine. Interests! Interests decide everything. When the interests of these people are bound with me, with the benefits that this road can bring, then all contradictions will naturally dissolve. So, I need your necessary authorization, Lord," Karmani stated confidently.

"Hmm, interesting. What kind of authorization do you need?" Komer nodded.

"Mining rights and exploration rights within ten kilometers along the road through the Cordillera Wilderness. If you can agree to this, I can raise the Funds, and I can easily transform the dissenting voices of those Barbarians into supportive voices for building this road. How does that sound?" Karmani proposed conditionally with a smile.

"Hmm, Karmani, quite a clever idea you have there. If everything is taken by you, then what benefit is there for me to build this road?" Komer countered.

"Heh, Lord Komer, do you really care about such things? Of course, we can pay a fee for the mining rights, but it won’t be much. After all, Funds also need to be invested in road construction. Besides, I still have to distribute these mining rights to the dissenters. I hope Lord Komer can understand," he replied.

"Alright, I basically agree with your proposal. We can discuss the specific amounts later. You may proceed in this manner. I believe anyone with vision should see the potential of this road. If things don’t go smoothly with the Barbarians, I can have people assist you, but time won’t be long. Mainly, you’ll have to rely on yourselves."

"Great, Sir, I appreciate your straightforwardness. Within one month, you will see the progress report of the construction. Within three years, the road will be complete, all according to your demands. Naturally, I also hope that the promises made by Lord Komer will be kept," Karmani stood up, full of buoyant ambition: "Everyone will witness the creation of this miracle." (To be continued. For further developments, please visit www.qidian.com, where Chapters are more extensive, support the author, support authorized reading!)