Chapter 603: Dividing the Teams

Many players had already suspected the next game might be a distribution-type one. After all, the Gallery generally did not arrange the same type of game twice in a row and often followed a brutal Judgment or elimination game with a relatively safe distribution-type game, giving players a brief chance to breathe.

What made this distribution-type game different from previous ones, however, was one significant departure: there were no voluntary participation slots at all. Every selected player was compulsory.

Moreover, the compulsory selection used three separate criteria layered together, ensuring that those chosen were specifically the community members who had participated in fewer games, earned less visa time, and taken less part in community discussions.

In the previous distribution-type game, while similar filtering rules had appeared, at least a small number of voluntary slots had been left open to ensure the community's core game players could enter and lead their teams.

This time, Lin Sizhi, Lu Bingjun, and Ye Lin had all been excluded.

Had the community been at full capacity, the fourth player excluded would most likely have been Zheng Chunhua, since his earnings in the Pain Game had come second only to Ye Lin's.

Lu Bingjun knocked the table firmly to bring the room to order.

"Alright, everyone listen to me first.

"The Imitator who designed this game was clearly acting with hostile intent. This kind of selection standard is an obvious attempt to strip the community's core players out of the lineup.

"But there's no need to panic, because the same rules apply equally to every other community.

"Most communities' core players should find themselves unable to enter the game as well.

"On the whole, it's still reasonably fair.

"This game has 10 players split into two teams of 5. Based on the rules, you'll be participating in two separate games.

"So the immediate priority is confirming the composition of each team and selecting a temporary leader for each one.

"I have every confidence that this community has more than enough capable players. Leadership ability isn't limited to just the three of us."

He paused briefly and looked at the players who were about to enter the game, "Thirty minutes of discussion time is generous enough.

"On the question of how to split the teams, does anyone have thoughts? Are there players who particularly want to be placed on the same team?"

Huang Shengjie thought for a moment, "Qin Cheng and I should be on the same team. We've built up some coordination and working together should be smoother."

But this time, Qin Cheng considered it for a moment and did not immediately agree.

"The situation this time is different from the Pain Game.

"The Pain Game was voluntary. This time, all 10 players are compulsorily selected and divided into two teams.

"So we need to think about how to distribute our capabilities and balance each team with different types of players.

"Shengjie, we're both young and in better physical shape than Yao Yuan and Zheng. Having one of us on each team makes things more stable.

"Besides, I believe you're capable of holding your own on your own team now."

Lu Bingjun nodded, "Yes, Qin Cheng is right.

"Qin Cheng and Yao Yuan, you're both among the stronger analytical players in the male group, so it would be best if you're on separate teams.

"Taking physical stamina into account as well, I think the most sensible arrangement is Qin Cheng with Zheng Chunhua on one team, and Shengjie with Yao Yuan on the other.

"Qin Cheng, you and Zheng Chunhua also worked together during the Pain Game, so coordination shouldn't be an issue.

"For the female players, let's split things like this.

"Lu Qi and Geng Yuxia, your individual strength is relatively more limited, so it's better to have you on separate teams.

"Shen Bowen and He Qinyun, you're both experienced veteran players with solid capabilities, also on separate teams.

"Wen Wan and Zhou Wanlin, you're both more support-oriented players, so as far as possible on separate teams as well.

"With that in mind, the final split is as follows.

"Team One: Qin Cheng, Zheng Chunhua, Wen Wan, Shen Bowen, Lu Qi.

"Team Two: Yao Yuan, Huang Shengjie, Zhou Wanlin, He Qinyun, Geng Yuxia.

"Any questions?"

Everyone looked at each other. Most seemed reasonably satisfied with the outcome, and while a few players had mild reservations, no one could identify a compelling reason to demand a change.

Ye Lin's brow creased slightly, "Is Team One a little thin?

"Zheng-shu and Wen Wan are veteran players, but neither of them is really suited to leading a team. And while Shen Bowen has experience, she's still a new member of this community, so there may be some coordination issues.

"It might be worth swapping He Qinyun over."

Lu Bingjun shook his head, "And replace her with whom? If we move Wen Wan or Lu Qi, the other team becomes too weak. Moving Shen Bowen wouldn't make much of a difference either.

"And Shen Bowen going to Team Two would run into the same coordination problem.

"Perhaps we should simply ask the person herself?"

Shen Bowen thought for a moment, "Let's keep it as it is."

Ye Lin did not press further, and simply looked around at everyone, "Then do your best."

Lu Bingjun added, "One more thing I want to remind everyone of.

"If conditions allow, our community has one open slot, and it may be worth attempting to poach a player from another community during the game.

"That function is currently active, which means that regardless of who makes the proposal, as long as all of the community members present in that game's session agree unanimously, a new member can be accepted.

"So please exercise careful judgment.

"First priority is your own safety and earnings in the game. Second, weigh carefully whether the player's ability is strong enough and whether their values are compatible with our community's.

"If someone has already proposed a candidate and you feel the choice is unsuitable, don't hesitate to exercise your right to veto.

"Under the rules, if one team has already accepted a new player, the community's open slot will be filled, and the other team can no longer accept anyone unless an existing member is removed.

"That is absolutely not permitted. Any attempt to remove a member must be vetoed immediately by anyone who sees it.

"So please be deliberate when deciding whether to poach, but if one team has already passed the vote to bring someone in, the other team must not try to do the same.

"There's also no need to worry too much. This is a distribution-type game, and serious risk to life should be unlikely. Even if something goes wrong, we now have an immunity voucher and can use it to save one player.

"If a genuine emergency arises, I'll use it directly.

"Beyond that, the First Player Identity Card also has a function for submitting suggestions. The three of us will be discussing the game's basic rules carefully here in the community, and any suggestion we consider worth submitting will be sent through immediately.

"So there's no need to worry too much. Approach it as calmly as you can, and perform as well as you're capable of.

"That's roughly all. Take a moment to settle yourselves and get ready."

No one said anything further. Shortly after, the countdown on the large screen reached zero.

The ten players disappeared from the hall.

Only Lin Sizhi, Lu Bingjun, and Ye Lin remained.

The three of them each found a seat at the long table. The atmosphere was, for no obvious reason, faintly awkward.

After a short wait, the game's basic rules began to appear on the large screen, a privilege of the First Player Identity Card.

None of the three spoke. Each of them studied the rule details on the screen in their own careful silence.