West Wolf Village's Seduction

The carriage was filled with various goods, with half of it still empty.

They weren't here to do business, but to purchase.

"We are buying all sorts of materials in large quantities: beast hides, lumber, jade, shells, pearls..."

"The more the better, with favorable prices."

And that old man was the leader of this caravan. He handed over the purchasing matters to his steward and went straight to Gao Linzhi's door.

He invited Gao Linzhi to a private room in a tavern and even used an item that was said to be a "Silence Talisman."

"Brother Can Xue, East Wolf Village is stuck in its old ways. If you join our West Wolf Village, you'll have gold, beauties, and an Elder position—all for you," the leading old man said straightforwardly.

Gao Linzhi's eyes darted.

Indeed, only by switching jobs could one get good treatment.

However, as everyone knew, he was a man of integrity.

"I've already signed a contract with East Wolf Village, and they've also cultivated me quite a bit. How could I possibly betray them?" Gao Linzhi shook his head.

"Heh, so-called cultivation? It's just sending someone to guide you, giving you a few broken talismans, and letting you learn a few broken skills for free. Is that cultivation?"

"If I'm not mistaken, those precious spells, the methods capable of fighting Anomalies, haven't been opened to you, have they?" the leading old man shook his head.

Gao Linzhi nodded and explained, "That's because I haven't made any contributions to the village yet."

"Hahaha, contributions, contribute what!"

"That's just talk for the lower class. The lower class needs to pass tests and trials to get anything."

"But the so-called upper class are born with great contributions, born to enjoy all sorts of benefits for free—flying in planes, riding in luxury cars, living in villas, with beautiful women, delicious food, and fine things..."

"What contributions do they have? They're just born well," the leading old man sneered, then patiently said to Gao Linzhi, "And you Descenders entering our world is like a second birth."

"Your talent is exceptional, which means you have the background of an upper-class person. You should also enjoy those benefits for free from birth, just like the upper-class people in your world, without needing to make any further contributions."

One had to admit, this leading old man was quite skilled at manipulating people.

Hearing him say this, Gao Linzhi actually found some sense in it.

However, this still went against his moral bottom line.

He was never a saint, nor did he have any foolish loyalty. But as a person, he believed in clearly distinguishing between kindness and obligation. At the very least, he couldn't be an ungrateful wretch, nor could he kill innocent people.

"No matter what, East Wolf Village protected me from the moment I was born. That is kindness. Even if I want to switch jobs, I should repay their kindness before I leave," Gao Linzhi shook his head.

The leading old man sighed, "You show them kindness, but they aren't showing you loyalty right now."

As he spoke, the leading old man looked around, then took out another blue Jade Talisman.

"This is a Water Shadow Talisman. It can display events that have happened in the past."

Then, the leading old man touched it, and the talisman immediately activated.

A holographic image appeared, like a street-level cubic screen.

It showed a tall stone house, entirely gray, standing in the center of the village.

The scene then shifted, and the perspective entered the house.

Inside, there was a long stone table where five people were seated. They were all old men, clearly the five elders of the village.

Seated in the main seat was an old man with a long beard, who should be the Great Elder whom he had never met.

He had met the other four. The chubby Fourth Elder sat to the Great Elder's right.

The Second Elder made medicine, the Third Elder crafted talismans, the Fourth Elder managed the military, and the Fifth Elder crafted artifacts.

Gao Linzhi watched intently.

Before long, voices appeared in the scene.

"What's the situation with the Descenders?" the Great Elder asked.

"The situation is very bad. Currently, among the four wolf villages—East, West, North, and South—only our East Wolf Village is still independent. The other three have fallen under the control of the Descenders," the Fourth Elder sighed.

"Hmm, have those old fools gone mad? Letting these villages fall into their hands?" the Great Elder continued to ask.

"It might be because the Demonic Creatures are about to attack the city. At most two months from now. They probably want those Corporate Players to be on the front lines, and they'll clean up the mess afterward," the Second Elder said, looking up.

He was seated to the Great Elder's left.

"Good, that makes sense. These old foxes are all shrewd," the Great Elder nodded. "Are there any talents in the village worth noting recently?"

"There's a Descender who just signed a Guard Contract. Her name is Lin Qing. She has extremely powerful talent. I can't say more here; I'll report to you privately later," the Fourth Elder said.

"Hey, isn't there also a guard named Can Xue? I heard from Little Dongzi that he's grown extremely fast and has very high comprehension. He's learned many Basic Skills and can even solo a den," the Second Elder reminded them.

"Heh, his comprehension is indeed high, but like everyone else, he has only one life. He's destined to be mere cannon fodder, not the future reliance of the village. As for Lin Qing, she hasn't fully grown yet, but she is the village's long-term reliance for the future," the Fourth Elder shook his head.

Seeing this, Gao Linzhi wasn't surprised.

After all, this was a difference in information.

As for the term "cannon fodder," it was indeed unpleasant, but most people spoke unfavorably when discussing others behind their backs. He had known this since middle school.

"Extremely high comprehension, perfect for when I'm in seclusion. I found an Anomaly that can transfer a person's talent. Since you say Lin Qing can be cultivated long-term, transfer this person's talent to Lin Qing. Anyway, he signed a Guard Contract, meaning he's sold his life to the village," the Great Elder said calmly.

"This..." The Fourth Elder hesitated for a moment, but then nodded. "Alright, I'll make the arrangements."

Heh.

Gao Linzhi only thought to himself, As expected, you can't judge a book by its cover.

The Fourth Elder had been very sincere towards him before, that much was certain.

However, under the Great Elder's command, driven by higher interests, that sincerity immediately changed.

This was the nature of people.

Before Yue Fei was wrongly executed, he and Wanyan Gou also had a sincere past.

At this moment, the image suddenly cut off.

The old man leading the West Wolf Village team smiled. "How is it? Do you still feel sorry for them now?"

"Heh, I expected something like this long ago," Gao Linzhi wasn't angry, but rather understood. "One can only rely on oneself. I understood that principle when I was six."

"Well said! One can only rely on oneself; relying on others will only lead to betrayal," the team leader nodded.

He was puzzled, however. This guy wasn't showing any anger at being betrayed.

His depth of character was not to be underestimated.

He continued, "Can you consider transferring to us now? As for that Guard Contract, West Wolf Village will buy it out."