Chapter 15: The Core Team

A thick haze of tension hung between Comer and the leader of the Sanjia tribe, lingering even after Di Fanqi and the other two left. Arms crossed, Comer watched Di Fanqi walk away with determined steps, feeling some regret. He didn’t want to resort to such tactics, but since the other party forced him to, he had no objection.

“Lord, it seems we underestimated the will of these barbarians,” said Neptune, standing behind Comer, clearly dissatisfied. His brown hair was neatly combed, and his well-fitting half-length coat clung to his slightly slender frame, which still appeared proportionate. His straight nose and lively gray eyes gave him an energetic appearance.

“Hmph, understandable. Having been free in the Cordillera Wasteland for hundreds of years, they won’t just submit because of a few words from us. If they were not barbarians, they wouldn’t have been able to hold out under our mortal blockade this long. The Sanjia tribe isn’t like those smaller tribes; they have their own principles. Breaking those principles will take time and opportunity.”

Comer wasn’t concerned—this was within his expectations. Di Fanqi was tough and resolute, Belemon was cunning yet principled. Aside from Xi Se, who seemed more flexible, his flexibility was also based on the tough stances of the other two tribes, allowing him to gain as much benefit as possible for the Jiapeng tribe.

“Hmm, dealing with these barbarians indeed isn’t something that can be accomplished overnight. But this is taking too long,” Neptune said, also feeling regretful.

“What about Flanders?” Comer changed the subject. “With your return, I have an even more important task for you. But that place will be our key base in the south—we can’t afford to neglect it. You must arrange everything properly.”

Seeing Comer’s steady gaze turn toward him, Neptune straightened up and said proudly, “Lord, rest assured. The situation in Flanders is relatively stable. The Sanwa tribe has also begun to align with us. And in the struggle for control over the Barbarian Alliance, the Caro tribe has had to seek our support. Right now, Flanders is in its best position for development in years. If it weren’t for some particularly important matters, I think it would be better for me to stay in Flanders for another two years. Just two years— I’m confident I can completely divide those barbarians, preventing them from ever uniting against us.”

“Well, it’s good that you have such confidence. But be sure to maintain a balance. We need to support all parties to some extent, yet we must never let them gain enough strength to ignore us. We also need to strike a delicate balance among them so that none of them can take the lead without relying on us. Only then will they continue to depend on us.”

Komer was quite satisfied with this young man. Compared to his father, this Neptune was far more useful to him. As for that old man Hes, he could at most exert only limited influence among the indigenous people in the Ugru region. And with the indigenous population continuing to thin out, perhaps only his Adventurer’s Guild might still be of some use.

“Then, my lord, does that mean you agree to let me stay in Flanders for a while longer?” Neptune asked cautiously, unsure of the lord’s attitude.

“Oh, Neptune, this is just us discussing strategies to deal with the barbarians. It doesn’t mean anything else. You need to return, and I’ll arrange for someone else to take over your duties,” Komer said with a smile, shaking his head.

“Well, if my lord has made up his mind, I suggest you be careful not to trust the People of Salvation too much. Although they seem to have no ambitions on the surface, I personally think it’s best not to rely too heavily on members of groups with obvious religious affiliations,” Neptune said after a moment of thought.

Neptune’s words once again impressed Komer. How could this guy see that? He was truly remarkable. Komer had realized it himself, and now he saw that this guy had thought of it too. His confidence grew even stronger.

“Well, thank you for the reminder, Neptune. I’m glad you can offer so many constructive suggestions. Although the People of Salvation are currently our allies and will remain so for a long time to come, they are still a group—though united by a common goal. For now, they seem relatively pure, but that’s because they are forced to stick together under the strong pressure of the Church of Light. Many can share hardships but not prosperity. In adversity, they may maintain their integrity and resolve, but not necessarily in prosperity. So we need to think more long-term. We can make use of the talents of the People of Salvation, but we can’t let them hold administrative power. Rotating positions and exposing them to different perspectives might help them better understand their place.”

Cormer’s words were full of ambiguity and uncertainty, but for Neptune, they were like a revelation. The lord’s willingness to speak so openly showed great trust in him. His earlier dissatisfaction with Cormer’s insistence on bringing him back from Flanders vanished instantly.

“I wonder what kind of task the lord expects me to take on?” Neptune finally couldn’t contain his curiosity.

“I originally planned to have you replace Pupber as the governor of Greater Caucasus, but I’ve changed my mind. I hope you’ll serve as the governor of Homer and take responsibility for governing the entire region,” Cormer said calmly.

“Ah?” Neptune was shocked and hardly believed his ears. He was well aware of the situation in Homer. In terms of experience and closeness to the lord, he seemed no match for Pupber. Why would Cormer choose him?

“No need to be surprised. I have my reasons. I don’t like the city of Cyprus at all—Odessa is far better. It’s full of rigid-minded, corrupt nobles and merchants who only know how to cling to the nobles without their own opinions. But both Pupber and I come from there. After all, it remains the center of the entire Homer region. So I think it’s more appropriate for someone completely unrelated to Cyprus to serve as governor. Odessa will become a special, open city, creating a competitive relationship with Cyprus. Only by leveraging this competition and arousing the jealousy of the people of Cyprus can Homer truly break free from its outdated and declining shadow. I hope you’ll uphold this principle.”

Komer ignored Pudu’s surprised expression and continued to explain his thoughts.
“But Lord, what about Lord Pupber…?” Neptune hesitated. Becoming Homer’s governor was undoubtedly a dream he longed for, but as for Pupber’s feelings…
“You don’t need to worry about Pupber. The development of the Caucasus is no less than that of Homer. I can tell you clearly that our foundation remains in the Caucasus, and this situation won’t change in the short term—it might even strengthen. Homer is merely seen as a civilized land, but when these so-called civilized people truly see the prosperity in the Caucasus, they’ll realize just how wrong they are. Homer should further strengthen its interactions and connections with the Caucasus, so that the economies of the two regions can become closely integrated.” Komer waved his hand to signal that Neptune didn’t need to worry about those extra matters.
“Lord, may I ask boldly—do you really intend to stay in the position of Lord of Homer alone? Do you have any other plans or intentions?”
After a long silence, Neptune seemed undecided but finally resolved to ask the question that had been lingering in his mind for a long time. In fact, he had been analyzing and pondering where his lord would next go. This lord was by no means content to stay idle, as evidenced by his active efforts to penetrate among the barbarians. The same was true in the Caucasus as well as in Flanders, where he demanded the same from himself. Neptune had realized that Komer was infiltrating the barbarians across the entire Cordillera Desert from both the north and south, constantly expanding his influence there. Now, Komer’s influence in the Cordillera Desert already seemed to surpass that of the Caro tribe leaders. But what was the purpose behind Lord Komer’s relentless efforts to penetrate the Cordillera Desert?

Nephton didn’t believe that Komer was truly pushing for trade and interaction out of compassion for a better life for the barbarians. Apart from the Cordillera Wasteland, the barbarians seemed to have nothing worth noting to ordinary people. For the minerals in the Cordillera Wasteland? It seemed possible, but not very likely. Then perhaps it was just the barbarians themselves. And the value of the barbarians seemed to lie mainly in their military strength. If they were merely a labor force, economic incentives would have been sufficient to achieve the goal, eliminating the need for such a confrontational stance with the Sanjia tribe as today.

Komer also laughed. His trusted men had finally realized his true nature—he wasn’t someone content with the status quo or willing to live in solitude. Only those who could guess his intentions could truly be considered part of his team. Who said the Caucasus had no talents?