Chapter 335: Negotiation Master

Was I being too sensitive?

No.

That's not right!

Lin Bai is a master of rhetoric; it is impossible for him to expose his own shortcomings for no reason. This does not fit his personality.

He is clearly using this lighthearted remark to disrupt my rhythm...

Damn it!

I almost fell for his trick.

As expected.

Facing a monster like Lin Bai, one will make a mistake if they are even slightly inattentive...

In a flash.

Jin Kai calmed his mood and flattered, "Alliance Leader Lin is joking. How could those little tricks of mine escape the Alliance Leader's discerning eyes? Since you have come from afar as a guest, I will play the host today to celebrate your first arrival in our world. I hope Alliance Leader Lin will do me the honor."

"President Jin is indeed a fascinating person. Since that is the case, I will not decline. Zheng Tong, learn from this." Zheng Tong looked at the gentle-as-jade Lin Bai in his mind, hesitated for a long time, and feeling that he could not imitate Lin Bai's expressions and actions, he stammered for a while before looking at President Jin and saying, "President Jin, he agreed."

Jin Kai took a deep look at Zheng Tong and smiled slightly: "Please."

Zheng Tong struggled for a moment and said, "President Jin, why don't I enter the game and let Alliance Leader Lin come to the banquet with you!"

Being a middleman who relays messages is too awkward.

"So the essence of entering the game is the Soul leaving the body?" President Jin asked, stunned.

At the same time.

Lin Bai scolded Zheng Tong in his mind: "You blockhead, you might as well just tell him the principle of Soul Possession clearly. Once I enter the game, you will most likely end up in a laboratory. If you don't follow me, how will you know what their needs are? Are you going to make me relay it to you, or wait for them to manipulate you at will after I leave?"

Zheng Tong's face changed. He opened his mouth but didn't dare to speak; he wasn't stupid enough to talk to Lin Bai in front of President Jin.

"Don't speak, listen to me. You are the bridge between two worlds. Once they study the secret of Soul Possession thoroughly, the best choice to stop me from coming to this world is to destroy you. Only by letting me take the lead can you survive better in this world," Lin Bai said. "Without me, what qualifications and ability do you have to resist the consortium? It's probably no harder for them to kill you than it is to crush an ant! The more you act like me, the less danger you are in."

【Resentment from Zheng Tong; +1 +1 +1...】

Without you.

Why the hell would I have so much trouble?

Zheng Tong engaged in Belly-Defamation, sweat pouring down like rain. He subconsciously wiped the sweat from his forehead.

"Xiao Zheng, what's wrong?" President Jin noticed Zheng Tong's nervousness and asked with concern.

"I don't know. Alliance Leader Lin said he doesn't need me to return to the Game Capsule, and I feel signs of my body losing control." Lin Bai gave the response immediately; Zheng Tong was much smarter this time and repeated Lin Bai's words.

President Jin frowned.

"From now on, imitate everything I do. There cannot be any deviation," Lin Bai instructed Zheng Tong again.

If I even have to imitate how you talk, what is the difference from being subjected to Soul Possession?

Zheng Tong silently provided resentment to Lin Bai, while his body subconsciously imitated the actions of Lin Bai in his mind: "President Jin, you laugh. Adapting to a new body always comes with some discomfort. It will be fine after a period of getting used to it."

His expression was somewhat stiff, but it happened to match the content of what Lin Bai said.

"Xiao Zheng?" President Jin asked tentatively.

"President Jin, I am Lin Bai now," Zheng Tong continued to act as his marionette.

Everything has a process of adaptation. Once you let go of that line of defense that insists on being yourself, being a marionette will also become increasingly proficient.

"Alliance Leader Lin, where is Xiao Zheng?" President Jin asked.

"Temporarily asleep; it won't affect our conversation," Zheng Tong said, feeling aggrieved on his own behalf while imitating Lin Bai. "Let's go, President Jin."

"Alliance Leader Lin, presumably Xiao Zheng has told you about the game. I wonder what you think of the players?" Jin Kai carefully observed Lin Bai and said, "Most players treat your world as a game and don't think it's a real world, so they inevitably do whatever they want in the game world. Come to think of it, they are all ordinary people with no malice..."

True Speech Spell!

Lin Bai used the True Speech Spell on Jin Kai before saying: "When restrained, it is a Sword in the hand; when not restrained, it is a knife that kills. The mastermind behind the scenes should be the so-called Game Company. If the company is not destroyed, the chaotic times will not end."

"Alliance Leader Lin is too naive. The Game Company created a Game Capsule that spans two worlds; their civilization level is higher than..." Jin Kai stopped halfway through his sentence. He stopped in his tracks and looked at Lin Bai in horror. "What did you do to me?"

"President Jin, don't be afraid. Lin is new to this world and unclear about its composition. To prevent being deceived, it is inevitable that I would use some methods." Zheng Tong looked at Jin Kai, recalled his own encounter, and felt a sense of 'the rabbit dies and the fox grieves' in his heart, but from a third-party perspective, he also found it interesting.

Even if it was just imitating Lin Bai, I have to say, the feeling of acting recklessly is truly refreshing!

"What methods?" Jin Kai asked.

"True Speech Spell." The image of Lin Bai in Zheng Tong's mind and the words he spoke appeared almost simultaneously. Unknowingly, the two were becoming more and more in sync.

"You..." Jin Kai's face changed drastically.

"President Jin, communication between two parties is valued for sincerity. You surely won't mind a small True Speech Spell, right!" Lin Bai laughed.

Whatever Zheng Tong or Liu Tong, they were all just stepping stones. From beginning to end, Lin Bai only trusted himself.

One cannot do two things at once. He had originally wanted to stabilize the situation in the Xianxia World, let the players form bonds there, and then turn back to handle the Real World.

After all, it is better to deal with what you know than what you don't. Having stayed in the Xianxia World for a few months, he was more familiar with that side anyway.

But now, things have changed. The old path can no longer be taken, so he would cut the Gordian knot and establish a base in the Real World first.

It is the same whether it is from the outside in or the inside out.

With a full set of cheats, and then playing along with them, it is simply putting the cart before the horse. It is better to use methods directly and catch them off guard.

What Lin Bai is best at is the Lightning War.

"True Speech Spell!?" Jin Kai broke into a cold sweat. He suddenly turned to the two bodyguards following him and said, "Xiao Liu, Xiao Huang, you are not needed here. You two leave for a while. In case I say something you shouldn't hear... Damn it, to hell with it! Don't say anything you shouldn't after you leave."

"President Jin!"

The two young men looked at the incoherent President Jin in surprise, glanced at Lin Bai in horror, and turned to leave silently.

If President Jin really said something he shouldn't because of the True Speech Spell, they wouldn't be able to handle the consequences.

If Lin Bai happened to use the True Speech Spell on them, they would be even less able to handle it.

Damn it all!

Immortal arts are too terrifying!

Seeing the two leave, Jin Kai let out a long breath. He took a recording pen from his pocket, pressed the pause button, and put it back into his pocket before looking at Zheng Tong and saying resentfully, "Alliance Leader Lin, you must be laughing at me. I was originally here to coax... Pfft! Alliance Leader Lin, you have harmed me deeply."

"Can we not talk?" Lin Bai asked teasingly.

"We can." Jin Kai pondered for a moment, gritted his teeth, and said, "However, if I, Jin, say anything I shouldn't, please do not take offense, Shopkeeper Lin..."

"It doesn't matter. I have always disliked beating around the bush. With the Truth Spell, we can express our meanings directly and take what we each need," Lin Bai laughed. "President Jin, you are in a high position now. I wonder how many mistresses you are keeping besides your beautiful wife?"

"..." Jin Kai looked at Lin Bai with a dark face and changed the subject, "Alliance Leader Lin, let's talk about business. Don't tease me about my three mistresses..."

【Resentment from Jin Kai; +1 +1 +1...】

Watching Zheng Tong's ambiguous expression, Jin Kai thought quietly for a moment and said straightforwardly, "Alliance Leader Lin, the old guys above the Group want to seek immortality through you. You can completely open your mouth like a lion and make any demands you want. If they aren't too excessive, they will agree."

"..."

Zheng Tong felt a wave of frustration.

Good grief, being under Soul Possession by Lin Bai, he, an ordinary person, was still thinking about how to stop Lin Bai and prevent him from wreaking havoc on others in this world.

Yet the directors of the Group were thinking of using Lin Bai for immortality, not even hesitating to sell out the interests of the Real World. How could the gap between people be so vast?

No wonder they are the ones in leadership...

Lin Bai's image appeared in Zheng Tong's mind, and Zheng Tong subconsciously mimicked him: "Mobilize the power of all players to help me unify the Xianxia World, how about that?"

"You're dreaming. If we help you unify the Xianxia World and you go back on your word later, or launch a counter-invasion of our world, who could keep you in check?" President Jin said.

After being hit by the Truth Spell, all subtlety and implication turned into directness, and one had to say what was on their mind without any concealment; it had to be said, it was actually quite refreshing.

"What are your demands?" Lin Bai asked.

"A three-way balance. The local sects like the Seven Righteous Sects, the players, and your Justice Alliance will form a three-legged stance. The matter of Soul Possession of players must be stopped by you and become a ban in the Xianxia World," Jin Kai said. "Moreover, you cannot cause trouble in this world, and we can guarantee you a lifetime of wealth."

"President Jin, do you think wealth is difficult for me to obtain?" Lin Bai laughed. "If I can use the Truth Spell, I can use other spells..."

"You can indeed use other spells, but unless you kill everyone in this world, as long as you display extraordinary power in this world, you will inevitably become the enemy of the entire world. Everyone in the world will spare no cost to kill you, or kill your host, to cut off the channel for you to come to this world," Jin Kai said. "The Real World is different from the Xianxia World, Lin Bai. You wouldn't want a world full of hostility toward you, or a world that is just Ruins, would you? You cannot control Zheng Tong's body freely, can you?"

Zheng Tong's heart jumped violently. His gaze toward Jin Kai turned to panic, and he cursed in his heart. Sure enough, the Group was prepared to destroy him. They really are pieces of trash!

Lin Bai looked at Jin Kai and used Heavenly River.

A thin circle of river water wrapped around Jin Kai's body.

Heavenly River appearing in the game might be explained as a special effect, but appearing in reality, it caused panic.

Jin Kai looked around in a panic: "Lin Bai, what are you doing? Quickly cancel this thing. There is surveillance everywhere here. Once this gets out, it will immediately cause panic in the world..."

"I'm testing if you have the guts to kill me?" Zheng Tong mimicked Lin Bai's expression, looking at the panicked Jin Kai, feeling a sense of relief for no reason. "President Jin, I have always been the one threatening others; no one has ever threatened me. If I can perform Soul Possession once, I can do it twice. Even without Love Separation, if I hang Heavenly River on everyone in the world, they will have to think twice before moving against me. For example, President Jin, with the obstruction of the Heavenly River, I'm afraid you and your mistresses will never be able to be intimate, let alone reproduce."

"You cannot do this. You will destroy this world," Jin Kai said.

"This is not my world. President Jin, don't you think it's childish and ridiculous to threaten me by turning your world into Ruins?" Lin Bai said. "If you aren't even willing to cooperate with me in the game, you might as well not enter the game at all. I believe that after news of me coming to reality through Soul Possession spreads, players will be even more cautious when entering the game, and a collective quitting of the game is also possible. And in reality, as long as everyone carries a Heavenly River, I am the master of this world, because you won't even be able to reproduce without my permission..."

Jin Kai fell silent. He reached out and scooped a handful of water from the Heavenly River in front of him, then looked at Lin Bai and said softly, "I am not qualified to enter the game, I have only seen the Heavenly River in videos. A river that is inexhaustible and endless born out of thin air, tsk tsk! Spells are truly magical! If the Heavenly River were widely applied in this world, there would likely be no more water shortage crises in the world!"

Zheng Tong looked at Jin Kai, not understanding why he had said such a thing for no reason.

"Little Zheng, you are still the one in control of the body, right!" Jin Kai looked at Zheng Tong, gave a wry smile, and said, "Alliance Leader Lin, you asked me about my mistresses just now to confirm if I had a family, right? You want to throw the whole world into chaos, but what you used just now wasn't the Heavenly River, but the Magpie Bridge! So, your original intention was not to throw this world into chaos, right? But regardless, you still won, because the Group cannot afford to gamble."

Before the words had faded, the Heavenly River disappeared.

Zheng Tong fell into silence. He looked at Jin Kai, sighed silently, and decided he might as well just be his tool.

The two people in front of him had eight hundred schemes between them; without the Truth Spell, he was afraid he wouldn't even be able to understand what they wanted to express!

"I will explain your situation to the Group and help you pacify the Cultivation World first, but whether it can succeed depends on the intentions of those above," Jin Kai said. "If you can provide Cultivation World items like medicinal pills that can improve the body, the probability of success will greatly increase."

"Zheng Tong, reach out," Lin Bai said.

Zheng Tong reached out his hand by reflex. The next moment, several Spirit Fruits landed in Zheng Tong's palm.

In essence, the split soul was still controlled by Lin Bai. Since emotions could be collected in the Real World, Spirit Fruits could be released in the Real World through the split soul.

"Are these Concentration Fruit?" Jin Kai's breathing suddenly became heavy. "You can bring things from the game world out?"

I cannot bring things from the game world out, but I can bring things from my mind out as I please.

Lin Bai smiled: "President Jin can eat one to experience it, and take the rest as bargaining chips. There is one thing President Jin said correctly: I am a lover of peace. The people of your world have no grievances with me, so why should I make things difficult for them?"

Jin Kai reached out a trembling hand, took a Spirit Fruit, and put it into his mouth. A moment later, he opened his eyes, looked at the Zheng Tong in front of him with shock, and sighed, "Alliance Leader Lin, the world is yours."

"President Jin is too polite," Lin Bai said. "There will be a long time for cooperation in the future. Who knows whose world it will be? In the end, the Game Company is our common enemy! If we don't figure out their true purpose, I'm afraid the two worlds will never have peace."

After eating a Spirit Fruit, Jin Kai's Qi-Spirit-God improved at a speed visible to the naked eye. He held the remaining Spirit Fruits in his hand: "Alliance Leader Lin, help me lift the Truth Spell! It's fine to talk to the Alliance Leader with the Truth Spell, but if I have to report to the leaders above while under the Truth Spell, everything will be ruined in a minute!"

"Once a law is used, it is not so easily lifted. After one day and one night, President Jin will regain freedom of speech. If President Jin cannot wait, I will go see your leaders with you, and I will talk for you," Lin Bai laughed.

"Those old guys cherish their lives. After setting the mission, I don't know where they went to hide. Before I reach an agreement with Alliance Leader Lin, they likely won't appear," Jin Kai said mockingly.

Lin Bai smiled: "Since that is the case, why not let Zheng Tong go to the game world to stall those players for me? How about President Jin shows me around this colorful world? I still have some minor details to discuss with President Jin."

【Resentment from Zheng Tong; +1 +1 +1...】

(End of this chapter)