Chapter 135 Human Arrogance
The drizzle continued, the cold raindrops striking the steel shell of the alchemical golem with a crisp tapping sound.
The Fearless One stood silently before the tax collector Brent, his red eyes coldly scanning the surroundings, ready to face any possible attack.
The war lizard leader's communication stone lit up, and it hissed a few times before retreating to the side.
Not long after, a steady sound of footsteps came through the rain.
The werewolf warlock Frostfang walked slowly, his bluish-gray fur, wet from the rain, clung to his curvaceous body.
Its eyes gleamed with an eerie green light in the dim light, and its claws tapped lightly on the bone staff at its waist, producing a soft "click" sound.
"Human beings."
Frostfang said, "You shouldn't have come here."
Brent forced himself to stand up straight, despite the lingering pain in his chest.
He stared at Frostfang, a hint of disdain flashing in his eyes.
In his view, sorcerers among the monster races were still nothing more than slightly smarter beasts.
“We are here on behalf of Viscount Ironthorn,” the tax collector said coldly. “Scaled Earth Rift is the Viscount’s territory. If you trade and profit here, you must pay the due taxes to the Viscount.”
Frostfang's gaze swept over the Fearless One, then fell back on Brent.
"Taxes?"
It said in a tough tone, "There are no taxes in the wilderness, only trade."
As he spoke, the werewolf warlock's ears twitched slightly. If you looked closely, you could see a small sound transmission stone inside its ear.
At this moment, Frostfang is Garoth's mouthpiece.
Galos immediately adopted a tough stance.
He planned to negotiate first, but he also knew that when dealing with the other party, he must not let them feel his weakness, otherwise even more intense oppression would follow.
Brent hadn't expected a werewolf to be so tough.
Because the sound transmission stone in Frostfang's ear emitted a faint light and made no attempt to conceal it, Brent could guess that the werewolf warlock in front of him was merely a mouthpiece, and that someone else was actually speaking to him.
Brent himself was, in fact, a spokesperson for Viscount Ironthorn.
With noble lords standing behind him, Brent did not flinch but instead adopted a firm stance, continuing, "This is the law of the Lorthern Federation! Any trade conducted along the trade routes must pay a fee to the lord!"
Frostfang spoke calmly, relaying the Dragon Lord's will: "Your human laws have no jurisdiction over the wilderness."
The tax official's face darkened.
“You are challenging the Viscount’s authority,” he said in a low voice, “and the consequences will be severe if you refuse to cooperate.”
"Really?" Frostfang tilted his head slightly. "Then you can give it a try."
Brent clenched his fists, but ultimately did not lash out.
He knew that now was not the time to completely break off relations.
The viscount desired wealth, not destruction.
“Listen, beast,” the tax collector said in a deep voice, “The viscount could send his troops to wipe you out, but we are offering a more respectable option. We did not bring our army here; instead, we are negotiating with you in the rain. We have already shown our sincerity.”
He took out the tax decree and displayed it to the monsters, and rain immediately spread across the sealing wax seal of the Lorthen Federation.
“As a branch of the Thousand Serpents’ Mark, you have profited from the Scaled Earth Rift, and you must pay taxes every month.”
He held up two fingers and said, "Five thousand gold coins per month! Or the equivalent in magical minerals."
"Considering that you have been operating illegally here for many years, His Excellency the Viscount has mercifully waived the petty profits and allowed you to pay only one year's taxes, totaling 60,000 gold coins or equivalent magical minerals, without any late fees."
He paused, then added, "If the transaction involves magical minerals, the specific value will be verified and assessed by our people."
Without a doubt, this is an outrageous demand.
Having received no further instructions, the werewolf warlock fell silent, his face expressionless.
Across from them, the tax official smiled enigmatically and said, "If you cannot accept this condition, the generous Viscount has given you a second option."
He said, "On the first day of each month, you only need to hand over one copper coin."
"Then pay two on the second day, four on the third day, and so on for a full month. This can be counted as a year's tax."
The tax official, with a look of civilized superiority on his face, said, "Two options are available to you."
“Once you make your choice, we will provide a specific magical contract as a guarantee for cooperation between the two parties.”
Upon hearing this, Frost Fang's eyes flickered.
Copper coins? That sounds like an easy condition to meet.
Compared to the previous monthly requirement of several thousand gold coins, this seemed much simpler. As for the daily increase, Frostfang wasn't good at math, but he felt the number wasn't much. However, he also suspected that the humans were up to no good and that there was a trap involved.
Listening behind the scenes to the two methods proposed by the tax official.
Galos shook his head almost imperceptibly.
Do they think he's an idiot? Do they really believe that all the monsters in the wilderness are stupid and mindless creatures?
However, since it is a negotiation, there is room for discussion.
The unrealistic demands made at the beginning were simply for the purpose of better negotiating the price.
This trade route was initially established by the family of Viscount Ironthorn. If the negotiations can be conducted properly, Galos, with his long-term vision, would not mind letting the other party gain some benefits.
Immediately, Frostfang received instructions and said, "One hundred gold coins per month is the bottom line we can accept."
The price was slashed from 5,000 to 100.
The tax collector's eyes widened, wanting to rebuke these beasts for not understanding the rules of negotiation.
However, considering his mission, he took a deep breath, suppressed his dissatisfaction, and continued negotiating with the werewolf.
The rain was getting heavier and heavier, and time was slipping away bit by bit.
The two sides engaged in a protracted negotiation, testing each other's true bottom line.
After a while, the tax official was parched.
He insisted on a monthly payment of 3,000 gold coins and demanded a one-time payment of a year's worth of taxes, while Frosttooth proposed a monthly payment of 300 gold coins and no tax payment.
After discussing this point...
The tax officials refused to budge.
Because he represented Viscount Ironthorn, who had instructed him that the three thousand in taxes and the annual back payment were the bottom line, especially the one-time payment, which he was not to compromise on.
Viscount Ironthorn knew that such conditions were already somewhat exploitative.
However, with the magic academy's enrollment imminent, what he needed now was a quick buck. Therefore, he was willing to sacrifice long-term interests, selling off a significant portion of his more legitimate businesses, not to mention the desolate land of Scale Earth Rift.
The other party is not giving in.
Frostbite also held firm and remained unchanged.
Another ten minutes or so were wasted.
The tax official, growing impatient, snapped, "You beasts! Enough! Don't be so ungrateful! This is the most respectable choice you can make!"
Frosty Fang sneered, revealing his sharp teeth.
"Humans! You are ungrateful! We have shown you enough sincerity, and you are wearing down our patience."
"The wilderness is not your territory, and you have no special privileges here."
It took a step back, while the fully armed, tall and powerful ogres around it stepped forward and surrounded it.
The fearless one silently raised the greatsword inch by inch, the red light in his eyes growing ever more dazzling.
The atmosphere instantly became tense and hostile.
The tax official stood in the rain, the cold water gradually calming him down.
He slowly exhaled and said, "It seems we can't reach a consensus."
"In that case, let your lord come and talk in person."
He said coldly, "I disdain negotiating with a lowly monster like you. I need an equal dialogue."
How arrogant!
A tax official who considers himself equal to our Dragon Lord?
Frostfang paused for a second, then said sarcastically, "Our lord has no interest in negotiating with a servant. If you are truly sincere and want to resolve this peacefully, then let someone of greater standing handle it."
Brent wanted to say something more, but Frostfang took a few more steps back.
The towering, heavily armored ogres stood like a wall, while the giant wolf riders circled around them, their fierce gazes fixed on the tax collectors and their entourage.
The first round of negotiations broke down.
The tax collector snorted and said, "We will come again. Make sure your lord is ready to receive us."
He stopped lingering and, escorted by the Fearless Ones and several human warriors, returned to the Scaled Earth Path, far away from the monsters.
The two sides gradually drifted apart and became invisible to each other.
"Damn monster, it won't listen to human speech."
Brent cursed under his breath.
He doesn't like dealing with monsters.
These fellows lacked the proper reverence for bureaucrats and the respect for nobles that he found displeasing.
"My lord, why don't we launch a counterattack, wipe out this monster, and let them know how powerful we are?"
The human warrior lowered his voice and said.
Brent's face darkened: "The Viscount's order is to negotiate, not to go to war."
"But these monsters clearly don't take us seriously!"
"Hmph." The tax official sneered, "This negotiation was just a test. Let them be smug for a while. Sooner or later they will learn what true 'respect' is."
He gazed into the depths of the rain, a ruthless glint in his eyes.
Instead of leaving the wilderness, the group set up camp at the entrance to the scaly path. Brent stood in the makeshift tent, rain dripping down the canvas and forming small puddles on the ground.
He took a few deep breaths, considered the matter carefully, and then took out the communication stone.
“Your Excellency, these monsters are very aggressive and don’t know what’s good for them.”
"Their lords are willing to come forward and discuss it again, but only if they are equals."
Brent contacted Viscount Ironthorn to report the outcome of the negotiations.
Meanwhile, in the conifer valley.
Red Iron Dragon stood up, stretched its body, crushed the raindrops falling on it with its hard scales, and then coiled up in the wind and rain, silent.
Iron Dragon Sorog, Red Dragon Samantha, and Fairy Dragon Vera are also here.
"They are not in a sincere negotiation."
Sorog's gaze turned fierce, his pupils contracting into dangerous slits as he said, "These humans are too greedy, too self-righteous, too arrogant!"
Samantha growled, "A bunch of lowly reptiles, daring to extort and rob us dragons!"
(End of this chapter)
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