Chapter 127: The Past and the Refusal

That was due to a lack of guiding ideology and proper strategy, coupled with encountering a relatively strong enemy.

Luo Wang almost blurted those words out, but managed to hold back in the end.

It is better not to ruin this harmonious conversation. As for the fact that we were enemies previously, I won't bring it up, and it would be best if he doesn't either.

"How was your first scenario in the Realm completed?" Luo Wang asked. "How were the gains?"

"The first one..." Ranke paused for a moment. "It was the Battle of Astarte."

"Not historical?" Luo Wang recalled for a moment before remembering what he was referring to. "It doesn't seem to be from a movie either. A battle from Legend of the Galactic Heroes?"

"Yes," Ranke said. "A very rare space battle, especially for newcomers. The Realm gave me the temporary skill to pilot a space fighter, but I was dazed the whole time, feeling as if I were dreaming."

"What was the mission?"

"To successfully retreat. At the time, I was on the Alliance side, and there were 9 newcomers together. In the end, only I and one other person survived..."

"Ha, space! We were still arguing, not yet fully recovered, when scenes of surrounding warships being blown up appeared on the screen. A partner and I were squeezed out of the cockpit, but that actually allowed us to get a hold of a small fighter and narrowly escape. We also avoided the scattered attacks. When the Alliance's main force began to counterattack, the first-stage mission was barely completed."

"Just like that? Is there a follow-up?" Luo Wang asked.

"Yes, but it was an extra bonus mission with no mandatory completion requirement: to destroy three enemy fighters. At the time, we tried our best, using up all our ammunition, and only managed to destroy one. The mission wasn't completed, but inside the wreckage of an enemy fighter, I found a primary mecha piloting scroll." A hint of excitement appeared on Ranke's face as he said this.

He had once been the protagonist in certain scenarios too. Surviving in the Realm is never by chance. "So, the scenarios you entered were all set in space and future worlds?" Luo Wang asked.

"No." Ranke shook his head. "Only about half of them. But entering ancient scenarios is indeed rare; this is only the second time."

And then your entire team was wiped out... Bringing a spacecraft pilot to the Three Kingdoms period must indeed be very disorienting. "What other space scenarios have there been?"

"Star Wars, Avatar, several battles from Legend of the Galactic Heroes..." Ranke recalled. "I've only been to a few battles from Legend of the Galactic Heroes and the Avatar scenario. Haven't been to Star Wars yet."

"Are there items that allow a small squad to choose their target scenario all at once?" Luo Wang asked.

"It's not that they don't exist, but they are extremely rare," Ranke said. "They occasionally appear in the auction house and get snapped up immediately. The Realm doesn't seem to allow us to continuously enter scenarios we excel at."

Is it to prevent development directions from becoming too extreme? Luo Wang imagined what he would look like if he appeared in such a scenario.

Nothing to worry about; even if it takes time to adapt at first, people remain people. "Adding an element to the post-scenario evaluation: the number of surviving personnel. What do you think? It doesn't force anyone to rescue others, because such matters aren't suitable for coercion. It's just a guarantee that after rescuing people, the overall gains will be higher."

"That sounds good." Ranke didn't seem surprised by this sudden shift in topic. "If that's the case, everyone would probably be more willing to save people."

The crux of the matter is whether the resources obtained under such regulations yield more compared to robbing and killing others.

The total amount of team resources is limited. If the team members' demands for resources exceed the total resources the team possesses, the danger of a collapse may arise. Luo Wang pondered this and asked it in a roundabout way. "What are your thoughts on the overall balance of a team?"

"I am fair to everyone," Ranke seemed to have misunderstood something. "Regardless of whether they are strong or weak, I treat them equally. I have never mistreated or favored anyone."

Chivalry? Or something akin to utopian socialism? Perhaps the gap among your subordinates isn't large or obvious. But such a strategy cannot attract or accommodate truly outstanding people.

"Didn't they despise you for your kindness?" Luo Wang asked. "Or take your good treatment of them for granted?"

"No... how could that be?" Ranke said in astonishment.

"Well. Probably because the pressure given by the Realm is too great," Luo Wang picked up his tea and took a small sip. "Under the pressure of life and death, such arrogance is checked. In a precarious situation, arrogance doesn't breed the way it does in the real world."

Doing this in a small team is fine. But in a large team, a sense of stability will emerge. Some weak people, after stabilizing, might bring in the cognitive inertia of the real world and generate an illusion, taking the strong ones' care for them for granted.

Ensure they are constantly harmed and battered by the Realm? Then provide moderate support and help? That would be very difficult to execute. When people do things, they always tend toward extremes. Even for me, if I can remember this now, I'm afraid I'll forget it when the time comes.

Initial mindset is the most important thing. Whether for them or for me.

It feels like time is running a bit short...

----

"You're saying Ranke lent Lin Feirui one hundred thousand universal points, interest-free, but wants her help to kill me?"

On the other side of the river, in a small house not far from the ferry camp, Red Electricity looked at Gertrude, who was frowning opposite him, speaking in a relaxed tone with a smile on his face.

"That's right."

Gertrude couldn't cross the river, so he had no choice but to come find him himself. Not having to owe favors anymore was something worth celebrating for Red Electricity.

"Charles is helping him too?"

Yes. "Indeed. More or less, that's how it is." Now you know how formidable things are, right? "How about it? Scared yet?" Realizing how lenient Luo Wang's conditions are now, aren't you?

"You mentioned before that Ranke frequently goes to see Luo Wang lately?" Gertrude didn't answer him, but raised this question instead.

"Yes, Luo Wang is consulting him on some experience in the Realm." He has also consulted me and a few others, but there's no need to tell you that~ Red Electricity blinked. "It's happened before. They seemed to be chatting quite happily."

"If I agree..."

Then I will have completed the first task in the new team. "Conditions remain unchanged, but delays are not allowed. Give me the universal points right now, and I'll accept your defection—according to Luo Wang's request, it's already late. Considering our past friendship, I can cover for you and claim you gave them to me earlier."

Then, you can just find some empty place to idle away this scenario. You didn't gain any advantage, but you didn't suffer a loss either. We can still cooperate in the future when needed.

But Gertrude shook his head. "That wouldn't be solving the problem; I can't buy anything, and Ranke will still seek revenge."

I say... what else do you want to buy? Ranke's revenge is a matter for the future. "Why don't you talk to him?" Red Electricity offered this suggestion. "Shift the blame to some dead person. If it's just Ranke, you should be able to handle him, right?"

"Not really. But it's not that simple." Gertrude muttered thoughtfully. "Put me in touch with your leader."

Who is he talking about, Lin Feirui? Or Luo Wang? What does he want? Lin Feirui still owes him universal points, and Huakai said she wanted to talk too.

Wait, this can't be a coincidence! His ability belongs to the mental category and has a certain deceptive effect...

Seeing Red Electricity unresponsive, Gertrude repeated it. "Your current leader, Lin Feirui. I want to talk to her."

"Alright," Red Electricity said. "I'll contact her right now. Are you really not going to defect over?"

"No," Gertrude stood up. "Unnecessary."