Chapter 215 - 140: Green Crystal Bracelet! Cooking Snake Meat! The Temptation of Becoming a Transcendent

Chapter 215: Chapter 140: Green Crystal Bracelet! Cooking Snake Meat! The Temptation of Becoming a Transcendent

"Sir, your plan is truly brilliant. It’s only natural that ordinary people can’t see through it!"

"Oh?"

Zhong Fang was taken aback. "Jia Wen, you have some insight? Let’s hear it."

"Haha!"

Jia Wen laughed again. "There’s no harm in explaining. Have you heard of the stratagem... ’casting a brick to attract jade’?"

"’Casting a brick to attract jade’?" The confusion on their faces deepened.

But Chen Chong’s expression turned a little strange.

’Why do I remember that not being a very positive phrase?’

’The original meaning is to use a decoy to lure someone into a trap to achieve a goal. While there are similarities to the current situation, the original intent... doesn’t quite fit, does it?’

"Why does everyone follow our leader?"

"And what conditions do you think are needed to make others want to follow?"

The group looked at each other, and answers began to pour out.

Some said it was because of Chen Chong’s strength, others because they could get more food. Some said following him was the best way to survive, and still others claimed to be completely won over by him.

But no matter how many different answers were given, Jia Wen just kept shaking his head.

Until Ning Yu spoke...

"He can make me stronger."

"Ah!" A look of pleasant surprise appeared on Jia Wen’s face. "Exactly! Our leader can make everyone stronger!"

"Whether it’s food, resources, or anything else, the reason everyone is willing to follow our leader is because everything he does makes us stronger. It helps us survive better in this land. It’s not just a simple alliance of convenience."

"Perhaps some of you here are truly sincere, following him purely because you’re captivated by his charisma, regardless of other factors. But that kind of loyalty is built over time, through repeated interaction. The others at the school who don’t know him won’t feel that way."

Listening to Jia Wen’s words, Zhong Fang and Zhang Meng pondered for a moment before nodding one by one. They had to admit he had a point.

Jia Wen waved his feather fan and continued.

"Recruiting the people at the school is simple. Just provide enough food, and plenty of people will join. They’ll be desperate to follow our leader."

"But people who join for that reason are fickle. It would just be a temporary, fragile alliance, a house of cards. Everything would be for personal gain!"

"Even if they knew about the dangers ahead, their motivation would just be a mix of greed and fear. Once the crisis is over, they’d likely have second thoughts, causing the team to fall apart again."

"Even if they didn’t leave, they would just slack off and try to get by doing the bare minimum."

"The only way is to make them understand that following our leader isn’t just about getting food and surviving crises. It’s about a real opportunity to make themselves stronger!"

"And he is the only one who can provide the means to become stronger. This will give everyone a true will to fight. They will work for the team and contribute with sincerity, until they are fully integrated..."

A look of sudden realization dawned on Zhong Fang!

"So, the reason Brother Chen Chong cooked the Blood-tooth Python meat... it wasn’t just to show everyone we have plenty of food. It was also to let them know we have the power to hunt Extraordinary Creatures, and that eating their meat can help one move toward becoming a Transcendent, and eventually become one?"

Jia Wen nodded. "More or less!"

"Brilliant!" Zhong Fang said with heartfelt admiration.

’Putting myself in their shoes,’ he thought, ’if I didn’t know Chen Chong and he just cooked two pots of meat, even if I joined, I’d only be thinking about filling my stomach. I don’t think I’d have any other ideas.’

’But if I were told that eating this meat could make me stronger, maybe even become a Transcendent...’

’That would be a different story...’

’I would have to join this team, get more ingredients from Extraordinary Creatures, become stronger, and become a Transcendent!’

After thinking it over, the others also showed expressions of astonishment, their gazes toward Chen Chong now holding a trace of reverence.

Only Chen Chong wore a stunned expression.

After a long moment, he slowly came back to his senses.

’I have to admit, Jia Wen’s theory sounds a bit like psychology.’

’Even though he just pulled it out of thin air, it’s surprisingly logical.’

’Maybe... it’s actually worth trying his approach...’

...