Chapter 14: The Ultimatum

Komer’s successive verbal attacks left Di Fanchi and his two companions deeply in thought. They had come to the Caucasus with the intention of demanding that the other party return their soldiers, never expecting that Komer had no intention of doing so at all. After private discussions, they discovered that those soldiers had become completely assimilated into Caucasian culture over the past few months—following all tactical protocols according to the Caucasian military system. The structure of the Mountain People’s army had been completely dismantled and reorganized along the lines of the Mortal Army. Even their once-believed loyal subordinates now showed ambiguous attitudes, while the lower-ranking soldiers preferred to stay in the Caucasus as professional soldiers. This left Di Fanchi and the others in utter panic.

Without this army, the Sanjia tribe would not only cease to pose a threat to the Caucasus but would also become a threat to other Mountain People tribes in the south, especially given the already poor relations between the Sanjia tribe and those tribes.

It was clear that this man was determined not to hand over control of the army. In fact, they had already made various preparations beforehand, from offering material incentives to ideological manipulation—a truly ruthless tactic that left the Sanjia tribe with no means of resistance. Their only hope now was that the other party was unwilling to completely turn against them on this issue; it seemed they had even greater ambitions and needed the Sanjia tribe to provide more soldiers.

Komer’s words indeed shook Di Fanchi and his companions greatly. In truth, they had also been trying to figure out the reasons behind this, but nothing had ever been explained as clearly and directly as Komer had. His words suddenly lifted the fog covering their minds, forcing them to confront this harsh reality painfully.

Komer did not rush them. He knew they needed time to reflect, analyze, and consider their options. No one wanted to face such a cruel reality, but to avoid an even worse situation, they had to make changes.

“Lord Komer, although I don’t entirely agree with you, I must admit there is merit in your views. You hold the advantage now, but I still want to reiterate that the independence of our Sanjia tribe must not be violated. We will never follow the short-sighted actions of those smaller tribes. As for this army, I think it would be better to find a solution that is acceptable to both sides.”

Belemon and Difanchi exchanged glances to gauge each other’s intentions; it was clear they shared a mutual understanding, while Cisi was completely ignored. This guy had always acted as if he were loyal to the Caucasus, which made both Belemon and Difanchi somewhat distrustful of him. If it weren’t for the belief that uniting the Sanjia tribe could bring greater benefits, he would have long sided with Komer.

It seems there’s hope, Komer thought with a smile in his heart, though he maintained a calm composure and a semblance of contemplation on the surface. “Leader Belemon, I agree with you. After all, the Sanjia tribe and the Caucasus have already formed a very close alliance. Letting just one issue cast a shadow over our relationship doesn’t seem worth it. I believe we can find a suitable solution to the issue of the mountain people. But before that, I truly hope to have a thorough discussion with the three leaders about the relationship between the Sanjia tribe and all mountain people, as well as between them and our Caucasus and the Homer region under my control. I wonder if the three leaders are interested—or if they think it’s necessary?”

Belemon and Difanchi immediately sensed the hidden danger in Komer’s words. Their eyes narrowed, as if they had suddenly spotted a fox among hunters, with all their fur bristling. Facing a powerful ally, no matter what adjustments were made to the relationship, the weaker party could only passively endure its position. The stronger party could never establish a fair relationship—this was determined by their strength. Difanchi and Belemon understood this all too well. And this guy had already extended his influence into the Cordillera Wasteland and was continuing to expand it. It could be said that the Sanjia tribe’s weakness and passivity on this issue were entirely due to being pressured and coerced by the other side.

“Lord Komer, what do you think is wrong with the relationship between our Sanjia tribe and all mountain people, and your territories? If you’re referring only to the Sanjia tribe, I don’t see anything worth discussing. If you mean other mountain people as well, please forgive me, but I can’t represent them.” Taking a deep breath, Difanchi sadly realized that this was the first time he had felt so weak and fearful in the face of an ordinary person. This unremarkable man didn’t seem to have anything special about him—so why did every word he said make Difanchi feel terrified and as if he were being schemed against?

Komer’s expression stiffened. The other party was undoubtedly declining his request—refusing even to hear him out, not wanting to communicate at all. This guy’s presence was truly a scourge. Glancing briefly at Cisse, who stood aside with a blank face, Komer took a deep breath to suppress his growing frustration. These mountain people weren’t as easy to deal with as ordinary folks; their proud and stubborn nature made them refuse to bend. Forcing them might not yield the desired results. But he didn’t seem to have the patience to waste more time with these guys. He didn’t want to squander too much time.

“Leader Difanqi, I thought at least we could hear Lord Komer’s opinion. Whether we accept it or not, at least we can understand it—it’s not a bad thing,” Cisse said in a somewhat hoarse voice, easing the tense atmosphere a bit. This guy was quite smart, Komer thought to himself. Whatever his motives, as long as he was willing to cooperate, Komer wasn’t shy about offering him sufficient benefits.

Difanqi and Belemon’s gloomy expressions needed no disguise. It was always this guy who interrupted and disrupted things. But without him, the Sanjia tribe would no longer be a cohesive force. And if the Jiapeng tribe, represented by this guy, turned against the Sanjia tribe, it could even lead to the collapse of the united front within the Jarong and Jialong tribes.

“Never mind. Since leaders Difanqi and Belemon don’t want to listen, it’s pointless for me to insist,” Komer said coldly. “Leader Cisse, if you think my words are worth hearing, why not come down and talk over drinks sometime? It’s not good to waste leaders Difanqi and Belemon’s time.”

The atmosphere instantly turned cold. Even a shrewd fox like Belemon instinctively shifted his position, trying to break the dullness.

The guy before him was no longer the ordinary person who once relied on the Sanjia tribe. Flandre was growing increasingly close to several other major mountain tribes. Though it was still unclear what those tribes were planning, it was certain that the leadership of the Karo tribe was under severe threat. And behind those challengers was undoubtedly Flandre. This should have been good news for the Sanjia tribe, but the fact that Lord Flandre was also controlled by this guy wasn’t pleasant news at all.

“Uh, Lord Komer, Chief Difanqi means that we can’t replace other mountain tribes. And at the moment, isn’t it a bit hasty to discuss the relationship between our Sanjia tribe and the Caucasus before resolving the issue of where our Sanjia tribe’s soldiers belong?” Belemont rubbed his hands, trying to break the deadlock.
“Is that so? I’ve already told the three chiefs that the mountain tribes’ soldiers have been of great help in my conquest of Homer, but I’ve also paid a heavy price. I can tell you plainly that Homer is just my first step—there are many stronger enemies ahead, and I still need the help of the mountain tribes, even more of it. Before that, I won’t consider allowing these soldiers to return to the Cordillera Wasteland. To be honest, these soldiers are no longer fit to lead a mundane life in the wasteland. As a warrior, I believe that victory or sacrifice on the battlefield is far better than dying slowly in bed.”
Komer’s voice grew loud and passionate, his gaze flickering provocatively between Belemont and Difanqi. “Since you two think there’s no need to discuss our relationship, I guess this meeting is over. Send them away!”
“Komer, are you issuing an ultimatum?” Unable to tolerate such blatant defiance any longer, Difanqi’s chest heaved rapidly, his reddish-brown face turning crimson. His eyes burned with anger as he waved his hand to stop Belemont from trying to intervene and stared straight at Komer.
Komer narrowed his eyes and returned the gaze with equal defiance. This Difanqi truly was the leader of the Sanjia tribe—capable of treating him so firmly even under such circumstances. There were still talents among the mountain tribes. Even Belemont and Xisi weren’t complete failures; that’s what made things interesting.
“Chief Difanqi, if you think this is an ultimatum, then it is!” His voice, firm as metal, resonated through the air, lingering in the tense gaze between the two. Suddenly, Belemont and Xisi noticed that Komer’s thin cheeks appeared somewhat monstrous under the angle of the sunlight.