Chapter 102: Conditions

The other two Chieftains of the Black Wind Stronghold? Lin Xing raised an eyebrow and looked at the newcomers.

The two of them moved fast, quickly reaching the center of the area.

Both were young men, which didn’t surprise Lin Xing, as it had long been rumored that the Black Wind Stronghold originally had only one Chieftain; these three had appeared more recently. As soon as they emerged, they rose like comets. Their leader, now the Head Chieftain, challenged and killed the original master of the stronghold in a single sword fight, seizing control and declaring himself the new boss! Then, with the help of the second-in-command, he somehow subdued the bandits of the Black Wind Stronghold.

Lin Xing could tell at a glance that the one who looked solid and steady was their Head Chieftain, with a restrained, sharp aura. An expert, Lin Xing nodded to himself.

Then he looked at the Second Chieftain beside him. This man’s strength barely reached the Archmage level and he was a water mage. He hadn’t become the Second Chieftain of the Black Wind Stronghold through connections, but through his clever mind.

His wise and intelligent expression showed he was no ordinary person. The Black Wind Stronghold’s success today was largely due to his abilities.

“I am Alex, the Second Chieftain of the Black Wind Stronghold. This is our Head Chieftain, Blair. May I ask, brother, how should we address you?” Second Chieftain Alex clasped his fist toward Lin Xing, asking with a friendly smile.

As the saying goes, one doesn’t strike a smiling face. Moreover, Lin Xing wanted to subdue them; if he could do so amicably, that would be best. So he returned the gesture and said, “I am Lone Star.”

“So it’s Brother Lone Star! I’ve long heard of your great name!” Alex flattered with a smile.

Lin Xing smiled wryly. He hadn’t used this name for long, and few people knew of it. Yet Alex claimed to have “long heard” of it.

In the meeting hall of the Black Wind Stronghold, Lin Xing now sat with the three Chieftains.

After learning some details, Alex and the others invited Lin Xing up. Confident in his skills and bold by nature, Lin Xing followed them without hesitation, unafraid of any traps or ambushes awaiting him above.

“You want to subdue our Black Wind Stronghold?” Alex got straight to the point without beating around the bush.

Lin Xing glanced at them. Blair remained as steady as ever, while Kerry still wore that icy, murderous expression.

“Yes!” Lin Xing stated frankly.

As he spoke, Lin Xing’s divine sense detected even the usually steady Blair’s aura fluctuating slightly, his brow furrowing a little. Kerry, on the other hand, erupted with a chilling murderous intent from head to toe.

“It’s not impossible!” Alex suddenly said. Lin Xing was taken aback, not expecting Alex to say such a thing. He had originally thought subduing them would require great effort, but now it seemed there might be a turning point. Regardless of any schemes or tricks they might have, for now, at least, it wouldn’t be so difficult.

Hearing Alex’s words, Kerry stood up abruptly, facing Alex with displeasure. “Second Brother, what are you saying!”

“Third Brother, sit down first and let Second Brother finish!” Alex nodded at Kerry, who reluctantly sat back down.

“But we have a condition!” Alex said to Lin Xing.

“Oh? What condition? To make you submit to me, that condition must be quite something, I imagine!” Lin Xing replied.

“Talking with a smart person is never a hassle!” Alex said with a smile.

“So, what is this condition? To be honest, I’m quite curious about what kind of condition you’ll propose.”

“Our condition is that you must defeat us!”

“Defeat you? Is it that simple?” Lin Xing asked in surprise.

“Simple?” Kerry snorted coldly! Their brothers weren’t so easily knocked down, and whether Lin Xing could defeat them was still a question!

“It’s that simple, but merely defeating us isn’t enough! You must also make us submit wholeheartedly!” Alex stated.

Lin Xing nodded. This condition was almost like having none at all, which showed their cleverness. By negotiating terms with Lin Xing now, if he defeated them convincingly, they would willingly serve him. If Lin Xing failed to defeat them, he could simply walk away.

This way, no matter the outcome, both sides could accept it. But if they chose to fight directly without negotiating terms, then no matter the result, neither side would likely accept it.

Winning would be fine, but losing could mean losing face. Even if Lin Xing won, the Black Wind Bandits might not necessarily submit to him, and there would surely be losses in the clash.

Lin Xing glanced at Alex again. This man’s mind was indeed sharp, coming up with this mutually acceptable condition in such a short time.

In fact, this was precisely why they had invited Lin Xing up the mountain. After learning of Lin Xing’s intention, Alex and Blair had hurried down.

And this was the result Alex and Blair had agreed upon.

Hearing this, Kerry’s displeased expression softened slightly. After all, simply handing over the stronghold to Lin Xing for free was an outcome no one could accept. This way was better. Even if defeated, if they weren’t convinced, he still couldn’t do much about it.

“Good, I accept this condition!” Lin Xing agreed without hesitation. After all, this was the best approach. But someone as clever as Lin Xing couldn’t have failed to notice the harshness of this condition!

Make you submit wholeheartedly, huh? Then I’ll beat you until you submit wholeheartedly! Lin Xing sneered inwardly. Today, he was determined to succeed! Lin Xing now had absolute confidence. No matter what, he would take the Black Wind Stronghold today!

“When do we start?”

“No rush. Before we begin, we need to agree on a rule,” Alex looked at Lin Xing and, seeing no particular reaction, continued.

“We must set a rule: during the contest, neither side may kill the other. If one side concedes, the other must stop.” Alex proposed this rule not out of fear of injuring Lin Xing, but out of fear that Lin Xing might kill them. After all, they weren’t clear about Lin Xing’s hidden strength.

“Of course,” Lin Xing said with a smile. He had no intention of killing them in the first place. If they died or were injured, who would help him manage this place later? There were plenty of ways to make them submit wholeheartedly.

“Then let’s begin!” Lin Xing led the way out of the meeting hall, with the three Chieftains of the Black Wind Stronghold following behind.