Chapter 89: Guild Leader

The benefit of having a wealthy person like Qiao Qiao as a team member was currently put on display [1].

The vehicle Qiao Qiao prepared was a Mercedes Benz G55 with a spacious body and high horsepower – when she had went out with Roddy to find a vehicle, they found that the 4S automotive shop did not have any vehicle at the time [2]. This ostentatious female simply threw her money down and drove the vehicle of the 4S shop owner’s car away.

On their way back to the city, Qiao Qiao had also reserved comfortable rooms in a high-class hotel. She had also made sure to prepare a great deal of medical supplies, food, clothes, etc.

Chen Xiaolian first headed back to the hotel. After they entered, they began enjoying the food.

In the northwest area of the hotel, Chen Xiaolian unceremoniously ordered a big bowl of steamed mutton. He was so hungry he did not even soak the bun into the mutton soup, Instead, he directly tore one of the bun into half and stuffed it into his mouth [3].

Lun Tai and Bei Tai beside him were also no different from hungry ghosts. Lun Tai held onto a bowl of beef noodles as his face appeared to be on the verge of going into the bowl. As for Bei Tai, he held onto a family bucket as he munched on. Even the chicken bones were chewed and swallowed down his stomach.

While they were heading here, Chen Xiaolian had managed to gain some information from the exchange between him and the two brothers.

Back then, Qiu Yun had informed him that Nangong’s Guild was one with a mass production type of orientation.

Towards this claim, the two brothers, Lun Tai and Bei Tai gave a snort!

“Qiu Yun? To think that hypocrite would have the nerve to say something like that!” Lun Tai replied.

Bei Tai was more direct in his reply. “That bastard had already busted his own guild members to the point where they deserted him. If not for him betraying his team members and sending them to their deaths, why would he not have a single right-hand man in this time’s instance dungeon? He even had to come to our Guild Leader Nangong for a cooperation. Hmph!”

Betraying his team members and sending them to their deaths?

Chen Xiaolian tried to ask more about it. According to Lun Tai, he did not know much regarding the incident. Only that he had heard that in the last instance dungeon, Meteor Rock Guild encountered a situation that caused internal conflict to break out.  It is said that to complete a certain quest, Qiu Yun lied to his own subordinate team members and sent them to their deaths. As a result, after the instance dungeon ended, Meteor Rock Guild became severely weakened due to the deaths of several of their key members. After the instance dungeon concluded, the surviving guild members left the guild out of rage.

It was as though the current Meteor Rock Guild existed in name only.

After what Qiu Yun did in Epang Palace, Chen Xiaolian was inclined to believe Bei Tai’s words.

Moreover… Bei Tai was not a scheming person.

Someone who has the balls to call himself ‘Bei Tai’ (Spare Tire), how treacherous can someone like this be?

“All I know is that before the instance dungeon had begun, Qiu Yun had killed one of his guild members. According to him, that guild member was plotting to harm him.”

Listening to this information by Chen Xiaolian, Lun Tai replied.

Having eaten 3 big bowls of beef noodles, he sneered as he continued eating. “I had heard from Guild Leader Nangong that in the last instance dungeon, Meteor Rock Guild had acquired a very precious treasure. For that treasure, Qiu Yun purposely sacrificed many of his guild members leaving only one who is like a brother to him. However, it seems that these two cannot agree on how to split the spoils. Thus, this led to conflict again.

Back when Nangong told me that Qiu Yun had brought a team member with him, I was surprised.

As for the plot to harm him, I feel that it is likely due to their disagreement on how to split the spoils.”

Chen Xiaolian suddenly realized an important problem.

“Qiu Yun is dead… that means Meteor Rock Guild no longer have a Guild Leader. Then, what will happen to the guild?

Lun Tai placed down the bowl and chopsticks in his hands and wiped his mouth. He then stared at Chen Xiaolian and laughed. “That would depend on your luck.”

“Why do you say that?”

“If a Guild Leader dies, then the remaining guild members must decide on who to take the position of Guild Leader – generally speaking, this situation would lead to an intense internal struggle. That is because the authority held by the Guild Leader brings many benefits. Among other things, the authority to select and arrange which team members to participate in an instance dungeon alone is very important!

At the same time, there will be a critical restriction placed onto the guild by the system: Among the guild members, there must be a veteran who have experienced 5 instance dungeons. Otherwise, the guild will be forcibly disbanded.”

Chen Xiaolian nodded in understanding: Back then, he had wanted to form his own guild and had Han Bi check up on the requirements imposed by the system. They found that only a veteran who had experienced 5 instance dungeons could have the qualifications to form a guild.

“Naturally, a grace period will be given. Normally, it would be between 24 to 48 hours. As long as the guild could recruit one or more veteran into the guild within the grace period, then the qualification of the guild would remain and it will not be disbanded.”

After saying that, Lun Tai looked at Chen Xiaolian. “You can look at the system interface. In your guild system interface, the position of Guild Leader should have become vacant. Before entering the next instance dungeon, a new Guild Leader must be elected. Additionally, if there is no veteran within the guild, then the name of the guild will turn red and a countdown prompt will appear. It means that before the countdown ends, the guild must find a veteran to join the guild.”

Chen Xiaolian became silent.

He dragged out the guild system interface and looked over it.

Sure enough, the Guild Leader’s position had become vacant.

The 3 words ‘Meteor Rock Guild’ had also turned red and a countdown appeared behind it: 23 hours 11 minutes 26 seconds… the number continued changing.

“I do not know how many people are there left in Meteor Rock Guild,” Chen Xiaolian smiled bitterly. “I hope that this guild do not get disbanded. I have already spent a considerable number of points to buy the guild’s special equipment. Once this guild gets disbanded, won’t the guild’s special equipment disappear?”

“How about this? You can try to apply for the position of Guild Leader,” Lun Tai explained. “As long as more than half of the remaining guild members support you, then it will be accepted.

The system requirement only states that the Guild Leader who wants to establish a guild must be a veteran that has experienced 5 instance dungeons. However, a Guild Leader who takes over the position or is given the position need not conform to that requirement. So, a Guild Leader that does not establish a guild need not be restricted by the requirement to be a veteran of 5 instance dungeons. Even a newbie can take that spot.

However… that will depend on whether or not there are any other people in this Meteor Rock Guild other than you and this little girl.”

“Might as well give it a try,” Chen Xiaolian looked at Lun Tai. “However, neither me nor Soo Soo are veterans. If we are the only two members left, then we do not have the qualifications to retain the guild. That would lead to the guild’s disbandment. That is why…”

“You are thinking of… inviting us two brothers into your guild?”

Lun Tai smiled – he was different from the simplistic Bei Tai. Lun Tai was clearly smarter.

“Big bro, I feel that is not a bad thing,” Bei Tai swallowed another piece of chicken meat. “Boss Nangong is already dead and I really do not wish to go back to look at that Deputy Guild Leader’s face! Just looking at her face makes me want to smash it! Let us leave the guild. The way I see it, this Chen Xiaolian fellow is not bad. Also, our Nangong Guild’s special equipment have all been used up in this instance dungeon.”

Lun Tai thought about it and hesitated. He then glanced at Chen Xiaolian. “Joining the Meteor Rock Guild is not impossible. However… I have a few requirements.”

“Do tell.”

“First, you must first become the Guild Leader. Within the Meteor Rock Guild, I only trust you.”

“Naturally!” Chen Xiaolian quickly replied. “If I cannot become the Guild Leader, I too will leave the guild. I cannot be at ease at leaving my life to a stranger.”

“Second, my brother and I will only accept your orders if they are reasonable. Blunt words should be said first. You are after all a rookie Guild Leader; if you are to give out an unreasonable order within an instance dungeon or if it is obvious that you are going to use us brothers as cannon fodder, do not expect us two brothers to obey.”

Chen Xiaolian smiled and nodded his head – he was very clear, trust takes time to be built. To hope that others will disregard their emotions and become a subordinate right off the bat was an impossibility. Additionally, the other party were veterans. It was only natural for veterans to have their own brand of pride.

“Thirdly, us two brothers… must have the autonomy in choosing which instance dungeon to participate in,” Lun Tai carefully said out the last requirement. “While the authority to select team members for an instance dungeon usually rests with the Guild Leader, I want to make a gentlemen’s agreement with you: Under inevitable circumstances, if us two brothers do not want to participate in an instance dungeon, we will not do it even if you order us to! If you forcibly include us into the list of participation, then do not blame us for turning on you after we brothers enter the instance dungeon.”

Chen Xiaolian pondered about it and smiled. “Very well! Agreed!”

…

Chen Xiaolian quickly called out to Soo Soo and the both of them entered the guild system interface.

Within the guild system interface, he found an ‘Applying to be Guild Leader’ option.

This option did not exist when Qiu Yun was still alive.

Chen Xiaolian chose to apply to be Guild Leader.

Soon, a prompt was issued out by the system:

[Your application has acquired the support of one guild member].

Soo Soo smiled at Chen Xiaolian.

Then…

[Excluding the candidates, the number of supporters for you becoming Guild Leader have garnered more than half the support of the guild members. Your application have been accepted!].

Chen Xiaolian’s mind was pleasantly surprised!

Soon, he saw a huge change in the guild system interface!

Firstly was the emergence of a list of names of the guild members!

To Chen Xiaolian’s surprise, besides himself and Kwan Ran Soo (Soo Soo), there was a third name on the guild members list of names.

This name was: Dong Shi (Winter Rock)

[System prompt: Guild member Dong Shi has sent you a message, do you wish to read it now?].

[Dong Shi: Although I do not know who you are, it seems that the fellow Qiu Yun had died. Congratulations to you. Hope you live longer].

Chen Xiaolian was shocked. He subconsciously chose [Reply], as he had wanted to ask the other person something.

However, a system prompt had arrived!

[Guild System prompt: Guild member Dong Shi had already withdrawn from your guild].

With… withdrawn from guild?

He left right after saying those words to me?

Wait…

His name is… Dong Shi (Winter Rock)?

Qiu Yun (Autumn Meteor)… Dong Shi (Winter Rock)…

Meteor Rock Guild?

Dong Shi, raw: ‘冬石’, pinyin: ‘dōng shí’. ‘冬’ (dong) means ‘winter’, ‘石’(shi) means rock / stone.

1 The word used by author for wealthy is actually ‘tuhao’. It is a derogatory term for people of wealth and influence who likes to flaunt their money. It could also indicate nouveau riche.↩

2 ‘4S’ shop is a ‘Four In One’ shop in the automotive business. The S includes Sale, Sparepart, Service and Survey.↩

3 Steamed mutton, a form of snack in China consisting of a bowl of noodles and mutton. Buns are complementary and usually dipped into the soup to soak in the aroma.↩