182: Guardian Alliance

"You knew I would call?" Hearing the tone on the other end of the phone, which suggested everything was under control, Lin Mo became even more vigilant. He didn't relax because of the other party's certainty; instead, he lowered his stance and asked in a calm voice.

"Yan Di" on the other end of the line let out a low chuckle mixed with a hint of appreciation: "I didn't know. I was just gambling, betting that you weren't an idiot who would wait for death. The mad dogs of the 'World Serpent' are best at forcing lone sheep to become united tigers. It seems I won the bet."

Although the other party's metaphor was slightly strange, Lin Mo understood it.

The attack by the World Serpent was the best catalyst. It would force all Gods Chosen hiding in the shadows, like him, to seek unity.

"When is your meeting? Where?" Lin Mo cut straight to the chase without unnecessary chatter.

"No rush." Yan Di's voice remained unhurried. "Before you decide to join us, I need to confirm one thing: are you trustworthy? And, do you have the qualifications to stand on equal footing with us?"

"Qualifications?" Lin Mo frowned slightly.

"Exactly, qualifications." Yan Di's tone became serious. "Every offline gathering of the Gods Chosen carries immense risk. We must ensure that every participant has enough strength to protect themselves and will not become a burden to the team. More importantly, we need to confirm that you are not a spy sent by the World Serpent."

Lin Mo fell silent.

He understood the other party's caution. In matters of life and death like this, any oversight could lead to irreversible disaster.

"How do you intend to confirm this?" Lin Mo asked.

"It's simple: let your strength speak for itself." Yan Di's voice radiated powerful confidence. "In the game, Sky City, Central Arena, I'll wait for you in one hour. Let me see with my own eyes exactly how sharp the Poison God's rule is."

"Alright." Lin Mo agreed decisively.

Hanging up the phone, Lin Mo's eyes sharpened.

He knew this was both a test and an opportunity. He not only needed to demonstrate his strength to the other party but also use this chance to figure out the true nature of "Yan Di" and the organization of Gods Chosen behind him.

Without the slightest hesitation, he immediately put on his gaming helmet, sinking his consciousness into the world of epoch... At the same time, within the game world, the news of the great victory at Storm Fortress had already spread throughout the entire Guardian Faction's channels, triggering thunderous cheers.

"Poison God is awesome! Holding back 100,000 enemy troops alone—what a concept!"

"I was on the front lines then, watching with my own eyes as the Destroyer bastards' rear caught fire and their formation collapsed. It was incredibly satisfying!"

"After this battle, Poison God is truly worthy of being the number one expert in our Guardian Faction!"

"More than just the top expert, he's practically a pillar of stability! Having him around puts our minds at ease!"

On the forums, various recordings and analysis threads about Lin Mo's battle were trending. His elusive movement technique, the world-destroying [Toxic Domain], and the [Rule: Withering] that brought despair to all Healers, were analyzed frame by frame by players and hailed as a textbook-level solo performance.

However, amidst this atmosphere of celebration, the leaders of the major top guilds sensed a different kind of tension.

Inside the Shadowless Hall's meeting room, the atmosphere was somewhat heavy.

"Has Boss still not logged on?" Iron Wall glanced at Lin Mo's grayed-out ID on the guild list and asked worriedly.

Summer Rain shook her head. "He hasn't been on since logging off last night. No one answers his phone in reality either."

"Damn it, nothing happened to him, right?" War Soul Immortal slammed his fist on the table, his face filled with anxiety. "Mad Dragon and those scumbags made moves in reality before. Could this time be..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but everyone present understood what he meant.

"I've already sent our people to scout around Boss's school. Hopefully, we'll get some hope," said a Rogue player named "Leng Feng" in a deep voice. He was the head of the Shadowless Hall's intelligence division.

Just as everyone was filled with worry, Lin Mo's ID finally lit up on the guild list.

"Boss is online!"

Almost simultaneously, everyone's communicators rang; it was a group call initiated by Lin Mo.

"Everyone, listen to me."

Lin Mo's voice was still calm, but the seriousness contained within it made everyone's heart tighten.

"The victory at Storm Fortress is just the beginning. Although the Destroyer Faction lost this time, their main force is intact, and they will soon return. More importantly, they have the support of the World Serpent behind them, which means their speed of development and resource acquisition capabilities might far exceed ours."

"We can no longer fight alone."

Lin Mo's words were like a boulder dropped into a calm lake.

"I propose that we use our Shadowless Hall as the core and unite all top Chinese guilds willing to oppose the Destroyer to form the 'Guardian Alliance.' We will share resources, unify command, and advance and retreat together!"

This proposal was nothing short of daring.

It must be known that competition has always outweighed cooperation between gaming guilds. Trying to unite these guilds, which usually fight tooth and nail over bosses and territory, was practically a pipe dream.

"Boss, can this... actually work?" War Soul Immortal hesitated. "Just look at War God Hall and Lingyun Pavilion—they are old rivals of ours."

"That was then, this is now." Lin Mo's voice was firm and decisive. "This is a Faction War, a war for the survival of the world. In the face of this great cause, all personal grievances must be set aside. Anyone unwilling to comply will be an enemy to all Guardian players."

"I will contact the leaders of the major guilds immediately and convey my intentions to them. In half an hour, the first Alliance meeting will be held in the Alliance Council Hall in Sky City."

"Yes!"

The members of the Shadowless Hall, inspired by the spirit in Lin Mo's words, responded in unison.

Soon, an invitation personally issued by the "Poison God" was sent to the leaders of all top twenty guilds in the Chinese region.

As soon as the news broke, the entire high-level community in the Chinese region was shaken.

Some agreed, believing this was the inevitable trend; some hesitated, worried about their own interests being harmed; and others scoffed, thinking Lin Mo was dreaming.

Regardless of their feelings, half an hour later, all guild leaders who received the invitation appeared punctually in the Alliance Council Hall in Sky City.

No one dared to disrespect the "Poison God," who had single-handedly reversed the course of the battle.

Inside the council hall, the atmosphere was solemn and serious. When Lin Mo, clad in his Deadly Poison set, slowly walked up to the main seat of the hall, everyone's eyes focused on him.

A mix of awe, scrutiny, curiosity, and defiance intertwined in the air.

Lin Mo paid no attention to these gazes. He scanned the room and spoke frankly.

"Gentlemen, I won't waste time on pleasantries. I invited everyone here today for one purpose: to establish the Guardian Alliance and oppose the Destroyer."

"I agree!"

The first person to stand up and respond was the leader of the Ba Tian Guild, War Soul Immortal.

Following him, the leaders of several mid-sized guilds that had good relations with the Shadowless Hall also expressed their support.

But more people chose silence.

Finally, a discordant voice rang out.

"Poison God, we respect your strength. But the matter of an alliance is no trivial thing." The speaker was the leader of the War God Hall, a Berserker named Sword Points to the Firmament. "Who will be the Alliance Leader? Who gets command during wartime? How should the spoils of war be distributed? Unless these questions are resolved, this so-called alliance is nothing more than a pile of loose sand."

His words voiced the thoughts of most people present.

Lin Mo seemed to have anticipated this. He looked calmly at Sword Points to the Firmament and spoke slowly.

"The Alliance will not have an Alliance Leader, only a wartime Chief Commander. Whoever's tactics can lead everyone to victory will hold the command."

"As for the spoils of war, they will be distributed according to merit. The war merit system will record the contributions of every guild and every individual, ensuring fairness and justice."

"And I will serve as the Alliance's first Chief Commander of the PVP front."

His final sentence was spoken decisively and beyond dispute.

"By what right?" A player next to Sword Points to the Firmament couldn't help but stand up, his face full of defiance. "Just because you made a name for yourself in the battle at Storm Fortress? That was nothing more than opportunistic maneuvering!"

Hearing this, Lin Mo's lips curved slightly into a cold arc.

He didn't argue with the other party; instead, he directly sent out a video invitation.

"Central Arena, I'll fight you with one hand tied behind my back. If you can last three minutes against me, I will give you the Chief Commander position."

The entire council hall instantly fell into dead silence.