Chapter 1134, The Docks of Other Tribes

Translator: Silavin

 

Su Bai turned another cup of hot tea cold and took a long sip, watching the people of the Red Horse Tribe over the rim.

 

He set the cup down slowly. “The Flame Dragon Tribe is fully capable of cultivating Arrow Root Fruit on our own. Even if I am willing to cooperate with you, it would only be a one-time arrangement.”

 

“What do you mean, Shaman?” Ai Ma was not quite following.

 

“My meaning is clear enough. Even if I’m willing to cooperate with you now, using your current supply of Arrow Root Fruit as the basis, it would only be that one exchange.” Su Bai leaned back in his chair and sipped the cold tea again. “Because the Flame Dragon Tribe has the ability to cultivate fruit that is unique to your Tribe. After that point, do you think we would still need you?”

 

He had nothing to hide on this matter. Because the Flame Dragon Tribe would certainly be growing Arrow Root Fruit in great quantities in the future.

 

And when that happened, the Red Horse Tribe would find out anyway. The Flame Dragon Tribe had opened the Central Market, and many Tribes would come to exchange goods there. Once enough Tribes were coming specifically to exchange for Arrow Root Fruit, the Red Horse Tribe would know.

 

Better to say it plainly now than to let them sit and guess. That was the foundation for whatever cooperation might follow.

 

Because without saying it, it would be very difficult to get the Red Horse Tribe to put forward anything else. He needed to remove her confidence entirely first.

 

“The Flame Dragon Tribe can grow Arrow Root Fruit? Shaman, I’m not sure I understand. That fruit is unique to our Tribe.” Ai Ma was not quite convinced. She told herself inwardly that this was just some tactic, something to dismantle her resolve.

 

“I understand you may not believe it. But think about this. The Flame Dragon Tribe has so many fine things. The food you’ve been eating every day since you arrived, why is it so varied? Has it not occurred to you?” Su Bai said.

 

The corner of his mouth lifted slightly. Her thoughts were written plainly across her face. There was no missing them.

 

“This…” Ai Ma thought back, and she had to admit it was true.

 

When they had been eating at the Restful Night Building, most of what they had been served was fresh vegetables. Even some fruits.

 

Fresh vegetables were rarer than meat, when she thought about it. Certainly, there was a large forest all around, but not everything in it was safe to eat. Many things had side effects. Some leave one in a drunk-like state. Some caused hallucinations. Some was just outright poison.

 

For people like them, meat was the safest option, so meat was what they ate mostly. Vegetables were genuinely precious.

 

But the Restful Night Building was different. Vegetables appeared at almost every meal. Almost everyone there got to eat them.

 

“You’ve been living in the Flame Dragon Tribe for a few days now. You can see it for yourself. We have no reason to deceive you.” Su Bai said, his expression easy and unhurried. “So your Arrow Root Fruit is not the advantage you thought it was. And you know that we will not be taking on many trading partners from this round of meetings. So won’t you put forward whatever else you have to offer?”

 

He would not have had this much confidence without the Growth Acceleration Skill, if he were honest. Without it, he might not have been able to hold the upper hand here at all.

 

With the Growth Acceleration Skill, all the Flame Dragon Tribe needed was one single Arrow Root Fruit, and they could produce any number more from that.

 

That was the reason he had told the Red Horse Tribe this would be a one-time arrangement. Because obtaining the fruit was all that was needed.

 

But he had no desire to let a Tribe that had come all this way simply walk away. For the Flame Dragon Tribe to develop further, other Tribes were necessary.

 

“I-I’m no longer certain. The Arrow Root Fruit is where we have the clearest advantage. I truly don’t know what else our Tribe has that the Shaman would want.” Ai Ma asked directly.

 

Through all of it, she had not once lifted her head. In her Tribe, raising your head unbidden was considered disrespectful. In many other Tribes it was the same, and in some places it could even get a person killed.

 

“Your Tribe is quite big, isn’t it? And your greatest resource is people. Am I right?” Su Bai said.

 

“That’s correct. People are what we have the most of. But Shaman, if you’re asking our people to join the Flame Dragon Tribe, that may not be something we can agree to.” Ai Ma gave a careful nod, then immediately moved to head off what she thought might be coming.

 

“You’re overthinking it. We don’t need that many people from other Tribes joining ours. Our Tribe is doing well enough. We don’t need to set that as a condition of trading with you.” Su Bai gave a light laugh.

 

Everyone else was already clamouring to join the Flame Dragon Tribe. He was not about to go asking for it. That would make his Tribe look desperate.

 

“If it’s not that, then please, Shaman, tell me plainly what you need from us.” Ai Ma inclined her head slightly.

 

In the Red Horse Tribe, that gesture meant sincere and humble enquiry. It was how they addressed their Shaman or Chieftain.

 

“Our Tribe is expanding its trading fleet. The construction of our great ship is well underway. If your Tribe wishes to trade with us, you will need to build a dock.” Su Bai said directly.

 

The reason was simple. The Red Horse Tribe was a Tribe by the river. If the Flame Dragon Tribe was going to open a water trade route, it would necessarily pass through every Tribe along the great river.

 

To keep those Tribes from harbouring any unfavourable intentions, or from refusing the Flame Dragon Tribe’s ship a place to stop and resupply, Su Bai needed each of those Tribes to build a dock.

 

Only then could the Flame Dragon Tribe’s fleet come ashore and rest. Only then could the Tribe develop the way it needed to.

 

Because the great river ultimately led to the sea, to the Sea Fish Tribe that now fell under the Flame Dragon Tribe’s domain.

 

Su Bai had always intended for the Sea Fish Tribe to grow and develop as well. So this water route had to be opened.

 

“A great ship? You mean the thing that floated on the water when you came to our Tribe last time? That was an amazing building, Shaman. But what is a dock?” Ai Ma looked puzzled.

 

The moment ships were mentioned, she came to life. Because that great ship had been truly enormous, and she herself had made the journey here aboard it. The experience had been peculiar, but she had taken quite a liking to it.

 

“A dock is essentially a place for ships to stay in. It is built along the riverbank, close to your Tribe’s territory.” Su Bai explained simply.

 

“You want us to build a place beside our Tribe for the Flame Dragon Tribe’s ships to stop in?” Ai Ma’s red eyes went wide in an instant.

 

“Precisely. That way, when we transport goods to you, we can stop at your dock. And the goods you want can be brought directly to you as well. This benefits both sides.” Su Bai said earnestly.

 

He felt it was time to press this point firmly. Using goods as the entry point was the right approach.