Shifting the Focus of Resentment: A Business Tactic Combining Firmness and Flexibility

"The esteemed lords of Shu and Wu, think carefully..."

"At first glance, the Neutral faction seems like a group we should compete to win over, but what if they unite as one? They may appear to be sitting back and watching the tigers fight, waiting to choose their rightful master."

"Behind the scenes, however, they are secretly amassing strength, quietly expanding their forces."

"Our three factions may have impressive numbers on paper, but what use is that when we face both internal strife and external threats?"

"On the surface, we seem dominant, leaving no room for the Neutral faction to survive, but in reality, their roles are terrifyingly powerful."

"Their leader is the [Undead], with infinite health, serving as an unkillable frontline tank."

"The seemingly insignificant [Songstress] most likely possesses mental or crowd-control abilities, acting as their magical damage dealer."

"The unflatteringly named [Beggar] likely commands a vast network of followers in these chaotic times, functioning as their physical damage dealer."

"And lastly, the [Noble Houses], responsible for recruiting troops and supplying funds—just the name alone suggests deep-rooted influence and authority, making them an exceptional support!"

"Now, do you still believe the Wei-Shu-Wu factions are truly the strongest?"

The players: "!!!"

Lin Yu: "!!!"

Whether Wei, Shu, or Wu were strong, Lin Yu didn’t know.

But one thing he did know—Du Ruxue was ridiculously overpowered!

No wonder she chose to speak first.

With just a few simple sentences, she had laid bare the entire structure of the Neutral faction.

Though she hadn’t pinpointed their exact skills, her assessment of their roles was spot-on.

They had all just started playing this game, yet Du Ruxue had already analyzed so much?

But she wasn’t done!

The earlier part was just her personal analysis.

She had framed it from the perspective of "I’m injured, yet I don’t attack you" to set the stage.

A true business elite doesn’t just analyze the current situation—she also proposes strategic suggestions for navigating complex alliances and rivalries.

After hearing her opening remarks, everyone listened even more intently to her final minute of speech.

"Speaking all this isn’t to suggest that Shu and Wu should unite to eliminate the Neutral faction first."

"Instead, I’d like to recruit one or two of their talents to join our Wei faction."

"My earlier words were merely to pressure them!"

"In the first round, they don’t need to declare whether they’ll align with one of our three factions."

"What I hope for is this..."

"By the second round, the Neutral faction must clearly choose which of the three factions they will join."

"If they refuse and continue using the excuse of ‘waiting and observing,’ I propose that all three factions unite to crush this growing threat before it becomes unstoppable."

"The Neutral faction’s leader, the [Undead], may seem unkillable with infinite health, but how could any character truly be immortal?"

"Wouldn’t that break the game’s balance?"

"So I suspect the [Undead] simply has an unusually harsh death condition, not true invincibility."

"If all three factions attack together, we can absolutely eliminate the [Undead]."

Lin Yu: "!!!"

She nailed it again!

This was truly a masterstroke!

Lin Yu’s character wasn’t actually unkillable.

If he took more than five points of damage in a single round, he would trigger a death check—rolling three dice, and if the total exceeded sixteen, he would permanently die.

Theoretically, if they kept attacking, they could kill him.

Was this game tailor-made for Aunt Ruxue?

This level of play was practically cheating!

Du Ruxue observed Lin Yu’s reaction and continued:

"To facilitate this, I’m willing to contribute half of Wei’s initial funds and supplies, evenly split between Shu and Wu."

"But if either of you turns a blind eye or deaf ear to this, you will become Wei’s sworn enemies!"

"Starting in the second round, Wei will abandon targeting the Neutral faction and focus entirely on whichever faction remains passive."

"Our Ruirui, the [Plague Vector], can infect a chosen faction with a permanent plague."

"The effect permanently reduces their troops, funds, and supplies!"

"If the Neutral players make their choice in the second round, my promise to share resources still stands—and if I break it, you’re all free to turn on me."

"A win-win-win scenario. Lords of Shu and Wu, consider carefully—behind you stand teammates who trust you."

"If not for yourselves, think for them."

"My speech is over."

After Du Ruxue finished speaking,

the room fell into a brief silence lasting over ten seconds.

Even the game master, Ying’er, forgot to call for the next speaker.

Ying’er stared at Du Ruxue, her breathing uneven, her emotions turbulent.

As a game designer, what did she want most?

Wasn’t it precisely this—seeing her creation shine under the hands of a high-skill player?

Ever since she designed "Fractured Three Kingdoms,"

Ying’er had never managed to gather enough players for a proper offline test.

She had many theories about how the four factions should play,

but she had never imagined a scenario where the hidden strongest faction—the Neutral faction—would be cornered in the very first round!

Du Ruxue’s strategy, blending firmness with flexibility, was simply brilliant!

Sacrificing her own advantages to dissolve superficial dominance and redirect factional conflicts,

while wielding the "plague threat" as leverage—

this uncompromising stance was incredibly intimidating.

Unless the Shu and Wu leaders were too emotionally attached to Lin Yu, they would easily make the rational choice for their teams.

Forcing the Neutral faction to speak last and framing the dilemma of "if you’re not with us, you’re against us" left them no room to evade.

Magnificent… absolutely magnificent!

The way Ying’er looked at Du Ruxue now carried a sense of regret—regret that they hadn’t met sooner.

Was this the charm of a mature woman?

"Game Master, may I begin my speech?"

Shen Jiuyi’s voice pulled Ying’er back to reality.

Ying’er quickly replied:

"Ah, yes! Following the order, the Wu faction’s lord may now speak."

Shen Jiuyi’s expression bore some resemblance to Du Ruxue’s,

though she seemed less driven by sheer competitiveness or aggression.

Her tone was light, almost indifferent, as she said:

"First, let me be honest..."

"I rarely find myself impressed by someone’s gameplay."

"But the Wei lord’s speech left me in awe."

"From every angle, there’s no reason to refuse."

"However..."

"Regarding the offer to split half of Wei’s funds and supplies between my faction and Shu’s, I have a minor suggestion."

"Could we exchange the supplies… for troops instead?"

"Of course, even if the terms remain unchanged, I won’t reject Wei’s proposal to force the Neutral faction to choose."

"But if the troops are too strong, it might remind my side too much of the historical ‘Shu-Wu Alliance.’"

...

(Second update for today, with more to come later. If you enjoyed this, please consider sending some "power stones" to support this humble author!)