https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-1072-Gathering-Spirits-on-the-Path-to-Life/13228923/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-1074-The-Path-to-the-Voice-of-Star-Spirits/13274527/
Chapter 1073: Offering Land for Aid
Chapter 1073: Offering Land for Aid
Upon entering the Foreign Affairs Bureau, Elder Grey Falcon was escorted to the grand dome hall, a distinctively Federal-style architectural feature.
Within the hall, he encountered the leader of the group, who, upon seeing him, performed a traditional greeting of the First People by lowering their staff and placing a hand on their cheek before leaning forward.
Elder Grey Falcon had always adhered to the traditional etiquette of the First People when dealing with foreign officials from Daxun, seemingly to uphold the dignity of his tribe.
However, the Daxun officials standing on either side were well aware that when facing Federal officials, the elder would switch to a handshake.
Smiling, Leader Xie performed a courteous bow, and after the journalists on both sides had captured the moment on camera, he invited the elder to sit down. Their translators and assistants also took their seats, and the recorder, after tapping on the interface, prepared to take notes in a notebook.
The two exchanged pleasantries, reminiscing about past friendships, before Elder Grey Falcon stated the purpose of his visit.
"Leader Xie, we require a substantial amount of weapons, more implants, and most importantly, a vast quantity of medication."
The forces of Kavatuya were no longer the indigenous armed forces that people once imagined. Many of their warriors were now equipped with advanced implants and protective gear, and they had even trained a new army under the guidance of Daxun's military technology experts.
Currently, the High Plateau of Life had gathered at least two million people, and every one of the Holy Land warriors was an elite. This was why the West Shore Party had no choice but to mobilize the Chamber Martial Artists.
However, the First People lacked the technological capabilities to establish their own industrial system, making it necessary to procure equipment, implants, and especially medication from external sources.
The side effects of implants were significant, and the support provided by Daxun couldn't possibly consist entirely of high-end products. A substantial amount of inhibitors was essential. They had also obtained some through the black market and smuggling channels from other countries, but the prices were unstable, the quantities were small, and the costs were high, making it insufficient to meet their needs.
Leader Xie, sensing that Elder Grey Falcon had more to say, smiled and remained silent, while the officer beside him continued to record without lifting his head.
"We also hope that your country can provide us with more advanced technology and equipment," Elder Grey Falcon continued. "In recent years, the Federation's technological advancements have been rapid, with new implants emerging almost annually, far surpassing us by many generations. Therefore, we urgently need to update our equipment. Moreover, due to the Federation's blockade, our Holy Land warriors lack the necessary training medication. While we have sufficient food supplies, many unique items are difficult for us to obtain..."
Leader Xie patiently listened without interrupting, waiting until the elder finished before speaking, "I understand Elder Grey Falcon's request, but I must ask, what do you intend to offer in return?"
Although Daxun was providing support, it wasn't without expecting some form of collateral. Kavatuya had also promised to repay these debts in the future.
"We are willing to offer another Holy Valley," Elder Grey Falcon replied.
"Elder Grey Falcon, I must remind you that the Holy Lands you previously pledged as collateral are now under Federal control, making it nearly impossible to redeem them. In reality, we have been providing aid to you without any repayment," Leader Xie pointed out.
"We are grateful for Daxun's support," Elder Grey Falcon quickly responded, "but our existence is also beneficial to Daxun. We have restrained the Federation's power, allowing Daxun to secure numerous maritime interests. The Federation has been unable to fully project its strength externally due to our presence."
He emphasized, "The stronger Kavatuya becomes, the greater the benefits for Daxun. Our support is advantageous for both parties."
Leader Xie glanced at him, acknowledging the significance of Kavatuya's existence, but...
"I must remind Elder Grey Falcon that in the past, you have consistently retreated, allowing the Federation to attack you without any strategic initiative.
As we have acquired the overseas islands, if you do not take proactive measures, your value in Daxun's eyes will diminish year by year, unless you become more proactive. This is not an empty threat or a scare tactic; it is the reality of the situation."
In the past, aside from heroes like Ahktawa, few of the First People would take the initiative to strike. Especially after many tribes, with the help of Daxun, relocated to Kavatuya and enjoyed a peaceful and stable life, they were reluctant to engage in combat. Most of the time, they would wait for the Federation's West Coast forces to attack.
In reality, the forced battles among these small tribes had inflicted more significant losses on the Federation, as they fought with their lives on the line.
Elder Grey Falcon pondered for a moment before raising his head and saying, "We can send Tanokqa Quitska's child to Daxun."
"What?"
Leader Xie was indeed surprised by this offer, as Tanokqa Quitska was no ordinary person but the Grand Priest of Kavatuya. In the faith of the First People, natural deities held great importance, and the Grand Priest monopolized the sacrificial power, passing it down through blood rituals from generation to generation.
This child, who was likely no older than seven or eight, was the next Grand Priest. If he were sent to Daxun, it would be a significant move, according to Leader Xie's understanding.
Moreover, this proposal wasn't made by the elder alone; based on his knowledge of the higher-ups, considering various factors, they would most likely agree to this condition.
The man stared deeply into the eyes of the Gray Falcon Elder, who no longer resembled a native of the First People but rather a politician. They understood the key threads of the matter and knew exactly what they wanted.
"Elder Gray Falcon, I cannot give you an immediate response to this matter, and I have many other things to attend to today. Please stay at the Diplomatic Affairs Bureau for now, Elder Gray Falcon, and rest assured that you and your entourage will be safe here."
The Gray Falcon Elder knew that the conversation for the day was coming to an end. He stood up and performed a ceremonial salute, saying, "Thank you, Commander Xie, for your hospitality and for listening. May the blessings of all spirits be upon you."
Commander Xie acknowledged with a nod and saw the visitors out. After they left, an officer approached and whispered something.
"Are the people still here?" Commander Xie asked.
"They have been waiting outside since their arrival. They might have already been noticed by the Action Bureau," the officer replied.
Commander Xie instructed them to enter through a side door and then invited another group of First People to join them. Following the ceremonial gift distribution, he asked them to stay.
The officer asked, "Commander, are you going to accommodate them in..."
Commander Xie shook his head. "No, don't put them together with Gray Falcon's people. We don't need to resort to such measures."
The officer understood his intention and assured him, "I'll take care of it."
Commander Xie had a busy schedule. Since yesterday, he had been receiving a constant stream of visitors and signing and verifying various documents. It wasn't until after 9 PM that he finally had a moment to take a sip of water and then took a stimulant pill. He had all the representatives of the smaller tribes summoned.
Since there were only about a dozen people, they were all invited inside, including the child Awan, who was not left waiting outside. Each person was offered a chair, which surprised and touched them all.
Commander Xie first inquired about their backgrounds and discussed the situation of their tribes. Only then did he ask about their intentions.
The First People, including Tahoo, rarely interacted with the outside world, mainly because the Federation was extremely hostile towards them. They could be captured or killed if they ventured too far.
They had little concept of seeking aid and were hesitant to make excessive demands. The requests made by these tribal representatives, when combined, were insignificant compared to what Kavatuya had asked for. Even the weapons and implants discarded annually by a medium-sized company would exceed this number.
"I understand your requests," Commander Xie said, "but we will not provide aid without something in return. This is the case even with our support for Kavatuya."
In truth, Daxun wasn't overly concerned about this, especially for such a small number of items. However, without a cost, no one would appreciate the aid, and the other party wouldn't feel like they were being charitable.
Indeed, when Commander Xie said this, the First People present found it more acceptable.
The one-eyed elder spoke solemnly, "We understand. Ahktawa told us that we have brought something to exchange."
Three people on the seats, including himself, Tahoo, and a robust man from another tribe, took out three pieces of obsidian and assembled them into an obsidian spearhead with a slight gap.
Interestingly, when put together, the spearhead closed on its own, and only a fine seam could be seen at the joint.
"This is the key to the Holy Valley of the Voice of Star Spirits," said the one-eyed elder. "The Holy Land contains many offerings to the deities. The priests have promised that when we face a crisis, the deities will bestow these upon the descendants of the tribe.
Although the ancient deities no longer respond to us, the First People, they once helped our ancestors. Therefore, we won't take these offerings, but we are willing to exchange them for the supplies we need."
"The Voice of Star Spirits..." Commander Xie was taken aback. In reality, Kavatuya had already mortgaged this Holy Valley to them, and it was nominally considered Daxun's property.
Although they had not been able to access it due to various restrictions, it was unreasonable to give away something that already belonged to them.
So, Commander Xie explained the situation.
The First People in the room initially looked puzzled, but then the one-eyed elder spoke with emotion and anger, "The Holy Valley of the Voice of Star Spirits is the sacred place of the Isutarran people. It does not belong to the Zattyan!"
The others echoed loudly, "Yes, it's not theirs to give away! They have no right to do so!"
Historically, the First People did not have a unified nation. The three most powerful were the Zayat Dynasty in the north, the Quizatoc Dynasty in the east, which fled to Daxun, and the Isutarran Dynasty in the south.
Kavatuya, strictly speaking, was primarily composed of descendants of the Zayat Dynasty, and the south had nothing to do with them.
Of course, it was also possible that Kavatuya, as the most prominent force among the First People, naturally claimed these things as their own after the successive collapses of the various dynasties, and then mortgaged them without hesitation.
"Moreover," the one-eyed elder raised the obsidian spearhead in his hand, "without this, neither our ancestors nor the deities will acknowledge them! It does not belong to them!"
...
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(End of Chapter)
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