Ant Lord in the Star Realm-Chapter 630 - 567 For the Tribe_2

Aconite Spider King: "Let me first explain the reason for this reform. The world beneath our feet is only so vast, and there's only so much profit to go around. Caravans from different branches of our own tribe, as well as those from other tribes, often have overlapping trade partners. Inevitably, there's competition and disputes over interests. At present, when major disputes break out between caravans, everyone usually seeks mediation from a Spider King, and in serious cases, takes the issue to the Ancestral Land for the Steward Spider King to judge. This is highly inefficient. Very often, before an appropriate mediator is found, the argument has already escalated into a fight. These incidents aren't isolated; they occur every year."

Aconite Spider King: "We are one tribe and should stand united. As Roving Merchants, we value harmony above all, so we must optimize and reform the system to reduce or even eliminate such conflicts from happening."

Aconite Spider King paused, then continued: "Now for the specific rules of the reform: from the five Great Tribes, we will each select the three best and most respected Flame Spider Roving Merchants from among our kind: one will serve as Leader, two as Deputy Leaders. The selection period is eighty years, the evaluation period is ten years, and the formal term will be one hundred years. There are rigid requirements for candidacy. First, you must be under two hundred years of age; second, you must have your own caravan, which must travel and trade across the continent for the next two hundred years; third, you must possess upright character, good reputation, no major faults, and significant business achievement with trade at a certain scale."

Immediately, some spiders under two hundred years old raised their claws to ask, "Aconite Spider King, may I ask, what are the benefits of getting elected as Leader?"

Aconite Spider King shot back, "Everyone would address you as 'Leader' and you'd gain recognition and respect from all in the tribe—does that not count as a benefit?"

No benefits?

If there's nothing to gain, who would do it?

Not only would you have to work hard to mediate profit disputes between caravans, but if you handled it poorly, you'd end up offending spiders.

It's a thankless and exhausting job, through and through.

—Just a hollow title?

—Why even bother with an election?

—We're all trying to avoid this as much as possible.

Some spiders turned to sneak away, only to be batted back inside by the old Spider Kings guarding the door.

On the high platform, Aconite Spider King stepped back.

Spider King Pickerelweed, controlling a Spider Silk Scroll etched with floral patterns, stepped forward and declared, "After discussion among all the venerable old Spider Kings of our Flame Spider Tribe, we have jointly decided and nominated thirty young, promising Flame Spider Warriors who meet the requirements. I'll announce their names now; the ones I call, please come up on stage so all your kin can get to know you."

Spider King Pickerelweed: "Swirl Flower Spider King is 201 this year—one year over the limit. But, given its accomplishments, upon deliberation, all the Spider Kings in the Ancestral Land have unanimously decided to make an exception and allow its participation. This is a one-time exception and will not be repeated."

"Spider King Pickerelweed, this isn't right, is it? Rules are rules; you can't break them for my sake right after you've set them..." From the front row, one Spider King stalled, trying to turn and sneak away.

"Get up here!"

Spider King Pickerelweed barked in anger.

Swirl Flower Spider King flickered onto the stage. "I heed Spider King Pickerelweed's orders!"

Spider King Pickerelweed continued the roll call: "Coastal Violet Spider King, Red Banana Spider King, Trailing Lantana Spider King..."

There were 11 young Spider Kings under two hundred years old.

Spider King Pickerelweed continued: "Seven-Leaf Lord, Lord Melde, Leader Raccoon..."

Seven-Leaf, at the front of the line, leapt up.

Melde hesitated for a moment at Seven-Leaf's movement, then sluggishly crawled up onto the high platform.

White Ivy: "???"

White Ivy forced herself to wait until the list was finished.

Sure enough, her name wasn't called!

White Ivy was furious.

In the entire tribe, is there any young Flame Spider Roving Merchant better than me?

Right as she was about to speak up, Spider King Pickerelweed asked: "If you weren't nominated, but feel you have the ability, you may also self-recommend and sign up to participate."

White Ivy shot her front leg up. "Me!"

Spider King Pickerelweed: "Name?"

"White Ivy!"

White Ivy stepped forward and leapt up on stage.

"Oh—"

"White Ivy! I know you. Your caravan trades Origin Force Honey and is very renowned on the continent."

Spider King Pickerelweed: "Quite a few Spider Kings have mentioned you, but unfortunately, you don't meet the requirements. According to our investigation, when you were three years old, you had a conflict with Little Warrior Placoid Scale, and broke one of its legs. You have a record of harming your kin, which makes you ineligible."

White Ivy: "???"

Down below, Grass Dragon, Lupine, and Column Spotted all shrank back in fright: This isn't a joke? She actually broke a leg?

White Ivy, incredulous: "You even check things from when we were three?"

Spider King Pickerelweed coldly replied, "Yes, we check."

White Ivy: "If you hadn't brought it up, I would've forgotten all about it."

Spider King Pickerelweed: "The spider whose leg you broke hasn't forgotten."

White Ivy's gaze shifted, and she sent out a mental probe: "Placoid Scale, hey spider! Speak up! Do you still remember this?"

Down below,

Among the spider crowd, a timid spiritual voice drifted up, "Forgot."

"See? We both forgot about it. Why on earth do you remember so clearly?"

White Ivy spun around, stood on tiptoe, stretched up to peer around, and teased, "Is there an old spider targeting me? Afraid I'll outshine their junior?"

Melde, seeing this, quickly used a claw to press her down: When you say such things, what do you mean by looking straight at Aconite Spider King?

Spider King Pickerelweed: "Since both parties have forgotten, there is room for flexibility."

Spider King Pickerelweed: "I also heard you went bankrupt twice."

White Ivy: "Just once."

White Ivy, annoyed, asked: "What's wrong with going bankrupt? I grew up with no elder's guidance, had to start my own business—who doesn't fail at first? Now I'm running a fine operation! Any spider you picked, can they match me?"

Spider King Pickerelweed: "..."

Spider King Pickerelweed said calmly: "There's also a rule Aconite Spider King didn't announce—during the eighty-year selection, we mainly tally how caravans develop and the Source Stone profits earned. To officially become Leader, you must donate ten million Source Stones to the Ancestral Land."

—Ten million Source Stones?

—A donation?

—That's daylight robbery!

—Have these old spiders lost their minds?

On hearing this, many spiders on stage grew displeased and quickly hopped off.

White Ivy paused and calculated: Spend ten million Source Stones for a hundred years of prestige, that's a hundred thousand per year—so expensive!

Spider King Pickerelweed coolly asked, "White Ivy, do you still want to participate?"

White Ivy: "Most most most respected Spider King Pickerelweed, can we get a discount?"

Spider King Pickerelweed: "No!"

White Ivy: "Half price?"

Spider King Pickerelweed: "Not a single Source Stone less."

White Ivy: "Eighty percent okay then?"

Spider King Pickerelweed: "This is a rule, not a sale."

White Ivy: "..."

White Ivy gritted her mandibles: "Fine! Ten million, I'll donate, not a Source Stone less."

As soon as she said this, exclamations broke out:

—So tough!

—White Ivy is really that rich now?

—No matter how rich, isn't this paying for trouble?

—What an idiot spider?

...

You'd agree to this? Spider King Pickerelweed was surprised and asked, "Why?"

White Ivy answered firmly, "For the Tribe!"

Spider King Pickerelweed: "..."

Spider King Pickerelweed: "All right. Lord White Ivy meets the requirements. Stand behind me."

Spider King Pickerelweed looked dispassionately below, gaze lingering on the spiders scared off by the ten million, and sighed:

"I was just testing White Ivy's character. Don't be afraid. To be elected Leader, you don't actually have to donate any Source Stones. Besides, how many of you could really come up with ten million?"

"Anyone who ran off clearly didn't have ten million!"

An off-stage Flame Spider grumbled in protest.

"Get back up here! Spineless creature!"

Spider King Pickerelweed: "All nominated spiders must participate. Even if you're just making up the numbers, do it with due diligence. No half-heartedness allowed."

Spider King Pickerelweed didn't waste any more words and continued to ask: "Is there anyone else who meets the requirements and wants to participate?"

No response.

You can't even run, who'd join voluntarily now?

Spider King Pickerelweed: "I'll ask again—is there anyone who wants to join?"

No reply.

No more.

Spider King Pickerelweed: "Then let me explain the election rules in detail. First, according to caravan count, each spider participating in the selection may pick up to four members from their caravan to assist, forming a campaign caravan. Fewer members is fine, but not more, and no member may be above a hundred and fifty years old."

"Second, the time limit is eighty years. Only growth in Divine-Given Seed shares and profit generated by the caravan during this period will be counted; ordinary Origin Force Food and Divine God-Given Seed profits will not be counted."

"Third, only results obtained from the participants' own management and ability will be tallied. Any gifts received from elders, those of the same bloodline, or any other spider will not be included. Annual reports must be submitted to me and the Steward Spider Kings. After eighty years, the final results will be made public and subject to review by all spiders of the tribe—review will last ten years."

"Fourth, on the issue of payment: what I said earlier was only a test. How could there be no compensation for serving as Leader? From now on, Divine-Grade Five-Plus Fruit from the Ancestral Land will no longer be auctioned but sold directly at the starting bid price to the outstanding young Leaders who emerge from the five Great Tribes..."