mesbooks Chapter 232 The Invisible Wall, the Desire Rejected
Chapter 232 The Invisible Wall, the Desire Rejected
Chaos, fraud, and betrayal constitute the true nature of the current high-level BOSS intelligence market.
The root of all this chaos points to that small, glowing guild-establishment token.
Its scarcity fueled frenzied demand; its preciousness exposed the greed and dark side of human nature.
Everyone understood that obtaining it meant possessing the potential to rival the War Alliance, and seizing a crucial advantage in the future battle for supremacy across all realms.
For this, it seems worth paying any price.
Amidst this chaos and madness, Lin Tian, at the very center of the storm, seemed to be detached from it all.
He continued at his own pace, quietly accumulating experience in higher-level maps in order to advance his career.
The noise and madness of the outside world seemed to be separated from his level by an invisible barrier.
......
Crimson Flame Valley, this newly established guild headquarters, has, in just a few days, become a power struggle arena in the entire 9527 Newbie Continent.
However, contrary to the outside world's expectations of a bustling and crowded place, the atmosphere in the core area of the valley where the War Alliance headquarters is located is as heavy as the sea before a storm.
An invisible yet indestructible wall quietly rose here, firmly keeping countless surging desires and schemes outside the door.
Zhang Tianya sat in the main seat of the council hall, which was made of rough rocks, his long, slender fingers tapping the table occasionally.
What lay before him were not materials or equipment dropped by monsters, but all sorts of exquisitely or simply made invitations, letters of intent for cooperation, and even a few physical letters with gorgeously bound envelopes that exuded the extravagance of the real world.
Behind each one lies a force, a weighty demand, and a common goal—the establishment of a faction, or rather, the shortcut to Lin Tian.
"President, the third wave of envoys from the 'Golden Flower Merchant Guild' has arrived, bringing new terms this time." The deputy's voice carried a hint of weariness as he placed a gold-embossed document in front of Zhang Tianya.
"In addition to the three S-grade custom-made equipment and 500,000 gold coins that were previously promised, they are willing to add another clause: within the next three years, 10% of the profits from all of the Golden Flower Merchant Guild's properties in Luoxia City will be directly transferred to your personal account."
Zhang Tianya's gaze swept over the dizzying numbers and clauses on the document, a cryptic smile curving his lips. He casually tossed the document aside, joining the pile of documents he had left behind.
"Tell them that the guild has no shortage of money or equipment. The source of the guild creation order is a top secret and cannot be disclosed. Please leave."
His voice was calm, yet carried an undeniable determination.
The deputy hesitated for a moment, but finally nodded in agreement and turned to go out to deal with the troublesome messenger.
Zhang Tianya knew very well what the Golden Flower Chamber of Commerce was planning. They wanted to use their immense wealth to bind him, Zhang Tianya, to their cause, and then pry open Lin Tian's defenses.
But that's impossible. Putting aside the fact that Zhang Tianya isn't the kind of person who would betray his principles for personal gain, just considering Lin Tian's kindness to their battle alliance and his unfathomable strength, he would never dare to, and could not, commit such a treacherous act.
Bribery is only the mildest method.
A moment later, another squad leader in charge of perimeter security rushed in, his face grim.
"Guild Leader, another group of people has arrived outside the valley. They're from the 'Mad Wolf Gang,' and they're being very rude. They said... they said if we don't know what's good for us and reveal some useful information, don't blame them for being rude to our guild brothers in the wild in the future!"
"The Mad Wolf Gang?" Zhang Tianya raised a thick eyebrow, a fierce glint in his eyes. "The same scum who double-crossed and tricked the 'Dawn' Alliance in the Shattered Stone Mountains a few days ago?"
He slammed his hand on the table, the heavy wooden surface making a dull thud. "Go! Tell them the brothers from the War Alliance are waiting for them in the wilderness! Trying to play dirty tricks? I'll play along! Want to get information about Boss Lin Tian from me? Let them take a piss and look at themselves in the mirror! Get lost!"
The squad leader was jolted awake by Zhang Tianya's sudden burst of murderous intent and shouted, "Yes, Chairman!" He then turned and left, his face contorted with rage.
Zhang Tianya's attitude towards this threat was as firm as the shield in his hand.
He knew all too well that at this time, showing weakness would only attract more hungry wolves.
Only by demonstrating the determination to fight to the death can we deter those petty villains.
Besides overt envoys and covert threats, there are many more methods of appeasement and ingratiation.
Some guild leaders who had cooperated with the War Alliance in the Scourge or had dealt with Zhang Tianya came to visit him in person.
They didn't talk about huge profits or make threats; they only reminisced about old times, speaking earnestly and adopting an extremely humble attitude.
"Brother Zhang, I'm not here to make things difficult for you," said the guild leader of a medium-sized guild from Yunxi City, shaking Zhang Tianya's hand with genuine concern.
"But this guild creation order concerns the survival of the guild, and I really have no other choice. Could you...could you perhaps offer some guidance? Even just telling us roughly what Lin Tian likes would give us a direction to strive for. Our 'Mountain' guild will never forget this favor!"
Faced with such a "soft knife," Zhang Tianya couldn't help but sigh.
But he still held firm to his principles.
He warmly entertained his guests, drinking and eating as usual, reminiscing about their camaraderie from the past. However, whenever the topic turned to Lin Tian and the establishment order, he skillfully changed the subject, or replied with the same sincere yet firm tone:
"Brother, I understand your difficulties. But I'm truly sorry, there's nothing I can do about this. I can't fathom or control Boss Lin Tian's whereabouts and intentions. Instead of wasting your time here, you should send the brothers to try their luck on higher-level maps."
Time and again, he used various methods to reject the snowflake-like stream of requests.
He shouldered all the pressure himself, like a rock stubbornly resisting the surging tide.
This loyalty and sense of responsibility made him even more trusted by the members of the alliance.
If the chairman can withstand such enormous temptations and pressures, what reason do they have not to follow him to the death?
However, the stronger Zhang Tianya's "invisible wall" became, the more anxious and helpless those outside who longed to see Lin Tian became.
Near the teleportation array in Luoxia City, a large number of players from other major cities wait every day, their eyes scanning every high-level mage who passes by, hoping to be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of that legendary figure.
Unfortunately, it was destined to be in vain.