"Enough!"
Seeing the scene growing increasingly chaotic, one of the elders stepped forward and interrupted them. "The accuracy of Master Wu's prophecy is something I believe everyone is aware of. I don't think we should hold onto any侥幸心理 (jǐnɡ xìnɡ xīn lǐ - hope for luck). How about this, let's stick to the old rules. Everyone gets ten minutes to ponder, and after ten minutes, we'll vote."
The old patriarch wanted to say something, but the other two elders didn't give him the chance and immediately voiced their agreement.
This was the fairest method the Gatekeepers had devised to embody democracy.
First, they would discuss a matter. When no conclusion could be reached, or when discussions stalled, they would proceed to a vote. The old patriarch, the Wu, and the five elders—a total of seven people—each had one vote, and the majority ruled.
From a modern perspective, this seemingly fair and democratic method still had many flaws, such as the so-called tyranny of the majority. However, it was the best solution they could think of.
Incidentally, there was a ten-minute period before the final vote, known as the cooling-off period.
Although not explicitly stated, most of the seven would choose to find a place to be alone during these ten minutes, for a final review. As for lobbying, it was unheard of.
It made sense. If they couldn't sway each other during the initial debate, trying to convince them in such a short period was clearly impossible.
There was a division among the seven regarding whether to allow more outsiders onto the lost continent. The old patriarch, the Wu, and one elder close to the old patriarch agreed with Bai Qi's plan to bring more outsiders to jointly resist the invasion of external creatures. However, the remaining four stubborn elders disagreed, refusing to let more outsiders set foot on this sacred land.
The old patriarch knew very well that if they proceeded to vote like this, they would lose with a three-to-four split. But there was nothing they could do at the moment, so they could only plan to tamper with the vote counts when they were revealed.
At worst, they would simply not reveal the opponent's votes and announce their own victory.
Ten minutes passed in the blink of an eye. After the seven completed their voting, the result shocked the old patriarch. The vote was four to three. They had won?
"How, how is this possible! There must have been a problem!"
Upon seeing the voting result, the elder who proposed the vote's color instantly changed. He couldn't understand why, when he had already coordinated with the other three elders, this would happen...
"It was me."
As this person stood there helplessly, a voice rang out. Following the direction of the voice, they saw it was the elder who had previously been falsely accused and had questioned the Wu's prophecy.
"I did it for you," the elder approached and shouted, "I ran around for you, and at this critical moment, you betray me. Have you no conscience?"
Facing the other's loud questioning, this elder said with a calm expression, "After ten minutes of cooling down, I've realized that having those outsiders help can minimize the losses for our Gatekeeper clan. I cannot gamble the entire Gatekeeper clan for my own selfish desires."
"You!"
The elder was also old, and already suffered from many chronic illnesses. Being so angered, his old ailment relapsed, his eyes rolled back, and he fainted.
Looking at the unconscious elder, the old patriarch didn't say much. The result was out, and the outcome was decided. There was no longer any need to keep him there, so he waved his hand for people outside to come in and carry him away.
However, the old patriarch couldn't understand why one of the four elders who had conspired together had suddenly defected.
In reality, the answer was simple: this defecting elder was a hidden pawn the Wu had secretly placed long ago, meant to play a crucial role at a critical moment.
The moment he had just stepped out, the Wu lifted the magic on him. A wave of dizziness washed over him, and his buried memories returned.
The guards on both sides assumed the elder was exhausted and rushed to help him. None of them noticed that as the elder was being helped up, he exchanged a glance with the Wu. Therefore, in the subsequent vote, he decisively defected, leading to the scene they had just witnessed.
With the decision made to allow more outsiders in to help, the next step was to consider Bai Qi's conditions.
"Which part of the continent should we allocate for them to reside in? Does anyone have any suggestions?"
Without a second thought, an elder stood up and casually drew a circle on the edge of the map, saying, "How about here?"
Looking at the circle the elder had drawn, the old patriarch raised an eyebrow and said, "These outsiders are not fools. This place is far from the center of the continent, with scarce resources, mostly deserts and wastelands. Even if we give them this land, they might not want it."
"So what?" the elder said again. "We only promised to give them land to survive, but we didn't say where."
"No." Just then, the Wu, who had been silent, stepped forward and said, "Even if they agree, they will likely harbor resentment and won't truly help us wholeheartedly. I believe we should allocate this place to them." Su Dan Novel Network.
Saying this, the Wu pointed to the center of the map.
"Here?"
Looking at the place the Wu pointed to, not only the elders but also the old patriarch frowned.
It wasn't that this place had abundant resources and they would be reluctant to give it up, nor was it because it was located in the center of the continent. The real reason was that this was the location of the Gate of Destruction.
The Wu slowly explained his reasoning.
"This area is rich in resources and minerals. If we give it to them, these outsiders will have no complaints. After the war ends, the area around the Gate of Destruction will undoubtedly be a heavily impacted zone, and clearing it will require immense manpower and resources. More importantly, letting these outsiders settle here can serve as our bridgehead. If the Gate of Destruction shows any unusual activity, these people can buy us time."
The old patriarch said, "Master Wu, what you said is indeed correct, but... will they agree?"
They were smart, but the others were not fools either. The outsiders would surely understand what they could see. If they were displeased by this action and only went through the motions, it would be the Gatekeepers who suffered.
Unlike the others, the old patriarch's current thoughts were all about how to make Bai Qi and the others sincerely help them resist the enemy. Land was a secondary concern; giving it anywhere was fine.
"Don't worry, Patriarch," the Wu said. "I will find a way to convince them."
With the Wu's assurance, the old patriarch finally relaxed. He called out to Bai Xu outside and asked her to summon Bai Qi and the others.
When Bai Qi and Savage re-entered the meeting hall, the old patriarch, the Wu, and the four elders sat in their seats, having reached a consensus.