Chapter 1 The Crisis

The war in Moonlit City was raging, and Nie Yan was doing everything he could to gather wealth. Supporting a war required substantial funds.

Just as Nie Yan was busy with funding matters, Guo Huai suddenly brought news. Several members of the Ni Ren Tribe wanted to leave the guild and had sent him applications. The applications required Nie Yan's signature to be approved, so he sent a message to Nie Yan.

"Who wants to leave the guild?" Nie Yan asked, startled. This was the first time players from the Ni Ren Tribe had requested to leave the guild, excluding the incident with Shui Se Yan Tou. Nie Yan was somewhat familiar with Shao Bing, an old member of the Ni Ren Tribe. He had asked Shao Bing to help him level up Zhai Hao and others.

"It's Shao Bing and five others," Guo Huai said, his mood heavy. Shao Bing and the others were among the top players in the Ni Ren Tribe's second-tier group and had been nurtured by the guild. Their departure was like a knife to Guo Huai's heart.

"Where are they now?" Nie Yan asked. He had a rough idea of what had happened. Shao Bing and the others must have received a higher agreement price from the Century Financial Group than they were getting from the Ni Ren Tribe. Those who were easily swayed by money would naturally consider leaving the Ni Ren Tribe when tempted by such offers.

If Nie Yan agreed to sign, they could leave without any burden, saving a significant expense. If Nie Yan disagreed, they would definitely breach their contracts. As for the penalty fees, with a large financial backer like the Century Financial Group behind them, they wouldn't be bothered by such a small amount.

"At the guild headquarters in Cripps Fortress," Guo Huai said. He was currently trying to persuade Shao Bing and the others to stay.

"I'll be there immediately," Nie Yan said, putting aside his current task and heading toward the guild headquarters.

About ten minutes later, Nie Yan arrived at the guild headquarters and walked toward the central hall. When he entered, he saw about thirty members of the Ni Ren Tribe gathered inside. Guo Huai was standing face to face with Shao Bing and the others.

"Shao Bing, we in the Ni Ren Tribe have been working hard until now. Have I ever mistreated you? If I've done anything wrong, or if you feel I've shortchanged you, tell me, and I'll definitely resolve it for you," Guo Huai said, still trying to persuade Shao Bing and the others to stay.

Shao Bing said with some shame but great resolve, "Executive Guild Leader, we've been following you and Boss Nie Yan for so long, and you really haven't let us down. But people have their own aspirations. I hope we can leave quietly."

"Brother Shao Bing, when I first joined the Ni Ren Tribe, you were the one who brought me up. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be where I am today. All of us brothers hope you can stay," Zhai Hao said from the side.

Shao Bing sighed and said, "Brother, we appreciate your kindness, but we can't continue to stay in the Ni Ren Tribe. All good things must come to an end. Let's part ways amicably, and we'll still be brothers in the future." As he said this, Shao Bing's expression became somewhat dim. He had some unavoidable difficulties. He had already signed a contract with the Century Financial Group, which had offered him six times the agreement price. Although he didn't want to leave the Ni Ren Tribe, he had to for his family and for a higher salary. That money was crucial to him.

The other five players beside Shao Bing also looked ashamed. They really couldn't bear to look at the Ni Ren Tribe brothers around them.

"Damn you, Lao Yu! How did Guild Leader Nie Yan and Boss Dao Guang treat you back then? Now that you've grown wings, you want to leave the Ni Ren Tribe. Are you worthy of Guild Leader Nie Yan and Boss Dao Guang?" A warrior player next to him rushed up and grabbed the collar of a thief behind Shao Bing, but he was pulled away by the other players.

"Luo Fei, forget it. Everyone has their own ambitions!"

The thief called Lao Yu kept his head down and sighed, "I'm sorry to the guild leader and Boss Dao Guang."

"If you come back, you'll still be my brother, Luo Fei. But if you leave the Ni Ren Tribe today, don't blame me for killing you every time I see you."

Hearing Luo Fei's curse, Lao Yu kept his head down and didn't say a word. He felt guilty and didn't have the confidence to answer.

Seeing Lao Yu's reaction, Luo Fei couldn't help but curse, "I see you're determined to leave the Ni Ren Tribe. Don't blame me for being impolite in the future."

The guild hall was a bit noisy. Nie Yan understood that Shao Bing and the others were the first group to leave the Ni Ren Tribe, and they definitely wouldn't be the last. More people would definitely leave the Ni Ren Tribe in the future. If he didn't handle it well, it could have a very bad impact.

"Boss Nie Yan is here!" Someone shouted.

"Boss Nie Yan."

Seeing Nie Yan enter, the Ni Ren Tribe players stepped aside, making way for him.

Nie Yan walked toward Shao Bing and the others.

When Shao Bing saw Nie Yan, he lowered his head. He still had respect and awe for Nie Yan and didn't dare to do anything out of line. At this moment, he didn't dare to look Nie Yan in the eye. As far as the Ni Ren Tribe was concerned, he was a traitor.

Shao Bing was waiting for Nie Yan's furious scolding. If he was scolded, he would feel much better and leave more easily. The other five people felt the same way as Shao Bing. They were all too ashamed to face Nie Yan.

To Shao Bing and the others' surprise, Nie Yan didn't scold them as they had imagined, but smiled gently.

"Shao Bing, I remember when you first joined the Ni Ren Tribe, I scolded you a few times. Now that you're leaving, you don't hold a grudge against me, do you?" Nie Yan said with a laugh.

Shao Bing quickly shook his head and said, "Of course not."

"And Lao Yu, you're one of the few people in the Ni Ren Tribe who has been with me since the very beginning. I still remember when the Ni Ren Tribe was blockaded by the Victorious Return Empire, you died more than ten times in a row, but you also took down more than twenty people from the Victorious Return Empire," Nie Yan said nostalgically.

The thief called Lao Yu's eyes turned red, and he nodded.

"And you, Gua Zi, Gang Beng, Lao Lin, Lao Liu, you've been following me, Nie Yan, for quite a while. I'm the one who's let you down. I don't have anything to repay you with," Nie Yan said with a sigh. He was sincere. He understood that it wasn't easy for these members.

"Boss Nie Yan, don't say that. We're the ones who are sorry to you, sorry to the Ni Ren Tribe," several people said sadly.

"I know that everyone is leaving the Ni Ren Tribe for many personal reasons, and I can understand that. People strive for higher positions, and water flows downwards. Everyone has their own aspirations, and I won't force you to stay. When you were in the Ni Ren Tribe, I, Nie Yan, always treated you as brothers. If you want to leave, I definitely won't hold you back. I don't have much to give you as you leave, so go to the guild warehouse and pick out some useful equipment. After today, we'll be serving different masters, and we won't be able to be brothers anymore. Take care of yourselves," Nie Yan said, patting Shao Bing and the others on the shoulders.

Hearing Nie Yan's words, Shao Bing and the others choked up.

"Boss, I'm sorry," Shao Bing said, wiping the tears from the corners of his eyes and bowing deeply to Nie Yan.

"Shao Bing, Lao Yu, take care," a warrior from the Ni Ren Tribe shouted from the side.

"Take care," the other Ni Ren Tribe players shouted one after another, their voices filled with helplessness and sighs.

After all, they were brothers who had teamed up, gone to dungeons, and fought on the battlefield together. Seeing Shao Bing and the others leave, they all felt bad.

Shao Bing bowed deeply to the other members, his eyes blurred with tears: "Everyone, take care."

At this moment, Shao Bing deeply felt the strong friendship of the Ni Ren Tribe brothers. He felt that he had made a wrong decision, but he couldn't turn back. The other five people besides Shao Bing were also crying uncontrollably.

Nie Yan signed the applications for Shao Bing and the others to leave the guild, and Shao Bing and the others handed over their guild badges.

Watching the slightly worn guild badges that they had been wearing since joining the Ni Ren Tribe being taken back, Shao Bing and the others showed expressions of loss, as if a large piece had been cut out of their hearts, leaving them empty.

From now on, they were no longer members of the Ni Ren Tribe.

Shao Bing and the others remembered Nie Yan's words just now. After today, they would be serving different masters, and they wouldn't be able to be brothers anymore. Thinking of this, Shao Bing and the others felt a pain in their hearts. They finally realized what it meant to be like a stray dog. Leaving the Ni Ren Tribe, they lost a sense of belonging and security.

They could never go back to the Ni Ren Tribe. Shao Bing wanted to find a place to cry, and the other five were also saddened to the point of tears.

Nie Yan suppressed the sorrow in his heart and turned to Zhai Hao: "Zhai Hao, see them off. If they need it, get them some good equipment from the guild warehouse."

"Okay," Zhai Hao nodded and said to Shao Bing and the others, "Shao Bing, I'll see you out."

"Brother, I..." Shao Bing wanted to say something, but he didn't know what to say.

Zhai Hao shook his head and sighed, "Let's go. Don't use that term anymore in the future."

Shao Bing felt a sting in his heart. In the future, the word "brother" would become a luxury. Thinking of the contract with the Century Financial Group, he felt ashamed. He had really been blinded by greed. Although the Ni Ren Tribe's benefits weren't as good as the price offered by the Century Financial Group, they were still very generous. The Ni Ren Tribe hadn't mistreated them.

Everyone watched as Zhai Hao saw Shao Bing and the others off, their emotions somewhat low.

Nie Yan looked at the members next to him and said: "Let those who want to leave go. Although Shao Bing and the others have left, the Ni Ren Tribe still has so many brothers. Everyone, cheer up, let's crush the Mages Alliance and the Sacred Guardians, and then take down Angel Corp and the Century Financial Group! Our road has just begun! There isn't a single coward in our Ni Ren Tribe!"

"Boss Nie Yan is right, we still have so many brothers!"

The players finally cheered up.

Nie Yan looked at Guo Huai on the side and said, "We need to speed things up. The Century Financial Group is not an easy opponent." The threat of the Century Financial Group was already close, and they had to be prepared to deal with it.

Guo Huai nodded with a grave expression. How many players in the Ni Ren Tribe had already been contacted by the Century Financial Group? Would similar things happen in the days to come?