Chapter 313: The Meaning of Our Existence

Top‑tier workhorse.

So it's here, right?

When Cheng Shuili saw the message, she was already sitting at the same table with the four people from the small group.

Also present were Su Rui, Yu Bing, Zhou Zhuxing, and the two rather special consultants and guides.

One could say the entire core team of Black Feather is here.

She sipped the hot tea prepared by the consultant; it was far better than the cold brew she had made back in the Instance.

As the warm tea entered her mouth, Cheng Shuili squinted like a satiated cat, then finally drew a moment of cultivation to recover Guang Hui.

The reply she sent was a very simple invitation.

Since they were to follow Cheng Shuili, they had only one choice—join Black Feather!

The two hesitated hardly at all; for them, it was also the best choice!

Two more people immediately took seats at the long table.

The guide stood up and handed them the tea; Cheng Shuili watched the two relax, then tapped the table to interrupt the bickering among the others.

In total twelve people sat at the long table, but as Cheng Shuili acted, everyone fell silent, put on a serious expression, shifted their gaze to her, and waited earnestly to hear what she would say.

Cheng Shuili's gaze calmly swept over every face present, from the earliest followers like Qi Wan Yi and others, to the companions along the way such as Su Rui, and then later Yu Bing, Zhou Zhuxing and the few others.

These were all people Cheng Shuili had interacted with for some time, at least in terms of character they had no major issues.

Cheng Shuili set down her teacup; the crisp clink rang especially clear in the silent hall.

"Alright."

She spoke, her voice low yet carrying a force that made listeners involuntarily focus, "Everyone's basically here. Black Feather is officially standing today; this place is our starting point."

Cheng Shuili used to be a reclusive tech nerd, adept at entertaining herself and good at putting on a façade.

But speaking like this was actually her first time.

Nevertheless, these people are indeed acquaintances, trustworthy, and speaking in front of one's own is always relaxed.

Although she only sketched it out briefly while waiting over tea, Cheng Shuili's speech turned out unexpectedly smooth.

She paused, then continued, "The name is set, the territory secured, the core members are all here. But this is only the first step. Next, we must turn this empty shell into a force that can survive, stand firm, and even command respect."

"First, the base construction," she said, pulling up the faction panel and pointing to the upgrade options so everyone could see the long list of material requirements. "Walls, defenses, housing, functional buildings... we need a lot, and our previous savings are far insufficient. Gathering resources is the most urgent task now."

"Especially this defensive structure," Cheng Shuili paused, then continued, "I suspect there could be territorial wars between factions. But currently, in the entire 12‑zone area, we are the only faction, so this hypothesis cannot yet be tested."

"Second, people."

Cheng Shuili looked at the region channel where join requests kept scrolling. "Many outside want to join, but we can't accept everyone. Standards must be set, rules established. For this, Guang Hui, you have experience. Lead a preliminary plan with Xinxue and post it in the channel before 8 p. m. today; we'll discuss it thoroughly."

Guang Hui and Xinxue immediately nodded, "Understood, Boss."

People are the fundamental issue, but that issue can't be rushed; right now we have no members, yet once people start coming in, they'll arrive in droves.

Cheng Shuili had just checked; the faction page clearly stated they are currently a Tier‑1 faction, maxing at 200 members, and only after upgrading can they hold 500.

And the resources needed to upgrade the faction are an astronomical figure!

Of course, that's not something to ponder now.

What matters most now is to prepare thoroughly in advance for the influx of personnel!

The faction page comes with a contribution system; items players donate become contribution points, which can be used to purchase goods from the warehouse.

Indeed, the items in the warehouse must be bought.

Although Cheng Shuili thought this place should be called a "Faction Shop," she lacks the authority to rename it, so she makes do.

All this is well organized; an important point is that the system, for convenience, only allows a single custom pricing.

In other words, Cheng Shuili must assign someone to calculate each item's value based on the contribution points at submission, to establish a relatively reasonable pricing system.

Naturally, this task should be given to Xinxue, the business prodigy.

She delegated the other miscellaneous matters one by one; by the time the meeting ended, it was already close to nine p. m.

During that time, Qi Wan Yi stepped out to cook a meal; Guang Hui and Chen Qing Shan tasted such cooking for the first time. Their reactions were no different from Xinxue and the others, which quickly deepened the camaraderie among them.

After the meal, when discussing matters, they had already begun to respond to each other.

Having arranged everything properly, Cheng Shuili tapped the table again.

At Black Feather's first meeting, she naturally had something to say.

"Finally," Cheng Shuili's voice lowered slightly, her gaze slowly sweeping each person present, "is about the future of all of us, and the meaning of Black Feather's existence."

She leaned forward slightly, elbows on the table, fingers interlaced.

"We gather here because we need a place we can rely on each other, to survive together. Everyone knows how the outside world has turned. Fighting alone might let you scrape by for a month or two, but it certainly won't last long."

"Black Feather isn't about seeking dominion… at least not now."

She paused, her tone unusually serious, "Its primary goal is survival. To give us and future trustworthy companions a relatively safe stronghold, where we can share intel, exchange resources, and have a place to catch our breath and prepare before entering the next deadly Instance."

"Therefore," Cheng Shuili emphasized, "internal unity and trust are the bottom line."

Cheng Shuili rarely speaks so much, but today these words truly came from the heart.

"I don't want to see internal strife arise over a bit of resources or a disagreement in opinion."

"If there's any problem, put it on the table and speak it out."

"If anyone feels the rules or the people here don't suit them, the gate is wide open; you can leave at any time. But if you stay, you must abide by the rules here."

Her gaze lingered a moment longer on the faces of Qi Wan Yi and the others she'd known earliest, seeing only complete approval and support.