"Guild Master Black Flame, everything Yi Han has said is absolutely true." Nan Cheng Jiu Meng, worried that Shi Feng might misunderstand, quickly explained. "Right now, the Divine Realm is getting hotter and hotter, and more and more conglomerates are moving in. The Azure Commerce Guild's two major controlling families are going all out on this matter. The Azure Commerce Guild may be focused on developing the West Continent, but they still have considerable influence across the major empires on the East Continent. If they got angry and went on a rampage, the impact on Zero Wing would be enormous."
Zero Wing may be powerful, but it simply hadn't reached that tier yet.
Especially now, as the connection between the East and West Continents grew tighter with every player level-up, plenty of superpowers were eager to cooperate with the Azure Commerce Guild. If the Azure Commerce Guild set conditions targeting Zero Wing, most of the East Continent's superpowers wouldn't hesitate to lend a hand. When that happened, Zero Wing would be in serious trouble.
If Zero Wing didn't want to be caught in the crossfire, the only option was to let Miao Wuyin join their Dark Chaser Alliance. That way, not only could Miao Wuyin receive more resources, but she'd also provide tremendous support—and Yan Xiaoqian's side would no longer be able to borrow the Dark Chaser Alliance's strength.
At that moment, Miao Wuyin, who had been silent beside them, looked at Shi Feng with a hint of apology in her eyes. She knew all too well how crazy her family was getting over this matter.
If both sides weren't being supervised so strictly—each eager to catch the other in a slip-up and use it to seize control of the commerce guild—they would have already resorted to every underhanded trick and resource at their disposal.
From what she knew, if her family lost, they would absolutely go berserk. Taking it out on others was entirely possible.
And Zero Wing's current situation wasn't easy either. If additional superpowers got involved, life for Zero Wing would become truly difficult.
"Thank you both for informing me. If there's nothing else you'd like to discuss, I have matters to attend to and won't keep you." Shi Feng said evenly.
"Guild Master Black Flame, what do you mean by that?" Yi Han stared at Shi Feng, her eyes full of astonishment.
She was almost beginning to wonder whether Shi Feng even understood what the Azure Commerce Guild and the Dark Chaser Alliance were. If Zero Wing made even a slightly wrong choice right now, the trouble they'd face in the future could destroy them entirely.
"I already know about Wuyin's situation," Shi Feng said, glancing at Yi Han with a faint smile. "And what I'm saying is, if other guilds can serve as Wuyin's backing, then so can we at Zero Wing."
He understood the Azure Commerce Guild's power far better than Yi Han and the others. After all, it was one of the top ten commerce guilds across the entire Divine Realm—ordinary superpowers couldn't even compare. It could go toe-to-toe with any of the major super-guilds.
The Dark Chaser Alliance went without saying—one of the veteran super-guilds, which had even annihilated two superpowers after the planar passages opened.
If this were the Zero Wing of old, he might have actually needed to think it over. But right now, there was simply no need to consider it at all.
"Guild Master!" Miao Wuyin was overcome with indescribable gratitude, and her determination to stay at Zero Wing only grew stronger.
"He's lost his mind! Completely lost his mind! Does this man really think Zero Wing's resources alone can help Wuyin?" Yi Han stared at Shi Feng, utterly speechless.
This competition hosted by the Azure Commerce Guild wasn't merely a test of alchemical skill—it was also a trial of strength. Even other superpowers couldn't match the Azure Commerce Guild's resources, let alone their Dark Chaser Alliance.
"Yi Han, I've made up my mind. I'm going to stay at Zero Wing. Even if Yan Xiaoqian gets a massive share of resources, with the effects of the research workshop, I won't necessarily lose." Miao Wuyin's gaze was resolute as she looked at Yi Han.
"Do what you want. I'm done getting involved. Just don't come crying about it later," Yi Han said, irritation creeping into her voice. She never expected Miao Wuyin to actually believe she could beat Yan Xiaoqian—with the Dark Chaser Alliance's backing.
Yan Xiaoqian occupied the Intermediate Meditation Chamber every single day, and she was only a single step away from becoming an Advanced Alchemy Master. The Dark Chaser Alliance, in its determination to cultivate an Advanced Alchemy Master, planned to pour every last resource into Yan Xiaoqian.
Meanwhile, Zero Wing had only just acquired a research workshop. Perhaps the research workshop could help Miao Wuyin advance to Advanced Alchemy Master, but time was already running out. The workshop could only provide guidance—everything else depended on the player's own research and experimentation, which couldn't be accomplished overnight. And the competition wasn't just about alchemical skill.
If Miao Wuyin had joined the Dark Chaser Alliance, there might have been some slim chance of victory. But staying at Zero Wing now meant there was absolutely no chance at all.
After she finished speaking, Yi Han led Nan Cheng Jiu Meng out of the reception room. She had already seen how this would end—the arrogance of Zero Wing and the blind faith of Miao Wuyin.
"Yi Han, are you really just going to let it go?" Nan Cheng Jiu Meng asked.