Abyss Summoner-Chapter 142 - 140: Persuasion to Surrender

In the room.

A man exuding a faint air of indifference sat at the center, his head lowered, black hair a silent and mysterious as the night.

At his feet lay a bizarre silhouette.

The Inferior Demon curled up on the ground, its head tight against the man’s ankle, nudging it shyly, like it wants to show goodwill but fears reprimand.

The man reached out, gently caressing the Inferior Demon’s head back and forth. Its eyes slightly dilated, it slightly lifted its chin and lazily closed its eyes, seemingly satisfied.

A lazy demeanor, akin to basking in sunlight.

Originally, it was a common gesture.

Yet some present seem uneasy, especially Zhang Jianxiong whose eyes widened, as though he couldn’t believe what he was witnessing.

When Wei Xun and the others approached their stronghold, some provocateurs with guns spoke disrespectfully; by the time Zhang Jianxiong rushed over, those few were already gone.

The Inferior Demon!

Zhang Jianxiong could see clearly; the arm of a subordinate still hung on the creature’s chest, his body completely devoured, leaving no survivors among the three.

But this murderous heretic now lay like a doll at the man’s ankle, probably too cozy, stretching dramatically with several arms.

Hence, Chen Feng had said nothing from start to finish, yet surprised the three whose eyes were as wide as saucers, too astonished to utter a word.

Apart from Zhang Jianxiong, Wei Xun, and Xu Zhe also sat in the room, silent as Chen Feng remained mute; not a word slipped from their mouths.

"You’re strong, able to survive such apocalyptic conditions and rally survivors to form forces; you’ve proven your worth."

After some time.

Chen Feng’s ethereal voice echoed in the room as he suddenly raised his head, scrutinizing the trio’s faces.

By the time Wei Xun had returned, their documents lay before Chen Feng.

Du Men sat in the chair, vines twining around his legs like they possessed life, intertwining back and forth; these vines were extremely tough, resistant to water and fire, capable of blocking attacks and even constricting enemies to limit their movement.

And Zhang Jianxiong, though wary of everything before him, wasn’t panicked. His muscles bulged, even temples swelled into lumps. He seemed devoid of movement, yet his muscles were tightly drawn, like a loaded crossbow, ready to strike and unleash thunderous force.

As for Wu Junwen, his lips trembled multiple times, evidently wanting to speak but hesitant under Chen Feng’s pressure, though his figure was portly, not a trace of sweat on his skin, smooth like a peeled egg glowing.

Three people!

All are talents!

Securing them signified the Economic Development Zone would belong to Chen Feng, then he’d thoroughly become the master here.

Among these three, though none were famed figures, Chen Feng didn’t mind at all.

The apocalypse was perilous; besides strength, luck was equally crucial for survival. Talented individuals could write their own Chapters if they continued growing.

Yet some were unfortunate, crushed by monsters before they could mature, devoured whole, rendering their talents useless, with no chance to arise.

Memory.

This was Chen Feng’s advantage but not his criterion for judging everyone and everything.

With this thought, Chen Feng glanced around and spoke again: "I formed [Order] to counter monsters. In the face of apocalypse, disaster and slaughter abound everywhere; fragmented forces allow monsters to exploit. In this context, only unity ensures self-preservation!"

"Union yields mutual benefit, division leads to loss. I called Wei Xun to invite you, without using force, to express sincerity. We’re all fortunate in this new era. Each of you is a master, and I won’t let your talents go unnoticed; come here, wield power, eat your fill, you’ll be fully utilized, enjoy resources and welfare without diminution, only enhancement."

Persuasion to surrender!

No probing existed at all.

As soon as Chen Feng spoke, he directly delved into the topic, expressing his thoughts wholly.

Chen Feng made it clear that he appreciated their abilities, thus calling Wei Xun to invite them over; cooperation was vital for survival in these end times. Without it, the only outcome was a dead end.

They hesitated a bit, recognizing [Order]’s might; even if joining was the best choice, having led their strongholds for months, wielding life-death authority at hand—though Chen Feng promised significant positions, it was nowhere as free as being their own ruler; nowhere as pleasant as being their own master.

"Oh? So, brother, you want us to join you, but my men are a bunch of proud and unruly bastards. I’m afraid even here they wouldn’t obey, causing big trouble then." 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

At this moment, Wu Junwen’s eyes wandered, seemingly contemplating something.

Chen Feng held great power; his camp surpassed the total of their bases, making Wu Junwen unable to choose under such a trend. Yet... though refusing wasn’t an option, he could negotiate some authority.

Power-sharing.

Apparently, he sincerely claimed his subordinates were hard to tame; later, if Chen Feng offered him a foothold to continue overseeing them, it seemed more like partnership than total obedience, isn’t that preferable?

Negotiation.

As a business mogul, Wu Junwen surely understood bargaining artlessly with opponents.

Using minimal cost for maximum return, that’s a merchant’s strategy.

"Oh? You don’t want to?" Chen Feng seemed indifferent to the other’s intentions, asking lightly.

"Given a stable environment here, I’d surely oblige, but..." Hearing Chen Feng’s inquiry, Wu Junwen knew chances lingered, readying to expose his thoughts entirely, but Chen Feng interrupted suddenly.

"I neither suspect nor doubt, always treating people sincerely. I’ve said to confer great responsibility, yet you insist on your ways, disregarding the lives of hundreds at the stronghold, solely focused on your status and position. What use is such a man without ambition?"

Chen Feng spoke clearly, his tone mild, but words were sharp like knives, penetrating the heart; in just a few phrases, Wu Junwen was laid bare, the final words more like chilling winds of December, freezing one’s spirit.

Feeling the master’s anger, the Inferior Demon opened its eyes; its face that exuded An Yi a second ago turned numb and stiff, glaring straight at Wu Junwen.

"Since you’re stubborn, there’s no other way. Inferior Demon, escort him on his path."

With a word, Wu Junwen’s face turned ghostly pale, completely bloodless.