2543 Determining Fate with Words

Chapter 2543 - Determining Fate with Words Stone Forest City, Zero Wing's Residence:

As Shi Feng parted the doors to the Guild Hall's top-floor reception room, he felt two sharp auras locking onto him, which kept track of his every move. The two who radiated these auras definitely had Domain Realm combat standards.

When Shi Feng glanced into the room, he spotted three people.

The two people that accompanied Gentle Snow were a man and a woman, both of whom radiated such dense darkness energy that it took on tangible form. Even players who normally couldn't sense darkness energy could see a layer of black fog around the two players.

The woman looked like she was in her early thirties and was a rare Dark Knight class. She was also a member of the rarer Dark Wolfkin race. Her aura was only slightly weaker than Gentle Snow’s who wore a piece of Fragmented Legendary Equipment.

The elderly man beside her garbed himself in pitch-black robes and held a black staff. He had long, pointed ears and tainted the room's Mana with an icy, dark aura. Ordinary Tier 2 magical class experts would find the Mana here difficult to manipulate.

A Fallen Half-elf? A hint of surprise flashed in Shi Feng's eyes.

Mana loved the Elven race, and they were born with an extraordinary affinity for manipulating it. However, God's Domain had a group of Elves that had fallen to darkness in pursuit of Mana's limits. They were known as Fallen Elves, and all natural Elves relentlessly hunted them down. Fallen Elves were unusual in God's Domain, and players that successfully converted to the Fallen Half-elf race were even rarer.

Of course, any superpower would target a Fallen Half-elf for recruitment. Fallen Half-elves had an even stronger affinity for Mana than ordinary Half-elves, and their affinity for and control over the Power of Darkness was especially impressive. They could practically rival pure Elves.

Elves might not compare to Dragons, but they were one of the top races in God.s Domain, with far greater growth potential than human players. By becoming a Fallen Half-elf, one would have the growth potential to rival true Elves, and after Tier 3, each subsequent tier would grant a Fallen Half-elf a qualitative boost to their strength. Furthermore, any player that converted into a Fallen Half-elf proved they had very high combat standards. As long as they received enough resources, they were almost guaranteed to reach Tier 5.

With the race's natural talents, no one would be able to take down a Tier 5 Fallen Half-elf player outside of Tier 6 God- ranked experts.

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As far as Shi Feng could remember, players only had a chance of completing the trial to become a Fallen Half-elf after they had unlocked their Mana Bodies' full potential, yet this elderly guest of his hadn't and had still successfully converted...

"Allow me to introduce you, Guild Leader. These experts from two of the Dark World's top three Guilds. They've come to discuss the issue of Demon's Heart with Zero Wing," Gentle Snow announced as Shi Feng entered the room.

The Dark World was incredibly vast, roughly as large as three ordinary empires. The Otherworld was even larger than the Fire Dragon Empire, one of God's Domain's Four Great Empires.

Three Guild ruled over the Dark World: Dark Rhapsody, Deity Society, and World Domination. They had all received support from major corporations during the game's early stages and had secretly poached quite a few experts from the various super-first-rate Guilds and Super Guilds. Since then, these three Guilds had been steadily developing their strength in the Dark World, and now, each could rival a Super Guild.

Zero Wing's two current guests were representatives from Dark Rhapsody and Deity Society.

"Seeing that you've come without warning, I'm assuming you're in quite a rush. Please, just speak your mind," Shi Feng addressed the two players before him.

He had a rough understanding of Dark Rhapsody and Deity Society. Although they hadn't been powerful enough to rank as two of the Six Great Dark Guilds in the past, they had still been strong enough to rival Super Guilds. When the main continent and the Dark World had connected, the two Guilds had each annihilated a superpower, using the victories as stepping stones to secure a foothold on the main continent. These two Guilds' strength could not be underestimated.

"You are just as straightforward as the rumors say, Guild Leader Black Flame," the female Dark Knight said, smiling. "This trip hasn't been an easy one, so let's be forthright. Elder Gold and I are here on behalf of our respective Guilds, and we hope to sign a contract with Zero Wing."

"A contract? Regarding what?" Shi Feng asked.

"I'm afraid you still don't realize how terrifying Demon's Heart can be, Guild Leader Black Flame, particularly its Vice Guild Leader, Flaming Light. He holds the key to activate the passage between the Dark World and the main continent. After the humiliation the Guild suffered at your hands, he's almost guaranteed to use it in the Cold Spring Forest. All of the Dark World's players will swarm the area, and Stone Forest City isn't likely to survive the coming storm," the Fallen Half-elf, whom the female Dark Knight had referred to as Elder Gold, said. "However, our Guilds don't wish to serve as Flaming Light's hired thugs, and as such, we have come to negotiate with Zero Wing."

"That's right. The contract we have in mind is very simple. If the passage to the Dark World opens in Cold Spring Forest, our Guilds will not take any action against Zero Wing or Stone Forest City," the female Dark Knight continued, chuckling. "I'm sure this will alleviate a considerable amount of pressure your Guild and city will face. How you depend on the rest of the Dark World's denizens will depend on you, Guild Leader Black Flame."

"And what do you want in return?" Shi Feng asked.

The two Dark Guilds' proposal didn't surprise Shi Feng in the slightest. Demon's Heart might have some influence in the Dark World, but it was nothing compared to the Otherworld's top three Guilds.

It was now obvious that Demon's Heart intended to use the Dark World as its spearhead, and some of the Dark World's players weren't happy about playing that role. They would have to expend their resources to fight the main continent's powers, yet only Demon's Heart would gain an advantage. Hence, Dark Rhapsody and Deity Society had come in search of a partnership with Zero Wing, which owned a Guild City in Cold Spring Forest.

"It is nothing significant. We merely wish to discuss the allocation of Cold Spring Forest's resources, Guild Leader Black Flame," Elder Gold said. "Both of our Guilds are large organizations, and we require an extraordinary amount of resources. In exchange for our neutrality, we'd like half of Cold Spring Forest's resource areas. We will not interfere in any matters in the other half. Naturally, we would like Zero Wing to agree to the same. Call it a non-interference pact."

Gentle Snow couldn't help but frown from beside Shi Feng.

At first glance, the conditions Elder Gold had stated were generous. Cold Spring Forest was an abundant resource map, after all, and not even Zero Wing could monopolize it. However, if Zero Wing signed this contract, the Guild wouldn't have to battle the rest of the Dark World's powers and players for the remaining half of the map. This would undoubtedly intensify the competition. In contrast, Dark Rhapsody and Deity Society could avoid a fight with Zero Wing, their largest competitor in the Cold Spring Forest.

"I see," Shi Feng said, nodding.

"This proposal will benefit each of our three Guilds. May I know your thoughts on this, Guild Leader Black Flame?" the Dark Knight asked.

"Since your two Guilds are so sincere, how about this? Zero Wing will concede 70% of Cold Spring Forest's resource spots. In exchange, your Guilds will offer us some other resources. We don't want much; 500,000 Darkness Crystals will do. What do you think?" Shi Feng countered with a smile.

"Guild Leader?!" Gentle Snow exclaimed, turning to Shi Feng with wide, shocked eyes.

Competing with the Dark World's various powers over half of the Cold Spring Forest's resources would already be an immense challenge. If they only had 30% to fight over, the Dark World's powers would immediately declare an all-out war against their Guild...

Shi Feng's counteroffer even confused the female Dark Knight and Elder Gold, not to mention Gentle Snow.

They had considered the possibility that their offer would be rejected before they had visited Zero Wing's residence or that Zero Wing would try to minimize the amount of resources it would share with their Guilds. They had discussed various countermeasures for these possibilities. In fact, they had planned for several days of negotiation with the Guild.

However, they had never dreamed that Zero Wing would offer even more of Cold Spring Forest's resources. What, exactly, was this man thinking?