When the plot-skips players into the game world

Chapter 537: Chapter 419 The Source of War Chapter 537: Chapter 419 The Source of War “Oh?”

Upon hearing Mr.

Geront’s words, Aiwass lifted his head with interest, “Why would you think so?”

Although Aiwass did indeed think so…

he couldn’t easily show this attitude.

——The price still had to be negotiated, after all.

“Let’s cut to the chase,” Aiwass leaned forward, asking with great interest, “What is it that you want?”

Geront did not directly answer Aiwass’s question.

Instead, he shook his head and stated, “Allow me to offer you a piece of information free of charge, Minister.”

The low and elegant standard Avalonian language flowed methodically and unhurriedly from the Goblin Merchant’s lips, “The Star Antimony people have been researching anti-Gryphon technology for decades, and they have made considerable breakthroughs recently…”

The green-skinned Goblin casually lifted the dangling pocket watch he was holding by a chain, returning it to the pocket on his chest, allowing only a little of the golden chain to hang out.

“Avalon’s current generation of top Transcendents is not abundant.

In fact, one could say they are quite scarce.

The size of the army is shrinking year by year, and how powerful can a pampered army that hasn’t fought a war in decades really be?”

The Goblin’s voice carried a magnetic quality, “And you and I both know that Avalon’s true deterrent power lies in the Gryphon Legion.

The combat effectiveness of the Gryphon Legion is definitely not found in head-on battlefields.”

“As long as the Gryphon Legion can enter the enemy’s territory, they can rely on their high mobility to repeatedly raid the rear; they can also use their superior mobility to disrupt supplies, encircle and divide, and bombard and harass.

Although when Avalon is invaded, the Gryphon Legion can hardly do anything…

but the Gryphons can in turn attack the enemy’s homeland and embark on a bloody ‘war of attrition in the rear.’

“It is because of this strategic deterrence that Avalon has been able to maintain its isolated status.

But if you ask me, esteemed Minister—those days are coming to an end.”

The Goblin Merchant’s deep dark pupils were like bottomless lakes, inscrutable.

He was calmly and rationally saying things everyone knew in their hearts, endowing them with compelling persuasiveness, “I guess Countess Emma’s visit is to discuss the issue of trade ports.

“If I’m not mistaken, she will probably use the excuse that ‘Star Antimony’s goal is to advance eastward’ to persuade you.”

“Indeed.”

Aiwass nodded slightly, “That’s what she said.”

The Goblin stated, “Star Antimony harbors ambitions to unify the continent.

Once Star Antimony swallows the Iris Flower, do you think Avalon can remain unscathed?

Or do you truly believe Star Antimony will spare Avalon?”

“I’m fully aware.”

Aiwass nodded and countered, “So what?

Why have you come to Avalon, what do you want to do?

Lobby Avalon to lift the ban and allow Goblins to establish commerce associations, to open Avalon to trade?”

“Precisely,” Geront replied frankly, “Avalon must eventually integrate with the world, or it will be left behind by the times.

“And Star Antimony…

pardon my bluntness, most of what they promise you are likely to be empty checks.

They are already too busy to look after themselves.”

Hearing this, Aiwass suddenly understood…@@novelbin@@

why this top-tier capitalist had approached him at this time.

If Avalon truly cooperates with Star Antimony and opens up trade ports…

it would mean that all the ports to the west of the continent would be indirectly controlled by Star Antimony and the Iris Flower.

Avalon itself doesn’t have much in the way of resources.

Even though it is rich in metal ores, that’s not a big deal for Star Antimony, whose land area is several times that of Avalon.

Not to mention Avalon’s food structure is very precarious—the “Grain Law” was not passed by Queen Sofia, leading to Avalon’s current heavy reliance on imports for its food supply.

——Imports from Star Antimony.

And the true significance of occupying Avalon lies in gaining a geographical advantage.

Heading northwest from Avalon is the Holy Nation, and continuing northwest along the Holy Nation, one can travel along the north continent.

To the southwest of Avalon is a vast and chaotic sea…

it’s easy to lose one’s way there.

The world’s oceans are very turbulent and restless, and the further one is from land, the more dangerous it becomes—though it’s pretty much the same in the original world.

Sailing straight towards your destination will inevitably lead to accidents if persisted for too long, and for merchant vessels, there’s no room for error.

Thus, although ocean voyages are referred to as “distant sea navigation,” they must at least remain within sight of land.

One must be within the distance that allows for land to be seen through a telescope; otherwise, it would be exceedingly difficult to navigate accurately.

In the sea, even if you drift off course by just one degree…

by the time you reach your destination you would end up in a completely different country.

For this reason, if Avalon’s navy and Gryphon Legion were to set up a blockade to the northwest, towards the Holy Nation, it would pose a significant threat to the maritime trade routes of Stibnite.

It was also due to the tense relationship between Avalon and Stibnite that the latter’s maritime trade routes could only pass through the south, hugging the edge of the southern continent.

Alternatively, they would take short-distance routes, transporting goods from Stibnite to the southern continent and then handing them over to goblins.

The goblins, in turn, would ship the goods to various parts of the world through trade routes they had long operated.

In this process, apart from “training trolls,” goblins rarely participated in production.

They focused on buying low and selling high, continuously transporting goods to the most appropriate locations through their long-established and well-maintained shipping lanes and ports, coupled with highly synchronized supply and demand information.

“Clearly, the people of Stibnite are envious,” said Aiwass with a light chuckle, leaning back comfortably in his chair.

“Laymen always think that way,” Mr.

Geront merely chuckled in response.

“The people of Stibnite are so confident they’re almost bursting…

stubbornly believing they’ve unraveled the mysteries of alchemy.

They can easily transform raw materials of low value into products worth dozens or even hundreds of times more.

The only issue is to whom they should sell these products.”

“That would naturally be to you,” said Aiwass with a sardonic smile.

Geront modestly corrected him, “That’s not the case.

Even though I am also a member of the ‘Commerce Association,’ the members are all independent of each other.

No one is anyone else’s king.

“If Stibnite can’t offload a large amount of alchemical products internally, then of course, they would need to contact the ‘Commerce Association’…

in this, Avalon also plays a large part.

Or should I say…

you have played the lead role here.”

Upon hearing the goblin merchant’s words, Aiwass became slightly bewildered.

Then it dawned on him—

—It was because of Avalon’s tariffs on Stibnite’s alchemical products!

Previously, as the royal family suffered consecutive cursed assassinations, Avalon was unable to determine whether Iris Flower or Stibnite was responsible, nor could they find solid evidence.

As such, they were reluctant to wage war, fearing being dragged into the mire of a conflict directly opposing the two nations.

But Avalon still maintained a rather hostile stance towards Stibnite—this was actually for show to the public.

No matter the source of the curse, whether Iris Flower or Stibnite, it could only be made to appear as if Stibnite was responsible.

This is because while Avalon could contend with Iris Flower, they all knew that a true conflict with Stibnite was not winnable.

Continuous condemnation of Stibnite was in fact a means to appease the populace, a delaying tactic, and also aimed to lull the people of Stibnite into underestimating Avalon…

all the while Queen Sofia was hoping to quietly initiate the “Shadow of Avalon” project behind the scenes.

Although this plan failed before it ever got off the ground due to Jacob’s interference—

—looking back, the high tariffs implemented at that time turned out to be beneficial after all.

Stibnite and Iris Flower were explicitly antagonistic nations—Stibnite wanted to annex Iris Flower, but found it difficult to do so directly.

The ideologies of the two countries were significantly divergent, and it was clear that Stibnite desired the population and talent of Iris Flower, not a scorched earth without people.

A drawn-out bloody conflict would easily engender deep hatred, which is why Stibnite preferred a swift, short war to achieve its strategic objectives.

For this precise reason, Iris Flower would be unlikely to accept Stibnite’s dumping of goods.

The best solution seemed to be Avalon.

Indeed, Avalon had no old grudges with Stibnite and even bore ancient enmity towards Iris Flower from the “Ten-Day War.” Moreover, Avalon maintained a highly authoritarian regime under the Path of Authority, its alchemy was very primitive, and yet its populace was relatively wealthy.

As long as Avalon could absorb the surplus goods from Stibnite’s dumping, there would be no need for Stibnite to make contact with the Goblin Commerce Association.

Thinking this, Aiwass suddenly understood—

Why Stibnite sought to smuggle alchemical products into Avalon through the Lohar Society; why even someone like “Da Zi,” a low-level thug, could have “Dream Intoxicant” produced from Stibnite’s alchemical workshops; why the “King” complained about alchemists exploiting the nation’s botanists, continuously pushing down the purchasing price; why the alchemists in Stibnite were becoming so arrogant and agitated, while the Demon Scholars maintained a subtle restraint and quietude…

Behind all of this, in a sense…

the culprit was these goblin merchants.