Alliance

After all, whether or not they cooperated didn't have much to do with them.

They were only invited because they possessed sufficient strength, and it was precisely because of that strength that they were able to sit here.

Just as the undercurrents in the conference hall surged and everyone harbored their own hidden agendas, the doors to the hall were pushed open silently.

A tall figure stepped inside.

Almost instantly, every gaze converged in unison.

The person who had arrived was none other than Cheng Shuili.

She wore a simple black combat suit today, layered with a trench coat. Her gait was steady, her face expressionless, and her eyes swept calmly across every face present.

The moment she appeared, the already tense atmosphere in the conference hall seemed to solidify even further.

Several faction leaders, who had previously appeared arrogant or held a spectator's mentality, subconsciously softened their posture as her gaze swept over them.

"Sorry to keep you all waiting."

Cheng Shuili walked to the main seat but did not sit down immediately. She leaned one hand against the smooth tabletop, her body slightly inclined forward as her gaze scanned the room once more.

"Time is pressing, so let's skip the pleasantries." Her voice was clear, measured, and calm. "You have all seen the system announcement. In twenty-four hours, the first cross-region connection test will occur. The week after next, the full-server merger will officially take place."

"What this implies, everyone present should understand better than I do."

She paused, and seeing someone wanting to speak but hesitating, she raised a hand in a 'remain calm' gesture.

"After the merger, the grand region barriers will vanish. We will be exposed to the gaze of all players across the server and will face the competition, and even the malice, of factions from every grand region."

"Within the Dragon Country grand region, will we continue to be a scattered mess, fighting our own battles, or even sabotaging one another, only to be picked off and annexed one by one by alliances from other grand regions? Or can we form a single voice, twist into a single force, and strive for more influence and survival space on this new stage?"

The question Cheng Shuili posed was sharp and direct, like a knife dissecting the concerns everyone was either avoiding or keeping vague in their hearts.

"Angry Crow Takes Flight, we all understand what you mean."

A man sitting in the middle section, slightly chubby with a gentle demeanor, spoke up. He was the leader of the Little Green Dragon faction, and his ID was White Tiger.

Cheng Shuili knew this person; she had learned of him through Xinxue.

Before the merger, the person most fiercely cursed in the regional channel had been Xinxue.

But after the merger, the one most fiercely cursed in the regional channel had become this White Tiger.

Although this person's ID sounded fierce, he never engaged in acts of force; he was, however, even more shrewd at business than Xinxue or Old Cat.

White Tiger wore a smile, but his words were laced with hidden needles: "Everyone understands the logic of huddling together for warmth. The problem is, how do we huddle? Who takes the lead? How are the benefits distributed? Empty talk of unity is likely useless, isn't it?"

He was still smiling as he spoke, but the meaning behind his words was blunt.

Many nodded secretly; this was the issue they cared about most.

No one wanted to be the first to stick their neck out, but they wanted even less to be used as cannon fodder for someone else or to be sidelined.

Cheng Shuili looked at him, and instead of being displeased, a faint trace of a smile appeared on her face.

"Leader White Tiger asks a good question. That is why I invited you all here today—not to listen to me lecture on grand principles, but to discuss concrete plans."

She straightened up and tapped her fingertip lightly against the tabletop.

Instantly, a translucent panel unfolded in the center of the long table, clearly listing several points. This was content compiled over three hours by the new Secretary-General, Iced Americano, in collaboration with the entire secretariat team she had assembled.

Cheng Shuili had already reviewed it, so stating it now was effortless:

"First, regarding our response to the first cross-region connection test."

"Ten minutes is a very short time, but it is enough to transmit a lot of information and enough for many conflicts to occur."

"My suggestion is: during the test, all factions in the Dragon Country grand region must have a unified stance. Specifically, regarding plague medicine, the pricing power remains with Black Feather. This point is not up for debate, nor will it change due to any external pressure."

"Any attempt to exert pressure, threats, or inducements to gain discounts or privileges through the cross-region connection will be viewed as a provocation against Black Feather and will receive a collective response from the Dragon Country grand region."

As soon as her voice fell, a thin, tall man sitting in the corner with a somewhat gloomy expression let out a cold snort:

"A collective response? How would that even work? Your Black Feather's prices are high and have stirred public anger; why should we help you shoulder the pressure? Perhaps others are targeting Black Feather specifically; we could maintain neutrality, or even…"

He did not finish the sentence, but everyone present was smart enough to know what followed 'even'.

Cheng Shuili's gaze turned sharply toward him. Her tone remained steady, but her eyes grew cold.

"Even what? If I recall correctly, you are the leader of Sitting Alone in the Bamboo Grove, Ghost, right?"

"Are you trying to say that you could even cooperate with other grand regions to exchange for some benefits, or at least avoid being targeted?"

Having his hidden intentions exposed directly, Ghost's expression shifted, but he still stiffened his neck:

"Is that not possible? After the merger, it will be the law of the jungle; of course, the priority is to protect oneself first! Black Feather's profile is currently high, but tall trees catch the wind. Who knows if you'll be the first to be targeted after the merger? We don't need to be tied to the same boat!"

These words were extremely realistic and represented the mindset of some mid-tier factions that were feeling indecisive.

The atmosphere in the conference hall became somewhat subtle and tense.

Undying War Wolf Soul frowned, about to speak, but Cheng Shuili had already responded.

"That is possible." She nodded, uttering the two words.

Ghost was stunned, and others looked at Cheng Shuili with surprise.

"You can choose neutrality, or even choose to curry favor with certain factions from other grand regions during the test to exchange for your so-called safety or benefits."

Cheng Shuili's tone was flat, as if she were stating a trivial matter unrelated to her. "That is your freedom."

Just as a trace of smugness appeared on Ghost's face, Cheng Shuili's next words made his face turn instantly deathly pale.

"But likewise, from the moment you make that choice, Sitting Alone in the Bamboo Grove, as well as you personally, will be viewed as a potential threat to the entire Dragon Country grand region."

"After the cross-region connection test ends, Black Feather's safe zone, as well as the shared information from all factions that have reached a consensus with Black Feather, Watching the Great Wall, and Yanhuang, will no longer be open to you or the players of Sitting Alone in the Bamboo Grove."

"At the same time, your eligibility to purchase plague medicine will be permanently revoked."

With every word Cheng Shuili spoke, Ghost's face grew paler, until in the end, it was completely devoid of color.

He opened his mouth, wanting to retort, but found his throat too dry to make a sound.

Cheng Shuili shifted her gaze from his face and looked back at everyone.

"I am not threatening anyone; I am merely stating a fact—the consequences that come with a choice."

"With the merger imminent, we do not have the time or energy to engage in endless tug-of-war, bargaining, or playing games of political maneuvering."

"External pressure is already imminent; internally, we must clarify our positions as soon as possible."

"Those willing to stand together and face the challenges collectively are our allies. We will share intelligence and shoulder crises together. The specific details of cooperation and the framework for benefit distribution can be negotiated and finalized by representatives of each faction after this meeting, striving for fairness and reasonableness."

"Those who choose to observe from the sidelines or seek another path, please feel free. But as long as you do not damage the overall interests of the Dragon Country grand region or stab us in the back, we will not actively make things difficult for you."

"But once you cross the line…"

Cheng Shuili did not continue, but the cold glint that flashed through her calm eyes made everyone understand the unsaid meaning.

"This is my stance, the stance of Black Feather." She concluded, her tone resolute. "Whether it is war or peace, gathering or scattering, you can decide right now."

The conference hall fell into a brief silence.

Cheng Shuili's words had torn away all pretenses, laying the most realistic choices nakedly before everyone.

There was no room for ambiguity, no room to play both sides.

Either join this largest Dragon Country group, which was beginning to form with Black Feather as its core, to share in the benefits and shoulder the risks.

Or be excluded, facing the surging waves after the merger alone, and perhaps even enduring the encirclement and pressure from within the Dragon Country group itself.

The silence lasted only a few seconds.

Undying War Wolf Soul was the first to break it. He leaned back slightly, hands crossed on the table, his voice steady and powerful: "Watching the Great Wall agrees with Commander Crow's proposal."

"Cooperation benefits both, while division harms both. I think everyone here understands this logic. Now is not the time to calculate who gets more or less; first, we must clench our fists so that when we strike, we have power."

His stance carried immense weight.

As the leader of the second-largest faction in the Dragon Country grand region, Undying War Wolf Soul's position could significantly influence a group of fence-sitters.

Following him, Qingping Le of Yanhuang also nodded slightly, her clear voice ringing out: "Yanhuang seconds this."

"Internal unity is the foundation of survival; outward consistency is the prerequisite for development. We support the establishment of a coordination mechanism and are willing to assume corresponding responsibilities within the framework to share intelligence and resources."

With the two major giants expressing their stance, the trend was clear.

The smile on White Tiger's face became somewhat forced. He rolled his eyes and looked at Cheng Shuili:

"Boss Crow is quick-witted and bold. We at Little Green Dragon are in the business of trade, and we value harmony, wealth, and mutual benefit above all else."

"Joining you is naturally no problem, but this framework for benefit distribution…"

"I wonder if Black Feather has a preliminary idea? It would give us some peace of mind."

Cheng Shuili seemed to have anticipated this question. Her expression remained unchanged as her finger tapped the panel again.

The content on the panel changed accordingly, showing several clear items.

The concrete plan was immediately displayed before the various leaders.

She paused and added: "The above are only framework principles. The specific details need to be formulated and perfected by a coordination committee composed of representatives from each faction. The members of this committee will also be elected by everyone to ensure fairness."

The framework Cheng Shuili provided was very complete.

It defined rights and obligations while leaving ample room for negotiation, without overly emphasizing Black Feather's dominance, and even delegating the power of rule-making to the coordination committee.

This undoubtedly made many faction leaders breathe a secret sigh of relief, feeling a sense of participation and security.

The smile on White Tiger's face became much more natural, and he nodded: "That is excellent. With a framework and room for discussion, this is the way to long-term cooperation. We at Little Green Dragon are willing to join."

With the leaders setting the example, other faction leaders who had been observing also voiced their agreement one after another.

"Iron-Blooded Alliance seconds this."

"Listening to the Rain Pavilion agrees to join."

"We are in as well…"

In the blink of an eye, more than two-thirds of the factions had explicitly expressed their willingness to join this Dragon Country grand region alliance, headed by Black Feather and aimed at responding to the full-server merger.

Only a few remained hesitant, including Ghost, whose expression remained grim, and two other leaders of smaller, weaker factions who seemed determined to remain fence-sitters.

Cheng Shuili's gaze swept over them calmly. She did not urge them, nor did she apply further pressure, simply stating faintly: "Those willing to join may stay after the meeting to discuss committee members and next steps. Those choosing another path may leave now; the door is that way."

Her tone was very flat, and she did not even glance at Ghost again, but the invisible pressure brought about by her absolute strength and control over the situation made Ghost feel as if he were sitting on pins and needles.

He moved his lips several times, but in the end, said nothing. He stood up abruptly, his face livid, and walked quickly out of the conference hall without looking back.

The other two exchanged glances and also followed him out in a hurried, head-down fashion.

No one tried to stop them, and no one even gave them a second look.

With the leaders' business concluded, it was time to discuss the lone wolves.

Among the top twenty players in the Dragon Country grand region, there were only four lone wolves. The leader, naturally, was A Gentle Kiss, ranked third.

From the moment she entered the conference room, she had been staring at the main seat.

After Cheng Shuili sat down, her gaze landed on Cheng Shuili's face without reservation, and at this moment, it carried an undisguised scrutiny and a hint of indescribable intensity.

Cheng Shuili naturally noticed this gaze.

She looked back calmly, her eyes meeting A Gentle Kiss's.

A Gentle Kiss possessed outstanding features, belonging to that bright and flamboyant type of beauty, yet there was a sharp, piercing edge between her brows. She raised an eyebrow slightly, speaking first in a crisp, sharp voice tinged with playfulness:

"An alliance, sounds good. However, Boss Crow, we are all people accustomed to walking alone. We might be good at fighting, but to have us obey someone's orders and follow certain rules… that probably isn't very appropriate, is it?"

Her words represented the common mindset of the other three lone wolves as well.

They were exceptionally strong, free-spirited, and valued their lack of constraints above all else.

While the benefits brought by the so-called alliance were tempting, the accompanying obligations and restrictions made them instinctively resist.

Cheng Shuili's expression did not change as she accurately called out the other's ID: "A Gentle Kiss, and these three friends."

After saying this, she chuckled softly, then looked directly into A Gentle Kiss's eyes. "I do not need you to join any faction, nor do I need you to join our alliance as lone wolves."