Chapter 1186: If I hear the truth in the morning, can I die in the evening?
The nights in the ancient Parthia Kingdom were quite cold.
It wasn't like the winter in the Narcissus Principality where it always snowed... this was a dry and lonely cold.
The whistling wind was barely audible, so quiet that one could almost hear the heartbeat of a lizard crawling in the sand. The moonlight overhead also fell on the sand, making it look like silver frost.
Unlike during the day, sandstorms are less common at night.
According to the Parthians, this is because the wild desert spirit has completed its day's patrol - those who disrespect the desert, waste water, or are not reverent enough for Parthian traditions will be devoured in anger once discovered by the desert spirit.
If such a person appeared in a caravan, it could even bring disaster to the entire caravan; if such a blasphemer appeared in a settlement outside the city, the entire village could be destroyed. Only those who are pious to the good Lord and respect tradition can be blessed by the desert spirit and survive every sandstorm.
Of course, according to Hassan's learning in the Mage Tower, this phenomenon must be related to the heat brought by the sun. The sun continuously heats the surface of the sand to nearly 80 degrees Celsius, and the air near the ground rises due to the heat, thus forming a strong thermal convection.
Another reason, also related to the Benevolent Lord, is that the humidity in oasis areas can even approach that of coastal areas. This humidity creates temperature differences, and thus significant pressure differences. As for why oasis cities are less prone to sandstorms... it's because the oasis near the city is relatively moist, and the sand absorbs moisture, clinging together and making it less likely to be blown away.
"Oh……"
Hassan, who was sitting by the campfire, laughed sarcastically.
How ironic.
He had once been a staunch believer in those "traditions." It wasn't until he gained more knowledge and came into contact with the truth that he realized how foolish he had been, and...how hopeless his compatriots were.
Every time this happened, Hassan would once again feel grateful to Mr. Grandet from the bottom of his heart.
Although Hassan now fully understood that Grandet sent him to the Mage Tower to study not out of pure kindness, but to use him as a pawn to expand the influence of the Goblin Chamber of Commerce in the center of the desert—
The influence of the Goblin Chamber of Commerce is closely tied to its water veins. The closer a region is to the sea, the more it is subject to the Goblin Chamber of Commerce's control. The various foods, resources, industrial products, luxury goods, and specialties they bring are all essential for a nation's production and development.
The goblins have already controlled the sea routes of the entire world.
They had even wiped out the pirates... or rather, they had already controlled the pirates who belonged to them. That was truly a level that "even the power of the nation could hardly contend with."
There is a forbidden power in the depths of the sea. Even extraordinary people will die if they fall into the deep sea. Randomly appearing sea monsters will cause fatal damage to ships.
Without a nautical chart, it is very easy to get lost by random sailing. At the same time, the more ships you bring, the more supplies you will need to consume.
Not to mention, once they've landed, they also have to communicate with others in unfamiliar foreign lands. They have to avoid being robbed, deceived, or hindered by the other side's government. They also have to establish trading agreements that can continue even after the initial wave of people leave... They also have to keep shipping lanes free from disruption and robbery.
This is just too difficult.
The economic cost of opening this route alone is far higher than the price of cooperating with the goblins. Not to mention the time and manpower costs... We also need to consider whether the goblins will hinder the transaction if we become hostile to them.
As for revenge against the goblins, simply switching homes and attacking their nation—that tactic wouldn't work either. They'd already anticipated this scenario, so they simply didn't establish a nation. Just like the Moon Children, they were broken up and dispersed among the nations.
But the situation is different with the Children of the Moon - the Children of the Moon want to have a country of their own, but the goblins don't have this idea.
Unlike the Moonchildren, they lack a unified culture and history. These goblins grew up by parasitizing other nations and races, learning their traditions and cultures. Each faction of goblins is distinct from the others, united only by the name of race.
They have no faith, no obsessions, and even speak different languages—if they were to form a nation under such circumstances, they would all be in internal turmoil.
Therefore, launching a reciprocal retaliation against the goblins was almost impossible. Therefore, these coastal countries would eventually have to accept at least one group of goblins into their territory, thus forming a cheap and reliable overseas long-distance trade system.
——But the goblins’ tricks are completely ineffective against the good masters.
You say these resources are useful for national development? It doesn't matter. If I don't want them, then I don't want them. The worst that can happen is that we won't develop the country.
You said you could bring cheap food? That's none of my business. I won't starve to death if there's less food.
You mean luxury goods? Overseas specialties? Then wouldn't it be the same if I went to the Church to buy them?
You're talking about sanctioning me overseas? Do you think I can touch the ocean?
The benevolent rulers only need to take care of themselves and not care about the "country" they have established. In this situation, the tricks used by the goblins are completely useless.
The ancient Parthian Empire happened to produce large amounts of gold, rare ritual materials, foreign slaves that were almost extinct in other places, and rare minerals that could be made into extraordinary equipment - this made the cities adjacent to the ancient Parthian Empire very prosperous.
But when it comes to negotiating business with them, these benefactors are incredibly arrogant... You have to kneel down and treat them like a giant baby. Furthermore, these benefactors are incredibly fickle, easily breaking contracts when the mood strikes, even if the offender isn't their own group. They're generally all Transcendents, or some of their capable subordinates are Transcendents, so breaking contracts isn't difficult for them.
Furthermore, the ancient Parthian Empire was essentially a fragmented nation, and the contracts between its various city-states were not universal. The relationships between the benefactors were even hostile. Many places, upon hearing that you had reached a cooperation agreement with a benefactor from another place, would tear up the deal, even going so far as to sabotage it at their own expense, even if they gained nothing.
Barbaric, so barbaric!
It's just like a troll turned into a spirit——
In fact, the goblins privately call the Good Lord "Chief".
That was the title used by the troll kings—hereditary through bloodline, they were also leaders in justice, commerce, religion, military, politics, and other areas, with this sacred power coming from the gods. From this perspective, the city-states established by the good lords could indeed be called chiefdoms.
That’s why…
The ones who dislike these good masters the most are the goblin merchants who are treacherous and cunning, commit fraud and theft, and do all kinds of evil, causing people to destroy their countries and families.
As the saying goes, evil needs to be dealt with by evil people——
Hassan knew, of course, that goblins were no good. He had witnessed firsthand how Xingbi was brought to ruin by their schemes, and he was indeed extremely wary of those short, cunning, and ugly creatures... But even so, it didn't affect his respect for Mr. Grandet.
Life in ignorance... or death in touching the truth.
"If I hear the truth in the morning, I can die in the evening..."
Hassan murmured an oriental proverb.
If he were the same person in the past, he would definitely choose the former. For him at that time, as long as he could survive, he was willing to do anything.
And for him now...
Death is no longer a terrifying taboo.
That is his inevitable destination, the time when every flame burns out.
Until then…
He clenched his left hand slightly.
The ruby embedded in the back of his left hand suddenly emitted an astonishing heat, burning his left arm. If his left hand wasn't a prosthetic staff, he would have died from the pain.
That is the price of forcibly using the Tiansi fragments.
Although Hassan could be considered a smart man, he was far from qualified to use the Geometry Celestial Fragments.
Because the one who actually used the Tiansi fragments... was an illusion that only he could see.
"—what do you mean, Hassan?"
A burly lizardman with crimson skin suddenly appeared beside him and enthusiastically hooked his shoulders.
"When are we going to burn Holy Spring City to ashes? Time to show him what divine power is, buddy!"
Today, he appeared as a "passionate lizardman"...
Hassan thought about it and said coldly, "I will go there eventually, but not now.
"Let's first look for clues to the Tail Ring ritual... Just burning one fire after another, when will it ever end? Why not let Yuan Tiansi descend upon this sinful land and show him the evil deeds committed by those good people he contracted with...
"—You're right, Autolycus."
The temperature suddenly dropped yesterday and I had a slight fever. Now my face is hot... There may or may not be a second chapter. Don't wait... If there is, I'll check it out in the morning.
Asking for monthly tickets at the beginning of the month!
(End of this chapter)
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