Chapter 265: New Plan For Salt Well{ii}

Sora ignored his interruption and continued explaining her reasoning.

"If we keep the Salt Well Cave hidden, we’ll have to spend considerable manpower watching over it. We’ll need guards, patrols, and people to protect the surrounding area. Even then, we can’t guarantee that another Tribe won’t discover it and try to seize it by force."

She paused briefly.

"But if we cooperate with a powerful force, the situation will be different. Even if other Tribes covet the Salt Well, they’ll have to think carefully before making a move. After all, taking it from a group of cooperating forces would be much more difficult than attacking the Wolf Tribe alone."

Martin’s eyes narrowed thoughtfully.

He had already begun to understand where she was going with this.

"You want to cooperate with the people from the City-State?"

Sora smiled.

"Exactly."

She explained the arrangement she had in mind.

"We can provide them with our salt-purification techniques. In exchange, they can give us Beast Crystals and send people to help guard the Salt Well Cave."

She lifted her chin slightly.

"They get access to a better way of producing salt, and we gain resources, protection, and a stronger position among the surrounding Tribes. Both sides benefit."

Before Martin could respond, Mark hurriedly interrupted.

"No way!"

His expression was full of disbelief.

"Wouldn’t that be the same as handing the Salt Well Cave over to someone else? Once the City-State learns about it, how can we be sure they’ll keep their promise? What if they simply take the cave for themselves?"

Mark’s concern was understandable.

The Salt Well Cave was too valuable to surrender carelessly.

Although Martin felt that Mark’s reaction was somewhat impulsive, he didn’t immediately silence him. Instead, he considered the objection carefully before turning back to Sora.

"If we can reach an agreement, this could indeed be a good method," he admitted. "However, there is a serious problem."

His expression became solemn.

"Once the City-State discovers the existence of the Salt Well Cave, they might decide to seize it directly. If that happens, we’ll have invited a wolf into our home."

Martin understood the City-State’s strength better than most.

For years, it had occupied the most prosperous territory in the region. Its position wasn’t maintained by luck alone.

Apart from its advanced salt-making techniques, the City-State possessed an intimidating number of powerful Beastmen.

There were more than a hundred Beastmen above the Fifth Rank, not to mention the considerable number of Sixth-Rank Beastmen among its ranks.

Such strength could not be underestimated.

It was precisely because of the City-State’s power that so many Tribes had no choice but to hunt constantly, gather Beast Crystals, and exchange them for salt.

Without salt, daily life became difficult. Food preservation was harder, and the Tribes were forced to depend on whoever controlled the supply.

The City-State had maintained its advantage for years because it possessed both the resources and the strength to protect its position.

If the Wolf Tribe carelessly revealed the Salt Well Cave, the City-State might see it as an opportunity to expand its own power.

Sora had naturally considered this possibility.

However, she wasn’t worried.

"Even if they obtain the Salt Well Cave, they won’t know how to purify the salt properly," she said confidently. "Without our method, taking control of it won’t be particularly useful to them."

Martin studied her face.

Sora continued explaining.

"I’ve already made inquiries. Most of the City-State’s salt comes from salt lakes and salt fields. Collecting salt from those places is much easier than extracting and purifying it from a Salt Well."

She gestured as she spoke, laying out the difference between the two methods.

"With salt lakes and salt fields, they can collect salt from the surface and use relatively simple processes involving drying and settling to obtain a usable product. That’s why they’ve been able to supply so many Tribes."

She paused.

"But the Salt Well is different. The water must be processed carefully before the salt can be used. Our purification method is more complicated, and without knowing the correct steps, the City-State won’t be able to make full use of the resource."

Sora’s lips curved into a small smile.

"Besides, our method could also improve the purity of the salt they already produce. Even if they don’t desperately need the Salt Well itself, they would still benefit from learning our technique."

That was the key to her plan.

She wasn’t proposing that the Wolf Tribe simply surrender its most valuable resource. Instead, she wanted to turn its advantage into a means of gaining allies, resources, and greater security.

By offering something the City-State wanted, the Wolf Tribe could negotiate from a position of value rather than weakness.

Martin’s expression gradually brightened.

The more he thought about it, the more promising the proposal seemed.

"Excellent!"

He smiled broadly.

"Then I’ll send a letter to their leader immediately and arrange a meeting."

Sora quickly raised her hand to stop him.

"Father, there’s no need to rush."

Martin looked at her in confusion.

"What do you mean? If we want to cooperate with them, shouldn’t we approach them first?"

Sora shook her head.

"Approaching them proactively might not be the best choice."

Her lips curled into a knowing smile.

"What I want is for them to come to our door and ask us for cooperation themselves."

The surrounding Beastmen fell silent for a moment as they considered her words.

Then Damien’s dark eyes flashed with amusement.

He looked at Sora and smiled faintly.

"You’re planning to use our fine salt as bait, aren’t you? Let them catch its scent and follow it straight to us."

Sora nodded approvingly.

"That’s right."

She folded her arms, looking rather pleased with herself.

"After all, good wine needs no bush. If our salt is good enough, we won’t have to beg anyone to cooperate with us. Once the City-State realizes how valuable our product is, they’ll naturally want to learn where it comes from and how we make it."

And once they came looking for answers, the Wolf Tribe would have the opportunity to negotiate on its own terms.

Martin immediately understood.

"Good! I’ll arrange for a few people to go near the City-State and sell our fine salt."

He was clearly excited about the prospect.

Sora, however, reminded him of one important detail.

"Father, make sure they do it quietly. Don’t let anyone realize that the salt comes directly from the Wolf Tribe."

Martin waved his hand confidently.

"Don’t worry. I understand."

He had spent years leading the Wolf Tribe and knew the importance of keeping valuable information concealed until the right moment.

Then his gaze returned to Sora’s belly.

His excitement faded slightly as concern resurfaced.

"Enough about these matters for now. You’ve already done more than enough. Just concentrate on taking care of your pregnancy. Don’t overwork yourself."

Sora looked down at her round belly and waved her hand dismissively.

"Father, I’m fine. The little cubs are behaving very well. They haven’t been troublesome at all."

Martin still looked unconvinced.

Sora herself was a little surprised by how quickly her pregnancy seemed to be progressing.

Only a month earlier, her belly had barely changed. It had remained relatively flat, making her think that the pregnancy might last seven or eight months, much like a human pregnancy.

But recently, everything had changed.

Her belly had grown rapidly, becoming noticeably rounder in a short period.

The speed of the change left her amazed.

It seemed that the gestation period of Beastmen was much shorter than that of humans.

Sora gently stroked her belly, feeling a mixture of curiosity and anticipation.

At this rate, she wondered whether she would soon be welcoming her little cubs into the world.

Looking at her growing belly, she couldn’t help thinking that the day of delivery might be much closer than she had originally expected.