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墨書 Inktalez
Liu Yuhan remained silent, merely nodding solemnly.
When it comes to this issue, one cannot help but mention "interests," that invisible force which can inexplicably drive people to commit irrational acts.
The Mist of Time was newly established, a time when everything was in its infancy and waiting to be developed. From this perspective, the existence of "interests" was entirely latent, akin to a newly listed stock; whether it would ultimately yield profits or losses was something no one could predict.
However, just like in reality, interests permeated every aspect of the game. Between players, between teams, and among Guilds, various conflicts ultimately reflected the extent of their gains or losses regarding "interests."
In today's Chinese Online Game landscape, it can be broadly divided into three Guild factions led by the top three: Divine Silence, War God Hall, and Righteousness Above All. The Three Major Guilds represented different interests and had been in constant competition for those interests. Clearly, controlling one's own interests and expanding the Guild was the best strategy.
Yet, merely relying on one's own growth was far from sufficient to remain invincible. As the Chinese Online Game market matured, numerous small and medium-sized Guilds emerged like mushrooms after rain, showcasing a scene of prosperity. However, behind this prosperity lay fierce competition for interests.
The rise of any Guild meant a loss of interests for others. It was like a cake that was perfectly shared among three people; if suddenly three more joined in, the portions for each would naturally decrease or might even be completely taken away.
What to do then?
There were two common methods. First, strike first; eliminate the opponent while they were still growing. Second, support them to grow stronger and then form an alliance; this way, one could enhance their own power while posing a threat externally—truly a win-win situation.
Regarding the first method, while effective, it wasn't the best choice. The second method required discernment: how to support? Should one support? Is it worth supporting? These were all questions that needed consideration and resolution.
Take Mist of Time as an example; if Yi Tianchen and Liu Yuhan's suspicions were true, then the appearance of Brotherhood Alliance and their deliberate interference would all be orchestrated by the Divine Silence Guild behind the scenes. In other words, if Divine Silence wanted to genuinely support Mist of Time, there had to be something worth supporting.
What could that be?
Yi Tianchen and Liu Yuhan had no way of knowing. The headquarters of Divine Silence Guild was in Shanghai, and their in-game establishment area was in Dongli City. Although inter-city teleportation would eventually be opened up, at least for now, the System had not officially activated this feature.
What does this imply?
It was akin to a well-known public figure; you might know him well and be aware of many things about him, yet he wouldn’t recognize you at all. Then one day, he extends his hand to you with warmth as if you were old friends who hadn’t seen each other in years—how would you feel at that moment?
Surprised?
For humans, this is indeed the case, but when it comes to the Guild, Yi Tianchen and Liu Yuhan suddenly thought of another Guild—War God Hall!
As the top two Guilds, the competition between Divine Silence and War God Hall has never ceased. Liu Yuhan was once the Vice President of King's Guild. The fact that King’s Guild has developed to its current scale over three years is largely due to an undeniable external force—War God Hall.
Just as the Brotherhood Alliance was suppressed and ultimately turned to Divine Silence for support, King’s initial development was fraught with difficulties. It was only after forming an alliance with War God Hall that they secured a relatively safe environment for growth, transforming from a fledgling organization into what is now known as King’s Guild.
Divine Silence is stationed in Dongli City, War God Hall in Xiliang City, and Righteousness Above All in Northern Cold City. It is evident that Southern Wilderness City, being the only area untouched by the Three Guilds, will inevitably attract their intervention as they vie for allies and suppress rival forces. This conflict has never truly quieted down.
Based on the principle that "the enemy of my enemy is my friend," Divine Silence's assistance to Mist of Time has a solid rationale. However, at its core, it is still "interests" that play a leading role; ultimately, Divine Silence is safeguarding its own interests.
With this thought in mind, Yi Tianchen and Liu Yuhan felt somewhat relieved. They did not need to overthink Divine Silence's overtures; all developments were merely the beginning, and future variables were unpredictable.
After all, supporting today could easily turn into suppression tomorrow.
As this notion crossed their minds, Yi Tianchen and Liu Yuhan suddenly froze, a tangled thought rising within them. Dawn Forest is an area yet to be explored by players; how did Brotherhood Alliance know they were trapped there and arrive just in time?
The coincidence of time and place seemed unintentional but made Yi Tianchen and Liu Yuhan's hearts skip a beat. When events unfold too coincidentally, such coincidences become highly suspect; what lies beneath may be deeply hidden truths.
"There’s a traitor!"
Yi Tianchen and Liu Yuhan reluctantly voiced this conclusion as a figure surfaced in their minds. Everything appeared so perfect, yet one must admit that perfection itself is an undeniable flaw.
"What should we do?" Liu Yuhan asked.
Yi Tianchen pondered for a moment before responding seriously, "Act as if we don’t know; perhaps this person can bring us some unexpected surprises."
"That aligns with my thoughts!" Liu Yuhan gazed out the window. The bustling city had already descended into the silence of night, soft moonlight evenly casting over her face, adding an unusual beauty: "Tianchen, what do you think… we should do next?"
"There wasn’t an answer initially, but suddenly I have an idea," Yi Tianchen smiled.
"Let’s hear it…" Liu Yuhan turned slightly with a smile that was as charming as ever under the moonlight. Yi Tianchen felt slightly entranced as he heard her continue: "Perhaps we’ve both come up with the same idea!"
"Then let's say it at the same time! Let's see how well we sync..." Yi Tianchen smiled slightly, a glimmer of anticipation rising in his eyes.
Liu Yuhan nodded with a smile. The two stood facing each other, and in less than three seconds of brewing tension, they simultaneously uttered the same four words—
"Abandon martial arts for commerce!"
***
Southern Wilderness City, a city standing on the southern coast of Dreamland Continent, was destined to become a chaotic place!
Due to the absence of direct influence from the Three Major Guilds, Southern Wilderness City became the preferred choice for many small and medium-sized Guilds to settle in. Various Guilds mixed together, all eager to carve out a place for themselves in Southern Wilderness City and raise their own Guild flags, which inevitably led to conflicts.
The Brotherhood Alliance was one of them.
Loyalty Unmatched, as the founder of the Brotherhood Alliance, had now become a recognized expert on the Dream Celebrity Rankings. Although he was under the umbrella of Divine Silence Guild, he had never forgotten the original intention of forming the Brotherhood Alliance. After all, no one wanted to remain beneath others forever without a chance to rise.
Choosing Southern Wilderness City, Loyalty Unmatched had two plans. First, to scout for usable forces among the many small and medium-sized Guilds or support some Emerging Guilds; second, to escape from the oversight of Divine Silence Guild and gain greater autonomy.
However, Loyalty Unmatched was somewhat puzzled. Although Mist of Time had First Person at the helm of its Level rankings and its Captain was also a recognized figure on the Dream Celebrity Rankings, it was indeed quite difficult for them to grow strong in Southern Wilderness City, where numerous small and medium-sized Guilds gathered.
Moreover, within just one day, first there was the Grassroots Heroes Association, then the Shadow Assassin Guild, and finally Blood Night arrived. Such a dense array of attacks could only indicate one reason: the black hands behind these three were determined to crush Mist of Time.
In other words, was Mist of Time worth supporting?
Loyalty Unmatched had pondered this question more than once but had always come up empty. For now, he could only act according to orders from above—if they wanted help, he would assist; if they wanted to strike, he would fight. It was easier to be an executor than a decision-maker.
Opening his friend list, Loyalty Unmatched clicked on Divine Silence Dust Fate's ID and sent a private message: "Everything is set; progress is smooth!"
"Great, I already know," came the reply from Divine Silence Dust Fate.
Loyalty Unmatched paused slightly, a question rising in his mind as he felt conflicted. He asked, "It seems you are fully aware of everything that has happened with Mist of Time?"
"Uh..."
Loyalty Unmatched sighed to himself, feeling utterly defeated. The previous message was a private chat sent to Divine Silence Dust Fate, and the exclamation that followed was an involuntary utterance, a reflection of the foolishness of his own question.
What has never been lacking in guilds since ancient times? As the President of a guild, Loyalty Unmatched knew all too well.
It was infiltrators! Ubiquitous infiltrators!!
"Heh heh..."
Divine Silence Dust Fate's reply was simple, just two words: "Heh heh." The meaning behind those words was rich and ambiguous, leaving it unclear whether it was an acknowledgment or a denial. Even if he wanted to guess, he couldn't muster the courage, as if those words held some kind of magical power.
However, Loyalty Unmatched wasn't foolish; he didn't attempt to guess or reply again. In fact, many things were not meant to be explicitly stated. The feeling of mutual understanding was always strange yet exhilarating, filled with contradictions and joy.
He closed the chat and exited the friend list. Walking alone on the streets of Southern Wilderness City, Loyalty Unmatched felt a mix of speechlessness and entanglement. Even a newly established guild like Mist of Time had quickly infiltrated Divine Silence with an undercover agent; how could his Brotherhood Alliance be any different?
If there truly were none, that would be the real mystery!
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