Chapter 228: Everyone Has a Chance

【The Beggar Sect has suffered heavy losses; save your big brother's business. Reward: 100 Qi Luck】

【Your situation has reached the edge of extreme danger; fight for a way to survive; Reward: Flash (short-distance displacement)】

The Extreme Counter-Kill System issued a new mission, pointing out his situation directly—extreme danger.

Of course.

The reward was also tempting, upgrading directly from Agility to Flash.

Another life-saving Skill!

However.

The moment he saw Flash, what Lin Bai thought of was his culinary arts.

On the battlefield, to turn enemies into dishes, what was missing was a way to get to the enemy's side; now, the method seemed to be at hand.

The synergy between systems could indeed make up for all deficiencies...

The nascent industries in the three Basic Cities had been shut down, the Kitchen God Rice Divination had been sealed by Xu Longyun, the Beggar Sect high-level members left behind in Qian City, such as 【Gugao Laoren】, had been captured by Guo Yuan, and the remaining members of sects like Medicine King Valley, Spirit Tool Pavilion, and Blood Shadow Sect had unilaterally announced the severance of ties with the sect masters who joined the Justice Alliance...

Bad news came one after another.

The Kitchen God System, Peerless Divine Doctor System, Craftsman God System, and all other previously planned missions were almost all interrupted...

Is this the consequence of opposing the entire world?

It truly was an all-encompassing strangulation.

The Seven Righteous Sects and the Demonic Five Sects thought far too highly of him!

Sitting alone in the meeting hall, Lin Bai quietly pondered a way to break the deadlock.

There were four Red Threads left; this was his greatest trump card.

There were four golden cards, though three had to be used for missions; if he were lucky and succeeded in sealing them in one go, he would not only have two left over but would also be rewarded with five more by the system.

At that time, he would have seven golden cards.

The effect of the golden cards was to seal opponents of a higher level than him, but the system's judgment was very vague, counting the strength shared with him by the card characters as his own personal strength.

If Li Zhenren was at Spirit Transformation, then he was at the Transformation Realm.

Theoretically, by utilizing the golden cards well and ensuring that he could seal opponents of a higher level than him in every battle, his personal strength could leap in stages, rapidly reaching the peak of cultivation in this world—the realm of a Tribulation Transcendence expert.

This was the most ideal situation.

But in actual combat, accidents always happened, especially now that the Beggar Sect's business was stagnant and Qi Luck had stopped growing; who knew what might happen!

And the Super Sect Master System hadn't been rewarding Merit points lately either...

Now, all that seemed left to do were the missions for the Yuelao System, War God System, and Great Language System.

Of course.

There was also the Super Villain System that he didn't particularly like...

Regardless.

Escaping could not solve the problem; only by facing difficulties head-on could he carve out a path in this intricate situation.

Unlike the slightly nervous Lin Bai, the appearance of the Concentration Fruit gave all members of the Justice Alliance great confidence.

Xin Shang and the others cast aside their previous grudges, gathered together, and enthusiastically engaged in Pill Refinement and Weapon Refinement, making the most detailed preparations for the coming war.

They didn't even care about the betrayal of their own sects.

"Alliance Leader, 【Lao Mi】 has rebelled." 【Baiyin】 and the others, having received the distress signal from 【Gugao Laoren】, came to find Lin Bai at the first opportunity.

"Hmm?" Lin Bai frowned.

"..." 【Baiyin】 told Lin Bai the power-seizing incident that happened in Qian City in detail, "Gugao Laoren, Madman, and other high-level members left behind in the Beggar Sect were rounded up by Lao Mi in league with the City Lord. Lao Mi now covers the sky with one hand in Qian City. Alliance Leader, you must save Lao Gu and the others! All along, all the affairs of the Beggar Sect have been supported and operated by them. You know how much ability Lao Mi has; if the Beggar Sect is handed over to him, it will be ruined nine times out of ten."

"He also defected to the City Lord," 【I am not a sub-account】 added. "This time, the plan he came up with seems to be hedging his bets, able to advance or retreat. But he is no match for Guo Yuan. If he can backstab Lao Gu and the others this time, he can backstab you next time!"

【Gugao Laoren】 had been able to hold onto the power of the Beggar Sect for so long, so naturally, he had his own methods of controlling people; at the very least, the hearts of several Beggar Sect high-level members were on his side.

Not everyone was blinded by greed, and furthermore, these people knew 【Lao Mi】's capabilities and knew that the Beggar Sect wouldn't last long following him.

The most critical point was that 【Lao Mi】's behavior was too chilling; no one liked such a teammate.

The players reported the situation to Lin Bai while chatting privately.

Lin Bai easily figured out the whole truth of the matter from their conversation.

Then, he reached a conclusion: dogs biting dogs, a mouthful of fur.

【Gugao Laoren】 wanted to scheme against him, but ended up being backstabbed by 【Lao Mi】; the two of them staged a vivid internal struggle for power.

Neither side was a good thing.

Now they wanted him to preside over justice? What were they thinking!

Serves them right!

Moreover, starting from Lin Bai's own interests, 【Lao Mi】 taking power was more beneficial to him.

Because the target of the Chief Supporting Role System was his big brother.

Rescuing 【Gugao Laoren】 and having these people turn around and kill 【Lao Mi】 would be sabotaging himself.

Unless he wanted to change his big brother.

But changing his big brother at this time and then re-cultivating his business—did he still want his Qi Luck Value or not?

One had to admit.

【Lao Mi】 did this job quite beautifully.

He didn't know if this counted as the ill-fated relationship triggered by the Love Stick; after all, the couples bound by the Moon Elder Red Thread were affectionate and loving without causing any trouble, while the relationship between 【Lao Mi】 and Guo Yuan was filled with utilization, being utilized, and power-for-sex trades.

Regarding Lao Mi using the City Lord, didn't Guo Yuan also have a component of using Lao Mi in there? If it were merely coveting his beauty, it wouldn't be called a karmic debt.

One has to be on guard.

"Alliance Leader, you have to save Lao Gu and the others! Lao Mi will destroy the Beggar Sect," said 【Kuguateng】.

"Can *Justice Weekly* still operate?" Lin Bai asked.

Several players were stunned.

【Baiyin】 stammered, "I suppose so!"

"That's fine then. Send a message to 【Gugao Laoren】: When Heaven is about to place a great burden on a person, it must first suffer their heart and mind, labor their sinews and bones, starve their body and skin, empty their person, and increase what they are incapable of. Let him stay in prison for a period of time. Once he survives this period, I will make new arrangements for him," Lin Bai said, looking at the few of them.

That was it?

【Resentment from Baiyin, Kuguateng, I Am Not A Smurf...; +1 +1 +1】

"What about Lao Mi?" 【Baiyin】 asked.

"You all know that the current situation is dire. *Justice Weekly* is our mouthpiece, so ensuring its operation is enough. As for the rest, let it go where it may. Lao Mi and Guo Yuan have a good relationship; with him presiding over the Beggar Sect, at least within the scope of Qian City, Guo Yuan can protect the basic operations of the Beggar Sect. We must proceed from the actual situation..." Lin Bai said.

Damn it!

The hearts of the few players turned cold instantly.

No one expected that Lin Bai would give such a resolution.

"Alliance Leader, the Beggar Sect was almost entirely managed by Lao Gu single-handedly. If this matter gets out, how disheartening it will be for the Beggar Sect Disciples!" 【Baiyin】 said, unwilling to give up.

Disheartening, my foot!

They were all players from all over the place.

Who cared about whom?

How could there be such deep feelings?

Lin Bai glanced at him and said, "Lao Mi is the Sect Leader I personally appointed. From the very beginning, I said that you could do whatever you wanted, but the Sect Leader could not be touched. You sidelined him, and having today's disaster is your own doing. If you hang out in the world, you have to pay it back sooner or later. Since Lao Mi has taken back his power, you should just assist him well."

"But..." 【Baiyin】 said.

"If I put you in the position of Gugao Laoren, could you do it well?" Lin Bai asked, looking at 【Baiyin】.

"..." 【Baiyin】 was stunned.

"You are actually just like him, merely meeting the occasion; no one is more excellent than anyone else. Compared to those full of devious schemes, I prefer obedient, honest people," Lin Bai said. "At least they won't backstab me for a little bit of profit during a battle."

The truth hurts the most.

Several players fell into silence simultaneously.

【Kuguateng】 sent a private message: "The last matter hasn't passed yet; Shopkeeper Lin already doesn't trust us."

"Last time, when you made us decide who stays and who goes through a martial arts competition, you also said you only wanted the strong and the useful," 【Xiashanhu】 retorted, unwilling to accept this.

Although he had always been at odds with Lin Bai, he had survived the competition; after all, he still had the Beast-Ear Girl he was obsessed with and was unwilling to start over from scratch.

"Is there a problem with wanting both strength and honesty?" Lin Bai smiled.

The players were forced to smile, secreting resentment for Lin Bai in their hearts.

"Lao Mi isn't honest either. Aren't you afraid that he will backstab you in the future?" 【Wo Bushi Xiaohao】 asked with a smile.

"As long as I am strong enough, he won't have the chance," Lin Bai said. "Also, what do you think I established the Justice Alliance Army for?"

"..." 【Wo Bushi Xiaohao】 was speechless.

"I know you look down on Lao Mi, just as you look down on Deng Li Buduo," Lin Bai looked around at everyone. "But they were both chosen by me. Do you still remember the rules of the Justice Sect? The people I choose, even if they are bad or stupid, must be accepted. If they are cultivated into talent, they are talent; if they cannot be cultivated, they are mirrors to learn from. To be honest, Lao Mi's counter-kill this time made me look at him with new eyes."

The players looked at each other.

【Baiyin】 said, "Damn, almost forgot the Justice Sect's rules."

【Kuguateng】 said, "Forgot that Shopkeeper Lin himself isn't a good thing either. We were stupid to come to him to preside over justice."

【Wo Bushi Xiaohao】 said, "He's hoping we fight amongst ourselves!"

【Xiashanhu】 said, "But this isn't the time for infighting; at this moment, he is already being shouted at by everyone."

【Wo Bushi Xiaohao】 said, "It is precisely because he is being shouted at by everyone that he won't care about Lao Gu's affairs. The forum is right; at this time, he can barely protect himself, and the Beggar Sect has become a burden to him. Right now, what Lin Bai wants is stability; he doesn't care at all who is managing the Beggar Sect. I have to say, Lao Mi chose a good time to strike!"

【Baiyin】 asked, "What about Lao Gu? We can't really wait for Lin Bai to finish everything, right? How long would that take?"

【Kuguateng】 said, "Either we find a way to save him, or he deletes his account and starts over. Other than that, there is no second path to take."

Everyone suddenly fell into silence.

Without Lin Bai's help, how could it be easy to save them?

They couldn't even fly back to Qian City!

Even if they flew back, they didn't have the ability to break into the prison...

But delete the account?

Gugao Laoren and 【Fengzi Nan】 and the others had built the Beggar Sect to this size with their own hands. If they deleted their accounts and started over, all their previous efforts would be in vain!

At this critical juncture, the Beggar Sect was in a state of panic, its future uncertain. Who would spend the effort to lead a new account...

Listening to the private chats of the few players, Lin Bai smiled and said, "Don't think so much about useless things. Not to mention Lao Mi, are you content with being commanded by Gugao Laoren forever, without thinking of competing for the top spot?"

The few players were forced to smile again.

"Although the Justice Alliance is currently in a predicament, in the future, it will stand on equal footing with the Seven Righteous Sects, or even replace them," Lin Bai restrained his smile. "A Beggar Sect, a Justice Alliance Army—it's impossible to manage all affairs in every aspect. The Medicine Dao industry is one aspect, the Way of Cooking industry is one aspect, the Weapon Refinement industry is also one aspect..."

He looked at 【Xiashanhu】 and said, "Don't you like Beast-Ear Girls? In the future, when the Demon Race rises, don't you want to be in charge of distributing the Transformation Pill and creating batch after batch of Beast-Ear Girls?"

【Xiashanhu】's breathing became rapid instantly.

Lin Bai smiled and continued, "What the Justice Alliance is doing is completely disrupting and reorganizing the current Cultivation World. It will create a vast cultivation empire, involving all walks of life. As long as you can lead an industry in the future, you will all be giants in your own right. In this process, some people will be out, and new people will constantly rise to the top.

Set your sights further. You are the first batch of people to follow me; everyone has a chance. What sense of achievement would there be in having me help you deal with Lao Mi? Wouldn't it be more satisfying to suppress him after you have grown up?"

The words made everyone's hearts surge.

【Baiyin】 couldn't help but swallow his saliva and sent a private message: "Shopkeeper Lin is just painting a pie for us, isn't he!"

【Tiger Descending the Mountain】 said: "But it sounds very tempting."

【I Am Not a Smurf】 said: "It feels like a founding general rebelling to conquer the world, suddenly feeling that life is full of hope."

【Silver】 said: "What if we fail?"

【I Am Not a Smurf】 said: "Does it matter? We are just playing a game; as long as the process is exciting enough, that is enough. The most crucial point is, since Shopkeeper Lin entered the world, he has yet to suffer a defeat!"

【Bitter Melon Vine】 asked: "What about Gugao Laoren?"

【Silver】 hesitated for a moment and said: "Tell Lao Gu about Shopkeeper Lin's decision and let him choose for himself! We can't help much anymore."

【Tiger Descending the Mountain】 said: "He has already earned quite a lot; even if he deletes his account and starts over, it's worth it. With his skills, making a comeback might not be a bad thing."

【I Am Not a Smurf】 said: "At worst, after we make it big, if Lao Gu still hasn't turned things around, we can just give him a hand."

*Cough! *

Watching the livestream offline, 【Gugao Laoren】's face turned livid, and he clutched his chest, coughing violently: "A bunch of idiots, easily divided by Lin Bai, not worth conspiring with. One day, each and every one of you will pay the price for today's stupidity."

However.

He also understood that he had been abandoned by everyone.

What a failure!

This gaming career was so short-lived; this damn broken game is just too infuriating.

But, I am truly unwilling to accept this!

【Gugao Laoren】 angrily exited the livestream, opened the forum, and wrote the title: "The game is a conspiracy against players; Lin Bai's Skill can affect the Real World."

The article analyzed at length the changes in the City Lord after being hit by 【Lao Mi】 using the Love Stick, as well as the potential real-world harm it could cause to game players. Finally, he maliciously tagged 【Gengmi】: Are you sure 【Lao Mi】 still has you in his heart?

Everything was finished.

Clicked send.

【Gugao Laoren】 originally thought this smear piece against the game wouldn't be sent out, but it was published smoothly, with no post deletion and no traffic throttling.

But what made him angry was.

The replies under the article were all refuting him, calling him a humblebragger; no one took his claims seriously, except for 【Gengmi】.

Going out for a trip tonight, posting this first.

(End of this chapter)