Chapter 126: Winning Over the Enemy Lord

Chapter 126: Strategy for Enemy Lords

After listening to Li Fugui’s explanation, Li Hongshen rubbed his temples and paced back and forth in his office several times.

Li Fugui remained silent, sitting quietly on the sofa while watching Li Hongshen. He knew that since this matter concerned Li Hongshen’s own future development, it was best for him to come up with his own ideas; otherwise, he risked becoming an outcast on both sides.

Li Hongshen was also feeling anxious. As an peripheral member of the Elite Society, he was unable to become a full member until the designated time had passed. Consequently, he was at a disadvantage compared to the group of people targeting him. After all, since the inception of the Elite Society, no one had ever been known to become a full member ahead of schedule. Half a year was, for a lord, merely the blink of an eye—hardly a harsh requirement.

However, it was an awkward position for Li Hongshen. Being a peripheral member meant he was essentially a reservist or a temporary member, someone whose status could be revoked at any time. Although he was certain that no matter how excessive the opposition’s actions were, his status wouldn’t be stripped away—he would eventually become a full member—he knew that the period leading up to that moment would be exploited by those people to cause him significant trouble.

There were three paths before Li Hongshen. The first was to crush the people causing trouble, thereby ending the storm against him. The second was to negotiate with them, reaching a compromise to control the situation. The third was to jump ship, but this path was already blocked; switching to another student alliance at this juncture was the worst and most extreme option. Li Hongshen was already branded with the Elite Society’s label, and the network he had built was entirely within it. Switching would mean abandoning everything: the market, his connections, and the friends who supported him. Furthermore, he would be at the mercy of other organizations, and he had no desire to grovel for acceptance only to be met with cold stares.

After pacing for a while, Li Hongshen stood still and looked at Li Fugui. "Brother, you know who these people are, right? Can you arrange a meeting with the leaders among them?"

"Don't call me 'brother.' Every time you do, I get the chills, as if I’m about to be sacrificed. And nothing good ever comes from you calling me that. Can I just say I don't know, and that we shouldn't meet with these big shots?"

Li Hongshen raised an eyebrow, looking at Li Fugui. He knew Li Fugui had already done his homework and likely gathered intelligence on them.

"What is the situation with them? Help me break it down. I knew a group was working behind my back, but I honestly haven't looked into who the leaders are. After all, I’m just a small, insignificant peripheral member of the Elite Society."

"Stop it. Why are you acting like that? It feels like you’re mocking me, a mere employee. 'Small peripheral member'? Elite Society full members aren't all that special; someone like you with actual Source Points is the real boss."

"No, the full members are the real bosses. They can target me whenever they want, leaving me here feeling miserable. Just tell me how many there are and what their backgrounds are. I can see you’ve already investigated them."

Li Fugui smiled and took out a notebook that looked similar to Li Hongshen’s.

"The first is Huo Baoyan from the Huo family. He’s quite unique; the explosive pellets he creates are actually Ice-Burst Bombs. He’s from the Twelfth Domain, a proper scion of a noble family. He’s highly capable, and I’ve heard he’s recruited many people and secured a lot of votes. You don't have any major conflict with him; your products are different. He’s mostly acting out of necessity—the world isn't just about fighting and killing; it’s about social favors and obligations. As a major family in the Twelfth Domain, the Huo family is surrounded by connections and smaller families. Even after entering the Great Wilderness, this remains true, and as a Huo family member, he must secure interests for his subordinates. That is the source of the conflict."

Li Hongshen stroked his chin and said, "I remember that the Twelfth Domain’s products are sold on commission by the Sixth Domain, and their gathering points are quite close. When I talk to him, I’ll offer to sign an agency contract allowing him to freely establish distributors, and I’ll give him some leeway on the factory price. How about that?"

Li Fugui shrugged. "It’s your decision. I’m not getting involved."

"Fine. Who’s next?"

"Yu Xiaozhu of the Yu family from the Second Domain. He’s different from Huo Baoyan; he has a direct conflict with you. He also sells thunder-type explosive pellets, and their power is similar to yours. However, his sales aren't as good, and his brand isn't as bright, so he’s feeling squeezed in the market. Also, to be honest, he doesn't have many votes—just his and his wife's. But he is a descendant of the Yu family, after all."

This time it was Li Hongshen’s turn to shrug. He couldn't think of a way to deal with someone like that. "Move on to the next one."

"Hui Lu, from the Eighth Domain. He’s not from a noble family, but he’s difficult to deal with. He’s talented and likes forming cliques. He’s much like you, very influential in the Eighth Domain. He’s built a small alliance that covers everything from supply chains to manufacturing and sales. He’s targeting you mostly to prevent you from disrupting their commercial alliance. That previous wave of yours was quite aggressive; it probably scared him."

"That’s easy to handle. I’ll sign a separate agreement with him to maintain market prices and place certain limits on supply, ensuring both sides can make a profit. Anyone else?"

Li Fugui tapped his notebook. "There’s plenty more. You think just those few could hold back the entire Forty-Fourth Domain? There are many more. Look: Lin Borui from the Sixteenth, Deng Daizhen from the Thirty-First, Wu Mengdie and Hai Xingchen from the Forty-First. All of them are capable, have votes, and lead groups. Take it slow, deal with them one by one. Get as many as you can, and ideally, turn them into your supporters."

Li Hongshen: "......What do you take me for, the diplomat of the Great Wilderness?"

Li Fugui: "Making money isn't something to be ashamed of."

Finally, after spending nearly a week creating a strategy for every lord on the list, Li Hongshen began having Li Fugui arrange the meeting times.