Upon hearing this, Lao Tie's face darkened, and he rubbed his chin with his calloused right hand, his eyes darting around.

"We have to give the guild leader a heads-up. No matter what, our guild's resources can't be lacking."

Luo Chen looked at his old friend, thinking that he was indeed a veteran mercenary who had been in the group for so many years, and that he always cared about him.

However, after what Lao Tie said, Luo Chen also realized a problem.

If an alliance is formed, mercenary groups will definitely lose their previous freedom, and small mercenary groups will inevitably be gradually devoured by large mercenary groups.

Moreover, the current situation naturally cannot prevent the formation of a mercenary alliance.

It's like everyone is preparing to eat rice, but you insist on eating noodles; aren't you going against the grain?

Moreover, without the support of a large mercenary group, it would be even more difficult to survive.

[There are traps everywhere; how am I supposed to survive?]

[We finally managed to get into a decent place, and if it turns out like this, wouldn't everything be over if we got suppressed?]

Luo Chen scratched his head, looking somewhat annoyed. He had only come to be an acting representative, but now his mood was in a mess.

In any world, power is always a formidable force.

[You old bastard Jiang, why are you bothering me? You do your own thing, why are you disturbing my life?]

No, I need to improve my strength quickly, otherwise I won't even dare to fight.

Luo Chen gritted his teeth and glanced at Jiang Tao above him with annoyance.

There was a hint of murderous intent hidden within the anger.

"Xiao, do you think we'll still have a place if the alliance is formed?" Old Tie asked cautiously from the side.

"Dude, it's survival of the fittest, don't you think?" Luo Chen looked helpless. Wasn't reality already right in front of him?

The old man wholeheartedly agreed, having seen it all over the years.

If you are weaker than others, they can bully you at will.

fair?

order?

What are these for?

When people get together, they might talk about how we want fairness and how we want to protect everyone.

But if it's just everyone gathered together at this time, to put it bluntly, it's just a pot of chicken soup for the soul.

Is it useful?

If you were bullied when you were weak, and you talk to someone about fairness and the need to abide by the laws of this country, will they listen to you?

Perhaps if you meet a kind-hearted person...

But you never have that choice; you're always in a passive position.

He can bully you at will and disregard order.

That's reality.

Lao Tie isn't some newbie fool; he's someone who's been in this world for decades, where a moment's carelessness can lead to death.

If he didn't have some ability, he wouldn't be sitting in this position today.

Are there few people like him?

At this very meeting, who wasn't a cunning fox?

If his friend can figure it out, others can naturally understand it as well.

The problem is, do you dare to stop this meeting?

Ultimately, it all comes down to two words—strength.

"Xiao, this meeting is indeed beyond our control, but I don't understand why the previous ones, who had the power to stop it, still came to participate. Don't they understand this principle?" Lao Tie frowned, unable to figure it out.

"Hahahaha." Luo Chen smiled faintly. Although Lao Tie had some insights, he still didn't see things clearly enough in some aspects. He continued, "Lao Tie, let me give you an analogy. We are the rabbits, but those guys in front of us are all tigers. Now there are plenty of rabbit meat to eat, so why would they stop us?"

Lao Tie looked blank, clearly not understanding what Luo Chen meant.

"Xiao, you still don't understand. Once we're gone, won't it just be their turn to fight amongst themselves, and no one will have a good outcome?"

“You’re limiting yourself too much.” Luo Chen shook his head and said thoughtfully, “The strength of these eight mercenary groups is actually roughly the same. At this point, no one can really do anything to anyone else. But as long as there’s a struggle, everyone wants to step on the other’s head.”

"Do you think these eight regimental commanders don't want to? But everyone knows each other well. If there are no accidents or interference from external forces, they can keep going like this for the rest of their lives."

"Right now, the emergence of the alliance is a boon for them. With the alliance, they can plunder our resources without restraint, from small to large, until only the eight of them are left."

"But think about it again. When seizing resources, is it always smooth sailing? Even if they are a large mercenary group, they won't make mistakes. So this will test their abilities. Who can have the last laugh, devour all the resources, and become the only mercenary group?"

"So many, understand?"

Luo Chen spoke slowly, analyzing the situation for his friend step by step.

Having worked in various places for so many years, one can usually tell that.

"Impressive!" Old Tie couldn't help but give Luo Chen a thumbs up. He was increasingly impressed by this young man, Xiao. Although he hadn't had much contact with him, he was already impressed by the boy's knowledge in just a few hours.

No wonder he was personally appointed by the commander; he certainly has some ability.

Stop praising me, or I'll blush.

"Now that you mention it, I understand. We're all tigers, and none of us are like the king of this forest," Lao Tie replied with a face full of appreciation.

"The principle is simple, but I don't quite understand Jiang Tao," Luo Chen said, glancing at Jiang Tao on the stage.

Don't be fooled by his seemingly righteous appearance; you can always sense that he's harboring malicious intentions behind the scenes.

"Why do you think that way? Jiang Tao has a good reputation in the town over the years. Whether they are mercenaries who are stationed here or passing through, they all speak highly of him. He did this because the two countries are at war and he is worried about the people in the town."

The old man countered with a question, still holding Jiang Tao in high regard, perhaps having received some favors in return.

Luo Chen smiled slightly. It was easy to see from Lao Tie's attitude that Jiang Tao was still very popular. No wonder so many people recommended him to be the leader of the alliance.

From a common-sense perspective, Jiang Tao's actions are indeed understandable, and are consistent with what he has done over the years.

Immediately, Luo Chen looked up at Jiang Tao, feeling as if something new had entered his mind.

Based on Jiang Tao's previous attitude, it was clear that he did not want to become the leader of the alliance, and he also recalled the expressions of the mercenary group leaders.

Does Jiang Tao intend for the mercenary group to become the leader of the alliance?

Now that these people understood Jiang Tao's purpose, they no longer cared about what he said next.

In other words, Jiang Tao has a bigger motive.

[Kindness—how could someone who rose from a small-town mayor to a highly popular figure among mercenaries be so simple-minded?]

[This is truly a hidden gem; things are about to get interesting.]

Luo Chen chuckled inwardly, wanting to grab a handful of melon seeds and watch the show.