Only the Officials May Set Fires

In Shen Yi's perception.

Several small Shelters had joined forces, loudly shouting at a stern-faced man from Neon Country.

"Mr. Shimada! Have you gone mad? You want us to bow and scrape before someone from Xia Country? You even want us to hand over everything we've worked for all this time! How could that possibly happen?!"

"Yeah! Don't think that having the largest Shelter in Neon Country means you can order us around! Not everyone is as spineless as you people! They're from Xia Country. Do you really think they'll treat us well after we submit to them?"

"A blood feud—we once had a blood feud with Xia Country! Shimada, you actually think we can cooperate with those people? Do you really think we'll receive decent treatment after submitting to Lord Shen?"

"..."

Several men stared unhappily at Shimada Kōmitsu standing in the center of the crowd, their words brimming with fury.

When they learned that he intended to surrender all of Neon Country to the people of Xia Country, their world had come crashing down!

That was why they had immediately sought out Shimada Kōmitsu, wanting to know his true intentions.

"Mr. Shimada, could it be that you intend to use some method to open up a breach within Xia Country and break the current deadlock?"

"As far as I know, we've already reached strategic cooperation agreements with several countries. If we surrender to Xia Country now, wouldn't all our previous efforts have been wasted? And what would the other countries think of us?"

"Hmph! White Elephant Country has never been willing to compromise with us, and making such a move at a time like this will undoubtedly give Neon Country an extremely bad reputation internationally. Haven't you considered that?"

"..."

"Are you finished?" Shimada Kōmitsu asked softly, looking