Chapter 358: Is This a Group Beatdown?

The other things aren't worth mentioning.

Cheng Shuili walked out of the training ground and was faced with a parking lot.

A few vehicles were already parked here; although it's still early, everyone who should be up has already woken.

Some of them took the sofas out of their vehicles, while others, finding it troublesome, simply sat on the ground; they shared breakfast with each other, looking as relaxed as if they were camping.

The purpose of this area is obvious: to park vehicles and give faction members a safe place to spend the night.

On top of that, there is a full set of vehicle repair tools here, so washing and fixing cars no longer requires cards; it's basically a makeshift service station, right?

While they ate breakfast, Cheng Shuili didn't go over.

Next come the medical station and the communal cafeteria.

These two facilities are absolutely crucial!

What Cheng Shuili looks forward to most is the communal cafeteria; she pushed open the somewhat heavy solid‑wood door and entered the relatively spacious dining area.

Neat tables and chairs are arranged here, looking no different from a school cafeteria, which is not what Cheng Shuili is hoping for.

She lifted her foot and headed straight for the back kitchen.

The description says that after connecting to a water source and adding ingredients, you can set a menu; the player only needs to prepare one batch, and the rest of the back kitchen will handle the rest.

After Cheng Shuili studied it and confirmed there was no difference from the description, she handed the matter over to Qi Wan Yi and Xinxue.

Qi Wan Yi cooks and doesn't understand pricing.

At this stage, the cafeteria obviously still has to charge fees.

As for the medical station…

Cheng Shuili gently furrowed her brows and stared silently at the empty storage warehouse for a long while.

The building is far more realistic than she imagined; without medical supplies, it's just an empty shell, so they can only have the few doctors they specifically recruited take turns on duty, and the rest will have to wait until they go to Shou Ren Xiao Zhen before it can be formalized.

Cheng Shuili lowered her head and sighed helplessly.

But anyway, everything is moving in a good direction, and that's enough.

After all faction buildings were completed, Black Feather became a Tier‑2 faction.

Including the title 'Crown of the New Elite', the cohesion bonus for forming parties among faction members is now 3%!

This bonus already makes Cheng Shuili three‑fifths of the Long Guo leader.

Cheng Shuili didn't comment on how strong the effect was; she was merely mocking the sole title 'Long Guo Leader'.

At least it's the only title, and compared with the few others it's really trash.

Other than that, it's just a newly unlocked feature.

The system once said that a faction leader can call faction members 'escort'.

Its official name is 'Cloud‑Piercing Arrow.'

【Cloud‑Piercing Arrow】

【Description: A Cloud‑Piercing Arrow, summons thousands of troops! Exclusive to faction leaders; upon use, it sends a road‑merge invitation to all faction members, and after they agree, a road merge occurs! Note: usable once per week.】

There is also a usage limit and it requires member consent.

The requirements are quite many.

Cheng Shuili glanced at it twice and then put the thing away.

If there were an item for faction members to directly call the leader for rescue, that would be useful; she can't make use of this.

Cheng Shuili turned her head, her gaze landing on a newly erected low wall at the border of the territory.

That is a defensive structure, just built.

Perhaps because the level is low, it's just a short stone wall with a few scattered watchtowers behind it, standing at the edge of the territory; during peacetime it can be treated as mere decoration.

Besides… no faction dares to duel Black Feather right now.

Once upgraded later, there'll be no worries.

While Cheng Shuili was thinking, a blood‑red panel suddenly popped up before her.

She furrowed her brows, and after reading the text, her complexion turned cold instantly.

【Faction 'Eat Full Drink Full Sleep Sleep' has declared war on faction 'Black Feather'!】

Cheng Shuili stared at it, then sneered a cold laugh; she recognized the name—a minor faction led by someone ranked in the teens on the leaderboard.

As for the leader's name, Cheng Shuili really couldn't recall.

She had just mused that the defensive structure wouldn't be useful for a while, and now a clueless clown appears?

Seems… not right?

Black Feather's group chat has already exploded.

??? Did I get dizzy? Did a red text just float by a moment ago?

"Eat Full Drink Full Sleep Sleep? What a funny name! Is their leader doing performance art?"

"Hahaha, where did that live treasure come from? Someone in the teens of the leaderboard daring to extort our Wuya Lao Da? Wanting a longer life?"

"So funny, just upgraded to Tier‑2, the defense wall is built but hasn't been opened yet, and now someone shows up to be a test subject?"

"Boss, give the order! I'll be the first to go up!"

The war declaration was posted as a regional announcement, and the area channel is bustling as well.

But public opinion is almost unanimously against them.

Cheng Shuili was about to search who this over‑confident leader was when seven or eight blood‑stained war notices suddenly popped up before her.

【Faction 'Chu Tian Kuo' has declared war on faction 'Black Feather'!】

【Faction 'Cloud Wild' has declared war on faction 'Black Feather'!】

【Faction 'Sharp Cat Claw' has declared war on faction 'Black Feather'!】

【Faction 'Sinking Heaven' has declared war on faction 'Black Feather'!】

……

Cheng Shuili: "……"

She was right, after all.

Which faction would dare to duel Black Fish alone?

This is a group beat‑down, huh?

The regional channel's previously lopsided public opinion briefly stalled under the successive war‑declaration notices, then erupted into even crazier spamming and speculation.

"Damn, Wuya Dalao must have offended someone? This looks like it was pre‑arranged!"

"Yun Ye and Chen Tian also lead factions created by top‑ten players!"

"They must have teamed up! Black Feather has incurred the public's wrath!"

"The bigger the tree, the more it catches wind… It's over; even Black Feather can't withstand so many groups attacking together, right?"

"The tide is turning; our 12th District and even the whole Long Guo region are about to change!"

"That's kind of funny. What are you talking about? No one actually believes that a few factions that can't beat Black Feather on their own, if they unite, could defeat Black Feather, right?"

"Never learned history? This happened back in Qin Shi Huang's time. The six states united against Qin—what was the result?"

"The analogy above is good, but it's a bit inaccurate; back then it was only humans fighting humans with cold weapons. Now we have firearms, attribute points, special equipment bonuses… You're being unreasonable to challenge Wu Ya."

"Don't overhype it; she's still alive because the Designated Player Duel Card only allows 1v1. If they could team up, she'd be dead long ago!"

"Who said it's limited to 1v1? The person above hasn't even figured out how the card works, keep talking… you're making me laugh my molar off."

"Anyway it's none of my business. I'll just watch the spectacle. Whoever wins or loses, our 12th District is lively now!"

It really is lively.

The Black Feather Group Chat's atmosphere grew solemn.

"……Another one?"

"Chu Tian Kuo? That name sounds familiar…"

"Wait… Yun Ye? The one ranked eighth on the leaderboard?"

"Chen Tian is also in the top ten! Damn!"

"Not… this, how many is this now? Is it that exciting? The first war declaration… just like this?"

"They pre‑arranged it! Unite to take us down! **If they don't kill us, Black Feather will just disband, that's it!"

"The regional channel blew up! Lots of people are saying we're finished!"

"Are there too many of them? Our wall… is only Level‑1."

"The medical station is still empty… if a fight breaks out…"

The sentence was followed by a worried emoticon.

【Wu Ya Zuo Fei Ji】: "Let me say a couple of words."

The noisy group chat fell silent in an instant.

Cheng Shuili typed calmly.

"Why panic."

The brief three words appeared in the chat, carrying a strange calming force.

"A Level‑1 wall is still a wall; an empty medical station is better than none."

"Their alliance—doesn't that work out perfectly?"

"We Black Feather should let these people see what strength is, so that later no stray cats or dogs dare to submit a challenge."

Her words were like a stabilizing needle, calming the restless chat a bit, though the underlying unease didn't fully vanish.

Soon, a hesitant, timid message cautiously emerged from a member named "Miao Miao."

【Miao Miao】: "Lao Da… it's not that we're trying to boost others' morale and diminish our own prestige. The opponent has too many people; several are factions created by well‑known players on the leaderboard… We, we've only just reached Level‑2, and our defenses are still incomplete… With so many factions, can we really fight? Will the losses be… too great?"

The message seemed to open a gate, and immediately a few usually inactive members echoed it.

【Xu Ge Yuan】: "Indeed, Lao Da, a hero doesn't take immediate loss; how about we temporarily avoid the front? Grab some resources to survive a wave, then avenge later?"

【Xiao Ji Xiao Ji】: "I was recruited because I can fix vehicles, Lao Da. I really don't know how to fight, I'm scared to fight—can't we just not fight?"

The retreating remarks were few, yet they stood out sharply at this critical moment.

The chat instantly split into two camps: some members immediately countered, while others stayed silent, seemingly watching Cheng Shuili's stance.

Cheng Shuili herself looked at the messages, her face showing no surprise.

That's perfectly normal.

"When things are smooth, everyone is good. Only when problems arise, or when we have to fight for our lives, can we see whether a person is truly human or a ghost."

"Facing problems now is certainly far better than being stabbed in the back when a fight breaks out."

What Cheng Shuili intends is to use this chance to weed out the wavering sand and truly ignite Black Feather's collective spirit.

She didn't immediately rebuke those wanting to quit; instead she @‑mentioned the few members who insisted on fighting.

"First praise those people, then deal with the trash."

【Wu Ya Zuo Fei Ji】: "@…, and all members willing to stand with Black Feather now. Seeing you still here, I'm glad."

Those words instantly gave the pro‑war faction a sense of recognized passion and honor.

After sending that message, she didn't individually @‑mention the cowardly ones.

She only said:

【Wu Ya Zuo Fei Ji】: "If you're scared and want to leave, that's fine. Black Feather won't force anyone whose heart isn't here to stay. Now, open the faction panel, submit your own exit request. I'll give you one minute; within that minute, I'll approve as many applications as you submit."

【Wu Ya Zuo Fei Ji】: "One minute later, those who remain here, I'll assume you've chosen to fight alongside Black Feather. If anyone then wavers or deserts… don't blame me for treating them as traitors; you wouldn't want to try my methods either."

Though they were just words, they carried a cold murderous intent that made everyone who read them shiver.

Those members who wanted to quit froze like cicadas in winter.

Miao Miao and a few others almost clumsily opened the faction panel, searching for how to submit a withdrawal request.

The group fell utterly silent for a moment, everyone counting silently, waiting for the long minute to pass, waiting to see which comrades remained beside them.

Amid the silence, a new message suddenly popped up in the group chat.

【Xiao Ji Xiao Ji】：@Wu Ya Zuo Fei Ji, what do you think of this withdrawal fee? I didn't get anything from joining Black Feather, just looked at some data, bought a gas mask, and I even submitted 500 pieces of material when I joined, so I won't ask you to return those, but can you waive the 250 pieces of material?

Cheng Shuili looked at the message and burst out laughing in anger.

She hadn't even had time to reply when the group chat exploded.

【Xin Xue Chuji】：Xiao Ji Xiao Ji, have you no shame?! At a time like this you still think about haggling? Those 500 pieces of material were the threshold to join the faction! The gas mask was an internal welfare price! By quitting now you're a deserter! Want the material back? Dream on!

【Wan Yi】：Truly eye‑opening, Lao Da, people like that aren't worth our words.

【Qing Shan Yuan Xing】：@Xiao Ji Xiao Ji, have some dignity, get out quickly, you're disgusting.

……

Cheng Shuili's fingertips skimmed across the panel swiftly.

【Wu Ya Zuo Fei Ji】：@Xiao Ji Xiao Ji, okay.

That blunt reply instantly silenced the group chat, even the person who had been shouting was stunned.

Xiao Ji Xiao Ji apparently hadn't expected it to go so smoothly, and immediately sent a flattering emoji.

【Xiao Ji Xiao Ji】：Thank you, Lao Da! Thank you for understanding, Lao Da! I'm withdrawing right now!

【Wu Ya Zuo Fei Ji】：Don't rush. I haven't finished speaking yet.

【Wu Ya Zuo Fei Ji】：The 250 pieces of material are for buying your 250 lives. Whether you hand them over or not, you'll leave, but if you don't, whether you survive after leaving depends on your skill.

That unabashed threat carried more weight than any rousing pre‑battle mobilization.

The group erupted in cheers!

【Xiao Ji Xiao Ji】 fell silent there, daring not to type another word.

On the faction panel, the withdrawal request prompt began flashing: one, two, three…

One after another, neither many nor few, only the three of them.

Cheng Shuili's gaze didn't waver as her fingertips repeatedly clicked 【Agree】 on the virtual panel.

Three system prompts about leaving the group hung coldly at the top of the chat, like three pillars of disgrace.

One minute passed.

In the silent group chat, Wu Ya Zuo Fei Ji's five characters lit up again.

【Wu Ya Zuo Fei Ji】：Time's up. The sand has been sifted out; what's left is pure gold. From this moment, you are the backbone of Black Feather, comrades who can entrust each other with life and death.

【Wu Ya Zuo Fei Ji】：Don't they think that sheer numbers can trample us?

【Wu Ya Zuo Fei Ji】：Then let them remember with wounds and lives. Black Feather stands not on numbers but on fists that can shatter their snarling teeth!

【Wu Ya Zuo Fei Ji】：Everyone, gather at the territory immediately. We will not only receive their generous gifts, but also give them a gift they'll never forget!

Cheng Shuili didn't look at the replies; instead she opened the regional channel again.

These people haven't yet set foot in Black Feather's territory, so they must be…

Sure enough, several surrender‑appeal messages from leaders of various warring factions, their wording almost identical, were being copied and broadcast by countless people, flooding the regional channel.