After listening, Zi Linling pondered for a moment before looking at Qin Mingfei and the other two. "In that case, wouldn't it be even better to unify Xianhe Town? That way, there would be no more disputes, and everyone could fulfill their tasks peacefully. Wouldn't that align better with your original intentions?"
"Group Leader Zi..."
Just as Qin Mingyue was about to speak, he saw Zi Linling raise her hand to stop him. "Steward Qin, I want to hear the thoughts of these three!"
Qin Mingyue smiled wryly and looked at Sun Shangde, Chu Yunniang, and Qin Mingfei.
Sun Shangde laughed heartily and said, "Group Leader Zi speaks the truth, but we are used to being unrestrained. When we are our own masters, we can act as we please. But if we were to be subservient to others, it would inevitably lead to gossip and conflict, which would be contrary to Group Leader Zi's original intentions."
Chu Yunniang smiled and said, "Group Leader Zi, what Big Brother said is also what Yunniang thinks. We don't ask for much, just a place to call home. The three of us just don't want to cause trouble for others. But if anyone wants to cause trouble for us, none of us are afraid of them!"
Qin Mingfei nodded and said, "Group Leader Zi, Big Brother and Second Sister have already made our positions clear. I'll just add one more thing: although we won't submit, as long as Group Leader Zi is willing to maintain a friendly distance, we can be friends in the future, and even form an alliance wouldn't be impossible."
The words of the three were interconnected, each with its own emphasis.
Sun Shangde was tactful—Sorry, we don't like living under someone else's roof.
Chu Yunniang's sharp edge was slightly revealed—We don't seek trouble, but we don't fear it either.
Qin Mingfei stated his stance—Submission is impossible, but an alliance can be discussed!
The three sang in harmony, employing both soft and hard tactics.
If it were anyone else, they would likely have reconsidered and compromised immediately.
But what kind of situations hadn't Zi Linling seen before?
She might be approachable, but it depended on whom she was dealing with.
"Since that is the case, I will not force you. You may leave! But once you step out of this courtyard, it will be difficult to turn back!"
"Deputy Group Leader Tie! See them out!"
"Deputy Group Leader Liuyue, here are three hundred bottles each of Blood Qi Pills, Qi Replenishing Pills, and Blood Coagulating Pills, as well as one hundred bottles of Spirit Burst Pills. Distribute these medicines to everyone who has surrendered to Iron Blood, including members of the Liuyue Mercenary Group. Do not miss anyone."
As Zi Linling spoke, with a thought, over a thousand bottles of pills appeared on the ground.
These pills were, naturally, what Zi Linling had refined over the past few months.
Each bottle contained ten pills, so these thousand-plus bottles amounted to tens of thousands of pills. Each person in the Iron Blood Mercenary Group would receive ten pills, with some left over.
Among these, the Blood Qi Pills, Qi Replenishing Pills, and Blood Coagulating Pills were for healing, while the Spirit Burst Pills were for saving lives.
Seeing these pills, the eyes of everyone in the courtyard lit up, including Qin Mingyue, Sun Shangde, Chu Yunniang, and Qin Mingfei, who had not yet left.
Zi Linling had certainly done this intentionally.
She wanted to show the members of the Zhongcheng Mercenary Group that surrendering to the Iron Blood Mercenary Group brought benefits.
"Deputy Group Leader Liuyue, ensure everyone receives their share, and let them use them liberally. There will be more pills every month."
"Thank you, Group Leader! Long live the Group Leader!"
The members of the Iron Blood Mercenary Group shouted in unison.
It was known that mercenaries, when undertaking missions, inevitably encountered injuries, and even their lives were threatened.
The pills provided by Zi Linling undoubtedly gave them more bargaining chips for survival.
If, before, these people had surrendered to Zi Linling due to her martial prowess, then at this moment, they were extremely fortunate to have made that choice.
Especially upon hearing that Zi Linling mentioned such pills would be available monthly, their hearts were even more inclined towards complete submission.
Qin Mingyue's mouth twitched. Even their Mercenary Guild couldn't produce so many pills at once.
Sun Shangde, Chu Yunniang, and Qin Mingfei regretted it to the point of their intestines turning green.
If Zi Linling were to extend an olive branch to them again at this moment, what reason would they have to persist?
However, some opportunities, once missed, were gone forever.
After stimulating the four, Zi Linling walked towards the room prepared for her by Tie Yinghu.
Sun Shangde gritted his teeth and called out, "Group Leader Zi! We..."
"Huh? Commander Sun, Deputy Commander Chu, Commander Qin, Steward Qin, why haven't you left yet?"
Zi Linling turned her head, interrupting Sun Shangde's words with feigned surprise.
Then, she turned to Tie Yinghu and said, "Group Leader Tie, this is where you've gone wrong! Didn't I ask you to see off our guests? How could you neglect them?"
She had no intention of giving Sun Shangde a chance to speak.
Tie Yinghu, who occupied the position of leader of the second-largest mercenary group, was not someone without brains.
Therefore, he quickly understood Zi Linling's intention, patted his forehead, and said, "You are right to reprimand me, Group Leader! I was just about to see off our guests when I saw you distributing pills. In my excitement, I forgot about Commander Sun and the others. It's my fault, it's my fault. I will escort Commander Sun and the others out now!"
As he spoke, he turned to Sun Shangde and the other three and said, "Four esteemed guests, please!"
"Leave nothing! You've already stirred up my greed, how can I possibly move my feet?"
Sun Shangde cursed inwardly, but outwardly, he said with a fawning smile, "Group Leader Zi, I think we can discuss the matter of submission further."
Zi Linling glared and said, "Discuss what? Everyone has their own aspirations. Since you find it difficult to live under others, I will not force you. And don't worry, since I promised to maintain a friendly distance, I will not cause you trouble. I am busy and short on time, so I will not entertain you further!"
After she finished speaking, she returned to her room, closed the door with a bang, and set up a barrier outside the room.
Tie Yinghu instantly understood Zi Linling's meaning and said to Sun Shangde and the other three, "Four esteemed guests, please!"
Sun Shangde smiled wryly, but his feet remained rooted to the spot.
Not only him, but Chu Yunniang and Qin Mingfei also did not move.
Zi Linling had just said that once they left this courtyard, it would be difficult to turn back.
Qin Mingyue wanted to leave but couldn't stop worrying about Qin Mingfei, so he could only remain there awkwardly.
Tie Yinghu urged them again, "Four esteemed guests, please!"
Sun Shangde said with a fawning smile, "Group Leader Tie, look... we are willing to surrender. Can you please ask Group Leader Zi to come out, and we can talk properly?"
Tie Yinghu sneered, "Hmph! Weren't you quite stubborn just now? You actually refused our Group Leader's offer, and now you expect to be treated with courtesy?"
"Sun Shangde, let me tell you the truth. If our Group Leader truly wanted to unify Xianhe Town by force, let alone your Zhongcheng Mercenary Group, even if the Mercenary Guild were added, they couldn't stop the Group Leader's progress."
"The reason we invited you for discussions was because your Zhongcheng Mercenary Group hadn't done anything bad, so the Group Leader was willing to give you an opportunity, rather than resorting to brutal suppression."
"But you, on the other hand, refused the kindness offered and even dared to make threats?"