Chapter 1711 - 878: Strife Under the Blade (2)

"Indeed, delays cause more problems the longer they persist."

Yuan Xing solemnly nodded: "Moreover, some people have been causing a bit of disruption, and the leaders agree that this is not good.

He paused, slowly stood up, and assured everyone: "Rest assured, the new protocols will be announced very soon.

Any slight changes may cause some discontent, but please be patient; it won't take too long."

And so, the meeting came to a close.

Although it wasn't a happy gathering for everyone, through mutual tugging, consensus and agreement were eventually reached... the agreement that the Hermit wanted!

That night, the Desert Gathering Headquarters issued two announcements in succession.

The first was a reprimand directed at various divisions that had been violating the rules recently, warning them in the name of the leaders: The rules haven't disappeared, they've just changed, so don't act as if the Headquarters doesn't exist.

The tone was uncharacteristically severe, but the effect was unusually... none.

The announcement was issued, but it might as well not have been.

After all, it was just some scolding; it didn't cost anyone anything, so what does it matter?

Everyone knows that if the leaders were truly angry, it wouldn't be an announcement they'd issue, but gloves.

The second announcement, however, was the shock that had been brewing amidst the waves, finally confirming and notifying all previous rumors and hearsay.

Yes, that's right, new rules are coming, kids!

In the announcement, signed by today's twelve leaders, it was affirmed as the first iron rule added in decades in the Desert Market!

The gist of it was that the leaders lamented the hundred-year-old structure of the Desert Market gradually becoming corrupted, with many disorders betraying the original intent of White Deer, and additionally, for the sake of the new era's changes, clearing out the incompetent and parasites, adapting to future challenges, etc., they specifically prepared to select a group of people with sufficient prestige, remarkable skills, and who can gain trust from all sources, to be granted unrestricted privileges in the Desert Market.

The total is [twenty people].

As for the selection criteria and methods... the Desert Market is changing its old ways, choosing is not by leadership designation, nor is it based on the size of the territory or the high and low of the forces.

Instead, it's decided to 'gather suggestions widely', 'learn from foreign strengths', specially adopting the method that the Heavenly Origin System loves to boast about and flaunt — [voting]!

It also lets everyone see that our Desert Market also has 'democracy'!

The voting starts tomorrow at noon, with a deadline spanning a week, [seven full days].

Meanwhile, as of today, all division [speakers] registered with the Headquarters each have [one vote], which they can cast to their beloved candidate.

Action speaks louder than words, friends, hurry up and pick your White Deer STAR!

"Hey..."

Ji Jue laughed.

After reading the brief announcement repeatedly so many times, what more can be said?

Awesome, that's all.

This maneuver by the Desert Market once again proves that the window-opening theory is universally applicable.

All the previous actions, perhaps they were all to naturally launch this new rule under tacit approval from all sides.

If you say we're handling the White Deer Great Monarch, naturally that's impossible.

But after all this chaos, before the situation truly deteriorates beyond recovery, offering a solution within everyone's acceptance range, everyone just has to accept it.

Even slightly beyond the acceptance range, to avoid upcoming losses, it will be included in consideration.

Everything that happened in the past half month is merely the residual sound of a knife unsheathing.

Now, when everyone is forced by the situation to think through the consequences, the heavily sealed Desert Market knife is ultimately unsheathed a little in the retreat and tacit consent from all parties, revealing its cold gleam.

For those seeking preservation, by now, designating twenty speakers directly by the leaders means the Desert Market's purpose has been achieved, with no need to worry about further delays or more changes.

But now it seems, in the upcoming week's voting and selection, perhaps this is the true objective of the Hermit, opening a new space through this knife gleam.

Twenty people, voting, seven days, all speakers, each has one vote.

Speakers vote for speakers.

Utilizing the new rules to break past closures, recombining results reared for who knows how many years in various divided sectors, via the circulation of these twenty nodes, digest as much as possible step by step.

And in this process, Desert Market, this bloated patchwork monster, will gradually lose weight, converting excess fat to muscle... even during this process, through the agglomeration of vast resources and the clash of numerous struggles, a few leaders could potentially be cultivated!

"What do you think?" Ji Jue asked without much head movement.

"Too fast, too early."

Ling Shuo sighed numbly: "As you previously said, instead of envying fish at a cliff, it'd be better to retreat and mend nets.

Staying seated in this position is already my current limit; talk about progressing further, not even a thought dares form..."

This is sincere.

Upon receiving the announcement, Ling Shuo felt not a shred of joy or expectation, but rather fear and dread.

Fearful that if he delays any longer, he might never cross the speaker threshold. Fearful that this step might be too soon, thrusting him into a storm he dared not imagine.

Perfectly balanced to gain some benefits, and perfectly timed to encounter unprecedented upheavals.

The most important aspect of the entire announcement, he believed, was not the previous clauses and explanations, but rather those few lines in the appendix supplement— the privileges granted by Desert Market have no expiration!

As long as the rules don't change, no appointment incident or effective period exists, but likewise, an eternal certificate won't exist, no resting easy.

The key to staying or going is from the [vote] cast by each Desert Market division!

The vote cast by each division can be withdrawn or changed at any time to someone else, a terrifyingly dangerous choice permanently held in everyone's hand.

Furthermore, including the Desert Market privilege granted by the leader, also allows for casual transfer.

– No restrictions, no conditions!

Too free, also excessively brutal.

Even if implementing so-called democracy, it won't change the reality; within the Desert Market, harmony doesn't exist.

Closing your eyes just once brings visions of how tomorrow, for the single vote each division and speaker holds, untold Blood Rain will be stirred!

That's not just a vote; it's their lifeblood, even more vital than a speaker's life!

Switching from a brawl to an election isn't due to the leader's benevolence and withdrawal, rather it showcases the fierce brutality of Desert Market—originally invisible life was transmuted into such tiny notes.

Don't just speak of stealing or taking someone else's vote; just protecting your vote and qualifying to cast it as you wish are already incredibly tough.

The one-week voting time is just the beginning, and even those twenty first-awaiting speakers just took the first step.

Who knows how many insatiable beasts lie covertly with claws lurking, dreaming day and night, salivating over that position.

To further advance, you must wager life to fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!

Fight for fame! Fight for life! Fight for position!

Battle in the Wilderness never ceases, and never changes, perhaps it will usher in a new round of eruptions...

Amid countless beasts' scrambles and plundering, life and death revolve, clearing out the mundane.

After each battle, perhaps the strong will one day grow old and the victor inevitably will someday face defeat.

The only constant is the fertile Wilderness itself enriched by endless contest and life and death.

Harvested with this, offered to White Deer!