For over a century, the procedures of the Conference of the Sea of Corruption Conference of Nations have remained virtually unchanged.
First, there's the qualification requirement to participate. The explicit rule of "possessing ancient gunboats" alone excludes 90% of the scattered settlements in the Eftal Desert.
Regardless of population size or wealth, only descendants of ancient nations possessing war machines like the Eftal gunboat are qualified to attend the conference.
Even if a nation is weak, no one dares to question the combat effectiveness of ancient gunboats.
The conference then proceeded to its three phases. In the first phase, representatives from various countries took turns speaking, presenting their needs or showcasing their proudest new products and technologies. This phase can essentially be considered a more formal business exchange.
The second stage involves intelligence sharing among countries, summarizing and analyzing major events that occur each year and events that could affect national policies.
The third stage is also the most tiring.
Territorial disputes, trade frictions, historical grievances—the intricate contradictions within the alliance of nations will be mediated and arbitrated at this stage, with the aim of finding a solution that can at least superficially maintain peace before the alliance breaks down.
On the surface, this process is clear and simple, and can be completed in one or two days if things go smoothly.
But the reality is that there are almost never any meetings that go smoothly.
Disputes erupting between countries vying for power and influence have become a regular occurrence: a representative from one side, having received crucial intelligence, walks out midway through the meeting, disrupting proceedings; and even, leaders of two countries with irreconcilable differences, along with their allies, engage in physical altercations on the spot.
So whether you're familiar with the rules or not doesn't matter, because these rules and regulations are basically useless.
"I'm sure you're all already very familiar with the meeting's procedures and rules, so there's no need for this old man to go through them again, right?"
Gore knew, of course, that these rules were useless, but as the host, he still had to go through the motions.
None of the representatives from any country voiced their objections; they had been waiting impatiently for this moment.
"Then, as is customary, let's begin with the first representative on the left."
The first to have a voice was Waji Valley.
It was a small settlement located deep in the mountains in a salt marshland, with a total population of no more than eight hundred. They struggled to survive by relying on their ancestral salt-making skills and a small oasis where salt-tolerant crops could barely be grown.
Their representative was a young man with dark, shiny skin. He was clearly nervous, and when he stood up, he gripped the table tightly with both hands.
"Distinguished delegates, I am Hassan from the Waji Valley. We—we are in deep trouble."
"The conscription teams from Tolmekia took away our winter food reserves and almost all of our horned cattle. Without more food, we won't survive the winter."
"We of the Waji Valley are willing to pay any price—salt or labor—until the men return. We are ready to work for any country! We only ask that we may exchange our labor for food to save our people!"
After the young man finished speaking, he looked around the long table with earnest Rings of Light, especially at the representatives of the countries known for their grain production.
However, he was met with silence.
In the past, when faced with requests for help from friendly nations, even if we couldn't provide full assistance, we would at least offer some verbal support or make some symbolic promises.
But today, almost all the delegates were mute. Hassan, unwilling to give up, repeated Waji Valley's predicament and pleas. If he weren't representing the country's image, he would have knelt down and begged.
As long as it can be exchanged for food.
But still no one answered. The color drained from his face, and he silently returned to his seat.
He couldn't understand why his once friendly neighbors had become so cold-blooded.
However, like the other attendees, he quickly understood the reason behind the silence.
Waji Valley is not an isolated case; small settlements such as Sand Mountain Town and Salt Sea Town have raised strikingly similar demands.
" Tolmekia took most of our food rations—"
"Conscription has taken away many able-bodied men, making it impossible to complete spring planting—"
"Trade routes have been disrupted by the war in Pejite, preventing the import of grain and causing prices to skyrocket—"
The conscripts in Tolmekia were like greedy locusts; they took away the able-bodied men who had labor; they emptied the granaries of those with grain reserves; and if they had both labor and grain, they took both.
Everyone knew that the armies of the various countries didn't need that many supplies and food, but no one dared to stop this "skimming" behavior.
This is also a major weakness of countries that lack Liquid Field technology and can only rely on traditional agriculture on the land to make a living; once the external environment deteriorates, they will quickly fall into famine.
Of course, not all countries are in a predicament; those with close ties to major powers or those that are relatively wealthy do not have these troubles.
For example, the representative of Valley of Sand is a middle-aged man with a large gemstone ring on his finger.
When it was his turn to speak, the man was beaming, and his attendants immediately presented him with a tray covered in velvet.
"Please take a look, everyone. This is a ruby mother mineral core that we discovered by chance this year; its quality is exceptional."
The Valley of Sand representative lifted the velvet cloth to reveal a fist-sized, deep blood-red gemstone under the light.
"For guests interested in collecting, please feel free to discuss further after the meeting. In addition, our artisans in the valley have made new breakthroughs in jewelry design this year—"
He spoke eloquently, showcasing several exquisite pieces of jewelry inlaid with various gemstones, attracting the interested gazes of several representatives from major countries.
For people like Valley of Sand who have connections, the food crisis is someone else's problem. With their relationships with wealthy merchants and nobles from various countries, the share of food that leaks from the fingers of major powers is enough to meet their needs.
They could even use this opportunity to exchange food for the most valuable resources of other smaller countries.
The representative from Valley of Sand sat down with satisfaction, and the atmosphere in the venue seemed to liven up slightly with the brilliance of the jewels. The order of speaking proceeded clockwise according to the seating arrangement.
As representatives from various countries rose to speak, it was finally time for a special spot to take my place.
Valley of the Wind.
The Valley of the Wind has always been a delicate entity, a blurred dividing line between "weak nations" and "strong nations".
It not only possesses the largest area of pristine land among all nations, but it also once controlled numerous ancient gunboats, making it a force to be reckoned with.
But a series of misfortunes struck it: a wave of infant deaths decimated the population of the Valley of the Wind; and the last gunboat was destroyed in the war. This ancient kingdom was clearly heading towards decline.
(At least four gunboat wrecks are piled up at the bottom of the Valley of the Valley of the Wind castle)
Not long ago, there were rumors that the land of Valley of the Wind had been severely contaminated by the spores of the Sea of Corruption, resulting in a complete crop failure and a famine more severe than in most small countries, potentially leading to its demise.
But the appearance of Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind at this Joint Gathering surprised everyone.
Far from being defeated, they brought forth " Blessed Crops " of incredibly high quality and amazing taste.
This triggered a buying frenzy.
No one knows how they achieved this turnaround in adversity, but it undoubtedly adds a layer of mystery to Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind.
Now, all eyes are on the blue-robed girl who has been sitting quietly since she entered.
Under everyone's gaze, Nausicaä stood up steadily, her face calm and smiling beneath her silver helmet.
Her clear gaze swept across the room, lingering briefly on the faces of the representatives from the small countries who had just spoken and sought help.
"Fellow countrymen of the Sea of Corruption, I am Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind."
"We at Valley of the Wind are willing to provide food at low prices to aid all countries facing food crises."