Chapter 1113: Unconventional Recruitment Methods
Chapter 1113: Unconventional Recruitment Methods
October 1st, 2017
In the City Lord's Mansion of Lingzhi City, Youzhou.
Lu HaiKong sat before Wei Chigong and Cheng Yaojin, taking sips from his drink, his expression unreadable. However, it was likely that he was not in the best of moods, as his previous statement seemed to have fallen on deaf ears.
When Lu HaiKong asked Wei Chigong and Cheng Yaojin if they would be willing to save the world they had once failed to save, the question, filled with youthful idealism, was met with two scoffs of derision.
Lu HaiKong was neither surprised nor discouraged by their reaction. From the moment he arrived, even before reaching this place, he knew these two individuals would not be easily swayed. Lu HaiKong had prepared himself for a long and arduous campaign, so a temporary setback would not dampen his spirits.
Lu HaiKong calmly continued drinking, appearing to be immersed in his wine, as if he had forgotten all about the recruitment attempt.
In truth, Lu HaiKong was not particularly fond of alcohol, especially when on duty. In contrast, his beloved daughter, Nuo Nuo, was an expert in the art of wine appreciation. The wine he was currently drinking had been specially prepared by her.
However, Lu HaiKong's deep immersion in his drink was not solely due to its origin. He was, in fact, preparing for what was to come. This particular wine, carefully selected from Nuo Nuo's gift, was a legendary-grade brew used for nurturing meridians, enhancing cultivation speed and efficiency, and boosting internal energy.
In reality, Lu HaiKong's current state was less about drinking and more about taking medicine. He didn't care much about the taste; he was merely preparing for his upcoming cultivation. The only difference was that he was also engaging in recruitment efforts while drinking.
Despite the wine's legendary status and pleasant taste, its potency was undeniable. After a few sips, Lu HaiKong's cheeks flushed slightly, giving him a tipsy appearance.
Upon seeing Lu HaiKong's flushed face, Wei Chigong and Cheng Yaojin's laughter abruptly ceased. Their initial scoffing now seemed hollow and unamusing.
Lu HaiKong's approach left them utterly perplexed. They couldn't decipher whether he was there to drink or to persuade them.
Indeed, Lu HaiKong was doing both simultaneously. Firstly, he was pressed for time, and secondly, he understood that a conventional, serious approach would be futile with these two. Thus, he opted to employ his most relaxed demeanor.
However, Lu HaiKong was unaware that his relaxed state, or the aroma of the wine he held, had a peculiar effect on Wei Chigong and Cheng Yaojin.
Firstly, the two had gone hungry for several days, and secondly, it had been a long time since they last drank alcohol—at least a decade.
Despite their conquest of Liaoxi and Liaodong, they had no time to indulge in alcohol upon their arrival. As a result, these two, with their unquenchable appetites, were momentarily dazed by the scent of Lu HaiKong's wine. Fortunately, they managed to refrain from drooling, which could have created a puddle on the floor.
Though tempted, when Lu HaiKong offered them a drink, they both firmly declined. Lu HaiKong didn't press the issue.
Without further persuasion, he quietly finished his wine, tossed the empty container aside, and sat cross-legged. From his ring, he retrieved a mysterious scroll.
This scroll, which Lu HaiKong now produced, was the same one he had obtained long ago, requiring a martial strength of 90 and a basic axe technique level of 45 to comprehend.
Lu HaiKong had long met the prerequisites to comprehend the mystic scroll, but he had never had the opportunity to do so until now, as he was about to break through. So, he decided to take this chance to comprehend the scroll as well.
With this in mind, Lu HaiKong took out the mystic scroll and began his comprehension without hesitation. He started cultivating right there in the City Lord's Mansion, in front of Cheng Yaojin and Wei Chigong.
Seeing this, Wei Chigong and Cheng Yaojin were completely dumbfounded!
They could understand Lu HaiKong's eccentric behavior of drinking in front of them, as he had always been unconventional and unique, even in his approach to surrender negotiations. But what was this about him suddenly stopping the negotiations halfway and starting to cultivate?
Was he being disrespectful to them? Even though they knew they wouldn't accept his surrender offer, his sudden cultivation without any explanation was baffling. Wei Chigong and Cheng Yaojin were utterly perplexed by his actions.
Their confusion was justified. The reason Lu HaiKong had come to negotiate their surrender was that he had learned about the situation of Cheng Yaojin and Wei Chigong from Xun You.
After meeting the two, Xun You had assessed that they could indeed be persuaded to surrender, but it would be a challenging task with many difficulties.
The biggest obstacle was that these two had no faith in Lu HaiKong's ability to resist the invasion from beyond the border. In their eyes, Lu HaiKong was like a mantis trying to stop a chariot, at best a slightly more powerful one.
To Cheng Yaojin and Wei Chigong, Lu HaiKong's fate was sealed from the start, and it was only a matter of time before they faced failure and death.
This was the biggest challenge Lu HaiKong faced in trying to recruit them. Without giving them hope, it would be nearly impossible to win them over, no matter how eloquent his words were.
Their previous disdain for Lu HaiKong's motivational speech further confirmed this. It was because of their contempt for the idea of 'saving' them that Lu HaiKong abandoned the idea of negotiating and decided to show them his strength first.
Lu HaiKong obtained information from Xun You about the invaders from beyond the border, who highly valued martial prowess. This was evident in the case of General Pei Yuanying.
Unlike Hou JunJi, who obediently followed Du Rouhui's orders, General Pei had the respect of Du Rouhui and his team. They even referred to him as 'General Pei' and dared not object when their plans were disrupted by him.
This alone demonstrated the invaders' reverence and respect for those with exceptional martial strength.
If they valued strength, Lu HaiKong decided to show them just that. He wanted to boost their confidence first before anything else.
Lu HaiKong wasn't too concerned about any irrational actions Cheng Yaojin and Wei Chigong might take during his breakthrough. Firstly, they were physically restrained, and secondly, even if they could act, Lu HaiKong was confident in his abilities. He wouldn't have dared to demonstrate his power in front of them if he wasn't capable.
In fact, at that moment, Cheng Yaojin and Wei Chigong had no intention of doing anything either. As they stared blankly at Lu HaiKong, sitting cross-legged before them, his aura began to surge, increasing at a pace they couldn't comprehend, an insane and unprecedented speed...
(End of Chapter)
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