Chapter 683 What Does This Have to Do with Us? (1/2)

Alliance Building, the office area of ​​the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is very busy at the moment.

This has been the case recently.

As representatives from enterprises, colleges, and legions gathered in Dawn City, more and more small and medium-sized settlements that sensed opportunities to harvest wool sent envoys to the alliance.

Of course there are people who come here with sincerity, but there are also a lot of fake ones, and there are even some hard-headed predators who come to collect wool disguised as normal settlements.

There was a case not long ago.

The survivor colony registered in an abandoned city two hundred kilometers away is actually a predator farm that sells people and kidneys.

The merchants of the Free State took advantage of the numerous business opportunities of the Dawn City messengers, bribed the supervisor of the predator farm, set up a disguised radio station for sending and receiving signals, and packaged the settlement into a kind-hearted little White Rabbit, and used this to deceive the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' signal positioning detection and callback verification procedures, and obtain the agency authorization of the base there.

The merchant was betting that the alliance would not be able to spare so much energy and go to the scene to confirm the survivors' settlement applications one by one.

In this way, he can obtain "diplomatic immunity" in the alliance as a diplomat, and represent a survivor community of a thousand people to seize benefits from all parties.

It must be said that he accurately judged the working ability of the alliance's foreign affairs department.

The Alliance's Ministry of Foreign Affairs does not have the ability to conduct offline inspections of the settlements, but there is still a special group of "players" in the Alliance.

It's clear he underestimated players' enthusiasm for exploring new maps and new settlements.

Several players parachuted into that area that day, and after discovering differences between the actual local conditions and the mission description, they immediately submitted reports offline through the official website.

Although the local area is far beyond the alliance's law enforcement scope and the guards will not be dispatched for this reason, the semi-official refugee home will issue a raider camp clearing mission based on player feedback and provide a reward for rescuing the hostages.

At this point, the work of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is over, and then it is the work of the alliance's corps.

It is said that it was the Silver Corps that took over the subsequent mission, and the entire battle only lasted half an hour and ended.

Players who captured the raider camp discovered the radio station in the stronghold that communicated with the Alliance Ministry of Foreign Affairs for verification, and brought it back to Dawn City along with the prisoners captured in the battle.

There were both witnesses and physical evidence, and in the end the businessman from the Free State was arrested on charges of fraud, and became the second Free State businessman to be arrested by the Alliance after Hindison.

Faced with the irrefutable evidence, even Free State Foreign Minister Noregg, who participated in the Alliance meeting of the Adhesive Community, could not say anything and could only pinch his nose and admit this embarrassing loss.

Since that incident, the Alliance Ministry of Foreign Affairs has strengthened its review procedures for settlements of survivors from areas outside the River Valley Province, and the workload of various departments has more than doubled.

As usual, the Alliance's Foreign Minister Cheng Yan was sitting in his office reviewing documents.

At this moment, his deputy came in with a letter and placed it on his desk.

Cheng Yan stopped the pen in his hand and took a look, raising his eyebrows and giving him a questioning look.

"This is?"

"Protest from the Xilan Empire."

Looking at Cheng Yan with a surprised expression, the Deputy Foreign Minister made a helpless expression, took out a crumpled newspaper from the document bag and placed it next to the letter.

"...the cause was this newspaper."

Cheng Yan didn't go to open the letter, but directly picked up the newspaper and took a look at it. He saw that the photo on the headline was the one that had caused a lot of fuss recently.

"...Goblin Observer?"

The deputy foreign minister nodded.

"Yes... but it has nothing to do with the headlines. It has to do with the news on page 2. You will know it at a glance."

"Let me see."

After leaving this sentence, Cheng Yan immediately turned to the second page.

Unlike the "Daily Survivor", the "Goblin Observer" is an unofficial private "entertainment newspaper" and is run by residents of the shelter.

After the Hindison case, the Alliance Representative Conference voted to pass the Media Qualification Review Act, and the industry committee formulated detailed regulatory rules. However, it only required that current affairs news should not be fabricated or have a subjective tendency, and commentaries must cite reliable sources. Just news.

Although some people suggested to the managers that the alliance authorities should review the qualifications of the media, the managers did not nod on this matter. Instead, they followed the principle of "experts work, public supervision" as before and handed over the management power to the managers. The industry committee is composed of industry experts, and the power of supervision is given to the representative meeting representing the public opinions and voices of the alliance.

In other words, the alliance's foreign affairs department cannot do anything to this newspaper in terms of procedures. Even if it wants to do something, it must go through the representative meeting or the manager...

Pressing his index finger between his eyebrows, Cheng Yan looked at the deputy standing aside and asked in an uncertain tone.

"Are they protesting against our taking in Yue Clan refugees?"

The deputy foreign minister sighed.

"No... what they protested was that we called the Yue tribe people 'refugees', and then told some fables about the sacred cow that carried the sun. To be honest, I didn't really understand it. In short, they asked us to use the name "sinners" or "sinners". Call those people derogatory terms and then expel them for the sake of the empire.”

Cheng Yan couldn't help but move the corners of his mouth in laughter.

"Okay, another horned deer god."

The deputy foreign minister gave him a helpless look.

"I told the guy that we respect their beliefs, but we also ask them to respect that we are atheists... But the guy was very tough and even threatened to confront us at the slime mold research community meeting."

Cheng Yan looked at him in astonishment.

"What... does this have to do with slime mold?"

The deputy foreign minister shrugged his shoulders and complained softly.

"Who knows... Damn it, I feel like the Velant people are behind it. I know those big noses don't have good intentions in dragging these cerebral palsy into the viscous community!"

"You can't say that. Borneo is also part of this land, and any voice of progress is worthy of encouragement...even if some survivors' progress is not so obvious."

Cheng Yan coughed, looked at the deputy and continued to ask.

"What's important now is to resolve the issue... Is that all they're asking for?"

The deputy foreign minister hesitated for a moment, but still said it truthfully.

"They're also going to summon the administrators."

Cheng Yan was stunned for a moment, thinking he heard wrongly, so he asked again uncertainly.

"Summoned??"

Didn't these guys wake up?

The deputy foreign minister said with an unhappy expression.

"Yes... they think we made a mistake first."

Cheng Yan's expression gradually became serious.

"Did that Duke of Galawa propose this?"

Deputy Foreign Minister: "I'm not sure. The person who delivered the written appeal to us was his entourage, a guy named Niyang."

Cheng Yan pondered for a moment and then spoke.

"If anyone can meet the manager for such a boring reason, our manager won't have to do anything else... I happen to be free tomorrow afternoon, so I'll come and meet the ambassador of the Xilan Empire."

The Xilan Empire can no longer be regarded as a small or medium-sized survivor force. At any rate, it occupies an entire administrative division of the pre-war era.

Even though the other party's request sounded outrageous - even a little unreasonable, Cheng Yan felt that it was still necessary to listen.

Maybe there is some misunderstanding.

As managers always say, misunderstandings are caused by lack of communication, and many problems can be solved through communication.

The slime mold research community is an organization established based on this principle.

If the various survivor forces in the wasteland can put aside their long-standing disputes and cooperate on issues related to the common destiny of mankind, at least on some issues, this land will hopefully usher in a new era. .

For the sake of the future of human civilization, he felt that he needed to have a face-to-face talk with this ambassador from afar...

…

The next day, Cheng Yan summoned Duke Galawa and set the meeting place in Conference Hall 2 of the Alliance Building.

With a long face, Duke Galava walked into the conference hall.

He did not take his seat immediately, but glanced around the circular conference table, only to see that the person sitting in front of the conference table was just a foreign minister. The look between his eyebrows suddenly took on a hint of arrogance and laziness.

At the sticky community meeting, the person who sat with him was also the manager of the alliance.

What the hell is a foreign minister?

Do you deserve to sit at the same table with him?

However, taking into account diplomatic etiquette, Duke Galawa patiently walked to the conference table and sat down, tapping his index finger on the table.

"Where is your manager? Let him come and talk to me."

Facing Duke Galawa, who showed an aggressive attitude when he first came up, Cheng Yan just stared at him intently and spoke in a neither humble nor condescending manner.

"Our manager's schedule has been tight recently, and it is difficult to arrange a private meeting with you in the short term. However, he has told me to follow the etiquette of a host and take care of the emotions of foreign guests. It is the same for me to listen to your troubles - —”

"This is not an annoyance," interrupted him rudely. Duke Galava narrowed his eyes and said in a threatening tone, "I say it again, you are trying to provoke the empire's anger."

Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Cheng Yan decided to ignore his rudeness for the time being and continued patiently in an attitude of solving the problem.

"I'm here just to solve the problem... So first of all, what I want to know is, what is the conflict between you and those Yue people?"

As he spoke, he opened the notes on the table, picked up the pen and got ready to record.

However, as soon as he finished speaking, Duke Galava's angry protest sounded in the conference room.

"They are sinners!"

"reason?"

"The sacred cow that carries the sun——"

"That's enough, Mr. Galawa, you know we don't want to hear that!"

Cheng Yan couldn't bear it anymore and finally couldn't help but interrupt this guy's nonsense.

Looking at the astonished Duke of Galawa, he raised his voice and continued.

"We want to understand where your grievances come from, for example... did they kill any of you, or have they committed crimes such as theft, robbery, and human trafficking in the past. You can treat this as a hearing, and we will listen to you at the same time The opinions of both parties will strive to achieve a result that satisfies both of you. It would be best if it can help you reconcile... What do you think?"

Duke Galava looked at him blankly, as if he were looking at a strange and exotic animal.

……reconciliation?

He suspected that he had heard wrongly.

Why should he, who has noble blood flowing in his veins, reconcile with those lowly guys who only deserve to kiss his toes?

The Empire was kind enough to imprison them in shacks instead of beheading them.

On the other hand, those unscrupulous guys actually fled shamelessly from Borneo, and they eloquently excused their dirty blood, pretending to be poor innocents.

What does this make other survivors think of the Empire?

Seeing that he didn't move for a long time, Cheng Yan reminded him seriously.

"Mr. Duke of Jarava?"

Duke Galava suddenly calmed down and leaned back in his chair.

Just when Cheng Yan thought he was finally going to communicate properly, he put his right leg on the knee of his left leg and said coldly.

"that's not important."

Cheng Yan looked at him in astonishment and was stunned for a while.

unimportant?

"Then...what's important?"

"Your Majesty said they are sinners, and they are. That is not only His Majesty's will, but also the will of the sacred cow that carries the sun. What do I need to explain to you?"

Duke Galawa raised his head slightly, raised his chin, looked at the Alliance Foreign Minister sitting across the conference table with his nostrils, and continued speaking unceremoniously.

"This is our own business and none of your business!"

Make sure this guy isn't joking and actually means it.

Cheng Yan calmed down, glanced left and right at the secretary who was taking the meeting minutes, then put down the pen in his hand and closed the notebook.

There is no need to do this anymore.

Seeing his actions, other staff members who took meeting minutes also closed the notes on the table.

It seems that not only they, but also the Foreign Minister think this is a waste of time.

Galawa frowned slightly, unsure of what these people meant. He only felt that the situation was a little different from what he imagined.

Before getting up from the conference table, Cheng Yan cleared his throat, looked at him upright, and asked again solemnly.

"Then...Duke Galawa, I want to hear your appeal again."

Galawa frowned.

"...What appeal?"

Cheng Yan: "About what exactly do you want us to do."

Galawa said without hesitation.

"Expell those guilty people immediately! And apologize to the Xilan Empire in the newspaper!"

He made some concessions.

It seems unrealistic to ask the emperor of the alliance to apologize to him, but it should be okay to apologize in the newspaper.

In his opinion, he has given enough steps.

Cheng Yan nodded to show that he heard.

Seeing him nodding, Galawa had a happy smile on his face and leaned back on his chair leisurely.

“This makes communication much smoother, and we should have done this from the beginning.”

Unexpectedly, the alliance was easier to talk to than imagined.

He just applied a little tough pressure, and these guys gave in.

It seems that he still thinks highly of these people, and maybe he can be tougher next time.

"I think so too. We should communicate in this easy-to-understand way from the beginning," Cheng Yan said expressionlessly as he looked at the proud Duke of Galawa, "So... What does this have to do with us?”

The smile gradually solidified on his face, and Galawa stared at him dumbfounded.

"What did you say?"

Looking at the astonished Duke Galawa, Cheng Yan no longer hesitated, stood up from the conference table, and tucked the untouched notebook under his elbow.

"You said it, this is your own business, let us mind our own business."

"So what does this have to do with us?"

Galawa: “???”

What is this word?

What does it have to do with you?

He opened his mouth and was about to rebuke, but for a while he couldn't think of how to refute.

Ignoring the shocked expression on this guy's face, Cheng Yan walked out of the conference room without looking back.

"Wait, wait a minute-"

Duke Galava stood up and stretched out his hand to stop him, but no one paid him any attention.

Seeing that the foreign minister had left, everyone sitting at the conference table also stood up and left the conference room.

In a blink of an eye, he was the only one left in the huge room, standing dumbfounded in front of the conference table.

Looking at the rickety, half-open door, Galawa retracted his trembling fists and roared angrily in the face of the empty conference room.

"You...will regret it!"

The roar echoed in the conference room, but no one paid attention to him, no one even heard him.

Finding nothing to throw on the table, Duke Galava punched the table hard and kicked the table leg with the toe of his shoe out of frustration.

Enduring the pain in his toes, he chewed up the anger and swallowed it into his stomach.

Wait, then.

This humiliation——

He will definitely return it a hundredfold!

…

After the meeting, Cheng Yan calmed down and went to the manager's office. He found Chu Guang and took the initiative to report the situation during his meeting with the Xilan Empire ambassador, and reviewed his work mistakes.

"...I'm sorry, Mr. Manager, I messed this up."

After reading the meeting minutes in his hand, Chu Guang didn't say anything after listening to his statement, but simply made a comment.

"Don't blame yourself. You just did what was within the scope of your responsibilities. At least in my opinion, you didn't mess up anything."

If I had to say it, I shouldn't have talked to that guy from the beginning.

For example, he himself, during the symposium on the agenda related to the Adhesion Community, did not pay much attention to the trash who spoke without any nutrition.

Originally expecting to be criticized by the manager, Cheng Yan was stunned and hesitated for a moment before speaking.

"But... you said that problems should be solved through communication as much as possible."

Chu Guang said patiently.

"I did say that, so we will communicate with all creatures that can understand human speech, even slime molds, but there is nothing we can do if we can't understand human speech. We must change the way of communication. You have to understand, Not everyone can communicate, and it’s them who refuse to talk to us, not you who refuse them.”

Cheng Yan thought for a long time after hearing this and said respectfully.

"My subordinate understands!"

Seeing how he seemed to really understand, Chu Guang nodded approvingly.

He had heard about the situation in the Xilan Empire, but he didn't take it too seriously.

Those people are essentially just followers of the Valantians. Like most survivor settlements, they are not too interested in solving the threat of mutant slime mold. They just hope to use this to gain benefits from the Alliance and others interested in slime mold. ancient survivor forces in exchange for benefits from other areas.

This is actually nothing, after all, this is why the sticky community exists.

Obviously, the Legion promised some benefits to the Xilan Empire, whether it was military support or economic benefits.

Therefore, they will stand with the Legion regardless of whether the Alliance offends them or not.

There is no value in winning over this kind of vassal who has already finished his line. Even if we can't negotiate, it doesn't matter.

As for their so-called threats, Chu Guang didn't take them seriously.

Even the legion didn't dare to mention military threats, let alone these followers. He didn't think these guys really had the courage to take revenge.

Whatever form of revenge it may be.

Putting the meeting minutes aside, Chu Guang looked at Cheng Yan and continued to ask.

"Anything else?"

Cheng Yan nodded and said immediately.

"There is one more thing you need to decide on. Camelback Kingdom has expressed the hope that we can set up an embassy in Silver Moon Bay."

Chu Guang asked doubtfully.

"Didn't we set up an embassy there a long time ago?"

Outside the alliance, the embassy is not only a dialogue channel for the alliance to communicate with other forces, but also a save point for players.

Especially for forces that do not have a military base, the embassy is almost the only official save point besides the player-operated save points.

"That's true, but the ambassador of the Camelback Kingdom said... We have many more active people in Silver Moon Bay than in Camel City. He hopes that for the sake of those alliance citizens, we can at least set up a dispute resolution service for those people. But I feel...the real reason that prompted them to make this request may be related to the Xilan Empire’s recent military activities in the Silver Moon Bay area.”

Upon hearing this, Chu Guang frowned and turned his attention to the map hanging on the wall of the office.

After pondering for a moment, he spoke.

"This can be arranged."

Ignoring the Haiya Province, which is controlled by the Torch Church, Silver Moon Bay is the closest seaport to the Alliance, and is of vital strategic and economic significance.

Although the Alliance does not directly control the port, its economic interests in the area are not weaker than those in the Lion Kingdom or the Honey Badger Kingdom.

In order to prevent some blind guys from making small moves, it would be better for him to make some appropriate gestures.

"Yes." Probably guessing what Chu Guang meant, Cheng Yan nodded with understanding, followed the order and turned around.

After watching the foreign minister leave, Chu Guang looked at the map hanging on the wall again.

I saw a railway line along the edge of the Dzobar Mountains, passing through the battlefield where the Skeleton Corps once fought, and reaching the Petra Fortress, the throat of the mountains.

Soon the railway will pass through there, entering the rich oasis No. 4 and the port of Silver Moon Bay, and connecting with the sea route to Baiyue Strait.

At first, the Camelback Kingdom was wary of the Alliance's railways, fearing that what happened in Boulder City would happen again in Oasis No. 4.

However, military pressure from the southwest forced the nobles and merchants of the Camelback Kingdom to move closer to the alliance and seek closer cooperation in exchange for security protection.

In fact, Chu Guang didn't really hate the shit-stirring stick extending from the southwest.

Although this shit-stirring stick is annoying, compared to the actual harm, it gives him more ironic humor, not even as good as the group of rats in the north.

Besides, these guys brought some gifts to the alliance.

And it’s a visible gift…