Strategic Meeting

Lu Shuhang rested his chin on his hand, deep in thought.

"Ha, fourteen hundred percent total monster health." Nanjiamu spread his hands. "Doesn't that mean the monsters at this outpost have increased by a full fourteen times compared to the beginning?"

"Do those rats have some kind of reproductive ability or something?"

The crowd began to whisper and discuss amongst themselves.

If the numbers weren't still fluctuating, they would have thought their eyes were playing tricks on them.

Seeing everyone's confusion, Smiling Jazz spoke up at the right time to provide an answer: "That Gnawing Gospel—let's call it the mother body for now—its will can directly override and influence every monster in the gnawing parasite series across the entire city."

"We in Silent Sequence launched an attack on the Venomous Sewer yesterday, but the number of monsters there far exceeded our imagination. Almost every passage was tightly blocked by green poisonous water and walls of flesh."

"That mother body sensed our intentions and transferred all the monsters from several nearby outposts to the sewer where it resides."

"Even Silent Sequence can't manage a breakthrough?" Someone's expression shifted slightly.

"Heh heh heh."

Sleeping Count gave an indecipherable, sinister chuckle.

"Our guild doesn't have many stealth classes," Smiling Jazz said. "To complete a decapitation strike on the mother body, we need a team composed entirely of stealth classes to penetrate deep into the sewer without alerting the mother body and kill it."

Though it wasn't explicitly mentioned, everyone present simultaneously turned their gaze toward the silent Lu Shuhang. In an instant, the black-haired youth became the target of all eyes.

It was common knowledge that the members of Assassin's Creed were entirely composed of stealth classes, and each member possessed extremely strong individual combat capabilities. One could say they perfectly met the prerequisites for this mission.

Noticing the subtle looks from the others, how could the players from Assassin's Creed not know that this was a trap deliberately set for them by the Smiling Jazz?

"Smiling Jazz, what do you mean by this?" A youth wearing headphones immediately shouted in dissatisfaction.

"Your words are clearly trying to push us into a corner and roast us over the fire. Is this the 'sincerity' you spoke of?"

"Boss, why waste any more time with this guy? We'll play our own way and not get mixed up with these people!"

"Zhou Zuo."

Lu Shuhang calmly interrupted the youth. The youth hesitated, but ultimately let out a huff and silently looked away.

He looked at Smiling Jazz.

"Fine. Assassin's Creed can take on the assassination mission against the mother body, but I have conditions."

"Of course," Smiling Jazz said with a smile.

"First, no one is allowed to interfere in the Venomous Sewer while we are clearing it."

"Second, when we send a call for help to the alliance, the nearby guilds must respond and help us break through."

"Third, I want Golden Navigator to send people to help us clear a supply point at the outpost entrance to ensure the supply line functions normally while we are subjugating the boss."

"Hey, Old Hang, don't push your luck!" Nanjiamu immediately jumped up, slamming the table in displeasure.

"What's with the personal vendetta? Aren't you being a bit too unscrupulous, Old Hang?"

The members of Golden Navigator were naturally unhappy about being used as tools, and they voiced their indignation one after another.

"It is not a personal vendetta." Lu Shuhang's eyes remained indifferent. "Everyone knows that the quality of the priest classes in Golden Navigator far exceeds that of other guilds, and priests have a specialized effect against this type of undead creature. Asking for a few people is only logical."

"If the mother body can't be cleared, it won't be beneficial for the alliance's progress either, will it?"

The crowd chimed in one after another, immediately turning their spearheads toward Nanjiamu.

The black-haired youth's seemingly plain words contained hidden depth. While throwing out a key reason to silence the crowd, he also subtly praised the players of Golden Navigator.

Most members of the Golden Navigator were straightforward priests. After being praised like that, their previous dissatisfaction dissipated, replaced by a bit of embarrassment.

Nanjiamu cursed Lu Shuhang's craftiness in his heart, but on the surface, he could only swallow his anger. "Then we want people from Assassin's Creed as well!"

Lu Shuhang said calmly, "Of course. However many people we borrow from you, we will dispatch the same number of personnel to Golden Navigator."

Nanjiamu immediately felt something was wrong. His 'Old Hang Radar' was beeping loudly. Based on his understanding of Lu Shuhang, there was no way this guy would agree to his request so easily.

Once he realized what was happening, he saw just how big a pit the other had dug for him!

People who play stealth classes never have a clean heart!

If he sent his straightforward priests over, they would work their hearts out honestly. Even if their guild leader told them to do something that went against justice, those big lugs would sternly refuse.

And what about Old Hang? He couldn't wait to plant more of those assassins into Nanjiamu's guild. Putting aside the small tricks they might play to interfere with internal orders, there was no guarantee they wouldn't strike at the guild's core members when they eventually turned hostile.

"No, Golden Navigator doesn't need people from Assassin's Creed. We can lend you the men, but you must coordinate with us before giving them any orders!"

"No," Lu Shuhang refused. "That involves our guild's internal strategic orders. They cannot communicate with you before returning. The leakage of strategic orders is fatal for a guild; I'm sure everyone understands that point."

Nanjiamu was about to start cursing.

"Please don't fight! If it really doesn't work, Daybreak Elegy can also lend you some people."

Seeing this pair of bickering rivals about to explode, Li Liujin hurried to stop them.

Giving face to this mascot, Nanjiamu could only swallow the loss in the end, cursing the black-haired youth in his mind.

[: So healing. Is she glowing? I feel like my corpse is getting warmer.]

[: The little angel is so cute.]

[: I want to pinch the Little Princess's face.]

This meeting was being live-streamed, and a few scattered comments drifted through the chat room.

[: My attention is entirely on Miss Dark Gold Rose. She's so charming.]

[: +1, another day of being conquered by Miss Dark Gold Rose's beauty.]

The meeting continued. Next, they had to discuss the distribution of the advanced and core outposts. Smaller guilds in the alliance had to hand over all their resources, including manpower, to be unified and distributed by the logistics officers sent by the top five alliances during wartime.

Sacrificing the interests of the weak for the sake of the big picture—it was the same in every era.

Xu Xiaoyou lowered her eyes. Below her, Akabane coughed, almost unable to hold back a laugh.

She had long heard that these big guild leaders schemed against each other and couldn't stand one another. Seeing it in person now was truly interesting.

Akabane thought to herself.

Just then, everyone's eyes turned toward them in unison. However, they weren't looking at her, but at the blonde girl behind her.

"Since we've chosen Mist Village Harbor as the alliance's headquarters, I believe Your Excellency Dark Gold Rose naturally has the right of first refusal on the outposts. Please, after you?"

Xu Xiaoyou kept her eyes closed, resting her mind and ignoring them completely. The people around her took on an expectant look, waiting for the show.

Akabane maintained her smile and unceremoniously met the gloomy eyes across the table. "Are you all deaf?"

Everyone was momentarily stunned, and Li Liujin's eyes went wide.

"Just now, my guild leader gave her seat at this meeting to me. And I am the vice-guild leader of Light-Chaser Garden."

"I am now the one representing Light-Chaser Garden at this meeting, sitting in this position, facing you."

"Whether it's a discussion or a request, shouldn't you consult my wishes first?"