Otherworld Advance Team
Chapter 1056 - 1049: Charmingly Compelled

Chapter 1056: Chapter 1049: Charmingly Compelled

Elder Tu Xiu squinted his eyes at Luo’er, remaining silent. He didn’t know what kind of trick Luo’er was playing, so he dared not to rashly speak out against him.

He had never seen firearms, and he was still a few steps away from Luo’er. He didn’t believe that Luo’er could pose a threat to him at such a distance.

Of course, Luo’er knew what he was thinking. Although he couldn’t see his facial expression, he caught a hint of confusion in his eyes, and that was enough for him to start his play.

"Elder, do you think the weapon in my hand is not enough to threaten you?" Luo’er smiled faintly, then raised the pistol to the sky and squinted as he pulled the trigger.

Bang!!

With a loud noise, Luo’er’s pistol emitted a deafening boom that instantly reverberated throughout the valley.

Not only that, but when the pistol bullet was shot into the air, it erupted into a huge ball of flame, exploding at a position more than a hundred meters from the ground, shocking even the members of the Advance Team.

Cheng Ziang’s eyes widened as he stared at the fireball that suddenly exploded in the sky. He was stunned for a while, then he suddenly guessed something and couldn’t help but chuckle and shake his head continuously.

Of course, a pistol bullet wouldn’t have such an effect, even if the bullet head was a Rune Bullet.

At the moment of the fireball’s explosion, the members of the Advance Team distinctly felt a disturbance of magic power, which meant that someone had just cast magic in the sky.

And the only one who could cast magic in the sky, after thinking it over, was only one person, no, perhaps it should be said, a god, that was Fulajie’er.

Clearly Luo’er was quick-witted; he knew that exaggerating the power of firearms could have a strong deterrent effect on these natives.

If not for this, the Advance Team would have had a very tough time dealing with so many Wolfmen, and it was almost unrealistic to expect to come out unscathed.

Firearms were indeed more advanced compared to bows and spears, but they inherently had limitations, and the ammunition they carried was also insufficient for such intense combat. Therefore, exaggerating the power of firearms became the best means to deter these Wolfmen, which was probably what Luo’er was thinking.

As they witnessed the fireball explosion, the gaze of the Wolfmen present changed instantly, many of the onlooking Wolfmen shook with fear, nearly ready to flee. Elder Tu Xiu stared at Luo’er with widened eyes, looking terrified.

"Now, can we have a proper talk?" Luo’er held the pistol, and though the muzzle was not aimed at Tu Xiu, the threat was implicit.

Luo’er was very aware that influence by virtue and deterrence by force were essential. The Advance Team could have an equal and friendly exchange with these Wolfmen solely based on their strong military force.

He wasn’t the naïve newcomer to society who believed that by sincerity and kindness alone, he could move everyone on the Otherworld Continent. Anyone or any power that had come into contact with the Advance Team either communicated with them peacefully or, after being beaten up, communicated with them peacefully.

At this moment, Tu Xiu’s face looked a bit unsightly. He indeed felt resentful, but the formidable military force demonstrated by Luo’er forced him to submit. After witnessing the scene of the fireball explosion, he knew very well that Luo’er needed only a few shots to completely annihilate his village.

Seeing Tu Xiu’s conflicted gaze, Luo’er smiled faintly, then disengaged the safety on the pistol and holstered it, as a gesture of his sincerity. As expected, after seeing Luo’er put away the pistol, Tu Xiu’s expression clearly relaxed a great deal.

"So, can we continue our talk now?" Luo’er said, stepping forward and extending his hand generously, hoping to shake hands with Tu Xiu as a gesture of peace.

Looking at his bold move, Tu Xiu pondered for a moment before deciding to take the offered hand, and extended his own to shake hands with Luo’er.

Seeing his gesture, Luo’er smiled slightly, and didn’t find it strange. Since Tu Xiu had previously had contact with the Blaiqi people, he naturally would be aware of some of Earth’s etiquette, especially since the Blaiqi people call themselves the New Earthlings and naturally imitate Earth’s entire suite of etiquette.

Both sides shook hands in peace again, and the recently tense atmosphere dissipated in an instant. The Wolfmen looked at each other, each of them stepping back a few paces, warily watching the Advance Team and Tu Xiu.

Everything seemed unchanged, yet internally, a one-hundred-and-eighty-degree reversal had already occurred. In short, Luo’er had grasped absolute initiative by demonstrating force.

If, at the beginning of their meeting, Luo’er and Tu Xiu had been on the same level, with everything being a mere request for Tu Xiu’s cooperation, now after the display of force, Luo’er had taken absolute control. From then on, it would be he who would demand things of Tu Xiu, rather than him begging Tu Xiu.

"I apologize for having offended and disrespected a guest of honor just now," Tu Xiu said, bowing his head in shame.

"We truly have no intention of being enemies with you all, and I hope Elder Tu Xiu can understand this point. We simply hope that you can cooperate with us to accomplish our mission," Luo’er said, holding Tu Xiu’s hand and smiling.

Tu Xiu was tall and burly, and Luo’er standing before him was like Little Red Riding Hood in front of the Big Bad Wolf – a stark visual contrast. But at this moment, Tu Xiu was terrified by Luo’er’s crafty moves. He wouldn’t dare object, even if Luo’er were to ride roughshod over him.

"Of course, whatever you need, just say it, and we will do our best to cooperate," Tu Xiu said somewhat humbly.

"Could you ask your people to withdraw for now, so we can find a quiet place to talk properly?" Luo’er looked around and then asked calmly.

"Oh, naturally, naturally," Tu Xiu answered as he beckoned one of his people, whispered a few words to disperse the crowd, and then politely said to Luo’er, "Lord Luo’er, lords, this way please. Let’s talk inside the house."

"Thank you," Luo’er said with a slight smile, releasing Tu Xiu’s hand, and followed behind him with an air of casual confidence.

Cheng Ziang followed quietly, his gaze on Luo’er revealing a touch of admiration.

From the formation of the Advance Team, he had been witnessing Luo’er’s growth from a meek introverted boy to a young leader who could remain unfazed even as Mount Tai crumbled before him. Seeing him mature step by step, Cheng Ziang genuinely felt a sense of achievement.

Frankly speaking, in Cheng Ziang’s eyes, Luo’er wasn’t exactly an excellent leader. He was prone to being emotional and hesitated in the face of danger. If it had not been for his impulsiveness last time, they would not have let Fu’en go, leading to all the subsequent troubles.

However, from certain aspects, Luo’er’s performance was indeed outstanding. His tactical thinking was highly adaptable, and his judgment of the situations on the battlefield was remarkably accurate, making him a quite excellent commander.

Furthermore, Luo’er had his own principles when handling matters, which made him exceptionally charismatic.

Firstly, Luo’er treated people with sincerity and respected the wise and the brave. He was courteous to everyone. When insulted, he didn’t get angry; when provoked, he didn’t become rash. He valued peace above all, soothing friends as much as possible and resolutely striking against enemies, with clear gratitude and grievances.

He might act impulsively, but he was also good at listening to others’ opinions, which helped avoid many troubles. It could be said that if someone claimed they could replace Luo’er as leader of the Advance Team, Cheng Ziang would be the first to oppose it.

Cheng Ziang’s own leadership skills weren’t bad, but compared to Luo’er, his style lacked that certain something, and he couldn’t capture Luo’er’s unique charm.

In the years since the Advance Team entered the Otherworld, they had traveled far and wide, making a multitude of friends and bringing many Otherworld girls back to their base.

To say that these people were only infatuated with Luo’er’s good looks and therefore followed him to the base would be a one-sided view. Although Cheng Ziang often teased Luo’er with such remarks, he knew very well that Luo’er’s own charm played an undeniable role in their genuine willingness to follow him to headquarters.