Chapter 1 A Small Conflict

Recently, a small team led by Zhao Shiyu had gathered and occasionally went to dungeons, acquiring quite a few good pieces of equipment. However, as the team began to operate, internal conflicts became increasingly prominent. The most critical issue was the uneven distribution of loot. Zhao Shiyu believed that the team was formed by them, so they should naturally take more. This led to obvious unfairness in the distribution, and the team argued several times over these issues. Soon, the team's morale dissipated, and a clear division emerged.

Zhao Shiyu spoke to several people in the team several times, suppressing the conflicts. Because those people couldn't find a better team, they had no choice but to stay. However, the seeds of future problems had already been sown.

It was laughable that Zhao Shiyu was too arrogant and lacked self-awareness. Several times, he secretly colluded with Fu Guangtao and Bai Jun to take good equipment for themselves, thinking that no one knew. But there are no secrets in the world, and several people in the team were already looking for their own way out.

Zhao Shiyu and his group of seventeen or eighteen people were gathered at the back of the classroom, discussing strategies for the next dungeon, with thick stacks of information laid out on the table. The dungeon they were going to had already been explored, and the elite teams of the major guilds had cleared it countless times. As a result, many tips and strategies had been circulated. They collected these strategies, organized them, and then made the necessary preparations in the game before setting off.

Although this group of people couldn't be considered top elites in the game, they were still among the stronger of the second-tier players. Their preparations before each dungeon were quite complete. However, there were some discordant voices within the team.

"I don't agree with this Spider Cave expedition. That dungeon is clearly beyond us. Our spell damage output is still too low. We need to clear Mysterious Cave at least twenty times to let the mages in the team change their equipment and increase their spell damage before we can go to such a high-level dungeon." A slightly chubby boy, his face flushed, argued with Zhao Shiyu and the others. His name was Chu Chenghao, and he was a paladin in Faith. His level and strength were comparable to Zhao Shiyu, Fu Guangtao, Bai Jun, and others. He was amiable and decisive when doing things, so he had quite a bit of prestige among his classmates.

"There's no need. Our mages have enough spell damage. As long as we can get through Spider Cave, our equipment will be on another level. There's no need to waste time in Mysterious Cave!" Fu Guangtao said proudly.

"You guys are aiming too high. Going to Spider Cave with this group of people will obviously lead to a wipe. A team can't be supported by just a few people. Do you even know what teamwork is? What do we need if we go to Spider Cave? Poison necklaces? Vitality Fang Rings? Flame Gems? Can the majority of the mages in our team use these things? Instead of risking going to Spider Cave, it's better to stay in Mysterious Cave for a while and equip the mages in the team with Arcane Robes and Staves. That way, the entire team's spell damage will increase."

Chu Chenghao's words caused several mages in the team to fall into deep thought. Poison necklaces and Vitality Fang Rings were obviously high-end items that they definitely couldn't use. In the end, they would definitely be used to equip Fu Guangtao, Bai Jun, and the others, while they would work themselves to death and get nothing. Chu Chenghao was obviously standing on their side, and he immediately gained their psychological support.

Seeing that the mages next to him were moved by Chu Chenghao's words, Fu Guangtao cursed inwardly and said, "The things in Mysterious Cave are all trash that you can buy anywhere in the auction house. If we can clear Spider Cave, would we even care about those things?"

"It's true that you can buy those things in Mysterious Cave, but if we don't go to Mysterious Cave, are we going to buy them at the auction house? Can we afford it? Are you going to pay for it? Or are we going to get a Poison Necklace in Spider Cave, sell it for money, and then buy Mysterious Robes? Would you be willing to do that? In the end, you just want to get a good set of equipment for yourselves, and you're dragging the entire team into an adventure for the sake of a few people's personal gain. I'm not going anyway. Whoever wants to go can go." Chu Chenghao's stubborn temper flared up.

"Damn, you're always causing trouble. Last time, we couldn't even go to White Bird Canyon because of you. We've been stuck in Mysterious Cave for so long. Otherwise, our equipment would be much better than it is now. Who do you think you are? I've been unhappy with you for a long time. Do you believe I'll beat you up?" Fu Guangtao glared at Chu Chenghao with a fierce look in his eyes.

"Come on if you have the guts. I'm not afraid of you," Chu Chenghao retorted without showing any weakness.

However, Fu Guangtao didn't dare to actually make a move in the First Military Academy.

"Don't think so highly of yourself. Our team can still function without you. I know people in the Finance Department who can bring a paladin over at any time. Go or don't go, as you wish." Zhao Shiyu glanced at Chu Chenghao with some disdain.

"I have something to do tonight, so I'm not going to Spider Cave," said a thin boy. He was an arcane mage in Faith. He didn't dare to directly fall out with Fu Guangtao and the others, but he supported Chu Chenghao in this way.

"I'm not going either."

"Me too."

Those who spoke were all lower-level members of the team. They had endured some unfair treatment since joining the team and were now all supporting Chu Chenghao.

Chu Chenghao looked at these people with emotion, feeling a bit sentimental. The so-called "the just cause enjoys abundant support, while the unjust cause finds little support" was the situation now. Zhao Shiyu, Fu Guangtao, and Bai Jun had gone too far, treating the team as a tool for their own personal advancement and never thinking about contributing to each member.

A large portion of the team was now standing on Chu Chenghao's side and wanted to strike, which made Zhao Shiyu anxious.

Zhao Shiyu looked at one of the boys and said, "Chen Mo, are you not going either?"

Zhao Shiyu was trying to win back some people, especially this Chen Mo, who had always had a secret crush on her.

The boy named Chen Mo didn't say anything.

Seeing that the team couldn't go to Spider Cave at all, Bai Jun immediately stepped in to smooth things over, smiling and saying, "It hasn't been decided yet. Let's all sit down and discuss it. If we can't go, then so be it. We'll make other arrangements."

Chu Chenghao snorted and sneered, "I've figured it out. You're all in the same group, always thinking about getting benefits for yourselves. People who walk different paths cannot make plans together. I'm leaving. Find someone else."

While this group of people was arguing intensely, Xu Yan, Fei Zhe, and Xia Tianyu walked up from the side.

"Chu Chenghao, we're planning to form a team recently. Do you want to join?" Xu Yan asked.

"How many people do you have?" Chu Chenghao asked. Although he didn't have much contact with Xu Yan usually, he knew something about Xu Yan's character, who at least wouldn't be like Fu Guangtao and the others.

"For now, it's just me, Fei Zhe, and Xia Tianyu, but we'll be recruiting soon. Nie Yan said that if he has time, he might come to our team for a while. Also, several people from Blue Wind chimes said they want to join too. I estimate that we can form a team in a day or two at most," Xu Yan said.

Xu Yan's words immediately drew the attention of the surrounding classmates. Xu Yan could get people from Blue Wind chimes? They knew that Xu Yan had joined Blue Wind chimes since the beginning of the school year. They didn't understand the strength of Blue Wind chimes before, but after that gathering at the First Military Academy, they had personally witnessed what kind of organization Blue Wind chimes actually was.

Chu Chenghao was silent for a moment. Since he had nowhere else to go anyway, he nodded and said, "Okay, but I have to say this first, I reserve the right to withdraw from the team."

"Of course. Welcome to the team." Xu Yan showed a hearty smile.

"Xu Yan, can I join the team?" Chen Mo, who was standing next to him, suddenly asked.

"Welcome."

"I want to join too."

In an instant, at least a dozen people wanted to withdraw from the team that Zhao Shiyu, Fu Guangtao, Bai Jun, and the others were in. They had long been fed up with these people. Seeing an opportunity to leave the team, they unhesitatingly chose to leave, even though they didn't know much about Xu Yan, Fei Zhe, and Xia Tianyu.

Seeing that these people were all withdrawing from the team, Zhao Shiyu and the others suddenly became anxious.

"Damn, Xu Yan, you trash, you're coming here to poach people. Don't you know your own weight? Can you even form a team with just a few of you? Even if you do, what dungeon are you going to do? Goblin Swamp?" Fu Guangtao looked at Xu Yan mockingly.

"We can start from Goblin Swamp. It's better than some people who only think about getting equipment for themselves. Besides, who's trash is still unknown," Xu Yan retorted without any politeness.

At this time, Chu Chenghao spoke up, "We can start from scratch. In the future, you guys go your own way, and we'll take our own single-plank bridge."

The entire Command Department had completely split into two factions.

"A bunch of trash, all of you get out of here! In the game, I'll beat you up every time I see you!" Fu Guangtao said grimly.

Xu Yan, Fei Zhe, and Xia Tianyu were immediately enraged. Fu Guangtao was too arrogant and self-righteous. Even if they hadn't received equipment from Nie Yan back then, they might not have been afraid of Fu Guangtao. And now, their strength was completely different.

Fu Guangtao tearing off his mask made these classmates even more disgusted.

"Do you dare to fight tonight?" Xia Tianyu looked at Fu Guangtao coldly.

"Come on if you have the guts," Fu Guangtao sneered.

The atmosphere was tense, with both sides confronting each other and refusing to back down. Xu Yan counted. They had pulled in thirteen people, which, added to themselves, made sixteen. They could form a team by recruiting a few more people. The remaining people were all loyal to Zhao Shiyu, Fu Guangtao, and Bai Jun, and Xu Yan and the others wouldn't want them even if they came.

To make these people accept them willingly, they had to treat them with virtue. Xu Yan thought of the set of rules that Nie Yan used to manage Nirvana Guild. To make the entire team have strong cohesion, there were still many things to do.

This group of people gathered together and chatted, introducing each other's levels. Zhao Shiyu and the others in the distance cast poisonous glances.