LOL: Summoner of Goddess Jana

Chapter 425 Sivir's Diary
Shurima calendar 6879, November 11, Belgun.

This is the first day of entrustment.

From the day my trusty Myra stabbed me in the back, ransacked me, and abandoned me in the desert, I learned the most important law of survival in Shurima—

Do not trust anyone.

There are no good people in Shurima.

There is only sand in this vast desert, and there is no soil for human and moral survival.

The ideal flower may bloom anywhere in the world, but in Shurima, it can only dry up and die.

So I don't believe in leaders and their high-sounding slogans.

I think they must have other plans, just like the Piltover merchants and Noxian invaders who came to Shurima in the past hundreds of years.

I say this bluntly and hope to debunk the hypocrisy of these leaders.

But Taliyah said she understood me.

She also said that this journey will definitely make me change my mind about leaders.

really?I do not believe.

November 11, Belguin.

These leaders are really idle.

They finished measuring the flow of that river yesterday, surveyed the surrounding topography and landforms, and started chatting with people all over the city today.

Beggars on the street, orphans on the streets, bonded workers on the docks, slaves in manors outside the city... no matter how humble the status of the person they are talking to, they can chat with each other in full swing.

I yawned as I listened to it.

What's the point of these people's stories?A bitter taste of despair.

Hey, this is Shurima.What's new about this kind of tragic story?
I'm tired of watching it.

Fortunately, the commission has been negotiated and is billed on a daily basis.

They like to chat, and I am happy to relax.

November 11, Belguin.

Three days have passed, and these leaders still have no intention of leaving for other cities.

They are still constantly chatting with various people, and the content of the conversation is getting more and more in-depth, and the information they have is getting more and more comprehensive.

I followed Taliyah all the time, and I saw many details that I had overlooked.

I have to say that these leaders did change part of my mind.

For example, my take on Belguin.

In my original cognition, or in the impression of most Shurima people, the life of Belgun people is already "a good day like heaven".

Not for anything else, just because there is water and it is close to the sea.

With water, the land here can grow food, melons, fruits and vegetables.

There is no need to be like those desert tribes who regard water as their life, for such a pitifully small oasis, a nearly dry underground river, like wild beasts competing for food, fighting each other day after day.

Being close to the sea, and facing the mainland of Valoran across the sea, it is destined that there will be prosperous business here.

The treasures plundered by desert robbers, the cultural relics unearthed by ancient tomb thieves, the animal skins produced by the nomadic tribes in the central region, and the various scarce minerals mined by the hill tribes in the south——

These people are going through the sand and the wind, and the good things they exchanged their lives for will eventually have to cross the vast desert and gather on the northern shore of Shurima.

And a city-state on the north shore like Belguen only needs to ship these good things and sell them, and then lie comfortably and count the money.

Just because it is near the sea, has a port, and is closer to the Valoran continent, the destination of commodity exports.

In short, compared with other areas in Shurima, this place already has enviable natural conditions.

So I think that no matter how bad the life of the Belgun people is, it can't be worse than the tribal people I saw in the desert.

What's more, I was a wandering orphan in the desert city-state since I was a child.No one understands this miserable world better than me.

The sufferings of the people of Belgun used to seem to me like the sting of a fly, not worth mentioning at all.

But the social survey conducted by the leader seems to have revealed another side of this prosperous city-state for me.

November 11, Belguin.

The social investigation on Belgüen is coming to an end.

Although I have been with Taliyah, I have seen many things.

But the results of Taliyah's investigation alone are not enough to explain anything.

I really want to know how detailed and true the situation of Belguen can be finally described by combining the information collected by so many investigators.

So, out of curiosity, I took the initiative to ask Taliyah this question for the first time.

Taliyah was glad I could ask her.

She also told me the real situation of Belgun in detail.

"Whether it's Belgun or the other port city-states on the north coast of Shurima, they are nothing more than a straw inserted by the Noxus Empire on the continent of Shurima."

"These straws are continuously drawing out the blood of the Shurima continent. The blood and sweat of the Shurima people remaining on the walls of the straws has created the superficial prosperity of Belgun."

That's how Taliyah summed it up.

And that's exactly what happened.

Taliyah mentioned it before, because the water vapor here is relatively abundant, and the agriculture in the Belgun area is fairly developed.

And because it is not far from Zaun and Piltover, but it is only a one-day and one-night flight, it has also become an important fruit and vegetable supply base for Shuangcheng.

The export of the most basic agricultural products alone can bring huge profits to Belguen every year.

Not to mention, the gold, jade, rare minerals, and ancient cultural relics transported by desert caravans will eventually gather here before exporting.

It can be said that Belgun was indeed very rich.

But where did all the money go?Has such a huge profit really benefited the most Belgian people?

The answer is obviously no.

I can figure it out too.

As the head of a medium-sized mercenary group, I am usually the one who gets the commission for myself and the backbone of the team, and the rest of the soup will be distributed to those low-level mercenaries.

It is only right and proper for the upper class to eat meat and the lower class to drink soup.

But what I didn't expect was that the situation in Belguen was:
"Noxians eat meat, Shurima compradors drink soup. And ordinary Belguns. In fact, they are the meat and soup shared by the imperial masters and comprador merchants."

Taliyah told me so.

Belguin's exports were indeed valuable enough.But all these export commodities need to go through the "Shurima North Shore Trading Company" operated by the Noxus Empire in order to be sold smoothly.

In other words, most of Belgun's foreign trade profits were actually taken by the Noxus.

However, after Belguen's city-state council handed over its economic sovereignty, what it got was only 10% of the annual profit dividend of the North Shore Trading Company of Shurima.

9% belong to the Noxus, and the merchants in Belguen can only get 1%.

And this 1% is not something anyone can get if they want to.Only Shurima merchants who cooperate with the Noxus Empire and have colonial officers and masters as shareholders are eligible to participate in this foreign trade that is completely dominated by Noxus.

"Belguin's exports were completely controlled by colonists and comprador traders."

"And on the import side, Belguin is also not doing much better."

"Noxians don't even need to produce their own goods. They just buy ship after ship of cheap industrial goods in Zaun, and resell them to make a lot of money in Belgun and other city-states on the northern shore of Shurima. Full."

"Exports can't keep profits, and imports are plundered and dumped. No matter how close Belgun is to Zaun and Piltover, it is impossible to start the road to industrialization and become rich and progressive."

This kind of sustainable plundering method has actually seriously damaged the interests of the merchant class in Belguen.

Even if they worked hard as compradors, they could only drink a little bit of soup left over from the Noxians.

So why didn't they fight back?
Facing the invasion and colonization of the Noxus Empire, these coastal city-states have never organized a decent resistance.

Why are those desert tribes that are closer to the colonies on the north shore that resist the Noxus Empire, instead of the merchants on the north shore who are directly under colonial rule and whose interests are most damaged?

I asked this question at the time.

And Taliyah's answer was:

"Because compared to the colonists of Noxus, the merchants of the coastal city-states on the north coast of Shurima are actually more afraid of their theoretical compatriots, those desert tribes in the south."

As all desert tribes know, the north shore of Shurima is a good place.

If you can occupy the city-states on the north coast and earn money lying on the coast with abundant water, who would like to stay in the desert and eat sand?

Thus, in the nearly 3000 years since the fall of the Shurima Empire
The history of Shurima can almost be seen as the history of the powerful desert tribes in the south constantly invading the coastal city-states on the north coast.

A powerful desert tribe came out of the long yellow sand and occupied the colorful world on the northern shore of Shurima, and then a hundred years later, it was replaced by the next tribe that came out of the southern desert.

History repeats itself endlessly like this, and no master of the North Shore city-state has been able to keep their wealth and status for a long time.

Until the colonists of the Twin Cities 300 years ago, and later the arrival of the Noxus Empire.

Taliyah thought that the Noxian Empire should be evil in the eyes of Shurima.

But in fact, those merchants from the city-states on the north shore who had suffered from desert tribes for a long time were eating pots of milk to welcome the king's army, and rushed to beg Noxus to come here to garrison.

"They would rather be dogs to the Noxians than secure their position."

"With the Noxians they can still drink soup. Without the Noxians, they could be replaced at any time."

"So, they betrayed Shurima."

Even comprador merchants are willing to be dogs, and can only eat leftovers.

Don't even think about the situation of those ordinary Belguns.

"Belgun's industry and commerce have long been completely monopolized by Noxus colonists and comprador merchants. Apart from working for them, ordinary people have almost no other way out."

Does Belgun treat the employees well?

There is no need to discuss this issue.

Because Belguin has almost no hired labor as free people, only slave labor.

Don't forget, this is Shurima.

"Those desert tribes are attacking each other all the time, and the flames of war spread disorderly in the yellow sands of Shurima every day."

This means that tribes perish in the desert every day, and countless tribesmen become slaves every day.

And these slaves will be regarded as a hot commodity by those desert tribes, and will be continuously sold to the city-states on the north shore of Shurima.

"Not to mention, the Noxus Empire itself is the biggest slave trader in Runeterra."

"The slaves they captured from all over the world are so inexhaustible that a large part of them are treated as worthless consumables and thrown into their colonial plantations on the north shore of Shurima."

With the desert tribe and the Noxus Empire, two stable and large sources of high-quality supplies, one can imagine how cheap a human life can be here.

"Not to mention, it's not too far from Zaun." Taliyah also mentioned this.

Because it is not far from Zaun, the manor owners of Belgun also learned the "advanced" slave management experience of the alchemy barons from the old Zaun, which greatly improved the work efficiency of the slaves.

Coupled with the fact that human life here is cheaper than in old Zaun, they are even more unscrupulous in consuming slaves.

"Slaves are cheap and easy to use, and the supply is stable and sufficient."

"This means that an ordinary Belgian without family inheritance and special skills usually only has two choices:"

"One, escape here and find another way of life."

"Two, long-term unemployment because jobs were replaced by slaves, and debt because of the high cost of living, eventually becoming slaves too."

Most people will choose the former.After all, no one wants to be a slave.

But the former is not necessarily a good choice.

Because the city-states on the north coast of the coast like Belguen are already the wealthiest areas in Shurima.

Where can they escape from here?
Fleeing into the vast desert?The desert tribes themselves are too poor to eat, so how can they find time to support outsiders!
So when things develop to the end, there is often only one choice:

"Escape to Piltover."

Everyone yearns for this city of civilization and progress.The city-state on the north coast of Shurima is not far from the two cities, and has close trade relations with the two cities.The residents here naturally look forward to the infinite prosperity of the legendary Piltover.

Therefore, in the past many years, countless desperate people on the north coast of Shurima, with the illusion of a bright future, have embarked on the seaboat to Piltover without hesitation.

And after these people go to this dream city, can they really get the life they dream of?

No.

"As outsiders without legal status, they will only be treated the same as Zaun apprentices."

What are the benefits of a Zaun Apprentice?
Take the pitiful salary of an apprentice, come to Picheng to work, and honestly go back to Zaun after finishing the job.

In short, there are ten thousand ways in Piltover to make you unable to take root and stand up here, so you can only come and leave naked.

Such is the fate of most Zaun apprentices.

And the people of Zaun will be driven back to Zaun, where will the people of Shurima be driven?

And of course Zaun.

Piltover law enforcement will not be kind enough to pay for their return to Shurima.

What's more, these Shurima people can't go back.Because even if they went back, the city-states on the north shore would not have a place for them.

They can only go to Zaun, sell their last remaining value for those alchemy barons, and die without dignity.

And this is why the alchemy barons squandered their lives so much, and the population of Zaun has remained stable and not declining.

Because there are too many hopeless places like Shurima's North Shore outside of the Twin Cities.

People came to the "paradise" of Piltover with their last hope, then were disillusioned and fell into the purgatory of Zaun.

"Many comrades in our investigation team came to Zaun in this way."

Taliyah pointed to the members of the investigation team around her and said to me:
"They are Shuriman, apprentices from Piltover, workers from Zaun."

"Now there are no so-called apprentices in Piltover, and Zaun's workers have stood up. But the people of Shurima are still sinking in this endless pain."

"So, Sivir—do you see why we're coming back?"

November 12, Belguin.

After listening to the social survey results summarized by Taliyah yesterday, I was inexplicably angry.

Whence came this anger, I do not know myself.

I've never cared about the fate of Shurima before, nor the fate of the people of Shurima.

I'm fine with myself, and that's enough.The conspiracy of Noxus and comprador merchants has not affected my business.

In fact, I've made quite a bit of gold in the past from business brought in by those wealthy Noxians.

But after this social investigation, I still instinctively feel angry when I see the suffering they have brought to this land.

I instinctively want to change all this.

Taliyah seemed to see through my thoughts.

She didn't say much, but sent me a Shuriman version of "A Brief Statement of Janna's Thought".

Here lies the answer to the question, she said.As long as I understand it, I can know what the leaders are doing, why they are doing it, and why only the leaders can do it.

Well.
I politely accepted.

But my wife doesn't like reading.

November 12, Belguin.

The social investigation of Belgun was finally declared over.

But the bad thing is that Taliyah and the others' previous actions of inquiring about the news and investigating the situation still caught the attention of the Noxus colonists.

A group of Noxian soldiers came to the hotel where we stayed.

I thought it was going to be a tough fight.In order to be worthy of the commission given by the leader, I, who had been hanging out with Taliyah for more than a week, stood up very professionally.

But did not expect
After the group of Noxus learned that Taliyah and the others were the true leaders of Zaun, they immediately put down their weapons, expressing their willingness to surrender and accept reform.

I:"."

It was only later that I learned that the former commander of the Noxian Southern Legion was General Du Caucao.

Ever since the news of General Du Kecao's surrender of the leader in Ionia spread, the Noxus Southern Colonial Legion's morale had almost completely disintegrated.

Not to mention, the northern shore of Shurima is so close to Zaun, no one knows when the leader will come.

So the capable aristocratic lords have long thought of a way to transfer back to the mainland of the empire with the huge property they accumulated in the colonies.

The Noxians who are staying here are middle- and lower-level officers and soldiers who have nowhere to go.

They spend almost every day in worry and fear, and they have long made themselves into frightened birds.

November 12, Belguin.

Belgun is really too close to Zaun.

I seem to have underestimated the influence of the leader in Belguen.Maybe Taliyah herself didn't expect that the name of the goddess Janna would be so useful here.

Their identities were just exposed yesterday, today
Soldiers from Noxus began to line up here to surrender;

The landowners of Belguin also started a race to free the slaves;

The comprador merchants were either frightened and ran away with the money on the spot, or they donated their floating wealth with a mournful face, just for peace.

Taliyah originally planned to do a social survey, but unexpectedly liberated a city-state.

Helpless, she could only allocate a part of her staff to take over Belgun, and then pack her luggage and continue the long journey ahead.

This made me realize that the power of the leader is more terrifying than I imagined.The legend that Goddess Nagana manipulated the hurricane to shake the two cities is probably not exaggerated at all.

These leaders seem to have the ability to save Shurima.

So, out of nowhere, I picked up the "A Brief Introduction to Janna's Thoughts".

(End of this chapter)