Yang Long burst out laughing. "Dozens more, you say."
He dismissed the second half of Chen Jingsi’s statent.
Judging by his performance, the man was clearly beyond ordinary. He had most likely used an Enhancent Card to achieve such a level of power.
In his Jianghu Association, he was the only one who had ever used an Enhancent Card.
No matter how formidable the opposing Gated Community was, it was impossible for them to be that far ahead.
"If you don’t believe , Chairman Yang, why not co aboard and see for yourself?" Chen Jingsi said with a faint smile.
The other mbers of the Jianghu Association exchanged glances. So wanted to stop him, but others had a different idea. ’Isn’t this the perfect chance to feel out their true strength?’
"Chairman, why don’t we go in your stead?"
"That’s right. They only sent soone ’ranked dozens below the top’ to invite you. If you go yourself, it would be a loss of face." Soone seized on the perceived loophole in Chen Jingsi’s words.
"Alright, I’ll go with you," Yang Long said. "But not alone. I’m bringing a few of my brothers. That should be fine, right?"
"Of course," Chen Jingsi replied, sowhat surprised. ’I didn’t think he’d have the guts to go, but he actually agreed. The man has so nerve.’
On deck, everyone watched the Urban Village. A long ti had passed since Chen Jingsi entered, and he had yet to return.
"What if the people in the Urban Village attack him and he can’t get back?" Yuan Ming asked, worried.
Qin Ziwu replied coldly, "Then there’s no reason to spare those troublemakers. My big brother is too soft-hearted to stomach a massacre. When we make our move, we’ll just have him look away."
Cao Biansheng’s expression was odd. "So, Master Qin can’t stand the sight of death, huh?"
A short while later, Chen Jingsi appeared on the main road leading out of the Urban Village. Beside him was Yang Long, wearing a hat, followed closely by two burly n.
"Interesting. It seems the Urban Village has made the right choice," Zhao Pu said with a smile. ’If they weren’t willing to talk, they wouldn’t have sent anyone over.’
Zhao Pu turned to Qin Ziwen and lowered his voice. "Captain, what are your plans for these people from the Urban Village?"
Qin Ziwen was silent for a mont before shaking his head. "I haven’t decided yet."
Before they set out, Jia Liangcai had given him a proposal: execute one out of every three, break up their groups into ten-man squads under a system of collective punishnt, and then use grueling labor to heavily oppress them, leaving them no ti or energy for anything else.
By the ti a month had passed and they were gone, it would no longer be a concern.
But Qin Ziwen felt this was too extre and would be difficult to implent.
’Perhaps there’s a better way to handle this.’
"Captain, I think the key is to identify the core of the problem," Zhao Pu said. "Solve the main issue, and the minor ones will take care of themselves."
"Go on."
"Chairman, we first need to distinguish who our enemies are from who we can win over to our side," Zhao Pu continued at a steady pace.
"Those who have already activated their Ho are bound to this place. Their interests are inextricably linked with their Ho, so it will be difficult to get them on our side."
"Conversely, think about the ordinary people at the bottom who haven’t activated a Ho. If they knew they had a chance to leave with our Gated Community, they would have a third option besides the Urban Village and Hongding Mansion. Would they really choose to stay on a ship that’s destined to run aground?"
"How do you know they can leave with our Gated Community?"
"It’s a guess," Zhao Pu admitted frankly. "But I think it’s possible. After all, the trees we planted and the animals we gathered all crossed over with our Gated Community."
Qin Ziwen pondered this, then looked at Zhao Pu. "Did you co up with this yourself, or did soone tell you?"
Zhao Pu replied, "I’ve had so downti lately, so I’ve been reading. These are just a few ideas I’ve mulled over."
Qin Ziwen thought of the mare that had crossed over with the Gated Community. After the wild horses were brought back, they were simply set loose to graze on the Ho’s grasslands instead of being locked in cages.
And yet, they had still crossed over to this map with the Gated Community.
’It seems... this might actually work.’
Based on the Ho’s criteria, it seems to only recognize those who have activated a Ho as "people."
It simply ignores those who haven’t.
So, these people who haven’t activated a Ho might really have a chance to leave with the Ho.
However, he also thought of sothing else.
Only those who had activated and bound themselves to a Ho were part of the Gated Community’s true collective. Everyone else—those who hadn’t activated a Ho—was effectively a "neutral" faction.
’They might not know this yet, but once the Gated Community proves it can take outsiders with it when it crosses over, everyone else will find out sooner or later.’
So, this matter had both advantages and disadvantages.
The advantage was the ability to absorb a larger population and gain more labor.
The disadvantage was that if they faced a powerful enemy in the future, the ordinary residents would have an escape route. They wouldn’t necessarily be united with the Gated Community.
’No, that’s wrong.’
A sudden realization struck Qin Ziwen.
’Even if I don’t say anything, does that an no one else will figure it out?’
’I’m not the only clever person in this world. If our Gated Community doesn’t try this, does that an other Gated Communities won’t?’
’Therefore, this information is impossible to keep secret.’
’It’s an unstoppable tide.’
The only thing to do was to cultivate our own ’inner strength.’
To develop and strengthen our own Ho and faction.
’The strong will always be strong. We have to maintain our lead and stay ahead of the pack.’
’That way, when we encounter enemies in the future, they’ll be the ones who are afraid.’
As he thought of this, Qin Ziwen felt the weight on his shoulders grow heavier.
He could already foresee that his future rivals would not be limited to the people of his own Gated Community.
His competition would expand to include all the rivals who crossed over in the sa batch, and even the ’veterans’ who had arrived long before them.
"Chairman."
Chen Jingsi climbed onto the deck, bringing Yang Long and his two companions with him.
At that mont, Yang Long was staring in terror at the rope that had been cinched around his waist. He tilted his head back, watching as the unmanned cable flew over him like a gliding snake.
Yang Long’s voice was tight with apprehension. He asked with great difficulty, "What is this?"
Qin Ziwen walked over and gently patted Yang Long’s shoulder. "Don’t be afraid. That was just one of our crew mbers pulling you up."
’A special crew mber is still a crew mber,’ he thought.
Yang Long felt a tightness in his chest.
First the giant ship, then the Crossbow Cannons, and now this.
He thought he had them all figured out, but then they would suddenly pull out sothing else he couldn’t comprehend.
’This crew mber... is he even real?’
As for the other two n who ca aboard with Yang Long, they glanced at each other and remained silent.
They had just been plucked from the icy seawater and hadn’t even had ti to process what was happening before several cables descended from above, bound them tightly, and hoisted them onto the deck. Now, it wasn’t just their bodies that were cold—their hearts were, too.
No wonder Chen Jingsi had said he was ranked dozens of places down the list on this ship. Now, Yang Long and his two n were starting to believe him.
He had co prepared with a whole slew of argunts, but after this sudden turn of events, all Yang Long could do was offer a bitter smile. "Chairman Qin, the floor is yours."
"I intend to absorb your group," Qin Ziwen said, getting straight to the point. "Are you willing?"
"Yes or no," Qin Ziwu added seriously.
"Shut up while I’m talking," Qin Ziwen said, kicking his brother in the rear.
Before boarding the ship, Yang Long would have either refused outright or found an excuse to politely decline. But now, he was seriously considering the offer. The oppressive aura from the people on deck was just too intense. Before he crossed over, he had been an underground bare-knuckle boxer, and his senses had always been sharp.
He could sense that there were many powerful individuals around him. He even had a nagging feeling he might not be able to win a fight against the horse standing behind Qin Ziwen.
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