novelraw Chapter 587: Compromise
Chapter 587: Compromise
At this moment, Li Wei could clearly sense the anger that flashed across Black Hawk Hulk's face. The old fellow was truly about to die from anger.
However, ultimately, he revealed a cheerful smile and began talking about some unrelated matters, just like a kind and nagging old man from the neighbor's house.
"Li Wei, you are now also a Tier 4 Legend. Every hundred years, you have to execute a task issued by the Nine-Star Council. I think you also know that there is something special about this task, which is that discussion is only allowed with Class Holders who are also Tier 4 Legends. Do you know why this is?"
"There are many reasons, but the most important one is the worry that some bad powers might cause irreparable harm to those with weak strength during unintentional casual chats."
"The Myriad Worlds are very large, boundless and limitless. There are countless worlds, with untold mysteries and chaos. Magic's power cannot possibly be the most formidable. Sometimes, it will be unavoidable to encounter some powers that cause you to lose control. In this aspect, not only the Alliance of Heavenly Lords, but many organizations have suffered who knows how many losses. Yet in the end, they finally found a rather good method, which is Collective Sanity."
"Believe me, Li Wei. For the tasks of the Nine-Star Council, if Collective Sanity is below 40 points, just don't go. Just pay some Taxes and fob it off."
"And the reason why I am patiently telling you so much right now is that I want to tell you: your current Collective Sanity should be around 40 points, right? But among this, at least 20 points are closely related to the rise and fall of the Aussenville Empire. Back then, my brother Karl was slightly schemed against by you, allowing you to obtain 5% of the Founding Shares. So if you currently feel you can act recklessly and do whatever you want, believe me, the moment we suffer bad luck is also the moment you plunge into the abyss."
"You are a smart person. I feel you shouldn't be so unwise. Naturally, we find each other an eyesore, but the Neanderthals' Aum Empire will definitely attack back. This will be an even more tragic war. But before this war starts, our slaughtering confrontation, infiltration, and lurking against the Neanderthals will also emerge endlessly."
"Do you think you can Remaining Detached?"
"Indeed, you are now already the King of the Locke Mountains; you're just short of shouting out this slogan. But search your own heart and ask yourself: even if you successfully extract yourself and your subordinates in the future, what price will you have to pay?""You currently have less than eighty years left until the task issued by the Nine-Star Council. Once your Collective Sanity drops significantly during this period, have you thought about that consequence?"
"Li Wei, the opportunities left for you to be willful are already gone. If you want to rapidly rise from humble beginnings like before, taking advantage of a time difference, it is already impossible."
"Therefore, you should cherish your cooperative partners, cherish your allies, even if such an ally makes you very displeased. Because only through Strength in Unity can we bear the damage, no?"
Black Hawk Hulk said a large bunch of words that were nearly a heart-to-heart talk. He was indeed very sincere, and what he said was indeed what Li Wei had to face next.
Collective Sanity was very important, as important as the growth of strength. But the prerequisite for this attribute was to have a stable country, a stable Territory, and stable popular sentiment. Because only like this could the rare and valuable Loyalty continuously persist.
Therefore, after Li Wei thought about it, he also put away his smile. "My Lord, then I will take a step back. I want a quota of five hundred Imperial Centurions. This should be okay, right?"
"Still won't do. At most, I can only give you quotas for one hundred and twenty Imperial Centurions, as well as three Imperial Chiliarchs. You must understand, this is equivalent to the most valuable Nobility Status after the establishment of an Empire. Moreover, it is an identity that can be passed down as a Legacy generation after generation. This is an important identity that must be anchored and guaranteed using the Imperial Magic Seal."
"To tell the truth, this time my brother Karl, the total number of Centurions across the entire Empire that he planned to issue is only one thousand. That is to say, the Empire's Standing Legion will only have one hundred thousand people. And your side here has taken up more than one-tenth. This is very generous."
Black Hawk Hulk said with earnest words and good intentions, "Of course, I know what you are worried about. Because having entered the Imperial Age, there is no way to recruit new Players from the world of Ordinary People. Without the addition of new Players, the subsequent Territory development can also easily fall into a bottleneck. But in all things, one must look forward and look upward. Li Wei, we cannot become enemies who target each other and scheme against each other in the dark. We have to be allies. This requires our side to show absolute sincerity, and also requires you to be able to show sincerity and broad-mindedness."
"Cooperation benefits both; fighting injures both ah!"
"In the Imperial Age, new Players can no longer be recruited?" Li Wei was startled.
"Correct. Only in the Kingdom Age can new Players be recruited. Because relatively speaking, an Empire is a kingdom's firewall. It can more effectively filter and intercept some enemies harboring ill intentions. For example, during Newcomer Missions, during Pioneering Missions, and during Chaotic Killing Missions, actually it is very difficult to encounter Samsara Travelers and Contractors. Even Neanderthals are rarely encountered, and even if encountered, the numbers are very few."
"But upon reaching the Imperial Age, doesn't it become different? Under this background, recruiting newcomers in will only lead to them dying faster."
"If it's like this, I won't demand too much regarding the Centurions. But there has to be some other benefit yielded, right?" Li Wei pondered at this time.
Indeed, recently he truly involuntarily treated Falcon Karl as his next opponent and potential enemy. But no matter what, what Black Hawk Hulk said just now was correct.
Cooperation benefits both; fighting injures both.
The principle was like this.
"Other benefits are naturally no problem. First of all, Kahndorf Fortress needs to be rebuilt. You will be responsible for half the investment, and the Empire will be responsible for half. It must be built according to a Five-Star Capital City level. In the future, it will be developed into an important economic and agricultural town for the Empire. At the same time, it will also be a Bridgehead for trade and commerce communicating with the Juniper Plains to the north. You will take two-tenths of the Taxes, but will never have to pay Taxes."
"Say what you will, people with ambition are still few. Those who like licking blood from a knife's edge, who like thrills and excitement, and who like roaming to the ends of the earth are not many. You are now also a father. You also hope your own descendants can be comfortable, happy, and safe, right? This is human nature."
"Therefore, we have to give up those secret plots and Open Schemes. No secret plot or Open Scheme can compare to the common people living in peace and working happily, cannot compare to the smoke and fire of the human world!"
"In short, relying on the Locke Mountains as a barrier, developing the Gumodo Basin, radiating east to the Whispering Forest, radiating south to the Enor Highlands, and radiating north to the Juniper Plains. We must support a population of at least one hundred million in this massive region."
"One hundred million people ah, brother. When that time comes, let alone war potential, even the Collective Sanity provided will start at +30. What petty profits can compare to this?"
"And revolving around this one hundred million people, we have too many things to do, too many stalls that need to be spread out. Therefore, government decrees must flow unimpeded, the Magic Web must be connected, standards must be unified. Unification of standards ah, brother Li Wei! Before I came to be a Negotiator, my brother Karl had already promised that as long as you agree to merge that small Magic Seal of yours into the Empire—which is to say, allow government decrees to flow unimpeded, connect the Magic Web, and unify standards—he is willing to allocate another 2% of the Imperial Magic Seal's Founding Shares to you!"
"With this 7% of the Magic Seal's Founding Shares, you fundamentally do not need to worry that the Empire will act unfavorably towards you. Unless you yourself commit unforgivable crimes, otherwise you are almost equivalent to existing alongside the Empire, resting and flourishing with the nation!"
Speaking up to here, Black Hawk Hulk even became excited, looking at Li Wei very sincerely. Actually, Falcon Karl originally didn't have this thought, nor did he want to part with 2% of the Magic Seal's Founding Shares. It was him who had painstakingly persuaded him into it.
Yes, Li Wei was very disgusting, but at least not fatal.
Because the Imperial Magic Seal lacked 37% of the Mana Reserve, its level was currently only Level 1. That is to say, their Aussenville Empire was only a Level 1 Empire. How could they confront the Aum Empire in the future ah? Although their father would help them out in the Nine-Star Council, on the Immortal Plane, just like previously persuading an old friend to entice Li Wei to participate in the Special Mission.
But actually, this effect was very limited. The true pressure still had to be shouldered themselves.
Under this kind of situation, showing the greatest sincerity, persuading Li Wei, pulling Li Wei onto the War Chariot, and making the cake on the plate huge—this was the optimal choice.
Otherwise, did they truly want a civil war?
Then the Neanderthals would probably burst their bellies laughing.
"Good, I agree. But it must be witnessed by the Nine-Star Council. Next, I will promise unimpeded government decrees. The four hundred thousand Imperial Freemen on my side will be formally incorporated under the jurisdiction of the Empire's government departments."
"Then, I will allow that small Magic Seal of mine to be merged into the Imperial Magic Seal, thereby ensuring the Magic Web is connected. The Spellcasters on my side will also participate in the assessments of the Spellcaster Association, thereby achieving unified standards."
"However, I demand to retain independent autonomy over ten thousand Soldiers, as well as five thousand various Logistics and Support Personnel and their family members. These ten thousand Soldiers will be Accepting Orders But Not Summons. For battles, we will fight. How we fight, we will decide ourselves. But we absolutely will not screw over our teammates, nor will we Dropping the Chain."
Li Wei pondered for a long time, ultimately still choosing to compromise.
Yes, he yielded a step.
Otherwise, if he stubbornly went head-to-head, sooner or later it would be the fuse for a civil war. After all, there was Tyrant William as a lesson from the past ah.
Old William had lofty ambitions and actually wasn't lacking in anything. But alas, Old Vere, this Old Fox, was too capable at Causing Trouble, abruptly Snatching food from a tiger's mouth.
So would the Karl brothers, as well as their old dad Old Vere, sit and watch Li Wei Stir Up Trouble?
They wouldn't.
Yielding and compromising—this was the optimal choice.
For the sake of Collective Sanity.
"Good! Good! Good!"
Black Hawk Hulk repeatedly praised. He had to say, this Li Wei who suddenly popped out from the roadside truly had a good broad-mindedness and good boldness! Even his brother Karl almost hadn't been able to wrap his head around it.
"Brother Li Wei, rest assured regarding this matter. I will definitely be able to arrange it perfectly for you. And as sincerity, for the Empire's Pioneering Missions and Cross-Border Missions over the next fifty years, you can serve as one of the three main arbiters."
While speaking, Black Hawk Hulk directly handed Li Wei two bizarre, never-before-seen gray Item Cards.
"These two are Five-Star Arbiter Cards. Don't look down on them being only five stars, they are actually very important, and their gold content is also very high. You can treat these two cards as Director Cards, or they can also be called Project Cards or Indicator Cards. Each card can independently initiate five Pioneering Missions and five Cross-Border Missions. Brother, you and your people can freely showcase your skills, or you can distribute them through other Channels. For example, the Locke Kingdom, Sarleon Kingdom, and Rylinbas Kingdom. For those three to actually conduct Pioneering Missions and Cross-Border Missions, they have to obtain the main contract from us."
"Because only our Aussenville Empire here is closest in distance to the Aum Empire, and belongs to the very frontline of the war."
"If operated well, the profits here will absolutely make you, brother, wake up laughing from your dreams."
At this moment, Black Hawk Hulk was exceptionally amiable.