Chapter 4: Fruit of Labor (3)

“Heh, it’s the first time someone has warned me like this. Murad, my interest in you is growing by the day. Leaving aside what valuable things you might bring me, I’m more curious to know what I might not be able to handle.” Komer nodded. He was well aware of the troubles Murad could cause him, and he detected a provocative tone in his words, but it only piqued his interest further.
“Lord, you must be aware of the reputation of our Demisheme in the Southern Mid-Sea. Both the countries of the Corinth Alliance and those around the Storm Sea hate us to the bone. Though they pretend to keep their distance from us, they constantly wish to drive us to hell. But they’ve never had the chance until Haireddin appeared.” A strange expression appeared on Murad’s gaunt face, as if recalling how he had been defeated by Haireddin. “Now, Demisheme has become outlaws, hunted by everyone. No one will miss this opportunity. You should understand that I, Murad, am not just an individual but represent an entire group. If you accept me, it’s as if you accept all of Demisheme. This could force you to face the condemnation of the entire Southern Mid-Sea and the nations along the Storm Sea coast—a move that’s surely not worth it.”
“Murad, Murad… I didn’t realize you had such foresight. Since you know the consequences of what your Demisheme has done, why didn’t you consider them when you were acting recklessly back then?” Komer smiled.
“Consider consequences? Heh, Lord, we make a living at sea, and in this way no less. How can we possibly consider consequences? If we did, we wouldn’t be in this line of work! If we had the mindset to consider consequences, Demisheme would have been ruined long ago, and we wouldn’t have been able to dominate the Storm Sea for so long.” Murad snapped, “We can’t compare to the Kashi Fleet. They have talented people who can thrive even on land. As for us? Hmph, we’re just a bunch of abandoned outcasts, or more accurately, a bunch of despised trash. To survive, we rely on one thing—fierce determination! Only by being more ruthless and vicious than others can we survive in these seas. But even so, we still failed, which is why you see the current Murad.”

Murad’s last words carried a hint of desolation and helplessness. He knew very well that Demisheme, who had become the target of everyone’s wrath, would eventually end up like this; he just didn’t expect it to happen so quickly.

Komer nodded silently. Indeed, Demisheme’s secret to surviving at sea was being ruthless and vicious—otherwise, either the Carthage fleet or the navies of the Southern Central Ocean countries would have buried them long ago. And now this force stood before him. If he accepted them, he would also have to accept all the crimes they had committed in the past.

“Murad, I must thank you for your reminder, though it may not have been entirely appropriate. I suppose you know that before serving me, Hayreddin was also a murderer for Sparta—though, of course, he never did such things.” Komer smiled. “I’m sure you’re also aware of the position of the Church of Light in our north—almost like they hold all power in their hands. Yet the leaders of the Church’s Inquisition once declared me an heretic and monster and came to capture me personally. I can unhesitatingly use dark powers to fight back against them. And yet I’m still sitting here, enjoying everything that comes with being the lord of the Caucasus, even having been granted the title of Lord of Homer. Do you think I’d care about the external pressures you’re worried about?”

Even Hayreddin was shocked by Komer’s bold words. Anyone knew what fate awaited those declared heretics by the Church of Light in the north. Even the powerful members of the Inquisition came to deal with this lord. Thinking back to the time Komer fled to the Southern Central Ocean, Hayreddin was deeply shaken. And now this lord had risen again in the Caucasus, even holding the title of Lord of Homer—what did that mean? It meant he had overturned the Church of Light’s dominance over this land and taken control of his own destiny!

Murad looked at the young lord before him, noting the hint of defiance in his expression. Compared to his own unrestrained nature, this man showed more confidence and arrogance, a domineering attitude that looked down on everyone else. He didn’t know if this was what was meant by the aura of a true strongman, but at least he never possessed it.

Seeing Hayreddin and Murad seemingly shocked by his words and taking some time to process them, Komer smiled arrogantly and said, “Hayreddin, Murad, let me tell you a truth: in the face of absolute power, all rules can be changed. As long as you possess enough strength, you no longer need to worry about the shackles that once confined your thoughts. Whether it’s the countries along the Southern Mid-Sea coast or those along the Storm Sea coast, if Demisheme fails to recover, they will surely pursue them relentlessly and try to destroy them. But if you become stronger than before, it will be you who set the rules, and they will have to submit to them. That is the truth of reality!”
His striking words left Hayreddin and Murad stunned. They had never encountered such blunt and unfiltered speech, speech that challenged existing rules in such an unrestrained manner.
Silence filled the room for a moment. Komer calmly picked up his coffee cup and took a sip. His words might have some side effects, but that didn’t matter. As long as he could make these two realize the power in their hands, they would cling to him closely. It was his responsibility to bring that power under his control.
“Well, I think some things are better left for you to ponder slowly.” Komer had successfully taken control of the situation. His condescending attitude made the two fail to realize how submissive they already were to him, especially Murad. “What interests me more is the void that will be left in this region after Demisheme collapses—who will fill it?”
These words snapped them out of their thoughts. Only then did Hayreddin remember the purpose of his trip to the Caucasus. Recommending Murad and consolidating the remaining forces of Demisheme was one goal, while the other was to report to Komer on how to control this vacant space.
“My lord, this is exactly the second matter I wanted you to report on,” Hayreddin said, organizing his thoughts. Seeing the serious expression on Komer’s face, he knew Komer also took this matter very seriously.

“Although the Demisheme Group has disintegrated under military attacks, I have joined forces with Murad to reorganize Demisheme’s forces. The vast seas from the Southern Central Ocean to the Storm Ocean involve numerous interests. In particular, the routes from the Southern Central Ocean and the Storm Ocean to the Continent of Mist will become increasingly busy. As the number of colonies on the Continent of Mist keeps rising and their scale expands, with many nearby colonies showing signs of merging together, the population moving to settle there is also surging. Both Murad and I believe we should not give up this treasure trove that could bring us endless benefits. The island of Sifnos has become increasingly important, but it alone is not enough to safeguard our interests. Therefore, we think the Caucasus should further expand its influence and sphere of power in the Southern Central Ocean and the Storm Ocean region, using the Caucasus’s economic influence there to achieve this.”

Komer frowned slightly. What Haidin said was indeed what he needed, but having just acquired Homer, his focus was still mainly on Homer and the Caucasus. Faced with the complex situation within the Kingdom of Nicosia, he himself still didn’t have a complete plan for where to go as the newly appointed great lord. But one thing was certain: he wouldn’t keep waiting like this. Now, with such an opportunity emerging in the south, Komer found himself in a dilemma. The original purpose of having Haidin build a fleet was to create a maritime force of his own—a supporting force that could give him an advantage in dealing with Homer and other northern powers. Now that Homer had been brought under control and Haidin’s forces were growing at an astonishing rate, how should this force be used to best serve his interests?

“What’s Katrina’s reaction to these changes here?” Komer wasn’t in a hurry to draw a conclusion.

“The Kars fleet is currently engaged in a fierce battle against the Gray Skulls. They have regained the initiative, winning two consecutive naval battles in the Northern Mid-Sea and near the Land of Mist. I believe Lord has also received requests from the Gray Skulls to replenish their magic-powered cannons. I estimate this struggle will ultimately end with the Kars fleet’s victory, unless Lord provides full support to the Gray Skulls—though that won’t happen in a short time. Murad and I hope to take advantage of this lull, during which the Kars fleet is preoccupied, to strengthen our control over the Storm Sea and the remote areas of the Southern Mid-Sea, thereby securing substantial benefits for our Caucasus interests in this region.”

Haiding understood that Komer was considering more than just the Southern Mid-Sea, but such an excellent opportunity was rare. Once the Kars fleet completely defeated the Gray Skulls, the entire Southern Mid-Sea would fall under their dominance. By then, it would be extremely difficult for the Caucasus fleet to obtain similar opportunities.