Chapter 903 – Breaking of Agreements
Before he had finished drinking his tea, several station management officials walked in from the back hall, each holding a stack of documents and letters.
"Your Excellency, another dozen or so chambers of commerce sent letters this morning, explicitly stating their intention to unilaterally tear up the cooperation agreements with the Heaven Wasteland Domain." Registrar Liu, who was wearing a dark-green robe and was in charge of foreign affairs, sighed lightly and appeared terribly annoyed as he stroked the beard on his worried face. Over the past couple of days, he had nearly twisted off all of his originally-already-sparse facial hair. As one of the few station members, he was truly worried.
"These damned chambers of commerce and forces are absolutely a bunch of fence-sitters. Not too long ago, every one of them couldn't have been any more enthusiastic as they queued from morning to night to seek an opportunity for cooperation with us, nearly destroying the threshold of the Heaven Wasteland Building. Their words at that time were all so flattering, but now, when the situation has soured just a little bit, they immediately change course and rub salt in our wounds. What a bunch of buffoons." Si Yu'an, the burly and black-armored guard captain, appeared rather grim-faced.
He was in his sixties, which was the youth phase for Heaven Ascension realm warriors before their prime years. Born into a sect of the Heaven Wasteland Domain, his talents were immense, and he was also initially unable to reach the Heaven Ascension realm because of the suppression caused by the universal laws of the domain. He eventually got rid of the martial shackles upon him after entering the Road of Chaos. Among the Heaven Wasteland diplomatic corps, he was considered a high-ranking member who was only secondary to the few core members, and had provided important contributions and continually increased his strength during the surprise attack on the contingent and the battle in the Chaotic Windstorms. As a person of loyalty, chivalry, and considerable prestige, he was thought highly of by Ye Qingyu, who personally retained him when the envoy mission departed.
Unlike most martial experts, he was very thoughtful and was not impulsive in doing things.
This was another reason why Ye Qingyu kept him in the Heaven Wasteland Building.
"As they say, everyone hits a man when he's down, and rats always leave a sinking ship… Your Excellency, it'll be very unfavorable for us if things continue to develop in this way, should we…" To one side, a tinge of worry flashed across Staff Officer Xu's eyes.
Over the past few days, they had successively received several hundred documents like this. Those forces and chambers of commerce which had either reached or expressed interest in a cooperation agreement with the Heaven Wasteland Domain found all sorts of excuses to back out, afraid of having any further relations with the domain.
"What are you saying?" Great Dragon Turtle Demon darted a glance at Staff Officer Xu and rebuked. "Man down? Sinking ship? Are you saying the Heaven Wasteland Domain is collapsing? Or that we're all rats?"
The latter was startled at once.
Under Ye Qingyu's tutelage, the Great Dragon Turtle Demon had recently begun to build up prestige and was becoming increasingly mature in doing things. He was able to thoroughly solve all kinds of difficult problems that fell under his responsibility, while his martial cultivation had soared into the Saint realm. His horizons and mental outlook had broadened considerably, such that he displayed great foresight in doing things and thereby garnered Ye Qingyu's deep trust. The crowd was awed at once when he spoke with a slightly heavier tone than usual.
"No no no, Your Excellency, that's not what I mean, I was saying…" Staff Officer Xu hurriedly explained.
"Alright, no need to explain. I know what you mean." The Great Dragon Turtle Demon waved his hands while revealing an extremely kindly expression. "I know you also mean well for the Heaven Wasteland Building, but remember, you were handpicked by Her Highness and Lord Ye Qingyu to remain here, and so every word you say represents this place. It's most important at this time not to panic and become confused. You mustn't believe everything that's said outside, and should instead use your own judgment."
"Your Excellency, I'll adhere to your advice." Looking ashamed, Staff Officer Xu sincerely acknowledged.
Only now did the Great Dragon Turtle Demon nod his head.
He had appeared perfectly calm and collected all this time, as if unworried by the present situation.
Although the Dragon Human Race's unilateral declaration of war against the Heaven Wasteland Domain seemed like an aggressive move, it was actually meaningless. This was because, before the Alliance officially approved of it, the threat and intimidation of such a declaration were greater than its substance. Given these circumstances, the Heaven Wasteland Domain had not actually been forced into a corner. In fact, on the contrary, it continued to occupy an advantageous position. After all, as a new domain, all of its resources were yet untapped and it was thus seen as a mine of unlimited potential by other domains. Once its value had reached a certain level, there would be no shortage of forces and domains willing to cooperate with it. Certainly, not every chamber of commerce in this world feared the Dragon Human Domain.
Moreover, if war truly broke out and resources were damaged, the ones whose interests would be affected first were none other than those forces who wanted to extract large amounts of resources from the Heaven Wasteland Domain.
Naturally, they would not allow this to happen.
Although the Great Dragon Turtle Demon did not spend long in Heaven Connect City, he had eagerly collected and read news regarding this world every now and then, thereby broadening his horizons from just a city or domain to the entire Vast Thousand Domains. Having experienced countless political struggles in the Southern Waters Demon Court when he was younger, this now-old monster was already highly astute. Perhaps he was somewhat confused when he first arrived in Heaven Connect City because he was unable to see the situation for what it was, but now that he understood the rules of this world, he was starting to become someone powerful.
In fact, it was not just him but also many members of the Heaven Wasteland Building who had made great progress. Their outlooks and perspectives when examining and thinking over problems had begun to change and were continuously improving.
Every one of them was able to view this world with wide-open eyes.
It was just that they themselves were unaware of this.
For instance, Staff Officer Xu was muddled by his own concern for the situation in front of his eyes. In truth, he simply needed to calm down and analyze closely to discover that the situation in the Heaven Wasteland Building was not as dangerous as imagined. And if he thought carefully, he would understand that, no matter how fiercely the Dragon Human Race squawked, they had only managed to influence a small number of speculators. The large chambers of commerce and domains which were actually strong were still looking on with interest, and might only be pressurizing the Heaven Wasteland Domain, with the help of the Dragon Human Domain, so as to force the former to take a step back before they queued up once again, this time striving for even more benefits than before.
Given the strength of these super forces and chambers of commerce, it would not be difficult for them to stop the Dragon Human Race from attacking the Heaven Wasteland Domain.
At the end of the day, it was a matter of interests.
By passing their grading, the Heaven Wasteland Domain had completed the first step of gaining a firm foothold. It was only with the right to speak that they were able to do more. Otherwise, they would have been completely carved up by these powers a long time ago.
Furthermore, the Heaven Wasteland Domain had a martial god…
Ye Qingyu.
The Great Dragon Turtle Demon knew very well about Lord Ye Qingyu's place among the Human Race of the Heaven Wasteland Domain.
Given Lord Ye Qingyu's talents and strength, the human representatives in the Alliance would certainly not allow a fast-rising Heaven's prideling like him to be easily killed off. Otherwise, they would not have let him return to the station to self-isolate at such a troubled time. But of course, more crucially, Ye Qingyu's own strength and wisdom were by now sufficient to sustain an entire domain.
After thinking through all this, the Great Dragon Turtle Demon peered in the direction of Ye Qingyu's self-isolation quiet room on the top floor, regaining his calm and composure.
"Alright, relax a little, everyone. Just do what you have to do and see what happens." He laughed.
Everyone's expressions became a lot more relaxed and smiles were formed.
Just then, a commotion was heard from outside the main door, indistinctly mingled with cursing noises.
The Great Dragon Turtle Demon and the others raised their heads and looked over in surprise.
The noises became even more distinct.
"Report? Hahaha, what a joke. Still reporting, are you living in the past? Eh? Hahaha, what's the point of reporting in a place so poor even a bird wouldn't visit?! Get out of my way or I'll dig out your eyes. Things are different now, idiots, do you think you're still favored?" A harsh and arrogant voice which sounded like the rubbing of dull knives was heard from outside.
"Wait, please wait, we really have to report first, you cannot force your way in…" The voice of a guard who was trying hard to obstruct someone was heard.
Several officials in the main hall exchanged glances, every one of them already roughly knowing what the situation was.
"Guard Yu, let him in," Si Yu'an said in a deep voice.
His voice was transmitted to outside.
Soon, a young Demon Race expert walked in swaggeringly with a proud smile and a raised chin. He was wearing a gray-colored changshan and a black-colored jade waist pendant which symbol indicated that he was probably from a chamber of commerce of the Demon Race.
Seeing that the main hall was rather empty, the contempt on his face grew. "Hehe, what an empty place indeed, hahaha, and everyone's face isn't looking too good. Am I not allowed to barge into a rat-hole like this? I would never have come to a place like this if I didn't have something up…"
"Who are you and for what business are you here?" The Great Dragon Turtle Demon calmly questioned.
The young Demon expert laughed disdainfully as his eyes fell upon the Great Dragon Turtle Demon. "Are you that old dragon turtle? The one who's in charge here?"
Hearing his rude language, Si Yu'an abruptly stood up and was about to say something when he was swiftly dissuaded by the Great Dragon Turtle Demon, who gently waved his hands and winked before looking at the young man and saying with a calm expression, "That's me indeed. Are you a disciple of the Yuan Ming Chamber of Commerce?" From the black jade pendant, he had already identified the force which the young man belonged to. Several days ago, the leader of the Yuan Ming Chamber of Commerce had come to request an opportunity for cooperation, expressing interest in becoming an agent for the sale of ores from the Heaven Wasteland Domain. Seeing that he was from the Demon Race and was pleading hard, and after confirming that this chamber of commerce indeed had serviceable channels, the Great Dragon Turtle Demon signed an agreement with him.
