160: Chapter 160 Do you need my help to persuade them?

Seeing their eyes fall on him, Gu Changming offered a polite smile and spoke in a calm tone: "Don't misunderstand, everyone. I just wanted to come and see the world, and Su Wan brought me along for the ride."

As he spoke, he reached out and gently pressed his hand on Su Wan's shoulder, using a firm, undeniable force to push her back into her seat.

"There's no need for everyone to argue over such a small matter," he nodded, his posture composed. "I'll just stand and listen."

As soon as he said this, the few people who had been waiting to make an issue of it felt like they had punched a bale of cotton, momentarily left speechless.

Since the other party had backed down, if they continued to press the issue, it would only give Su Wan room to maneuver.

Finally, after the people who had spoken earlier snorted, they sat back down.

Su Wan, on the other hand, turned to look at Gu Changming with confusion after sitting down, her expression becoming anxious.

Gu Changming wasn't her subordinate; in fact, his strength far exceeded hers. Having her sit while he stood behind her was inappropriate in every sense.

Gu Changming met her gaze and then shook his head, mouthing the words: No need.

It truly was unnecessary; there was no need to cause conflict or trouble over such a trivial matter. What he hated most was trouble.

Seeing Gu Changming's stance, Su Wan pursed her lips and didn't insist further.

Seeing that the conference hall had finally quieted down, Fang Shouzheng cleared his throat at the right moment, drawing everyone's attention back to the main topic: "Alright, everyone is here. Let's begin."

...

Ten minutes later.

"Let's discuss it later," a gloomy-faced man spoke, his tone very displeased.

"I have no objection to holding a weekly regular meeting. But as for the rest... I'm afraid I cannot cooperate," another woman said coldly, her arms crossed.

"Right!" someone immediately chimed in. "Why should we open up the Secret Realm entrances we control and share the resources? I have no use for the resources in your Secret Realms."

"And that 'Unified Law Enforcement Team' proposal," a burly bald man sneered. "Asking us to contribute our own manpower? When the time comes, will they be your people, Fang Shouzheng, or ours?"

"My potion are in high demand everywhere. How often are your logistics services like Weapon Maintenance and Temporary Enchantments even used? Making me lower my prices and offer discounts—I'd be the only one losing out."

"..."

Voices clamored as the points of contention grew, with no one willing to yield.

"Discuss it later, discuss it later," someone said, waving their hands repeatedly.

"It's impossible for me to open up my territory... that's non-negotiable."

The scene became completely chaotic as everyone clung tightly to their own interests, refusing to yield an inch.

Fang Shouzheng's face was as dark as water. He knew the resistance would be great and hadn't expected to reach an agreement all at once, but he hadn't anticipated that they wouldn't even reach a single consensus.

Looking at this situation where they were nearly a heap of loose sand, each acting for themselves, his heart couldn't help but sink.

If this continued, their Xinhuo Stronghold would sooner or later be left far behind by other Strongholds and factions.

"Enough!"

Someone slammed the table hard, and then everyone began to make excuses, standing up one after another.

"I have things to do back at my place, I'm leaving first."

"Let's discuss it next time."

"We'll talk in detail later."

Excuses and reasons followed one after another, and in the blink of an eye, only the four of them, including Fang Shouzheng, remained at the round table.

The meeting room was a mess, with chairs askew.

Fang Shouzheng leaned against the back of his chair, exhaled a long breath of turbid air, then looked at Gu Changming with a hint of embarrassment and a bitter smile.

"I've made a fool of myself."

Gu Changming nodded in response and then took the initiative to apologize: "It's also because of me. If I hadn't joined so abruptly, your meeting might have gone more smoothly."

Indeed, if there hadn't been that initial tension caused by him, even if they couldn't reach an agreement in the end, at least the scene wouldn't have been so ugly.

"Not at all," Fang Shouzheng waved his hand.

He had let Gu Changming join with other intentions, wanting Gu Changming to learn more about the Stronghold and then join them.

He just hadn't expected the final scene to be so unsightly.

Standing to the side, Su Wan also let out a somewhat helpless sigh. She rose from her chair, preparing to say "We'll be going too" to end this exhausting scene.

But just as she stood up, she saw Gu Changming suddenly speak, addressing Fang Shouzheng:

"Do you want me to help?"

"Huh?" Fang Shouzheng didn't react for a moment.

Su Wan also looked over in surprise.

Gu Changming continued: "Help you persuade them."

Hearing Gu Changming's words, Fang Shouzheng instinctively glanced at Su Wan and Lin Jianqiu.

Then he looked back at Gu Changming, the corners of his mouth twitching upward ever so slightly.

Those people are all incredibly stubborn and won't listen to reason; you saw how they acted just now.

How do you plan to "persuade" them?

Of course, these were just his internal thoughts; he couldn't say them out loud.

Out of consideration for Gu Changming, who was Su Wan's "honored guest," he still nodded and maintained a polite tone:

"Sure. If you're willing to help, that would be great."

"Then I'll do my best," Gu Changming nodded.

Fang Shouzheng said nothing more, only gave another bitter smile and began to tidy up the scattered documents on the table.

Afterward, Su Wan and the others also left the meeting room one after another.

Just as they stepped out into the relatively quiet corridor, Su Wan turned her head, looked at Gu Changming, and asked with some suspicion:

"What do you plan to do?"

Gu Changming didn't stop, responding casually as he walked forward:

"Just go and persuade them. I'll lay out the facts and explain that uniting is more beneficial for the Stronghold's future development. They should understand, right?"

After hearing this, Su Wan and Lin Jianqiu's expressions froze, both of them a bit dazed.

Gu Changming turned his head, saw their expressions, and smiled.

"They won't?"

With that, Gu Changming waved his hand and left first, leaving Su Wan and the other behind.

Once he was gone, Lin Jianqiu tilted her head in confusion and then simply burst out laughing.

"He's... too naive," Lin Jianqiu shook her head. "How could those people be persuaded by 'reasoning' alone? We talked until our throats were dry in there just now, and it was useless."

Su Wan didn't laugh; instead, she looked in the direction Gu Changming had left, blinking thoughtfully.

After a moment, she spoke: "Do you think he really intends to just go and persuade those people?"

Lin Jianqiu's laughter faltered. She understood Su Wan's implication.

She frowned, thought about it seriously, and still shook her head: "Those are over ten C-Class Ability Users, and each has a group of D-rank subordinates. No matter how strong he is, what can he do?"

Su Wan nodded, also feeling that what Lin Jianqiu said made sense.

Those dozen or so Regional Managers were none of them pushovers, and their strength was not weak. A single person, no matter how strong, couldn't possibly overturn them all.

But for some reason, she had a strange feeling in her heart that Gu Changming might actually be able to do it.

"Let's go back first," Su Wan said.