Hidden Moth

Chapter 647: Chapter 380: Third Round of Schemes in the Wager

There is a phenomenon that can be humorously termed the "traitor’s paradox," which some may have heard of.

The stronger a country grows, the more its external enemies focus on unearthing and cultivating traitors, yielding greater benefits for the traitors. However, on the other hand, the traitorous acts of the traitors serve to weaken their nation.

Should the day come when the nation falls, the traitors will become just another road-side presence, utterly worthless.

The situation of the Luoshan Family does not entirely mirror this, but there are similarities, which can be summarized as another phenomenon, possibly called the "defector’s paradox."

When is a defector within a group most valuable in the enemy’s eyes? Certainly, when its strength is formidable and it remains concealed, it is most valuable, deserving considerable resource investment to sway.

When a defector loses status within the group and is exposed, its value to the enemy likewise disappears, serving mostly as a symbolic gesture in public opinion.

Should a defector escape to the enemy’s side, it may sometimes become a burden, as the enemy cannot utilize them effectively nor do away with them, even needing to guard against them.

Only in one scenario does a defector retain value after exposure: when they still wield robust power and control many resources. In that case, the enemy would welcome their rebellion with aims to control their power and assimilate their resources.

Stone District Gang now fits this condition, yet they are reluctant... Even if they desired it, the Ancestral Hall would never agree!

In earlier times, before the Shi Family’s wrongdoing was exposed, it remained an influential faction within the Magic Sect, making it a prime candidate for rebellion in the Xiao Alliance’s eyes, worthy of resource cultivation.

The stronger the Shi Family, the greater potential damage to the Magic Sect, allowing the Xiao Alliance to capitalize on the opportunity.

Yet, the Xiao Alliance underestimated the Ancestral Hall’s control over the Magic Sect, swiftly eliminating the Shi Family. The overseas Stone District Gang then became a trouble or, more aptly, a juicy target.

Thus, the Xiao Alliance’s approach shifted from raising a deadly tool (Gu-Poison) to nurturing livestock (pigs).

The Gu-Poison strategy was to weaponize them once powerful; the pig-rearing strategy was to fatten and slaughter. The territories, population, industry, and resources controlled by the Stone District Gang turned into objects of the Xiao Alliance’s annexation desires.

The Xiao Alliance then dispatched emissaries to the Stone District Gang, not to negotiate but rather to notify them that the Supreme Council had extended much aid and protection over time. Now it’s time they reciprocated.

The envoys threatened, professing that only under the Xiao Alliance Supreme Council’s cover can they avoid the Ancestral Hall’s pursuit.

How should the Stone District Gang repay? The Supreme Council also laid out a detailed plan for them to follow.

First, all of their members should join the Xiao Alliance, with the Stone District Gang becoming an internal faction and subordinate organization.

The Xiao Alliance would send personnel to "assist" the Stone District Gang in managing affairs large and small, and the former upper echelon of the Stone District Gang would receive "heavy use," being dispatched elsewhere for more significant tasks, garnering more resources.

This essentially encapsulates the big fish devouring the smaller fish, dismantling the Stone District Gang’s original power, reallocating its territory’s resources, and taking control through infiltrating personnel.

To ease the Stone District Gang’s qualms, the Supreme Council promised it wouldn’t affect personal benefits for the upper echelon, offering them more advantages instead.

For instance, the resources they previously held, whether shares or specific assets, remain their personal property, granting them greater privileges in the Stone District, and receiving more favorable business conditions.

Regarding personal cultivation, upon joining the Xiao Alliance, members would acquire various magical treasures, elixirs, and other resources.

The Xiao Alliance representative further engaged in private talks with the Stone District Gang’s leaders, particularly involving the ten high-tier sorcerers, offering certain covert promises.

The Xiao Alliance’s strategy only requires placating and buying off the Stone District Gang’s leadership, offering enough personal benefits so they would consent to the Supreme Council’s conditions on behalf of the gang...

Meanwhile, the Stone District Gang felt conflicted and torn. On one hand, the Huiming Shi Family had fallen, but on the other, the Xiao Alliance’s threat loomed large.

Yet, they were unwilling to concede the territory they had painstakingly cultivated over the years without securing a good price and favorable terms. Negotiations thus began.

The Stone District Gang promised not to expand its influence beyond the Stone District, prioritizing cooperation with the Xiao Alliance in existing businesses, aiming for mutual maximum benefits, and prioritizing resource exports to the Xiao Alliance.

The Stone District Gang pledged never to be enemies with the Xiao Alliance, and when necessary, to offer the Xiao Alliance ample help, most importantly, to regularly select promising candidates to join the Xiao Alliance.

This final promise may seem trivial to others, but in the eyes of sects focused on cultivation inheritance, it is of utmost significance.

In exchange for such substantial concessions, the Luoshan Family sought to maintain the independence of the Stone District Gang and the Stone District.

The Stone District and the existing businesses and resources will continue to be controlled and managed by the Luoshan Shi Family. The Xiao Alliance shall not send anyone to interfere, mainly because outsiders are unfamiliar with the situation and won’t manage well.

The Xiao Alliance, however, was unwilling to accept these terms, so both sides began a series of tug-of-war negotiations...

With the strength of the Xiao Alliance, could they not handle a single Stone gang? Of course it was possible; if the Supreme Council wanted to take action, they could wipe out the Stone gang multiple times over. But doing so would also not align with their interests.

The goal of the Xiao Alliance was to annex the Stone gang, absorbing its talent and resources, rather than wanting a ruined piece of territory. There were countless unsavory districts across the United States, and the Xiao Alliance couldn’t be bothered to even glance at them.

Moreover, if it truly came to a confrontation, should the Shi Family fight desperately, the Xiao Alliance would certainly suffer losses too. This would be a deal that risks outweigh the rewards.

The Luoshan Family also understood this point, so they presented a stance as though planning to fight to the bitter end.

Therefore, the Xiao Alliance issued a so-called final ultimatum, threatening the Shi Family high-ups either to accept the terms and gain generous personal benefits or to be targeted and eliminated by experts dispatched by the Supreme Council...

It was precisely at this moment that Kang Rulin and Wild Phoenix arrived in Luoshan City.

The two Elders originally came targeting the Luoshan family, but after some investigation, they found there was no need nor reason to eradicate the so-called Stone gang.

They also learned of the recent events, with the Luoshan family being threatened by the Xiao Alliance, and immediately became inflamed.

Kang Rulin needed to avoid suspicion and couldn’t directly appear, but Wild Phoenix didn’t care about such matters. She immediately took action to reprimand a few Xiao Alliance disciples who attempted to stir up trouble, attracting representatives from the Supreme Council.

Elder Ye warned the Supreme Council that the Xiao Alliance and the Stone gang were both independent cultivator heritage sects and must not bully peers; meaning they were not allowed to threaten or coerce the Stone gang.

With Wild Phoenix’s temper, of course, she didn’t just warn the Xiao Alliance.

She also made a fierce statement to the Stone gang’s high-ups, right in front of Kang Rulin, saying that no investigation would be pursued into their overseas territory operations, but if they agreed to the Xiao Alliance’s terms, they would face extermination!

This complicated the situation.

If the Xiao Alliance sent out all their experts, Wild Phoenix and Kang Rulin, no matter how skilled, weren’t opponents. But things couldn’t be viewed that way; if someone really wanted to act by sacrificing themselves, someone would have to be on the front lines, and who would want to be the cannon fodder sent to die?

Moreover, the two Elders coordinated very well, with negotiations led by Wild Phoenix while Kang Rulin stayed out of sight. Even if the Xiao Alliance could capture Wild Phoenix, capturing Kang Rulin would be difficult, thus creating greater trouble.

So the negotiations began, and indeed the Xiao Alliance had their reasons, even feeling quite aggrieved.

Because when the Luoshan Shi Family first arrived, it was the Xiao Alliance that helped them stabilize their footing. The Stone gang’s subsequent development and expansion received various forms of assistance from the Xiao Alliance, otherwise, they wouldn’t be where they are today.

The Shi Family high-ups had also expressed that they would assist the Xiao Alliance as much as they could. The Xiao Alliance saw this as the promise of cultivators, and the conditions now proposed were entirely achievable by the Stone gang, that is ’as much as they could.’

Now, the Shi Family’s territory is stable, backed by the Sect Law Hall Elders, and thus they have torn up promises and betrayed, isn’t that repaying kindness with enmity?

Indeed, the initial cooperation between Luoshan Shi Family and the Xiao Alliance involved beneficial ties, or rather, collusion, as both parties received various advantages, making it a tangled mess dependent on perspective for resolution.

The reason the Xiao Alliance representative was willing to bicker with the two Elders further was due to their covert plans, attempting to seize the Immortal Pot Grotto Heaven and assassinate Mei Guyu in Qi Yuan.

Detaining the two Sect Law Hall Elders overseas aided the successful implementation of their plans. If successful, they might seize the opportunity to capture these two Elders as well, delivering an unprecedented blow to the Magic Sect...

Their ambitions were grand, yet reality was harsh; both actions the Xiao Alliance planned in the Eastern Country failed.

Those sent to the Immortal Pot Grotto Heaven disappeared without a trace, and no one knew what happened, while over in Qi Yuan, only one Fabre managed to escape.

Kang Rulin and Wild Phoenix immediately received specific information, prompting Wild Phoenix to return home first, while Kang Rulin supposedly remained in the United States, yet hidden in an unknown location.

Discussions had to continue, as Kang Rulin knew the Magic Sect couldn’t protect the Stone gang from halfway across the world, nor would it be appropriate.

After all, the Luoshan Shi Family had effectively separated from the Magic Sect, becoming an independent cultivator tradition of Jianghu. It was rare for the Sect Law Hall not to punish them, and they weren’t going to cross vast seas to protect a US gang.

Even Kang Rulin himself saw no reason to stay in Luoshan City, acting as a bodyguard for the Stone gang. So, after several rounds of negotiation and confrontation, a decision was made to resolve the conflict according to an ancient tradition among sorcerers—a wager duel.

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