Chapter 3: Wicked Dragon Reappears

Komer's sharp gaze quickly detected the hidden trap in the other party's words. The exploitation and processing of gem mines are far less complex and difficult than those of iron and copper, or other metal mines, and do not require high transportation conditions like coal mines. Gemstones and other valuable materials such as diamonds, amber, jade, and agate have always been major exports for the barbarians in exchange for food and other necessities of production and life. Under no circumstance should such mines be tossed out as a bargaining chip, even if they desperately needed his support. Yet, this fellow was so generously offering equity in a gem mine in exchange for concessions in military material allocations, raising inevitable suspicions.