Yarra’s Adventure Notes
Chapter 958 - 75 The Demands of the Country of Sand

Chapter 958: Chapter 75 The Demands of the Country of Sand

"Forty million gold coins?" Prince Nicholas exchanged a covert glance with the War Shaman of the Tiger Clan, quickly diverting his eyes as if nothing had happened. Nicholas still maintained an elegant posture and nodded slightly, "I believe this amount of resources could compensate for some losses, although it’s not nearly enough for everyone. But since this is a joint campaign, we inevitably need to make concessions. So, I wonder about everyone’s stance, but I, on behalf of my father and the Empire, agree to Duke Nelna’s proposal."

"We agree as well," said the representative of the Country of Sand. The king of the Country of Sand did not attend the meeting himself but sent his chief executive officer. In the eyes of many on the Yarran Continent, the Country of Sand is a mysterious nation, deeply hidden within the desert and establishing cities next to oases, leading a relatively secluded life. The history of the entire Country of Sand can be traced back to the early Third Epoch, when a group of special half-Elemental Creatures freely roamed the desert, gradually forming their own country.

By the end of the Third Epoch, as the War of Gods erupted, no single race of human beings fought each other over their religious beliefs; countless families were broken, and innumerable humans lost their lands to live on. To escape the war, some were forced to flee into the sands, most perishing in desiccation, but a fortunate few found the cities of the Sand People and survived, thanks to their seemingly indifferent, rock-like demeanor. Since then, these humans have lived together with the Sand People in the desert, slowly expanding their numbers and eventually forming a coexisting environment between humans and Sand People.

The Sand People did not resent these sudden intruders into their lives, and thousands of years of cohabitation have only made relations more harmonious. It can be said that the humans in these desert areas have fully integrated into the Sand People’s society. Apart from racial characteristics, in other respects—such as dress, habits, and even treatment received—everything is nearly identical. In the Country of Sand, apart from the king and leaders of the various oasis cities, who must be Sand People, the selection process for other government officials makes no distinction between humans and Sand People, allowing them to enjoy the same treatment. For example, the current chief executive officer, who, besides the king himself, holds the most power in the entire Country of Sand, is a pure human, not a Sand Person.

Sand People’s names are often cumbersome, and simple ones like Aske’s are in the minority; most are long and bizarrely pronounced. This chief executive officer had introduced himself before, but probably no one remembered his name. However, it didn’t matter much; he seemed to have inherited the Sand People’s aloof nature and did not form an envoy. Instead, he came directly to Neville City with six Sand People guards, so he was the only representative of the Country of Sand at this military exchange. He did not wait for others to voice their opinions before continuing, "Moreover, we request an advance on resources, mind you, not compensation for us, but the war resources you’ve promised previously. We need a part of it."

"Of course, no problem at all," Duke Nelna replied, still stern-faced but nodding, "You are responsible for building fortifications in the desert beforehand and for the storage of logistical supplies. It’s impossible to accomplish without an advance on resources. Don’t worry, as soon as the materials are ready, we will transfer them to you immediately."

"Then we have no objections," said the chief executive officer bluntly. "We’ve fought so many times, and you should be very familiar with our method of warfare in the desert. We will maintain the same tactics of fighting as before in our joint operations. Therefore, we haven’t brought our troops, as it’s simply unnecessary. As for the number of troops, the Country of Sand doesn’t have what you’d call regular troops; every adult is a qualified warrior. So, we will deploy all our forces, retaining just enough people to keep the country running smoothly."

Just as he had said, the battle style of the Country of Sand bears the distinct characteristics of the desert. In typical terrain, they can fight battles like any other human troops from various nations. However, in the desert, they have their unique way of waging war. In the desert lives a unique creature called the sand worm, which has several meters long body and thick frame that can freely move through the sand underground, and their traveling speed is astonishingly fast. The Sand People tamed a large number of sand worms thousands of years ago, initially using the space inside them as means of transport and logistical support. Later, as humans gradually integrated into Sand People’s society, the more flexible-thinking humans quickly developed a war use for the sand worms. In wartime, dozens or even hundreds of desert warriors hid within a sand worm, moving rapidly across the desert, and upon encountering an enemy, the massive sand worm would burst from the sand, swallows large numbers of enemy troops and then burrow back underground. The desert warriors waiting inside would then attack from various angles, leveraging their local numerical superiority to eliminate all enemies inside the sand worm. As regular adversaries, this low-casualty tactic has been a nightmare for both the Falar Empire and the Neville Federation, rendering them almost incapable of setting foot in the desert.

Yet, if seen as allies, this tactic remains reliable. Thus, Duke Nelna and Prince Nicholas nodded almost simultaneously, approving the chief executive officer’s opinion. They then quickly noticed each other making the same gesture and glanced at each other, each wearing a deeply meaningful smile. Duke Nelna spoke, "Since you have justly criticized our Federation for contributing too little, perhaps Your Highness could enlighten us by introducing how much force the Falar Empire is prepared to commit."

"Certainly, I believe it will not disappoint anyone," Nicholas nodded to an elderly knight beside him, the features marked by white hair and beard, then continued, "Father has taught us that we must stand courageously and assume our responsibilities when the world needs us, as that is the behavior a responsible power ought to exhibit. If we were to shrink behind other powers for some reasons, that truly would not befit the stature of a great nation."

"Haha, King Falaer is as forceful as ever," Duke Nelna smiled noncommittally, "Then let’s see the dignity of a great nation then."(To be continued. If you like this work, welcome to qidian.com to cast your recommendations and support, which is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)