Chapter 278 - 19: Merger (2)
Komer’s expression darkened. In recent times, the Homer Navy Fleet had been particularly active, continuously intercepting merchant ships in the central region of the Nether Sea to inspect fleets coming in and out of Mattdam, strictly enforcing a so-called ban to prevent strategic resources from flowing into the territories of Leon and the Barbarians. Everyone was well aware of the actual targets. Even if the ships had complete paperwork and had paid their taxes adequately, they were still brought back to Odessa and delayed for a few days before being released. This caused resentment among the crews traveling to and from Mattdam. Fortunately, the Homer Navy had not yet crossed the traditional boundary line controlled by the Gray Skull; merchant ships coming from the colonies on the Blue Continent and those from the south of the Blue Continent had not been greatly affected. However, much of Caucasus’s food supply came from the north, and now the plan to maintain necessary food reserves by hoping for local bumper harvests and then importing large quantities of food had been put on hold. The current food imports were no longer meeting the needs, which had become Komer’s most daunting challenge.
Komer also knew that it was no longer meaningful to negotiate with those folks from Gote. The Gray Skull’s attention had turned entirely towards the Mediterranean to the south. The rapidly expanding influence of the Red-haired Witch Katerina’s pirate fleet had seriously threatened the survival of the Gray Skull, and after acquiring the Mirror of Thousand Miles, the Gray Skull had come to believe in their strength to reclaim the rights that were originally theirs. The conflict between them had moved from small-scale clashes towards war. Therefore, the Gray Skull paid no attention to the Homer Navy’s continuously southern extending patrol range. As long as it did not threaten their foundation, looking at the situation, it was unlikely they would easily enter into conflict with the Homer Navy over the life and death of Caucasus.
To solve this problem now, Komer had to rely on himself. His gaze stealthily drifted westward, where the vast Great Swamp lay. The Great Swamp Area was created largely due to the abundant water supplied by the Catania River and its massive tributary system, combined with frequent flooding. It was also the biggest habitat of the Jellyfish People.
The Jellyfish People might be one of the most fascinating species on the Continent. They were unlike species that lived entirely on land, nor were they like the Shark people who spent the majority of their time in water. Their favorite habitat was the swamps and wetlands that were widely distributed across the Continent - an environment that most other species found intolerable. For them, it was a paradise. Their unique way of living, shaped by their special environment, involved constructing wooden houses on the harder ground of the wetlands or swamps. They had a type of fin on their body that could transform at will, which allowed them to move with ease through swamps and wetlands. Of course, they could also live freely in rivers, lakes, and on land. However, being away from water for too long or living in water for extended periods would harm their health. Therefore, they chose to live in swamps and wetlands, subsisting on fishing, hunting, and cultivating some edible plants that thrived in such environments.
Their particular lifestyle and self-imposed isolation rendered them barely communicative with the outside world. Whether it was the Mortals spread across the Continent or the Shark people, whose customs were quite similar, they had little contact with either. They seemed quite satisfied with this way of life. Perhaps the only way the outside world could interact with them was due to their unique living environment, which made them prone to certain diseases. This necessitated trade with specially allowed merchants, from whom they bought medicinal herbs while selling local specialties as a form of exchange. This was probably the only channel of communication they had with the outside world.
A considerable stretch of the Catania River ran through the Great Swamp Area, marked on maps as the Java Swamp. Whether it was the Barbarians and other nations and forces to the south of the swamp or the kingdoms to the north and the countries including the Duchy of Rosenbourg to the east, no one dared to venture easily into these magical waters. The exclusionary Jellyfish People detested any disturbance to their peaceful existence. They had been living in this region, including the Swamp Area, for several hundred years. Decades ago, both the kingdom to the east, the Rosenborg Kingdom, and the Luval City-State on the southern bank of the Catania River had hoped to open up this important waterway for the landlocked countries. However, their attempts to navigate through this stretch of water were thwarted by the Jellyfish People. After several conflicts, this asymmetrical war ended with the failure of the Rosenborg Kingdom and the Luval City-State. Dozens of warships and merchant vessels sank in the Catania River. The Jellyfish People, who did not entertain negotiations, had completely closed off any attempts to open this waterway. Henceforth, apart from the upper reaches, the middle and lower reaches of the Catania River became an abandoned and desolate waterway.
Afterwards, numerous Adventurers tried to drift down the Catania River, but without exception, none returned. It was unknown whether they encountered dangers on the water or had fallen into the hands of the area’s masters – the Jellyfish People. The entire Great Swamp Area was shrouded in a dense mist, and no one knew exactly what lay inside. Even the few traders who had long-term contact with the Jellyfish People could only enter the outermost outposts of the Swamp Area and no further. All trade had to take place within a handful of these outposts. The Jellyfish People’s completely self-sufficient economy meant they could sustain themselves without much contact with the outside world. This made the attempts by various parties to find the Jellyfish People’s weakness and open up this crucial waterway through the Great Swamp Area futile after various trials.