C11 Joining the Guild

"My request is straightforward: I need both of you to join my guild. If that's not acceptable, then we can forget the whole thing," City Toppling Snow stated with clear-cut decisiveness.

"What? Join your guild?" Qi Tian and Chung Tianya were taken aback. Before City Toppling Snow had made her demand, they had been prepared to agree to anything. But now, they hesitated. Joining City Toppling Snow's guild was no trivial commitment.

It's common knowledge that games feature guilds and teams—collectives formed by players to provide mutual support and trading benefits among members.

But there's an old adage: "A mountain cannot harbor two tigers." Within any guild, there can only be one leader. City Toppling Snow's guild was destined to grow into a formidable force, with her at the helm.

Conflicts are not just player versus player; guilds also vie for dominance. Players like Qi Tian and Chung Tianya, being top-tier, would naturally be seen as competitors by City Toppling Snow.

Under normal circumstances, Qi Tian and Chung Tianya would likely establish their own guilds, which would grow to be substantial. As major guilds, they would inevitably find themselves in competition with City Toppling Snow's guild for the finite resources available in the game.

However, if Qi Tian and Chung Tianya were to join City Toppling Snow's guild now, it would be tantamount to surrendering their leadership aspirations before even leaving Beginner Village, effectively relegating themselves to being her subordinates.

It's hard to imagine anyone with ambition willingly abandoning a leadership role to serve under someone else. While guild membership offers benefits to all, the lion's share of those advantages undoubtedly remains firmly in the guild leader's grasp.

There can only be one guild leader, and the game's elite players know this. They establish their own guilds to draw others in, ensuring that the bulk of the benefits accrue to them. This strategic move is a key reason why high-end players maintain their lead over the average gamer.

Because they had a significant influx of guild assets at their disposal, while ordinary players did not.

Essentially, it was a pyramid-like development model. At the pyramid's apex sat the guild leader, and no one else, no matter how close they were to the leader, could take that position or reap the same level of benefits.

"I'm well aware of both your abilities. If I help you now, and you level up, you'll become formidable competitors. Currently, there are no new maps released, and the resources on this map are scarce. Adding two more competitors might boost my development speed in the short term, but it will definitely slow down significantly later on."

"If you don't join my guild, you're not part of my inner circle. Why would I invest my time and energy in cultivating two outsiders?"

"Take your time to think it over. If you're willing to join, great. If not, it's best you leave."

City Toppling Snow spoke with clarity and decisiveness.

Qi Tian and Chung Tianya, initially brimming with excitement, were at a loss for words in response to City Toppling Snow. Their initial thrill was doused, as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over them.

"What do we do? Should we join?" Chung Tianya whispered to Qi Tian. The two had been old friends and had been developing together in this game from the start. Though unspoken, it was clear to both that they would either join the same guild or create one together in the future.

To be frank, they were in this together, and they needed to make a unified decision.

"I had dreams of starting a guild exclusively for Spear Warriors, aiming to be the most dazzling guild in the game. Now, it looks like that plan might not be feasible."

"You're telling me. The path to growth is filled with obstacles. But enough of that, what's our move? I'll follow your lead. If you're inclined to join her guild, then let's do it. If not, we'll walk away. We might level up slower for now, but I refuse to believe we can't catch up later on."

Time ticked away, and after much discussion, the two players finally reached a unanimous decision.

"Cough, cough. City Toppling Snow, we accept your terms. We'll join your guild once the feature is available in the game, and we won't go back on our word."

"Exactly, but we also expect you to keep your promise. We want a 2/5 share of the profits."

City Toppling Snow's usually impassive face broke into a rare smile upon hearing their agreement.

The formation of the guild was inevitable, and having already secured two strong allies was certainly a cause for celebration.

She had never really expected that the two before her would agree to join; it's often better to be a big fish in a small pond than a small fish in a big one.

"Great, I'm glad to welcome you both to the City Toppling Guild. Now that we're all part of the same family, let's introduce ourselves. My real name is Beiming Xue."

"I'm Chung Tianya."

"And I'm Qi Tian. I look forward to working with you."

Hearing the guild's name, the two of them inwardly scoffed. The City Toppling Guild sounded like some ancient sect that only recruited women—quite odd to their ears.

But having already committed, there was no point in second-guessing their decision. They had no intention of reneging—a gentleman's agreement is binding, after all. Besides, they knew that if they ever did back out, City Toppling Snow would not let them off the hook easily.

If that happened, they might well find the entire guild arrayed against them, which would hardly be conducive to enjoying the game.

"Ah well, now we're part of a team. It feels odd; this is the first time in my gaming years that I'm not leading a guild but instead serving as someone else's lieutenant."

"True, but speaking of which, we've been playing this game for two days now, and there's still no word on when the guild feature will be launched."

This point left everyone feeling somewhat frustrated. Despite the game being thrilling and enjoyable, it was quite different from their previous gaming experiences, with many features still not live, leaving them itching for more.